What do you think?
Rate this book
The Frenzy
Love is a werewolf, influenced by the moon and terror, and always about to change. Liv has a secret. Something happened to her when she was thirteen. Something that changed everything. Liv knows she doesn’t belong anymore—not in her own skin, not in her family . . . not anywhere. The only time she truly feels like herself is when she’s with her boyfriend, Corey, and in the woods that surround her town. But in the woods, a mysterious woman watches Liv. In the woods, a pack of wild boys lurks. In the woods, Liv learns about the curse that will haunt her forever. The curse that caused the frenzy four years ago. And that may cause it again, all too soon. While Corey and Liv’s love binds them together, Liv’s dark secret threatens to tear them apart as she struggles to understand who—or what—she really is. And by the light of the full moon, the most dangerous secrets bare their claws. . . .
258 pages, Hardcover
First published September 28, 2010
23 people are currently reading
2122 people want to read
About the author
Francesca Lia Block
99 books3,377 followersFrancesca Lia Block is the author of more than twenty-five books of fiction, non-fiction, short stories and poetry. She received the Spectrum Award, the Phoenix Award, the ALA Rainbow Award and the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as other citations from the American Library Association and from the New York Times Book Review, School Library Journal and Publisher’s Weekly. She was named Writer-in-Residence at Pasadena City College in 2014. Her work has been translated into Italian, French, German Japanese, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish and Portuguese. Francesca has also published stories, poems, essays and interviews in The Los Angeles Times, The L.A. Review of Books, Spin, Nylon, Black Clock and Rattle among others. In addition to writing, she teaches creative writing at University of Redlands, UCLA Extension, Antioch University, and privately in Los Angeles where she was born, raised and currently still lives.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
January 17, 2011
Wow…. what a bummer. I was on a streak; (sort of) I was happily flitting through books and with such glee! I was inspired, intrigued, awake!
What happened, Francesca? What’s going on? Why are you suddenly writing these vampire and werewolf stories? Don’t you know that you’re above the hype. You are an original. You don’t need to succumb to this mainstream muddle of muck.
Where is THIS Francesca?
"Everything was chocolate ice cream and kisses and wind."
or
"Morning. Strawberry sky dusted with white winter powder sugar sun. And nobody to munch on it with"
Where are you hiding?
"Stories are like genies...They can carry us into and though our sorrows. Sometimes they burn, sometimes they dance, sometimes they weep, sometimes they sing. Like genies, everyone has one. Like genies, sometimes we forget that we do.
Our stories can set us free...When we set them free."
Set yourself free… Don’t fall into the rabbit hole. Don’t drink the water. Don’t click it. Don’t stop believing. Put on your faerie wings and drink from the clouds. “The most Beautiful people are the ones that don't look like one race or even one sex”
Stop. Listen to your own words. You don’t need to be Stephenie Myers or any of those hacks. YOU are the one that set the bar so high. You made me believe in haunted mansions and fairy tales and that good can bitchslap evil.
Your blog post about your mom… that was beautiful… I miss that Francesca… I don’t care about their versions of vampires or werewolves. I just want you back. Please come back.
“When you are little, people, movie and fairy tales all tell you that one day you're going to meet this person. So you keep waiting and it's a lot harder than they make it sound. Then you meet and you think, okay, now we can just get on with it but you find out that sometimes your soul brother partner lover has other ideas about that. "
I’m waiting…
What happened, Francesca? What’s going on? Why are you suddenly writing these vampire and werewolf stories? Don’t you know that you’re above the hype. You are an original. You don’t need to succumb to this mainstream muddle of muck.
Where is THIS Francesca?
"Everything was chocolate ice cream and kisses and wind."
or
"Morning. Strawberry sky dusted with white winter powder sugar sun. And nobody to munch on it with"
Where are you hiding?
"Stories are like genies...They can carry us into and though our sorrows. Sometimes they burn, sometimes they dance, sometimes they weep, sometimes they sing. Like genies, everyone has one. Like genies, sometimes we forget that we do.
Our stories can set us free...When we set them free."
Set yourself free… Don’t fall into the rabbit hole. Don’t drink the water. Don’t click it. Don’t stop believing. Put on your faerie wings and drink from the clouds. “The most Beautiful people are the ones that don't look like one race or even one sex”
Stop. Listen to your own words. You don’t need to be Stephenie Myers or any of those hacks. YOU are the one that set the bar so high. You made me believe in haunted mansions and fairy tales and that good can bitchslap evil.
Your blog post about your mom… that was beautiful… I miss that Francesca… I don’t care about their versions of vampires or werewolves. I just want you back. Please come back.
“When you are little, people, movie and fairy tales all tell you that one day you're going to meet this person. So you keep waiting and it's a lot harder than they make it sound. Then you meet and you think, okay, now we can just get on with it but you find out that sometimes your soul brother partner lover has other ideas about that. "
I’m waiting…
June 11, 2011
You know, I'm not sure I've read anything else by Francesca Lia Block, even as famous as she is for YA. I've got to admit that I was expecting more. If this hadn't been short and if I hadn't been stuck in a doctor and a dentist office, I probably wouldn't have finished it. I'm trying hard to allow myself to abandon books after 50 or 100 pages if I just don't really care what happens next. Philosophy: life's too short for bad books, and there are SO many I'll never read, though that would be a nice afterlife--the endless library.
Anyway, just not much good going on here. Liv is done with high school, but she doesn't know what she's going to do with herself now. She's a bit of a town freak, shunned by peers in part because she's very hirsute, but she has two good friends: longtime buddy Pace, a closeted companion she calls "Beard" to her nickname of "Skirt" and dark-skinned secret boyfriend Corey. Several of the families of those who have shamed or mistreated her over the last few years have lost loved ones to the full-moon killer, a menace that hardly crawls out of the background. Just about everything in this novel reads as deep background. Nothing seems real, important, or three-dimensional. For four years, Lia has what's wrong with her. It all started with her period at 13 and extreme anger at her mother who arrived home with a wolf carcass in her truck. She doesn't remember the transformation, but the story sure would have benefitted from a better description of it and what she did to frighten herself and alienate her parents so. Important characters, events, and settings just seem to sort of turn up when required in the story without adequate creation and fleshing out. So a boyfriend candidate for Pace turns out to be a ghost, and there is a disappearance never really developed. The family of werewolves living near her for years is hardly more than sketched in. The ultimate confrontations between were-Liv and her shotgun-wielding mother barely happens, and I'm not even clear whether boyfriend Corey is supernatural in some way or 100% human when he faces the seven werewolf brothers. Maybe I'll give Pretty Dead a try or Weezy Bat, but I'm in no hurry after reading this one. Cardboard cut-out of a werewolf story, anyone?
Anyway, just not much good going on here. Liv is done with high school, but she doesn't know what she's going to do with herself now. She's a bit of a town freak, shunned by peers in part because she's very hirsute, but she has two good friends: longtime buddy Pace, a closeted companion she calls "Beard" to her nickname of "Skirt" and dark-skinned secret boyfriend Corey. Several of the families of those who have shamed or mistreated her over the last few years have lost loved ones to the full-moon killer, a menace that hardly crawls out of the background. Just about everything in this novel reads as deep background. Nothing seems real, important, or three-dimensional. For four years, Lia has what's wrong with her. It all started with her period at 13 and extreme anger at her mother who arrived home with a wolf carcass in her truck. She doesn't remember the transformation, but the story sure would have benefitted from a better description of it and what she did to frighten herself and alienate her parents so. Important characters, events, and settings just seem to sort of turn up when required in the story without adequate creation and fleshing out. So a boyfriend candidate for Pace turns out to be a ghost, and there is a disappearance never really developed. The family of werewolves living near her for years is hardly more than sketched in. The ultimate confrontations between were-Liv and her shotgun-wielding mother barely happens, and I'm not even clear whether boyfriend Corey is supernatural in some way or 100% human when he faces the seven werewolf brothers. Maybe I'll give Pretty Dead a try or Weezy Bat, but I'm in no hurry after reading this one. Cardboard cut-out of a werewolf story, anyone?
November 7, 2010
Everyone has a monster inside. Whether want to admit it or not. No one is without their skeletons.
Frenzy is not only about a beast that lives inside a girl but also the demons of small town America.
I really dug this book. It spoke to me. I was raised around the same people Liv had around her.
I wouldn't recommend this book to a lot of people. I think Block's writing style would probably annoy them. But to me it sings like a Tori Amos song. It captivates me like a B-movie. It always reminds me that I was young one day and then I blinked. But in my mind I still am.
This isn't the best girl werewolf story out there... but as a story by itself... it's something to howl at.
Frenzy is not only about a beast that lives inside a girl but also the demons of small town America.
I really dug this book. It spoke to me. I was raised around the same people Liv had around her.
I wouldn't recommend this book to a lot of people. I think Block's writing style would probably annoy them. But to me it sings like a Tori Amos song. It captivates me like a B-movie. It always reminds me that I was young one day and then I blinked. But in my mind I still am.
This isn't the best girl werewolf story out there... but as a story by itself... it's something to howl at.
December 3, 2011
FLB, why can't I quit you?
This book is about a 17-year-old girl werewolf. She's got a closeted gay best friend and wealthy parents who don't understand her. She lives in a small, racist town, and she's dating a black boy from her high school, so of course, she's "closeted" in her own way with her secret interracial relationship. Her mom hunts wolves from airplanes, which set of an intergenerational feud between the werewolf people and Liv's family.
This book is like, classic Francesca Lia Block meets Sarah Palin meets Twilight, but without any of the magic you'd expect from all three. I didn't hate it as much as, say, Quakeland but it has nothing to do with the FLB I used to know and love. The heavy use of cliche "monster" mythologies (i.e. changing into a wolf is triggered by menstruation, the full moon, and rage) inside a totally nonsensical plot suck the magic right out of the story and leave the reader rustling around the dry husks of what could have been an engaging book. The book seems dated, even though it came out last year. The characters seem like caricatures of teenagers. The "closeted" gay kid who kills himself -- maybe because he's gay, or maybe because a ghost told him to? -- was hollow and insincere. Dirk and Duck were more realistic gay characters. The "contemporary" issues and darkness of teenagers is where FLB made a name for herself in the last 20 years, but she hasn't stayed relevant in that arena.
ALSO. The main character is a werewolf, right? So she's covered in a fine layer of hair, all over her body. And some guy who feels her up calls her Hairy Tits, a most unfortunate nickname that gets picked up by other kids in her school. If that doesn't make you instantly hate a book, then I don't know what to say to you.
I wish I could swear to you that I'm never going to read FLB again, but I'm actually probably going to read Pretty Dead pretty soon. Is there methadone for FLB-addicts?
This book is about a 17-year-old girl werewolf. She's got a closeted gay best friend and wealthy parents who don't understand her. She lives in a small, racist town, and she's dating a black boy from her high school, so of course, she's "closeted" in her own way with her secret interracial relationship. Her mom hunts wolves from airplanes, which set of an intergenerational feud between the werewolf people and Liv's family.
This book is like, classic Francesca Lia Block meets Sarah Palin meets Twilight, but without any of the magic you'd expect from all three. I didn't hate it as much as, say, Quakeland but it has nothing to do with the FLB I used to know and love. The heavy use of cliche "monster" mythologies (i.e. changing into a wolf is triggered by menstruation, the full moon, and rage) inside a totally nonsensical plot suck the magic right out of the story and leave the reader rustling around the dry husks of what could have been an engaging book. The book seems dated, even though it came out last year. The characters seem like caricatures of teenagers. The "closeted" gay kid who kills himself -- maybe because he's gay, or maybe because a ghost told him to? -- was hollow and insincere. Dirk and Duck were more realistic gay characters. The "contemporary" issues and darkness of teenagers is where FLB made a name for herself in the last 20 years, but she hasn't stayed relevant in that arena.
ALSO. The main character is a werewolf, right? So she's covered in a fine layer of hair, all over her body. And some guy who feels her up calls her Hairy Tits, a most unfortunate nickname that gets picked up by other kids in her school. If that doesn't make you instantly hate a book, then I don't know what to say to you.
I wish I could swear to you that I'm never going to read FLB again, but I'm actually probably going to read Pretty Dead pretty soon. Is there methadone for FLB-addicts?
Read
March 10, 2011I try to avoid ranting in my reviews. Yes, I'm not always full of praise and kudos. If I see a mistake, I point it out. If an author breaks rules they should know not to, I wag the finger reprovingly. If I find the characters or themes of the story offensive, I will say so. But I don't treat a bad book as a slap in the face. I don't come at an author with both barrels demanding the time I spent reading refunded. I don't take this stuff personally.
The Frenzy is bad in a way that I do take personally. It doesn't fail due to a lack of interesting ideas. In fact, it has some great ones. It doesn't fail due to a lack of skill on the authors part. Francesca Lia Block has over 30 published books and several prestigious awards to her credit, so she obviously knows what she's doing. No, the great failing of The Frenzy is laziness. It's a first draft. The author hasn't put in the work to make it the best it can be. It never should have found it's way to the bookshelves in it's current form. Someone somewhere along the way should have kicked it back to the author and said "We all know you can do better." Yes, yes, I know -- authors have to eat, deadlines have to be met, publishers have to turn in good quarterly reports. But there is still a very clear and distinct line between a book that has been polished to at least meet a certain standard of quality and a book that has been throw together without giving a damn. Don't ship the latter.
Read the full review at Lupines and Lunatics
The Frenzy is bad in a way that I do take personally. It doesn't fail due to a lack of interesting ideas. In fact, it has some great ones. It doesn't fail due to a lack of skill on the authors part. Francesca Lia Block has over 30 published books and several prestigious awards to her credit, so she obviously knows what she's doing. No, the great failing of The Frenzy is laziness. It's a first draft. The author hasn't put in the work to make it the best it can be. It never should have found it's way to the bookshelves in it's current form. Someone somewhere along the way should have kicked it back to the author and said "We all know you can do better." Yes, yes, I know -- authors have to eat, deadlines have to be met, publishers have to turn in good quarterly reports. But there is still a very clear and distinct line between a book that has been polished to at least meet a certain standard of quality and a book that has been throw together without giving a damn. Don't ship the latter.
Read the full review at Lupines and Lunatics
April 12, 2011
I definitely don't regret reading this... but I wasn't super blown away by it either.
Slight spoilers up ahead:
I enjoyed the female werewolf point of view. It was a new idea. She was super angry and confused. It consumed her at times. I hate how pretty much all the hate was aimed at the mom. Does the author have mommy issues?!!?! Kidding, but really I would have liked her to stop with the mom for just a bit. I also liked her friend Pace, but I really don't know why his story was neccessary. Why did we need to know about the ghost? It was random. Is she writing another book? Looking for a spin-off?? Whatever is was, that little side story was out of place for me. I somewhat liked her relationship with Corey- but hated all the hiding and i hated that she didn't tell him the truth. I also almost hated the ending. Usually I like the happily ever after, let's ride off into the sunset, but this time it didn't work. There are too many open doors. There is too much that could go wrong. Like I said, author is just pouncing to write another book. I just get that vibe.
Should you read it???
Maybe, if werewolf's interest you. You'll probably like it if you like the "Shiver" series, although I prefer it over this one.
3 stars
Sidenote: Cover is gorgeous! Love the green and read contrast!
Slight spoilers up ahead:
I enjoyed the female werewolf point of view. It was a new idea. She was super angry and confused. It consumed her at times. I hate how pretty much all the hate was aimed at the mom. Does the author have mommy issues?!!?! Kidding, but really I would have liked her to stop with the mom for just a bit. I also liked her friend Pace, but I really don't know why his story was neccessary. Why did we need to know about the ghost? It was random. Is she writing another book? Looking for a spin-off?? Whatever is was, that little side story was out of place for me. I somewhat liked her relationship with Corey- but hated all the hiding and i hated that she didn't tell him the truth. I also almost hated the ending. Usually I like the happily ever after, let's ride off into the sunset, but this time it didn't work. There are too many open doors. There is too much that could go wrong. Like I said, author is just pouncing to write another book. I just get that vibe.
Should you read it???
Maybe, if werewolf's interest you. You'll probably like it if you like the "Shiver" series, although I prefer it over this one.
3 stars
Sidenote: Cover is gorgeous! Love the green and read contrast!
July 16, 2015
It was ok. I liked the characters and the plot but neither of them touched their potential. The writing style was ok, kinda cheese at times, but enjoyable.
January 17, 2022
3.5 rounded up
Quick read. Told from female POV.
Quick read. Told from female POV.
November 9, 2010
This book really had great potential, the premise was interesting, but it just didn't live up to it. I tried to get into it, I really did, but nothing about it drew me in, made me desperate to flip the page to see what would happen next. Alot of that had to do with the plot. I found the plot to be quite thin and somewhat lacking. It was so obvious from the very beginning that Liv was a werewolf and I found so many things to be so predictable.
I really wasn't impressed with the character Liv. I didn't connect with her at all and found it quite annoying when she couldn't come to the obvious conclusion that she was a werewolf, even when it practically slaped her in the face. I mean, she has hair on most of her body, she has pointed teeth, she wakes up in the woods naked, covered in blood on a full moon, and she becomes very upset when her mother kills a wolf. Seriously? She couldn't fit all of those pieces together? The obvious fact that she was a werewolf only became clear to her when she was told straight up what she was.
Another thing about Liv that I didn't like about her was that I found her quite thoughtless and almost selfish at some points, especially towards the end of the book. Her friend Pace, who is gay, but unable to come out because he knows that people will respond negatively, is obviously going through a hard time, but because Liv's boyfriend Cory seems to have a little bit of an issue with Liv and Pace being so close, Liv pretty much abandons Pace in his time of need. As a result of what would seem like loneliness, confusion and the lack of a shoulder to lean on, Pace takes his own life. This is the part of the book that got to me the most. I felt that if she had been less worried about keeping her boyfriend happy then she could have been there to support Pace and that horrible situation could have been avoided. Maybe, maybe not. But I still feel as if she wasn't the friend that she should have been to him.
