What do you think?
Rate this book
Trance
Ashlyn Greenfield has always known when bad things are going to happen. Each time that familiar tingling at the back of her neck begins, she knows whatÕs to comeÑa trance. SheÕs pulled in, blindsided, an unwilling witness to a horrible upcoming event. But sheÕs never been able to stop itÑnot even when the vision was of her motherÕs fatal car accident. When soulful Jake enters AshlynÕs life, she begins having trances about another car accident. And as her trances escalate, one thing becomes clear: itÕs up to her to save Jake from near-certain death.
277 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 2010
42 people are currently reading
1208 people want to read
About the author
Linda Gerber
15 books293 followersLinda Gerber recently returned to life in the Midwest after four years in Japan where she served as the RA for SCBWI Tokyo. Her books include SASS: Now and Zen, SASS: The Finnish Line, Death by Bikini, Death by Latte, Death by Denim and the upcoming novel, Trance.
She currently lives and writes in Dublin, Ohio, blissfully ignoring her husband, four kids, and one very naughty puppy"
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
September 14, 2025
DNF @ pg 120
Language, kids being called spawn of Satan, underage drinking, descriptive make out scene, and very dark undertones. I’m not even going to try to finish it because it is probably going to get a lot worse.
Language, kids being called spawn of Satan, underage drinking, descriptive make out scene, and very dark undertones. I’m not even going to try to finish it because it is probably going to get a lot worse.
April 13, 2013
This book was really good. It was very detailed and I fell in love with the characters. I truly felt like I was there and jake is amazing.
I was crying by the end hoping he'd be ok. This book was great and I would have given it a 5 out of 5 stars had the ending been better. This book better have a sequel.
This author, I've found, does this. I read the death by series and loved them. However they ended with the couple not being together.
In trance the ending was so open ended and didn't really end. I loved this book just not the very ending. Had the last three lines not have been there I think it would have been better. I really do hope though that Linda writes another book.
I was crying by the end hoping he'd be ok. This book was great and I would have given it a 5 out of 5 stars had the ending been better. This book better have a sequel.
This author, I've found, does this. I read the death by series and loved them. However they ended with the couple not being together.
In trance the ending was so open ended and didn't really end. I loved this book just not the very ending. Had the last three lines not have been there I think it would have been better. I really do hope though that Linda writes another book.
January 5, 2017
This book is very interesting and it makes you think. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes books that make you think outside of the box. The main character is not your normal high school girl, she is way more. Within the book it includes life lessons as well. For example, you can only control yourself not other people and you do not want to ever lose a friendship with family or friends. I would recommend this book to any age group, I think it is a good read for boys and girls.
May 3, 2020
I liked the sides characters more than the protagonist.
March 12, 2016
It's a good story. There are some important themes in here: death, grief, survivor's guilt, isolation, unhealthy coping mechanisms, dishonesty. Gerber handles all these really well within the context of a supernatural story involving visions, numerology and tarot. She even throws running for sport into the mix.
The only trouble here with the writing is that things unfold rather quickly and some of those themes are treated more lightly as a result. Then again, this is a YA book and aimed at a younger audience with a shorter attention span. It might have gotten maudlin and unnecessarily drawn out if it had been a longer book.
In the end, this book is its own worst enemy. Everything is so well handled, but we only have the overview and none of the real gritty details. Ashlyn is a great main character and when confronted with her flaws, responds positively. The thing is, it only took a couple of conversations for that to happen over a short amount of time. Ashlyn's dad is drowning himself in his work in order to cope with his grief - and when he really starts to pay attention, he vanishes from the story. Ashlyn's sister Kyra is absent until the end of the book - but when she appears, it's under circumstances that never are fully explored. Nick - what was he doing in this story anyway? He's there and then he's gone and what was the point?
Jake is a wonderful character and we get enough of him to at least round him out. Gina is the star of this book; honest, direct, snarky and bold. Her back story was just enough to give us a nice peek into her character and yet not enough to overwhelm the story.
