Thursday, March 20, 2014

Book Review: The Wanderers by Jessica Miller

The Wanderers by Jessica Miller
Publisher: Jessica Miller
Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2012
ISBN:  9781481171410
ASIN: B00AKC0SL4
Genre: Paranormal, New Adult










My Review:
Here's how I work a lot of the time.  An author, publicist or someone asks me to review a book.  I read the summary, decide I want to review it and then a few weeks later read the book.  I purposely don't re-read the summary because sometimes they tell me too much about the book and I form opinions up front.  So when I started The Wanderers, I had no idea what it was about (I can't seem to remember yesterday, but if When Doves Cry by Prince comes on the radio I can sing every word).  And I liked not knowing.  I went into the book with a clean slate and excited.

The Wanderers did not disappoint.  I was hooked from the first page.  Ella enticed me.  She's a nice girl, she's been through a rough time and she just wants to start over at college.  But there is a family secret and that leads to the start of the buildup of tension in the story.  Then there is college, Ella's best friend Josie who is interesting and Jack and Tristan.  I liked Jack okay, I had a friend like him in college.  But I loved Tristan.  Loved the love-hate relationship Ella had with him.  Even with his faults I knew he had a good heart.

There is a lot of back and forth and Ella could seem wishy-washy at times, but I really didn't feel that she was.  She really was trying to work out her feelings for Tristan, a known playboy which she didn't like yet she was attracted to him.  And Ella is the girl that can make a bad boy into a great man for one woman.  So the love/attraction part of the story is quite intriguing.  But that's not all there is to this book.  I'm not giving any spoilers, but let's say the book did not lack action.  I found it exciting the whole way through. The tension built well and though everything happens fast at the end, I never felt like it was rushed.  The pacing of the book was great, it hooked me and kept me enthralled until the very end.

The paranormal element is great and well-done.  I'm still not sure whether to classify this as New Adult or not, it's not YA because they are in college, but while there is some grittiness to the book, it's not as gritty as what I consider New Adult, but then again I think the true definition of the genre (kids in their late teens, early twenties trying to find themselves and their way in the world) then this does qualify.  Ella, Josie, Jack are all somewhat typical kids in their late teens feeling their way through the college scene, dating and just making up their minds (or not) about life.  So it does work.

Overall this book is stellar and I was so glad the author allowed me to read this and had Reborn (The Wanderers #2) also ready for me to review so I could jump right into reading it.  So I'm reading it now, look for it's review next week.  But if it's anything like The Wanderers, I'm in for  another fun ride that will keep me up late at night to see what will happen next!

My Rating: 5.0/5.0


Summary
What do you do when you learn your family is the one who's holding all the secrets? Secrets that could get you killed...

Ella is looking forward to starting college in the fall with her best friend Josie. She’s looking for a place where she can get away from her overbearing parents and two older annoying brothers. Unfortunately Ella realizes that sometimes the past comes back to haunt you.

Ella soon learns that the man who terrorizes her dreams is in fact real and coming after her.

When one of her classmates is murdered, Ella slowly recognizes this is not some strange coincidence. Ella fears that the boy she’s falling in love with is the one who stalks her dreams and no longer knows who she can trust.

When she finally learns the truth of her family's deepest secret, Ella has to face her demons by taking out one of the people she thought she could trust…before they kill her.




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Author Biography (from Goodreads):
I live in a fantasy world and have an over active imagination. But the best part about that is I never stop creating new characters and new stories to share. I love writing and expressing myself in a way that everyone else can enjoy as well. I work in the salon most days, but when i'm not doing hair, I'm writing or reading.



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***I received this book from the author for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

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