Monday, October 29, 2012

Review: Circle of Silence


Circle of Silence by Carol M. Tanzman
WiHi #2
Harlequin Teen - July 24, 2012
288 pages - Young Adult, Fiction,
Source: The Publisher via Netgalley
Facebook: Yes
Twitter: @CarolTanzman

I received a copy of this digital galley, free, in exchange for my honest opinion.
Goodreads Summary: The biggest story of my life could be how it ends. It’s my turn to run a Campus News crew, and I’ve put together a team that can break stories wide open. And Washington Irving High has a truly great one to cover, if only we can find a lead. A secret society has formed in our school. It announced its presence with pranks: underwear on the flagpole, a toilet in the hallway, cryptic notes. A circle of silence keeps the society a mystery. No one knows its members, agenda or initiation secrets—until a student lands in the hospital under strange circumstances. I will blow this story wide open and stop others from being hurt... or worse. And while my ex, Jagger, might want to help, I dont trust him yet. (And, no, not because of our past together. That is not important to this story.) But whether you find me, Valerie Gaines, reporting in front of the camera or a victim in the top story of the newscast be sure to watch Campus News at 9:00 a.m. this Friday.
My thoughts:
                Valerie, a reporter for Campus News , is working on the story of her life. But the cost must be her life. MP starts with small pranks but soon they escalate and someone gets hurt. As the B team races to uncover MP’s identity and purpose, the danger increases and the enemy is closer to home.
                Okay, I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading Circle of Silence. I think that this was a pretty decent read, though it didn’t create a whole lot of excitement. I like the characters and their interactions with each other.  Val and Bethany’s relationship is awkward. No, they don’t get along with each other and it’s normal for sisters to be distant with each other.  But there were moments that Val actually reached out and tried to connect with Bethany. Bethany is the little sister, and for her there is a mixture of emotions that she is dealing with: jealousy and not having a group to belong to (just to name a couple). Regardless of the awkwardness, there was a lot of love within the family. This fact makes some of the events that happen a little unbelievable.
                As far as the romance, not every story requires a love triangle and I tend to avoid triangles.  There were an equal amount of reasons for both guys, but ultimately I think Val made too big a deal out of choosing. It is high school though.  My favorite part of the book was how B-team worked together and going after the stories.  I did like the characters and the passion that they had for their pursuits.
Recommendation: While I think that there is a lot of room to increase the tension and excitement within the story, I did enjoy it. And I still think that it’s worth checking out.

3 stars ***

Always Shine,
Starr K
               


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