The big climactic event at the end was a great idea. But it was abbreviated, like the rest of the plot. It could have been done in a way that would have drawn out the whole scene in a more detailed, more impacting way.
And the ending. No. Just, no. That is not the way you end a book. Gimmicky and shallow.
So overall it's a good story with a lot of potential. It's appropriate for a high school library's bookshelves. Great literary fiction it is not, nor is it standout YA. But it has its merits. It was . . . ok.
November 22, 2010
2.5 stars out of 5. This book was around 280 pages but it felt much shorter. Not because I flew through the book (which I did) or I was so into it that I did not know the length, but instead because it felt like just the introduction to a book rather than a full book.
Ashlyn Greenfield is recovering. She recently lost her mom in an accident, her sister has disappeared, and even though her dad is still around, he might as well be gone as he is emotionally distant from Ashlyn. In addition to her emotional scars from the death and abandonment, Ashlyn suffers from trances. The trances lead Ashlyn to partial cryptic visions of impending tragedy. Ashlyn’s sister Kyra also experiences trances leading to partial visions. Ashlyn and Kyra always see parts of the vision and must work together to decode the vision. Nevertheless, of course, Kyra is gone, which presents one of many of Ashlyn’s problems.
The romance, friendship and even the co-worker (who conveniently knew numerology, which is what Ashlyn needed to decode her visions) needed serious character development. I felt nothing for any of the characters because there is no background information on them and they seemed to be placed in the book as props for the plot development and nothing more. The worst characters, by far, were the father and sister. Because the book is lacking serious character development, the reader is forced to make up his or her own mind about the dad and sister. I hated them. They seemed incredibly selfish and abusive. Because I felt they were abusive, the issue of abuse should have been dealt with. It was not. A father completely ignoring his daughter after the girl just lost her mother and suffered serious physical injuries is abuse. This issue was entirely glossed over.
Because of everything Ashlyn was going through, I really liked her. That was what made me finish the book. The overall book has promise, and if it had about 10 more chapters, it could have been an excellent book.
Ashlyn Greenfield is recovering. She recently lost her mom in an accident, her sister has disappeared, and even though her dad is still around, he might as well be gone as he is emotionally distant from Ashlyn. In addition to her emotional scars from the death and abandonment, Ashlyn suffers from trances. The trances lead Ashlyn to partial cryptic visions of impending tragedy. Ashlyn’s sister Kyra also experiences trances leading to partial visions. Ashlyn and Kyra always see parts of the vision and must work together to decode the vision. Nevertheless, of course, Kyra is gone, which presents one of many of Ashlyn’s problems.
The romance, friendship and even the co-worker (who conveniently knew numerology, which is what Ashlyn needed to decode her visions) needed serious character development. I felt nothing for any of the characters because there is no background information on them and they seemed to be placed in the book as props for the plot development and nothing more. The worst characters, by far, were the father and sister. Because the book is lacking serious character development, the reader is forced to make up his or her own mind about the dad and sister. I hated them. They seemed incredibly selfish and abusive. Because I felt they were abusive, the issue of abuse should have been dealt with. It was not. A father completely ignoring his daughter after the girl just lost her mother and suffered serious physical injuries is abuse. This issue was entirely glossed over.
Because of everything Ashlyn was going through, I really liked her. That was what made me finish the book. The overall book has promise, and if it had about 10 more chapters, it could have been an excellent book.
October 15, 2021
In my opinion this book isn't all that from what I've reviewed online. But in a way I also feel like I can relate to the book a little bit. Not the book itself, but what the main character is going through and how she feels sometimes. So I also feel that book can also almost represent my life itself almost. But that's also why I hate the book. On the other half of that part it also just doesn't really spike my interest. But then I already started the book so I thought I might as well finish it. The plot itself is boring but it has turns of events so that is the only thing that really spikes my interest. One of the parents die in a car accident is almost in every book like this one. Its no different or unique. I've read couple of books of things that she has too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2020
I don't know if it because I had to stop reading to return the book to the library and I wasn't able to check it out again for a few weeks, or because I read it in little snippets, but I thought this book was really typical and boring. There wasn't enough story to keep me interested. I would write more, but I'm bored even thinking about the book and trying to describe it. I felt like the idea was interesting and could have gone in so many directions, but instead the author took an entire book to tell a boring story that did not end with any excitement. The best character was Gina and she wasn't even in it that much.
June 1, 2021
Ashlyn and Kyra are sisters, and super close. Until their mom dies in a car crash with Ashlyn driving.
Kyra is so upset she moves out and leaves.
The reason for her being upset? Ashlyn and Kyra both have these random, uncontrollable trances that allow them to see into the future, each seeing a different piece. Kyra has one about their mom but Ashlyn shrugs it off because she didn't get her piece.
This is a mistake that will haunt Ashlyn for her life, so when she starts seeing trances of another person she knows, she will stop at nothing to prevent their death. But she needs her sister to find out her piece of the future.
Kyra is so upset she moves out and leaves.
The reason for her being upset? Ashlyn and Kyra both have these random, uncontrollable trances that allow them to see into the future, each seeing a different piece. Kyra has one about their mom but Ashlyn shrugs it off because she didn't get her piece.
This is a mistake that will haunt Ashlyn for her life, so when she starts seeing trances of another person she knows, she will stop at nothing to prevent their death. But she needs her sister to find out her piece of the future.
January 18, 2022
apparently this book took me 4.5 years to finish and i honestly don’t know why, because i don’t have anything negative to say. i have a habit of starting books and then move onto a different book halfway through, forget about the book i started until i go into my “currently reading” list. thank god for me making the goal to finish all the unfinished books i’ve started. this book was such an easy read and the anticipation of what everything meant and what was going to happen made me continue reading the next chapter.
December 24, 2019
Eh nothing amazing. Cool concept but could've been executed better.
The idea of having visions from the future combined with coding number messages is super cool for a book especially since the sister shares this unique trait BUT there's so much more that could've been done with this plot line.
Idk
The idea of having visions from the future combined with coding number messages is super cool for a book especially since the sister shares this unique trait BUT there's so much more that could've been done with this plot line.
Idk
June 2, 2017
I loved it but some of it like how she didnt want to go to the jock guy (i forgot his name ) shes dint go i know it tould us what happen but still didnt get why shes was mad him she was the one drinking.
March 1, 2018
Ashlyn has a secret. She has experienced a great loss that she believes is her fault. She keeps everyone at arms length to keep her secret. I love the friendships that are created even when she tries to avoid it. Really fast read that keeps your interest throughout.
August 18, 2017
Enjoyable, quick paced, action packed. At first I didn't like the the ending and then gave it some more thought and realized the last sentence is perfect, never turn your back on who you are.
September 25, 2017
This Book is sooo good and full of suspense
October 6, 2017
Very good
March 4, 2019
Not a bad book but it is definitely for a younger reader. A lot of filler in it, making it kind of a boring read.. not much of a plot twist.
September 24, 2019
It was well written with balanced character development. The ending made me want to read more.
March 25, 2020
This book was amazing!! Definitely a 13+ rating due too a little bit of content but overall it is really good!!
February 20, 2022
I used to read and reread this book over and over through out middle and highschool! I still own it.
June 13, 2024
This book was very fast-paced and kept me wanting for more! I read this under a week and I’m usually one to start a book then never finish! It’s a very addicting book and made you think about family…
June 30, 2024
3.5 stars. It was a super quick read. I liked the plot and chargers. The numerology was great to. I would recommend for a quick weekend read.
December 22, 2024
I read this book so fast. It kept me interested the whole time. The ending though 😭 why did she leave me like that.. Also Gina was definitely my favorite character she’s so real
October 18, 2016
This book is filled with suspense, and cliffhangers. It's easy to get addicted to and will make you sad when you near the end. (not because of the story, just because it's so good you want to read it forever)
December 14, 2012
"The backdrop of the stadium flips and the bleachers disappear. The track morphs into a rain-slicked road. In the air around me, a random jumble of numbers drift and swirl like tendrils of fog. Twin headlights cut through the darkness, racing towards me. I try to scream, but I can't make a sound."
The book "Trance" by Linda Gerber is filled with intense moments like this. A teenage girl Ashlynn has spent her whole life trying to figure out the meanings of intense trances she is randomly sucked into.
Before reading this book, I think it would have been helpful to know a background about numerology, as it is often referred to in this book. Without any knowledge about numerology, one would be quite confused. Some concepts in this book could be found new and odd to some people, such as trances, or visions, and catalysts. Knowing about these things would be helpful to know about to better understand this story.
The characters in this story were easily relatable to, and their problems were also easy to understand and relate to. Throughout this book, Ashlynn struggled with great loss, difficult relationships, and trying to find herself. Ashlynn, the main character, is 17 and lost her mom when she was 16 in a car accident, in which Ashlynn was driving. “’It’s my fault my mom died.’ Her expression didn’t change, but she shifted in her seat. ‘I see. How did it happen?’ ‘Car accident. I was driving… my sister can’t bring herself to talk to me. She moved away before I even got out of the hospital. And my dad, well, I barely know him anymore.’” This shows some of the problems she faces in her family. Throughout the story, she struggled with the memory every day, and isolated herself from all that she can. Her family wasn’t by any means perfect, and her friends hadn’t always been the best. The problems she was facing are ones that a lot of teenagers go through, and it’s interesting to see how she got through them.
I found this book very entertaining to read, and I could hardly seem to put it down. The trances are the most exciting and intense parts of the book, and also my favorite. The description given really helped me picture what was going on and what Ashlynn was seeing. “The familiar buzzing began in the back of my head. The room began to spin. Wind rushed in through my ears and I found myself in the dark, standing alone on a long stretch of the highway…I came to with my head on the desk, the walls swirling around me like a vortex. I bolted upright, and just like that, the trance was over.” The concepts and problems in this book are unique to any other book I’ve read in the past, and thus it was very interesting and enjoyable to me.
There are quite a few things I like about this book, but I do also have one or two dislikes. I really like all the detailing that is given in the trances like I mentioned. I never once got bored of the book, as it always remained interesting and there were always new situations arising. I also liked how I could relate to Ashlynn, the main character. Sports meant a lot to her, her best friend was her lifeline, boys were a foreign language, and all she wanted was to make her father proud and to be noticed by him. She was a high schooler, and struggled with relationships of all kinds like everyone does, myself included. One thing I disliked about this book, although, was the lack of information given about the car crash that killed Ashlynn’s mother. As the book went on, bits and pieces were added to the story until in the end, I was satisfied, but in the beginning it was a little confusing because the full story wasn’t given. This is my only complaint; otherwise the book is very satisfactory.
Over all, I would most definitely recommend this book for its intensity, suspense, and because of how interesting it is. I guarantee you’ll enjoy this book, hopefully as much as I did. This young adult read will put you on the edge of your seat, leave you in awe, and make you fall in love.
The book "Trance" by Linda Gerber is filled with intense moments like this. A teenage girl Ashlynn has spent her whole life trying to figure out the meanings of intense trances she is randomly sucked into.
Before reading this book, I think it would have been helpful to know a background about numerology, as it is often referred to in this book. Without any knowledge about numerology, one would be quite confused. Some concepts in this book could be found new and odd to some people, such as trances, or visions, and catalysts. Knowing about these things would be helpful to know about to better understand this story.
The characters in this story were easily relatable to, and their problems were also easy to understand and relate to. Throughout this book, Ashlynn struggled with great loss, difficult relationships, and trying to find herself. Ashlynn, the main character, is 17 and lost her mom when she was 16 in a car accident, in which Ashlynn was driving. “’It’s my fault my mom died.’ Her expression didn’t change, but she shifted in her seat. ‘I see. How did it happen?’ ‘Car accident. I was driving… my sister can’t bring herself to talk to me. She moved away before I even got out of the hospital. And my dad, well, I barely know him anymore.’” This shows some of the problems she faces in her family. Throughout the story, she struggled with the memory every day, and isolated herself from all that she can. Her family wasn’t by any means perfect, and her friends hadn’t always been the best. The problems she was facing are ones that a lot of teenagers go through, and it’s interesting to see how she got through them.
