Review: Need

Book: Need
Author: Carrie Jones
Pages: 306
Published: December 23rd, 2008 by Bloomsbury
Source: Bought

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

General Overview: You don't see many books out there that feature pixies. And usually, when we picture a pixie, we think of this cute little thing with pointy ears and an elfin-santa-like hat […no? You don't imagine pixies this way? It's just me?], but in Need, Carrie Jones brings to mind a new type of pixie -- the deadly type.

Characters: I loved Zara's list of phobias! They're all so interesting, their names and what they mean. I liked how she changed, and you can see that. In the beginning, she was a bit annoying. I didn't like how she seemed to be afraid of anything and everything, but as the novel progresses we realize that Zara is brave, and she does her best to face her fears and that is an admirable trait in anyone, real or fictional. Nick was so sweet, and I loved how he treated Zara and cared for her. I guessed his secret before it was mentioned, but that didn't ruin it at all for me, because I still wanted to know how his powers would develop and what it would do to his relationship with Zara. Oh, and ZARA HAD THE MOST KICKASS GRANDMA EVER!!!!

Plot: This plot kept me guessing. The pixies were such a cool part of it! I think this is the only book I've ever read that featured pixies and their abilities and their weaknesses. I loved the world that Jones created and her version of these little mythical creatures. I thought that there was a certain mystery element as well, in Need, and I kept stopping for a while to predict what would happen -- I was often wrong, and I thoroughly enjoyed that.

Writing: I loved how Jones described Zara's move and the way she transitioned into her new school and made new friends. I thought her writing was very original and unique -- I can't think of any others I would compare her book to. Carrie Jones completely impressed me with her debut novel, and I am so peeved that I don't have Captivate yet! (Captivate is the sequel to Need, in case you didn't know)

Cover: I am in love with this cover! I love the gold dust all around, and the girl's make up. I'm not quite sure whether it's supposed to be Zara on the cover, but if it is it's not really how I imagined her…uh, her neck?

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars