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Lost Summer
From the author of Bad Girls comes another dramatic novel of survival and suspense. It's Laguna Beach meets Cape Fear when a rich girl from California confronts murder and isolation on North Carolina's stormy Outer Banks.
When Caitlin Ross's mother takes her and her brother to an island in the remote Outer Banks for the summer, Caitlin is furious. She was planning on spending the summer hanging out by the pool, partying, shopping, and singing backup in her boyfriend's band, Box of Flowers. North Carolina isn't anything like California, and Caitlin doesn't fit in. But her troubled mother is too busy popping pills and trying to win back her creepy ex-boyfriend to care.
At first, the only friend Caitlin makes on the desolate island is a local misfit named Danielle. But things start to improve when she meets a bunch of visiting prep school boys and gets swept up in their exciting world. Then, one dark night, she witnesses a murder and begins to suspect that her new friends aren't really her friends at all. With a powerful hurricane approaching, and the island cut off from the outside world, Caitlin has no one to turn to but herself . . . and whether she'll live to see another summer is the biggest mystery of all.
When Caitlin Ross's mother takes her and her brother to an island in the remote Outer Banks for the summer, Caitlin is furious. She was planning on spending the summer hanging out by the pool, partying, shopping, and singing backup in her boyfriend's band, Box of Flowers. North Carolina isn't anything like California, and Caitlin doesn't fit in. But her troubled mother is too busy popping pills and trying to win back her creepy ex-boyfriend to care.
At first, the only friend Caitlin makes on the desolate island is a local misfit named Danielle. But things start to improve when she meets a bunch of visiting prep school boys and gets swept up in their exciting world. Then, one dark night, she witnesses a murder and begins to suspect that her new friends aren't really her friends at all. With a powerful hurricane approaching, and the island cut off from the outside world, Caitlin has no one to turn to but herself . . . and whether she'll live to see another summer is the biggest mystery of all.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2006
6 people are currently reading
501 people want to read
About the author
Alex McAulay
9 books22 followersAlex McAulay was born in Seattle, but grew up in Dallas, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. He is the author of four novels, including Shelter Me and Bad Girls, which is in development as a feature film. Alex is a graduate of Brown University, and currently lives in Santa Monica with his wife Lisa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 31, 2013
There's only so much suspension of disbelief you can have in a single story. I think in Alex McAulay's "Lost Summer", that suspension was used up well before the book hit the 10% mark, at least for me. Even in the most far-fetched of horror/suspense/thriller books, there has to be something connecting the reader to the characters, their respective situations, things that are still within the realm of plausibility. Much of this book was drama for the sake of drama most of the time.
To briefly describe this story - Caitlin is a young woman who goes to North Carolina for a summer with her mother and little brother. The relationships in their family are strained. The father is distant and doesn't want anything to do with his "pill-popping" wife. Caitlin is assumed to be a spoiled rich kid who doesn't want anything to do with her mother, and her little brother is a pretty vulgar kid who has a penchant for quoting a series of adult movies ad nauseum. Their trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina is supposed to be for all of them to clear their heads in the middle of a family drama, but ultimately throws them all for a loop in a series of events that include, but isn't limited to a hurricane. I felt this book had worn me down far before the storm hit, however, and much of that was due to the insufferable characterizations, wooden dialogue, offending humor, cliches, and frequent foul language. Normally I don't have a problem with language in a work, but when you use four letter words almost every other page, it gets more than a bit annoying. And when you have an adult character sexually advancing himself on a minor and then threatening her and saying that she has "diamonds in her pussy" - that's when I'm ready to throw the book several times against the wall.
What even makes it worse is that all the adults in addition to the children in this book are pretty messed up. Caitlin tries to tell her mother about the assault and what does she do? She believes the word of the harrasser (her ex-boyfriend Bill) over her daughter. Caitlin also witnesses an incident where a boy accidentally shoots his abusive father, and she goes to tell the boy she loves. What does he do? He slut shames, bitch-slams her and calls her a liar. I finished the book, but my mind saw red too much to really care about what happened in the epilogue.
This book was a nightmare, and not for the intended reasons at all.
Overall score: 1/5
To briefly describe this story - Caitlin is a young woman who goes to North Carolina for a summer with her mother and little brother. The relationships in their family are strained. The father is distant and doesn't want anything to do with his "pill-popping" wife. Caitlin is assumed to be a spoiled rich kid who doesn't want anything to do with her mother, and her little brother is a pretty vulgar kid who has a penchant for quoting a series of adult movies ad nauseum. Their trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina is supposed to be for all of them to clear their heads in the middle of a family drama, but ultimately throws them all for a loop in a series of events that include, but isn't limited to a hurricane. I felt this book had worn me down far before the storm hit, however, and much of that was due to the insufferable characterizations, wooden dialogue, offending humor, cliches, and frequent foul language. Normally I don't have a problem with language in a work, but when you use four letter words almost every other page, it gets more than a bit annoying. And when you have an adult character sexually advancing himself on a minor and then threatening her and saying that she has "diamonds in her pussy" - that's when I'm ready to throw the book several times against the wall.
What even makes it worse is that all the adults in addition to the children in this book are pretty messed up. Caitlin tries to tell her mother about the assault and what does she do? She believes the word of the harrasser (her ex-boyfriend Bill) over her daughter. Caitlin also witnesses an incident where a boy accidentally shoots his abusive father, and she goes to tell the boy she loves. What does he do? He slut shames, bitch-slams her and calls her a liar. I finished the book, but my mind saw red too much to really care about what happened in the epilogue.
This book was a nightmare, and not for the intended reasons at all.
Overall score: 1/5
August 6, 2022
Nah just forever fuck that mom. You are a terrible person. Fun book tho.
August 25, 2017
It was in no way 'bad' it just wasn't good. That makes sense right?
It had too much going on that it seemingly raced to an ending . . . any ending really. The main character Caitlin didn't really appeal to me at all. There was very little character development and I found myself only being interested in the relationship of Luke and Renita.
It had too much going on that it seemingly raced to an ending . . . any ending really. The main character Caitlin didn't really appeal to me at all. There was very little character development and I found myself only being interested in the relationship of Luke and Renita.
April 13, 2018
This was the first Suspense/Crime novel that I've read which I discovered at our school library 6-7 yrs ago, and I've been wondering if the school librarian ever do check if their books are appropriate to their supposedly readers since this one's sort of a R18+, Explicit Sexual Content (Rape & Drug Addiction) which I definitely wouldn't suggest to a 15-yr old & below student. But this was the book that has gotten me interested over these types of genres, so it was worth a shot. Tho if I were to read it again, I'd probably ditch it halfway through if it no longer holds my interest.
July 18, 2018
I decided to DNF this book because I have been super annoyed with the characters (especially the main one) and couldn't bring myself to pick it up again after putting it down a while ago.
July 2, 2008
Caitlin Ross is a typical Southern California teenager, obsessed with clothes, boys and how she looks. Her younger brother Luke is out of control, getting into trouble shooting paint guns at people and obsessed with his violent DVD's and video games. Kathryn, Caitlin and Luke's mother, is too busy popping pills to have any hope of controlling them. Their father, now living a long way away, is too busy with his own new life.
Suddenly Caitlin's mother announces that because they are so out of control, the three of them are spending the summer on the isolated North Carolina island of Outer Banks. Caitlin and Luke have no choice but to go along; their father doesn't want to get involved and Kathryn controls the purse strings. Once they all arrive on the island, the resort hotel they were heading for turns out to be a desperately rundown and understaffed old hotel, owned by an old school boyfriend of Kathryn's. They immediately start to rekindle the old romance and Bill continues to feed Kathryn's addiction to pills and alcohol, but there's something even more creepy about Bill.
I confess I had some serious problems with this book, and it's very possible I was not the right person to review it. For a start all of the characters were way too stereotypical and bland. There were also some very hard to believe goings on. Caitlin and Luke flee the hotel and go to stay in the trailer of a young girl Caitlin has met on the island. Kathryn makes no attempt to contact them / find out what is happening with the children that she cared enough about to take away to see if they would straighten out, and only in the final chapter there's an attempt to explain that away. There is a murder, finally, but the story climax occurs in a massive hurricane which overtakes the island - with lots of people rushing around outside in the middle of the storm and some very big attempted twists in the plot. Caitlin and friend are ultimately rescued and then the Coast Guard shows up to take them to medical help because they "were out looking for a small airplane"... in a hurricane! The other unsatisfactory element was the final chapter, wrapping up of all the loose ends and explaining the up until then, unexplained. I'm not a fan of those types of resolutions.
As the blurb describes the book as "Laguna Beach meets Cape Fear" this could be a book that would appeal to fans of rapidly moving, big picture thrillers.
Suddenly Caitlin's mother announces that because they are so out of control, the three of them are spending the summer on the isolated North Carolina island of Outer Banks. Caitlin and Luke have no choice but to go along; their father doesn't want to get involved and Kathryn controls the purse strings. Once they all arrive on the island, the resort hotel they were heading for turns out to be a desperately rundown and understaffed old hotel, owned by an old school boyfriend of Kathryn's. They immediately start to rekindle the old romance and Bill continues to feed Kathryn's addiction to pills and alcohol, but there's something even more creepy about Bill.
I confess I had some serious problems with this book, and it's very possible I was not the right person to review it. For a start all of the characters were way too stereotypical and bland. There were also some very hard to believe goings on. Caitlin and Luke flee the hotel and go to stay in the trailer of a young girl Caitlin has met on the island. Kathryn makes no attempt to contact them / find out what is happening with the children that she cared enough about to take away to see if they would straighten out, and only in the final chapter there's an attempt to explain that away. There is a murder, finally, but the story climax occurs in a massive hurricane which overtakes the island - with lots of people rushing around outside in the middle of the storm and some very big attempted twists in the plot. Caitlin and friend are ultimately rescued and then the Coast Guard shows up to take them to medical help because they "were out looking for a small airplane"... in a hurricane! The other unsatisfactory element was the final chapter, wrapping up of all the loose ends and explaining the up until then, unexplained. I'm not a fan of those types of resolutions.
As the blurb describes the book as "Laguna Beach meets Cape Fear" this could be a book that would appeal to fans of rapidly moving, big picture thrillers.
November 28, 2010
READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE: http://thecoverreviews.blogspot.com/2...
Caitlin and her little brother, Luke, are forced to move across the country for the summer, into a run down nobody town on a desolate island. Her mom's reasons for making them spend the summer there is that they're becoming too spoiled, and need to get away from their lifestyles for a little while. But when they get to the island, Caitlin soon realizes that her mom's real intentions were only to go so that she could be with her creepy ex-boyfriend, Bill, from when she was a teenager.
Caitlin meets Danielle, an island local, and they become fast friends.
When Bill tries to make a move on Caitlin, Caitlin quickly moves Luke and herself out of the hotel and into Danielle's house. Caitlin's mom is too drugged up to care.
As the weeks pass, Caitlin meets Evan and his friends, who are visiting the island from California. Evan becomes a romantic interest for Caitlin, and they start dating.
But then Caitlin witnesses one of Evan's friends commit a murder on the beach, and there's no police station on the island. Then, the phone lines are disconnected because of the approaching hurricane. There's no way for Caitlin to notify the authorities. Caitlin tries to tell Evan about the murder she witnessed, but he gets mad at her for "making up stories about his best friend."
