Jarrod Thornton is mesmerizing, but Kate Warren doesn’t know why.
The moment the new guy walks into the room, Kate senses something strange and intense about him. Something supernatural. Her instincts are proven correct a few minutes later when, bullied by his classmates, Jarrod unknowingly conjures up a freak thunderstorm “inside” their classroom.
Jarrod doesn’t believe in the paranormal. When Kate tries to convince him that he has extraordinary powers that need to be harnessed, he only puts up with her “hocus pocus” notions because he finds her captivating. However, the dangerous, uncontrolled strengthening of his gift finally convinces Jarrod that he must take Kate’s theories seriously. Together, they embark on a remarkable journey — one which will unravel the mystery that has haunted Jarrod’s family for generations and pit the teens against immense forces in a battle to undo the past and reshape the future.
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I’ve read this book before, but when I spotted it in the bookshelves of Powell’s, well, the opportunity to own this book and read it again was too great to ignore! I read this book as a part of my 100 books in a year about four years ago, but it was a delight to read again. Many of the events and plot details were a bit muddled in my brain. But, I never forgot how this book made me feel. Even four years later, this book still makes me smile and laugh and shout at the horrid antagonists. It’s amazing at the power of literature, isn’t it?
Anyways, on to this book. What I really love about this book is the way the plot just flows. The characters are relatable: clumsy, sixteen, awkward, but endearingly sassy. Jarrod and Kate have a believable connection that never seems overdone or exaggerated. The reader doesn’t feel like they’re being written down to – something that absolutely ticks me off about a lot of young adult literature. There’s also a very nice mix of romance and fantasy that Curley pulls of well.
Reading this again, I felt like the same freshman in high school I was when I first read it. It was a really weird feeling, but I enjoyed it.
What’s great about this book is that is a fun, mindless read. There isn’t anything deeply profound about it, but I can tell that Marianne Curley had a blast writing it (something that definitely communicates itself to the reader). It’s a nice break from reality. I don’t usually read books twice, but this is a fun, joyful romp that I wouldn’t mind returning to every few years for the fun of it.
"I Think I'm Obsessed" 