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Uninvited
Kelly Ruland's world fell apart when her brother Jasper walked away the sole survivor of a car accident...and kept walking right out of town. She doesn't want to believe that Jasper was at fault - but then why did he run away? How could he abandon Kelly and her parents? Now, former star student and athlete Kelly struggles to care about anything anymore, sleepwalking through school and experimenting with dangerous behavior as she tries to fill the void inside her.
Then one night, Jaspers returns...but he's not alone. Someone has followed him home. Someone who hides in the space behind the truth, who hovers in the shadows between the known and the unknown. His name is Archie, and he is the stranger they never asked to know, the guest they never invited . And he's about to challenge Kelly and Jasper to a game that demands a price they may not be willing to pay...
272 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 2007
3 people are currently reading
435 people want to read
About the author
Justine Musk
9 books200 followersJustine Musk was born in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada and earned a degree in English literature from Queen's University. After working and traveling in Australia and Japan, she moved to California. She is divorced and lives in Los Angeles.
Her website is www.tribalwriter.com.
She's the author of three books: a YA supernatural thriller called UNINVITED (MTV Books/Simon & Schuster), the dark urban fantasy BLOODANGEL and its upcoming sequel LORD OF BONES (Roc/Penguin).
"Justine Musk is a talented, vivid writer and a voice we'll be hearing for a long time." -- Poppy Z. Brite
"Full of wicked delights and devilish charm. I really, really loved UNINVITED." -- Holly Black
"A fantastic, nightmarish tale of temptation and redemption and a fresh twist on fears as old as humanity." -- Christopher Golden
"Musk has created an array of fascinating characters and an intricate plot which is vaguely reminiscent of early Anne Rice." -- Romantic Times
"Reading BLOODANGEL is like avidly watching three separate trains race towards each other at neck break speed...The excellent writing and engrossing story lines fill the mind with evocative imagery that lingers long after you put the book down."
-- Black Gate
Her website is www.tribalwriter.com.
She's the author of three books: a YA supernatural thriller called UNINVITED (MTV Books/Simon & Schuster), the dark urban fantasy BLOODANGEL and its upcoming sequel LORD OF BONES (Roc/Penguin).
"Justine Musk is a talented, vivid writer and a voice we'll be hearing for a long time." -- Poppy Z. Brite
"Full of wicked delights and devilish charm. I really, really loved UNINVITED." -- Holly Black
"A fantastic, nightmarish tale of temptation and redemption and a fresh twist on fears as old as humanity." -- Christopher Golden
"Musk has created an array of fascinating characters and an intricate plot which is vaguely reminiscent of early Anne Rice." -- Romantic Times
"Reading BLOODANGEL is like avidly watching three separate trains race towards each other at neck break speed...The excellent writing and engrossing story lines fill the mind with evocative imagery that lingers long after you put the book down."
-- Black Gate
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 13, 2021
I think it's an okay-ish paranormal YA book, it is a fast read, the story is okay, the characters and their actions are understandable, and it doesn't bother me with stupid romance. Though the plot twist is rather predicable ()as a whole this works is a bit underwhelming.
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April 24, 2021DNF after reading 40 % I just couldn't get into the story. Its short and the ebook is just about 300 pages. Even if I was that far in i wasn't sure what was going on entirely but don't feel like sticking around to find out
May 30, 2015
This one was hard for me to review. With a strong opening chapter it drops off into chapter two... seeming to be a different book entirely. We get a view point from a different character confusing the base plot which isn't laid out until near the ending. If you skip reading the back slip of the book which I tend to do, reading books from my favorite genres, readers will be confused as to what and why.
This has always been a tell of a great writer when they properly lay out the story without having to sum up. Felling very much to be a writers first attempt, but the atmosphere clicked and the story was interesting, if not predictable. I do feel the ending was off, but needed to get the authors message across. The emotional feel of the story telling would have struck deeper with a more realistic ending.
Suprisingly, a good teaching book for teenagers, with strong messages and reasoning to back it up.
This has always been a tell of a great writer when they properly lay out the story without having to sum up. Felling very much to be a writers first attempt, but the atmosphere clicked and the story was interesting, if not predictable. I do feel the ending was off, but needed to get the authors message across. The emotional feel of the story telling would have struck deeper with a more realistic ending.
Suprisingly, a good teaching book for teenagers, with strong messages and reasoning to back it up.
September 23, 2009
A year ago, Kelly's older brother Jasper was involved in a car accident after a late-night rave that killed the two teenagers he was in the car with - while he walked away without a scratch before suddenly disappearing, leaving the entire town wondering and his family distraught.
