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Shelter (Mickey Bolitar #1)

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 7,127 ratings · 1,027 reviews

Mickey Bolitar’s year can’t get much worse. After tragic events tear him away from his parents, he is forced to live with his estranged Uncle Myron and switch high schools.

A new school comes with new friends and new enemies, and lucky for Mickey, it also comes with a great new girlfriend, Ashley. For awhile, it seems like Mickey’s train-wreck of a life is finally improving...more

Kindle Edition, 321 pages

Published September 6th 2011 by Speak (first published September 1st 2011)

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Mar 27, 2012 Nanci Booher added it · review of another edition

So I have yet to read a Harlan Coben book, but I have to start somewhere. I had never read John Grisham until I picked up his Theodore Boone series so my fingers are crossed that I won't be disappointed!
Super happy I picked this up. When will the sequel be out??

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Mar 18, 2013 Parijat Ghosh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, I had never read any of Mr. Coben's works before picking this one up on a discount lot! To say that I was surprized would be an understatement, since halfway through, I was thoroughly hooked and when I finally finished it a day later, it gave me that same sense of joy and wonder that I used to get reading the early Famous Five or Nancy Drew books! I know it might be an unfair comparison, but that was literally the first reaction that I had to this book! Mr. Coben's writing is cohesive and...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Sami rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is copied and pasted from a blog entry of mine so unfortunately my first review will be a personal one and probably not useful to others.

I'll start with the end.

This was a very good book. The characters felt real, the writing style was exactly as I had expected it to be, the twists and turns in this book cannot be counted, and I simply love the style where you are given clues but kept guessing for far too long to be comfortable with your own brain's ability.

The main character, Mickey's, r...more This is copied and pasted from a blog entry of mine so unfortunately my first review will be a personal one and probably not useful to others.

I'll start with the end.

This was a very good book. The characters felt real, the writing style was exactly as I had expected it to be, the twists and turns in this book cannot be counted, and I simply love the style where you are given clues but kept guessing for far too long to be comfortable with your own brain's ability.

The main character, Mickey's, reaction to his parents seems unrealistic, (though I'd like to believe there are people who could be so ok with their mother relapsing) his reaction to his new guardian Myron spot on. There wasn't any point where I felt I could connect with the characters, no point where I felt I would laugh out loud with joy or cry in feeling their misery. But I have enough books to do that. This one was much better with a plot that kept moving regardless of emotions.

All in all, a good book. I'm glad I read it.

The next part is the personal:

First of all, I would like to point out that Harlan Coben is not known for the beauty of his writing. He is not famous for his prose, nor his use of poetry. He uses very few literary devices to make his story pretty, and the wittiest thing I've read is when his characters turn things into puns only to have other characters groan at them.

I point this out because I got through a whole novel without realising it was YA (aimed at Young Adults). And I blame it on his writing style, or lack thereof.

It occurred to me when I was very young that the characters in the books I was reading were the same age as the children who were meant to be reading them. The main character in this book is 15. That should have told me something.

And why does it matter who the novel is aimed at? It simply does. It changes the premise completely. For example. I would have very much trusted Ema, because characters in YA novels can become best friends with you after a small adventure, and there is no hidden agenda behind their befriending you. (see: Ron and Harry, Tris and Briar). So I wasted a whole novel about some very cool adventures wondering what her deal was. True she acted shifty, but frankly not shifty enough in a book like that.

Other things would have changed too. But I'm glad I didn't stop reading it. Like I said, it was a good story. I got what I expected, and for that I give it a 4/5. (less)

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Jan 27, 2013 YA Novelties rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Check this review out at our blog!

