THEY GET EVEN.
Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.
Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.
Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste. (From Goodreads)
I think the last words of this book are seared into my brain. I now look at this book and that sentence is all I see. Seriously, epic last words. Half the reason they're so embedded in my memory is because I think I read that last page over and over, thinking, this can't be it. There has to be more. At that point I didn't know this was a series, so I was furious. Then I did some research, found out the story continues, and got over it...a little. I love poetry, I love writing poetry, and my favorite part is the last line - the punch that drives the rest of it home. And this book has that punch.
Back to the beginning - the introduction to this island was delicious. It sounds like such a cozy place. A cozy place, where something sinister has probably been going on and no one knows about it. But still, a place where you'd like to hole up for a week. The initial setting and Mary's mysterious reason for leaving and then returning to the island sets up the mood of this book so well.
I love the way these three girls come together. I love that they each have their own voice and their own story - and that their lives loop around each other, separate, but heading for the same goals. I feel like I got to know Lillia and Kat's story pretty well, but I'm still so curious about Mary. She's told a bit about her past and she had plenty of time on the page - but I know there's so much more to her and I can't wait to see it when she lets that loose.
The other thing I had no idea about going in, was that this isn't just a contmeporary novel. It looks like it and acts like it, but it's something else underneath. There's little snapshots where something supernatural peeks through. Not enough to turn the story into something different, but just enough to up the stakes and give it a little power. The supernatural aspects act like a volcano - you know they're there, you live with them, but you don't know when it's going to errupt. And when it does, it's going to be epic and destructive.
And then of course there's the revenge, the force driving the plot. I get why these girls want revenge. Most of the people they take revenge on, especially Reese, a douche silo if I ever saw one, deserve whatever they have coming. What was interesting was the fact that their acts of revenge were kind of small and petty. There really wasn't anything that could permanently damage someone - mentally or physically. But it an awesome - you are your own downfall - kind of way - everyone's actions (both the revengers and the revengees) all collide and make these small things so much more severe.
This book is crazy. It's filled with sane people who have crazy ideas and the follow through to cause chaos. And it was awesome to watch. I can only imagine where it's going to go from here. I have a feeling things are about to get a lot more intense. I'm so excited to see how Siobhan Vivian and Jenny Han top this book.