In the year that's followed, Kelly has dealt with the aftermath however she can - drinking, doing E, clubbing with her friends, and building a memorial to the dead teenagers with her friend Nick. When a coyote starts talking to her, she attributes it to everything from the drugs to a dream to her unravelling state of mind. Episodes where her senses disappear and she feels like she's sinking into a coffin are just as inexplicable - trying to escape it all with drugs and drink just isn't working.
And then, one day, just as suddenly as he vanished, Jasper comes home. He's pale and skinny and his upper body is covered with an elaborate tattoo that Kelly thinks she saw moving - but then, nothing she sees or hears these days can really be trusted.
He won't talk about where he's been beyond a few sketchy details, but all too soon it becomes clear that the people he was with have followed him home - and want him back. Led by a tall, charismatic man they call Archie, the biker gang trash Kelly's father's restaurant and her memorial, leaving cryptic lines of poetry that read as ominous threats - or warnings.
Kelly struggles to figure out what is going on, knowing that there's something very different about Archie - something not even human. Archie plays a game that is slowly wrecking their lives, and will demand the ultimate sacrifice from either Jasper or Kelly. Only revisiting the night of the car accident will explain everything - and change everything.
There was nothing actually wrong with this book, and trying to pinpoint why I struggled to get into it and even finish it will not be easy. Mostly I feel apathetic towards this book - I didn't love it, I didn't hate it; it's already faded in my mind as if I read it years ago.
Beyond the weird episodes, the drugs and what she thinks must be hallucinations, Kelly is very ordinary. As a protagonist, she's quite boring. She goes through the motions. The Ecstasy-taking felt forced, an attempt to reach out to teens without really understanding the allure or the effects of E. Certainly it could be used this way, by someone like Kelly, but it reminded me a bit of the girl from Sarah Dessen's Lock and Key - going through the motions of being a teenager, from an adult's point of view. It also seemed hilarious that Kelly was so sure her family was merely middle class - her perceptions of wealth and prosperity are very skewed.
There was also a bit of weird sexual tension between Kelly and Jasper - an unfair assessment, but based on the fact that he behaved toward her like so many male love interests in paranormal romance - a bit stern, a voice of wisdom, over-protective. Jasper is described as a bit of a genius, good at academics and sport, and performing in several competitive sports when he was younger despite the fact that he hated it, to make his father happy - it was a nice dig at parents who drive their kids too hard, all the while thinking that their kids love it and they're just encouraging and supporting them.
There was potential in Archie, but when, towards the end, he says "I changed reality for you people and this is how you thank me?" I realised he was just a smiling, twisted, much less sexy version of Jared from The Labyrinth - there can only be one Jared, and Archie was not it. Especially not with that name.
Characters aside, the prose is fine but slow. My eye kept tripping forward, over neat, superfluous sentences in an attempt to find some meat. Take them away though and you'd be left with five pages of story, if that. It just didn't engage me, I couldn't sympathise with the characters, and the plot was too predictable. Even the cover gives away the truth of Archie; the rest you can figure out pretty quickly.
This is the kind of story that sounds great in your head, but isn't so easy to write down convincingly. The lack of originality and the carefully-controlled release of plot that goes far slower than the reader's imagination, combines to make for a sadly forgettable story.
In the year that's followed, Kelly has dealt with the aftermath however she can - drinking, doing E, clubbing with her friends, and building a memorial to the dead teenagers with her friend Nick. When a coyote starts talking to her, she attributes it to everything from the drugs to a dream to her unravelling state of mind. Episodes where her senses disappear and she feels like she's sinking into a coffin are just as inexplicable - trying to escape it all with drugs and drink just isn't working.
And then, one day, just as suddenly as he vanished, Jasper comes home. He's pale and skinny and his upper body is covered with an elaborate tattoo that Kelly thinks she saw moving - but then, nothing she sees or hears these days can really be trusted.
He won't talk about where he's been beyond a few sketchy details, but all too soon it becomes clear that the people he was with have followed him home - and want him back. Led by a tall, charismatic man they call Archie, the biker gang trash Kelly's father's restaurant and her memorial, leaving cryptic lines of poetry that read as ominous threats - or warnings.
Kelly struggles to figure out what is going on, knowing that there's something very different about Archie - something not even human. Archie plays a game that is slowly wrecking their lives, and will demand the ultimate sacrifice from either Jasper or Kelly. Only revisiting the night of the car accident will explain everything - and change everything.
There was nothing actually wrong with this book, and trying to pinpoint why I struggled to get into it and even finish it will not be easy. Mostly I feel apathetic towards this book - I didn't love it, I didn't hate it; it's already faded in my mind as if I read it years ago.
Beyond the weird episodes, the drugs and what she thinks must be hallucinations, Kelly is very ordinary. As a protagonist, she's quite boring. She goes through the motions. The Ecstasy-taking felt forced, an attempt to reach out to teens without really understanding the allure or the effects of E. Certainly it could be used this way, by someone like Kelly, but it reminded me a bit of the girl from Sarah Dessen's Lock and Key - going through the motions of being a teenager, from an adult's point of view. It also seemed hilarious that Kelly was so sure her family was merely middle class - her perceptions of wealth and prosperity are very skewed.
There was also a bit of weird sexual tension between Kelly and Jasper - an unfair assessment, but based on the fact that he behaved toward her like so many male love interests in paranormal romance - a bit stern, a voice of wisdom, over-protective. Jasper is described as a bit of a genius, good at academics and sport, and performing in several competitive sports when he was younger despite the fact that he hated it, to make his father happy - it was a nice dig at parents who drive their kids too hard, all the while thinking that their kids love it and they're just encouraging and supporting them.
There was potential in Archie, but when, towards the end, he says "I changed reality for you people and this is how you thank me?" I realised he was just a smiling, twisted, much less sexy version of Jared from The Labyrinth - there can only be one Jared, and Archie was not it. Especially not with that name.
Characters aside, the prose is fine but slow. My eye kept tripping forward, over neat, superfluous sentences in an attempt to find some meat. Take them away though and you'd be left with five pages of story, if that. It just didn't engage me, I couldn't sympathise with the characters, and the plot was too predictable. Even the cover gives away the truth of Archie; the rest you can figure out pretty quickly.
This is the kind of story that sounds great in your head, but isn't so easy to write down convincingly. The lack of originality and the carefully-controlled release of plot that goes far slower than the reader's imagination, combines to make for a sadly forgettable story.
May 18, 2016
Kelly Ruland drinks gin-and-tonics, takes E, and tries to fill the void in her life since her brother survived a deadly car accident and quickly skipped town. Now Jasper returns, followed by a motorcycle gang whose leader wants his soul...or maybe Kelly's.
Justine Musk hasn't released a novel since this 2007 young adult urban fantasy, but she's a clever writer who weaves great sentences and a story that doesn't fall into maudlin. Thankfully without a romance, Uninvited instead focuses on the sibling relationship. With an older brother who's seemingly brilliant at everything, it's easy to understand why Kelly feels she can't measure up so she no longer tries. But ultimately Kelly will do anything to save Jasper, and vice versa. A mature tale of the void, the abyss, that we all face at one time or another.
Justine Musk hasn't released a novel since this 2007 young adult urban fantasy, but she's a clever writer who weaves great sentences and a story that doesn't fall into maudlin. Thankfully without a romance, Uninvited instead focuses on the sibling relationship. With an older brother who's seemingly brilliant at everything, it's easy to understand why Kelly feels she can't measure up so she no longer tries. But ultimately Kelly will do anything to save Jasper, and vice versa. A mature tale of the void, the abyss, that we all face at one time or another.
December 24, 2025
This book had a nice twist at the end, but getting there felt like a chore. There was way too much fluff and over-explaining throughout the book, which slowed the story down a lot. The plot itself had potential, but the pacing made it hard to stay engaged.
April 29, 2025
so good!
Such a good, short read! This book should be made into a movie. I’m sure people would watch it and love it.
Such a good, short read! This book should be made into a movie. I’m sure people would watch it and love it.
February 10, 2015
It seems that in the world of entertainment, companies have taken to branching out in order to increase their market share. World Wrestling Entertainment has books, music and films aimed at their particular target audience and now I have seen something from MTV Books, which I was previously unaware of.
"Uninvited" seems to me to be the ideal book for the MTV generation. Kelly Ruland is a high school student living in the shadow of her elder brother. Jasper had been involved in a car accident that left two of his friends dead, but he walked away. And he kept walking, right out of town and no-one has heard from him since.
Suddenly, without warning, Jasper returns to town, although he looks and acts a little different from how he once did. In his wake come a bunch of bikers led by Archie, who is determined that Jasper's future lies with them. Suddenly, having not even seen him for ages, Kelly finds herself in the middle of a battle to save her brother's soul.
There's nothing terribly original about any part of the concept here. The basic idea is one of the foundations of horror writing, as are some of the characters, particularly the evil ones. But that's not really Musk's fault, as it is pretty difficult to find anything truly original in horror writing these days, the same as it is in music, because so much has been written before.
In her defence, Musk does quite well with what she does have. Admittedly, it's not a great work of literature, but it is well enough written to keep you reading. The pace of the action starts off and ends a little too slowly, but once it picks up, the action keeps progressing at quite a high pace for most of the book.
I would have preferred it if the book had more of an even pace and there was a little circling around things and a failure to get to the heart of the matter quite early on. It did feel like Musk was deliberately stringing things out, realising that there wouldn't be enough material for a decent length book if she got around to telling that part of the story too early in proceedings. I think she was possibly trying to give the main characters a little more depth, but I didn't feel she was successful in that and they never had much depth to me. Although part of this may have been because they weren't of an age group I could fully relate to.
I felt that the same was true of the ending, which seemed to take a little bit too long to get to the point. The story ended well, but then things seemed to drag on a little bit afterwards, almost as if Musk was setting things up for a sequel. Whilst either end of the book wasn't great, the bits in the middle were good enough that this didn't matter too much. Those parts were a disappointment, but not enough to ruin the book completely, just to act as a slight annoyance.
The writing reminds me of Christopher Pike, with the action all revolving around a group of teenagers and with the pace being high, if not the overall quality. This makes for an entertaining, if not involving read and it's short enough to fit with the attention span of the MTV generation. A couple of references to current pop music and culture suggests that the book may date badly and also pinpoint the target audience as being at the young adult end of the spectrum rather than my own age group.
Perhaps appropriately for MTV books, the book has the overall feel of a remake of an old song. Essentially, there's no real originality here, but the minor details are changed enough that it's not a direct copy. If this book were a record, it would be a minor R 'n' B hit using samples of a song you really like, but once you've heard it on the radio a few times, you'll be bored of it and want something else. But for the short while your attention is focussed on it, you'll get enough entertainment to keep you happy.
I did enjoy the book, as it made for an entertaining diversion, if nothing else. I do feel, however, that someone in the target audience may be able to relate to the characters and the pop culture references better than I could and may get more out of it. If that is the case, it will be a highly enjoyable experience. Fans of teen based horror such as Christopher Pike, or the "Final Destination" series of movies are also likely to find much to like here and there's no harm in taking a chance. Why wait to be invited?
This review may also appear, in whole or in part, under my name at any or all of www.ciao.co.uk, www.thebookbag.co.uk, www.goodreads.com, www.amazon.co.uk and www.dooyoo.co.uk
"Uninvited" seems to me to be the ideal book for the MTV generation. Kelly Ruland is a high school student living in the shadow of her elder brother. Jasper had been involved in a car accident that left two of his friends dead, but he walked away. And he kept walking, right out of town and no-one has heard from him since.
Suddenly, without warning, Jasper returns to town, although he looks and acts a little different from how he once did. In his wake come a bunch of bikers led by Archie, who is determined that Jasper's future lies with them. Suddenly, having not even seen him for ages, Kelly finds herself in the middle of a battle to save her brother's soul.
There's nothing terribly original about any part of the concept here. The basic idea is one of the foundations of horror writing, as are some of the characters, particularly the evil ones. But that's not really Musk's fault, as it is pretty difficult to find anything truly original in horror writing these days, the same as it is in music, because so much has been written before.
In her defence, Musk does quite well with what she does have. Admittedly, it's not a great work of literature, but it is well enough written to keep you reading. The pace of the action starts off and ends a little too slowly, but once it picks up, the action keeps progressing at quite a high pace for most of the book.
I would have preferred it if the book had more of an even pace and there was a little circling around things and a failure to get to the heart of the matter quite early on. It did feel like Musk was deliberately stringing things out, realising that there wouldn't be enough material for a decent length book if she got around to telling that part of the story too early in proceedings. I think she was possibly trying to give the main characters a little more depth, but I didn't feel she was successful in that and they never had much depth to me. Although part of this may have been because they weren't of an age group I could fully relate to.
I felt that the same was true of the ending, which seemed to take a little bit too long to get to the point. The story ended well, but then things seemed to drag on a little bit afterwards, almost as if Musk was setting things up for a sequel. Whilst either end of the book wasn't great, the bits in the middle were good enough that this didn't matter too much. Those parts were a disappointment, but not enough to ruin the book completely, just to act as a slight annoyance.
The writing reminds me of Christopher Pike, with the action all revolving around a group of teenagers and with the pace being high, if not the overall quality. This makes for an entertaining, if not involving read and it's short enough to fit with the attention span of the MTV generation. A couple of references to current pop music and culture suggests that the book may date badly and also pinpoint the target audience as being at the young adult end of the spectrum rather than my own age group.
Perhaps appropriately for MTV books, the book has the overall feel of a remake of an old song. Essentially, there's no real originality here, but the minor details are changed enough that it's not a direct copy. If this book were a record, it would be a minor R 'n' B hit using samples of a song you really like, but once you've heard it on the radio a few times, you'll be bored of it and want something else. But for the short while your attention is focussed on it, you'll get enough entertainment to keep you happy.
I did enjoy the book, as it made for an entertaining diversion, if nothing else. I do feel, however, that someone in the target audience may be able to relate to the characters and the pop culture references better than I could and may get more out of it. If that is the case, it will be a highly enjoyable experience. Fans of teen based horror such as Christopher Pike, or the "Final Destination" series of movies are also likely to find much to like here and there's no harm in taking a chance. Why wait to be invited?
