This is a change for me. I've read a lot of books this year that had the kind of cover art that forces you to remove the dust jacket in order to read in public but that were actually on some really well written books that I enjoyed. With this one, it's the opposite. I knew nothing about this story and probably wouldn't have picked it up if the cover hadn't been so pretty. I love the colors and the feel of the dust jacket.
And at first I liked the story. It's suspenseful and mysterious. I kept reading and trying to figure out who the villain was but about half way in I just didn't care. The characters are pretty flat and once the big reveal came I just shrugged my shoulders. I think this is the kind of story that would have felt really intense and deep if I had read it when I was 13. But now having the wisdom and experience that comes with adulthood (gained by viewing bajillions of Lifetime: Television for Women events that feature stalkers) I just couldn't be bothered. So I now have a new blog category: meh.
In honor of Gnorah, who is too busy to read my blog (how sad for her!), I have the following:
Homer: Kids, how would you like to go... to Blockoland!
Bart & Lisa: Meh.
Homer: But the TV. gave the impression that--
Bart: We said "meh".
Lisa: M-E-H. Meh.
So the lesson is that book covers are able to deceive for good (like with Going Too Far) and ill (like today). This cover was concealing 2 dimensional characters, a stalker trope, a Twilightesque van out of control almost hitting girl but girl saved by mysterious stranger with powers scene (& a biology lab partners scenario complete with mixed signals (I think they might even give our heroine whiplash) and a boy who doesn't trust himself to touch the girl he secretly loooooooooooooves!). It got lamer for the ending which, of course, leaves the romance not happening because there is a series planned (shocker!) and they need to drag it out.
In conclusion, meh.
