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The gap
Quando Jane si trasferisce nel New Jersey, la nuova scuola le sembra una meraviglia: fa subito amicizia con le due ragazze più in vista dell’istituto, Kate e Langley, entrambe ricchissime e bellissime. Il trio diventa inseparabile e il loro tempo trascorre senza preoccupazioni tra la scelta di un abito e i commenti sui ragazzi. Una notte, però, Jane viene scaraventata da un’auto in corsa e finisce priva di sensi in un cespuglio di rose. Quando si risveglia in ospedale, non ricorda nulla di quanto è accaduto e il suo corpo è completamente paralizzato; inoltre riceve strani regali da un ammiratore che rimane nell’ombra e una serie di telefonate minacciose. Tutte le persone che le stanno attorno sono convinte che Jane abbia delle allucinazioni causate dai medicinali, ma un po’ alla volta lei riesce a mettere insieme i pezzi e a ricostruire la sera dell’incidente. Quello che scoprirà sarà lontano da ogni possibile verità e la trascinerà in un incubo che sembra non avere fine...
Publishers Weekly
«Finalmente una storia che, per l'accurata caratterizzazione dei personaggi, si distingue da una sfilza di romanzi per adolescenti eroine innocenti vengono risucchiata nella trappola della popolarità da ragazze ricche e con cuori malvagi.»
Publishers Weekly
364 pages, Hardcover
First published December 7, 2010
81 people are currently reading
5189 people want to read
About the author
Michele Jaffe
26 books407 followersMichele Jaffe (b. March 20 in Los Angeles, California), is an American writer. She has authored novels in several genres, including historical romance, suspense thrillers, and novels for Young Adults.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 549 reviews
July 26, 2016
“YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED,”
This was a YA mystery story about a girl paralysed after being knocked down by a car.
Jane was a strong character, although it was a little frustrating the way she couldn’t remember what had happened the night of the accident. It was unfair the way that everyone thought she was crazy when she kept going on about someone trying to kill her, but I could see why they would think that as they even had her doubting herself.
The storyline in this was about Jane receiving threatening messages, and slowly getting her memory back about what happened to her. There were several suspects, and also the mystery over whether or not Jane was just imagining all of it, and I didn’t guess what had really happened.
The ending to this was okay, although I was a little disappointed that we didn’t find out what had happened to Bonnie.
7 out of 10
September 16, 2018
Imagine waking up in a rosebush, pierced by hundreds of thorns, paralyzed and unable to remember the last 5 hours. That's the predicament Jane Freeman finds herself in. Someone very close to her wants her dead and they plan on finishing the job.
Rosebush wasn't the best book I've ever read but it was fun. I figured out who the would be murderer was pretty early but I had my doubts. The author Michelle Jaffe tried to throw me off but in the end I was right. Rosebush was kind of predictable but that didn't bother me because I had fun reading it. Its been awhile since I read a teen thriller and as I read Rosebush I discovered I had missed them.
If you want a fun fast paced read Rosebush is the book for you.
Hooked On Books September Read-A-Thon.
Rosebush wasn't the best book I've ever read but it was fun. I figured out who the would be murderer was pretty early but I had my doubts. The author Michelle Jaffe tried to throw me off but in the end I was right. Rosebush was kind of predictable but that didn't bother me because I had fun reading it. Its been awhile since I read a teen thriller and as I read Rosebush I discovered I had missed them.
If you want a fun fast paced read Rosebush is the book for you.
Hooked On Books September Read-A-Thon.
April 29, 2012
Scrolling about Rosebush's page in GR I realize that I am, it seems, one of the few people who actually love this book.
Why that is, I have no idea at all.
Seriously. I've read some thrillers (most of them weren't YA because we all know how shitty those can be) and even though some of them were deemed the best by God knows how many people, to me Rosebush ranks right up there with Justine Larbalestier's Liar and Colleen McCullough's On, Off. This book is good, you guys. Actually, good doesn't begin to describe what a drug induced journey this is but what matters is that it's marvelous and once you start reading it you'll be so enthralled you won't willingly let go of it. And even if you find yourself not reading it due to unfavorable circumstances, you'll be thinking about it, about what's going to happen next and about what just happened - or did it happen, really?
If you look through my reviews you'll easily understand that I love it when thrillers make me doubt myself. It's true most thrillers try to confuse you into thinking it's someone when it's not, after all if you knew who's to blame ever since the beginning, calling it a thriller wouldn't really be appropriate, but few actually manage to be fresh and interesting while doing so. Not Rosebush.
This is the story of Jane, a popular girl with a dark past who went to a party and whose unconscious body was later found sprawled on a rosebush. She wakes up in a hospital with her family and friends all horrified of what happened to her, and she has no recollection of what, when and how it happened. There's also a who, but we'll get to that later.
Personally I've never read a book with such a real character like Jane. You might argue a million things about her but it's impossible to deny all the nuances that make her a wholly believable character. Jane hates her mother for leaving her for her new stepfather when in reality she was the one who decided to distance herself from her family only to later blame them for allowing her to. She's truly selfless and thus is capable of doing things she doesn't want for extended amounts of time because she believes it's what the people around her want. She can be mean sometimes but only when she loses it and every little dark thought swirling through her mind has a very good reason to be there.
That coupled with the great storytelling, presented in a very visual and cinematographic way allows us to perceive her world as she does and to feel for and with her. The revealing of the killer might not have been a total shocker - I for one had thought about it, but then again, i'd been suspicious of almost everyone - but Michelle Jaffe handled it with grace and wit and wrapped everything up in a gripping and lovely way.
This is one of those thrillers that end not with a whimper nor with a bang; when you snap this book shut, all you'll have is a slowly forming smile in your lips and that lame, gushy feeling of rightness.
Why that is, I have no idea at all.
Seriously. I've read some thrillers (most of them weren't YA because we all know how shitty those can be) and even though some of them were deemed the best by God knows how many people, to me Rosebush ranks right up there with Justine Larbalestier's Liar and Colleen McCullough's On, Off. This book is good, you guys. Actually, good doesn't begin to describe what a drug induced journey this is but what matters is that it's marvelous and once you start reading it you'll be so enthralled you won't willingly let go of it. And even if you find yourself not reading it due to unfavorable circumstances, you'll be thinking about it, about what's going to happen next and about what just happened - or did it happen, really?
If you look through my reviews you'll easily understand that I love it when thrillers make me doubt myself. It's true most thrillers try to confuse you into thinking it's someone when it's not, after all if you knew who's to blame ever since the beginning, calling it a thriller wouldn't really be appropriate, but few actually manage to be fresh and interesting while doing so. Not Rosebush.
This is the story of Jane, a popular girl with a dark past who went to a party and whose unconscious body was later found sprawled on a rosebush. She wakes up in a hospital with her family and friends all horrified of what happened to her, and she has no recollection of what, when and how it happened. There's also a who, but we'll get to that later.
Personally I've never read a book with such a real character like Jane. You might argue a million things about her but it's impossible to deny all the nuances that make her a wholly believable character. Jane hates her mother for leaving her for her new stepfather when in reality she was the one who decided to distance herself from her family only to later blame them for allowing her to. She's truly selfless and thus is capable of doing things she doesn't want for extended amounts of time because she believes it's what the people around her want. She can be mean sometimes but only when she loses it and every little dark thought swirling through her mind has a very good reason to be there.
That coupled with the great storytelling, presented in a very visual and cinematographic way allows us to perceive her world as she does and to feel for and with her. The revealing of the killer might not have been a total shocker - I for one had thought about it, but then again, i'd been suspicious of almost everyone - but Michelle Jaffe handled it with grace and wit and wrapped everything up in a gripping and lovely way.
This is one of those thrillers that end not with a whimper nor with a bang; when you snap this book shut, all you'll have is a slowly forming smile in your lips and that lame, gushy feeling of rightness.
