I loved that this book turned so many tropes on their heads. That when we are first introduced to the 'skittles' we think we know exactly the kinds of girls these two are, only to be shifted in to their narrative and realize maybe we are wrong. First impressions, from the perspective of an introverted outsider become unreliable, now we have to rethink mean girls and their motivations. Peyton and Mei quickly turn into unstoppable forces who happen to drive a lot of the plot forward, who help when they fear for themselves. They are funny, caring, and they push past mean girl stereotypes to become badass. Not to give too much away, but the powers being extensions or enhancements related to the character's personality was ingenious. The bad guy, or insidious villain, reminded me of corny 80s movies, which I love to pieces. The terror seems so real, while also seeming so unbelievable, that you find yourself second guessing everything, much like the characters. But, there are several hair raising moments, moments where you realize you are holding your breath, worried that this is it, this is the end of the line, only to have our girls manage to find an escape. The twists and turns are well thought out, and hard to see coming. The history behind the villain is detailed, the characters are flushed out, the dialogue is believable. The scenes suck you in to this seemingly quiet, small town with skeletons hiding in the closet, ready to bite. There is also a love story, no escaping it in a young adult novel. However, it was perfectly done, not too in your face, and it did not overshadow the main story. There was clear chemistry between Laurel and Jasper, the mysterious new teenager in town. These two create their own sparks, pun intended, that make you route for them when the odds are stacked against them. He pulls her out of her shell and she grounds him in reality and the present. They blend well, while also being able to exist separate from each other, turning what could be a cheesy romance into a well rounded young adult relationship. The cliffhanger ending leads me to believe I will have more of these characters to enjoy in the near future. I'm excited to see what lies next, what terrors might be awaiting our intrepid and reluctant superheroes. P.S. I received this book from the Once Upon a Young Adult Book Club subscription box, where I also received four gifts to open at certain parts of the book (they were linked with an item on that page). I received it as a gift from my older sister, and will do a blog post about the experience soon.
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