Glimmer

by Phoebe Kitanidis

When Marshall King and Elyse Alton suddenly wake up tangled in each other's arms, with no memory of how they got there or even who they are, it's the start of a wild supernatural ride. A bizarre and creepy roller coaster of magic and memory, twisting and plummeting through their separate pasts... and shared future.

Desperate to restore their memories, the two amnesiacs work together -- pooling their unique special abilities -- to piece together clues about their lives. Soon they discover that they're in the idyllic mountain resort town of Summer Falls. Everyone seems happy here, but as Marshall and Elyse quickly learn, horrors lurk beneath the town's perfect facade. Not only is the town haunted by sinister ghosts, but a psychic haze blankets its living inhabitants, keeping them from retaining any bad memories.

Can Marshall and Elise somehow save themselves—and the town—from what looks to be the darkest brand of magic?

Or will the mysteries they're trying to uncover spell death to the town and to their own budding romance?

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Ghosts, Romance, Mystery, Magic

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 17, 2012

About the author

Phoebe Kitanidis is a proud member of Team Cat. She lives in a secret lair, deep inside a blackberry bramble in Seattle, where she's currently weaving a new Urban Fantasy series as well as a New Adult Romance series. Coffee is her second-best friend.

Reviews

[Tatiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no idea why, but I was sure Glimmer would be about zombies. Zombie apocalypse romance maybe? Clearly it's too hard for me to understand even a simple plot synopsis. Anyway, Glimmer isn't about zombies.

Two teens (we later learn their names are Elyse and Marshall) wake up naked in a bed in a house they don't recognize. They don't know who they are and how they ended up in this disturbing situation. They are scared and suspicious of first each other and then of the possibility that they have been drugged and now are being held captive. Their escape isn't difficult though and soon they are on the streets of a weird tiny town of Summer Falls, a paradise of Pleasantville / Stepford Wives variety. Elyse and Marshall immediately throw themselves into investigating of their identities and secrets of Summer Falls.

There are many flaws in Glimmer that are surely going to be mentioned in this 3-star review, but the truth is, the mystery had me glued to the pages. Yeah, an astute reader will find a fair number of holes in the plot, especially in the too-busy ending, and yet, I couldn't stop myself from eating this thing up and rushing to find out more about Elyse and Marshall, heatnaps and odd memory losses, ghosts and magic.

Now to the not so good. Let me speed through my usual complaints about instalove (the whole book takes place over 5 days tops, there is tender touching and such a few hours after the couple awake) and indistinguishable POVs (whenever Elyse and Marshall are in the same scene and describe it in two voices, the task of identifying who is I often becomes daunting); stock characters (popular jocks and cheerleaders, braces-wearing nerds galore) - these are unfortunate standard pitfalls of a lot of YA fiction.

But there is one element, a way of thinking really, that bothered me above all other things in Glimmer. So, Elyse doesn't remember herself, who she is, what she is, but she sure remembers what makes a girl a slut and what is the appropriate way of dressing, living and looking for a good girl. I'll try to explain.

When Elyse finds her clothes in the room she just woke up in - "white Keds, a stretchy white top, and a jean skirt. Something pink and lacy slips out of the skirt and tumbles on the floor. I hold the skirt up to my body. It's tiny. An ultramini," she can't believe she would ever wear something this outrageously tight.

When she is taken to her bedroom and sees that "there is the bubblegum pink carpet, soft pile two inches high... A white four-poster bed with a cream-colored canopy - a Victorian eight-year-old's dream. Candy-striped walls, bare posters or personality," Elyse calls this room "gross."

When Elyse sees her clothes, and most of her wardrobe is white in color and, oh my!, tight and revealing, she is unnerved.

And then, the winner, when she sees herself in a mirror for the first time: "...all I feel is disappointment, mingled with disgust. Though I'm small, no inch of my body is flat. Everything tapers, or nips inward, or flares to the side, or pops out in front or back, seeking attention. Round breasts jut out in front of me, practically inviting touch. I put my hand over my sweater and squeeze - it's squashy, yielding. Ugh." What?@.@

When she learns "I have a boyfriend, a serious boyfriend I hook up with, and yesterday I woke up naked with another guy. It's not hard to do the math: I am a slut."

So if you wear tight clothes, have a pink room, a cheerleader with big boobs and you sleep with your boyfriend of two years, then you automatically a good-for-nothing slut? You deduce it after trying to figure out your past for 24 hours?

Maybe I am reading too much into it, but I honestly have no idea where the author was going with this line of reasoning, because Elyse's odd feeling of misplacement never comes into real play. The body is hers, the clothes are hers, why such resentment towards them then? Why is it bad to be short and curvy and good to be slender and tall? Why is it only good to wear baggy jeans and T-shirts, but not white miniskirts? WHAT'S SO SHAMEFUL ABOUT BEING A CHEERLEADER?

I know I've piled up one negative on top of another, but Glimmer wasn't that bad. It's different and it's a standalone!

[Ferdy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spoilers

Elyse and Marshall wake up in bed together, both naked and both with no memory of who they are or where they are. They quickly realise that the town they live in isn't normal and that they both have abilities that protect them from some of the strange things that happen to their family and friends. Elyse and Marshall team up to try and piece together their memories and fix the many problems in their town.

-I did enjoy the start of the book and it actually held some promise in the first couple of chapters - the mystery surrounding Elyse and Marshall's town and their amnesia was pretty gripping to begin with. Unfortunately, the storyline went downhill very quickly, mainly due to the absolutely awful heroine and also because the plot became nonesensical and messy. The mystery surrounding the town and why the townsfolk were so weird was just ridiculous and the whole resolution to save the town was executed poorly.

-Elyse the female protagonist was rubbish - the attitude she had was just bloody awful. She hated anything remotely 'girly' or 'shallow' like the colour pink, fashionable clothes and make up. She actually looked down at herself because she thought she may have slept with someone - apparently having sex is bad.
She despised herself when she saw the type of clothes she had in her wardrobe - short skirts, tight tops and high heels. She was basically saying that there was something wrong with girls that dress like that. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wearing tight clothes or having a possible sex life - I'm sure that there are people that think otherwise but to have the heroine actually say that it's bad to dress a certain way, just sent such a negative message.
I despise heroines that come aross as hating women and hating themselves for being female - she should have been proud to be a woman. At one point when she's looking at a picture of herself as a child she claims that her body betrayed her for growing curves and breasts - WTF?! It was like she was saying having curves or long hair or a womanly figure was a bad thing and that it somehow made her less of a decent person - I hated this bitch.
She was such an insufferable little Mary Sue - she hated lying, she hated anything feminine, she was holier than thou, she only wore baggy clothes because in her eyes fitted clothes were immoral.
She also treated her long term boyfriend like crap - she even compared him to a golden retriever.
I got sick of the amount of times she called herself a slut. She called herself a slut because she had a long term boyfriend and then woke up naked with amnesia in another boy's bed - how does that make anyone a slut? I'm sure there are some girls that have been drugged and abused that have woken up like that and for Elyse to say that she was a slut even though she had no idea what happened was basically like saying she was at fault somehow and that she was in the wrong. Elyse was a despicable, vile and ugly character.

-Marshall was just meh - he was so dull and boring and his obssession with Elyse was weird. He didn't even know her yet he acted like she was the love of his life. He wasn't as bad as Elyse but his POV was still rubbish.

I didn't enjoy this AT ALL.The heroine was one of the worst heroines I've come across in a long while and she basically ruined the whole book. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

[~Tina~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5stars

I had one constant thought throughout this entire book.
What?!?!

Confusing, strange, bizarre and weird are only a few other thoughts I had to describe Glimmer, but I have to admit, incredibly intriguing and oddly addicting goes right along with it.

Phoebe Kitanidis writing is very well done. She achieves quite the dizzying effect with a strong theme of 'what the hell is going on' in waves page after page. This wasn't a bad thing though, in fact it was both a trip and a hoot to figure out what the deal was with the town of Summer Falls right along with Elyse and Marshall, who can't remember squat about themselves to begin with. I really enjoyed the paranormal aspect this book had to offer. It gave us a touch of everything but it wasn't over powering. The towns people were all a bit creepy, definitely odd and very random, but it was fun to see what would happen next. I really liked our two mysterious protags. They kept it interesting and despite the strangeness this book had going, they made me want to follow them till the very last page.

All in all, this was a great book. Very different from all the rest out there. It was an enjoyable crazy-fun experience and it was nice to still be surprised and consumed by this genre.

Recommended if your looking for a not your typical twist-read.
Well done!

[Kelly Marsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Upon finishing Glimmer, I was bereft of any sort of satisfaction. In fact, I feel cheated. Let me explain why.

Glimmer, you hooked me, had me invested, the mystery you wove spurred me on to hungrily flip each of your pages, all the while anticipating the big reveal. Why are people falling down into catatonic states called heatnaps? Memories being erased? A Pleasantville atmosphere populated by Stepford Wives? And lo and behold, when the big reveal finally came to pass it was very remisncent of the demon Gachnar in BTVS. On one Halloween, Gachnar created mayhem and devilish deeds in its itty-bitty, wittle, pint-size wake. Then when the "Dark Lord of Nightmares", "the Bringer of Terror" was released from the appropriately named Mark of Gachnar, after much laughter by the Scooby Gang, Buffy squashed his few-inches-in-height frame with the heels of her Little Red Riding Hood shoes. For he was much ado about nothing. Point being, the ending is what did me in. The ending? What the what was that? A Velveeta-y cheesefest and then some is what it was. Lots of build up for a Gachnar-sized denouement.

Also, The Gachnar, the big bad in Glimmer, I guessed this person fairly quickly. Some things just didn't add up. But hey, the kids were still amnesiacs. So, natch, I cut them some much needed slack. But towards the end of the story and the brain trust comprised of Elyse and Marshall still hadn't ferreted out the identity of said person, wow. Just wow.

So all in all, aside from the letdown ending, the book definitely intrigued me. And for the most part, the entertainment value was there. It's always fun to puzzle out what's going on along with the MCs.

Also, to be fair and honest, I'm a sucker for explosive endings, like right out of a summer blockbuster movie. Which explains my lack of gratification with this novel's ending. Also, another reason for the 3 stars, I failed to connect with Elyse. She annoyed me for the majority of the time, but then I felt a pang of guilt when her back story came to light. Still, even with that truth revealed, I failed to feel her. Can't say the same for Marshall. I wish every chapter was told from his POV, not alternating with Elyse.

So would I recommend this novel? Yeah, it's different, mysterious. And a standalone, for those sick of series.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy Hell on wheels this was a C-R-A-Z-Y ride! (mostly in a good way)

This bad boy starts of fast and INSANE and doesn't really slow down until well over half-way through. We begin the story with Marshall and Elyse waking up naked and tangled up with each other, which normally wouldn't be so weird, but neither one of them can remember how they got there. They also can't remember who they are or pretty much anything. Their world gets stranger and stranger as they emerge into the town of Summer Falls.

Spoilers up ahead:

So Elyse can see ghosts and Marshall is some kind of witch-boy.
They want to get out of this town, yet they want to save it. They want all their memories back.


Insanity! I can't even summarize this in a decent manner. This book.... kept me entertained, kept me guessing and kept me wanting to read more. I have to admit after about 175 pages or so, some of my interest started to drift. It slowed down and drug a little in the middle and toward to the end it felt a little rushed.

3.75 stars with a rec to read this one.


Fun, creepy, interesting, exciting and not predictable. I have never read anything like this.

Big thanks to A for letting me read this.

Let's hope for no psychotic moments from ___________ ;)

Ch-ch-ch- check this one out!

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review can also be found on my blog Collections.

These same words kept popping up in my mind while I was reading this book: strange, weird, lost, freaky, bizarre, crazy. Because it was! Which was not a bad thing at all. The book alternates between the POV of Elyse and Marshall as they try to regain their memories and figure out what's wrong with the too perfect town of Summer Falls. Those first few chapters... Well, let's just say it was probably one of the most intriguing beginnings to a story I've ever read!

Glimmer was fast-paced and full of mystery and ghosts and lots of...heatnaps. And magic. Cannot forget the magic. It ended up being no where close to what I expected; it was such a different kind of read. I think that's why I enjoyed it so much. Another great thing about it was that it definitely seemed like a stand-alone. Props to the author!

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marshall and Elyse can’t be sure what exactly happened that night. Their confusion is only compounded upon by the fact that that they wake in the same bed with no memory of who they are, where they are from, or what got them to where they are today. Their dread should be pacified by the fact that the town in which they find themselves, Summer Falls, seems pristine and perfect, but there’s something that just doesn’t quite fit. Everyone is happy. Summer never ends, and the heat is anything but soothing. Rather, it’s just sleepy, and the townfolk seem to be quite prone to “heatnaps.” Summer Falls could be perfect, but Elyse and Marshall can see the tinges of darkness in the town, and they must figure out what it is and why it’s after Summer Falls before they’re lost in a sinister town forever.

It’s been a while since I read something so deceptively cheerful, and I have to say that Glimmer by Pheobe Kitanidis was a welcome refreshment to my daily reading. With carefully crafted prose, the author spins a story that’s sweet and sinful at the same time, blending perfection with utter disarray and happiness with oblivion. The black and white natures of the story lent a haunting nature to the speedy plot, binding tension to every twist and turn along the way; and trust me, there were plot twists aplenty! With two loveable characters with whom you can empathize and relate, Glimmer will reel you into its web and refuse to let go.