I also found Liv to be the type of character who would try to avoid her problems, try to pretend like they didn't exist, instead of facing them. At one point in the book, Liv even suggested the idea that the more she had sex with her boyfriend, the less problems she would have. To be quite honest, I was appalled when she suggested that. I know that that situation and idea is not unusal; having sex to try to avoid your problems was a major part of The DUFF by Kody Keplinger, but I found that that book had a message in the end that explained to the reader about how that wasn't the right way to go about dealing with things, that you have to face your problems. I found no such thing in The Frenzy that explained to the reader that having sex and avoiding your problems isn't the answer. In the end, Liv did what she does best and just left town with her boyfriend as if that would solve all of her problems.
There were also some other ends left untied and some questions left unanswered. There was a minor plotline the was brought into the story that had to do with a ghost and none of that got answered. I found things with Liv's family were left untied as well as things with Liv's biological father. That definitly took away from the book because I was left at the end unsatisfied with the conclusion because there were all of these loose ends.
Not everything about this book wasn't good. First off, the cover of this book is beautiful, it definitly draws the eye, though unfortunatly it doesn't live up to it's stunning cover. I found the romance/relationship between Liv and her boyfriend Corey to be rather sweet and cute for the most part, despite some of the issues that I previously mentioned in this review. I do believe that those two honestly and truely love eachother and I was glad that they had their happy ending. The writing in this book was okay, I wasn't anything spectacular, just okay (though I did find that some things were over repeated).
Overall, this book was a quick read, but nothing really special. I'm not sure if this is a series, I don't think that it is, but if it was I wouldn't be reading the sequel. Sadly, this one just didn't do it for me.
If you would like to read more of my reviews, check out my blog at http://yabookiemonster.blogspot.com !
I really wasn't impressed with the character Liv. I didn't connect with her at all and found it quite annoying when she couldn't come to the obvious conclusion that she was a werewolf, even when it practically slaped her in the face. I mean, she has hair on most of her body, she has pointed teeth, she wakes up in the woods naked, covered in blood on a full moon, and she becomes very upset when her mother kills a wolf. Seriously? She couldn't fit all of those pieces together? The obvious fact that she was a werewolf only became clear to her when she was told straight up what she was.
Another thing about Liv that I didn't like about her was that I found her quite thoughtless and almost selfish at some points, especially towards the end of the book. Her friend Pace, who is gay, but unable to come out because he knows that people will respond negatively, is obviously going through a hard time, but because Liv's boyfriend Cory seems to have a little bit of an issue with Liv and Pace being so close, Liv pretty much abandons Pace in his time of need. As a result of what would seem like loneliness, confusion and the lack of a shoulder to lean on, Pace takes his own life. This is the part of the book that got to me the most. I felt that if she had been less worried about keeping her boyfriend happy then she could have been there to support Pace and that horrible situation could have been avoided. Maybe, maybe not. But I still feel as if she wasn't the friend that she should have been to him.
I also found Liv to be the type of character who would try to avoid her problems, try to pretend like they didn't exist, instead of facing them. At one point in the book, Liv even suggested the idea that the more she had sex with her boyfriend, the less problems she would have. To be quite honest, I was appalled when she suggested that. I know that that situation and idea is not unusal; having sex to try to avoid your problems was a major part of The DUFF by Kody Keplinger, but I found that that book had a message in the end that explained to the reader about how that wasn't the right way to go about dealing with things, that you have to face your problems. I found no such thing in The Frenzy that explained to the reader that having sex and avoiding your problems isn't the answer. In the end, Liv did what she does best and just left town with her boyfriend as if that would solve all of her problems.
There were also some other ends left untied and some questions left unanswered. There was a minor plotline the was brought into the story that had to do with a ghost and none of that got answered. I found things with Liv's family were left untied as well as things with Liv's biological father. That definitly took away from the book because I was left at the end unsatisfied with the conclusion because there were all of these loose ends.
Not everything about this book wasn't good. First off, the cover of this book is beautiful, it definitly draws the eye, though unfortunatly it doesn't live up to it's stunning cover. I found the romance/relationship between Liv and her boyfriend Corey to be rather sweet and cute for the most part, despite some of the issues that I previously mentioned in this review. I do believe that those two honestly and truely love eachother and I was glad that they had their happy ending. The writing in this book was okay, I wasn't anything spectacular, just okay (though I did find that some things were over repeated).
Overall, this book was a quick read, but nothing really special. I'm not sure if this is a series, I don't think that it is, but if it was I wouldn't be reading the sequel. Sadly, this one just didn't do it for me.
If you would like to read more of my reviews, check out my blog at http://yabookiemonster.blogspot.com !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2011
http://thecoverreviews.blogspot.com/
Plot:
Olivia (Liv) doesn't fit in at school (except with her gay best friend, Pace, and her boyfriend, Corey) and she feels like the black sheep in the family. She has a layer of hair all over her body, so she is pretty much ostracized.
Liv feels like a monster practically the entire book, and doesn't really know what she is until she comes across a woman that answers all of her questions for her.
Liv is too scared to tell her parents who and what she really is, and who her boyfriend of three years is, and as the story goes on she has to come to grips and accept who she is.
I didn't find anything especially exciting about the plot. It was just kind of there. There weren't really any super exciting things happening until the very last event.
I just think the plot could have been improved on immensely to be more interesting.
Characters:
I felt no connection the characters whatsoever. I think the book would have been better if I at least felt any sympathy for Liv, or felt anything towards the characters for that matter.
Like the plot, they were just there.
Writing:
By the first page, I could tell that I didn't like the way this book was written. I don't really know how to describe it: it was awkward, and Liv's thoughts were pretty repetitive, and it felt like someone younger than me could have written it.
Now, I'm not trying to bash Francesca's writing, because some people love the way she writes, but it's just not for me.
Ending:
The ending was the best part of the book. It had the most action; the most excitement.
I just wish it would have happened earlier.
Cover:
The cover to this is okay. I LOVE the shade of purple on the spine and the back, and how the model's green eyes pop, but something about this cover just didn't do it for me.
Lovely Line:
No lines really popped out at me while I was reading this book.
The Final Verdict:
I wouldn't recommend that you don't read this, but if you decide you want to read it, I would be cautious. Maybe check it out from the library or something.
I didn't hate this book. Don't get me wrong, it definitely wasn't close to my favorite book. But I still would recommend it to people, if they like the way Francesca Lia Block writes.
I'll probably read another one of her books just to be sure that it was her that I didn't like, and not the book.
Plot:
Olivia (Liv) doesn't fit in at school (except with her gay best friend, Pace, and her boyfriend, Corey) and she feels like the black sheep in the family. She has a layer of hair all over her body, so she is pretty much ostracized.
Liv feels like a monster practically the entire book, and doesn't really know what she is until she comes across a woman that answers all of her questions for her.
Liv is too scared to tell her parents who and what she really is, and who her boyfriend of three years is, and as the story goes on she has to come to grips and accept who she is.
I didn't find anything especially exciting about the plot. It was just kind of there. There weren't really any super exciting things happening until the very last event.
I just think the plot could have been improved on immensely to be more interesting.
Characters:
I felt no connection the characters whatsoever. I think the book would have been better if I at least felt any sympathy for Liv, or felt anything towards the characters for that matter.
Like the plot, they were just there.
Writing:
By the first page, I could tell that I didn't like the way this book was written. I don't really know how to describe it: it was awkward, and Liv's thoughts were pretty repetitive, and it felt like someone younger than me could have written it.
Now, I'm not trying to bash Francesca's writing, because some people love the way she writes, but it's just not for me.
Ending:
The ending was the best part of the book. It had the most action; the most excitement.
I just wish it would have happened earlier.
Cover:
The cover to this is okay. I LOVE the shade of purple on the spine and the back, and how the model's green eyes pop, but something about this cover just didn't do it for me.
Lovely Line:
No lines really popped out at me while I was reading this book.
The Final Verdict:
I wouldn't recommend that you don't read this, but if you decide you want to read it, I would be cautious. Maybe check it out from the library or something.
I didn't hate this book. Don't get me wrong, it definitely wasn't close to my favorite book. But I still would recommend it to people, if they like the way Francesca Lia Block writes.
I'll probably read another one of her books just to be sure that it was her that I didn't like, and not the book.
December 8, 2010
I was seriously pissed when I finished this book! Not exactly what I was expecting. Too many things went wrong in this book and there is no explanation for them.
1) Olivia, the main character, gay best friend, Pace, commits suicide after falling in love with a ghost that ALSO committed suicide about 100 years ago!!
2)Her newfound wolf pack "family" tells her that she has to kill her mother!
3)and the one that takes the cake is SHE LOSSES HER HAND!! Shot right off and that ain't even the worst part....her MOM shoots it off!!! I mean SERIOUSLY! COME ON!!!
I really don't know what I should have been expecting from Francesca Lia Block, what with her tract record at having the greatest books end SOOOOOOOOO badly! UHHHHH......
I'm officially warned and hopefully won't make the same mistake twice....
1) Olivia, the main character, gay best friend, Pace, commits suicide after falling in love with a ghost that ALSO committed suicide about 100 years ago!!
2)Her newfound wolf pack "family" tells her that she has to kill her mother!
3)and the one that takes the cake is SHE LOSSES HER HAND!! Shot right off and that ain't even the worst part....her MOM shoots it off!!! I mean SERIOUSLY! COME ON!!!
I really don't know what I should have been expecting from Francesca Lia Block, what with her tract record at having the greatest books end SOOOOOOOOO badly! UHHHHH......
