Slide

TITLE: Slide

AUTHOR: Jill Hathaway

SERIES: Slide #1

PUBLISHER: Balzer + Bray

FORMAT: ARC

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Note: An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Slide was perhaps one of my most anticipated books in early 2012, and I cannot begin to describe how excited how I was when Netgalley offered me a galley for review. A thrilling YA paranormal mystery that includes a mixture of wonderful characters, sizzling romance and an unexpected murder, Slide is a book I would recommend to fans of thrillers and the paranormal.

Vee’s ability is something that instantly captures your interest, if only for the fact that it is completely unique. Though most authors tend to go for the ‘wow’ powers that often include explosions and near death, Hathaway has carefully chosen her character’s ability to perfectly match the plot she has written. Of course, what makes it so interesting is perhaps the mystery behind it. How does it work? How did Vee get it? What else can she do? I was slightly disappointed by the lack of information we are given on this, though I am holding fast in the hope that it will be expanded on in later books.

I have always been the biggest fan of murder mysteries, I can still remember the first time I read And Then There Were None in year 9 English, and five years later it remains the best murder novel I have ever read. Though Slide is nowhere near as genius in its complexity or logic, it still presents an entertaining plot that includes its fair share of twists and red herrings. I admit I had a couple of wrong guesses, but even though I managed to piece it together fairly quickly after that I was content to keep on reading, if only to follow the character’s plot arcs instead.

And they were certainly worthy of my attention, Hathaway’s skill at writing three dimensional characters and their relationships was the highlight of this book for me, and I found myself just as interested in Vee’s personal life as I was in the murders. There are several serious issues skimmed over in here; parent troubles, bullying, bulimia, substance abuse, affairs – and Hathaway’s realistic way of portraying them meant that it didn’t feel overly dramatic or ridiculous. Teenagers are involved in these things, and I always congratulate an author when they are prepared not to shy away from that.

Overall, this is a highly entertaining read. Jill Hathaway already has some wonderful skill in writing, and I look forward to seeing how she develops it in later books. Perhaps it did not exactly rock my socks off, but it kept me reading past my bed time, and that it certainly enough for me.