Review: Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis
Title: Glimmer
Hardcover, 352 pages
Author: Phoebe Kitanidis
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: April 17, 2012
Source: Publisher
Buy: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads
Book Summary:
What if you forgot your identity and had to rely on other people to tell you who you were?
And what if to discover your true self, you first had to unravel a mystery so big and terrifying you were not sure you’d survive solving it?
When Marshall and Elyse wake up in each other’s arms with zero memory of how they got there or who they are, it’s the start of a long journey through their separate pasts and shared future.
Terrified by their amnesia, the two make a pact to work together to find the answers that could jog their missing memories. As they piece together clues, they discover they’re in the idyllic mountain resort town of Summer Falls, where everyone seems mysteriously happy, but as Marshall and Elyse quickly learn, darkness lurks beneath the town’s perfect facade. Not only is the town haunted by sinister ghosts, but none of its living inhabitants retain bad memories of anything—not the death of Marshall’s mom, not the hidden shame in Elyse’s family, not even the day-to-day anguish of high school.
Lonely in this world of happy zombies, Marsh and Elyse fall into an intense relationship…but the secrets they uncover could be the death of this growing love—and the death of everyone, and everything, they love in Summer Falls.
Review:
It’s no secret that I am a contemporary reader. Unfortunately with the sheer mass of dystopian and paranormal new releases each year, I am unable to read purely contemporary and still consider myself able to recommend books – especially because most readers don’t want a contemporary recommendation (*sob*).
Therefore, every five or six contemporary reads, I try to read something off genre – generally paranormal, as that is what is stacked up on my shelves now. Enter GLIMMER!
This wasn’t too far of a stretch from contemporary to paranormal, actually. The basics of the story were pretty realistic and contemporary – two teenagers who lost their memory and weren’t sure who they were, how they knew each other, where they were, etc. As that mystery starts to unravel things get a little paranormal – okay, well, quite a lot paranormal, but it’s not the shape shifting or vampire type. If I got to name a new genre ‘contemporary paranormal’ Glimmer would be a great fit.
I was intrigued by the mystery, and appreciated that Phoebe Kitanidis didn’t do the normal angst ridden girl who falls in love with some paranormal something or other. There were times that the story dragged for me, when I was just waiting for the next thing to happen or part of the mystery to be solved, be overall it was a fine read for me. As things start to get unraveled you find out it’s actually quite a unique story.
I’m interested to see how much a normal paranormal reader enjoys this story. My thoughts are pretty neutral :)
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It’s too bad you didn’t love this one but you definitely don’t seem to hate it either. I do think this sounds like quite a unique story and I’m really glad to read that my hunch is right. Thanks for the review!
Amber M recently posted..The Time Will Come (33): There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B Jones
Twitter: flyleafreview
You can make a contemporary recommendation to me ANYTIME! When I started reading YA I only read paranormal, but now I LOVE contemporary. I still read paranormal, and Glimmer is on my tbr list, but I am finding that it’s the contemporary books I have been reading lately that have stuck with me most and been really satisfying:)
Heather@ The Flyleaf Review recently posted..Book Review: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
YAY! A contemporary convert! Let’s be BFFs :)
I love books about amnesia, i don’t know why, I just do. It seems like I have read quite a few. I may have to check this one out.
Thanks Shanyn!
wall-to-wall books-wendy recently posted..Across Eternity – Aris Whittier (E-book review)
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You can make a contemporary rec to me anytime, too. I like my dystopias and the occasional paranormal, but nothing beats a good contemporary! This sounds like a good one to bridge the gap a little. I might have to check it out!
Megan recently posted..Loose Leafing: Vampire Batty
Twitter: booksandwine
Makes sense that you wouldn’t love the heck out of Glimmer. As someone who likes paranormal once in awhile, I think I’d like Glimmer, based on your review.
Also? I always want a good contemporary recommendation SO KEEP THEM COMING!
April Books & Wine recently posted..In My Mailbox (56)
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I liked that the paranormal elements of this one were different than the ones I’m used to reading. I fell in lurve with this book, but I can certainly see your qualms.
I was pleasantly surprised at the solid blend of contemp and paranormal though.
Lisa recently posted..Review: Griffin Rising
Twitter: BookwormAsheley
I read this one and it was weird as heck. I liked it, it was just really bizarre. There were things I loved and things I didn’t love.
For a paranormal lover: I liked it and would recommend it, but I listed on my blog post exactly who I’d recommend it to…because I’m not sure it is for everyone.
Asheley (@BookwormAsheley) recently posted..My Thoughts On: Bewitching by Alex Flinn
Yay thank you for giving a parnormal reader’s perspective! I agree that it was quite bizarre, a very odd mystery type thing.