I'm officially warned and hopefully won't make the same mistake twice....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2010
* 1/2
--This book in 6 words:
I would not have finished this
--Why did I read this? And am I glad I did?
I thought this would be a fun read based on the summary. I just didn’t like this. I didn’t like the writing style. I didn’t care about the predictable plot. The characters were forced. While I did like the werewolf mythology, we didn’t really get to see much of it. I’m torn on even trying anything else by this author. If you’re read something by her and like it, will you please let me know?
--Read the full review here : http://www.25hourbooks.com/2010/08/th...
--This book in 6 words:
I would not have finished this
--Why did I read this? And am I glad I did?
I thought this would be a fun read based on the summary. I just didn’t like this. I didn’t like the writing style. I didn’t care about the predictable plot. The characters were forced. While I did like the werewolf mythology, we didn’t really get to see much of it. I’m torn on even trying anything else by this author. If you’re read something by her and like it, will you please let me know?
--Read the full review here : http://www.25hourbooks.com/2010/08/th...
November 8, 2015
WTF have I just read ?!
January 25, 2019
Not your usual teenaged angst. Lon Chaney would be proud. Block is a gifted YA author with a solid ear for character and dialogue. Frenzy travels into some of the darker corners of family issues but is no less a page-turner.
January 15, 2016
Rating: 2.5-3/5
Au trecut mai bine de doi ani de când a apărut această carte la noi. Am reuşit şi eu după multă vreme să o citesc întrucât o aveam de anul trecut ( în urma unui schimb de cărţi).
Am auzit multe păreri negative despre "Frenezia" dar şi unele pozitive fapt ce mi-a dat de înţeles că fie avea să îmi placă, fie nu. Nu mi s-a părut o carte rea (ce mod frumos de a vă îmbia în lecturarea ei!) dar cu siguranţă nu aveam cum să îi dau 5 steluţe după ce am citit-o.
Acţiunea o urmăreşte pe Liv, o fată de 13 ani care din momentul în care devine femeie, şi alte transformări încep să se petreacă înauntrul ei (şi nu numai).
Faptul că autoarea i-a oferit acestei cărţi o anume apropiere de realitate l-am considerat un plus. Îmbinarea elementelor supranaturale, fantastice cu viaţa normală a personajelor este făcută destul de bine însă cred că poveştii îi lipseşte acel ceva care îi dă unei cărţi sclipirea.
Această lectură are o anumită profunzime, şi dacă vă aşteptaţi ca ea să fie una fericită, pot să vă spun că veţi avea parte şi de momente mai triste, veţi suferi alături de personaje şi veţi simţi că în ciuda prezenţei fantasticului din carte personajele sunt...umane. :)
Ce nu mi-a plăcut la această carte a fost presupun lipsa elaborării subiectului, sfârşitul care mă făcea să mă gândesc la nesăbuinţa personajelor şi limbajul autoarei, modul de exprimare (destul de simplu şi oarecum neatregător pentru un cititor care doreşte să fie surprins şi prins în mrejele lecturii). Personajele, nu foarte multe la număr, nu consider că au fost îndeajuns de bine descrise iar emoţiile protagonistei erau de cele mai multe ori prea mult expuse cititorului în mod direct şi nu în mod indirect, lucru ce ar fi permis o altă percepţie a evenimentelor.
Nu recomand în mod special această carte. Nu este rea însă după lecturarea ei (lucru ce se poate face destul de rapid) nu cred că veţi rămâne cu gândul la ea. Sunt multe cărţi pe lumea aceasta şi noi încercăm să le găsim pe cele în care ne regăsim. De cele mai multe ori mă gândesc că cel mai bine ar fi să mai facem şi pauze de citit (mă refer la persoanele care citesc destul de mult) şi să ne apucăm să răsfoim cărţile deja citite, cărţile care ne-au transmis atât de multe în momentul în care le-am citit.
Voi aţi reuşit să lecturaţi această carte? Ce părere aţi avut despre ea?
Citate:
"Când m-am ridicat, Corey mi-a îmbrăţişat picioarele şi m-a culcat la pământ. Ne-am rostogolit pe stratul de muşchi moale, iar în păr ni s-au prins frunze. Mi-am lipit faţa de pieptul lui şi-am încercat să mă ghemuiesc lângă el, să mă fac şi mai mică, să nu mai trebuiască să plec niciodată."
"M-am uitat cum a sărit jos, în grădina de dedesubt, într-un fel în care niciun băiat n-ar fi putut să sară. S-a întors şi a privit în sus la mine, pentru ultima oară, apoi a dispărut în noapte.
Am simţit parfumul trandafirilor ca pe o otravă minunată."
"Voiam să-i strig totul mamei mele. [...]
Dar ştiam că, în aceeaşi măsură, era şi vina mea. Pentru că nu-l sunasem mai des pe Pace. Pentru că-l lăsasem singur când era rănit. Pentru că nu văzusem semnele. Poate chiar pentru că mă născusem."
September 11, 2010
At the age of 13, Liv experienced two changes: her first period and her first shift. After finding out her mother shot and killed a wolf, sudden rage filled Liv where she fled to the woods to seek comfort against her desire to kill her mother. Liv’s life drastically changes from then on.
Francesca Lia Block is one of those authors that I felt guilty never reading her novels. Her books won awards, recognition, and praise, but I am weary of hype now. Having received an ARC of The Frenzy for review my excuses for not a Lia Block novel ran out and it is really is a small book that I should have no trouble reading in-between classes and assignments.
The Frenzy as a whole was a large melting pot of disappointment. Lia Block has various mini-themes throughout the novel: homophobia, racism, abuse, suicide, low self-esteem, sex, etc. Issues that when dealt with correctly can expand the novel into something more yet The Frenzy was an underwhelming and underdevelopment piece of work that lacked clear direction.
One of the things that I first noticed about The Frenzy was its tendency to jump around. Trying to picture a clear timeline of certain events was like trying to swat a fly. Many paragraphs began with “Before I ____, I ____” with one of the biggest event was losing her virginity to Corey. When we’re introduced to Corey they had already “made love”, but as we are further taken into their relationship they had not yet have sex. Everything was spoken in past tense, but some scenes were spoken in the present or would it be the future?
Another issue I have was the “curse”. It is spoilery so please don’t read this paragraph if you hate spoilers. So Liv’s mother shoots a werewolf, the wife of said werewolf places a curse on her. Liv is born as a werewolf. Yet we later find out that the mother had an affair or at least a one-nighter with another guy in town, who turns out to be a werewolf. So my question is: is Liv a werewolf because of the curse or because of her true father or a combination of both? It seems as if Lia Block indecisive as to what she’s writing and just spewing this at the reader to make things more “interesting”, “dynamic”, or “tension-filled”.
Pace, the gay male in a small town who is best friends with Liv. I love his character. But by the end of the novel I fill like he’s a coat-rack that is a main prop for Liv’s excuses and I don’t understand the purpose of his character. Liv confines in him and he faces one of the many issues today, but the way he develops and ends that makes me wonder.
The ending makes me want to cover my eyes. Liv is running away from her problems and not dealing with anything and the novel ends on such a bad note. Spoilery so again, don’t read if you feel uncomfortable about it: so two teenagers, well every much adults very soon, run to New York on a motorcycle. Where do they plan to go? They’re families do not whole-heartily “approve” of their relationship and only one of them actually had original plans to go to NYC for college. NYC is far different outcry than say the woods in the town.
The Frenzy has too many components for this underdeveloped plotline that if had been taken further would have been great.
Francesca Lia Block is one of those authors that I felt guilty never reading her novels. Her books won awards, recognition, and praise, but I am weary of hype now. Having received an ARC of The Frenzy for review my excuses for not a Lia Block novel ran out and it is really is a small book that I should have no trouble reading in-between classes and assignments.
The Frenzy as a whole was a large melting pot of disappointment. Lia Block has various mini-themes throughout the novel: homophobia, racism, abuse, suicide, low self-esteem, sex, etc. Issues that when dealt with correctly can expand the novel into something more yet The Frenzy was an underwhelming and underdevelopment piece of work that lacked clear direction.
One of the things that I first noticed about The Frenzy was its tendency to jump around. Trying to picture a clear timeline of certain events was like trying to swat a fly. Many paragraphs began with “Before I ____, I ____” with one of the biggest event was losing her virginity to Corey. When we’re introduced to Corey they had already “made love”, but as we are further taken into their relationship they had not yet have sex. Everything was spoken in past tense, but some scenes were spoken in the present or would it be the future?
Another issue I have was the “curse”. It is spoilery so please don’t read this paragraph if you hate spoilers. So Liv’s mother shoots a werewolf, the wife of said werewolf places a curse on her. Liv is born as a werewolf. Yet we later find out that the mother had an affair or at least a one-nighter with another guy in town, who turns out to be a werewolf. So my question is: is Liv a werewolf because of the curse or because of her true father or a combination of both? It seems as if Lia Block indecisive as to what she’s writing and just spewing this at the reader to make things more “interesting”, “dynamic”, or “tension-filled”.
Pace, the gay male in a small town who is best friends with Liv. I love his character. But by the end of the novel I fill like he’s a coat-rack that is a main prop for Liv’s excuses and I don’t understand the purpose of his character. Liv confines in him and he faces one of the many issues today, but the way he develops and ends that makes me wonder.
The ending makes me want to cover my eyes. Liv is running away from her problems and not dealing with anything and the novel ends on such a bad note. Spoilery so again, don’t read if you feel uncomfortable about it: so two teenagers, well every much adults very soon, run to New York on a motorcycle. Where do they plan to go? They’re families do not whole-heartily “approve” of their relationship and only one of them actually had original plans to go to NYC for college. NYC is far different outcry than say the woods in the town.
The Frenzy has too many components for this underdeveloped plotline that if had been taken further would have been great.
July 18, 2010
Werewolf books never used to one of my favorite types of YA books, but with amazing ones like The Frenzy, Sisters Red, and Raised by Wolves, it's seriously getting harder and harder for them not to be anymore.
The Frenzy tells the story of Liv, a girl who's always felt like an outsider among her peers and family ever since the chaos that occurred when she was thirteen, chaos that lead to her being taken to a shrink and her family and her growing even farther apart. Though, now it's five years latter and everything seems to be going just fine with the expectation of a few things. She has an amazing boyfriend named Kyle, a best friend who loves and accepts her for who she is, and best of all she hasn't had any more 'incidents'. But soon everything is going to change; relationships will be tested, secrets will come out, and everything may just be getting a little bit more hairy. And the question that bets all; will Liv be able to handle all the pressure? Only time and pages will tell!
Liv was such a great protagonist to lead the story. She was an interesting and relatable character that I never had any trouble rooting for, and I always found her struggle to hid the so-called evil part in her to be intriguing and well done, because I could always feel her need to release the 'beast' in herself yet her other need to keep it hidden. Plus I really enjoyed seeing how her relationships with the two guys who meant the most to her- Pace and Corey- were used to show the many sides to her (Corey with the lovable and normal side to Pace with her outsider and need to fit in side), and adding to this, I liked seeing how both were used to move her along development wise. Though, I have to admit, I would have liked some more character development to both Corey and Pace because I always felt there wasn't nearly enough.
Further more, the plot of this was another part of the story I enjoyed. It never failed to keep me interested with the sudden twists and turns it would take the story in, ones that always lead for me to be eager to see what would occur next, and I have to say I really enjoyed the different characteristics Francesca gave the werewolves in the story.
Lastly, I really enjoyed Francesca's writing and story building, but I really would have liked to seen more development to plot lines and secondary character development, as well as a less choppy and rushed ending.
Regardless, The Frenzy is still a read I highly enjoyed, one that I will not be hesitating to suggest come its release date this September.
Grade: B
The Frenzy tells the story of Liv, a girl who's always felt like an outsider among her peers and family ever since the chaos that occurred when she was thirteen, chaos that lead to her being taken to a shrink and her family and her growing even farther apart. Though, now it's five years latter and everything seems to be going just fine with the expectation of a few things. She has an amazing boyfriend named Kyle, a best friend who loves and accepts her for who she is, and best of all she hasn't had any more 'incidents'. But soon everything is going to change; relationships will be tested, secrets will come out, and everything may just be getting a little bit more hairy. And the question that bets all; will Liv be able to handle all the pressure? Only time and pages will tell!
Liv was such a great protagonist to lead the story. She was an interesting and relatable character that I never had any trouble rooting for, and I always found her struggle to hid the so-called evil part in her to be intriguing and well done, because I could always feel her need to release the 'beast' in herself yet her other need to keep it hidden. Plus I really enjoyed seeing how her relationships with the two guys who meant the most to her- Pace and Corey- were used to show the many sides to her (Corey with the lovable and normal side to Pace with her outsider and need to fit in side), and adding to this, I liked seeing how both were used to move her along development wise. Though, I have to admit, I would have liked some more character development to both Corey and Pace because I always felt there wasn't nearly enough.
Further more, the plot of this was another part of the story I enjoyed. It never failed to keep me interested with the sudden twists and turns it would take the story in, ones that always lead for me to be eager to see what would occur next, and I have to say I really enjoyed the different characteristics Francesca gave the werewolves in the story.
Lastly, I really enjoyed Francesca's writing and story building, but I really would have liked to seen more development to plot lines and secondary character development, as well as a less choppy and rushed ending.
Regardless, The Frenzy is still a read I highly enjoyed, one that I will not be hesitating to suggest come its release date this September.
Grade: B
November 13, 2013
Am citit cartea pentru ca o aveam deja de prea mult timp in biblioteca si nu e nici foarte mare incat sa zic ca m-a speriat numarul de pagini. De fapt nu prea stiam la ce sa mă astept de la ea pentru ca parerile despre ea auzite de mine sunt doar proaste. Insa dupa ce-am citit-o nu o pot numi o carte proasta, ci doar altfel. O carte care se bazeaza mai mult pe emotii, sentimente si trairi decat pe actiune, o carte in care cuvintele incearca sa spuna mai multe in substrat decat se vede la prima vedere.
As zice ca fiecare om din carte are povestea lui doar ca timpul ar fi prea scurt ca sa o zica pe toata, aşa ca ne ajung bucati mult prea incarcate emotional si reusim sa percepem foarte puţin. N-as numi cartea aceasta una pentru adolescenti, ci poate pentru cei care intra in adolescenta, pentru ca am regasit in carte o oarecare inocenta, teama de necunoscut si nesiguranta mult mai pregnanta decat de obicei.
Cum am mai spus actiunea e foarte putina, totul se invarte in jurul tranformarii, daca o pot numi aşa, a lui Liv, a lui Pace, care mi s-a parut dragut si de treaba, aşa cat am reusit sa deduc din felul in care se purta cu ea si din dicutiile lor, si a lui Corey, un tip simpatic, dar care e vazut de ceilalti altfel doar pentru ca are alta culoare. Sincer am impresia ca multe probleme si situatii din care ar fi putut fi rezolvate sau evitate daca n-ar fi existat atatea idei gresite, atât de putina dorinta de acceptare a oamenilor altfel, poate doar speciali, si nu atât de diferiti de ei. Adica naibii cat sa conteze culoarea pielii sau orientarea sexuala daca acel om e de treaba, cu bun simt si prietenos? Chiar daca cartea asta mi s-a parut inocenta, poate uşor naiva, cu intriga imbobocita si nu inflorita pe deplin, reuseste sa puna pe masa o problema destul de serioasa: pe langa „problema” lui Liv, care e judecata aspru de ceilalti, chiar si de parintii ei, e mereu adusa in discutie diferenta, acea calitate sau defect care face pe cineva ciudat. Oamenii nu pricep ca ciudat nu inseamna mereu gresit, monstru, pericol. Cred ca avem de invatat din asta.
Cred c-ar trebui citita cartea ca pe o scurta lectie, atât la propriu cat si la figurat, si nu ca pe ceva plin de suspans, cu multe rasturnari de situatie si personaje extraordinare, e mai mult o privire aruncata in sufletul cuiva special si nu tocmai inteles si ascultat de cei din jurul sau.
Prima data postata pe http://nervidetoamna.blogspot.ro/
As zice ca fiecare om din carte are povestea lui doar ca timpul ar fi prea scurt ca sa o zica pe toata, aşa ca ne ajung bucati mult prea incarcate emotional si reusim sa percepem foarte puţin. N-as numi cartea aceasta una pentru adolescenti, ci poate pentru cei care intra in adolescenta, pentru ca am regasit in carte o oarecare inocenta, teama de necunoscut si nesiguranta mult mai pregnanta decat de obicei.
Cum am mai spus actiunea e foarte putina, totul se invarte in jurul tranformarii, daca o pot numi aşa, a lui Liv, a lui Pace, care mi s-a parut dragut si de treaba, aşa cat am reusit sa deduc din felul in care se purta cu ea si din dicutiile lor, si a lui Corey, un tip simpatic, dar care e vazut de ceilalti altfel doar pentru ca are alta culoare. Sincer am impresia ca multe probleme si situatii din care ar fi putut fi rezolvate sau evitate daca n-ar fi existat atatea idei gresite, atât de putina dorinta de acceptare a oamenilor altfel, poate doar speciali, si nu atât de diferiti de ei. Adica naibii cat sa conteze culoarea pielii sau orientarea sexuala daca acel om e de treaba, cu bun simt si prietenos? Chiar daca cartea asta mi s-a parut inocenta, poate uşor naiva, cu intriga imbobocita si nu inflorita pe deplin, reuseste sa puna pe masa o problema destul de serioasa: pe langa „problema” lui Liv, care e judecata aspru de ceilalti, chiar si de parintii ei, e mereu adusa in discutie diferenta, acea calitate sau defect care face pe cineva ciudat. Oamenii nu pricep ca ciudat nu inseamna mereu gresit, monstru, pericol. Cred ca avem de invatat din asta.
Cred c-ar trebui citita cartea ca pe o scurta lectie, atât la propriu cat si la figurat, si nu ca pe ceva plin de suspans, cu multe rasturnari de situatie si personaje extraordinare, e mai mult o privire aruncata in sufletul cuiva special si nu tocmai inteles si ascultat de cei din jurul sau.
Prima data postata pe http://nervidetoamna.blogspot.ro/
September 10, 2012
Cu ce să încep?
Destul de greu. Ca de obicei.
Pentru început, aș vrea să vă spun că am fost foarte reticentă , mai ales după ce am citit o mulțime de recenzii negative făcute acestei cărți. O aveam în bibliotecă. Ce să fac?
Am lăsat-o la o parte după primele douăzeci de pagini. Asta până când Daniela m-a convins să o reiau.
Eu stau și mă întreb. Ce rol au recenziile? Acela de a ne ghida spre anumite cărți, nu?
Cam așa ceva..
Hai să fim serioși, dacă vreau să scot în ochii voștrii o carte relativ bună ca fiind odioasă, o pot face foarte ușor. Dar ce rost are?
Ok, poate că Francesca Lia Block nu are un stil prea bine definit și complex. Dar credeți-mă, Frenezia nu e o carte proastă. Asta dacă o priviți din perspectiva acțiunii și a moralei.
Deci, am spus, lăsăm la o parte felul în care este relatat totul, ne referim doar la fapte.
Se întâmplă atât de multe într-o carte de 200 de pagini.
Avem de a face cu o adolescentă roșcată păroasă (nu știu de ce îmi place să o numesc astfel pe Liv) , un iubit negru, un fals-iubit gay, o familie care are drept hobby ucisul lupilor, un amic care face proteze din lemn și metal și o lupoaică însoțită de șapte pui.
M-am decis să fac o recenzie cu spoilere. Practic, ele fac deliciul cărții. Promit să nu fie prea multe.
Liv iubește să se relaxeze alături de adevăratul ei iubit, Corey, în pădure, acolo unde nimeni nu îi poate vedea și judeca. Liv a fost mereu marginalizată pentru părul ei roșu, întâlnit mai ales pe corp. Dar iată că pe Corey nu îl interesează și, înafară de Pace, singurul care îi este alături.
Familia Oliviei nu pare să fie așa perfectă pe cât pare, dovedindu-se mai târziu că mama ei este o vânătoare înrăită și așa-zisul ei tată nu e chiar tatăl ei.
Destinul se dovedește incă odată crud pentru Liv și tocmai mama ei o împușcă într-o seară când aceasta era tranformată în lup. Astfel, mania mamei ei pentru lupi se transformă într-un adevărat șoc atunci când conștientizează că Liv avea să își piardă brațul.
În carte, totul se transformă în tragedie. Pace moare, Liv pleacă de acasă împreună cu Corey, lăsându-și viața în spate.
Nu v-am dat prea multe detalii dar, dacă vreți să avem o discuție la această postare pe marginea subiectului, dați-i bice!
Destul de greu. Ca de obicei.
Pentru început, aș vrea să vă spun că am fost foarte reticentă , mai ales după ce am citit o mulțime de recenzii negative făcute acestei cărți. O aveam în bibliotecă. Ce să fac?
Am lăsat-o la o parte după primele douăzeci de pagini. Asta până când Daniela m-a convins să o reiau.
Eu stau și mă întreb. Ce rol au recenziile? Acela de a ne ghida spre anumite cărți, nu?
Cam așa ceva..
Hai să fim serioși, dacă vreau să scot în ochii voștrii o carte relativ bună ca fiind odioasă, o pot face foarte ușor. Dar ce rost are?
Ok, poate că Francesca Lia Block nu are un stil prea bine definit și complex. Dar credeți-mă, Frenezia nu e o carte proastă. Asta dacă o priviți din perspectiva acțiunii și a moralei.
Deci, am spus, lăsăm la o parte felul în care este relatat totul, ne referim doar la fapte.
Se întâmplă atât de multe într-o carte de 200 de pagini.
Avem de a face cu o adolescentă roșcată păroasă (nu știu de ce îmi place să o numesc astfel pe Liv) , un iubit negru, un fals-iubit gay, o familie care are drept hobby ucisul lupilor, un amic care face proteze din lemn și metal și o lupoaică însoțită de șapte pui.
M-am decis să fac o recenzie cu spoilere. Practic, ele fac deliciul cărții. Promit să nu fie prea multe.
Liv iubește să se relaxeze alături de adevăratul ei iubit, Corey, în pădure, acolo unde nimeni nu îi poate vedea și judeca. Liv a fost mereu marginalizată pentru părul ei roșu, întâlnit mai ales pe corp. Dar iată că pe Corey nu îl interesează și, înafară de Pace, singurul care îi este alături.
Familia Oliviei nu pare să fie așa perfectă pe cât pare, dovedindu-se mai târziu că mama ei este o vânătoare înrăită și așa-zisul ei tată nu e chiar tatăl ei.
Destinul se dovedește incă odată crud pentru Liv și tocmai mama ei o împușcă într-o seară când aceasta era tranformată în lup. Astfel, mania mamei ei pentru lupi se transformă într-un adevărat șoc atunci când conștientizează că Liv avea să își piardă brațul.
În carte, totul se transformă în tragedie. Pace moare, Liv pleacă de acasă împreună cu Corey, lăsându-și viața în spate.
Nu v-am dat prea multe detalii dar, dacă vreți să avem o discuție la această postare pe marginea subiectului, dați-i bice!
December 2, 2010
The Frenzy is told from 17 yr old Liv point of view, and starts off with her looking back to when she was 13 years old when the "transformation" first happened. She always felt a little different but when her mother comes home from a hunting trip with a dead wolf in the back of her truck, it sets Liv off and she has no idea what's happening. Liv has never felt more alone that she did then.
Now 17, she has her boyfriend Corey and her best friend Pace. Pace is someone she's confided in. They both share their secrets and have been there for each other when no one has. When Pace is found dead, who can Liv turn to? How do you tell your boyfriend you're a werewolf? That's only part of Liv's problem. Dark family secrets, a pack of wolves and an ancient curse will make Liv question everything she's ever known about herself, her family and the town she's grown up in.
Liv has no one she can turn to talk about her werewolf problems, but when the pack comes to her, she can either give in and accept their ways, she can fight it and try and keep a normal life with Corey. The pack has their own secrets and are tied to Liv in more ways than one. There's something about their leader Victor that draws Liv in, but if she does, she might lose Corey forever.
Being a huge wolf girl fan, I was really looking forward to reading a different take on werewolves. I think Francesca's spin on wolves was fascinating. I didn't feel a connection to the story and characters like I had hoped, or like I wanted to. I felt the plot kept jumping around, which made me feel the story was a little choppy. I really wanted to get to know more about the bigger characters like Victor, the leader of the wolf pack, Corey and Pace. Having said that, if there's a sequel, I'm definitely going to read it. I've learned that just because I don't connect to the first book in a series, doesn't mean I won't love the next book. There's more I'd like to find out about the story and characters. The Frenzy is a quick read and one I think Francesca's fans will like. This is a YA book, and does have some maturer YA content in it.
Now 17, she has her boyfriend Corey and her best friend Pace. Pace is someone she's confided in. They both share their secrets and have been there for each other when no one has. When Pace is found dead, who can Liv turn to? How do you tell your boyfriend you're a werewolf? That's only part of Liv's problem. Dark family secrets, a pack of wolves and an ancient curse will make Liv question everything she's ever known about herself, her family and the town she's grown up in.
Liv has no one she can turn to talk about her werewolf problems, but when the pack comes to her, she can either give in and accept their ways, she can fight it and try and keep a normal life with Corey. The pack has their own secrets and are tied to Liv in more ways than one. There's something about their leader Victor that draws Liv in, but if she does, she might lose Corey forever.
Being a huge wolf girl fan, I was really looking forward to reading a different take on werewolves. I think Francesca's spin on wolves was fascinating. I didn't feel a connection to the story and characters like I had hoped, or like I wanted to. I felt the plot kept jumping around, which made me feel the story was a little choppy. I really wanted to get to know more about the bigger characters like Victor, the leader of the wolf pack, Corey and Pace. Having said that, if there's a sequel, I'm definitely going to read it. I've learned that just because I don't connect to the first book in a series, doesn't mean I won't love the next book. There's more I'd like to find out about the story and characters. The Frenzy is a quick read and one I think Francesca's fans will like. This is a YA book, and does have some maturer YA content in it.
September 22, 2011
The cover is beautiful, it has movement, and interest, all the things the story lacks in abundance.
A quick summary. Liv is a 17 year old werewolf. Who's in denial. She's weird and awkward, but Liv finds a place to belong with Pace her best friend and Corey her boyfriend. Liv lives a lie hiding who and what she is from everyone even herself. Her mom is the perfect former beauty queen huntress, to Liv's abnormal freakish physical qualities and vegetarian tendencies. Liv doesn't want to face what she is, or trust her boyfriend to still love her if he knew she was different. But a mysterious family of werewolves has been keeping an eye on her for years. With their appearance she will have to confront her fears.
With the substance in this book I find it hard to even write this review. I don't know where to begin. Ugh, I finished this story thinking, Can I get my Money Back? It seems like Block wanted to take these commonly used ideas and story lines and do something different. But it came off under planned and patchy and just failed. I suppose I have to mention that this book is really short, maybe too short. The story could have used more development, there's barely any backstory to a lot of the threads. The conclusions felt limp. They did make sense, but I don't feel Block elaborated enough on anything, especially Pace's romance, or end. The story line about the werewolf family and Victor was like an after thought, hardly worth mentioning, but could have become a great love triangle. I also found the romance in this book weak. We enter the story when everything great about a romance has already happened, not that it mattered the way they came together was pretty anti climatic anyway. Liv had already made up her mind, she had known and been with Corey for years, so there was no wooing, no falling in love or challenge from another beau. It was really a little bit of angst, apprehension, then a lot of sex. The whole book seemed more like an outline or summary for a book in the process of being written. I found the Frenzy anything but what the title suggests. It was flat and depressing.
A quick summary. Liv is a 17 year old werewolf. Who's in denial. She's weird and awkward, but Liv finds a place to belong with Pace her best friend and Corey her boyfriend. Liv lives a lie hiding who and what she is from everyone even herself. Her mom is the perfect former beauty queen huntress, to Liv's abnormal freakish physical qualities and vegetarian tendencies. Liv doesn't want to face what she is, or trust her boyfriend to still love her if he knew she was different. But a mysterious family of werewolves has been keeping an eye on her for years. With their appearance she will have to confront her fears.
With the substance in this book I find it hard to even write this review. I don't know where to begin. Ugh, I finished this story thinking, Can I get my Money Back? It seems like Block wanted to take these commonly used ideas and story lines and do something different. But it came off under planned and patchy and just failed. I suppose I have to mention that this book is really short, maybe too short. The story could have used more development, there's barely any backstory to a lot of the threads. The conclusions felt limp. They did make sense, but I don't feel Block elaborated enough on anything, especially Pace's romance, or end. The story line about the werewolf family and Victor was like an after thought, hardly worth mentioning, but could have become a great love triangle. I also found the romance in this book weak. We enter the story when everything great about a romance has already happened, not that it mattered the way they came together was pretty anti climatic anyway. Liv had already made up her mind, she had known and been with Corey for years, so there was no wooing, no falling in love or challenge from another beau. It was really a little bit of angst, apprehension, then a lot of sex. The whole book seemed more like an outline or summary for a book in the process of being written. I found the Frenzy anything but what the title suggests. It was flat and depressing.
October 20, 2010
2.5 stars - Fast read. I finished this book in about 3 hours and I'm a slow to average paced reader. This was an okay read. Not boring, but not exciting either. The story line moved along ( a little choppy in parts) but something was missing. It could have been much more.
Yeahs ::
* Shifters/werewoves - my favorite paranormal stories to read ... thumbs up for that.
* Pace was an awesome character. I was drawn to him right away, to bad he wasn't the love interest.
* Joe Ranger twist was cool. I figured it out early on, but it was still a nice twist.
Nays ::
* Olivia is a werewolf. She's hairy (while in human form), temperamental and lost. Hairy female? Not cool. She has pointy ears and small pointy teeth. What humans do you know have pointy teeth? And yet, no one comments on her pointy animal teeth?
* Olivia didn't strike me as a character that was interesting enough to follow. If this is a series, I probably will not continue. She was borderline annoying. She's wishy washy and I just couldn't care about her.
* Pace has a side "ghost" story that is introduced and focused on. But never followed through with. Why introduce a story that isn't completed or settled.
* The introduction of Victor and the other brothers was lacking. They were thrown in fast and taken away fast. It was choppy and of need of a smoother transition.
* Everything about this book was just okay. It was missing a wow factor. Even the death of a big character was washed over and unemotional.
Plot 3 stars
Cover 4 stars
Writing 2 stars
Setting 3 stars
Originality 3 stars
Characters 2 stars
Romance / Chemistry 2 stars
Drama : Romance 70:30
Ending 3 stars
Good enough to pick up again 2 stars
Sexual Content - G rated kissing scenes,some bad language (nothing that is not said on TV), and reference to sex/love making.
Yeahs ::
* Shifters/werewoves - my favorite paranormal stories to read ... thumbs up for that.
* Pace was an awesome character. I was drawn to him right away, to bad he wasn't the love interest.
* Joe Ranger twist was cool. I figured it out early on, but it was still a nice twist.
Nays ::
* Olivia is a werewolf. She's hairy (while in human form), temperamental and lost. Hairy female? Not cool. She has pointy ears and small pointy teeth. What humans do you know have pointy teeth? And yet, no one comments on her pointy animal teeth?
* Olivia didn't strike me as a character that was interesting enough to follow. If this is a series, I probably will not continue. She was borderline annoying. She's wishy washy and I just couldn't care about her.
* Pace has a side "ghost" story that is introduced and focused on. But never followed through with. Why introduce a story that isn't completed or settled.
* The introduction of Victor and the other brothers was lacking. They were thrown in fast and taken away fast. It was choppy and of need of a smoother transition.
* Everything about this book was just okay. It was missing a wow factor. Even the death of a big character was washed over and unemotional.
Plot 3 stars
Cover 4 stars
Writing 2 stars
Setting 3 stars
Originality 3 stars
Characters 2 stars
Romance / Chemistry 2 stars
Drama : Romance 70:30
Ending 3 stars
Good enough to pick up again 2 stars
Sexual Content - G rated kissing scenes,some bad language (nothing that is not said on TV), and reference to sex/love making.
May 23, 2011
More review here
While I wasn’t disappointed in this book it’s not one of my favorites.
Werewolf books are my favorite genre book, if I had to pick anything to read it would be a werewolf story, I have read a bunch of werewolf stories and they all involve romance or “imprinting” between two wolves in a story, more or less a love triangle.
I had high hopes for this book, unfortunately it wasn’t anything like I was expecting. This book was about werewolves but it really wasn’t the book (If that makes sense).
Liv has felt different ever since her 13th birthday, when she saw the dead wolf in the back of her mother’s truck. Ever since then she has felt different whenever she gets angry, and boy let me tell you liv gets angry a lot, especially at her mom.
So Apparently Liv is a werewolf and she didn’t really know it until she goes into the woods and sees a mysterious gray wolf, then there’s Joe Ranger, who she was told to stay away from, she didn’t know why until she learned the real reason behind it. Then there’s the mystery of the killings that have been happening in the woods, and then there’s Corey, Liv’s secret boyfriend, well only a secret from her parents who wouldn’t approve of her dating a colored boy.
So she finds a hidden cottage in the woods one day and decides to go in, and in there is the girl, who was the gray wolf that she spotted in the woods a few times, they told her true nature of being a werewolf, and that she had to control her anger, or else she may be dangerous. And then they tell her she has to kill her mom.
Who isn’t too nice but that’s beside the point. To kill your own mother, that’s horrible.
This isn’t your normal werewolf story; there’s really wasn’t that much to it. But I did enjoy it a tad bit. It was fast paced and a good storyline.
While I wasn’t disappointed in this book it’s not one of my favorites.
Werewolf books are my favorite genre book, if I had to pick anything to read it would be a werewolf story, I have read a bunch of werewolf stories and they all involve romance or “imprinting” between two wolves in a story, more or less a love triangle.
I had high hopes for this book, unfortunately it wasn’t anything like I was expecting. This book was about werewolves but it really wasn’t the book (If that makes sense).
Liv has felt different ever since her 13th birthday, when she saw the dead wolf in the back of her mother’s truck. Ever since then she has felt different whenever she gets angry, and boy let me tell you liv gets angry a lot, especially at her mom.
So Apparently Liv is a werewolf and she didn’t really know it until she goes into the woods and sees a mysterious gray wolf, then there’s Joe Ranger, who she was told to stay away from, she didn’t know why until she learned the real reason behind it. Then there’s the mystery of the killings that have been happening in the woods, and then there’s Corey, Liv’s secret boyfriend, well only a secret from her parents who wouldn’t approve of her dating a colored boy.
So she finds a hidden cottage in the woods one day and decides to go in, and in there is the girl, who was the gray wolf that she spotted in the woods a few times, they told her true nature of being a werewolf, and that she had to control her anger, or else she may be dangerous. And then they tell her she has to kill her mom.
Who isn’t too nice but that’s beside the point. To kill your own mother, that’s horrible.
This isn’t your normal werewolf story; there’s really wasn’t that much to it. But I did enjoy it a tad bit. It was fast paced and a good storyline.
October 9, 2010
Liv has a secret, that she has kept since it first reared it's ugly head when she was thirteen. She knows what is inside her, but she has chosen to ignore it. When she starts to love Corey though, she wants to tell him so bad, but is afraid it will make him hate her and leave her. She finds some people in the woods who try to explain things to her, but Liv doesn't know if she can trust them. Liv isn't sure who her real family is and who she can trust at all.
This was a pretty good book. I'm trying to judge it as a book by itself instead of a Francesca Lia Block book. It was lacking more of that magic that makes it one of her novels, but it was still vaguely wonderful. I really appreciate how much raging against herself Liv had to do just to keep herself sane. The Frenzy is a great name to call her a affliction. I loved when her animal instincts would kick in and she would suddenly; be more aware of her surroundings. This was a well written and enjoyable glimpse into Liv's tormented life. Liv's life isn't easy, but being a teenager never really is and her condition simply is another obstacle. Corey is a great guy and I really liked Pace too. If you were looking forward to this novel you shouldn't be too disappointed it was certainly and entertaining and somewhat lyrical tale.
First Line:
"At some point in everyone's life they ask the question, 'Who am I?'"
