Of Scars and Stardust

Publication 10/8/2014

Claire knows they're after her. For two years, they've been hunting her.

Two years ago, Claire Graham ran away from her hometown and a tragedy that still haunts her, even in New York City. But when she learns that her sister, Ella, has gone missing, Claire decides to return to Amble, Ohio, and face what happened there. And her involvement in it.

Determined to find Ella, Claire turns to Grant Buchanan, the soft-spoken boy from her past who, like Claire, has secrets he guards closely. The two of them navigate their growing attraction while following clues that Ella left behind. Through a series of cryptic diary entries, Claire tries to unlock the keys to Ella's past - and her own - in order to prevent another tragedy. But not all things lost are meant to be found.
from amazon.com

Beth says 4 Stars...
This book intrigued me, despite being a fair bit off my normal path as far as genre is concerned. I guess that I initially thought that there would be a supernatural component with the wolves. Instead, it was much more of a psychological mystery/thriller. It starts off in Amble just before the initial tragedy strikes and then picks up two years later with Claire living in New York City and going about a different life.  Unfortunately for Claire, she can't escape the trauma and horror in Amble; it follows her to New York.  Upon her return to Amble, old and new mysteries combine and intertwine as Claire tries to prevent history repeating itself.  The plot kept me guessing and moved along at a good pace.  The reality of what happened is a complete mystery that I didn't guess in its entirety (I got part of it, though!).

Claire works well as a narrator, although her strong perspective colors everything that she sees. Throughout the book I was questioning if what Claire was seeing was real.  Claire had decent depth, but her instability and unreliability made her so much more compelling.  She reacted to different situations by either shutting down or lashing out and being inside her head allowed me to always know what she was thinking.  Ella (although physically absent for most of the book) plays such a huge role in shaping the plot.  Every appearance of hers adds a little light to the darkness that Claire carries with herself.  Of course, it wouldn't be complete review without mentioning the sweet, freckled Grant.  He brings out the best in Claire and helps her investigate while keeping her from losing her way.

I enjoyed this book despite having the wrong idea about its topic. The ending completely unexpectedly broke my heart and the mystery kept me guessing for the whole book.  If you're looking for something that's off-kilter, mysterious, and filled with creepy wolves pick this one up.
ebook from Netgalley