So rude, I know.
Anyway, I'm back today with Sanctuary Bay by Laura Burns and Melinda Metz, which I'm really excited about!
When Sarah Merson receives the opportunity of a lifetime to attend the most elite prep school in the country-Sanctuary Bay Academy-it seems almost too good to be true. But, after years of bouncing from foster home to foster home, escaping to its tranquil setting, nestled deep in Swans Island, couldn't sound more appealing. Swiftly thrown into a world of privilege and secrets, Sarah quickly realizes finding herself noticed by class charmer, Nate, as well as her roommate's dangerously attentive boyfriend, Ethan, are the least of her worries. When her roommate suddenly goes missing, she finds herself in a race against time, not only to find her, but to save herself and discover the dark truth behind Sanctuary Bay's glossy reputation.
I'm glad I took a few days before reviewing this book. When I first requested this from NetGalley, it reminded me of that really bad Leonardo DiCaprio movie, Shutter Island (not the Dennis Lehane book. The book was pretty okay). That movie was a mess, and I was hoping that this book wouldn't follow in its footsteps.
It did not.
Sarah Merson has bounced around from foster home to foster home after the murder of her parents when she was young. When she mysteriously receives a full scholarship to the prestigious Sanctuary Bay Academy - a total immersion school that has spawned everyone from hedge fund managers to presidents - Sarah believes that her life is about to turn around. She meets her roommates, bubbly Karina and Boston-cool Izzy, and makes a smattering of friends, like student body president Nate and Karina's boyfriend Ethan. Everything appears to be going well, and Sarah even feels that she has a chance for the first time in her life. However, she finds secrets and strange happenings on the island, things that cannot be explained and no one is willing to try.
I'll be honest: I had no idea what to expect from this book. I went in a little blind, because I had requested it, and then totally forgot what it was about. I think that was for the best, because it's really hard trying to explain this book without giving too much away. Although, I don't think I can even think about explaining the end of this book because...well, because. It's so hard to comprehend and then try to explain it to someone else. It took a little while for this book to get moving, but that's understandable because the second half of the book is insanity. So much happens between point A and point B that I was glad for the long intro.
All that being said, I really liked this book. It was different than a lot of the other YA books I've read, and for that, I was grateful. Not that those YA books are bad, but sometimes you fall into a routine of reading the same kinds of books, and this one helped snap me out of it. This was a mystery and a thriller and a YA romance all rolled into one. At certain points, I forgot that I was reading a YA book, and that was kind of a bad thing, sometimes. While I loved the story, the characters were so mature and intelligent that I felt like a child compared to them. The things that Sarah goes through would cause me to curl up under a blanket and never come back out. But Sarah just pushed through, stone-faced and with nerves of steel. Of course, I may have been slightly jealous at her perfect photographic memory, because that was awesome.
I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries, thrillers, or wants a different kind of YA book. It gets slow at times, but if you push through, you'll be thankful. It goes on sale January 19th, so run over to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local indie store to get your copy!
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