Monday, June 30, 2014

Review: THE VANISHING SEASON by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson
Published: July 1st, 2014
Series: N/A
Genre: YA contemporary/fantasy 
Publisher: HarperTeen
POV: 1st person / 3rd person
Pages: 256
Format: eARC
Source: Edelweiss / HarperCollins
Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf

Girls started vanishing in the fall, and now winter's come to lay a white sheet over the horror. Door County, it seems, is swallowing the young, right into its very dirt. From beneath the house on Water Street, I've watched the danger swell.

The residents know me as the noises in the house at night, the creaking on the stairs. I'm the reflection behind them in the glass, the feeling of fear in the cellar. I'm tied—it seems—to this house, this street, this town.

I'm tied to Maggie and Pauline, though I don't know why. I think it's because death is coming for one of them, or both.

All I know is that the present and the past are piling up, and I am here to dig.I am looking for the things that are buried.

From bestselling author Jodi Lynn Anderson comes a friendship story bound in snow and starlight, a haunting mystery of love, betrayal, redemption, and the moments that we leave behind.

Maggie's an outsider – homeschooled, intelligent, and maybe a bit too mature for her age. But after her family moves to Door County (just in time for a serial killer to be on the loose), she finds herself being pulled into the lives of Pauline – the gorgeous, bubbly, and somewhat childish girl next door – and Liam – Pauline's creative friend, who's considered to be one of the town's stranger inhabitants. As tensions rise in the town, the three of them connect and drift apart. But, unbeknownst to them, they are all observed by a spirit who is drawn to Maggie's home. 

I started The Vanishing Season soon after finishing Anderson's Tiger Lily, so I was unsure what to expect. I knew, at the very least, that this was going to be a story with substance. This is a story that is both subtly haunting and unnerving. Sweet, sad, terrifying, romantic, and heartbreaking, The Vanishing Season cycles through these various emotions as Maggie's life unfolds and the spirit's reason for being there is revealed. Readers looking for a quiet, haunting tale about love and friendship will find The Vanishing Season to be well worth their time. 

Highlights: The mixture of the spirit's first person POV and Maggie's third person POV proved fascinating together. This a wonderfully reflective story, and I loved the emphasis on friendship and family. I thought this story would be a murder mystery, but it's more about love and loss. Anderson's writing was lovely, and captivating from start to finish. And I can just say that the cover is brilliant? Because it truly is perfect for the story. 

Lowlights: I figured out why the ghost was lingering early on (but the circumstances of how she became a ghost were a mystery to me, until the conclusion, and that was a heartbreaking surprise). 

Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf (4 out of 5). The Vanishing Season is fantastic, worth owning, and has earned a spot in the royal library. I enjoyed this story very much, despite a few small issues, and would recommend this book to other readers.

17 comments:

  1. This sounds really good! The description does make it seem like a murder mystery/suspense novel and I hope there will be enough of that element to make the book suspenseful.

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    1. It was good! Different from what I expected, but more reflective.

      The murder mystery aspect is very small. It's more trying to figure out who the ghost is, and why Maggie, Pauline, and Liam are so important.

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  2. Thanks for this review! I'm adding this one to my to-read shelf. It sounds like a really great read!

    Tracy @ Cornerfolds

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  3. I had this on my TBR shelf but forgot all about it. So nice to see it was good. :)

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    1. Glad I reminded you about it! It's so easy to forget about books ;)

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  4. I started this one but set it aside because it was a little slow. I might go back to it after reading your fabulous review for it, Lea! I was under the impression that the story would be a murder mystery, as well, so I'm glad to hear it isn't. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. It's different from most books. Less of a murder mystery, more of a story about relationships / memories. The biggest mystery is who the ghost is, and why Maggie, Liam, and Pauline are important. I thought the murder mystery was going to be a big deal, but it's more background!

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  5. I had not heard one this one before, cool :) It sounds good too!

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    1. It's very good! Glad I brought something new to your attention :)

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  6. Most excellent! I can recall how much people seemed to like Tiger Lily when it was released and I just knew I had to read it for myself... but as if often the way, other books got in the way and time escaped me. But you're reminding me now why I had first wanted to read a book by this author! She sounds super talented!

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    1. I read TIGER LILY recently, and I adored it! Both books are great at portraying emotion, but I loved TIGER LILY more.

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  7. I've been curious about this one. I didn't love Tiger Lily but this one is definitely different. I might have to give it a try!

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    1. It's a good book! Slow going, very character / relationship focused. Different from what I expected!

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  8. I always find it a little upsetting when I figure out the mystery/twist too early on! I'm not all that clever, so I find it a cheat! I do, however, love the sound of this one…I'll definitely have to give it a go! Great review, Lea :)

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    1. It's always frustrating to guess the twist early. But fortunately, there were still a few things to be curious about!

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  9. I agree this was definitely a mysterious read with beautiful writing. I'm interested in checking out Tiger Lily for sure now- nice review

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