Summary:
Bea is a recovering addict. She was kicked out of her private school, went to rehab, and is now starting at a brand new public school. She dresses a little strange and still has a reputation of being an addict, even though she's been sober for three months. She's acquired a new skill of drawing what others are thinking. This comes in handy as Willa, Ms. popularity, has just been raped and almost murdered. Bea is able to draw the face of the rapist, but no one listens to her. How can she help the police catch the murderer when everyone passes her off as a druggie that shouldn't be trusted?
My thoughts:
Honestly, I really enjoyed this book. It reminds me of several other psychic mystery novels where the teenagers are trying to solve a murder using their powers. There is an element of mistrust when psychic abilities are concerned. In Bea's case, it is even worse with her history of addiction. Even though it is typical of this genre, it is still a genre that is a lot of fun. Bea is an interesting character. You can see her become more confident as the book goes on. I enjoyed that the book didn't just have her miraculously no longer want drugs or alcohol. That's very true for addiction and made Bea more realistic. The plot moved very quickly. It is a relatively short book, so it can easily be read in a day. It's the first in the series, so the end is a little more abrupt and questions are not answered to what I would have liked, but I hope they are answered in the future parts of the series.
I marked it down a star because of marketing it towards a younger audience. I would not give this to a younger age. Not only is the main character a former drug addict, most of the characters are involved in drugs or alcohol. There is rape and murder, so violence and sex is a concern. Finally, the language is extensive. I usually don't complain about language, but it seems to be getting worse in the books that are coming out Spring 2013. I'm just not into it. I worry about handing a book to a student and have their parents become very upset about what is said and how it is said.
Bea is a recovering addict. She was kicked out of her private school, went to rehab, and is now starting at a brand new public school. She dresses a little strange and still has a reputation of being an addict, even though she's been sober for three months. She's acquired a new skill of drawing what others are thinking. This comes in handy as Willa, Ms. popularity, has just been raped and almost murdered. Bea is able to draw the face of the rapist, but no one listens to her. How can she help the police catch the murderer when everyone passes her off as a druggie that shouldn't be trusted?
My thoughts:
Honestly, I really enjoyed this book. It reminds me of several other psychic mystery novels where the teenagers are trying to solve a murder using their powers. There is an element of mistrust when psychic abilities are concerned. In Bea's case, it is even worse with her history of addiction. Even though it is typical of this genre, it is still a genre that is a lot of fun. Bea is an interesting character. You can see her become more confident as the book goes on. I enjoyed that the book didn't just have her miraculously no longer want drugs or alcohol. That's very true for addiction and made Bea more realistic. The plot moved very quickly. It is a relatively short book, so it can easily be read in a day. It's the first in the series, so the end is a little more abrupt and questions are not answered to what I would have liked, but I hope they are answered in the future parts of the series.
I marked it down a star because of marketing it towards a younger audience. I would not give this to a younger age. Not only is the main character a former drug addict, most of the characters are involved in drugs or alcohol. There is rape and murder, so violence and sex is a concern. Finally, the language is extensive. I usually don't complain about language, but it seems to be getting worse in the books that are coming out Spring 2013. I'm just not into it. I worry about handing a book to a student and have their parents become very upset about what is said and how it is said.
