As if senior year at Weatherford Preparatory School wasn’t hard enough, sixteen year old Alexis Bardolph had to add school outcast to the curriculum.
A new found notoriety following a family scandal, her lacrosse star boy-friend dumping her for a former BFF and a string of perpetually bad hair days were among the many things going wrong in her already turbulent teenage life.
But when the haunting nightmares that have plagued her since childhood begin to take an eerily tangible form and several Holler Creek residents are reported missing, Alexis can’t help but wonder if there isn’t more to her hellish dreams than meets the eye.
The unexpected arrival of a mysterious and dangerously handsome new student ultimately leads Alexis to troubling truths that not even her wildest imagination could have conjured.
Review
Plot: This book definitely sucked me in. I was very skeptical of the book because popular girl gone outcast seemed sort of cliche to me. But, Thompson did not take it in the direction I expected, which was awesome! I can't say much without giving away too much, but Alexis definitely has some baggage on her shoulders. She has no friends, no boyfriend, and basically no family. She walks through the hallways of her high school misunderstood and haunted with her past. I couldn't possibly fathom what that past was, but once it came up...I could not believe it. I connected with Alexis immediately and didn't want to really think that what some of the other characters were saying was true. But, her past does come to light over the course of dreams she has and we find out the real truth to what happened. Alexis' past is not the only thing she has to deal with though. A new guy she meets is anything but ordinary, and brings out something Alexis never thought she'd have again: happiness. I love the integration of the paranormal and mundane aspects of life into one story. It definitely worked for this book because you were not just wondering what happened with Alexis but what is up with the mysterious guy, Lucas.
Characters: Alexis - She's definitely a different heroine I usually run into. Alexis is at her wit's end and just wants peace, but can not find it with all the weight she carries. After some time, it was hard to get through how depressed she was. I felt bad for her and wanted to know what it was that made her this way, so I could understand. But, it did take time to come out. Once she meets Lucas, I was finally able to see her real personality and who she really was. During her depression, I did not get to see any of that, but after the first time they meet, it slowly starts to seep through.
Lucas - I love him! I love when guys in books are the Knight and Shining Armor and are okay with everything. But, it was hard to see someone be as accepting as he was. We do get to slowly see his secrets unravel though and what he's hiding from Alexis. He doesn't get by without hurting Alexis at least once though, which was definitely a heartbreaking scene.
Cover: The cover does not do it justice. I like that the girl reflects Alexis, but it doesn't describe the book or it's plot. This is an amazing book and I wish that could resonate to the cover.
Overall Rating: I'm giving this book a three out of four. This book blew my expectations and engrossed me so much, I'm anxious to know when Thompson will be releasing the second installment. If you like realistic fiction, romance, or paranormal...pick up this book. I love it and can't explain how excited I was when I saw it was part of a series. There are so many secrets revealed and stones left unturned that I need more. This was definitely a great read and I'm glad that Thompson requested this to BNR!
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Alisha
I like the cover! It's dark and pretty!! The book sounds very intriguing! Thank you for the great review! :)
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Sam
Books For All Seasons