Envy by Gregg Olsen
Review by: Lauren
Copy from: Publisher
Official Summary: Murder is such a dirty word…
In Port Gamble (aka “Empty Coffin”), Washington, truth is about as hard to come by as a sunny day. One minute Katelyn is a depressed teen with a loser life. The next, she’s lying on a stainless steel slab, eyes glassy, skin frosted over, and very, very dead.
Down the street from Katelyn, twins Hayley and Taylor Ryan can’t escape the encroaching winter darkness. As they recover from the shock of Katelyn’s death, they realize how entwined they already are in the evil circulating Empty Coffin. And while they can’t explain it, an unknown force pushes them to uncover the truth. Is Katelyn Port Gamble’s first and only victim?
Review: One of the many things that I loved about this book is that it’s truly a good read for adults and teens. I know a ton of YA books are being read by adults, and that’s amazing…but ENVY actually focuses on the adult characters. While twins, Hayley and Taylor, are the main characters and their story is the main focus, others are highlighted as well. You get fellow classmates, the parents of teens around Port Gamble, and more that really come together to make this amazing book.
Normally I shy away from most books in a series because it’s hard for me to keep up, so I’m really happy that I found this one as soon as it came out. Now, sadly, I have to wait about another year for the next one…but that’s okay, if it gives everyone else a shot to read this one. Believe me, it’s worth it. There isn’t a ton of romance…if that’s what you want…but there is a lot of suspense, horror (and not necessarily in the traditional sense), envy (of course), murder (oh yes!!) and definitely a lot of secrets. After all, for a small town where everyone knows everyone, you know there has to be some silent, deadly things lying in the wings.
I loved the mystery surrounding Hayley and Taylor and their “abilities” as well as their own back story. This sublot keeps you wondering until the end as well. And woah, the end!! You won’t quite believe it. It’s not really something you’d expect to find in a YA novel, but isn’t that great? Along with the multiple points of view, this is just another way that ENVY defies expectations of YA novels. And I hope it picks up in other novels as well. I like finding books that can be a truly wonderful cross-over novel.
Overall, I loved this book. I don’t love everything…but this is one book that was just really, really interesting from the beginning to the end. And I want more people to read it!!
Note: Kelly, if you’re reading…this is for you. Now read it! 🙂
Wow. This sounds awesome. Interesting that she focused on the adults, but it's still YA. Great review.
The concept of there being a focus on adults in YA is intriguing! Isn't there another YA book called "Envy" out as well? The title sounds familiar.
Thanks for the review. I will definitely look for this book.