Unspoken

Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy, #1)by Sarah Rees Brennan

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.But all that changes when the Lynburns return.The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him? (goodreads.com)

Hi! Remember me?My schooling is over for this academic year and I can finally do other things with my life, like hobbies! So, this post, that I originally drafted 3 almost 4 (!!) weeks ago, can finally be written. Yes, it's a book I read in March. I hadn't read another book since I finished this one until just two days ago. Then I read TWO books from start to finish and I am currently reading a third book! It's like a miracle I tell you.I really, truly wish I had time to have written this post back when I finished the book because the book was just excellent and I had so many things to say about it! Now, three weeks later, I am trying to recall all of the awesome stuff I wanted to tell you but my brain is not cooperating.I will tell you that Unspoken was one of the best books I had read so far this year. I was hooked instantly and so obsessed with reading more to figure out what was going on that I neglected school work for two days. I felt so guilty for this, but OMG I loved this book.And yes, there were a few predictable plot points, but you know what? I was enjoying the writing and voice of this story so much I didn't care.I seriously enjoyed Kami as the main character. She made me laugh and although rather manic and weird, there was just something about her that endeared her to me. I was often annoyed by the friction between her and Jared because it seemed incongruous to their relationship at times, though like the predictable parts, I could overlook it and just concentrate on the rest of the story (because it's not ALL about Kami and Jared swooning over the other).I think it was the pacing of the story that kept me hooked so intensely. I have seen others comment that they didn't like the pacing, but I did. I loved so much about this book, it seemed original to me almost at the same time as it seemed formulaic. It was this weird mix and it just clicked with me. I laughed out loud a lot. I told my husband that this was such a strange book, that I felt compelled to read it and couldn't put it down. I just wanted to KNOW what was going on at the beginning, even though I was sure I knew where it would lead. Well, it didn't lead exactly where I thought it would and that made it an even more fun ride.I love Sarah Rees Brennan's writing style and - especially - her sense of humour in her books. My first introduction to her novels was the second book in the Demon's Lexicon trilogy and to this day that book is my favourite of all three in the series. Sarah writes plucky female characters and I just enjoy reading stuff she writes. I do prefer her female characters over male ones though, but that's just my own feelings while reading. Her books are just filled with delicious sarcasm and wit. I love them!As much as I did love this book, I think I'd have been ok with it being a stand-alone over a series. Of course, it's not and I have mixed feelings on this because on one hand - Yay! More Kami & Jared and SRB writing! And what will happen next!? On the other hand, I'm all, What if the next book sucks and I don't love it as much!? Why do I have to try and remember yet ANOTHER series order and pub date for next books? I am too old for this sort of thing!See, totally legit mixed emotions.This book just made me feel very, very happy. It made me want to read again, but I had to hold off while my final assignment was looming over my head. I plan on making up for lost time in the next 4 months and trying to read as many books as possible before I start back to school in September. And, Internet, I am only taking one course a semester and it's still so time consuming when you work full-time! (At least the courses I am taking are!) I need to win the lotto, or come into money, or something, so I can take time off work and just focus on school. Perfect world. Alas, that's not the case since we have come into some Totally Opposite of Winning the Lotto times here in my house. Sigh. I'm even not buying books to make sure we can, you know, pay bills. So tragic! Books NEED to be bought! (Pay no mind to the 90+ unread books scattered around my house, ok? Nothing at all to see here. Move along, move along.) Here's hoping that things are sorted out by September, when the second book is due out! ;)The Lynburn Legacy

1. Unpoken
2. Untold - September 2013