Review: The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman

The Waking Dark

Author: Robin Wasserman
Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: September 10, 2013
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

Description:

They called it the killing day. Twelve people dead, all in the space of a few hours. Five murderers: neighbors, relatives, friends. All of them so normal. All of them seemingly harmless. All of them now dead by their own hand . . . except one. And that one has no answers to offer the shattered town. She doesn't even know why she killed—or whether she'll do it again.

Something is waking in the sleepy town of Oleander's, Kansas—something dark and hungry that lives in the flat earth and the open sky, in the vengeful hearts of upstanding citizens. As the town begins its descent into blood and madness, five survivors of the killing day are the only ones who can stop Oleander from destroying itself. Jule, the outsider at war with the world; West, the golden boy at war with himself; Daniel, desperate for a different life; Cass, who's not sure she deserves a life at all; and Ellie, who believes in sacrifice, fate, and in evil. Ellie, who always goes too far. They have nothing in common. They have nothing left to lose. And they have no way out. Which means they have no choice but to stand and fight, to face the darkness in their town—and in themselves.   

The Waking Dark is an fantastically intense young adult mystery/thriller novel that tells the story of the small town of Oleander, Kansas. Everything is predictable, boring - normal - in Oleander. That is, until what they refer to as The Killing Day. The day when 12 people were murdered in a matter of hours. Not long after The Killing Day, a strong storm hits the town and leaves it broken and upside down. Soon the roads leading out of town are blocked off by soldiers with guns, barbed wire fences and they have no access to the outside world at all. Stranger yet are the people of Oleander. The once quiet and peaceful citizens are turning on one another and committing crimes nobody thought possible in their small town. Just what is happening to Oleander and the people inside it? Why won't the soldiers answer their questions or let them leave? A group of teens - Daniel, West, Jule, Cass, and Ellie - band together to try to find out the truth of what's happening and to find a way out. Although they have known each other since they were little, it is soon evident that everyone has secrets. Will they be able to stop whatever is happening in Oleander before it's too late? Will they find a way out to get help? Or will they suffer the same fate as everyone else and lose themselves to the darkness enveloping the town?

I am a huge fan of mysteries and thriller/suspense novels, so I was immediately intrigued when I read the description of this book. It gave a great idea of what it would be about without revealing too much. I have to admit that I was definitely not disappointed and the book far exceeded any expectations I may have had. The plot was really unique and captivating - there's so many strange things happening to different characters at the same time. It definitely kept me on my toes, but didn't confuse or overwhelm me. The writing was fantastic with an effortless flow and a really quick pace that had me eagerly reading as fast as I could to try to find out what was happening to the people an the town and how it would all end. I tried to come up with theories and ideas about what could be going on, but then the author would slip in a huge twist or turn and I would be back at the beginning. The characters were all very well written, especially the group of teens that band together. We get to see each of their personalities, their strengths and weaknesses, and their secrets - which only made them more realistic in my eyes. There are several genres blended together in the book - action, horror, adventure, suspense, mystery, romance. It will definitely appeal to fans of all types of fiction. This book had me instantly hooked from the first paragraph and refused to let go until well after I had finished reading. Very highly recommended for fans of YA mysteries and thriller/suspense novels. You don't want to miss out on this one!

Review: The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman

The Book of Blood and Shadow

Author: Robin Wasserman

Genre: YA Thriller

Release Date: April 10, 2012

Review Source: Random House Children's via Edelweiss

Format: eGalley

Description: It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up.  When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love.  When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.

But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead.  His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.

Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.


Review: Where do I begin with this book? I literally could not put this book down. Any time I had a spare second - I would be reading this book. This was hands down one of the best books I've read so far this year. It's like a YA Da Vinci Code. I loved the mysterious plot that kept you guessing - there were so many twists and turns. Wasserman keeps you on your toes until the last page. The story is very well-written and is original - especially in the YA genre. The characters are complex and deep - you feel the pain and confusion that Nora goes through so easily. It was like I was inside her head - but it felt authentic, not scripted. Like the things the characters did and said would actually occur in real life - it wasn't phony at all. The story takes place in the U.S. and in Europe - which gives it a good feel of setting - especially with all the historic background that goes into the plot. The book flows really naturally and well - it's a fast-paced mystery that had me struggling to pinpoint the "bad guy" and trying to understand what could possibly be going on. Overall - READ THIS BOOK! You will not regret it.