Favorite Lines:
"They say you will lose yourself. It wasn't true.I felt as if I has finally found myself and the girl in Corey's arms wasn't a monster, not at all."
This was a pretty good book. I'm trying to judge it as a book by itself instead of a Francesca Lia Block book. It was lacking more of that magic that makes it one of her novels, but it was still vaguely wonderful. I really appreciate how much raging against herself Liv had to do just to keep herself sane. The Frenzy is a great name to call her a affliction. I loved when her animal instincts would kick in and she would suddenly; be more aware of her surroundings. This was a well written and enjoyable glimpse into Liv's tormented life. Liv's life isn't easy, but being a teenager never really is and her condition simply is another obstacle. Corey is a great guy and I really liked Pace too. If you were looking forward to this novel you shouldn't be too disappointed it was certainly and entertaining and somewhat lyrical tale.
First Line:
"At some point in everyone's life they ask the question, 'Who am I?'"
Favorite Lines:
"They say you will lose yourself. It wasn't true.I felt as if I has finally found myself and the girl in Corey's arms wasn't a monster, not at all."
November 6, 2012
Reviewed by LadyJay for TeensReadToo.com
Strange things have been happening to Liv. Ever since her thirteenth birthday, she has felt cursed - trapped by something she can't explain.
Her body is not her own - a transformation has begun and there is no way of stopping it. Her peers make fun of her, and her parents are far from understanding. Liv finds solace in her best friend, Pace, the beautiful, talented jock who is hiding a secret of his own, and boyfriend, Corey, who must hide in the shadows because Liv's family would never condone their relationship.
She feels safe in the woods that surround her house, but danger lurks in the trees. A string of murders have been committed and the killer has not been found. So many questions, and very few answers - Liv wants to know the truth, but can she accept the reality that faces her?
I am constantly amazed by the brilliance that is Francesca Lia Block. Her stories are lyrical masterpieces that flow effortlessly across the pages. She has a way of speaking to young adult audiences that many other YA novelists have not yet grasped. Her prose is lyrical, lilting, but also frank and unyielding. She has a way of blending the fantastic with harsh reality, and somehow, it works.
If you have never read a Block tale before, pick this one up - it's an excellent place to start!
Strange things have been happening to Liv. Ever since her thirteenth birthday, she has felt cursed - trapped by something she can't explain.
Her body is not her own - a transformation has begun and there is no way of stopping it. Her peers make fun of her, and her parents are far from understanding. Liv finds solace in her best friend, Pace, the beautiful, talented jock who is hiding a secret of his own, and boyfriend, Corey, who must hide in the shadows because Liv's family would never condone their relationship.
She feels safe in the woods that surround her house, but danger lurks in the trees. A string of murders have been committed and the killer has not been found. So many questions, and very few answers - Liv wants to know the truth, but can she accept the reality that faces her?
I am constantly amazed by the brilliance that is Francesca Lia Block. Her stories are lyrical masterpieces that flow effortlessly across the pages. She has a way of speaking to young adult audiences that many other YA novelists have not yet grasped. Her prose is lyrical, lilting, but also frank and unyielding. She has a way of blending the fantastic with harsh reality, and somehow, it works.
If you have never read a Block tale before, pick this one up - it's an excellent place to start!
October 30, 2010
In The Frenzy, Liv spends most of her time fighting the "rage". She doesn't want to loose control ever again because the first time was a frightening experience and she doesn't trust that she'll be able to regain control a second time. Her life is a constant fight - against her parents, the community she lives in, her peers, and herself. The only things that give her solace are her best friend, her boyfriend, and Joey. However, with the appearance of a mysterious lady in the woods, it becomes harder and harder for Liv to fight against her true nature.I really enjoyed this book! It wasn't the most unique story out there, but Block's writing style is amazing. The story was very mysterious and intriguing.The pace was excellent; the way things slowly came to a head for Liv and all of the characters kept me turnign the page (or in this case, clicking the button on my kindle). My only complaint is I would have liked a better ending. It wasn't bad. I just wanted more, but I suppose if this turns into a series, it makes sense. I realy liked the characters. They were simple, but well developed in their own right.
September 16, 2010
I was really looking forward to reading The Frenzy. The premise sounded wonderful and I think this new take on werewolves was very unique. But sadly, I really had a hard time getting into it. I found the writing hard to follow and very disjointed. Liv had a lot of potential - but for some reason I could not make a bond with her as a character. Some of the supporting characters were also interesting, but the same thing happened, I just did not feel a connection with any of them.
I did enjoy the story building and Liv's struggle to fit in both as a human and as a werewolf was also a highlight for me, but sadly, that was as far as it got for me. There were some twists and turns that the story took that I did not see coming and the ending was unexpected. So kudos to Ms. Block for keeping me on my toes.
Although, this book was not right for me, I can definitely see where readers of paranormal and, especially werewolf lovers, can enjoy it. My recommendation - wait for it to hit library shelves just in case.
I did enjoy the story building and Liv's struggle to fit in both as a human and as a werewolf was also a highlight for me, but sadly, that was as far as it got for me. There were some twists and turns that the story took that I did not see coming and the ending was unexpected. So kudos to Ms. Block for keeping me on my toes.
Although, this book was not right for me, I can definitely see where readers of paranormal and, especially werewolf lovers, can enjoy it. My recommendation - wait for it to hit library shelves just in case.
December 16, 2014
What the...
I don't get it. It is a standalone, but it doesn't make sense. Such an interesting plot but we just go nowhere.
I coulnd't relate to Liv, it is incredible how much she pissed me off. I didn't get attached to any of the characters, I just didn't care. We get so little detailes about them.
Even if this is a standalone is could have been bigger so the story could actually make sense.
We get plot lines that are never picked up again, they are just there.
We focuse on the love interest and we don't get to see how her family would react. I get it they are hunters, but still I don't think they would kill you. We don't care, they can get killed. What do we care? They just don't understand me. Uhg, parents.
Maybe I am a familist but still all this get angry on your parents and not liking the fact that they are rich and important, really strucked me as a story with a spoiled brat.
She was all about love, screw you parents.
Maybe I've missed something, please let me know if I did.
I don't get it. It is a standalone, but it doesn't make sense. Such an interesting plot but we just go nowhere.
I coulnd't relate to Liv, it is incredible how much she pissed me off. I didn't get attached to any of the characters, I just didn't care. We get so little detailes about them.
Even if this is a standalone is could have been bigger so the story could actually make sense.
We get plot lines that are never picked up again, they are just there.
We focuse on the love interest and we don't get to see how her family would react. I get it they are hunters, but still I don't think they would kill you. We don't care, they can get killed. What do we care? They just don't understand me. Uhg, parents.
Maybe I am a familist but still all this get angry on your parents and not liking the fact that they are rich and important, really strucked me as a story with a spoiled brat.
She was all about love, screw you parents.
Maybe I've missed something, please let me know if I did.
October 16, 2010
This book was a toughie for me. While I loved the concept of this book, I found I couldn't relate enough to the characters to really invest in them. The idea that Liv is a werewolf and doesn't know it, is exactly the kind of concept I usually go crazy for, but not with this one so much. I did, however, love the idea that her mother is a wolf hunter and there was crazy tension between Liv and her parents.
There were some other interesting things about this book that added a nice spin on the traditional YA friend/relationship dynamics. Liv has a gay best friend, whom she pretends is her boyfriend sometimes so his parents won't find out he's gay and hers won't discover she's dating a black guy. You rarely see interracial relationships in YA books for whatever reason, so it was a nice change of pace.
All in all, I have to say this one just wasn't for me. It could just be me. If you like werewolf stories give it a try and let me know what you think.
There were some other interesting things about this book that added a nice spin on the traditional YA friend/relationship dynamics. Liv has a gay best friend, whom she pretends is her boyfriend sometimes so his parents won't find out he's gay and hers won't discover she's dating a black guy. You rarely see interracial relationships in YA books for whatever reason, so it was a nice change of pace.
All in all, I have to say this one just wasn't for me. It could just be me. If you like werewolf stories give it a try and let me know what you think.
January 2, 2017
It's clearly a nope for me. Liv, the main character was quite annoying for me. She seemed quite hopeless all the time and I really didn't like the story. It's about werewolves and how Liv is involve with them, but it's not the best story with these creatures, I am sure there are better.
Mie una nu mi-a plăcut cartea. Subiectul nu m-a atras și nici nu m-a dat pe spate, deși am i-am dat mai multe șanse. Liv mi s-a părut un personaj enervant și impresia mea e ca autoarea a încercat să creeze o intrigă mult prea complexă pentru nivelul cărții. Pentru amatorii genului poate e o lectură interesantă, dar chiar și așa, există cărți mult mai bune care au ca subiect principal vârcolacii și adolescentele neînțelese.
Mie una nu mi-a plăcut cartea. Subiectul nu m-a atras și nici nu m-a dat pe spate, deși am i-am dat mai multe șanse. Liv mi s-a părut un personaj enervant și impresia mea e ca autoarea a încercat să creeze o intrigă mult prea complexă pentru nivelul cărții. Pentru amatorii genului poate e o lectură interesantă, dar chiar și așa, există cărți mult mai bune care au ca subiect principal vârcolacii și adolescentele neînțelese.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews