"To find out what a story's really about,' the Librarian said,

'you don't ask the writer. You ask the reader."


- SNOW & ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin


Thursday, March 22, 2012

A "Nobel Beehive Award" Review: Slide by Jill Hathaway

Hello again, hope you are all enjoying some really good reads right now!
I have another review to share, and I have to say, this book has landed on my top 12 books of 2012!
Take a look...

by Jill Hathaway 
Format: ARC 
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Age Group: YA, 14 + 
Publisher: Balzer + Bray 
Author's Site(s):  Jill Hathaway's Blog, Facebook, Twitter   

From Goodreads: 

"Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered. 

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body. 

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane. 

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.
"


This book is like no other that I have read - the ability to 'slide' into someone else's mind and see what they are thinking, doing - kind of like 'walking in someone else's shoes' - is a brilliant story-line.  
Within the first few pages, we are thrust right into one of Vee's 'episodes' and experience and feel everything that she does when she slides. It's intense and so visual! I really felt like I was sliding right along with her.
The plot - so mysterious and suspenseful! I'm usually really good at figuring out the 'who did it' person right from the beginning, but Hathaway was so very good at giving out the hints and then throwing in few twists to throw me off track!
Vee's family dynamic seemed to be what most authors are going for these days, single parent home, siblings that kind of get along... but I really like the way Hathaway did it. Even though Vee, her sister Mattie and Dad didn't have much communication, they all still loved and cared for each other very much. In my opinion, most families are like this. Which makes their relationship realistic and more relate-able.
And of course, the romance! I adored Zane, not at first though, he seemed a bit too perfect, but nonetheless, he was too sweet and cute not to like... and of course, the BFF! At first I just didn't get it - Rollins was so standoffish and too much of a 'guy' at first. But once I got further into the book, he started to grow on me and I just knew that there had to be more to him than what he was fronting... and then, with the help of one of Vee's episodes, I finally got to see what Rollins was going through in his life - everything starts to click together and I couldn't help going all soft for him too. He had every right to be and react the way he did, I love him... and I loved the ending... and... oh my, so hard to keep this review spoiler free!

Slide has it all: suspense, mystery, love... It's a definite must read for 2012!
Go. Read. Slide. NOW!... release date is March 27th!


3 comments:

  1. Yeah *claps hands* I'm so happy you liked it so much! It's an awesome book, so full of mystery, intrigue but also more. I loved the characters and especially Vee!!

    I was so shocked by the ending!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. ooh, I'm glad you loved it so much! great review. :D

    I didn't like Zane at first--and I thought he was very sketchy. *evil eye*

    I can't wait for the sequel. :D

    Ashelynn @ Gypsy Book Reviews.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Awesome review I'm reading this this weekend and really looking forward to it. I love mysteries like these especially when there's a nice romance with it!

    ReplyDelete

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