This review may also appear, in whole or in part, under my name at any or all of www.ciao.co.uk, www.thebookbag.co.uk, www.goodreads.com, www.amazon.co.uk and www.dooyoo.co.uk
July 2, 2009
Kelly Ruland's life could not be any worse. Her pregnant mother is on bed rest for the rest of her labor, her father is always working, and her brother is gone. Ever since Jasper walked out of their lives, Kelly has thought of herself as her parent's consolation prize. Now that the twins are coming, she isn't even that anymore. The only time she feels good anymore is when she does ecstasy. All that changes in one night, though.
The night Jasper reappears, things begin to change, for the family and their town. Signs start showing up around town, signs that tell Jasper that he needs to come home. While he was gone, it seems that Jasper got involved with the wrong type of people and they aren't willing to let him return to his old life.
Will Kelly be able to figure out what is going on, before it's too late?
Uninvited was a story unlike any I have read before. The characters, the plot, everything about the story was original. Justine Musk did a wonderful job writing an original story that will appeal to pretty much all fans of the paranormal.
My one complaint was the amount of drug use. I don't like reading about drugs, especially hardcore drugs like ecstasy. The reason I still liked this book, even with the drug use, was because it actually tied into the story. The story wouldn't really have made sense without it and it wasn't overdone.
I don't really want to say anything more about the plot because it would give the story away but it was great. It was just such an unusual story and the characters were unlike any I had read before. Archie was someone you wanted to trust and hate at the same time. Jasper and Kelly were also so great. They had such a great relationship and I only wish I had that kind of closeness with my brother. My other complaint was that you didn't really find out anything about Kelly's two friends, Morgan and Amy. They were in the very beginning of the book and they just sort of disappeared in the middle. I would have liked to know more about them.
Overall, I really liked Uninvited. While it isn't one of my favorites, it was still a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who is not against a little drug use for the purpose of the story.
The night Jasper reappears, things begin to change, for the family and their town. Signs start showing up around town, signs that tell Jasper that he needs to come home. While he was gone, it seems that Jasper got involved with the wrong type of people and they aren't willing to let him return to his old life.
Will Kelly be able to figure out what is going on, before it's too late?
Uninvited was a story unlike any I have read before. The characters, the plot, everything about the story was original. Justine Musk did a wonderful job writing an original story that will appeal to pretty much all fans of the paranormal.
My one complaint was the amount of drug use. I don't like reading about drugs, especially hardcore drugs like ecstasy. The reason I still liked this book, even with the drug use, was because it actually tied into the story. The story wouldn't really have made sense without it and it wasn't overdone.
I don't really want to say anything more about the plot because it would give the story away but it was great. It was just such an unusual story and the characters were unlike any I had read before. Archie was someone you wanted to trust and hate at the same time. Jasper and Kelly were also so great. They had such a great relationship and I only wish I had that kind of closeness with my brother. My other complaint was that you didn't really find out anything about Kelly's two friends, Morgan and Amy. They were in the very beginning of the book and they just sort of disappeared in the middle. I would have liked to know more about them.
Overall, I really liked Uninvited. While it isn't one of my favorites, it was still a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who is not against a little drug use for the purpose of the story.
November 6, 2009
I picked up Uninvited, the other night because I needed/wanted something quick, that I could read before Fade To Black made it's way into my hot little hands, and this really fit the bill. I read it in a day.
I enjoyed Uninvited, with it's quirky story line, Gothic tones, and sunny climates. I found it quite original. The story centers around Kelly, whose brother disappears after a horrible car incident which leaves Kelly feeling, lost, depressed, lonely, and somewhat worthless. After all Jasper was the one her parents had pined all there hopes to, not Kelly – Kelly was just an afterthought to them. Before the accident the only one Kelly felt cared about her was Jasper – and then he left her, alone – so alone.
After Jasper leaves, Kelly lets her whole world fall apart, her parents never around to care, she plunges into a world of darkness, turning to drugs to help dull the pain, only doing enough in school to “squeak” by, all the while experiencing what she can only think of as panic attacks, in which Kelly seems to be plunged into a blackness, where she can't breath, talk or hear what's going on around her.
Suddenly and for no apparent reason, Jasper returns – but he's not alone...Archie and his band or rather gang of soul less motorcycle “people” (for lack of a better word), are right behind him. Archie has control over Jasper's soul and he's not letting go that easily.
I hesitate to write more, I don't want to spoil it for anyone out there who might read it...it's a great book, full of dark twists and scary turns, but with characters you can relate to, and a plot that's not “to far out there.” Occasionally Uninvited was a bit predictable, but for the most part it kept me on my toes, with just enough of the paranormal to keep it interesting as well as scary. The ending was one, not to be missed.
