Two Mini Reviews

352 pages
Published 11th January by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
2011 Debut

Synopsis:

Tessa doesn’t believe in magic. Or Fate. But there’s something weird about the dusty unicorn tapestry she discovers in a box of old books. She finds the creature woven within it compelling and frightening. After the tapestry comes into her possession, Tessa experiences dreams of the past and scenes from a brutal hunt that she herself participated in. When she accidentally pulls a thread from the tapestry, Tessa releases a terrible centuries old secret. She also meets William de Chaucy, an irresistible 16th-century nobleman. His fate is as inextricably tied to the tapestry as Tessa’s own. Together, they must correct the wrongs of the past. But then the Fates step in, making a tangled mess of Tessa’s life. Now everyone she loves will be destroyed unless Tessa does their bidding and defeats a cruel and crafty ancient enemy.

Review

I read some mixed reviews so I started the book a bit nervously. However, I found myself pleasantly surprised. I didn’t pay as much attention to the writing because I was too busy reading as fast as I could so I could find out what happens next. I liked the fact that for once the best friend is in on what’s going on and is not treated (much) like a second hand citizen in the Grand World of the Female Protagonist. And I also liked that the love interest, while a jerk, was justified in his actions and, in fact, did not stalk/threaten to kill/spy (on) the heroine. The pacing was well done and there were some suspenseful moments that made the entire story seem like an exhilarating ride. The best part though? The author totally left some strings untied so that the next book in the series will have a brilliant premise. If you haven’t read this yet, I suggest you do. It’s fun, it has a sweet romance and wonderful characters.

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242 pages
Published March 1st, 2011 by Scholastic Point
2011 Debut

Synopsis:

When you can see things others can’t, where do you look for the truth?

This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.

Clarity “Clare” Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It’s a gift.

And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare’s ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case–but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare’s brother–who has supernatural gifts of his own–becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

Review:

I liked this a lot more than I had expected to. Honestly. I love the cover but it doesn’t really give anything away or rather, it’s not very reflective of what the book is all about. Not that it’s a big deal. Anyway, I like murder mysteries. And Clarity just showed me how much I like them. The mythology, that is, the source of their powers is not explored in any kind of detail in the novel but certain things some of the characters reveal lead me to believe that they are being saved for a later novel in the series. (I am quite excited about that.) I liked Clarity. I didn’t expect to but she displayed none of the characteristics that are so annoying in a lot of other heroines I could mention. The one thing that was a bit unrealistic was how irresistible she seemed to be to all the guys. As for the love interests (oh yes, the dreaded love triangle find its mark in this novel), they are both non-sparkly specimens of lurve. Which is to say, Justin has messed up and I’m not sure Clarity should ever forgive him. However, Gabriel seems to have major issues (jealousy and possessiveness being two of them) and I believe that if she must end up with someone, she should fall back to Justin. Or there’s Nate. He seems kinda interesting. Anyway, before I get too caught up in the love life of fictional characters, let me just say that Clarity is a fun and easy read. It’s entertaining, the pace is just right and the mystery is intriguing. Also, the ending has been left open for future novels which is quite awesome, in my opinion. It was a great debut.

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