Books of the Year ~ Silver Medal Winner
By Travis Thrasher
TH1NK Books
978-1612916231
BACK COVER:
Brandon Jeffery’s summer started out with a bang―as in, a friend crashed his car and now he has to work two jobs to pay it off. It’s at Fascination Street Records that he’s introduced to a beautiful but quiet girl named Marvel. She’s new to Hidden Cove and looking for a summer job, so Brandon secretly strikes a deal with their boss to work for free so she can be hired.
When a classmate is found murdered, however, their summer takes a turn for the mysterious. Brandon’s friend Devon is sure he knows just who’s to blame: the creepy recluse of the town quarry. But the police have few leads, and Brandon has the sneaking suspicion he’s being watched.
That’s not what’s in the forefront of on his mind, though. More than trying to pay off his car to his unemployed, alcoholic father and protecting Seth Belcher from the school bullies, he’s determined to date Marvel. He doesn’t understand why they seem so close and she refuses to date him, but as the mystery behind her tragic past begins to unravel, Marvel finally confesses her reason: God has revealed she’s destined to die saving others―and it’s going to be soon.
When a classmate is found murdered, however, their summer takes a turn for the mysterious. Brandon’s friend Devon is sure he knows just who’s to blame: the creepy recluse of the town quarry. But the police have few leads, and Brandon has the sneaking suspicion he’s being watched.
That’s not what’s in the forefront of on his mind, though. More than trying to pay off his car to his unemployed, alcoholic father and protecting Seth Belcher from the school bullies, he’s determined to date Marvel. He doesn’t understand why they seem so close and she refuses to date him, but as the mystery behind her tragic past begins to unravel, Marvel finally confesses her reason: God has revealed she’s destined to die saving others―and it’s going to be soon.
MY REVIEW:
Thrasher knocks this one out of the park. Loved it. The thunderstorms. The lurking danger. The complete lack of safety anywhere. Marvelous is one creepy read, but not too creepalicious. I seriously expected one of the characters I cared about to die by the end of the book. Yeah, there are two deaths, but none that wigged me out. Whew. Dodged the bullet this time, but I seriously need the next book NOW. As in why am I typing a review when I should be over at Amazon buying WONDER, the next book in the series?
My favorite character is Brandon, the hero. He's not perfect, which makes him totally believable, but his heart is big. He's got a lot of questions about God that go unanswered. Again, just like real life, eh? I have hope for him, but there's also a certain amount of dread because there's lots of foreshadowing that goes on in this book. I have high expectations for the next one, but I'm pretty confident Travis Thrasher can pull it off.
If you know a teen that likes scary, I heartily recommend this book.