I give Uninvited a 4 stars and am looking forward to reading more by Justine Musk!
I enjoyed Uninvited, with it's quirky story line, Gothic tones, and sunny climates. I found it quite original. The story centers around Kelly, whose brother disappears after a horrible car incident which leaves Kelly feeling, lost, depressed, lonely, and somewhat worthless. After all Jasper was the one her parents had pined all there hopes to, not Kelly – Kelly was just an afterthought to them. Before the accident the only one Kelly felt cared about her was Jasper – and then he left her, alone – so alone.
After Jasper leaves, Kelly lets her whole world fall apart, her parents never around to care, she plunges into a world of darkness, turning to drugs to help dull the pain, only doing enough in school to “squeak” by, all the while experiencing what she can only think of as panic attacks, in which Kelly seems to be plunged into a blackness, where she can't breath, talk or hear what's going on around her.
Suddenly and for no apparent reason, Jasper returns – but he's not alone...Archie and his band or rather gang of soul less motorcycle “people” (for lack of a better word), are right behind him. Archie has control over Jasper's soul and he's not letting go that easily.
I hesitate to write more, I don't want to spoil it for anyone out there who might read it...it's a great book, full of dark twists and scary turns, but with characters you can relate to, and a plot that's not “to far out there.” Occasionally Uninvited was a bit predictable, but for the most part it kept me on my toes, with just enough of the paranormal to keep it interesting as well as scary. The ending was one, not to be missed.
I give Uninvited a 4 stars and am looking forward to reading more by Justine Musk!
June 10, 2010
This book is about a girl whose brother disappeared after being involved in a car accident which killed everyone else involved. But when her brother comes back, she knows there is something wrong. Her brother keeps on talking about a man who influenced him. He talked about his as if her were a drug, or a dream, not a real man. But that soon changed after a group of bikers came to town. They followed her brother and tried to take him back because he signed some sort of contract, But there is something really wrong with these men. They seem as if they are not from or currently in this world. Like they have one foot in this detention and the other in a parallel detention. There is only one way to save her brother, break his contract, if only she knew how.
The main external conflict is the girl and her brother vs. the bikers. They want to take away her brother and will not stop until they get him. As they have to stay in one place longer, the more violent they get. The girl knows that she has to do something now before it is too late. The main internal conflict is the girls feelings about her brother. He left her and never even said good bye. Now that he is back he is distant and wont give her a good reason why he left for so long. But sh knows that it is the same loving brother that always protected her. So what should she think?
I would rate this book four stars because I loved it. I thought is was very touching and had lots of brotherly sisterly love, but not too much sappy stuff. It was also very complex. You really had to use your imagination to figure out the book before they told you what happened that night of there car accident. It was really cool. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves touching books which make you feel like your on drugs.
The main external conflict is the girl and her brother vs. the bikers. They want to take away her brother and will not stop until they get him. As they have to stay in one place longer, the more violent they get. The girl knows that she has to do something now before it is too late. The main internal conflict is the girls feelings about her brother. He left her and never even said good bye. Now that he is back he is distant and wont give her a good reason why he left for so long. But sh knows that it is the same loving brother that always protected her. So what should she think?
I would rate this book four stars because I loved it. I thought is was very touching and had lots of brotherly sisterly love, but not too much sappy stuff. It was also very complex. You really had to use your imagination to figure out the book before they told you what happened that night of there car accident. It was really cool. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves touching books which make you feel like your on drugs.
September 27, 2015
I had high expectations for this book, especially since my sister recommended it to me. Archie seems to be a fallen angel, someone who doesn't remember his past, so he looks for souls that are similar to his to take as his. To me, Archie is Lucifer, an angel who fell from Grace and continues his bad behavior here on earth. He tries to solve problems for those whose souls he takes. For example, the book revolves around Kelly Ruland, and her brother is one of those souls. He made a deal with Archie that Archie saves her from the accident that she was in and he will become one of Archie's riders. Kelly's brother, Jasper, disappears, and a year later, he comes back. He wants to save whatever is left of his soul, but Archie made a deal with him and won't let him go. Kelly finds the truth from a coyote, whom Jasper has saved. Kelly goes back in time and takes Archie down before her brother can make the deal and she wakes up in present day from a coma. Interesting story, but how did Jasper really save the coyote? That was never made clear, even though this detail was repeated several times in the story. Also, I would have liked to know about Archie. He has wings, and he takes people's souls. But what else? There is nothing else to know, even though he has a complex character. Kelly was annoying and her boyfriend Nick wasn't much better. This book could have been better, and it was highly disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2010
Here's another one that was unfortunately doomed to sit in my TBR pile for a number of months. Looking for a quick read, I pulled it out yesterday, and finished it today in bed (I've got a nasty cold!).
Kelly's world has fallen apart since her brother left town suddenly. A year later, she's drinking alcohol and taking ecstasy to keep her anxiety at bay. Ecstasy won't keep her from seeing talking coyotes and apparitions of a strange man. When her brother returns home one night, the "unnatural" kicks in to high gear. What has followed Jasper home?
A fairly quick read, but entertaining nonetheless. A little slow to start, but once you get into it, the action never ceases. Kelly wasn't the most exciting character, but those around her (Jasper and Nick) were enough to hold my attention.
Great plot, with some delicious twists at the end. Supposedly its a stand-alone book, but I couldn't help but feel the ending hinted at a sequel. I loved the premise, but it would have been nice to learn a bit more about how it works. It's hard to explain what I mean without giving away some important plot points, but the power the antagonist has is not really given much depth.
While there are a lot of things that could have been better about this book, it entertained me while I was sick (quite a feat!) and I enjoyed the story nonetheless. I'd give it 3.5 stars.
Kelly's world has fallen apart since her brother left town suddenly. A year later, she's drinking alcohol and taking ecstasy to keep her anxiety at bay. Ecstasy won't keep her from seeing talking coyotes and apparitions of a strange man. When her brother returns home one night, the "unnatural" kicks in to high gear. What has followed Jasper home?
A fairly quick read, but entertaining nonetheless. A little slow to start, but once you get into it, the action never ceases. Kelly wasn't the most exciting character, but those around her (Jasper and Nick) were enough to hold my attention.
Great plot, with some delicious twists at the end. Supposedly its a stand-alone book, but I couldn't help but feel the ending hinted at a sequel. I loved the premise, but it would have been nice to learn a bit more about how it works. It's hard to explain what I mean without giving away some important plot points, but the power the antagonist has is not really given much depth.
While there are a lot of things that could have been better about this book, it entertained me while I was sick (quite a feat!) and I enjoyed the story nonetheless. I'd give it 3.5 stars.
August 22, 2015
An interesting but sometimes uneven read. Fairly predictable, but still maintained a certain air of mystery by not necessarily answering all questions raised (which worked in some parts). I loved the Coyote and think he was the most consistent and interestingly-written character, hands down.
Musk did a good job in some areas of creating very real tension, surprise and even panic. But I'm not satisfied with the explanation (or lack thereof) of the antagonist. There's a lot of allusion, which can work, but I would have liked a more concrete MO or backstory for the bad guy.
This also could have used some better editing. It seemed like there were some plot threads that were abandoned midway through, a couple typos, and a scene between two characters where one is referred to as another character who isn't in the room, which made it confusing when the main character went to go speak to that third character upstairs.
Despite a few qualms, I enjoyed the book overall. I think Kelly, the main character, is the kind of smart and strong, but still vulnerable, character I would have really loved in high school.
Musk did a good job in some areas of creating very real tension, surprise and even panic. But I'm not satisfied with the explanation (or lack thereof) of the antagonist. There's a lot of allusion, which can work, but I would have liked a more concrete MO or backstory for the bad guy.
This also could have used some better editing. It seemed like there were some plot threads that were abandoned midway through, a couple typos, and a scene between two characters where one is referred to as another character who isn't in the room, which made it confusing when the main character went to go speak to that third character upstairs.
Despite a few qualms, I enjoyed the book overall. I think Kelly, the main character, is the kind of smart and strong, but still vulnerable, character I would have really loved in high school.
September 3, 2012
3.5 stars
Initially I thought this story was going to be so different- a thriller of sorts. But it turned out to have some sort of supernatural element to it. Despite this, I really enjoyed the story and loved the relationships between Kelly and her brother Jasper, and Kelly and her friend Nick. The book had an eerie mystery and intrigue, with characters you feel for.
However, the big eerie feel was strange at times and left you confused with the amount of riddles and empty talk. Sometimes I wished it was a little more clear and straight-forward in its writing. I could guess what the whole secret was as well from pretty early on. I'm surprised Kelly didn't. The ending was satisfying enough, but it left me wondering about one character.
So overall, Uninvited was good, but not as great as it could be.
Initially I thought this story was going to be so different- a thriller of sorts. But it turned out to have some sort of supernatural element to it. Despite this, I really enjoyed the story and loved the relationships between Kelly and her brother Jasper, and Kelly and her friend Nick. The book had an eerie mystery and intrigue, with characters you feel for.
However, the big eerie feel was strange at times and left you confused with the amount of riddles and empty talk. Sometimes I wished it was a little more clear and straight-forward in its writing. I could guess what the whole secret was as well from pretty early on. I'm surprised Kelly didn't. The ending was satisfying enough, but it left me wondering about one character.
So overall, Uninvited was good, but not as great as it could be.
November 18, 2012
Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com
Kelly and Jasper have always been close, but after the car accident that killed his friends, Jasper disappears without a trace.
Kelly's lost without her older brother. She feels a void that she works hard to fill by taking E and engaging in risky behavior.
One night, Jasper comes back home - but he's not alone.
Archie is there in the shadows watching and waiting. Archie doesn't like to lose and he's got control over Jasper's soul. Can the two siblings survive together or will Jasper succumb to Archie?
UNINVITED is an addicting tale of paranormal horror. Readers will want to uncover Archie's power over the siblings and the secret of the car crash that changed their lives forever.
Kelly and Jasper have always been close, but after the car accident that killed his friends, Jasper disappears without a trace.
Kelly's lost without her older brother. She feels a void that she works hard to fill by taking E and engaging in risky behavior.
One night, Jasper comes back home - but he's not alone.
Archie is there in the shadows watching and waiting. Archie doesn't like to lose and he's got control over Jasper's soul. Can the two siblings survive together or will Jasper succumb to Archie?
UNINVITED is an addicting tale of paranormal horror. Readers will want to uncover Archie's power over the siblings and the secret of the car crash that changed their lives forever.
July 24, 2010
I love Justine Musk. I want to write like her. She creates characters that come alive as you read and prose that is so damn rich. Also, incredibly fast moving plotlines despite the lushness of the writing. I discovered her with BloodAngel. This is not part of the BloodAngel series, and is technically young adult, but like most young adult these days, it plays well for us older folk, too. I saw the end coming with this one, but unlike in some books, that didn't spoil this in the least because I wanted to see how Musk would get us there. I think this would make an awesome movie, so I hope someone options it. If you haven't tried Justine Musk yet, do.
Rated: A+
Rated: A+
July 29, 2016
Kelly's world fell apart when her older brother Jasper disappeared after a car accident that killed two of his friends. She doesn't want to believe her brother was at fault, but then why did he run away? Kelly struggles to fill the emptiness inside with dangerous behaviors. Then, Jasper returns just as mysteriously as he left; but he hasn't returned alone. Who, or what, is Archie? Why does he want Jasper? What truth is Jasper hiding and what price is he willing to pay to keep his secrets? A spooky dark tale of evil and redemption. This tale contains profanity and depictions of recreational drug and alcohol use.
September 7, 2016
I don't know if I was in the wrong headspace to read this book or what. It just couldn't seem to hold my attention. I felt that the second part was better than the first because it was more fast-paced. It played with some interesting concepts in terms of alternate realities and seeing what is actually in front of you, but I just couldn't get into it.
I may check out more by this author just to see if I like her other books better, because it was an interesting story idea.
I may check out more by this author just to see if I like her other books better, because it was an interesting story idea.
April 14, 2008
This book was targeted at fans of Stephanie Meyers Twilight series and personally I thought it missed the mark. Perhaps I would have liked it more if it hadn't been marketed that way. I thought the story line was predictable and I found myself not even caring by the end of the book. The lesson I learned from this book is that I need to STOP reading things published by MTV...
October 20, 2008
With Uninvited and The Lord of Bones, I have become a fan of Justine Musk. I thought this book was very easy, fastpaced and interesting. I thought the story of high school siblings would really be interesting for those of the younger, high school, set, but I am well over high school age and I throughly enjoyed this read!
June 30, 2011
Hmmm picked this one off my tbr pile and started it quite a few times now. Finally buckled down to read and it took a while for me to get into, mysterious and vague. But you come to understand why as the plot develops. What I initially thought was authors lack of depth was purposeful. A good YA Urban Fantasy.
July 25, 2008
Wow this book was fantastic! It was so entertaining and really unpredictable! The characters were really great! Would really make an amazing motion picture, it's a mind bender for sure! Always keeps you on your toes!
January 13, 2011
I don't really know what to say... it was fine, but not great. A gift from a friend, it was an easy, very quick read. There was possibility with the story, but it just didn't grab and keep me. I wasn't a huge fan of the writing itself, I think...
December 21, 2011
A young adult paranormal fantasy about a teenage girl and her brother drawn into the world of the devil. Very good. I can't say more for fear of spoilers, but you will love this read. Adults and teens, both. Enjoy!
February 11, 2008
wow. i liked it much more than i thought i would. very nice imagery, the symbolism reminded me of poe a lot. especially loved the tidbits with the apples.
September 20, 2008
I read this summer but it left me not waiting for a sequel...
July 16, 2010
Definitely not my favorite book. But it was okay. The last chapter or two made up for the previous blah.
January 21, 2011
Due to technical difficulties.. This review is currently unable to be published but (hopefully) will be soon...
:D
:D
June 29, 2011
it was really good. some parts were really creepy. it was like a horror movie i recomend this book to everyone.
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