First, allow me to begin by saying that I'm not truly into YA novels. Because of this, the beginning wasn't too appealing to me, but then again it's targeted for the younger generation and I fell out of that category some time ago. It was just a little too elementary for this grandmother. However, once I got past the opening, the story opened up into something I considered a delightful read.
Connor is not your typical teen. She's different and she knows it! Deep down she senses her differences in everyone around her. I'm sure this is how many teens feel today and they will be able to relate right away. She's the middle child of a middle-class family. Loving parents, annoying siblings. It's the urge to know why she's different that drives her to make certain decisions, decisions that will bring her closer to the truth which has haunted her for many years. Once she stumbles onto something that proves she is in fact different and not just imagining things, this book takes off like a locomotive on a greased track. I loved the pace by this point and the twists and turns. There are a few 'I didn't see that coming' moments, which always tickles my reading fancy. The middle and ending of this read takes you in a different direction, and I'm glad it did! By this point, I was more than intrigued. What helped was the believable characters that surround young Connor, such interesting, little fleeting entities that made me smile and helped push the storyline along. Add a touch of romance and this books has been added to my list as satisfying.
Here's what I loved most about the story. Connor is strong for a girl and it's her strength that endears you to her. I loved the family interactions. Thank goodness for the author for not presenting a totally dysfunctional family, as this has been written far too many times and becomes mundane to an avid reader as myself. With a strong family to back her up, and plenty of love to boot, Connor is confident in a way that you find yourself proud of this young girl's courage. You're rooting for this teen to overcome the unforeseeable disruption that has invaded her life, quickly changing it perhaps forever.
Here's what I had trouble with. I have noticed a lot of new writers are not tying all loose ends in their plots. Some readers are okay with this. As an author and fiction coach, I'm not, so this part of my review may be biased. This untying of loose ends, it appears, is being done on purpose, as the author wants the readers to buy the next book in the series to get the answers they're looking for. Most series do have that one eternal question that the lead character is searching for. This is not what I'm referring to. It is my personal preference that each book in a series is complete. I won't spend more time explaining this, as it was a good enough book to have me read it in one sitting.
If you like YA with a little twist in the plot, this is definitely the book for you and I don't think you will be disappointed. As mentioned, I'm not a YA fan, but closed this book satisfied. Had it been for loose ends being tied, I would have rated this book five stars.