December 28, 2010
Ugh. I will never get back those six hours I spent on this tripe. I liked Jaffe's first book, Bad Kitty, so looked forward to this new title. I should've known I was in for a lousy read when a main character's name is spelled Nikki on one of the first pages, then Nicky throughout the rest of the book. Confusing, off-kilter pacing, stock characters, designer label name-dropping, unnecessary(except to titillate) same-sex kissing, and a completely unbelievable mother to top it off. Yuck! Oh, and the hospital scenes? There is NO WAY any of those could ever happen in real life. Complete rubbish! Some language, talk of sex, underage drinking/drug use.
December 29, 2010
Listen, Michele Jaffe, I like you. I do. Also, I like your books. You are funny. That interview you did? Where they had you play MASH? And you put Santa as one of your husband possibilities? That was hilar. But this book! You were trying to be serious! Why? Why did you do that? It's like when I don't smile in pictures. It just doesn't work so I don't do it. Please don't ever do this again, ok? Just write some more Bad Kitty books so I can lol some. Also, your ending was a tiny bit dumb. Just saying.
Read
February 19, 2018If you like YA and who-done-its, then this is a good one for you. Lots of mysterious clues will lead you down a dozen different paths making it hard to figure out who is after our heroine. All the gifts left in the hospital scared me more than anything else. Creepy!
Read
March 13, 2013I can't rate this. Too many conflicting emotions.
On the one hand, I love, love the premise. I love the way the author told the story, with a prologue of the present and then alternating between the night of the accident and Jane's recovery. It was very effective. I loved a lot of the symbolism in there and the mystery. And the book is truly poignant - within the first 100 pages I was crying so hard I could barely see the page. (Annie. That sweet little girl kills me.)
The heroine is not very admirable, but she's not really supposed to be. A lot of the book's plot is based on her insecurity and her gradual realization of it and overcoming. I didn't admire her at all - but I did pity her. I felt she was worth pitying and that, eventually, she might become something admirable. I don't think even the author expects anything more than that (maybe sympathy from some). So in the end, I wasn't annoyed by her the way I am in books where the main character never becomes self-aware, or where the author tries to pass off her self-esteem issues as normal or desirable (coughtwilightcough).
And I don't actually mind Jane's obsessive attention to what people wear. In any other book, I would have written it off as too shallow and been unable to continue. In Rosebush, it was a little distracting, but it seemed a natural product of Jane's photographic hobby. She's not just extremely focused on clothes - she describes a lot of things in vivid detail. In fact, the first page of the book is her describing what her body in the rosebush looks like in the police photo. In a LOT of detail. So it seemed less to me like she was extremely fashion conscious (although she is undeniably conscious of her appearance) and more like she's an extremely visual person.
In the end, however, the sex, drugs, and other bits of the book that left me uncomfortable keep me from giving it the four stars I would have liked too. I can't recommend this book to friends because it's got some very sexual content in it. That may not bother everyone, but it does bother me.
On the one hand, I love, love the premise. I love the way the author told the story, with a prologue of the present and then alternating between the night of the accident and Jane's recovery. It was very effective. I loved a lot of the symbolism in there and the mystery. And the book is truly poignant - within the first 100 pages I was crying so hard I could barely see the page. (Annie. That sweet little girl kills me.)
The heroine is not very admirable, but she's not really supposed to be. A lot of the book's plot is based on her insecurity and her gradual realization of it and overcoming. I didn't admire her at all - but I did pity her. I felt she was worth pitying and that, eventually, she might become something admirable. I don't think even the author expects anything more than that (maybe sympathy from some). So in the end, I wasn't annoyed by her the way I am in books where the main character never becomes self-aware, or where the author tries to pass off her self-esteem issues as normal or desirable (coughtwilightcough).
And I don't actually mind Jane's obsessive attention to what people wear. In any other book, I would have written it off as too shallow and been unable to continue. In Rosebush, it was a little distracting, but it seemed a natural product of Jane's photographic hobby. She's not just extremely focused on clothes - she describes a lot of things in vivid detail. In fact, the first page of the book is her describing what her body in the rosebush looks like in the police photo. In a LOT of detail. So it seemed less to me like she was extremely fashion conscious (although she is undeniably conscious of her appearance) and more like she's an extremely visual person.
In the end, however, the sex, drugs, and other bits of the book that left me uncomfortable keep me from giving it the four stars I would have liked too. I can't recommend this book to friends because it's got some very sexual content in it. That may not bother everyone, but it does bother me.
September 11, 2017
GRADE: B
4 STARS
ROSEBUSH, a delightful surprise, begins with as Jane wakes from a coma, unable to remember the hit and run accident that left her for dead beneath a ROSEBUSH. Was she trying to commit suicide? Surely her perfect boyfriend and perfect friends couldn't be at fault. The police think she's hallucinating or lying, even after she starts receiving threatening messages.
Although Jane was unkind to her mother and her soon-to-be stepfather, I believed she was a good person beneath the surface. She was passive in relationships with friends, always acquiescing to her boyfriend and friends' wishes. Her quest for popularity caused her to have horrible taste in friends and dates, often blowing off good people for shallow ones. ROSEBUSH has no shortage of suspects.
Michele Jaffe held my interest and had me flipping pages eager to figure out who what when where why and how. The ending was the weakest part of the story, too convoluted to be logical. Still, I enjoyed the reading experience of ROSEBUSH and recommend.
4 STARS
ROSEBUSH, a delightful surprise, begins with as Jane wakes from a coma, unable to remember the hit and run accident that left her for dead beneath a ROSEBUSH. Was she trying to commit suicide? Surely her perfect boyfriend and perfect friends couldn't be at fault. The police think she's hallucinating or lying, even after she starts receiving threatening messages.
Although Jane was unkind to her mother and her soon-to-be stepfather, I believed she was a good person beneath the surface. She was passive in relationships with friends, always acquiescing to her boyfriend and friends' wishes. Her quest for popularity caused her to have horrible taste in friends and dates, often blowing off good people for shallow ones. ROSEBUSH has no shortage of suspects.
Michele Jaffe held my interest and had me flipping pages eager to figure out who what when where why and how. The ending was the weakest part of the story, too convoluted to be logical. Still, I enjoyed the reading experience of ROSEBUSH and recommend.
February 21, 2023
I was the human embodiement of the shocked pikachu meme when I finished this book and now that I think about it, I guess this was the catalyst for my obsession with twisty thrillers and unreliable narrators.
June 7, 2019
Too predictable for me
And I couldn't get into it very easily
And I couldn't get into it very easily
December 15, 2015
The only reason I neglected to rate this four stars was because a) this book will probably give me nightmares tonight and b) this book was to say the least...a bit confusing. Yes it was a page turner and a thriller and yes it did keep me on the edge but some things just confused me and left me rereading the page more than I already do. I'm not sure if it was just more or if this wasn't developed well to others too.
*SPOILERS*
Well to start out her memories confused me. It took me a while to figure out the part where she's swimming in a lake is a dream. Then it was even more confusing when she flashbacked again but this time the camp counselor was dying (okay, what?) and she needed her eyebrows to be plucked. That is why when Jane was reliving that memory with Bonnie and the jacuzzi I thought for about a second it was Bonnie she was talking about in the lake, but then I realized a jacuzzi doesn't have weeds and camp counselors!
Some of the dialogue was confusing too. I didn't get what they were talking until about ten lines down. Why can't you just say that now? And why must you not tell us who is saying the dialogue and not describe what they're doing and just let them talk every now and then. Wait I thought they left the room...apparently they didn't.
Another thing I just didn't get was why Langley was talking about David alot even though she was dating Ollie. I knew she was insane and all but she jumped back and forth from "David should come to Europe with me" and "I wanted David to be single" from referring to Ollie as a romance and Pete saying they were making out on the stairwell.
Anyways, besides all the confusion I have one last tid-bit to get off my chest. The characters just...frightenend me. Everyone seemed unstable in their own ways. David creeped me out. He controlled her and always said "I forgive you" instead of "I'm sorry". He gave me that creepy vibe the whole time. And Kate and Jane, that was so random jumping to a lesbian episode then suprising us at the end with Kate and Sloan. Wierd.
Overall it could have been better and Michelle Jaffe could've realized that we may not understand the characters, the dialogue and the writing like you do. We can't just ad-lib half the book.
*SPOILERS*
Well to start out her memories confused me. It took me a while to figure out the part where she's swimming in a lake is a dream. Then it was even more confusing when she flashbacked again but this time the camp counselor was dying (okay, what?) and she needed her eyebrows to be plucked. That is why when Jane was reliving that memory with Bonnie and the jacuzzi I thought for about a second it was Bonnie she was talking about in the lake, but then I realized a jacuzzi doesn't have weeds and camp counselors!
Some of the dialogue was confusing too. I didn't get what they were talking until about ten lines down. Why can't you just say that now? And why must you not tell us who is saying the dialogue and not describe what they're doing and just let them talk every now and then. Wait I thought they left the room...apparently they didn't.
Another thing I just didn't get was why Langley was talking about David alot even though she was dating Ollie. I knew she was insane and all but she jumped back and forth from "David should come to Europe with me" and "I wanted David to be single" from referring to Ollie as a romance and Pete saying they were making out on the stairwell.
Anyways, besides all the confusion I have one last tid-bit to get off my chest. The characters just...frightenend me. Everyone seemed unstable in their own ways. David creeped me out. He controlled her and always said "I forgive you" instead of "I'm sorry". He gave me that creepy vibe the whole time. And Kate and Jane, that was so random jumping to a lesbian episode then suprising us at the end with Kate and Sloan. Wierd.
Overall it could have been better and Michelle Jaffe could've realized that we may not understand the characters, the dialogue and the writing like you do. We can't just ad-lib half the book.
July 24, 2015
DO YOU KNOW HOW PAINFUL IT WAS FOR ME TO FINISH THIS BOOK??? Do you know how much I was looking forward to reading this, after reading the back of it and thinking 'Oh, this is going to be good!'??? Do you know how BORING this is?!
To answer all three of those questions: very very painful, extremely excited to get my hands on it, and so boring that I wanted to claw my eyes out.
The premise of this book is intriguing. Girl gets run over and is found in a rosebush left for dead. Girl stays in hospital trying to piece together what happened to her. Girl realizes someone she knows and loves is trying to kill her. It all seems very interesting when you think about it. Well take it from me, it isn't. At all. This book is so jumpy and utterly confusing, I still don't know what the hell I just read. And I was a masochist about it, thinking that it would get better and better as I read on. And it did for a few pages with a lesbian encounter with one of the main characters best friends, who just so happens to be a lesbian. And then it fell right back in its funk. The reveal of the killer was actually pretty good too, but other than that...SNOOZEFEST.
And can I just complain about the main character Jane for a minute? I mean, I know shes going through some things just being almost killed and all, but GURL. Could you be more annoying? And also SLUTTY? I mean, what kind of pheromones is this girl putting off that so many guys are attracted to her like this?? I mean one even STALKED HER. I just could not feel bad for her. I don't know if she was written in a way that I couldn't stand or what, but I just did not like her at all.
I know a lot of people like this book and I'll probably get some haters for putting my actual opinions out there, but I don't care. I thought this book was just terrible. And I know, I know, you are probably thinking "Well then why the hell did you read the entire thing?" and to be honest...I don't know. Like I said a couple paragraphs ago, I just wanted this book to be good. Actually, I wanted it to be fantastic. Maybe even a little too much. I had such high hopes that this was going to be a good, suspenseful read that I was seriously let down. I'm kind of depressed about it if I'm being honest.
To answer all three of those questions: very very painful, extremely excited to get my hands on it, and so boring that I wanted to claw my eyes out.
The premise of this book is intriguing. Girl gets run over and is found in a rosebush left for dead. Girl stays in hospital trying to piece together what happened to her. Girl realizes someone she knows and loves is trying to kill her. It all seems very interesting when you think about it. Well take it from me, it isn't. At all. This book is so jumpy and utterly confusing, I still don't know what the hell I just read. And I was a masochist about it, thinking that it would get better and better as I read on. And it did for a few pages with a lesbian encounter with one of the main characters best friends, who just so happens to be a lesbian. And then it fell right back in its funk. The reveal of the killer was actually pretty good too, but other than that...SNOOZEFEST.
And can I just complain about the main character Jane for a minute? I mean, I know shes going through some things just being almost killed and all, but GURL. Could you be more annoying? And also SLUTTY? I mean, what kind of pheromones is this girl putting off that so many guys are attracted to her like this?? I mean one even STALKED HER. I just could not feel bad for her. I don't know if she was written in a way that I couldn't stand or what, but I just did not like her at all.
I know a lot of people like this book and I'll probably get some haters for putting my actual opinions out there, but I don't care. I thought this book was just terrible. And I know, I know, you are probably thinking "Well then why the hell did you read the entire thing?" and to be honest...I don't know. Like I said a couple paragraphs ago, I just wanted this book to be good. Actually, I wanted it to be fantastic. Maybe even a little too much. I had such high hopes that this was going to be a good, suspenseful read that I was seriously let down. I'm kind of depressed about it if I'm being honest.
July 3, 2013
I really don't know what to think of this.
Some bits were really annoying, but other bits were really really good.
What i didn't like:
The flashbacks - They were very jumpy. Jane would be talking to someone in a flashback, then carry on the conversation she was having in present tense. It made it really confusing at times.
The characters - Jane really annoyed me at the beginning, All she cared about was popularity. On her first day, she locked herself in the schools bathrooms because she wasn't popular like she was at her old school. I only really liked Janes sister and Pete.
"It's just the drugs" - Jane started getting weird gifts signed "A secret admirer" and told everyone she was receiving calls from the attempted killer, But nobody believed her. They all thought the gifts were sweet, and the phone calls were in her head.
What i liked:
"She's the killer!...No, he's the killer!" - I liked how the author made you change your mind who the killer was all the time. I changed my mind about three times, but i never correctly guessed who it was.
The proper killer - I really liked this, but i also really didn't. When the killer was revealed, it was a very big shock. Though, i hated how the character completely changed.
The phonecalls and gifts - This seemed a lot like Pretty Little Liars So if you're a fan of -A, You'll most likely be a fan of "A secret admirer"
I did enjoy this at the end, but i think i preferred the first book i read by Michele Jaffe, which was Ghost Flower.
Some bits were really annoying, but other bits were really really good.
What i didn't like:
The flashbacks - They were very jumpy. Jane would be talking to someone in a flashback, then carry on the conversation she was having in present tense. It made it really confusing at times.
The characters - Jane really annoyed me at the beginning, All she cared about was popularity. On her first day, she locked herself in the schools bathrooms because she wasn't popular like she was at her old school. I only really liked Janes sister and Pete.
"It's just the drugs" - Jane started getting weird gifts signed "A secret admirer" and told everyone she was receiving calls from the attempted killer, But nobody believed her. They all thought the gifts were sweet, and the phone calls were in her head.
What i liked:
"She's the killer!...No, he's the killer!" - I liked how the author made you change your mind who the killer was all the time. I changed my mind about three times, but i never correctly guessed who it was.
The proper killer - I really liked this, but i also really didn't. When the killer was revealed, it was a very big shock. Though, i hated how the character completely changed.
The phonecalls and gifts - This seemed a lot like Pretty Little Liars So if you're a fan of -A, You'll most likely be a fan of "A secret admirer"
I did enjoy this at the end, but i think i preferred the first book i read by Michele Jaffe, which was Ghost Flower.
October 16, 2013
Nel cespuglio di rose si nasconde un nido di vipere
È molto difficile dover scrivere una recensione su The Gap cercando di mantenersi “vaghi” sulla trama: la suspense è davvero la cosa che del libro mi ha più colpita, e dare troppe indicazioni sarebbe un grave spoiler, che rovinerebbe la lettura a chiunque volesse affrontarla.
Il romanzo si apre con la protagonista in ospedale, vittima di un incidente stradale: è stata investita da un’auto e ritrovata in un cespuglio di rose. È completamente paralizzata e ha perso la memoria dell’incidente e degli avvenimenti immediatamente precedenti. Nell’arco di tutto il romanzo, cercherà di riempire the gap — il vuoto — con continui flashback che ci riportano a periodi precedenti, e che ci fanno valutare il rapporto di Jane con tutti i suoi amici — che sono tantissimi a giudicare dai bouquet di fiori e dai regali ricevuti — e gli eventuali nemici. Perché, sebbene la madre, la poliziotta che indaga sul suo caso e l’infermiera della terapia intensiva, Loretta, si ostinino a dirle che le minacce di morte — che crede di ricevere — sono frutto di allucinazioni dovute ai farmaci, Jane è davvero vittima di un tentativo di omicidio. L’agente Rowley è propensa a credere che si sia trattato un tentativo di suicidio, la madre pensa a un pirata della strada. Intanto Jane cerca di ricostruire gli avvenimenti, ritrovando a volte nella sua memoria scene molto vaghe della serata dell’incidente, in cui è andata a una festa dove c’erano le sue inseparabili amiche Kate e Langley — con cui forma il terzetto più popolare della scuola — il suo ragazzo David e il suo più caro amico Oliver, e dove ha incontrato altre persone: Else, ex membro del trio di amiche, Nicky l’ex-ragazza di David e Sloan. Jane ricostruisce per gradi la sua storia, attingendo ai bocconi di ricordi della festa e a memorie più antiche, finché noi — molto più scettici di Jane — non giungiamo a sospettare praticamente di tutti coloro che le stanno intorno. E, per un effetto in stile La finestra sul cortile — film di Alfred Hitchcok — Jane si troverà non creduta e impotente, immobilizzata in un letto d’ospedale ad attendere il suo assassino.
Jane Freeman è una ragazza molto bella, la cui unica ambizione nella vita sembra essere quella di essere popolare nella scuola che frequenta fra le sue compagne e con i ragazzi ma, francamente, è davvero una persona troppo vacua per essere una protagonista. La poesia mi scorre nelle vene — così dice — visto che suo padre era un professore di letteratura e un poeta, ma — sebbene a tratti abbia degli sprazzi di profondità nel suo desiderio di ritrovare l’affetto perduto della madre e nella sua tenerezza verso la sorella — è davvero troppo vuota e così ingenua nella sua stessa self-confidence, da andarsi a cacciare da sola nei “cespugli di rose”.
Sul sito della casa editrice si legge:
«Mistero e ricchezza di intrighi per un thriller che vi terrà inchiodati alla pagina, una storia tanto vicina alla realtà da poter essere la tua storia...»
Spero proprio che le ragazze che leggeranno questo libro siano più intelligenti di Jane, che non siano tanto ingenue da trovarsi in mezzo al nido di vipere in cui la ragazza si tuffa con tutte le scarpe nella speranza di essere accettata, popolare, piena di sedicenti amici, reginetta delle feste e delle conversazioni. Che non si accontentino di essere lusingate da complimenti fasulli e da ragazzi bellissimi ma incostanti, ma che leggano questo libro proprio come un monito a non essere uguali a Jane!
«La cosa più triste è che mi eri davvero simpatica. Pensavo che fossi una ragazza in gamba. Adesso mi fai solo pena. Non ti sei ancora stancata di fare il burattino nelle mani di quelle due? La loro bambolina, sempre a fare tutto quello che ti chiedono?»
Gli altri personaggi sono all’altezza della protagonista: se non sono altamente superficiali ed egocentrici, sono come minimo degli psicotici, a prescindere da chi sia colpevole e chi non lo sia. La narrazione in prima persona viene fatta senza ordine cronologico, tanto da essere talvolta confusionaria, ma ciò rispecchia in pieno lo stato mentale della protagonista. Quando Jane riesce a ricordare un tassello del gap, poi, anziché parlare al passato, vive l’attimo nel presente, descrivendo la scena come una visione fotografica. Jane è infatti un’appassionata di fotografia, che durante l’estate ha frequentato seminari e che ha anche vinto importanti concorsi.
Un po’ mi ha lasciato perplessa, tuttavia, il soggiorno di Jane nel reparto di terapia intensiva dell’ospedale. Possibile che una persona che è stata investita e che è paralizzata venga portata già il giorno dopo l’incidente in bagno? E che faccia la doccia? Comprendo che servisse ai fini della trama, ma credo che la Jaffe avrebbe potuto cercare un diverso espediente. Analogamente, mi chiedo se sia possibile che una ragazza ricoverata nel reparto psichiatrico dell’ospedale possa tenere in camera la macchinetta fotografica. E ci sono anche altre stranezze che mi lasciano dubbiosa… ma forse gli ospedali americani funzionano diversamente dai nostri.
In definitiva, un libro che ci fa riflettere perché — se è vero che più si è ricercati e popolari, più si è vittime di invidie e di sentimenti meschini — è tuttavia davvero agghiacciante leggere frasi come “una storia tanto vicina alla realtà da poter essere la tua storia... ”. Se fosse così, se i nostri ragazzi nel tentativo di conquistarsi l’amicizia e l’approvazione dei loro coetanei si dovessero sempre trovare ad affrontare un tale nido di vipere, allora molto meglio essere considerati sfigati, con pochi amici, ma veri.
Puoi leggere tutto l'articolo QUI:
http://greenyellowale.blogspot.it/201...
È molto difficile dover scrivere una recensione su The Gap cercando di mantenersi “vaghi” sulla trama: la suspense è davvero la cosa che del libro mi ha più colpita, e dare troppe indicazioni sarebbe un grave spoiler, che rovinerebbe la lettura a chiunque volesse affrontarla.
Il romanzo si apre con la protagonista in ospedale, vittima di un incidente stradale: è stata investita da un’auto e ritrovata in un cespuglio di rose. È completamente paralizzata e ha perso la memoria dell’incidente e degli avvenimenti immediatamente precedenti. Nell’arco di tutto il romanzo, cercherà di riempire the gap — il vuoto — con continui flashback che ci riportano a periodi precedenti, e che ci fanno valutare il rapporto di Jane con tutti i suoi amici — che sono tantissimi a giudicare dai bouquet di fiori e dai regali ricevuti — e gli eventuali nemici. Perché, sebbene la madre, la poliziotta che indaga sul suo caso e l’infermiera della terapia intensiva, Loretta, si ostinino a dirle che le minacce di morte — che crede di ricevere — sono frutto di allucinazioni dovute ai farmaci, Jane è davvero vittima di un tentativo di omicidio. L’agente Rowley è propensa a credere che si sia trattato un tentativo di suicidio, la madre pensa a un pirata della strada. Intanto Jane cerca di ricostruire gli avvenimenti, ritrovando a volte nella sua memoria scene molto vaghe della serata dell’incidente, in cui è andata a una festa dove c’erano le sue inseparabili amiche Kate e Langley — con cui forma il terzetto più popolare della scuola — il suo ragazzo David e il suo più caro amico Oliver, e dove ha incontrato altre persone: Else, ex membro del trio di amiche, Nicky l’ex-ragazza di David e Sloan. Jane ricostruisce per gradi la sua storia, attingendo ai bocconi di ricordi della festa e a memorie più antiche, finché noi — molto più scettici di Jane — non giungiamo a sospettare praticamente di tutti coloro che le stanno intorno. E, per un effetto in stile La finestra sul cortile — film di Alfred Hitchcok — Jane si troverà non creduta e impotente, immobilizzata in un letto d’ospedale ad attendere il suo assassino.
Jane Freeman è una ragazza molto bella, la cui unica ambizione nella vita sembra essere quella di essere popolare nella scuola che frequenta fra le sue compagne e con i ragazzi ma, francamente, è davvero una persona troppo vacua per essere una protagonista. La poesia mi scorre nelle vene — così dice — visto che suo padre era un professore di letteratura e un poeta, ma — sebbene a tratti abbia degli sprazzi di profondità nel suo desiderio di ritrovare l’affetto perduto della madre e nella sua tenerezza verso la sorella — è davvero troppo vuota e così ingenua nella sua stessa self-confidence, da andarsi a cacciare da sola nei “cespugli di rose”.
Sul sito della casa editrice si legge:
«Mistero e ricchezza di intrighi per un thriller che vi terrà inchiodati alla pagina, una storia tanto vicina alla realtà da poter essere la tua storia...»
Spero proprio che le ragazze che leggeranno questo libro siano più intelligenti di Jane, che non siano tanto ingenue da trovarsi in mezzo al nido di vipere in cui la ragazza si tuffa con tutte le scarpe nella speranza di essere accettata, popolare, piena di sedicenti amici, reginetta delle feste e delle conversazioni. Che non si accontentino di essere lusingate da complimenti fasulli e da ragazzi bellissimi ma incostanti, ma che leggano questo libro proprio come un monito a non essere uguali a Jane!
«La cosa più triste è che mi eri davvero simpatica. Pensavo che fossi una ragazza in gamba. Adesso mi fai solo pena. Non ti sei ancora stancata di fare il burattino nelle mani di quelle due? La loro bambolina, sempre a fare tutto quello che ti chiedono?»
Gli altri personaggi sono all’altezza della protagonista: se non sono altamente superficiali ed egocentrici, sono come minimo degli psicotici, a prescindere da chi sia colpevole e chi non lo sia. La narrazione in prima persona viene fatta senza ordine cronologico, tanto da essere talvolta confusionaria, ma ciò rispecchia in pieno lo stato mentale della protagonista. Quando Jane riesce a ricordare un tassello del gap, poi, anziché parlare al passato, vive l’attimo nel presente, descrivendo la scena come una visione fotografica. Jane è infatti un’appassionata di fotografia, che durante l’estate ha frequentato seminari e che ha anche vinto importanti concorsi.
Un po’ mi ha lasciato perplessa, tuttavia, il soggiorno di Jane nel reparto di terapia intensiva dell’ospedale. Possibile che una persona che è stata investita e che è paralizzata venga portata già il giorno dopo l’incidente in bagno? E che faccia la doccia? Comprendo che servisse ai fini della trama, ma credo che la Jaffe avrebbe potuto cercare un diverso espediente. Analogamente, mi chiedo se sia possibile che una ragazza ricoverata nel reparto psichiatrico dell’ospedale possa tenere in camera la macchinetta fotografica. E ci sono anche altre stranezze che mi lasciano dubbiosa… ma forse gli ospedali americani funzionano diversamente dai nostri.
In definitiva, un libro che ci fa riflettere perché — se è vero che più si è ricercati e popolari, più si è vittime di invidie e di sentimenti meschini — è tuttavia davvero agghiacciante leggere frasi come “una storia tanto vicina alla realtà da poter essere la tua storia... ”. Se fosse così, se i nostri ragazzi nel tentativo di conquistarsi l’amicizia e l’approvazione dei loro coetanei si dovessero sempre trovare ad affrontare un tale nido di vipere, allora molto meglio essere considerati sfigati, con pochi amici, ma veri.
Puoi leggere tutto l'articolo QUI:
http://greenyellowale.blogspot.it/201...
February 23, 2021
Book: Rosebush
Author: Michele Jaffe
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I will admit that I have never heard of this book. I picked it up at a second hand shop a couple of years ago because it sounded interesting. For a young adult thriller, I will admit that it is pretty solid. Well, it’s a pretty solid thriller in general. Like with most thrillers, it did do some things that I wasn’t a fan of.
I thought the characters were pretty solid and well done. We do have a rather large cast of characters, which made it kind of difficult to figure out who did it. Plus, all of them were hiding something and had a reason to go after Jane. I did enjoy Jane’s character. At first, she comes across as a spoiled and popular girl. However, as the book goes on we see that there is more to her than that. We see that she is loyal, wants to love, and really is trying. We see her at her lowest and we see her struggles. We see her try to convince the others around her that what she is seeing is actually true and to see her determination is just a mark of the strength of her character. I liked this. I know it may not be for most people, but I really enjoyed see her struggle. It added another human element to her.
I thought the ending needed some work, which is usually my issue with thrillers. For me, the ending of a thriller can and will make or break the book for me. While it did actually make sense, there was just something missing. I thought that we had all of this momentum, but kind of lost it at the very end. I guess that what I’m getting at is that it didn’t have the punch that I wanted. Plus, there was still a lot of unanswered questions and I’m pretty sure that there’s not a second book. There are just a few things that I would have liked to see fleshed out or have the questions answered.
The plot, other than the ending, was pretty solid. We have Jane, who has been involved in a hit and run accident and doesn’t remember what happened that night. The whole book is about Jane trying to figure out what happened to her and who would have done such a thing. We see her breaking point, but she doesn’t give up. We have flashbacks, because like Jane, we are trying to figure out what happened. I really enjoy this in thrillers. I like not knowing more than the characters and having to piece together what happened and how we got to this point.
Anywhere, I really enjoyed it. I just think it was missing a little bit to bring it up to a five star rating.
Author: Michele Jaffe
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I will admit that I have never heard of this book. I picked it up at a second hand shop a couple of years ago because it sounded interesting. For a young adult thriller, I will admit that it is pretty solid. Well, it’s a pretty solid thriller in general. Like with most thrillers, it did do some things that I wasn’t a fan of.
I thought the characters were pretty solid and well done. We do have a rather large cast of characters, which made it kind of difficult to figure out who did it. Plus, all of them were hiding something and had a reason to go after Jane. I did enjoy Jane’s character. At first, she comes across as a spoiled and popular girl. However, as the book goes on we see that there is more to her than that. We see that she is loyal, wants to love, and really is trying. We see her at her lowest and we see her struggles. We see her try to convince the others around her that what she is seeing is actually true and to see her determination is just a mark of the strength of her character. I liked this. I know it may not be for most people, but I really enjoyed see her struggle. It added another human element to her.
I thought the ending needed some work, which is usually my issue with thrillers. For me, the ending of a thriller can and will make or break the book for me. While it did actually make sense, there was just something missing. I thought that we had all of this momentum, but kind of lost it at the very end. I guess that what I’m getting at is that it didn’t have the punch that I wanted. Plus, there was still a lot of unanswered questions and I’m pretty sure that there’s not a second book. There are just a few things that I would have liked to see fleshed out or have the questions answered.
The plot, other than the ending, was pretty solid. We have Jane, who has been involved in a hit and run accident and doesn’t remember what happened that night. The whole book is about Jane trying to figure out what happened to her and who would have done such a thing. We see her breaking point, but she doesn’t give up. We have flashbacks, because like Jane, we are trying to figure out what happened. I really enjoy this in thrillers. I like not knowing more than the characters and having to piece together what happened and how we got to this point.
Anywhere, I really enjoyed it. I just think it was missing a little bit to bring it up to a five star rating.
September 3, 2014
This book was fantastically well thought out.
At the first time I set eyes on it the cover drew me to read the back. After finding out what I was getting myself into I just had to read it. It was so gripping that I read it none-stop. Even when it was two in the morning I couldn't put it down.
(beware - may contain spoilers)
I always thought that the killer was Ollie, but even though he was partly in the blame it was completely obvious who it was, yet not. When I found out who it was it was only by the time Langley was jabbing a syringe at Jane that I had figured it out.
Although, there were some things in the book that I hadn't enjoyed, I still give it five stars. It was too good to be rated differently. And the fact that everyone in the book seemed so secretive and distant made it all the more interesting. I mean, for all we knew it could've been Loretta, or even more impossibly, Annie. THAT'S how well thought out it was.
Ollie was quite an obvious finger-pointing choice of mine and when he was dragged out of that hospital ward, I chose that maybe the plot wasn't that good, after all. But when Jane was left ALONE - and yes, she was actually left alone, after all that had happened - with her killer, it all became clear.
Langley, was a psycho. That's right, I said it, she was a killer. She freakin' killed her mother, her grandfather Poppo was her Dad, she used Ollie and she chose to murder her best friend. Well, ATEMPTED to murder her, at least.
Overall I give this book a fantastic rating and recommend it to mature audiences that enjoy a good Thriller.
At the first time I set eyes on it the cover drew me to read the back. After finding out what I was getting myself into I just had to read it. It was so gripping that I read it none-stop. Even when it was two in the morning I couldn't put it down.
(beware - may contain spoilers)
I always thought that the killer was Ollie, but even though he was partly in the blame it was completely obvious who it was, yet not. When I found out who it was it was only by the time Langley was jabbing a syringe at Jane that I had figured it out.
Although, there were some things in the book that I hadn't enjoyed, I still give it five stars. It was too good to be rated differently. And the fact that everyone in the book seemed so secretive and distant made it all the more interesting. I mean, for all we knew it could've been Loretta, or even more impossibly, Annie. THAT'S how well thought out it was.
Ollie was quite an obvious finger-pointing choice of mine and when he was dragged out of that hospital ward, I chose that maybe the plot wasn't that good, after all. But when Jane was left ALONE - and yes, she was actually left alone, after all that had happened - with her killer, it all became clear.
Langley, was a psycho. That's right, I said it, she was a killer. She freakin' killed her mother, her grandfather Poppo was her Dad, she used Ollie and she chose to murder her best friend. Well, ATEMPTED to murder her, at least.
Overall I give this book a fantastic rating and recommend it to mature audiences that enjoy a good Thriller.
February 5, 2012
criticism #1: i love the idea of an amnesia storyline, but sadly, i'm usually disappointed by one plot twist or another, or in this case, execution. most of the story is told as flashback (i wish the backstory was done straight forward). the author uses italics for inner monologue, nighmares, backstory, and actual memories of the party and subsequent accident (which makes the book annoying to read). for example: the main character keeps recalling a memory of nearly drowning, and i STILL don't know if this really happened, or is a recurrent nightmare. everything feels choppy and piecemeal.
criticism #2: i hate an implausable conclusion.
criticism #3: i kid you not, this is an actual sentence. "one of the double page spreads where it's like you just caught a bunch of absurdly attractive guys wearing nothing but strategically ripped jeans and leather necklaces and girls in cargo shorts and ruffled shirts and rain boots with tiaras perched insouciantly atop accidentally loose braids running through a stream in the middle of nowhere on the way to some fantastic bohemian picnic where they would drink sodas in old-fashioned bottles and be clever and witty and have the most marvellous time". ugg. i get the idea behind the exaggeration, but still, ugg. there is way too much writing about clothes. i know it is a YA book, but that's no excuse for awful writing.
criticism #2: i hate an implausable conclusion.
criticism #3: i kid you not, this is an actual sentence. "one of the double page spreads where it's like you just caught a bunch of absurdly attractive guys wearing nothing but strategically ripped jeans and leather necklaces and girls in cargo shorts and ruffled shirts and rain boots with tiaras perched insouciantly atop accidentally loose braids running through a stream in the middle of nowhere on the way to some fantastic bohemian picnic where they would drink sodas in old-fashioned bottles and be clever and witty and have the most marvellous time". ugg. i get the idea behind the exaggeration, but still, ugg. there is way too much writing about clothes. i know it is a YA book, but that's no excuse for awful writing.
September 14, 2020
2020
I love how convoluted everything is! Every piece of the story hides/reveals something else we need to know. We (the reader) are in the dark as much as Jane is. And I feel so bad once everything is finally revealed! That poor girl had so much to deal with.
I felt so bad for her that she kept having these experiences that everyone else was writing off as "hallucinations" due her to pain medication. Everything felt so real, but no one believed her. And, of course, she was in no position to defend herself.
She was such an interesting character, too. I liked that she grew into the person she probably should have been all along (over the course of four very intense days). She definitely wasn't too likable as a person to begin with (isn't that the way all popular girls are?), but she definitely had the sympathy/redemption card at the end of it all.
I never did understand the appeal of David. Of course, I've never been attracted to that kind of guy before, so there is that. But between the drugs and the obvious manipulation, it surprises me that Jane liked him at all.
I love how convoluted everything is! Every piece of the story hides/reveals something else we need to know. We (the reader) are in the dark as much as Jane is. And I feel so bad once everything is finally revealed! That poor girl had so much to deal with.
I felt so bad for her that she kept having these experiences that everyone else was writing off as "hallucinations" due her to pain medication. Everything felt so real, but no one believed her. And, of course, she was in no position to defend herself.
She was such an interesting character, too. I liked that she grew into the person she probably should have been all along (over the course of four very intense days). She definitely wasn't too likable as a person to begin with (isn't that the way all popular girls are?), but she definitely had the sympathy/redemption card at the end of it all.
I never did understand the appeal of David. Of course, I've never been attracted to that kind of guy before, so there is that. But between the drugs and the obvious manipulation, it surprises me that Jane liked him at all.
December 3, 2016
Not as good as I was hoping.
January 25, 2021
3,5 stars
I have a soft spot for YA mysteries.
Rosebush has some of my favourite YA mystery tropes - an accident happens, someone ends up in hospital and they have to figure out what led them there. Bonus points for amnesia, sketchy characters, weird events and murder.
Rosebush has an interesting tone. It seems like a chick-lit on the surface, but it deals with darker themes. Everything also seems shallow in the beginning - the setting, the plot, the characters who only care about looks and status - but the more I read, I realised there's a lot more going on beneath the surface.
The main character, Jane, is a sort-of weird and slightly contradictory character. She's self-aware, but she's not that perceptive so it's interesting to see her piecing together what led to her accident, her past, her relationships with the people around her and the fact that someone might still be out to get her. Jane seems like a shallow character at first, but she gains depth as the plot progresses.
Jane is a photographer and though we don't see alot of that aspect, it leads to interesting conversations and explorations about images, perception, popularity, self-awareness etc. and I wish this aspect was explored further.
It's always the family drama that keeps me invested in most stories and I was interested in what led to the distance between Jane and her mother. I also love Jane's relationship with her little sister. However, Jane's complete trust in her friendship circle and lack of suspicion towards them seems odd. Maybe I'm just a very suspicious and non-trusting person.
One of the things I have issues with, is all the random kissing that happens out of nowhere. This could be attributed to the fact that Jane is under a lot of stress and is taking medication that could affect her judgement, but it also seems odd, like it was just added for dramatic effect.
While I don't mind the slight romance aspect, the relationship progression at the end, is a little fast. This is one of those rare cases where I prefer the suggestion of romance instead of actual romance.
I enjoy reading who-dunnit mysteries and didn't mind the resolution either, but the ending doesn't gel with the rest of the book. I also still don't understand why someone was after Jane. Maybe I’m missing something, but I feel it wasn’t explained well.
Overall, I enjoyed Rosebush, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.
I have a soft spot for YA mysteries.
Rosebush has some of my favourite YA mystery tropes - an accident happens, someone ends up in hospital and they have to figure out what led them there. Bonus points for amnesia, sketchy characters, weird events and murder.
Rosebush has an interesting tone. It seems like a chick-lit on the surface, but it deals with darker themes. Everything also seems shallow in the beginning - the setting, the plot, the characters who only care about looks and status - but the more I read, I realised there's a lot more going on beneath the surface.
The main character, Jane, is a sort-of weird and slightly contradictory character. She's self-aware, but she's not that perceptive so it's interesting to see her piecing together what led to her accident, her past, her relationships with the people around her and the fact that someone might still be out to get her. Jane seems like a shallow character at first, but she gains depth as the plot progresses.
Jane is a photographer and though we don't see alot of that aspect, it leads to interesting conversations and explorations about images, perception, popularity, self-awareness etc. and I wish this aspect was explored further.
It's always the family drama that keeps me invested in most stories and I was interested in what led to the distance between Jane and her mother. I also love Jane's relationship with her little sister. However, Jane's complete trust in her friendship circle and lack of suspicion towards them seems odd. Maybe I'm just a very suspicious and non-trusting person.
One of the things I have issues with, is all the random kissing that happens out of nowhere. This could be attributed to the fact that Jane is under a lot of stress and is taking medication that could affect her judgement, but it also seems odd, like it was just added for dramatic effect.
While I don't mind the slight romance aspect, the relationship progression at the end, is a little fast. This is one of those rare cases where I prefer the suggestion of romance instead of actual romance.
I enjoy reading who-dunnit mysteries and didn't mind the resolution either, but the ending doesn't gel with the rest of the book. I also still don't understand why someone was after Jane. Maybe I’m missing something, but I feel it wasn’t explained well.
Overall, I enjoyed Rosebush, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.
July 24, 2021
I honestly read this whole book with a permanent lip curl. Everything about this book was frustrating and nonsensical and bad.
The characters sucked. Not only did they all fall into their own stereotype of "popular girl", "future step-father", "overbearing mother", "abusive boyfriend" etc etc, but they were all just bad. No one had any sense. No male character could keep away from Jane. Ugh. I didn't even care to try to decide who the killer was because I was perfectly okay with any and all of them going to prison for the rest of their lives.
The actual plot of the story goes at a nice pace, but that's honestly the only good thing I can say about the book and it does nothing to combat the other terrible things I had to slug through. IE: again, why does every male character we meet have to have an intense immediate attraction to Jane. And why does Jane have to kiss every single one of them.
Also, that ending? I know it was trying to be a big reveal, but really it was just melodramatic. It was built up too much to end too quickly and too "miraculously" as a cd to the head. Like what. Why.
My emotions are overwhelmingly negative for this story. I just hated the characters and the writing and the cliche and the stupid banter and all the stupid romance with everyone and everyone.
Also, why does literally everyone need to have a dead parent?
But that's just my two cents.
The characters sucked. Not only did they all fall into their own stereotype of "popular girl", "future step-father", "overbearing mother", "abusive boyfriend" etc etc, but they were all just bad. No one had any sense. No male character could keep away from Jane. Ugh. I didn't even care to try to decide who the killer was because I was perfectly okay with any and all of them going to prison for the rest of their lives.
The actual plot of the story goes at a nice pace, but that's honestly the only good thing I can say about the book and it does nothing to combat the other terrible things I had to slug through. IE: again, why does every male character we meet have to have an intense immediate attraction to Jane. And why does Jane have to kiss every single one of them.
Also, that ending? I know it was trying to be a big reveal, but really it was just melodramatic. It was built up too much to end too quickly and too "miraculously" as a cd to the head. Like what. Why.
My emotions are overwhelmingly negative for this story. I just hated the characters and the writing and the cliche and the stupid banter and all the stupid romance with everyone and everyone.
Also, why does literally everyone need to have a dead parent?
But that's just my two cents.
March 21, 2018
Personal Response- I really enjoyed this book. I felt it had lots of interesting plot twists that were not expected. At the end when they were revealing who had hit her, it was confusing and not worded well.
Plot Summary- Jane goes to a party with her friends on the beach. She wakes up in the hospital because she was the victim of a hit and run. All of her friends are very upset as the police try to figure out who tried to hurt her. She starts going crazy as she imagined threatening messages directed to her. When the police tell Jane that they found out who did it, she is skeptical. She continues to try and figure out who tried to kill her and why they did it. Some people she suspects are Scott, Ollie, Elsa, and David, but in the end it was Langly. Pete saves her just as Langly was about to kill her.
Recommendation- I recommend this book more to girls because it is from a female perspective. I think that you should be in 9th grade or up before you read this because there is some mature content that some younger kids might find disturbing. If you like books that keep you on edge then you should read this book.
Characterization- In the beginning of this book, Jane is very optimistic and is very close to all of her friends. After she gets in the accident she starts to go crazy. At the end of the book she is very cautious and wary of everyone until she finds out it was Langly.
Plot Summary- Jane goes to a party with her friends on the beach. She wakes up in the hospital because she was the victim of a hit and run. All of her friends are very upset as the police try to figure out who tried to hurt her. She starts going crazy as she imagined threatening messages directed to her. When the police tell Jane that they found out who did it, she is skeptical. She continues to try and figure out who tried to kill her and why they did it. Some people she suspects are Scott, Ollie, Elsa, and David, but in the end it was Langly. Pete saves her just as Langly was about to kill her.
Recommendation- I recommend this book more to girls because it is from a female perspective. I think that you should be in 9th grade or up before you read this because there is some mature content that some younger kids might find disturbing. If you like books that keep you on edge then you should read this book.
Characterization- In the beginning of this book, Jane is very optimistic and is very close to all of her friends. After she gets in the accident she starts to go crazy. At the end of the book she is very cautious and wary of everyone until she finds out it was Langly.
January 15, 2019
Puhh, das war ein Buch!
Der Mörder am Ende war auch nicht die Person,
die ich gedacht hätte und in der Mitte war ich echt überzeugt, dass einfach jeder ihr “Mörder” hätte sein können😂
Hätte zwar noch gerne gewusst, was jetzt schlussendlich mit Bonnie passiert ist und die ganzen romantischen Beziehungen, die die Protagonistin irgendwie mit fast allen hatte, war echt erstaunlich😂
Alles in Allem aber ein sehr toller Schreibstil, vor allem sehr flüssig, auch ein Buch, was man gerne lesen kann, ich kann es empfehlen!☺️
Der Mörder am Ende war auch nicht die Person,
die ich gedacht hätte und in der Mitte war ich echt überzeugt, dass einfach jeder ihr “Mörder” hätte sein können😂
Hätte zwar noch gerne gewusst, was jetzt schlussendlich mit Bonnie passiert ist und die ganzen romantischen Beziehungen, die die Protagonistin irgendwie mit fast allen hatte, war echt erstaunlich😂
Alles in Allem aber ein sehr toller Schreibstil, vor allem sehr flüssig, auch ein Buch, was man gerne lesen kann, ich kann es empfehlen!☺️
November 24, 2018
I haven't been using Goodreads much for a long time but Michele Jaffe's books bring me back so I can let people know this is great stuff. Not to miss.
Brilliant complexity, gorgeous images at its core, twists that make you go Gah and Ah and Ha. The mystery could go any direction, so there's plenty possibilities for your mind to try to figure out. Characters hide who they really are. We must know their secrets.
Brilliant complexity, gorgeous images at its core, twists that make you go Gah and Ah and Ha. The mystery could go any direction, so there's plenty possibilities for your mind to try to figure out. Characters hide who they really are. We must know their secrets.
August 5, 2025
gave up on this one since I realised that I am way too old for teenie-coded books 🥲
I would never say that it was bad in any way but I just could not bring myself to resonate with the protagonists.
Still the atmosphere lived up to that of a psychological thriller, you have to give the book credit for that.
That leaves me rating the book three stars.
I would never say that it was bad in any way but I just could not bring myself to resonate with the protagonists.
Still the atmosphere lived up to that of a psychological thriller, you have to give the book credit for that.
That leaves me rating the book three stars.
February 26, 2024
What just HAPPENED.
Was gonna give it three stars but it got an extra star in fun points.
Was gonna give it three stars but it got an extra star in fun points.
October 27, 2017
I really liked the mystery. I kept changing my mind about who did it and I did not predict that ending lol.
November 30, 2024
All in all a good book that I enjoyed. I liked the characters and that it was hard to predict the ending. I gave it four stars because the storyline was hard to follow at some parts in the book but other than that I did enjoy it.
I 8/10 recommended this novel
I 8/10 recommended this novel
April 4, 2011
The Long Story ? - I'm not much of a mystery/suspense reader because they're usually too mysterious and too suspenseful to keep me from peeking at the ending. Which is exactly what I did, I peeked, I saw and it took the mystery out of it, now you know why I usually stick with predicable contemporaries or wacky paranormals. However, I really enjoyed it, like I really, really, really liked this book.
Honestly, I'm very fascinated with this concept of high school where teenagers would do anything to be popular, quite frankly I like reading books about social hierarchy and designer clothes and great parties ( no, I'm not a loser who has no friends). I found all of that, with a deadly twist, in Rosebush. The plot was really quite excellent. Interesting, suspenseful and full of twists and turns. It's face-paced and keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Original and wait for it...unpredictable. The art of thrillers, I would never have pick "that person" to be the murderer or attempted murderer.
With Rosebush it just keeps getting better and better, you think you know who the killer is and then something happens and you doubt yourself. You think you know the full story and then something happens that changes your perspective. It's unpredictable and exciting to read because you don' know what's going to happen next!
My second pick for best highlights would be the characterisation. Realistic characters that we can all connect to on some level. These rich, popular adolescents harbour the same fear and insecurities as the rest of us. Worse, they harbour deadly secrets could ruin everything. Jane, the main character is easy relate to, she's nice, insecure around her friends and a people-pleaser. I'm definitely not a people-pleaser or insecure around my friends but I have felt that way before I changed cliques. High school really is a nasty place, it's predator and prey. Each of the characters in this novel may seem tough and carefree on the outside but each have their personal demons whether it be family issues or other "stuff".
Last but not least, the writing. Gosh, some of the best writing I have ever read! I envy your ability to write Michelle Jaffe! I loved the writing in this novel, it was serious yet relaxed. Reader can feel completely at ease, understand every word, every description and every example even when the topic is serious, a matter of life and death. It was comfortable to read, even when we're talking about attempted murder and dirty little secrets. It's also interesting to read a thriller in first-person where there isn't the omniscient narrator spilling all the secrets but Jane, makes you wonder....
Overall, Rosebush is one of the best thrillers I have ever read. Fantastic plot, great characters and beautiful writing! Amazing cover and an even more amazing book, filled with twist and turns and dirty little secrets. Rosebush would be my pick for a perfect Friday night read! Ditch your date, pick up this book!
Rating - 5/5
Honestly, I'm very fascinated with this concept of high school where teenagers would do anything to be popular, quite frankly I like reading books about social hierarchy and designer clothes and great parties ( no, I'm not a loser who has no friends). I found all of that, with a deadly twist, in Rosebush. The plot was really quite excellent. Interesting, suspenseful and full of twists and turns. It's face-paced and keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Original and wait for it...unpredictable. The art of thrillers, I would never have pick "that person" to be the murderer or attempted murderer.
With Rosebush it just keeps getting better and better, you think you know who the killer is and then something happens and you doubt yourself. You think you know the full story and then something happens that changes your perspective. It's unpredictable and exciting to read because you don' know what's going to happen next!
My second pick for best highlights would be the characterisation. Realistic characters that we can all connect to on some level. These rich, popular adolescents harbour the same fear and insecurities as the rest of us. Worse, they harbour deadly secrets could ruin everything. Jane, the main character is easy relate to, she's nice, insecure around her friends and a people-pleaser. I'm definitely not a people-pleaser or insecure around my friends but I have felt that way before I changed cliques. High school really is a nasty place, it's predator and prey. Each of the characters in this novel may seem tough and carefree on the outside but each have their personal demons whether it be family issues or other "stuff".
Last but not least, the writing. Gosh, some of the best writing I have ever read! I envy your ability to write Michelle Jaffe! I loved the writing in this novel, it was serious yet relaxed. Reader can feel completely at ease, understand every word, every description and every example even when the topic is serious, a matter of life and death. It was comfortable to read, even when we're talking about attempted murder and dirty little secrets. It's also interesting to read a thriller in first-person where there isn't the omniscient narrator spilling all the secrets but Jane, makes you wonder....
Overall, Rosebush is one of the best thrillers I have ever read. Fantastic plot, great characters and beautiful writing! Amazing cover and an even more amazing book, filled with twist and turns and dirty little secrets. Rosebush would be my pick for a perfect Friday night read! Ditch your date, pick up this book!
Rating - 5/5
January 28, 2011
When I received an ARC for this book, I have to admit that I was intrigued. I mean, how could I not want to know what happens to this poor girl who ends up left for dead in a rosebush? Of course I wanted to know what happened, and get to know this character...
Jane Freeman is just like every other popular teenage girl in high school. She has two very close friends--Kate and Langley--a gorgeous boyfriend--David--as well a friend who shares her interest in photography--Scott. She loves taking pictures and going out with her friends, but not all is as rosy as it appears on the outside. Especially not when she wakes up in the hospital after being run down by a car and left for dead.
She can't move or remember anything about the party she attended, or how she ended up in the rosebush.
Whoever did this to her is still taunting her, and is very determined to make sure that she winds up dead, or at least insane with paranoia. Mostly by playing psychological games that wind up making her come across nuts to her family, friends, and the doctors.
Yet, as the layers start peeling back and Jane finds herself suspecting every single one of her friends, the story delves into a past riddled with complicated friendships, sadness and uncertainty. As she slowly realises just how high the price for popularity is, her relationship with her mother deteriorates further.
If only she could remember what happened that night... but soon she realises that there's a reason she can't remember anything. The truth is too horrible to admit to anyone, let alone herself.
Rosebush is an excellent, and very clever book. As soon as I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. And when I did, I kept thinking about it, my fingers itching to get back to it. Every time something new was revealed from Jane's past, I started to formulate who might be responsible for her attempted murder, but every time I got it wrong, lol. This book is so full of twists and turns, and red herrings. An awesome way to make you certain you know exactly what's going on, but you wind up just as confused about everything as Jane.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers that'll keep you guessing, you'll love this one. I know I did!
Jane Freeman is just like every other popular teenage girl in high school. She has two very close friends--Kate and Langley--a gorgeous boyfriend--David--as well a friend who shares her interest in photography--Scott. She loves taking pictures and going out with her friends, but not all is as rosy as it appears on the outside. Especially not when she wakes up in the hospital after being run down by a car and left for dead.
She can't move or remember anything about the party she attended, or how she ended up in the rosebush.
Whoever did this to her is still taunting her, and is very determined to make sure that she winds up dead, or at least insane with paranoia. Mostly by playing psychological games that wind up making her come across nuts to her family, friends, and the doctors.
Yet, as the layers start peeling back and Jane finds herself suspecting every single one of her friends, the story delves into a past riddled with complicated friendships, sadness and uncertainty. As she slowly realises just how high the price for popularity is, her relationship with her mother deteriorates further.
If only she could remember what happened that night... but soon she realises that there's a reason she can't remember anything. The truth is too horrible to admit to anyone, let alone herself.
Rosebush is an excellent, and very clever book. As soon as I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. And when I did, I kept thinking about it, my fingers itching to get back to it. Every time something new was revealed from Jane's past, I started to formulate who might be responsible for her attempted murder, but every time I got it wrong, lol. This book is so full of twists and turns, and red herrings. An awesome way to make you certain you know exactly what's going on, but you wind up just as confused about everything as Jane.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers that'll keep you guessing, you'll love this one. I know I did!
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