Caitlin immediately thinks he is going to go tell his friend what Caitlin had accused him off, and his friend is going to come after her, so she decides that she and her family need to get off of the island.
This book is going to be really difficult to review. The writing was really strong in some places, really weak in others, and so-so the rest of the time.
But let's start with the things I liked.
My favorite thing was the storyline, and the idea behind the plot. What could be more thrilling than a murderer coming after you during a hurricane when there is no power, no way to get off the island, and no way to contact the outside world?
I thought Caitlin was pretty likable, along with Danielle. But, really, those were the only characters that I felt were realistic.
The thing that I disliked most about this book was the . . .
READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE: http://thecoverreviews.blogspot.com/2...
Caitlin and her little brother, Luke, are forced to move across the country for the summer, into a run down nobody town on a desolate island. Her mom's reasons for making them spend the summer there is that they're becoming too spoiled, and need to get away from their lifestyles for a little while. But when they get to the island, Caitlin soon realizes that her mom's real intentions were only to go so that she could be with her creepy ex-boyfriend, Bill, from when she was a teenager.
Caitlin meets Danielle, an island local, and they become fast friends.
When Bill tries to make a move on Caitlin, Caitlin quickly moves Luke and herself out of the hotel and into Danielle's house. Caitlin's mom is too drugged up to care.
As the weeks pass, Caitlin meets Evan and his friends, who are visiting the island from California. Evan becomes a romantic interest for Caitlin, and they start dating.
But then Caitlin witnesses one of Evan's friends commit a murder on the beach, and there's no police station on the island. Then, the phone lines are disconnected because of the approaching hurricane. There's no way for Caitlin to notify the authorities. Caitlin tries to tell Evan about the murder she witnessed, but he gets mad at her for "making up stories about his best friend."
Caitlin immediately thinks he is going to go tell his friend what Caitlin had accused him off, and his friend is going to come after her, so she decides that she and her family need to get off of the island.
This book is going to be really difficult to review. The writing was really strong in some places, really weak in others, and so-so the rest of the time.
But let's start with the things I liked.
My favorite thing was the storyline, and the idea behind the plot. What could be more thrilling than a murderer coming after you during a hurricane when there is no power, no way to get off the island, and no way to contact the outside world?
I thought Caitlin was pretty likable, along with Danielle. But, really, those were the only characters that I felt were realistic.
The thing that I disliked most about this book was the . . .
READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE: http://thecoverreviews.blogspot.com/2...
November 17, 2012
Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com
Caitlin Ross's mother believes that Caitlin and her younger brother, Luke, need a change of scenery. That the lavish, free life they live has gone to their head, and that they need something to help change their attitude. Why wouldn't she feel that way, since Caitlin's dad divorced her and now the family is even more messed up than before? Caitlin is still seeing her rocker boyfriend, Ian, who doesn't really seem to care that much about her, and Luke is speaking like a rap song.
So mom decides to take them to North Carolina's outer banks for the summer, ruining Caitlin's plans. But of course Caitlin's dad will save her from her mother's summer plans. That is, until she finds out that her father, the one person that had always backed her up, has already agreed to her mother's travel plans. Goodbye, singing in her boyfriend's band and all the partying - hello to an island that she has never heard of.
Yet who knew that Caitlin's ordinary teenage life would be replaced with Nancy Drew's. Caitlin just so happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when she accidentally witnesses a murder right in front of her eyes. And these supposedly new friends she has made are at the top of her suspect list. Now all she needs is a little help. The only problem is that staying on a stormy, isolated island isn't much help in solving a murder mystery when the weather just so happens to cut off all ties to the mainland. So it's up to Caitlin to save the day, or at least her life.
LOST SUMMER is just another one of Alex McAulay's awesome books that should be on everyone's to-read list. Caitlin's adventure is just so gripping and suspenseful that you wish you had her life; well, maybe not really. It is the perfect book to have with you on the beach, during the summer, to take your mind off all the drama - if you have any. Another great novel in the MTV line of books.
Caitlin Ross's mother believes that Caitlin and her younger brother, Luke, need a change of scenery. That the lavish, free life they live has gone to their head, and that they need something to help change their attitude. Why wouldn't she feel that way, since Caitlin's dad divorced her and now the family is even more messed up than before? Caitlin is still seeing her rocker boyfriend, Ian, who doesn't really seem to care that much about her, and Luke is speaking like a rap song.
So mom decides to take them to North Carolina's outer banks for the summer, ruining Caitlin's plans. But of course Caitlin's dad will save her from her mother's summer plans. That is, until she finds out that her father, the one person that had always backed her up, has already agreed to her mother's travel plans. Goodbye, singing in her boyfriend's band and all the partying - hello to an island that she has never heard of.
Yet who knew that Caitlin's ordinary teenage life would be replaced with Nancy Drew's. Caitlin just so happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when she accidentally witnesses a murder right in front of her eyes. And these supposedly new friends she has made are at the top of her suspect list. Now all she needs is a little help. The only problem is that staying on a stormy, isolated island isn't much help in solving a murder mystery when the weather just so happens to cut off all ties to the mainland. So it's up to Caitlin to save the day, or at least her life.
LOST SUMMER is just another one of Alex McAulay's awesome books that should be on everyone's to-read list. Caitlin's adventure is just so gripping and suspenseful that you wish you had her life; well, maybe not really. It is the perfect book to have with you on the beach, during the summer, to take your mind off all the drama - if you have any. Another great novel in the MTV line of books.
April 9, 2010
What weird occurrences are going on, on the island? Sixteen-year-old Caitlin hadn't even wanted to go there. Neither did her wise-guy eleven-year old brother Luke who was always causing trouble. Their mom is into sleeping pills and alcohol and insists they spend the summer on the island. The ferry is only available a few times a day and never when it is really stormy. There aren't any cops on the island. Some of the people are creepy. Well, okay. A lot of them are.
Caitlin's mother's new/old boyfriend Bill is a creep and scares Caitlin into fleeing from the definitely-should-be-abandoned lodge which he owns. She feels betrayed by her mother.
Caitlin befriends a goth chick Danielle who loans her money for a soda. Danielle doesn't particularly like the group of guys and girls Caitlin started hanging around with but Caitlin falls hard for one named Evan who they met earlier with his long-time friend Nathan.
Caitlin witnesses something one night on the beach. Something that causes her to flee once again until she is able to tell what she saw. She can't believe the reaction. She is again betrayed by folks and this time the stakes are higher. There's a hurricane making its way to them and she can't reach the police on the mainland. The phone lines don't always work especially now during the storm. She goes looking for her mom at the lodge and when she finds her, she is in a stupor from her pills and alcohol. Bill, reeking of alcohol, doesn't believe the story Caitlin, Luke and their friends tell. In fact, he laughs at her and tells her she's lying and jealous.
This author has talent. The part Bill played in it at the end was brilliant! Unfortunately though the ending was a letdown. It tied up too nicely, as though McAulay was in a hurry to finish the well-built-up story and couldn't come up with anything more satisfying.
Between 4 and 5 stars.
Caitlin's mother's new/old boyfriend Bill is a creep and scares Caitlin into fleeing from the definitely-should-be-abandoned lodge which he owns. She feels betrayed by her mother.
Caitlin befriends a goth chick Danielle who loans her money for a soda. Danielle doesn't particularly like the group of guys and girls Caitlin started hanging around with but Caitlin falls hard for one named Evan who they met earlier with his long-time friend Nathan.
Caitlin witnesses something one night on the beach. Something that causes her to flee once again until she is able to tell what she saw. She can't believe the reaction. She is again betrayed by folks and this time the stakes are higher. There's a hurricane making its way to them and she can't reach the police on the mainland. The phone lines don't always work especially now during the storm. She goes looking for her mom at the lodge and when she finds her, she is in a stupor from her pills and alcohol. Bill, reeking of alcohol, doesn't believe the story Caitlin, Luke and their friends tell. In fact, he laughs at her and tells her she's lying and jealous.
This author has talent. The part Bill played in it at the end was brilliant! Unfortunately though the ending was a letdown. It tied up too nicely, as though McAulay was in a hurry to finish the well-built-up story and couldn't come up with anything more satisfying.
Between 4 and 5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2013
The Pursuit of Happiness begins in mid June on the day sixteen-year-old Betsy Irving's mother dies of breast cancer. Betsy turns to her friends and boyfriend Brandon for comfort, only to find out that he has been cheating on her. Her friends' knowledge of his deception hurts Betsy as much as the breakup and leaves her without a support system when she needs one the most.
The three remaining Irvings drift through the summer missing Betsy's mother and holding their sadness inside. Betsy's summer job - as a colonial character at the Morristown Historic Village - becomes her refuge. There, she makes two new friends. Getting to know Liza Henski, a girl she always avoided at school because of her freakishness, is full of surprises - beyond Liza's tattoos and piercings. For example, Liza has cheerleading trophies all over her house, but she's never even tried out for cheerleading at the high school.
James is a lanky surfer who seems to like Betsy, but tells her he has a girl friend. He keeps showing up at beach parties, calling her, asking her to go places as a friend, and driving her home from work. It's hard to keep in mind that he belongs to someone else. 'Find something you're passionate about. The rest will follow.' The last advice her mother gives her dogs Betsy through a summer of grief. In a touching story of love and loss, Betsy learns how to keep her mother alive within herself, as she begins to share her feelings with her family and friends.
The three remaining Irvings drift through the summer missing Betsy's mother and holding their sadness inside. Betsy's summer job - as a colonial character at the Morristown Historic Village - becomes her refuge. There, she makes two new friends. Getting to know Liza Henski, a girl she always avoided at school because of her freakishness, is full of surprises - beyond Liza's tattoos and piercings. For example, Liza has cheerleading trophies all over her house, but she's never even tried out for cheerleading at the high school.
James is a lanky surfer who seems to like Betsy, but tells her he has a girl friend. He keeps showing up at beach parties, calling her, asking her to go places as a friend, and driving her home from work. It's hard to keep in mind that he belongs to someone else. 'Find something you're passionate about. The rest will follow.' The last advice her mother gives her dogs Betsy through a summer of grief. In a touching story of love and loss, Betsy learns how to keep her mother alive within herself, as she begins to share her feelings with her family and friends.
June 10, 2013
It was okay, I appreciated that it tried to deal with serious issues such as addictions, rape, murder and pedophilia however it came off as too...glossed over? Also, I felt like the prose was too repetitive, constantly saying "my mom is fucked up", "my mom has a drug addiction", "my life sucks". OKAY I GET IT YOUR MUM IS A BITCH! You don't need to say it every five sentences! The only thing I truly liked about the novel was the sense of loyalty, even if it was a bit fucked up, like with Evan and Nathan and Danielle, Caitlin and Luke. Which brings me to another point! The way a lot of the characters spoke and acted seemed unnatural, like would a child really be saying "you're my ho and I'm your pimp" to his older sister? I really don't think so...but what I would know about suburban life in California...also with Caitlin, I don't really know, maybe I'm just judging by how English teenagers act, or at least the ones I've encountered, but, particularly the boys, I feel like it's unlikely that he would have stayed with Caitlin, simply because she kept saying "no." Don't get me wrong, I admired this and cheered for this but speaking realistically, I feel like he would have left her for one of the easier and probably just as pretty catches on the island.
September 19, 2025
2 ⭐️ I liked the set up of the characters and the original conflict of the kids wanting to get off the island. I think the author did a good job at making Bill Collins creepy. However, something about the writing style didn’t click for me. I think it either need to be primarily written like a drama/romance novel or a murder mystery. Instead, it was stuck at a weird place in between. I also don’t think the writing flowed very well. The ending just really threw me off and wasn’t the climax I was hoping for. I knew Bill Collins coming to rescue them from the boat would have been too good to be true. I kind of liked how her little brother saved her, but based on the description of the storm and the boat moving so much, it’s very unrealistic that Luke could have made that shot (even with his extensive paintball gun experience). Then they just happened to get rescued by the coastal guard looking for an airplane??? Therefore, they never even got off the island due to their own efforts. Felt like a cop-out ending. The book had good ideas but I think it focused on the wrong things. I would have much rather there been a lot more focus on Bill Collins stalking her and then maybe there being a murder mystery surrounding his death.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2017
I think this is my 2nd MTV book. And I liked this book. But something bothered me, like how they said that Rinita and Danielle were speaking Spanish. I don't even think Filipinos speak spanish. (Well, in my city, we speak spanish, but not like straight spanish, like broken spanish is a better term for it)
Anyway, I saw this book lying around in the bookstore I went to a couple of days ago, and the title caught my eye (as well as the whole thing), because I could relate to the words "Lost Summer", because it pretty much decribed my summer of 2012, but after reading it, I was way off. But still, I like the journey of reading this book. I read it on the plane back to my hometown :)
Anyway, I saw this book lying around in the bookstore I went to a couple of days ago, and the title caught my eye (as well as the whole thing), because I could relate to the words "Lost Summer", because it pretty much decribed my summer of 2012, but after reading it, I was way off. But still, I like the journey of reading this book. I read it on the plane back to my hometown :)
May 10, 2010
Hmm. As the two stars indicate-"It was ok." The murder doesn't take place until the last 90 pages or so and then everything gets wrapped up in a quaint epilogue (...six weeks later). I was never really connected. I skimmed a lot of description and just picked out the dialogue parts so I could get the gist of what was going on. The only good thing to come out of my reading this is that now I feel that if I give it a good effort I could probably publish a book too. MTV-do you need any new authors?
August 14, 2007
Published by MTV books (they publish books?!), I have to admit enjoying this as poolside reading for an afternoon. It's "The OC" meets "I Know What You Did Last Summer" - and those of you who know me, know that I am a sucker for a teen drama.
June 8, 2009
I loved reading this book! On my opinion, the ending is the BEST part of the whole book. Its a book about TRUE friendship. If u like a book that has like 10 cuss words on each page than thats a book for u.
January 26, 2011
I'm not even sure this one should be a 1 star. It was more like a low-budget murder mystery movie. The writing style was difficult for me as I felt very detached from the characters. I gave it a 2 only because I was willing to read it to the end to see how things turned out.
January 26, 2012
The murder doesn't happen until more than half way through the book so it happened and ended pretty fast. For a book thats 304 pages I thought it would've happened a lot sooner. But it was a good read for a spoiled girl to know just how good she has it and shouldn't take things for granted.
February 26, 2008
Hated it.
September 4, 2007
This was okay, pretty shallow, but entertaining...sort of a no brainer, more for young adults/adolesents.
August 20, 2009
This book was a ripoff of "Cape Fear". It read like a modern horror movie and would be great for today's teen set.
June 9, 2011
A lack of "show don't tell". But overall, a good summer thriller.
August 28, 2011
BRILLIANT.
April 9, 2012
Was a disappointment compared to his other novels. A lot of things about the characters and their attitudes were bothersome.
April 26, 2012
This book was alright. Not as good as I remembered when I first read it a few years ago. Still entertaining.
Read
June 19, 2012I don't even want to give this book one star. I was beyond disappointed with this book.
July 29, 2014
not a review, just a comment: a little over halfway through the book and the thing it says in the two paragraphs on the back hasn't happened yet.
November 28, 2013
This book has the most ridiculous storyline in the world. The end.
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