Guys, there was something so eerie and Stepford about Glimmer that totally had me in its claws from start to finish. From page one; we’re prompted with questions – questions to which we are not immediately given answers. In fact, we’re given non-answers throughout the story, and we’re asked to hang on tight as the story, the setting and the plot spin darker and darker with each turn of the page. The beauty of the novel is the unpredictability of it. It’s a maze, in all truth, and just when I thought I was going to figure out what was truly happening in Summer Falls, something shook things up, yet again. The mysteries kept adding and layering upon one another and, while at times a bit tedious, I enjoyed that nothing was ever exactly how I thought it would be. Adding to each twist and turn was the dual narration of the novel. However, Glimmer tried a different approach – one that was rather effective, in my humble opinion. We’re privied to the chance to see Summer Falls from both Elyse and Marshall’s points of view. Unique to Glimmer, however, is the fact that each narrative seems to end in its own little cliffhanger, allowing us to not only access the character’s mind and thoughts, but also hook us each chapter. Glimmer breathes new life into young adult paranormal with touches of love, flickers of darkness and sinister plans .

Overall, I was pretty much entirely riveted by this fairly obscure gem. I hadn’t heard too much about it, and the hype wasn’t overdone, so I was even more blown away. I hope people decide to give this one a go because I think people will be pretty surprised. I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I highly recommend it fans of YA, especially those who enjoy paranormal.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

[Danielle. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars (Looks around) Did I miss anything? Oh... well look at this, I have finally finished a novel. Finally. It has taken me 2 weeks to finish Glimmer - TWO WEEKS. Damn my school district for making us start school on the 14th of August instead of the 9th of September. I missed this: reading, writing reviews....

Anyway, I picked Glimmer up from my library shelf without hesitation. After reading the blurb (I mean, two people - Marshall and Elyse - wake up naked together in bed with absolutely no memory as to how it happened; not to mention ghosts roaming around Summer Falls wiping people's memories) I had to get my hands on this. I know I said I wasn't going to get my hopes up, but I did - and they were HIGH. Unfortunately, I'm sitting here writing this review to say I was disappointed. This is horrible. Don't get me wrong, this wasn't a terrible story, it's just... I was expecting it to be mind blowing.

I couldn't get into the characters because they didn't even know who they were, so they're just these awkward potatoes walking around trying to get their memories back. I didn't have any type of feelings for them. The romance was lame, too, and at times a bit over the top/creepy. I don't think Marshall was in love with Elyse; I think he was obsessed.

And let me get started on these ghosts. Hm. Whenever I think 'ghost' I think Paranormal Activity; these ghosts only popped up from time to time to make a person (who is under a lot of pressure) forget their bad memories. The people of Summer Falls calls this a 'heat nap'. I don't know, I have mixed feelings about this. I thought they were going to be talking and be a big part of Marshall and Elyse's memory loss.

The ending was extremely predictable and slow-paced. I had to skim the last 50 pages. Oh and I completely forgot about the magic. Yes, magic. Kitanidis failed to impress me with this, I think this was just thrown in there to make the story all more exciting. It was a nice shot, though. Glimmer had a good premise, but I'm sorry to say it wasn't all that it's cracked up to be.

[Savannah (Books With Bite) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why can't there be more out-of-the-box amazing stories like this one? I adored it. Just the beginning of a confusing mess turn into magic makes me giddy!

I really enjoyed the unique plot line. As much as I love paranormal books, some times the plots line bore me. I want some thing new other than vampires, werewolves, etc. Now this book, gave me what I want. A fresh, unique bold plot line. First off, let me just say that I enjoyed this plot line because it was some thing new I never read before. I liked that intensity that that plot gives. With each new chapter, pieces of their identities are found, more memories of their past unlocked. I was completely hooked by the end of chapter one.

The characters in this book really played two different roles. The lives that they lived and the lives that they wanted. I think the back story to both characters is very fulfilling for the reader. With each new memory restored, the reader gets to see what life these characters were living. To see what they suffered under a new light left me heart broken.

The love interest played out well. Two broken people wanting something new. Everything they did under the radar to help each other out, really help love form between them. I adored their will to change what they can and free people. They had some peaceful moments within their times of trouble. It brought the right amount of balance to the book.

Glimmer is an daring, dark story of magic gone wrong. In it's breathtaking artistic expression, stepping into Summer Fall's will make you forget everything you thought you know. Glimmer opens your eyes to the dangerous things unseen.

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mindf!&ckery at its finest..I was thoroughly entertained from the beginning but then it twisted into this paranormal romance. I was so confused for the first half because nothing made sense and my brain kept coming up with theories like they're all probably ghosts themselves and none of them remember, but I was wrong. I thought it dragged on too much by the end. There was too much "I love you but I can't leave you" or "I hurt you and I don't deserve you" emotional turmoil that I can't even bother with. I really wished it turned out into something bigger and deeper but meh it was all right. I just wished it stayed with the momentum I had going in the first half of the book. It was all kinds of crazy!

[Literally Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

This is getting stranger and stranger. It's unlike anything I've read before, which is very exciting to me. I am just dying to learn this town's crazy secrets. Would *you* want to be a tourist at Summer Falls, where perfection has a price?

[Twinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the blurb,I was way too excited to read the book. Talk about ghosts,a mysterious haunted town,"happy zombies",two teens with lost memories ? Couldn't ask for more. When I finished reading this book,I can say for sure,that it didn't disappoint me at all.

First of all the cover of this book is truly beautiful. The color combination is perfect and I love how the eyes of the girl on the cover,are blurred giving it an eerily haunting look. The shadow of the word "Glimmer" on the water gives the cover an artistic touch.

Glimmer starts off with Elyse and Marshall waking up with no memory of how they got here. They don't remember their families,their pasts,each other and not even their names. Horrified at what happened with them,they set off to search for answers and realize they are in "Summer Falls",an eerie town,where summer resides the whole year. All the people in here seem to be perfectly happy and do not remember any bad memories at all."Heatnaps" as they call it,happens every now and then,which includes suddenly falling in a deep sleep .From the outside the town looks perfect,but Elyse and Marshall realize that this town is least close to what any one would call perfect.
The ghosts walk by road,sending people to heatnap that erase all their bad memories,by a simple touch. Elyse and Marshall,determined to get to the bottom of the things,set off in the search of truth.

Glimmer is written from Elyse's POV and Marshall's POV and the chapters keep on switching between their POV's. Kitanidis made it much easier to understand the characters by splitting the perspectives between them. The starting is great and enough to keep you captivated. The story runs smoothly,and Kitanidis reveals the pieces of this dark mystery bit by bit for you to devour them. The spooky events,the "happy zombies",the ghosts,the heatnaps,all of them kept me biting my nails in anticipation. Kitanidis kept all the ingredients in a balanced quantity neither one overpowering the other. The whole atmosphere is so skillfully crafted that it draws you in to the world of Summer Falls instantly.

Now on to the characters,after waking up with no memories of what they were before,Elyse and Marshall,slowly get to know about their past lives. Of how they were before,all the positive and negative aspects of it. Their character did show frailty in past and they seemed to learn from their past mistakes. Their characters grew as the story continued. Kitanidis created both the characters in such a way that they seemed to fit each other like two pieces of puzzles. Not only the protagonists but all the other characters,Liz,Jeffry,Dan,Joe,Elizabeth,Ruta,Carla were also well developed and added a life to the book. Kitanidis described each of the character so well,that it instantly gives you a clear picture of what the character would be like. For example,Elyse describes herself as :

"---the grouchy curve of my mouth,my huge,venomous green eyes.I can see how funny,how ridiculous,my honest indignation looks from the outside. I look like a pissed-off Disney Princess. Adorable ...and harmless"

The tint of romance added a beautiful touch to the story. Elyse-Marshall relationship was not like the typical oh-I-love-you-and-can-not-live-without-you one. It was different and refreshing. Usually I get frustrated reading the typical YA books with romance in them,but it didn't frustrated me at all.

On the whole,Glimmer is such a type of book that once you have stuck your nose into it,it won't let you leave it unfinished. The ending was satisfying. It was a delicious read and I would recommended this book to everyone! Bravo Kitanidis !!

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave up trying to wrap my head around the plot. It's not that everything's not explained by the end (this is a standalone and there aren't any hanging plotlines for a potential sequel), it's just that the premise, two characters Elyse and Marshall waking up in a supernatural town without any memories, led to such a weird, confusing read that by the time I got to the end and everything's finally supposed to make sense, I still can't shake off the fact I was confused for so long. Or maybe I'm still confused and I just don't know it.

This book's alot different than any other YA I've read, so fair warning, this is NOT a book for anyone who likes their plots to be laid out in a straight or obvious line. In fact, things may seem bizarre or pointless at first, the characters don't know what they're doing for most of the book and their wandering around without any memories is basically the plot for the first few chapters, with a few weird ghosts sightings mixed in. Later on, there are a couple more mysteries involving people randomly fainting and more missing memories, but the point of the book and the villain are only hinted at with some (fairly obvious but easy to dismiss) clues and whispered in corners until near pretty far into the story, though I figured out what it is and who he is based on the clues pretty early on.

I'm giving this book four stars mainly because I liked how the story played out, the discussion of identity, how much of it is based on memories, possessions, the choices one makes. I liked seeing how Marshall and Elyse struggled with their identity throughout the book based on what they see and what they hear from other people. I liked the choices they made in the end based on what they discovered about themselves, their identities. In that sense, book's really deep.

There are some pretty big problems, too, but I was so thoroughly discombolulated that it didn't really ruin the effect. For a book about identity, a lot of the supporting players are cliched stock characters, the abusive father and husband, the not very bright jock, the nerds in the computer lab. Worse, Elyse and Marshall, who narrate the story in turn, don't have really different or unique voices, inserting WTF and macho pride references a couple of times does not instantly make Marshall sound like a guy. There are also a lot of catering to stereotypes, and flashbacks happened without warning in a couple of places that the book felt disjointed when they did and made me think of badly strung together dream sequences.

In the end, those things didn't bother me as much though, I guess I didn't mind being lost and liked how much I had to think about this book, so much so that when the ending rolled around and everything fell into place, I was still wondering, Really? That's what happened? even though I knew it was so.

[Andye.Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review:

Honestly, when I picked this book up and read the summery I thought it was going to be really dumb.
I decided to read the first chapter and just see what it'd be like.
Well, I sat down and ended up reading basically half of it.
I could barely set it down because every page had a new twist to the story.
The pace did not fall below heart pounding.
Glimmer swallowed me whole and I was taken completely by surprise.

Elyse was an awesome main character. I loved how down to earth and humble she is. She surprised me a little bit. I expected her to be a weak little girl when she started to discover what her life was like before she got amnesia. Instead she showed strength. She really saw how incredibly selfish she was, and she actually did something about it and didn't just sit there and whine.

I really liked how the chapters kept switching from Elyse's and Marshall's point of view. I always like reading from both sides.

Reviewing this book is tricky... I feel like anything I say could be a spoiler. There's just so many twists and turns its crazy.

Just so I don't ruin anything for anyone, go pick up Glimmer and read it for yourself (:

-Abigaile
Readingteen.net

[Catie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I was so excited when this ARC showed up on my door step. After reading the description I plowed right in. I finished Glimmer the same day that I started reading. I was alittle confused by the intermixing of characters with every chapter but that does not take away from the novel in anyway.

Glimmer is a fun read that you will want to finish just to see what is going to happen next. Glimmer is fast paced and will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can so that you can find out how it ends. I was so sucked to find out why Elyse and Marshall lost their memories. Also Glimmer is a standalone, so you do not have to wait a year just to find out what will happen. The ghosts are like nothing that I have ever read before. I loved the cover it is so beautiful, I think that is what drew me to the book at first.

Glimmer is not your average paranormal mystery. Glimmer shines out among all books because it is a little bit different then anything you have read before. The ending brings a great closure to the novel so you are not left wanting more. I really did enjoy reading Glimmer and I hope everyone goes out and purchases a copy in April. I will be recommending this book to anyone that I come across.

[Lena ♫ ♪ · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOOOOVED Glimmer. Loved the plot progression, loved the characters, loved it all. This is one of those books where you'll want to have your own copy and not just borrow it from a friend. And FYI: The story is just as gorgeous as the cover. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed watching the mystery and romance unfold. It was incredible, to say the least.

Please, for all that is holy in the book world, grab a copy of Glimmer once it hits stores. I know I will!

[Violeta · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Glimmer" is similar to a few books that I have read before, but it had its differences. I liked the overall story of it. Small town, long line of ancestors, deep, dark secret, and you can't forget about the black magic. It was creepy at time and others it was funny. I think this book is a good one to read during any downtime.

[Asheley T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

(a similar version of this review can be found here at Into the Hall of Books: http://www.intothehallofbooks.com/201...)

I wanted to read Glimmer because of the pretty cover and the line in the synopsis that says "Lonely in this world of happy zombies..." I love a good zombie story...and the idea of people with amnesia and no bad memories, perpetually happy, like zombies...well, it sounded interesting. So I read it and needless to say, I have thoughts...

1. The Characters. Elyse & Marshall. The book starts out running when these two wake up together but have no recollection of how they got there or what exactly they were doing. They can't even remember their own names, for cryin' out loud. They set out on a massive hunt to figure out who they are, what is going on, and why they suddenly have amnesia. Piece by piece, slowly, things start falling into place and they learn what they need to know...and the story is crazy. I mean that in a fun, creepy, and good way.

