Bookanista Review: Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

Sometimes, I'm just really in the mood for a twisty thriller, and DANGEROUS GIRLS fit the bill. In a ripped from the headlines story (sort of a cross between the Natalie Holloway and Amanda Knox cases), a group of friends rents a house on Aruba. One of the friends, Elise, is murdered and her bestie, Anna, is charged with the crime. Thus begins the trial of the century. The media crucify Anna, but was she really guilty?

I loved the slippery nature of truth in DANGEROUS GIRLS and the not-so-subtile criticisms of the media culture we live in. Anna and Elise have a very complicated relationship, and although a boy is involved, it is their friendship which is the focus here.

The twist at the end is so jaw-dropping, at first I couldn't swallow it. It felt unearned and I struggled for a time to come to terms with it's plausibility. But after some lively discussions with fellow bibliophiles, I  admire the risk of the ending and concede that it is actually quite brilliantly set-up.

Definitely give this a try if you enjoyed GONE GIRL.

FTC disclosure: Netgalley

What the other bookanistas are reading this week:

Shari Arnold is intrigued with SCARLETT by A.C. Gaughen
Christine Fonseca is making a happy noise for THE INVISIBLE BOY by Trudy Ludwig
Tracy Banghart is revealing the cover for her upcoming book, SHATTERED VEIL
Tracey Neithercott is crushing on SOLVING FOR EX by LeighAnne Kopans
Kimberly Sabatini is reveling in YOU LOOK DIFFERENT IN REAL LIFE by Jennifer Castle

Review and Giveaway: Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

First of all, congrats to Alexandra Bracken for making the NYT bestseller list!

After I read The Darkest Minds (my review) last year, I wasn't 100% sure I wanted to continue the series. I had a lot of nagging world building questions, especially concerning plausibility. But then I read the eNovella In Time (my review), and some of my questions were addressed, giving me hope for Never Fade.  And indeed, Never Fade does a great job of going deeper into the world building aspect, although the main draw is still the pulse-pounding action. I enjoyed this second installment immensely, especially because I felt like I got to know the characters (old and new) more deeply. And I'm 100% sure I want to read the final book in the trilogy next year.

Here's the book summary:

The gripping and highly anticipated second installment in a dark YA trilogy about teens with dangerous powers on the run from the government. 

Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children's League call Ruby "Leader", but she knows what she really is: a monster. 

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children's League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America's children-and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts-has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future-and who now wouldn't recognize her. 

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam-and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart-she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

Find out more about the series:

http://www.thedarkestminds.com/

Giveaway!

Show that your quest for truth and justice will NEVER FADE.
One (1) winner receives:
Custom Never Fade t-shirt and a copy of Never Fade

Giveaway open to U.S. addresses only.
Prizing & samples courtesy of Disney Book Group.

To enter, fill out this form by November 11, 2013 at 11:59 pm CST.

FTC disclosure: Review copy provided by Big Honcho Media

See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore