Review: Hysteria by Megan Miranda

Title: Hysteria
Author: Megan Miranda
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Walker Childrens/Bloomsbury
Publication Date: February 5, 2013
Source: from publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Mallory killed her boyfriend, Brian. She can't remember the details of that night but everyone knows it was self-defense, so she isn't charged. But Mallory still feels Brian's presence in her life. Is it all in her head? Or is it something more? In desperate need of a fresh start, Mallory is sent to Monroe, a fancy prep school where no one knows her . . . or anything about her past. But the feeling follows her, as do her secrets. Then, one of her new classmates turns up dead. As suspicion falls on Mallory, she must find a way to remember the details of both deadly nights so she can prove her innocence-to herself and others. 

In another riveting tale of life and death, Megan Miranda's masterful storytelling brings readers along for a ride to the edge of sanity and back again.

I kind of loved Megan Miranda's debut novel Fracture when I read it early last year, so I had pretty high hopes for Hysteria, despite seeing a lot of mixed reviews for it.  But I know what resonates with me as a reader, and I rarely go wrong with psychological thrillers, so I maintained those high expectations.  I just knew that I would enjoy this novel, and I'm not at all surprised that I was right.  That's the price you pay for being an insufferable know-it-all...you can't surprise yourself anymore.  =)

The author has a background in science, and it shows in both Fracture and Hysteria, in the way she presents the story in a slightly clinical manner.  I can see why that would be off-putting for some readers, but I love it.  Science and the paranormal weave together in this story to create a narrative that is both emotionally gripping yet able to confound the reader into suspecting everyone.  I also love the use of flashbacks and half-dreams throughout the story to impart secrets or otherwise hidden knowledge.  While some aspects of the mystery were easy to speculate upon, others remained elusive till the bitter end.

So, normally I need to really feel a connection to the main characters in order to truly enjoy a novel, but in this case -- and with Fracture, if I really think about it -- the mystery itself was the aspect I was most drawn to, and since it encompassed a big percentage of the storyline, it made the fact that I wasn't completely enthralled with the characters a little easier.  That's not to say that the characters weren't likeable or relatable; they simply won't go down as my favorite characters or anything.  And that's okay with me.

The relationships in the book balance out the characters in such a way that I was able to overlook a lot of character flaws.  Like the fact that given a chance, Mallory would rather run than face her problems.  Every single time.  She did a lot of running in this story.  But her friendship with Colleen put us back on even footing.  Because even though Mallory wasn't ready to meet her own problems head-on, she would do anything for her best friend, including fighting Colleen's battles if need be...and vice-versa.  The fact that there was such a strong, solid friendship at the center of this story really compensated for any of the shortcomings it might have had.

There's a bit of romance in this book.  Nothing earth-shattering, and no love triangles, but we do get to witness two (three?) very different relationships in Mallory's life...all within the last six months.  These relationships are all equally important to the story.  It isn't all about the murdered boyfriend but rather about the repercussions.  It's about the memories, the ability to determine reality from the imagined.  It's about the friendships and relationships that survive and the ones that don't.

Hysteria is a stark look at how one night, one choice, can change the course of  your life.  Full of heartbreak, betrayal, and guilt, it's a slightly gritty contemporary with a paranormal vibe, and if you enjoyed Fracture, I can almost guarantee you'll like this book, as well.  In fact, I can't think of a reason why I wouldn't recommend this novel to someone.

Rating:  

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Labels: bloomsbury, contemporary, hysteria, megan miranda, murder mystery, paranormal, psychological thriller, reviews

Teaser Tuesday #42: Hysteria by Megan Miranda & Wings of Tavea by Devri Walls

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


This week's teaser(s) comes from the following book(s):

Title: Hysteria
Author: Megan Miranda
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Walker Childrens/Bloomsbury
Publication Date: February 5, 2013
Source: from publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Mallory killed her boyfriend, Brian. She can't remember the details of that night but everyone knows it was self-defense, so she isn't charged. But Mallory still feels Brian's presence in her life. Is it all in her head? Or is it something more? In desperate need of a fresh start, Mallory is sent to Monroe, a fancy prep school where no one knows her . . . or anything about her past. But the feeling follows her, as do her secrets. Then, one of her new classmates turns up dead. As suspicion falls on Mallory, she must find a way to remember the details of both deadly nights so she can prove her innocence-to herself and others. 

In another riveting tale of life and death, Megan Miranda's masterful storytelling brings readers along for a ride to the edge of sanity and back again.

My teaser:

"Krista froze when she saw me.  Jason tried to smile at me, but his lower lip was swollen and the top of his cheek was reddish purple, and he winced from the pain.  "Your boyfriend fights dirty," he said.  Then a sound that must have been laughter escaped from his throat."

-- 59%/Loc 1661 of galley

This is my second go at this novel.  Not because I didn't like it the first time...just that other books took priority for a bit.  Hoping this one is as good as Fracture!

Title: Wings of Tavea
Author: Devri Walls
Series: The Solus Trilogy, book #2
Publisher: indie
Publication Date: December 11, 2012
Source: from author via Xpresso Book Tours
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Kiora is rapidly learning that evil and lies come in shades of black and white and swirling greys, but nothing could have prepared her for the shock of leaving Meros. Kiora and her protector Emane step through the pass into a world they never knew existed but were always meant to save, only to find it far worse than they could have ever imagined. Good has been forced into hiding for its own survival, while the rest of the land bows to the Shadow, a force that pushes any remaining thoughts of Dralazar from Kiora’s mind. This land is full of new creatures, each more dangerous than the last. Her visions have taken on a deadly twist, and magic, or what comes of it, was never so real. And then there is Alcander: a Tavean, their guide, and an entirely different kind of trouble.

My teaser:

"No," Alcander whispered.  "It's not possible."  His face went even whiter than it had been. "It's just a legend."

-- 18%/Loc 800 of galley

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Wings of Arian, so I have high hopes for this book.  It's already off to a good start!  Stop back by on the 4th for my stop on the tour...I'll have a giveaway, too!

What are you teasing this week?  Share it in the comments or leave a link so I can visit!

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Labels: bloomsbury, devri walls, high fantasy, hysteria, indies, megan miranda, murder mystery, psychological thriller, teaser tuesday, the solus trilogy

Teaser Tuesday #36: Hysteria by Megan Miranda

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


This week's teaser comes from the following book:

Title: Hysteria
Author: Megan Miranda
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Walker Childrens/Bloomsbury
Publication Date: February 5, 2013
Source: from publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Mallory killed her boyfriend, Brian. She can't remember the details of that night but everyone knows it was self-defense, so she isn't charged. But Mallory still feels Brian's presence in her life. Is it all in her head? Or is it something more? In desperate need of a fresh start, Mallory is sent to Monroe, a fancy prep school where no one knows her . . . or anything about her past. But the feeling follows her, as do her secrets. Then, one of her new classmates turns up dead. As suspicion falls on Mallory, she must find a way to remember the details of both deadly nights so she can prove her innocence-to herself and others. 

In another riveting tale of life and death, Megan Miranda's masterful storytelling brings readers along for a ride to the edge of sanity and back again.

My teaser:

"Sometimes I think I can feel him," I said.  "Hear him, even.  I mean, I do.  I do feel him.  I do hear him.  Like he's right here..."  I shuddered, imagining him watching me even now.

-- 49%/Loc 1384 of galley

So, this is a psychological thriller on the same level as the Mara Dyer series, which I love in case you were wondering.  :)  I love when the narrator is unreliable and leaves you guessing as to the state of their sanity.  I can't wait to delve further into this one, especially because I loved Megan Miranda's debut novel Fracture so freaking much.

What are you teasing this week?  Share it in the comments or leave a link so I can visit!

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Labels: bloomsbury, hysteria, megan miranda, murder mystery, psychological thriller, teaser tuesday

Waiting on Wednesday: Hysteria by Megan Miranda

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...

Title:  Hysteria

Author:  Megan Miranda

Series:  stand-alone

Publisher:  Walker Childrens

Publication Date:  February 5, 2013

Mallory's life is falling apart. Her boyfriend was stabbed. He bled to death in her kitchen. Mallory was the one who stabbed him. But she can't remember what happened that night. She only remembers the fear . . .

When Mallory's parents send her away to a boarding school, she thinks she can escape the gossip and the threats. But someone, or something, has followed her. There's the hand that touches her shoulder when she's drifting off to sleep. A voice whispering her name. And everyone knows what happened. So when a pupil is found dead, Mallory's name is on their lips. Her past can be forgotten but it's never gone. Can Mallory live with that?

Why I'm waiting:  Megan Miranda stunned me with her debut novel Fracture earlier this year.  (And now that I know she's writing the story from Decker's POV, I'm dying of excitement, even though she told me in an interview that she wasn't planning on writing any more of Delaney's story.  Well, I guess, technically she's not...it's Decker's story.  :P)  Anyway, Hysteria sounds like it's in the same vein as Fracture in that it's a psychological thriller with a paranormal edge to it.  Sounds right up my alley, right?  And that cover is freaking awesome!

So, what are you desperately waiting on this week?  Give me a reason to add yet another book to my already-massive TBR...I dare you!  :D

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Labels: bloomsbury, hysteria, megan miranda, psychological thriller, waiting on wednesday (wow)