These two characters are great. We first learn who Elyse is, and at first she seems pretty average. But when Elyse learns about her 'old' self, she finds a ton of things she doesn't like and sets out to change her life. It takes a little longer to learn who Marshall is, but when we finally start to learn the details surrounding his life, there is a new piece of information around every corner. It felt to me like learning about Marshall was the key to learning about why the city was the way it was (creepy!) and also learning why he and Elyse were even linked to begin with. After all, Elyse was a popular cheerleader-dating-a-football-player and Marshall was a geek. Stereotypically, two people like Marshall and Elyse would have no ties to one another...

There are a few supporting characters that all lend a hand in making the story what it is. However, they are not altogether completely fleshed out, which is totally okay. These characters are there to basically help Elyse and Marshall tell the story, and sometimes filler such as this is needed. In Glimmer, this completely worked for me as Elyse and Marshall are the characters that I was fully vested in anyway.

2. The Setting. Summer Falls. Y'all, this is one creepy little town. Tourists come to Summer Falls because of the its relaxing and euphoric effect on their lives. They term this effect "The Drop" because once they arrive, their feelings of stress and anxiety and their bad memories just drop away. Summer Falls seems to be enchanted or have some sort of spell on it, because it is always warm there and the residents are almost like happy zombies. They don't have bad memories either; they're always happy. This is something that Elyse and Marshall never noticed before they woke up with amnesia because they too were under the same enchantment or spell. Now that they're out, they realize that there is something weird going on in their town.

Aside from the creepiness of the city, the author did a nice job of describing the beauty of the setting well. She made the town a place that people would want to visit, which made it believable. She described the surrounding nature/hiking trails and waterfalls well, and I could almost visualize them as I read about them. Heck, if the place wasn't so strange, I might even want to visit there myself.

3. The Ghosts. There are ghosts in Summer Falls, and they're everywhere. Elyse can see them. They roam around town and touch people, causing them to fall into heatnaps (pass out). When the people wake up from the heatnaps, their bad memories are gone. This happens when people argue or when bad events occur. I don't read that many books that are ghost stories, so this attracted me to Glimmer...but the scenes with the ghosts ended up being a little bit confusing for me.

4. The Romance. Yes, there is a budding romance between Elyse and Marshall...how can there not be? They are the only two people in the entire town with the same secret, and they're the only two people that have the ability to retain bad memories. These two characteristics alone draw them closer, and that is exactly the basis for their relationship. Not only that, but Elyse does not like her "old" self...so she breaks up with her boyfriend of two years so she can start a relationship with Marshall. The romance builds slowly and isn't so much awkward as I feel like it might be the result of the stressful situation the two are thrust into. This is fine; it happens in real life. In this book, I found it to be very charming.

5. The Structure. Alternating points-of-view (POV), told by Elyse and Marshall. The alternating narration is seamless and easy to follow. The story flows smoothly with fast pacing. The alternating POV gives excellent insight into what each character was feeling and going through...and in a story like this one, where every situation is high-stress, I really like that as a reader.

Glimmer was an interesting book. It was mysterious and creepy and had a very odd story that worked out well. I know I keep using the word "creepy" but that is the best descriptor I can think of for this book, and I mean that in a totally positive way. It was fun and it kept me on my toes.

The one thing that I didn't really care for in the book was the magic. Normally, I love magic in books and I soak it up because magic is fun, you guys. But I don't care too much for dark magic and in this book it is very dark, like occult-ish. In fact, it is blatantly occult magic. It is part of the author's story, and that is perfectly okay...I'm just saying that to me, I'm a good bit put off by the occult and prefer my magic on the lighter side. I will say that it is not scattered throughout the entire book, it is contained in only part of the book, and this did not cloud my opinion or perception of Glimmer at all. I really liked the story.

If you are looking for an original story that paces well with mysterious characters and a creepy premise, Glimmer is definitely a book for you. I recommend it for all YA audiences and even adult audiences if they are interested. Reading Glimmer has made me very curious about this author's previous book, so I will certainly be checking that out as soon as I get the chance.

Glimmer will appeal to fans of:

Alternating point-of-view
Creepy stories with mysterious characters
Standalone/Non-series books
Slowly developing romance
Books that are heavy on Setting: Summer Falls is an enchanted town

Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis will be released on April 17, 2012.

*I borrowed this book as part of Around The World Book Tours in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. I received no compensation for my review.

[Precious · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at Fragments of Life.

4.5

First of all, the story started with two teens - a boy and a girl, waking up naked in a bed. They were both amnesiacs, having no idea why they were in bed together, having no idea where they were and who they were. It was a problematic, awkward and panicked beginning for Elyse and Marshall. Together, they ventured out into the streets of Summer Falls and discovered that something was very, very wrong.

Elyse was pretty, petite, popular and perfect. But the girl who woke up, not remembering who she was, didn't possess the confidence that the true Elyse did. She didn't want her eyes, her hair, her height, her body and even her name. She felt that everything in her life was randomly assigned to her by a superior being, like everything she had didn't fit with who she felt and imagined she would and should be. Throughout the novel, she struggled to blend in and to find out who she really was. She had a pretty mom, Liz, who ran the family business, a BFF, Carla and a boyfriend, Dan, who was convinced that she was the one for him.

Marshall was the hero-type of guy. He was considerate and protective gentleman. He wanted to make sure Elyse was okay at all times. He was quite attracted to her, too. Unlike Elyse though, no one in Summer Falls seemed to notice or know him at all. But as he and Elyse dug deeper for answers, he started to find out more and more about himself. He was not exactly a nobody in Summer Falls. He was somebody - the type of somebody who could make a change. Marshall was one of the most complex characters I've read about. He has changed drastically from the beginning of the story to the end. He has lost, gained and learned so much.

Elyse and Marshall's relationship was complicated. They were partners in uncovering the truth. They trusted each other. There was a zing of something between them - a lightness, a magnet and a warmth that drew them together. They had that compatible thing down. But what they were about to discover would change them and affect them forever.

Summer Falls was the perfect place for a vacation. It had the perfect weather and the happiest people on earth. But something dark and sinister plagued Summer Falls. Ghosts were everywhere. People kept losing consciousness, lost in a heatnap which was normal in the town. Everyone only remembered happy times. Summer Falls' perfection was its own imperfection.

The plot that Kitanidis weaved was perfect. There were twists and turns here and there. The mystery was sustained very well. She never forgot to drop hints throughout the novel. Her style of writing also matched the progression of the story. When Elyse and Marshall woke up as amnesiacs, she named them 'Him' and 'Her' and as the story progressed and Elyse got her name while Marshall didn't, she named him 'Dark-Eyed-Boy' as Elyse called him.

Glimmer is beautiful, sinister and intriguing. Be lost in a world filled with magic, memories and forgetfulness. Glimmer reminded me a bit of the Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves minus the monsters and hunters, plus ghosts, happy zombies constantly having heatnaps and two amnesiacs bent on uncovering the truth. This unpredictable read will suit paranormal readers.

[Lisa Calvert]

In a sentence or so: A plucky girl and a mysterious boy wake up naked together with no memory of how they got there are who they are. But the thing is, that's not too unusual for Summer Falls.

Elyse wakes up first. She's in bed with a boy who is crazy sexy...but has no idea who he is. Come to think of it, she's not sure who she is either. Then the boy stirs.

Marshall wakes up to find a ridiculously gorgeous girl laying in his bed. He'd be more excited about this fact if he knew who the hell she was or who's room they were in. It appears to be a boys room from the decor and overall smell of the place...but he doesn't recognize anything. It can't be his room, right?

Elyse and Marshall try and go about their daily lives, whatever the heck those are, which only yields distressing results. For example, no one seemed to miss either of them last night. Elyse's mother can't seem to remember if Marshall is staying at the family hotel or not. Marshall tries to talk to a couple at the hotel about their stay, and things get a little tense. Rather than share any information that might be helpful, the couple passes out. Right there, on the kitchen floor. Out cold. They wake up a few moments later from what Summer Falls refers to as heatnaps.

Yeah, heatnaps. Sure thing, boss.

Obviously, some weird and spooky stuff is going down in Summer Falls and Marshall and Elyse must rely on each other to figure it out. No one else seems to have any idea that anything's off. No one else seems to notice when people go missing - permanently. No one else seems to have any memories of anything bad at all, actually.

Together, Marshall and Elyse pool their resources to piece together the mystery. And you guys, this is a DOOZY. Summer Falls is like the YA equivalent of Twin Peaks and it was THE BEST. I loved the twists and turns and WTF moments. On top of the crazy plot, the characters are pretty rad themselves. Elyse and Marshall had unique voices with developed personalities and thought for themselves. They live in a world where adults don't always do the right thing, or don't do anything at all, which was refreshing and frustrating because that's how things really are.

For a read that combines spooky elements, a twisted mystery, two main characters you can totally get behind, with a touch of darkness and intensity, give this one a whirl. The best part about this book (other than it being awesome from cover to cover, obvs) is that it is a stand alone! HUZZAH!

Fave quote: "I love being shoehorned into the role of headstrong, surly teen when all I freaking did was get dressed and walk downstairs." (Elyse 121)

Fix er up: There were some loose ends that weren't tied up and some questions that remained unanswered. Since the copy I read was an arc, it's highly possible that will change. The ending is conclusive, don't get me wrong...but the more I thought about different elements, the more I wondered what that was about after all.

Also, Elyse has honey colored hair and crazy green eyes. Where are they, cover? Hm?

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a love/hate relationship with this book.

On one hand, I thought the concept and the story development was pretty awesome. Waking up naked in a bed with a stranger? And struggling to find out things about yourself from the simplest things like what your name is and what you look like to more complicated things like how you are and how you got there in the first place. The story had me flipping through the pages, eager to find out what happened next.

However, I was very frustrated while reading the book. I felt as helpless as our characters, and while I understand Kitanidis' intention, it does not make the book any easier to swallow. I just wanted to scream out loud, "I don't get what's going on!"

I also wasn't crazy about the characters. I know both of them have their flaws and both of them realize they are different people than who they were. But still, the way that Elyse talked about her old self and how much she hated her old self - I don't know, it just made me angry for reasons I cannot explain. I understand not liking who you were, but I wish she had toned down the disgust as she wallowed in self-pity. And Marshall wasn't as bad, but he was a bit too "soft" for my taste.

It wasn't until more than halfway through the book before you get an inkling of what's going on. I like how Kitandis tied in the occultists and the ghosts and the spell casted over the little town. It was strange and bizarre and totally different from everything else out there. And I had an idea of who the villain was going to be early on, but I don't understand Elyse's father and Jeffry's roles in all of this. And I had other questions. Why was Marshall's mother targeted other than she was a powerful, ambitious occultist? Why her out of everyone else? What's Elyse's connection to Preston, and what does it mean other than she can see ghosts? Can she become a powerful occultist too? What about her mother, and did everything skip all those generations between her and Preston?

As for the end, I just don't get it. I mean, I understand that ghosts feed on the mind, and because Marshall has a temporary blank slate, they cannot attack and absorb his mind. And I know Marshall has everything planned out and instructions in his book, but how did he get to that point? And what were the instructions. I just know somehow his occult powers freed the ghosts but I don't know how or why.

Like I said, I had a love/hate relationship. Overall, there were parts that I really, really enjoyed. Other parts just gave me a headache, and it wasn't from me pulling my hair out thought that was part of it too. But I seriously need an extremely light read after this book. Just be prepared for a roller coaster ride through a dark tunnel, but hopefully there will be some light at the end.

[Aylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

In short: Though the big reveal of the mystery wasn't as satisfying as I wanted, I was still kept entertained with Glimmer's intriguing premise and the piecemeal revelation of the big secret.


Strangers Elyse and Marshall wake up naked in bed next to each other and can't remember a thing about themselves or their lives before. But it gets stranger: in their town of Summer Falls, Colorado, it never gets cold and everyone seems perfect in a freaky Stepford Wives kind of way. The inhabitants are also susceptible to these things called "heatnaps" in which any upsetting incidents cause people to faint and are forgotten upon waking up. There is a hint of something more sinister afoot in this seemingly perfect, sleepy town and together, Elyse and Marshall must unravel the town's dark secrets to get back their memories.

I love these psychological mystery kind of stories. I love being confused, if that makes sense. It's kind of fun losing yourself in the mystery and not knowing what's going on, unravelling the mystery as the characters do. Stories like Glimmer are also guaranteed to maintain your interest throughout, if only because you feel like you NEED to find out the solution to the great enigma presented in the beginning. Glimmer is told through alternating POVs between Elyse and Marshall, but there is little overlap between the dual narratives ensuring the story moves along at a good pace. The mystery comes together piece by piece, which was great fun. Glimmer is a standalone so thankfully there were no major loose ends left hanging at the end.

The characterization was interesting with respect to the plot because the characters essentially wake up as blank slates, not knowing who they are or what they were like before. Over the course of Glimmer, they slowly uncover some nasty things about their life before and some unpleasant things about themselves that indicate they weren't as good people as they thought they were. The result is an interesting look into the characters' psyche.

I did have a few issues with Glimmer, however. Though there were no major loose ends left hanging at the end, there were still more outstanding questions leftover upon closing the final page than I would like. I also had a major problem with the plausibility of the concept. So I would say Glimmer's conclusion with the big reveal of the mystery wasn't as satisfying as I wanted, but I still had fun with the story. I was still kept plenty entertained at the intriguing premise and the piecemeal revelation of the big secret. I don't think Glimmer will be particularly memorable for me in the long run, but I had fun with it while it lasted.

[Princess Bookie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Thoughts: I won't lie. As I started this book, I didn't know if I would like it or not. Even a little bit. The description sounds cool, waking up in each other's arms not knowing who they are. Cool, right? Yes!

Ghost stories are just always a hit or miss for me. I don't read many of them, and the ones I do, I can't find myself sucked in very often. It took me 5 days to read this, that is a long time for me on any given book.

The story opens with Marshall and Elyse waking up together. Neither of them know who they are, or where they are. It’s a mystery. They know one thing, they must stick together and try to put the puzzle pieces together. They have nobody else to trust, and if waking up together means one thing, it means they must know each other somehow,,,, they hope.

As the story progresses Marshall and Elyse find out more about each other. Marshall's mom died, and he lives with his father. Elyse lives with her family and is very popular. She has a boyfriend named Dan.

Once we get into the story, we realize how many ghosts lurk about and how Elyse can actually see them. We realize how Elyse and Marshall really got to know each other, and most of all, we learn so much about the town and what is going on beneath the layers.

Want to know Summer Falls secrets? Read this book now! Want to know more about Elyse and Marshall? Pick it up now!

Once again, I'll say this, I don't usually like ghost stories. I try to read them to challenge myself, to find ones I love. I liked Glimmer but I didn't fall in love with it from the get go. It took me some time to get through it. It’s a good story, it’s got a great plot and some likable characters. I did feel like it was repetitive though, I just wanted to get to the good stuff.

Overall: I liked it enough but didn't love it. Probably more of a 3.5 Cupcake book. Remember, I don't love love love ghost stories but if you do, you'll probably enjoy this book a heck of a lot more than me. To get even a 3 cupcake rating out of me on a ghost story isn’t bad.

One thing I did love was how we got to switch between Marshall and Elyse's point of view. That was awesome! I liked reaching inside their head and seeing things from their point of view.

Cover: Beautiful cover! Love all the different colors.

What I'd Give It: 3/5 Cupcakes

____________________
Review Based On Hardcover Edition
Taken From Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Also posted on http://www.fiction-freak.blogspot.com
I received Glimmer from another blogger and I am so happy that I got it! Honestly, when I first heard about it, I wasn’t interested. My eyes basically zeroed in on the word “zombies” and decided not to read it. But then, with all the excitement, I decided to read the entire summary. And guess what? I ended up vying for this book! I’ve always, always, always, loved those amnesia-filled stories. When the characters don’t know anything, it makes it more anticipating for the reader since, after all, the main character doesn’t know anything either, so that we learn everything as the MC does.

The story starts with Elyse and Marshall literally waking up tangled in each other’s arms, like it says in the description. They have no idea who they are, and are suspicious of everything and everyone. And guess what? Elyse can see the ghosts that haunt the town, the ones that erase the memories of traumatic events, and Marshall can somehow repel ghosts. They have a future of action, a present full of questions, and a past filled with holes. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

I loved Glimmer! It exceeded my expectations completely, and I was whisked away by the plot! Questions were raised, but when everything was slowly explained, I realized that there were scattered hints about their past and the secret that haunts Summer Falls. They were just so cleverly hidden, and I absolutely loved re-reading it just so I could point and yell "Hey! He did that because ________!" By the end of the day, several people had looked at me like I was crazy.

The writing was beautiful, switching between the POV's of both Marshall and Elyse. The writing also portrayed the town perfectly, creepy. As in, very, very creepy. Honestly, I kept imagining ghosts popping out and my memories being erased. So I definitely can't complain about Glimmer being boring.

The scenes were rushed just a bit at the end, confusing me as to what happened when, but I remember reading somewhere that in the final copy, the scenes are less rushed, which is great. However, there was one thing I disliked. It was mainly the factor that though Elyse wrote to herself, she believed so easily. I uderstand the "habit" of it, but it was still a slightly far stretch.

Glimmer was an amazing read, showing you just how strong, and important, memories are, bad or good. I just ate it up!

[Carrie Ardoin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A girl and a guy wake up in a strange bed together...naked. And strangely, neither of them have any memory of who the other is or how they got there.

Eventually they find out they are Marshall and Elyse, and they are living in the strangely perfect town of Summer Falls. As they try to piece together their lives, they find something is definitely not right about the town. People randomly faint and wake up with no memory of the last few minutes, and nothing bad seems to happen...ever. So while Elyse and Marshall must find out more about themselves, they also have to solve the mystery of why the town is so different--and what they are going to do about it.

Well, let me first start of by saying that the first couple of chapters definitely caught my interest. Naked in bed with a stranger sounds quite salacious, but, it wasn't like that in the text. The book started to fall apart for me after about the first half though.

I usually like books where the story is told from alternating points of view, and this was no exception. But man, I hated when I was reading Elyse's chapters. I really did not like her as a character. I don't understand how she could just wake up with no memory, but all of a sudden she is holier-than-thou and so judgmental and just hateful--even towards herself! Even though she can't remember her life, she somehow knows that nothing in her life is good enough for her...her clothes, room, boyfriend, etc. I didn't get it at all, and she was like this for the whole book.

Luckily, Marshall was a better character. I really felt for him in what he was going through with his father--and I was glad that he somehow knew to treat him with respect even though he had no memories. Marshall was likable and just a better character, and PERSON, overall.

I liked that the story was very original. The combination of elements such as ghosts, magic, etc. was unique but to me it felt like it was on the verge of a mishmash. The author somehow made it work though.

Finally, the ending...I just kind of feel like I missed something, but I'm not sure what. Even though events got wrapped up nicely, I just finished the book a few minutes ago and I'm still not sure if I understand everything.

I'd recommend this book to those who want a change from the paranormal "creature" books. The story is an interesting one, for sure.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

(more of a 3.5 rating, really)

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I cracked open Glimmer; fantasy, paranormal, science-fiction, aliens? Or what? I was kind of in a “meh, whatever” mood and Glimmer looked intriguing enough to pull me out of that bored state of mind. I am happy to report that it did, and with great success!

From the start, the story is intriguing. We do not know the main characters’ names (we learn later that they are Elyse and Marshall), and both are terrified and suspicious of each other. I often complain about dual narratives, but in this case, I felt it worked well enough : it gives us a better insight into each of their story than a third person narration would have. You can see how they react to each other, and though their voices are similar, their personalities are different enough.

Elyse and Marshall quickly bond over their peculiar situation (maybe a tad too quicly?) and as a team, they start to investigate. And then things become even more interesting : not only the two of them have lost any memory related to their identities, but the town where they find themselves is weird. Elyse sees some people where Marshall sees no one – until these people connect to Marshall and blue sparks fly. Summer Falls’ residents are also all a bit too cheery and distracted – so much so that, despite their condition, Elyse and Marshall almost feel like they are the only normal people left.

The beauty of Glimmer is that it mixes a little of everything; paranormal, magic, the town’s strange history, heatnaps, creepy characters, and a mystery that keeps you reading past your bed time. Elyse and Marshall’s quest for truth gets even more interesting when they have to face who they were before losing their memories, their qualities and, most importantly, their faults. And while they both have a complicate family situation, I have to say that Elyse’s broke my heart a little.

In the end, I really enjoyed Glimmer. Though I found the ending a little too rushed and filled with too much information, it had a strong conclusion that answered all important questions. I am also thrilled that Glimmer is a stand alone novel! I read enough series as it is. But I do hope I get to read more stories coming from Kitanidis’ fabulous imagination.

[ILoveBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book jumps right into the plot. Marshall and Elyse wake in each others' arms to a very awkward day. Neither of them recognize themselves or know who they are. The search to find out proves somewhat fruitless and far from enlightening. Elyse turns out to be the opposite of what she would have imagined for herself and Marshall spends time uncovering their relationship to each other.



Summer Falls is one of those places that can relax you...to the point of a heat nap. Curiously, heat naps only occur under certain circumstances, they will not occur at random. Elyse and Marshall notice odd behaviors and reactions to disturbing happenings in Summer Falls, they slowly begin to piece together the history behind Summer Falls as well as their own pasts.



Elyse's character was easy to like. She comes off as very real, she isn't the "pretty girl" or "athletic girl," she is a girl who believes in herself and wants to do the best she can. Marshall will make all of the female readers jealous of Elyse. He truly cares for Elyse and goes as far as to try to move in as a guest in her mother's bed and breakfast to keep an eye on her. His naturally inquisitive, sweet personality will get him in trouble, however. The other characters act more as "fill in the blanks" than anything else. The reader will get to know some of them, but not half as well as Elyse and Marshall-whose alternating view points tell the story.



The events of this story are accompanied by a creepy undertone that will keep the reader constantly aware of the strange goings-on at Summer Falls. The author is very descriptive when it comes to Elyse and Marshall's environment and actions, the reader can picture what is going on to understand the whole plot. Once the reader begins to figure out the mystery along with the main character, the reader will discover that the plot is very unique and will likely be very intrigued to read the ending. This book is recommended to young adult/teen readers.

[Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know if I can put into words how much I loved this book. I am certainly going to try though! It's rare that I find a book that simply ticks all the boxes for me... And I am sure that a part of it may be timing and mood...but this book completely amazed me!

First of all I absolutely loved the two main characters as well as the narrative style. We alternate points of view with each chapter between Elyse and Marshall and as we do so we slowly get to know each of them as they in turn not only get to know each other but also strive to discover exactly who they are - we're dealing with amnesiacs here. The voices of each of these characters is completely believable.

I love Elyse... She's tough and smart, she can make hard decisions, and she can change her mind without being stubborn. She has a good heart and a surprisingly refreshing honesty for a young adult. And not once did she descend into whiny teenager mode for which I as excessively grateful! Marshall is a bit more of a complex character which we learn as he learns just who he is (and how he's changed) He's a very realistic mix of candor and deviousness, of hero and false hero and I think that makes his character ring all the more true.

The pacing and writing style are also spot on...I sped through this book in two days and would have stayed up all night to finish it if I could have!

And Glimmer's premise...it is without a doubt one of the most creative and original books that I have read in a long time. I don't know how Phoebe Kitanidis thought up all of this but I loved it all. The sweet romantic moments, the character defining moments, the whole crazy paranormal element that is Summer Falls, the secondary characters...all amazing.

And perhaps most amazing is how it leaves one thinking about what exactly defines us as individuals. How much do our experiences and our memories inform who we are?? And how possible is it for each of us to change "our signatures?"

Get this book, read this book, it really is THAT good.

[Katelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a different kind of read for me. I've been in a reading slump of some kind lately and this apparently was just the type of book to knock me right out of that slump and get me back on track. I've never been one that can turn down a mystery and when there's romance thrown into the mix as well, I'm putting my money on it being my kind of read. And I was right! This was my first experience with Kitanidis' writing, and I must say that I was impressed. She has a way with words and how she shapes her scenes that had me as the reader in a sort of panic to find out what was happening to these people, most importantly her two main characters. I was desperate to see what was going on with everyone.

Kitanidis allows her readers to take this journey she's mapped out right along with her main characters, Elyse and Marshall. They've woken up with no memory as to who they are or what happened to them that could possibly be responsible for wiping out there memories. They are forced to start with a clean slate, much like readers entering the story. It's a unique way to go through a book, but one I enjoyed. It probably was one of the main reasons I was anxious throughout most of this title because while I was wondering what would happen next, it was almost impossible not to empathize with the lead characters going through the same emotions, only for them it's their life we're talking about. How scary to wake up and not remember anything! Not something I have any wish to experience first hand.

So it all boils down to can you handle the suspense? It was touch and go for me at a few parts, but I'm glad I stuck it out and was relieved the more that was revealed throughout. It's rough not knowing what's coming next and if these characters will be able to piece together the puzzle that has become their lives. I'm getting better at handling the anxiety that comes with mysteries likes these. Definitely a wonderful addition to my bookshelf!

[Michelle Madow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Glimmer so much -- it was one of those books that I finished the same day I started. There was so much mystery in the story, especially in the beginning, and I NEEDED to know how it ended.

Glimmer switches from Elyse and Marshall's point of view through the story, both told in first person. With some books this can get confusing, but their voices were different enough that I never found myself confused about whose head I was in. I liked both main characters -- they had enough flaws to make them seem real, while still allowing them to be likable. I loved watching them figure out what their lives were like before they lost their memories, especially since both of them were unhappy with what they discovered.

The ghosts were different than anything I've read before. I don't want to give anything away though because I don't want to ruin the story, so you'll just have to find out what I mean by reading the book yourself :)

Glimmer was a fun, fast read that you'll want to finish the day you start because you'll need to know what's going on. When I got to the end I was shocked by the reason they lost their memory -- it wasn't what I expected! Also, it's a standalone, which is nice among so many trilogies/series. Finally I can finish a book and have it be The End without having to wait a year between each following book.

The beginning of Glimmer reminded me of Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma, which I loved. The end sort of reminded me of an Are You Afraid of the Dark episode, but with older characters. Even if you don't consider yourself someone who typically likes ghost stories, I definitely recommend reading Glimmer!

*I love the cover of Glimmer, but the girl doesn't fit Elyse's description AT ALL. I was confused about who she was supposed to be the whole time I was reading. My guess is Elyse's mom ... but that was the best I could come up with.