So you know how I have a problem with spoilers? It’s not just with the Jennifer E. Smith book. It’s really with anything that has a twist. I don’t want to ever ruin any surprises for you.
So all I’m going to tell you about this book, Evernight by Claudia Gray, is that there are vampires. That’s all I was told, and I’m glad. If I knew anything else, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it nearly as much.
Well, I mean, that’s all I’ll tell you about the plot. Except that it’s a serious … well, I don’t want to get into the habit of using naughty words, lest I corrupt younger readers, but I just can’t think of anything to express this other than mindfuck. I mean, I could say there’s a twist, but that’s putting it really mildly. And this is more than your average twist.
Once, about a year ago, I was reading another book, not YA, and it had this heartbreaking scenario where a woman thought her lover had killed himself. She had broken up with him, never explained why, and I had been sobbing for about a hundred pages straight. Then I found out he faked his own death, and I threw the book across the room. This is the sort of thing I’m talking about, though I won’t reveal the title of said novel to you, in case you ever want to read it. (No guessing in comments, either!)
Actually, I really love when this happens, when an author is able to trick me so brilliantly. And Claudia Gray has done just that. You should have heard me last night, going on to my boyfriend, reading out passages in disbelief. (Yes, I ruined the book for him, but his reading list is so long I doubt he’d get to this one before he forgot what it was about in the first place.)
Back to Evernight, it’s Claudia Gray’s first YA novel, and it’s totally worth throwing across the room. You’ll buy it, get sucked in, and not put it down until you’ve finished. (Well, except for when you throw it. Because you will undoubtedly be tempted to do so.)
Buy Evernight
Tags: claudia gray
I’ll add this one to my list!
Jessica, please do add it! And let me know when you’ve read it. I totally need someone with whom I can dish about all the spoilers that I can’t reveal here.
I just read it last weekend and when I got to the Big Twist I SCREAMED RIGHT OUT LOUD. I love having my expectations inverted like that, too.
RJ, I am so glad I’m not the only one who had such a giant reaction to the twist. Are you all paying attention out there? It’s a big, big twist! Worthy of your attention. Buy it! Now! Or at least go grab a copy from your local library.
This book looks really good. I was reading another review somewhere I can’t remember where, maybe amazon. I can’t be sure but I think someone revealed the twist, so I quickly closed the window and tried to forget about it. My local bookstore claims they are still unpacking it in the back so it’s not on the shelves yet. Hmpf!
(sorry if this is a double post computer is crap)
Alea — It should totally be available; it was released May 27. Tell your bookstore folks to grab you a copy from the stock room, already. And tell them that if they don’t, I’ll show up to threaten them with my … threatening threats. Yes, indeed.
Well I decided to buy it on amazon instead! I went back two days in a row and it wasn’t unpacked yet! You should use your threatening threats on anyone that’s writing spoilers for this book!