I found this book very entertaining to read, and I could hardly seem to put it down. The trances are the most exciting and intense parts of the book, and also my favorite. The description given really helped me picture what was going on and what Ashlynn was seeing. “The familiar buzzing began in the back of my head. The room began to spin. Wind rushed in through my ears and I found myself in the dark, standing alone on a long stretch of the highway…I came to with my head on the desk, the walls swirling around me like a vortex. I bolted upright, and just like that, the trance was over.” The concepts and problems in this book are unique to any other book I’ve read in the past, and thus it was very interesting and enjoyable to me.
There are quite a few things I like about this book, but I do also have one or two dislikes. I really like all the detailing that is given in the trances like I mentioned. I never once got bored of the book, as it always remained interesting and there were always new situations arising. I also liked how I could relate to Ashlynn, the main character. Sports meant a lot to her, her best friend was her lifeline, boys were a foreign language, and all she wanted was to make her father proud and to be noticed by him. She was a high schooler, and struggled with relationships of all kinds like everyone does, myself included. One thing I disliked about this book, although, was the lack of information given about the car crash that killed Ashlynn’s mother. As the book went on, bits and pieces were added to the story until in the end, I was satisfied, but in the beginning it was a little confusing because the full story wasn’t given. This is my only complaint; otherwise the book is very satisfactory.
Over all, I would most definitely recommend this book for its intensity, suspense, and because of how interesting it is. I guarantee you’ll enjoy this book, hopefully as much as I did. This young adult read will put you on the edge of your seat, leave you in awe, and make you fall in love.
February 20, 2017
Ashlyn and her sister have visions where they see glimpses of the future. During the visions, they write strings of numbers that don't make any sense. So people outside their family don't think they're crazy or possessed, they tell everyone they have a rare form of epilepsy. After a serious accident leaves Ashlyn seriously injured and her mother dead, her sister disappears and her father retreats into his work. Ashlyn is left to deal with her grief and guilt all alone, even as her visions continue. She sees something terrible about to happen, but can't put the pieces together without her sister's help.
I was more moved by this than I expected to be, perhaps because the paranormal aspects were really the backdrop for Ashlyn's journey through her grief. Even though I found the writing itself just okay, there was an emotional depth to it that I responded to and I think teen readers facing their own challenges will as well.
Ashlyn's description of a photo shoot she does at her job in a mall kiosk had a passage that got me right in the feels, even though the writing itself could be less rambling:
"It made me sad to watch, because both of those little girls were perfect, but their mom couldn't see it. She must have had some picture in her mind of what the perfect portrait should look like, and it didn't matter how well her daughters cooperated or how many other great shots we got, she wasn't satisfied because it wasn't what she had in mind. But the saddest part was watching the faces of the girls as they tried desperately to please their mother, only to fall short again and again."
I'm thankful to not have that kind of a mother, but I know some kids who do, which made this passage powerful for me, despite the comma splice.
I was more moved by this than I expected to be, perhaps because the paranormal aspects were really the backdrop for Ashlyn's journey through her grief. Even though I found the writing itself just okay, there was an emotional depth to it that I responded to and I think teen readers facing their own challenges will as well.
Ashlyn's description of a photo shoot she does at her job in a mall kiosk had a passage that got me right in the feels, even though the writing itself could be less rambling:
"It made me sad to watch, because both of those little girls were perfect, but their mom couldn't see it. She must have had some picture in her mind of what the perfect portrait should look like, and it didn't matter how well her daughters cooperated or how many other great shots we got, she wasn't satisfied because it wasn't what she had in mind. But the saddest part was watching the faces of the girls as they tried desperately to please their mother, only to fall short again and again."
I'm thankful to not have that kind of a mother, but I know some kids who do, which made this passage powerful for me, despite the comma splice.
January 10, 2011
Trance was another novel I went into not knowing all that much about. Synopsis didn’t give me a great feel for the plot and well it was just intriguing enough to draw my attention. There were some pretty cool things about Trance that I really enjoyed. A lot of fresh, new ideas into the realm of YA fiction that has me pretty excited.
I really enjoyed Ashlyn’s POV. She was such a refreshing character as well. For once it was nice to have an MC that was just able to break down and cry. Someone who didn’t bottle up their emotions, but still had trouble opening up to people. Ever since she was a child, Ashlyn and her sister have had “trances”. Each of them completing the other’s vision. During these trances they write down long numeric equations. The significance of these numeric equations is unknown, but Ashlyn knows that they spell certain trouble for someone she knows. Ashlyn is wracked with guilt for ignoring the Trance that killed her mother. Her sister has disappeared from Ashlyn’s life, her father is so wrapped up in his work that she never sees him much less talks to him. She feels utterly alone, despite her best friend. Unable to confide in anyone, and when the trances suddenly come back in full force Ashlyn doesn’t know who to turn to. These trances of a car crash at first seem like the trance she should have had about her mother. However, she quickly discovers that these visions are a warning that yet another person she loves is in terrible danger, and it’s up to Ashlyn to discover how to save them.
Ashlyn is a very compatible MC and I really did like her. At times I wish she had a little more backbone, but at the same time it was nice to have an MC who was a nice medium. Not a killer ass amazon, yet not a damsel in distress. She just seemed like someone I would really get along well with. When it came down to the critical moments in the novel, she really pulled through for me. I really liked Jake as well. And ya he may be a musical genius, and rides a motorcycle that he restored himself, and is just the most perfect guy ever (drools here) and I may be a bit biased here. Okay… a lot. He was awesome okay? Believe me. Perfect guy. You’ll understand when you read it. He was just genuinely a nice guy with his own flaws but that just made him more real in my mind. Everyone has little personality flaws, and I found his very endearing and minor at that.
The whole “trance” idea I thought was very cool. I mean at first I was wondering how the heck the whole trances plus numerical equations related and how the author was possibly going to explain it, but it worked out well. I don’t want to spoil it, so I will pretty much stop right there. It was highly original and the author did an amazing job of taking some of the wild speculation of the universe and twisting it into an amazing story.
Trance was unique, the characters loveable, and just all around a great story. Plus a major twisted ending. Definitely had me on edge! Can’t wait for more!
I really enjoyed Ashlyn’s POV. She was such a refreshing character as well. For once it was nice to have an MC that was just able to break down and cry. Someone who didn’t bottle up their emotions, but still had trouble opening up to people. Ever since she was a child, Ashlyn and her sister have had “trances”. Each of them completing the other’s vision. During these trances they write down long numeric equations. The significance of these numeric equations is unknown, but Ashlyn knows that they spell certain trouble for someone she knows. Ashlyn is wracked with guilt for ignoring the Trance that killed her mother. Her sister has disappeared from Ashlyn’s life, her father is so wrapped up in his work that she never sees him much less talks to him. She feels utterly alone, despite her best friend. Unable to confide in anyone, and when the trances suddenly come back in full force Ashlyn doesn’t know who to turn to. These trances of a car crash at first seem like the trance she should have had about her mother. However, she quickly discovers that these visions are a warning that yet another person she loves is in terrible danger, and it’s up to Ashlyn to discover how to save them.
Ashlyn is a very compatible MC and I really did like her. At times I wish she had a little more backbone, but at the same time it was nice to have an MC who was a nice medium. Not a killer ass amazon, yet not a damsel in distress. She just seemed like someone I would really get along well with. When it came down to the critical moments in the novel, she really pulled through for me. I really liked Jake as well. And ya he may be a musical genius, and rides a motorcycle that he restored himself, and is just the most perfect guy ever (drools here) and I may be a bit biased here. Okay… a lot. He was awesome okay? Believe me. Perfect guy. You’ll understand when you read it. He was just genuinely a nice guy with his own flaws but that just made him more real in my mind. Everyone has little personality flaws, and I found his very endearing and minor at that.
The whole “trance” idea I thought was very cool. I mean at first I was wondering how the heck the whole trances plus numerical equations related and how the author was possibly going to explain it, but it worked out well. I don’t want to spoil it, so I will pretty much stop right there. It was highly original and the author did an amazing job of taking some of the wild speculation of the universe and twisting it into an amazing story.
Trance was unique, the characters loveable, and just all around a great story. Plus a major twisted ending. Definitely had me on edge! Can’t wait for more!
June 7, 2010
ARC! (to see my entire review, check out http://thepagesofbrooks.blogspot.com/...)
"Never use limitations as an excuse for mediocrity."
I honestly don't know the best words to describe this book! I am in complete awe right now. I finished reading this in less than a day. I couldn't put it down. I read while I ate. I read while I got my lunch ready for work the next day. The only break I took was to watch the MTV Movie Awards preview of Harry Potter [nothing is more important than Harry Potter. Sorry, Ms. Gerber:]. And now I am still digesting the intensity that is Trance.
The summaries I have read reminded me a lot of the WAKE trilogy by Lisa McMann - I love that series [though I have yet to read Gone! Don't spoil it for me!:]. While on Twitter, when I mentioned the similar-sounding premise, @Lisa_McMann even told me "Trance is an awesome book and quite different from WAKE in the best possible way." I hadn't even begun reading at that point, so I got right to it! And McMann was right: Best. Possible. Way.
The writing keeps the reader in constant suspense from the very first page. The fluid way in which Gerber inserts memories to fill in Ashlyn's earlier life gives answers at just the right moments without allowing the reader to completely predict everything. The characters are automatically likable [Jake? So cute!:] and the more drama that occurs the more you want to hold your breath until things work out for them all [basically I was light-headed from not breathing much:].
The story is in constant motion because everything Ashlyn does is affected by her trances and her reactions to them, or even to the mere possibility of them. Gerber sprinkles in aspects of school, the characters' hobbies/passions, and creepy neighbors in perfect measurement to remind the reader that these people have entire lives that aren't even touched upon in this one plot - that there is so much more to this world. It makes the book something more, giving tiny insights for each character. And all that extra information is kept mostly out of reach, especially at the end. A lot of writers seem to find it difficult balancing the background world with the focused story, but Gerber definitely doesn't have a problem.
It's a heart-racing, breath-taking, unstoppable read that leaves you in your own trance with this book in your hands. [how's that for a blurb? lol:]
And that ending? I obviously can't describe it without spoilers... but.... Ugh. Just get this book when it comes out in October. Sooner, if you're able to.
"Never use limitations as an excuse for mediocrity."
I honestly don't know the best words to describe this book! I am in complete awe right now. I finished reading this in less than a day. I couldn't put it down. I read while I ate. I read while I got my lunch ready for work the next day. The only break I took was to watch the MTV Movie Awards preview of Harry Potter [nothing is more important than Harry Potter. Sorry, Ms. Gerber:]. And now I am still digesting the intensity that is Trance.
The summaries I have read reminded me a lot of the WAKE trilogy by Lisa McMann - I love that series [though I have yet to read Gone! Don't spoil it for me!:]. While on Twitter, when I mentioned the similar-sounding premise, @Lisa_McMann even told me "Trance is an awesome book and quite different from WAKE in the best possible way." I hadn't even begun reading at that point, so I got right to it! And McMann was right: Best. Possible. Way.
The writing keeps the reader in constant suspense from the very first page. The fluid way in which Gerber inserts memories to fill in Ashlyn's earlier life gives answers at just the right moments without allowing the reader to completely predict everything. The characters are automatically likable [Jake? So cute!:] and the more drama that occurs the more you want to hold your breath until things work out for them all [basically I was light-headed from not breathing much:].
The story is in constant motion because everything Ashlyn does is affected by her trances and her reactions to them, or even to the mere possibility of them. Gerber sprinkles in aspects of school, the characters' hobbies/passions, and creepy neighbors in perfect measurement to remind the reader that these people have entire lives that aren't even touched upon in this one plot - that there is so much more to this world. It makes the book something more, giving tiny insights for each character. And all that extra information is kept mostly out of reach, especially at the end. A lot of writers seem to find it difficult balancing the background world with the focused story, but Gerber definitely doesn't have a problem.
It's a heart-racing, breath-taking, unstoppable read that leaves you in your own trance with this book in your hands. [how's that for a blurb? lol:]
And that ending? I obviously can't describe it without spoilers... but.... Ugh. Just get this book when it comes out in October. Sooner, if you're able to.
November 19, 2010
Ashlyn has had trances all her life. She sees bits and pieces of when a future accident or death might occur. She has never been able to control or prevent any of her visions from coming true, not even the accident that killed her mother. After the death of her mom, Ashlyn is left with an absentee father and a sister who just takes off. Ashlyn is left all alone and is once again having trances of another event that she so desperately wants to put a stop to.
It wasn’t hard sympathizing for Ashlyn and the situation she was in. Ashlyn was the one driving when her mom was killed. Ashlyn’s sister, Kyra, is the only other person who experiences the trances and together they would piece them together in hopes of preventing a tragic event from occurring, but the strong sisterly bond they once had is now broken because of the tragic mistake Ashlyn had made for not listening to her sister. Ashlyn’s father also becomes more consumed in his work and doesn’t have much time for Ashlyn. Ashlyn was left filled with so much guilt and sadness. Ashlyn wasn’t completely alone though. She had her best friend Michelle who kind of became a sister to her as well as cute piano key tie guy who worked in the music store across from her.
I did enjoy the book, but it did seem a bit rushed at times. I also didn’t fully understand the reasons behind the trances, it was explained somewhat, but not enough for me to comprehend how or why. I would have liked it if the story delved more into the background to how the trances came to be and why it was just Ashlyn and her sister, also why they only saw one event at a time. The story was also pretty predictable concerning the trance that Ashlyn was trying to solve, but what kept me reading were the characters and the growth in Ashlyn as she tries to figure out the meaning behind the trances and how they work.
Trance was an interesting enough book and managed to keep me entertained, but it did feel like something was missing. I did enjoy the characterization and I'm looking forward to reading some more books by Linda Gerber.
It wasn’t hard sympathizing for Ashlyn and the situation she was in. Ashlyn was the one driving when her mom was killed. Ashlyn’s sister, Kyra, is the only other person who experiences the trances and together they would piece them together in hopes of preventing a tragic event from occurring, but the strong sisterly bond they once had is now broken because of the tragic mistake Ashlyn had made for not listening to her sister. Ashlyn’s father also becomes more consumed in his work and doesn’t have much time for Ashlyn. Ashlyn was left filled with so much guilt and sadness. Ashlyn wasn’t completely alone though. She had her best friend Michelle who kind of became a sister to her as well as cute piano key tie guy who worked in the music store across from her.
I did enjoy the book, but it did seem a bit rushed at times. I also didn’t fully understand the reasons behind the trances, it was explained somewhat, but not enough for me to comprehend how or why. I would have liked it if the story delved more into the background to how the trances came to be and why it was just Ashlyn and her sister, also why they only saw one event at a time. The story was also pretty predictable concerning the trance that Ashlyn was trying to solve, but what kept me reading were the characters and the growth in Ashlyn as she tries to figure out the meaning behind the trances and how they work.
Trance was an interesting enough book and managed to keep me entertained, but it did feel like something was missing. I did enjoy the characterization and I'm looking forward to reading some more books by Linda Gerber.
October 18, 2018
This book left me in suspense and wanting more. With everything having to do with Lynnie's trances, Jake, and Lynnie's sister, I couldn't put this book down. Throughout this entire book till near end, I was on edge, not knowing what will happen to everyone. I enjoy this book and with it having to do with a subject most people would call impossible, seeing the future. It also has a mystery aspect involving Lynnie trying to find her sister, and trying to figure out who it is that she sees dying in her trance. It is definitely worth it to wait until the end of the book to find everything out. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a mystery read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews