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skz_ot8's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
jkropik06's review against another edition
2.0
2/5 Stars.
I received an E-ARC from Netgalley months ago.
Let me start this review by saying I didn’t find this boring like a lot of other people, I just found the story to be ridiculous. It was VERY anti-climatic, the characters made terrible decisions, and it just wasn’t logical. Full review to come tonight.
I received an E-ARC from Netgalley months ago.
Let me start this review by saying I didn’t find this boring like a lot of other people, I just found the story to be ridiculous. It was VERY anti-climatic, the characters made terrible decisions, and it just wasn’t logical. Full review to come tonight.
miss_alaina's review against another edition
3.0
This book has a gorgeous cover, a fantastic description, and absolutely terrible execution. I was hoping for a thriller, but there was nothing creepy about this book.
First of all, the story itself is SO SLOW. I thought this would be primarily about Sabrina's missing sister, but that doesn't happen until the butt end. Instead it's just Sabrina biking around, watching videos, and pretending to be working on an article.
Second of all, Sabrina is an irritating character. It has been a few weeks since I read this and literally all I can remember about her is that she hated lying and felt the need to remind us of that during every conversation. Who cares??
Lastly, the ending was horrendous. There was no climax to this story that had been building. Everything just magically got fixed in the span of like one paragraph. I don't think I've ever been so let down by an ending before.
First of all, the story itself is SO SLOW. I thought this would be primarily about Sabrina's missing sister, but that doesn't happen until the butt end. Instead it's just Sabrina biking around, watching videos, and pretending to be working on an article.
Second of all, Sabrina is an irritating character. It has been a few weeks since I read this and literally all I can remember about her is that she hated lying and felt the need to remind us of that during every conversation. Who cares??
Lastly, the ending was horrendous. There was no climax to this story that had been building. Everything just magically got fixed in the span of like one paragraph. I don't think I've ever been so let down by an ending before.
brandinh's review against another edition
3.0
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Positives: This title features a female protagonist of color which in no way ties into the plot of the novel, in other words, race is not an “issue.” The mystery is engaging and intriguing - it will keep readers turning the pages.
Drawbacks: The answer to the mystery was a bit of a letdown, although admittedly I did not see it coming. Sabrina’s constant “I’m just a lowly freshman, what can I do?” diatribe is a little much. The way Sabrina’s mother and uncle totally dismiss her fears even after seeing legitimate evidence is difficult to believe.
Other thoughts: This title, while following a genuinely creepy plot line, reads as if written for younger readers, which makes sense since the back pages suggest it for ages 12-15.
Positives: This title features a female protagonist of color which in no way ties into the plot of the novel, in other words, race is not an “issue.” The mystery is engaging and intriguing - it will keep readers turning the pages.
Drawbacks: The answer to the mystery was a bit of a letdown, although admittedly I did not see it coming. Sabrina’s constant “I’m just a lowly freshman, what can I do?” diatribe is a little much. The way Sabrina’s mother and uncle totally dismiss her fears even after seeing legitimate evidence is difficult to believe.
Other thoughts: This title, while following a genuinely creepy plot line, reads as if written for younger readers, which makes sense since the back pages suggest it for ages 12-15.
melbsreads's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Trigger warnings: violence, horror, disappearances, disappearance of a sibling
I LOVED Justina Ireland's Dread Nation duology, so when I saw that she'd written a YA horror book for the younger end of the market, I was all in. And, like, this wasn't bad? But also the blurb gives away at least three quarters of the plot. That's not a criticism of Ireland's story because I'm fully aware that authors don't write blurbs. But, like, WTF publisher??
Anyway, the story itself was quite simplistic and it took a long time for the action to get going. And then the ending felt a little too rushed for my liking. But all of that being said, it was a pretty quick and easy read, and I did genuinely like the premise.
I LOVED Justina Ireland's Dread Nation duology, so when I saw that she'd written a YA horror book for the younger end of the market, I was all in. And, like, this wasn't bad? But also the blurb gives away at least three quarters of the plot. That's not a criticism of Ireland's story because I'm fully aware that authors don't write blurbs. But, like, WTF publisher??
Anyway, the story itself was quite simplistic and it took a long time for the action to get going. And then the ending felt a little too rushed for my liking. But all of that being said, it was a pretty quick and easy read, and I did genuinely like the premise.
thqndi3's review against another edition
2.0
bro i was so disappointed by this book. the concept was so good but it was carried out so poorly. the ending of the book / the reveal of the mystery WAS SO BAD LMAO. it could've been so much better, i was so annoyed about that. i would've loved to see asher and sabrina have some kind of romantic tension but they didn't. i do think the author did a good job of including diversity, not something you see often in books!
themadmaiden's review against another edition
1.0
Boring, not scary and a terrible twist ending.
Just plain bad.
Just plain bad.
laurenl5876's review against another edition
1.0
There is no nice way I can express this: Awful.
Maybe I'm being so harsh because I'm low on sleep and didn't get my much needed coffee, but this book was such a disappointment.
The synopsis was so intriguing and sounded like the perfect Halloween read. I really expected something scary and gruesome. Instead I got a half hearted mystery chock full of blandness.
The writing right from the beginning was something I knew I would not be vibing with, but I wanted to push through to give this book a chance. After all, there had to be something promising? Nope. I was wrong. It was so much telling rather than showing. Instead of showing a character's fear, Ireland told us how scared the character was. It was lots of information that the reader could figure out, but instead I was thrown all of these statements that I already knew, because I read the book. It felt so elementary and simplistic. I honestly wondered if I mistook this book for a middle grade. (I like middle grade, but when expecting a thriller, I'd rather not read it in middle grade style)
The plot was also lackluster. There should have been more suspense and build, but in the end, I just didn't care when it came to the reveal. I wasn't shocked, and it felt so cliché.
I could spill the tea even more, but instead I'm going to get my coffee, because that seems like a good way to spend my time instead of ranting.
Maybe I'm being so harsh because I'm low on sleep and didn't get my much needed coffee, but this book was such a disappointment.
The synopsis was so intriguing and sounded like the perfect Halloween read. I really expected something scary and gruesome. Instead I got a half hearted mystery chock full of blandness.
The writing right from the beginning was something I knew I would not be vibing with, but I wanted to push through to give this book a chance. After all, there had to be something promising? Nope. I was wrong. It was so much telling rather than showing. Instead of showing a character's fear, Ireland told us how scared the character was. It was lots of information that the reader could figure out, but instead I was thrown all of these statements that I already knew, because I read the book. It felt so elementary and simplistic. I honestly wondered if I mistook this book for a middle grade. (I like middle grade, but when expecting a thriller, I'd rather not read it in middle grade style)
The plot was also lackluster. There should have been more suspense and build, but in the end, I just didn't care when it came to the reveal. I wasn't shocked, and it felt so cliché.
I could spill the tea even more, but instead I'm going to get my coffee, because that seems like a good way to spend my time instead of ranting.
jocelyn62013's review against another edition
3.0
Cute middle grade mystery story. Not a "scary" story (Nancy Drew has scarier stories) but if you want something with a little mystery for younger readers, this would be a good read.
samantha_randolph's review against another edition
4.0
After reading Justina Ireland's YA, Dread Nation, which has a solid amount of scare, I was ecstatic to pick up her latest MG, Scream Site. There has been a micro-trend of horror MG lately, and this is absolutely up my alley.
Sabrina Sebastian dreams of being an investigative reporter and knows the right internship can help her become one. While she struggles to pick just the right story for her application, her best friend suggests she write about the Scream Site disappearances. Scream Site is a place people can post homemade scary videos, and the best, most successful videos could mean serious attention for the videographer and actors. When Sabrina looks through some of the most popular videos, she notices a few specific ones that seem just a little too real...and when the stars of those videos aren't heard from for days, eventually including her sister, she knows something dark is afoot.
While the biggest twists of the plot weren't as surprising as they could have been, the atmosphere makes this book a quick and exciting read. Even when I had strong guesses about what would happen next, the writing and characters, especially Sabrina, had me fully invested. Though Sabrina (understandably) scares easily, she is nonetheless brave and dedicated to finding her sister, making her easily relatable. I loved the depiction of her and Faith's relationship beyond the Scream Site as well. They used to be close, but they have drifted apart, and Sabrina doesn't quite understand why. I enjoyed their development immensely.
All in all, Scream Site is a fun thriller with heaps of heart.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfiction/23785-scream-site
Sabrina Sebastian dreams of being an investigative reporter and knows the right internship can help her become one. While she struggles to pick just the right story for her application, her best friend suggests she write about the Scream Site disappearances. Scream Site is a place people can post homemade scary videos, and the best, most successful videos could mean serious attention for the videographer and actors. When Sabrina looks through some of the most popular videos, she notices a few specific ones that seem just a little too real...and when the stars of those videos aren't heard from for days, eventually including her sister, she knows something dark is afoot.
While the biggest twists of the plot weren't as surprising as they could have been, the atmosphere makes this book a quick and exciting read. Even when I had strong guesses about what would happen next, the writing and characters, especially Sabrina, had me fully invested. Though Sabrina (understandably) scares easily, she is nonetheless brave and dedicated to finding her sister, making her easily relatable. I loved the depiction of her and Faith's relationship beyond the Scream Site as well. They used to be close, but they have drifted apart, and Sabrina doesn't quite understand why. I enjoyed their development immensely.
All in all, Scream Site is a fun thriller with heaps of heart.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfiction/23785-scream-site