Title: Need
Author: Carrie Jones
First published December 23, 2008
306 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9781599903385 (ISBN10: 1599903385)
Rating: 3.71
Overview
Zoey Parker can feel it inside her bones. Something is off.
Something is not quite right. She’s always had a fascination with the paranormal, so when she starts seeing strange things happening around her, she can’t help but wonder if she’s finally lost her mind.
But when she’s sent to a small town in Maine to live with her aunt, she realizes that her abilities might not be as crazy as she once thought. As Zoey tries to navigate her new life, she can’t ignore the feeling that someone – or something – is watching her.
And when she discovers a trail of glittery dust left behind by her stalker, she knows that she’s not alone. With the help of a mysterious boy, Zoey sets out to uncover the truth about the strange happenings in the town.
In this thrilling, page-turning novel, Carrie Jones weaves together romance, suspense, and a creature that will make your skin crawl.
Editoral Review
In Need, Carrie Jones tells a tense and supernatural story about a teenage girl named Zara, whose beautiful mother has died, and she has been sent away to live with her stepfather in Maine. The town is a far cry from Zaras hometown, where she grew up surrounded by fashion and beauty.
But in the quiet forests surrounding her new home, something else lurks, and Zara realizes that she is not the only one with secrets. Carrie Jones is a young adult author who specializes in crafting stories with both romance and supernatural elements, often featuring strong female characters.
Need is a mix of paranormal romance and thriller, and it keeps readers on edge from the first page. Its no surprise that this book won multiple awards, including placing on the New York Times Bestsellers List in 2008.
The novels main character, Zara, is a fierce and headstrong heroine with a great deal of baggage, from the death of her mother to an eerie ability to communicate with the dead. She quickly finds herself drawn to two boys, Nick and Astley, both of whom have secrets of their own.
Jones works to develop these characters throughout the book, making their relationships feel natural and believable. The setting of the book is a small Maine town, and Jones does an excellent job of painting vivid descriptions.
Her descriptions of the mystical surroundings, like the ancient forests that seem to breathe as Zara wanders through them, are particularly captivating. Likewise, the intricate mythologies and folklore weaved throughout the book add a layer of depth to the storyline.
The pacing of Need is fast and intense, pulling readers in from the very first page. Jones manages to keep the tension high, expertly shifting between the development of the romantic relationships and the darker, spine-tingling mystery of whats happening in the woods.
The plot never drags, with each chapter building on the one before it. While the writing is strong overall, there are a few minor issues with Joness approach.
The dialogue between characters can feel stilted at times, and there are points where the story veers into cliche territory. But these shortcomings are small in the grand scheme of things, and they do little to detract from the overall quality of the book.
Overall, Need is a standout example of YA paranormal romance, filled with suspense and mystery. Its themes of grief, friendship, and self-discovery will resonate with young readers, while the supernatural elements and thrilling plot line will keep them engaged from beginning to end.
Readers who enjoy books like Twilight or The Mortal Instruments series are sure to fall in love with Joness storytelling. For these reasons, Need earns a four out of five stars.