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Be Mine
Love you. . .to death.
Someone has a little crush on Bethany. But Bethany doesn't give it too much thought--what harm will a few love notes and some flowers do? Bethany's about to find out that in the game of love you can win, lose. . .or die.
Someone has a little crush on Bethany. But Bethany doesn't give it too much thought--what harm will a few love notes and some flowers do? Bethany's about to find out that in the game of love you can win, lose. . .or die.
245 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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151 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 8, 2021
1.5 stars. Does not take place during Valentine’s Day and there are no chocolates in the book despite the awesome cover. This one was odd. There was a dog adoption story in first 3/4 of the book which didn’t seem to have much to do with the rest of the book. Basically some students force their former history teacher to adopt a dog. I didn’t understand the point of that plot line. It’s like the author had a half written contemporary and her editor said, “Horror is hot right now. I need you to write a horror book.” Agree with the other reviewer Alex who said the stalker reveal was really random and was not a character that had been mentioned before making it unguessable.
February 10, 2023
4 silly stars
Such a fun and easy read with well developed characters. I'd love to read the others in the series.
Such a fun and easy read with well developed characters. I'd love to read the others in the series.
February 8, 2022
This is…not a thriller. At least not until the last 20pgs or so. So strange because the cover looks like a thriller, says it’s a thriller, but reads like a contemporary teen comedy…with the occasional non-threatening gift and observation from an ~admirer.
Maybe the stalker aspect could’ve been more interesting if the “gifts” or POVs seemed more sinister or menacing, bc they were pretty tame by point horror standards (I know this isn’t a point horror but you know what I mean).
Notes:
-Really enjoyed Bethany and Starling’s chemistry. They’re fun characters to read about and the dialogue is quick and witty.
- I was a little thrown off with the references to previous events and it turns out these characters are in a few of the author’s other books (none of which appear to be thrillers). Just thought that was interesting. You won’t be lost, but there will be an assumed familiarity with the characters as soon as you dive in.
- This is more of a ~heartwarming story about a dog and a cranky old neighbor, tbh
- Ending was a cop-out. What a disappointing non-reveal! And a lot of time dedicated to getting the Bad Guy’s entire back story? Felt unnecessary.
I did really like the writing and am interested in reading more about Bethany & Starling! Just maybe not in a thriller setting.
Maybe the stalker aspect could’ve been more interesting if the “gifts” or POVs seemed more sinister or menacing, bc they were pretty tame by point horror standards (I know this isn’t a point horror but you know what I mean).
Notes:
-Really enjoyed Bethany and Starling’s chemistry. They’re fun characters to read about and the dialogue is quick and witty.
- I was a little thrown off with the references to previous events and it turns out these characters are in a few of the author’s other books (none of which appear to be thrillers). Just thought that was interesting. You won’t be lost, but there will be an assumed familiarity with the characters as soon as you dive in.
- This is more of a ~heartwarming story about a dog and a cranky old neighbor, tbh
- Ending was a cop-out. What a disappointing non-reveal! And a lot of time dedicated to getting the Bad Guy’s entire back story? Felt unnecessary.
I did really like the writing and am interested in reading more about Bethany & Starling! Just maybe not in a thriller setting.
March 1, 2020
Reading this many years after I first bought it. It hasn't aged well. Bethany is an overemotional nitwit, especially when it comes to the animal shelter scene and her jealousy over a classmate, but at least she doesn't take herself too seriously and is aware of these flaws. Starling and Mr. Baldwin (who I couldn't help but picture as Rupert Giles) were great. Liked how a lot of elements of their everyday life were incorporated, like Starling's graduation speech.
I like how the suspenseful part of the story builds, though it doesn't really grow teeth until the last fourth of the book.
The beginning of the book seems to open like a sequel, talking about some incident with a few other characters. About them being trapped inside the school during a blizzard? Just wondering.
I like how the suspenseful part of the story builds, though it doesn't really grow teeth until the last fourth of the book.
The beginning of the book seems to open like a sequel, talking about some incident with a few other characters. About them being trapped inside the school during a blizzard? Just wondering.
October 15, 2014
I really enjoyed this story. Even though it didn't have a lot of action, it did have quite a bit of mystery. Enough to keep me interested to read what was going to happen next.
March 22, 2020
One of the reasons why this book didn't work for me was that there were no suspects which meant no real mystery or suspense.
The other reason is that
The rest of the book was well written with believable characters and was quite enjoyable to read but unfortunately the ending ruined all of that.
The other reason is that
The rest of the book was well written with believable characters and was quite enjoyable to read but unfortunately the ending ruined all of that.
June 19, 2013
Overall good, but too much time dedicated to pointless drivel instead of building to the suspense and horror. The "villain" was a complete let down in all ways and totally seemed thrown-in. A decent read, but don't expect anything fabulous.
December 22, 2024
This book is structured all wrong. For nearly 200 of its 245 pages, it's a romantic comedy about two obnoxious students who won't commit their way out of a will-they-won't-they but also get jealous over any interactions with the opposite sex. Starling, oh how I hate thee, manic pixie nerd boy. He's one of those oversexed theater kids who thinks of himself as innocent and above-it-all in terms of high school hierarchy while also being the biggest judgmental shithead you'd ever have the displeasure of meeting. Bethany, our intrepid narrator, isn't quite as bad but still takes time out of the narrative to tell us that she's not like other girls and cast aspersions on twelve-year-olds who wear makeup or whatever. Like, hey, good for you, you don't dress in a feminine way and are therefore wise and humble, unlike those empty-headed cheerleaders.
Most of the book revolves around a plot to force a puppy on Mr. Baldwin, their cranky retired teacher who's recovering from a heart attack. Bethany is one of those people who won't take no for an answer because she can't imagine that what she wants for you isn't necessarily what you want for yourself. I kinda hated her as she lied to Starling about their visit to the SPCA (insisting they would only look at puppies and not adopt one yet) and then scheming to come up with ways to force Mr. Baldwin to spend time with his new dog in hopes that the two will bond before she has to take it back. Ugh. I used to live with a girlfriend who would bring home new pets unannounced and just expect me to be happy at these new obligations because they're cute. I think it's shitty behavior. Clearly Jane McFann doesn't agree with me, as Bethany is presented as being correct about what Mr. Baldwin needs, even against his own crotchety resistance. It would have been a funny twist if he'd been felled by another heart attack from the stress of having to deal with Bethany's "help".
There's also a lot of horny banter between Starling and Bethany that just about made me puke. Starling is the kind of asshole who will rip off a girl's clothing and then get all pouty if she protests, crawling behind the excuse that it was only a "joke". Fortunately for him, Bethany has the worst taste in the world and thinks he's really charming. Another girl--a cute and popular one named Jyl--is also into Starling (there's no way this could possibly be the case, given how awful Starling is, but I'll suspend my disbelief), and Bethany has the gall to view her as some kind of romantic rival and accuse Starling of two-timing her by humoring Jyl's advances. This in spite of the fact that Bethany spends the entire book feeling unclear about her relationship status with Starling, since neither of them will grow up enough to talk about it in plain terms, instead shielding themselves with innuendo and implication. In the '90s, of course, we took for granted that girls who were forward with their sexuality, like Jyl, are inherently unworthy of love because seduction is slutty, while a passive girl like Bethany, who makes no attempt to inform Starling that she's interested and just waits for him to pursue her, is the kind of inert good-girl protagonist we could root for. Turnabout is fair play, though, as Starling gets so angry that Bethany wants to meet her secret admirer that he gives her a full guilt trip and stops talking to her. I hate both of these characters.
The "horror" element of the book is practically nonexistent until the climax. All that happens is that Bethany keeps getting heart stickers pasted on her locker and door and windshield, and she doesn't even take it seriously until the day they start showing up inside her house. You'd think McFann would have used the previous 185 pages to build up some kind of identity for the stalker--maybe introduce him (or her, I say coyly) into the story as a potential red herring, or use the cryptic sections written from his POV to start to introduce his motive in a more psychologically substantial way. Instead, the last 60 pages of the book are mostly info-dump as an entirely new character reveals himself and spews his entire backstory while menacing Bethany in that superhuman "I can keep pace with my panicked victims by moving at a leisurely walk" slasher-villain mode. His fixation on Bethany continues to make absolutely no sense and is justified in only the foggiest and most abstract ways. I guess if a character is "mentally ill", you've got a pass to make them engage in any kind of behavior you need for your story, even if it makes no sense.
The way Bethany interacts with the stalker, constantly assessing his psychosis and trying to plan her escape, finally makes her a narrator worth following, and I give McFann credit for actually allowing her female protagonist some agency and resourcefulness--I kept expecting Starling to burst in and fight off the villain, but fortunately Bethany is able to read the situation correctly and rescue herself. This section of the book is pretty good, but it only makes you angrier that McFann spent so much time on the stupid subplot about Mr. Baldwin getting a puppy when she could have been building up to this finale.
Most of the book revolves around a plot to force a puppy on Mr. Baldwin, their cranky retired teacher who's recovering from a heart attack. Bethany is one of those people who won't take no for an answer because she can't imagine that what she wants for you isn't necessarily what you want for yourself. I kinda hated her as she lied to Starling about their visit to the SPCA (insisting they would only look at puppies and not adopt one yet) and then scheming to come up with ways to force Mr. Baldwin to spend time with his new dog in hopes that the two will bond before she has to take it back. Ugh. I used to live with a girlfriend who would bring home new pets unannounced and just expect me to be happy at these new obligations because they're cute. I think it's shitty behavior. Clearly Jane McFann doesn't agree with me, as Bethany is presented as being correct about what Mr. Baldwin needs, even against his own crotchety resistance. It would have been a funny twist if he'd been felled by another heart attack from the stress of having to deal with Bethany's "help".
There's also a lot of horny banter between Starling and Bethany that just about made me puke. Starling is the kind of asshole who will rip off a girl's clothing and then get all pouty if she protests, crawling behind the excuse that it was only a "joke". Fortunately for him, Bethany has the worst taste in the world and thinks he's really charming. Another girl--a cute and popular one named Jyl--is also into Starling (there's no way this could possibly be the case, given how awful Starling is, but I'll suspend my disbelief), and Bethany has the gall to view her as some kind of romantic rival and accuse Starling of two-timing her by humoring Jyl's advances. This in spite of the fact that Bethany spends the entire book feeling unclear about her relationship status with Starling, since neither of them will grow up enough to talk about it in plain terms, instead shielding themselves with innuendo and implication. In the '90s, of course, we took for granted that girls who were forward with their sexuality, like Jyl, are inherently unworthy of love because seduction is slutty, while a passive girl like Bethany, who makes no attempt to inform Starling that she's interested and just waits for him to pursue her, is the kind of inert good-girl protagonist we could root for. Turnabout is fair play, though, as Starling gets so angry that Bethany wants to meet her secret admirer that he gives her a full guilt trip and stops talking to her. I hate both of these characters.
The "horror" element of the book is practically nonexistent until the climax. All that happens is that Bethany keeps getting heart stickers pasted on her locker and door and windshield, and she doesn't even take it seriously until the day they start showing up inside her house. You'd think McFann would have used the previous 185 pages to build up some kind of identity for the stalker--maybe introduce him (or her, I say coyly) into the story as a potential red herring, or use the cryptic sections written from his POV to start to introduce his motive in a more psychologically substantial way. Instead, the last 60 pages of the book are mostly info-dump as an entirely new character reveals himself and spews his entire backstory while menacing Bethany in that superhuman "I can keep pace with my panicked victims by moving at a leisurely walk" slasher-villain mode. His fixation on Bethany continues to make absolutely no sense and is justified in only the foggiest and most abstract ways. I guess if a character is "mentally ill", you've got a pass to make them engage in any kind of behavior you need for your story, even if it makes no sense.
The way Bethany interacts with the stalker, constantly assessing his psychosis and trying to plan her escape, finally makes her a narrator worth following, and I give McFann credit for actually allowing her female protagonist some agency and resourcefulness--I kept expecting Starling to burst in and fight off the villain, but fortunately Bethany is able to read the situation correctly and rescue herself. This section of the book is pretty good, but it only makes you angrier that McFann spent so much time on the stupid subplot about Mr. Baldwin getting a puppy when she could have been building up to this finale.
April 27, 2013
Oh my goodness! I read this book a minimum of like twenty times when I was a teenager. I was obsessed sort of like Bethany's Secret Admirer. Such a classic!
February 2, 2022
This book was by no means stellar but it wasn't a drag to read either in the little bits of me time I got to read it. Also, I wasn't let down that it wasn't exactly a "Valentine's Day" setting based on the cover but it does fit the tone.
One thing I'm not really a fan of first person narration. For some books it does work but most of the time if there are not a lot of characters it seems like our main character gets annoying pretty fast. If it was in third person, I'd think it would be a little better.
Bethany Anderson is in her last few days of high school and she is a very straddling the line sexual tension relationship with her friend/almost boyfriend, Starling. Oh I'm sorry Starling Horace Whitman IV as she uses his full name on occasion to express her vexation at him.
Being an Army brat who has been to seventeen different schools in her life, Bethany's dad finally settled down and retired so she has become close with Starling. The two of them have been paying visits to their former teacher, Mr. Baldwin, who had a heart attack during a snowstorm where they were trapped at the high school.
Bethany decides that Mr. Baldwin might like a pet while he is recuperating so she and Starling go to the animal shelter and get a puppy for him. It's 100% her idea and it seems to drive a little bit of a wedge between her and Starling when Mr. Baldwin shows he's a no sell on owing a mutt. Bethany thinks Starling is getting close with their friend Jyl (interesting spelling...) but thinks he's mending the situation by putting hearts on her locker and roses within.
Only thing is...it isn't Starling. We get points of view from a mysterious admirer of Bethany who wants to be with her in a basic stalker kind of way and he is biding his time to make Bethany his...
The build-up to finding out who the person is behind Bethany's "love" letters is very slow but it builds up the tension. Is the payoff worth it? Well...it's someone I didn't expect and the backstory to why he is fixated on Bethany may seem generic but I find it very poignant and kind of sad.
We get a standard ending in these kind of books but also a kind of...book version of a movie stinger.
The last few lines of the book are what made me give it four stars instead of just three. I liked Bethany okay but Starling was my favorite...he could be a jerk at times but he was hilarious and I even liked cantankerous Mr. Baldwin.
If you're interested in reading Be Mine...I'd give it a go.
One thing I'm not really a fan of first person narration. For some books it does work but most of the time if there are not a lot of characters it seems like our main character gets annoying pretty fast. If it was in third person, I'd think it would be a little better.
Bethany Anderson is in her last few days of high school and she is a very straddling the line sexual tension relationship with her friend/almost boyfriend, Starling. Oh I'm sorry Starling Horace Whitman IV as she uses his full name on occasion to express her vexation at him.
Being an Army brat who has been to seventeen different schools in her life, Bethany's dad finally settled down and retired so she has become close with Starling. The two of them have been paying visits to their former teacher, Mr. Baldwin, who had a heart attack during a snowstorm where they were trapped at the high school.
Bethany decides that Mr. Baldwin might like a pet while he is recuperating so she and Starling go to the animal shelter and get a puppy for him. It's 100% her idea and it seems to drive a little bit of a wedge between her and Starling when Mr. Baldwin shows he's a no sell on owing a mutt. Bethany thinks Starling is getting close with their friend Jyl (interesting spelling...) but thinks he's mending the situation by putting hearts on her locker and roses within.
Only thing is...it isn't Starling. We get points of view from a mysterious admirer of Bethany who wants to be with her in a basic stalker kind of way and he is biding his time to make Bethany his...
The build-up to finding out who the person is behind Bethany's "love" letters is very slow but it builds up the tension. Is the payoff worth it? Well...it's someone I didn't expect and the backstory to why he is fixated on Bethany may seem generic but I find it very poignant and kind of sad.
We get a standard ending in these kind of books but also a kind of...book version of a movie stinger.
The last few lines of the book are what made me give it four stars instead of just three. I liked Bethany okay but Starling was my favorite...he could be a jerk at times but he was hilarious and I even liked cantankerous Mr. Baldwin.
If you're interested in reading Be Mine...I'd give it a go.
December 3, 2023
I wanted to like this book, and it was OK overall, but not great unfortunately. It reads like a teen sitcom, with very little thriller novel content. The ending wasn't the pay off you'll be expecting, and the only reason I finished it was to see what happens, which isn't much. It was kind of a cute teen story, and I wouldn't classify this as Point Horror.
June 11, 2022
This book has been on my mind for years. I read it in high school about 2010 and loved it so much. It gives me the feels of Stockholm syndrome in some ways and also the love between the friends and understanding the writing. It was perfect.
February 9, 2020
Not a bad book per se, but offensively boring and motiveless. (1.5)
August 3, 2021
Not bad, but not at all what I was expecting either. I am glad to finally be able to clear this book off my TBR pile though after all these years!
February 19, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book; and while I appreciated certain parts about the ending, it did not wholly satisfy. It could’ve been developed more, unless there’s a sequel; which I don’t believe it is.
July 24, 2024
The script of a slasher film without any kills, by far one of the worst endings I`ve read, made me chuckle
June 12, 2025
this book had me in a chokehold when I was in middle school for some reason
January 29, 2026
What a hot mess
June 2, 2015
It seems like this book is part of series starring, Bethany and Starling, as it mentions the scene where these characters mentioned about being trapped during snowstorm with their teacher having heart attack. I never read the other books, but I still enjoyed the book.
I'm not much into romance books but this book is mostly romance with sprinkle of horror elements. In the beginning, the characters are in situations that aren't too scary, until later on.
For the romance part, I actually enjoyed a bit. I really enjoyed both the characters, Starling and Bethany as their arguments with each other were humorous and sometimes corny. Starling is hilarious with his offbeat mind and his sexual desires while Bethany is likable for her intelligence and tomboyish though she is boring a bit.
The horror parts I find a bit weak. I mean I enjoy the mystery of trying to guess who Bethany's secret admirer is and this whole stalker thing can be creepy but overall they're mild as nothing about them is shocking and is rather typical. The stalker reveal was meh since it turns out too be a random character but he has a sympathetic background so I do feel pity for this character.
This book should be recommended for those into teen romance with likable characters, humorous tone, and less gory scares but I still recommend this book either way because it's fun and pleasant to read.
I'm not much into romance books but this book is mostly romance with sprinkle of horror elements. In the beginning, the characters are in situations that aren't too scary, until later on.
For the romance part, I actually enjoyed a bit. I really enjoyed both the characters, Starling and Bethany as their arguments with each other were humorous and sometimes corny. Starling is hilarious with his offbeat mind and his sexual desires while Bethany is likable for her intelligence and tomboyish though she is boring a bit.
The horror parts I find a bit weak. I mean I enjoy the mystery of trying to guess who Bethany's secret admirer is and this whole stalker thing can be creepy but overall they're mild as nothing about them is shocking and is rather typical. The stalker reveal was meh since it turns out too be a random character but he has a sympathetic background so I do feel pity for this character.
This book should be recommended for those into teen romance with likable characters, humorous tone, and less gory scares but I still recommend this book either way because it's fun and pleasant to read.
July 12, 2014
Ah yes, nostalgia, you are probably clouding my judgement, but who gives a diggity damn?
Starling was great. A young man with an eidetic memory and glasses, who's the boyfriend of our main character. Bethany was dull in comparison, the straight man of the story. I guess the goal of teen books is to let you pretend you're the main character, but I am not sure this story could use a gay love triangle.
Well, I say love triangle, but it's more "dude is stalking me" situation. He even breaks into her house to leave her roses, which she conveniently forgot to mention to the police when her boyfriend dragged them off to the station.
The characters were enjoyable, the writing was fair, and the ending was kind of dumb. An enjoyable read. There's no real blood or guts. Starling and Bethany argued about weather the man down the street was cross-dressing or going to a costume party, which... sure was a part of the book.
There was also a dog in this story that reminded me of my own. That warrants at least one star all by itself.
Starling was great. A young man with an eidetic memory and glasses, who's the boyfriend of our main character. Bethany was dull in comparison, the straight man of the story. I guess the goal of teen books is to let you pretend you're the main character, but I am not sure this story could use a gay love triangle.
Well, I say love triangle, but it's more "dude is stalking me" situation. He even breaks into her house to leave her roses, which she conveniently forgot to mention to the police when her boyfriend dragged them off to the station.
The characters were enjoyable, the writing was fair, and the ending was kind of dumb. An enjoyable read. There's no real blood or guts. Starling and Bethany argued about weather the man down the street was cross-dressing or going to a costume party, which... sure was a part of the book.
There was also a dog in this story that reminded me of my own. That warrants at least one star all by itself.
September 19, 2020
2019
Bethany is a high school senior and her thoughts are primarily on graduation, Starling (her friend/almost sort of boyfriend), and getting a puppy adopted from the shelter. Her thoughts are quickly consumed when someone starts leaving mysterious hearts, letters, and roses around the school, her home, and her car for her. Starling forces his way in to the mystery by wanting to catch the guy who is leaving these romantic gestures for Bethany, even though she thinks that the guy will just give up on his own. But who is this mysterious guy? Why is he so focused on Bethany? And just how far will he go to finally meet her?
Bethany is a high school senior and her thoughts are primarily on graduation, Starling (her friend/almost sort of boyfriend), and getting a puppy adopted from the shelter. Her thoughts are quickly consumed when someone starts leaving mysterious hearts, letters, and roses around the school, her home, and her car for her. Starling forces his way in to the mystery by wanting to catch the guy who is leaving these romantic gestures for Bethany, even though she thinks that the guy will just give up on his own. But who is this mysterious guy? Why is he so focused on Bethany? And just how far will he go to finally meet her?
October 6, 2010
This book is like a half horror, half love story. I just love to read this over and over and over again. But, sometimes, I just get the goosebumps when I read the pages before the ending. Jand McFann wrote with a good sense of balance to this book. Believe me, there are always corny scenes in a horror/romantic story. Luckily, the scene is the ending, about the last few pages. But, it's a sweet, corny ending.
February 9, 2011
I was absolutely enthralled by this book. It keeps you on edge no matter how many times you read it. On several ocassions, I retell the story to my dear family and friends. I always love how at the end they realize just how into the story they were. Sadly none could find the book in stores and I was beyond devastated when I found out that while I was moving my copy seems to have been misplaced.
December 30, 2015
I read this book a long time ago but still own it. I think that it's a very mismarketed book. It's supposed to be horror, but it's really psychological suspense. It's about a stalker with psychological problems not really a slasher book. For those of you who have read it I am sure you get what I'm saying. It's definitely marketed in the wrong genre.
February 21, 2012
Loved this book when I was a teenager!
December 30, 2013
My first horror book :)
January 14, 2018
It stared small, with heart stickers on her school locker. At first Bethany thought it was her boyfriend Starling but to her surprise it wasnt. Then she realized he was watching her and her boyfriend. But he never revealed his identity. Now he has and she has to run for her life, will she find help in time.
I enjoyed this book and thought the Author Jane Mcfann did a great job. You can really connect with the characters. Plot was great and she left it where it could be continued. I hope she does.
I enjoyed this book and thought the Author Jane Mcfann did a great job. You can really connect with the characters. Plot was great and she left it where it could be continued. I hope she does.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews