The Dead And Buried, by Kim Harrington

Author: Kim Harrington
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Release Date: January 1, 2013
Format: Hardcover; 304 pages
Series: N/A
Genre: YA, Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller
Avg. Rating: ★★★✩✩

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A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?

There's nothing that I love more than a good mystery. Have it in any scenario and I will covet it - I'm just THAT crazy about a mystery. However, a good mystery has to have one quality to make me like it. I'm not picky, but I do ask that the mystery is just that - a mystery. I want to be able to read through the story pulling my hair out because I have no clue how to solve the mystery. I don't think that's too much to ask for. 

Unfortunately, it seemed as though that was too much to ask for with The Dead and Buried. It didn't take me much time at all (less than a third of the way through the book) to figure out what was going on in the story. I was slightly disappointed by how quickly the mystery was unraveled for me and almost wanted to go ahead and put the book down. But I didn't do that. I've read books by Kim Harrington before and I enjoyed them, so I wanted to give this book a chance. I also secretly hoped that if I continued reading, I would find out that I had everything wrong and didn't figure anything out. 

By the end of the story, I knew that I was right all along but I was very glad that I finished the book. Aside from the "mystery" (I use that term loosely), this story had some very redeeming qualities. I liked the cast of characters and didn't mind any mention of social circles. I was surprised to find out that I actually liked Alexa more than Jade, the main character. Alexa's role in the novel was actually small, but her personality really made her stand out in her parts of the story. The romance in this was a little aggravating to me. On one hand, you have the beautifully broken boy that is connected to the murder somehow that Jade feels a real connection to - which was nice. On the other though, you have the other boy that is basically drooling over Jade that she pretty much uses for her own reasons - that was not so sweet, and I honestly could have done without that little part. 

Obviously, a ghost story isn't something very new to Young Adult but the plot of this one was engaging enough to keep me going. I think that, aside from the small detail of the mystery not being so mysterious, this story is a good read. 

Rating: ★★★✩✩
Source: Purchase

Kim Harrington is the author of six books for kids and teens. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and son.

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Ripped, by Shelly Dickson Carr

Author: Shelly Dickson Carr [T] [W]
Publisher: New Book Partners [W]
Release Date: December 1, 2012
Format: Paperback; 520 pages
Series: N/A
Genre: YA, Indie, Thriller, Time-Travel
Avg. Rating: ★★★★★ (via Amazon.com)

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Katie Lennox wishes her parents were still alive. Having to leave Boston to live with Grandma Cleaves in London was hard, but she's making new friends, working on her British accent and even learning some Cockney rhyming slang. London's cool and actually feels like home in some ways, like she's been here before, belongs here. When a museum visit with her cousin and his cute friend turns funky, Katie finds herself in a long, uncomfortable dress, wearing a ridiculous hat, wondering what happened to her jeans and high-top sneakers? And where's her iPhone?... It's London, 1888. Smart and gutsy, Katie knows she's here to stop Jack the Ripper. The serial killer didn't just slash his victims' throats; he butchered the women. Katie has read about the Ripper, knows the names of his victims and where and when they were killed. She's watched her fair share of CSI. Can Katie save their lives?

Ripped was one of those random finds that I discovered while browsing around for new books to read. Loving all things Jack The Ripper related I knew that, fiction or not, I had to check this book out. I ordered, waited and read as soon as I received it in the mail.I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I don't know what exactly I was expecting, but for some reason I wasn't expecting it to be so good that I devoured this book in very little time. 

This book is told from the point of view of a fifteen-year-old girl (Katie) that goes back in time to try to stop Jack The Ripper from butchering women - one being an ancestor of Katie, whom her rock star sister looks a lot like. I loved Katie's voice in this book and, between her dialogue and references to modern-day pop culture, I think she really made this story very easy to read - even the gory and violent parts.

This story is very detailed and historically accurate when it comes to the facts about Jack The Ripper - someone definitely did their research and stayed true to history where it mattered. Seeing a book that is 500+ pages long about history and time travel may seem daunting but the intrigue in the mystery of this book definitely sets the pace and you'll be through it before you know it. 

If you're a fan of Jack the Ripper, time travel or just a good mystery then I would definitely recommend this book. 

My Rating: ★★★★★

Book Source: Purchase

The Forsaken, by Estevan Vega

DON'T LET IT IN.

The first victim has no natural wounds. No prints left behind. No lacerations. But the life has been gruesomely drained from the corpse, and a broken cross is now imprinted inside the skin.

Left for dead a year ago by his former partner, reckless and medicated Detective Jude Foster now endures mindless therapy sessions in order to be given another chance at his life.When the chief of police discovers the first victim strangely killed in this sadistic fashion, Jude enters a dark world all-too-familiar. He knows he’s seen this method of murder before, but he never caught the killer.

Could this be a copycat, or is it the one that got away?

Forced to take on a new partner for the case, Jude must come to terms with the fractured memories of his past, attempt to keep his younger brother safe, and chase down a ghost killer who is collecting human souls. But time is against him. How many more victims will there be before the killer is satisfied? And will Jude Foster be able to survive this new hell or in the chaos, will he risk becoming something else entirely?

Beautifully written, dangerously dark and inexplicably twisted.

I think that I could honestly stop my review right there and it would pretty much sum up how I feel about The Forsaken almost as well as anything else that I'm about to write. Just when you think Estevan Vega has delved far enough into the dark side of things, he goes just a little further with his next story.

Short of swooning and expressing my absolute love for this book, I just want to say that it's probably one of the darkest and best written books that I've read so far this year. The main character, Jude, is a character that you want to follow and can't help but cheer for throughout the story. The flashbacks of the past really help us to understand exactly what Jude has gone through and why he is the way he is. I'll admit, it's unusually depressing but it adds to the intrigue of the story.

There's an emphasis on a more surreal feeling to this book than just our reality that we are used to, which really takes the story to that next level. The twists and turns in this book will have you dizzy trying to keep up with everything going on in, but you'll stay on the edge of your seat anticipating what will happen next. And not everything is what it seems in this book. There was a time when I thought I knew exactly what was going on... and then there was another huge twist at the end, completely blowing all of my theories out of the water.

This book is not full of sunshine and rainbows, but I guarantee that you'll be hooked once you start this amazing book. If you like dark books, you'll definitely want to grab a copy of The Forsaken. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers, I guarantee you'll fall in love with the genre all over again once you read this book. It's just THAT good.

Rating: ★★★★★ Avg 2.71
Source: Author

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Title: The Forsaken
Author: Estevan Vega
Series: N/A
Publisher: StoneHouse Ink
Format: Kindle, 158 pages
Release Date: March 13, 2012

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Music Box, by Estevan Vega

Esther is getting old. No, she is old. Aging with every blink, with every breath.

After a life full of power and purpose, she is met with the harsh reality that she is now obsolete, and her fragile moments are short. On the eve of the last night in the city she has called home for years, Esther and her lover Jacob share their fears and their romance for this world over one last meal, as they wait in fearful unrest for what is coming.

Considering this is a short story (a little over 30 pages), I am going to be making this one of my short but sweet reviews as I do not want to give away too much of the actual story.

Much like Vega's other works, Music Box delves a little into the dark side of the story. The description and perspective in the story keeps a thrilling edge that seems to evoke a million different emotions in the reader as you read. Quite honestly, I think that my only complaint about this story is that I want more - even though "more" is not necessary. This story is most certainly complete, touching on many points. The main character, Esther, is trying desperately to hold onto the life that she has that seems to be coming to an end entirely too quickly. She reflects on herself, nit-picking at things that her husband tries to assure her is not necessary. I found her character to be extremely real and her husband to be a noble character.

Obviously, there is more to the story than one woman's self-obsessions... but I don't want to delve too much into any more for fear of spoiling something for someone. There's a level of suspense as the end approaches that keeps you on the edge of your seat - which is a feat that Vega seems to excel at. The characterization and descriptions in this book are amazingly strong that really pull you into the story and keep you there until the end. This is a must-read for fans not only of the author, but also for those who love suspense and thrillers. As always, I continue to be a huge fan of Estevan Vega's work and look forward to many more stories from him in the future.

Rating: ★★★★★ Avg 4.43
Source: Author

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Title: Music Box
Author: Estevan Vega
Series: N/A
Publisher: StoneHouse Ink
Format: Digital Short, 33 pages
Release Date: March 28, 2012

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