Pages

Monday 25 June 2012

So Close to You by Rachel Carter

Rating: Wide Eyed - 4/5
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: July 10th, 2012
Pages: 313

First, a quick summary from Goodreads:
Lydia Bentley has heard stories about the Montauk Project all her life: stories about the strange things that took place at the abandoned military base near her home and the people who've disappeared over the years. Stories about people like her own great-grandfather. 
When Lydia stumbles into a portal that transports her to a dangerous and strange new reality, she discovers that all the stories she's ever heard about the Montauk Project are true, and that she's in the middle of one of the most dangerous experiments in history. 
Alongside a darkly mysterious boy she is wary to trust, Lydia begins to unravel the secrets surrounding the Project. But the truths behind these secrets force her to question all her choices--and if Lydia chooses wrong, she might not save her family but destroy them . . . and herself.
Lydia has a close relationship with her grandfather. She never turns him down when he asks her to go on one of his search & (hopefully) rescue missions to Camp Hero. Lydia's grandfather - Peter - lost his father at the age of seven, and he's never been able to let it go. Peter is convinced that his father's disappearance wasn't due to war, but rather the "Montauk Project," rumored to have taken place at Camp Hero.

But of course, like everybody else, Lydia believes her grandfather has become a little too obsessed with his search for clues - until she one day forgets her sweater. When she goes back to retrieve it, she makes a decision that will change not only her life, but as well as her grandfather's life forever.

After stumbling her way into a time machine that brings her back six days before her great-grandfather's disappearance, Lydia makes the only decision she can. She decides to find out what happened to her great-grandfather, and stop it.

I had never heard of this book before I entered a contest on Goodreads in hopes of winning myself a copy. And boy, was I happy when I did! So before I get started on my review, I'd just like to thank Harper Collins, Goodreads and Rachel Carter for giving me the opportunity to win this book. Really, thanks. :)

Lydia is a great main character, she describes the differences between our time and the 1940s so well, it's practically tangible. The writing in this book was absolutely FLAWLESS. I'm still awe-struck with how amazing it was. Everything flowed so easily and nothing felt out of place while reading So Close to You.

Lydia's character was completely believable, too. Instead of stepping into the 1940s and everything being fine and dandy, it was obvious to me that she was out of place. Everything from the way that she talked, to the way she was completely blown away by the designs they used to label canned goods back in the day.

Her relationship with Wes, on the other hand, didn't quite sit right with me. I couldn't really understand why Lydia was so smitten with him when she had only seen him a few brief times during the book. I almost feel as if she put him up on some kind of pedestal that he's not going to be able to live up to in the second book (which I can't wait for, by the way!).

The plot was pretty decently paced as well, it wasn't edge-if-your-seat worthy, but it definitely wasn't one of those slow, almost unbearable reads. Quite often I found I was reading the book more for the way the book was written than out of care for the plot or characters. Honestly, the writing was my favorite part of the book.

And the ending! Ugh, the ending! Plot twist after plot twist that I didn't see coming AT. ALL. And I kinda felt dumb for not seeing it beforehand.

Butyeah. This book was absolutely SPECTACULAR and the writing was IMPECCABLE. And I am just in love with the way Rachel Carter writes, and I don't think I will ever get over it, and you need to go out and buy this book as soon as it hits shelves so you can see and appreciate her amazing writing capabilities! Such a great book!

4 comments:

  1. Yay! I'm glad to hear you really liked abut So Close to You. I haven't heard too much about this book, so I scrolled through the reviews on Goodreads and they seems mostly favourable. Time travel, romance and mystery? Sounds like something I definitely don't want to miss reading! Thanks for the review! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not a problem! Thanks for taking the time to read & comment on my review! I'll be on the look-out for your future review! :)

      Delete
  2. I heard about this book via another blog and everyone I know has liked this book. Glad you liked this book! Great review- must check this out soon!

    Teenage Fiction

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Can't wait to see what you think of it! :)Ps; isn't the cover just AWESOME?! LOL. :D

      Delete