3.5 Stars

As you may have, or may not have known, I am generally not one to (want to) sit down with a contemporary YA novel. I have this reading mentality that if I'm gonna read a book, I'm gonna go all out. Why read a book about real life when I can just live my own and be done with it? That's mainly why I enjoy reading some fantastical crazy story that I won't get anywhere else. So why did I pick up Shelter? The world may never know. (Actually, Jenny practicall...more

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Jan 05, 2013 Orren Merton rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm not a regular reader of either Young Adult novels, or crime novels. But this book came highly recommended as an entry into both genres, so I gave it a read. And I have to say, it was everything I hoped it would be. Having both been and spent a decade either advising or teaching teenagers, I found the voice of both the main character Mickey Bolitar and the other main characters to be extremely authentic (and sympathetic) teens. The plot moved at a very fast clip while still giving you all the...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Anna Serra i Vidal rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, thrillers, ya

I have read some Harlan Coben and liked it before. I've even read some of the Myron books and found them well built and with a compact plot. But somehow, this book didn't feel as well executed in the end as it should have been.
It might have been the translation, as I only found this book in Spanish, (and I don't really like reading translations, specially new translations as publishing houses are cutting on the editing and the translations budgets).
I like the concept and I like adding the char...more I have read some Harlan Coben and liked it before. I've even read some of the Myron books and found them well built and with a compact plot. But somehow, this book didn't feel as well executed in the end as it should have been.
It might have been the translation, as I only found this book in Spanish, (and I don't really like reading translations, specially new translations as publishing houses are cutting on the editing and the translations budgets).
I like the concept and I like adding the characters from the adult novel in the background. Just it doesn't feel like Myron would stay on that background if his nephew was having this kind of trouble. Anyway, what nagged me wasn't the plot, was how it was developed.
First there are a few inconsistencies. In some places the character has 14 years old, and other places say that two years ago, when he was 14... So the character age is unclear. That has to do with some decent editing eyes. (It might have to do with the translator wanting to translate to actual Spanish years in high school and then forgetting, because I haven't seen anyone reading the English version complain about that).
Also, there are moments that characters appear out of the blue and you don't know how they got there. And this bothered me. (view spoiler)
And finally I know it is a series that is supposed to establish the overall mystery and the characters. But sometimes it felt a bit too rushed. The characters weren't really complex, they seemed a bit cartoonish. Mickey is too perfect for a teen who shouldn't feel so well in his own shoes after what he's endured. Ema is cool, and so Spoon (hated that the translator called him Cuchara, doesn't ring the same tone as Spoon!) and his random fact way of talking was a bit the comic relief.
In general, I liked the book for will try to stick to original language when I read the next one. And see if I can find less inconsistencies. (less)

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Dec 26, 2012 Jule rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Das Leben des vierzehnjährigen Mickey ist völlig durcheinandergeraten: Nach dem Tod seines Vaters versucht Mickeys Mutter, durch den Konsum von Drogen mit dem Verlust klarzukommen. Als sie in die Klinik eingewiesen wird, muss Mickey zu seinem ungeliebten Onkel Myron ziehen. Dass er am ersten Schultag Ashley kennenlernt und die beiden sich verlieben, scheint ein Hoffnungsschimmer. Doch dann verschwindet Ashley spurlos. Mickey versucht herauszufinden, was geschehen ist und gerät dabei in ein zwiel...more Das Leben des vierzehnjährigen Mickey ist völlig durcheinandergeraten: Nach dem Tod seines Vaters versucht Mickeys Mutter, durch den Konsum von Drogen mit dem Verlust klarzukommen. Als sie in die Klinik eingewiesen wird, muss Mickey zu seinem ungeliebten Onkel Myron ziehen. Dass er am ersten Schultag Ashley kennenlernt und die beiden sich verlieben, scheint ein Hoffnungsschimmer. Doch dann verschwindet Ashley spurlos. Mickey versucht herauszufinden, was geschehen ist und gerät dabei in ein zwielichtiges und gefährliches Milieu…

„Nur zu deinem Schutz“ ist der erste Jugendroman des preisgekrönten Krimi- und Thrillerautors Harlan Coben. Hier steht nicht der Privatdetektiv und Anwalt Myron Bolitair im Mittelpunkt, sondern dessen Neffe Mickey.

Die Geschichte wird aus Mickeys Sicht erzählt, was für mich zunächst gewöhnungsbedürftig war. Er ist zwar sympathisch, wie er sich für die unbeliebte Ema einsetzt und mit dem absolut seltsamen Jungen „Löffel“ befreundet ist, doch wirkte seine Art auf mich etwas zu gewollt lässig. Er hat auf jede Stichelei der eher wenig intelligenten Sportskanonen eine gekonnte Erwiderung parat und kann natürlich auch entsprechende Abwehrkampftechniken um sich diese locker vom Leib zu halten.
Die Figuren scheinen zunächst sehr stigmatisiert dargestellt zu sein, denn es gibt die dummen Sportler, die ebenfalls nicht so schlaue Schulschönheit und fiese Lehrer. Zum Glück werden diese Darstellungen zum Teil revidiert.

Der Schreibstil Cobens liest sich sehr flüssig und leicht. Man merkt, dass die Geschichte von einem erfahrenen Autor geschrieben wurde, denn die Sprachverwendung ist sehr gut an die einzelnen Charaktere geknüpft.

Die Geschichte ist von Beginn an sehr rätselhaft. Nach und nach stellen sich immer mehr Fragen, nicht nur nach dem Verschwinden von Ashley, sondern auch, wer sie überhaupt ist. Außerdem behauptet eine weißhaarige Frau, die von allen nur die „Hexe“ genannt wird, dass Mickeys Vater noch lebe, was Mickey immer wieder beschäftigt. Innerhalb der Geschichte tauchen noch viele weitere Rätsel auf, sodass ich teilweise das Gefühl hatte, rein gar nichts mit Gewissheit sagen zu können. Ein Großteil der Geheimnisse bleibt zudem über das Buch hinaus offen, was mich ein bisschen unzufrieden zurücklässt, da das ein neuer Trend in der Jugendliteraturbranche zu sein scheint.

Insgesamt konnte mich „Nur zu deinem Schutz“ trotz vieler überraschender Wendungen erst am Ende fesseln. Die Geschichte liest sich gut, der Inhalt überzeugte mich hingegen nicht so ganz. Es gibt einfach zu viele Rätsel und einige Figuren, wie z.B. Löffel, erscheinen mir zu unglaubwürdig. Somit ist „Nur zu deinem Schutz“ eine Geschichte, die man lesen kann, aber auch nichts verpasst, wenn man es nicht tut.(less)

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Dec 18, 2012 Jim Saddler rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The first book by Harlan Coben that I read was called "The Woods", I think. That is the book that hooked me and made me a fan of his work. This guy just knows how to write a great story.

I admit, I'm no teenager, far from it, but I got this book because I wanted to see how Mr. Coben would handle the YA genre.

He handled it extremely well, in my opinion.

This book, to put it lightly, was an insane page turner. I got it late in the day and stayed up late reading it. I was 3/4 the way through the book...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Carol rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, thrill-mysteries-scifi

OK! I was a little leery, this is a YA book and it has a one word title and I have learned to stay away from one word titles. This is my first Harlan Cohen book and now I am a big fan! Shelter by Harlan Coben exceeded my expectations. The ingredients of this mystery, suspense, fascinating characters, danger, action and underlying meanings are mixed well and baked into a can’t put down gripping thriller. The violence was not to the point of turning your stomach but just enough to keep the action...more

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Nov 27, 2012 EParkinson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was not sure what I was getting into when I began reading Shelter by Harlan Coben. Based on the cover and early chapters, I assumed that the missing Ashley was being held by the Bat Lady. This connection immediately sparked my interest because I thought I had figured it out, but I was quite wrong. Coben does a nice job of interconnecting different story lines with Mickey Bolitar, the protagonist, but at the same time loses some focus on the main story, which I believe to be the disappearance...more

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Nov 10, 2012 Mark Soone rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow this was a super enjoyable read that caught me somewhat off guard as a very pleasant surprise. I almost went 5 stars in rating this just because of the way that in totally enveloped me. I have about 8 other books on my currently reading list, and began reading the first chapter to see which book I should read next...I never made it to book 2, and realized an hour in that my to do list was going to be put on hold.....2 hours in and I realized I was near the middle of the book and decided that...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Courtney rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action-adventure, mystery, potential-gateway-noms-2013-14, series, teen-fiction

Mickey Bolitar's life has been turned upside down. His father has recently died in a car accident. His bereaved mother is in rehab. Mickey is living at his uncle Myron's place and going to school for the first time in his life. Prior to the accident and everything, Mickey and his family traveled the world on humanitarian missions, but his parents decided that Mickey could use a dose of "normal" teenage life. Obviously, things did not work out that way. Mickey thought things were looking up when...more Mickey Bolitar's life has been turned upside down. His father has recently died in a car accident. His bereaved mother is in rehab. Mickey is living at his uncle Myron's place and going to school for the first time in his life. Prior to the accident and everything, Mickey and his family traveled the world on humanitarian missions, but his parents decided that Mickey could use a dose of "normal" teenage life. Obviously, things did not work out that way. Mickey thought things were looking up when he got a girlfriend, but now she is missing without a trace. What else is a guy to do but try and figure out what happened to her? Oh, and the scary lady(known locally as "the Bat Lady") in the ghastly-looking house at the end of the block made a rare appearance to tell Mickey that his father was still alive. Which is perplexing to Mickey as he was in the same car accident that killed his father and watched his father die. So there are a couple of strange goings-on that Mickey feels compelled to figure out. Good thing he's got a couple of quirky friends: overweight and emo-styled Ema, and the non-sequitur-spewing, geeky-looking Spoon. Ema and Spoon appear to be along for the ride, no matter how strange things get. And they do get a bit strange.
In fact, the entire plot is pretty convoluted and Mickey is a unrealistically perfect protagonist. His travels around the world magically make him an expert in martial arts. His genetics have apparently conspired to make him both brilliant and a very talented basketball player. His cohorts are clearly meant to be a sharp contrast to seemingly perfect Mickey. Ema is pretty cool, but she comes across as a bitter stereotype (which fortunately eases up as the novel wears on). Spoon might have some form of autism, but he ultimately winds up being the token comic relief character. There are plenty of bad guys to jeer at, all of them completely one-dimensional. Mystery on top of mystery keeps the story moving though and readers will probably forgive the excessive foreshadowing and contrived characters. For me, there's not enough good going on here to make me want to nominate it for the state awards list. This just reads like a book meant for readers who have moved beyond Carolyn Cooney and Peg Kehret. (less)

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Nov 06, 2012 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3 stars

To be honest, I was really expecting more. When I found the sequel to this book at the library, I looked it up and found that is had almost 60 holds on it? So I thought, "hey this has to be good right?" I just didn't get into the book like I hoped to.

The story just isn't new to me. In a lot of aspects, the story was just too familiar to me. What should have been exciting and thrilling was actually kind of boring.
When you mix that with terrible cliches and the type of cheesy moments you w...more 3 stars

To be honest, I was really expecting more. When I found the sequel to this book at the library, I looked it up and found that is had almost 60 holds on it? So I thought, "hey this has to be good right?" I just didn't get into the book like I hoped to.

The story just isn't new to me. In a lot of aspects, the story was just too familiar to me. What should have been exciting and thrilling was actually kind of boring.
When you mix that with terrible cliches and the type of cheesy moments you would normally find in a Disney movie, you just can't really get engrossed into the book like you hoped to.

I found many moments in the book where I ended up sighing at the cliche moments or thinking, "where have I read this before?"

It's just that the scenario seems almost too ordinary. You have you new popular hot jock guy who quickly makes enemies with the teachers and all the popular kids and friends with the unpopular people at school. You've got the super cliche moments where the unpopular girl is afraid you won't be her friend and cries,the climax where the enemy is about to come back and the girl your saving is telling you to save yourself, that part where the adult says,"your a kid, what can you do?" and after wards have the kid "save the world", and the part where you say you have to go alone to be safe but your friends argue and tag along anyways.
Any of this sound familiar?

Don't get me wrong the mystery was still interesting (or at least it should've been) but this book didn't really touch upon the subjects I wanted to know the most about. Sure there were a couple of hints here and there but when it really comes down to it, my questions weren't really covered.
Now I suppose these questions and more will be answered in future books so maybe I'll read the sequel.

~~~~
Other notes:
(Theres also a surprising lack of parents in all of this. Almost every kid in this book has neglecting parents that are mysteriously "missing" or out of town
Don't get me wrong but I don't think society is that screwed up.)
(less)

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Nov 06, 2012 Janet rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Harlan Coben's new series about Myron Bolitar's nephew. Mickey has been raised by his parents who were in the business of rescuing children from terrible circumstances all over the world. In an effort to allow Mickey to have a normal high school experience, they attempt to settle in California. Mickey's father is killed in a mysterious car accident, and as a result of her grief, Mickey's mom slides into depression and drug addiction. Myron brings Mickey to his home in Jersey and puts the mom int...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Rachel rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you like mystery and adventure in your YA literature, Shelter is the story for you!

Mickey, at 15, has lived a very big life. His parents have traveled the world as a part of an organization that helps people in need. Unfortunately, Mickey’s father dies in a car accident, and his mother becomes a drug addict as a way to cope with her grief, so Mickey finds himself living with his Uncle Myron. He is attending high school for the first time in his life and has to learn how to live and survive in...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Harry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adults, detective-mystery

For those who have read my reviews of the Myron Bolitar novels, Harlan Coben once again delivers a world-class series this time dealing with the nephew of Myron Bolitar. Unlike the Myron Bolitar series this series now includes the young adult audience as well as the mature audience Coben has been writing for. To my mind this is an incredible accomplishment: to engage both young adults as well as adults in equal fashion.

The writing style is slightly different: the prose has been excised and edite...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Aaron rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have always wanted to read a book by Harlan Coben, but I never really seemed to find the time to squeeze it in. Well, I was thrilled when this teen novel (his first) was presented to an award committee I serve on because it would mean that now was the time to dig in!

This is the first in what I am expecting to be a series that has young Mickey Bolitar as the protagonist. Part-mystery/part-suspense, Coben has created a story that is guaranteed to keep the pages turning. Mickey's world has turned...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, mystery, reviewed

An impulsive, hot-headed teen of roughly sixteen years of age moves in with his hated Uncle after his father’s death and his mother’s unavailability due to stay at rehap center. The youngster, Mickey, joins his Uncle’s household on the condition that his uncle would not interfere with him.

It would appear that the mother and father “were like one, their love was so strong.” Without the male half, the female half turned to drugs. So, the book begins with a young man facing a dead father, a junkie...more An impulsive, hot-headed teen of roughly sixteen years of age moves in with his hated Uncle after his father’s death and his mother’s unavailability due to stay at rehap center. The youngster, Mickey, joins his Uncle’s household on the condition that his uncle would not interfere with him.

It would appear that the mother and father “were like one, their love was so strong.” Without the male half, the female half turned to drugs. So, the book begins with a young man facing a dead father, a junkie mother, living with his hated uncle, and a missing girlfriend.

I admit that, while I read the prior book Mickey Boltiar was in, Live Wire, and knew that this was the start of a new series, a young adult series, following Mickey Boltiar, I admit that I forgot. I spent the first chapter or two thinking I was reading Myron Boltiar as a kid. That's what Robert B. Parker did when he had a young adult series. Had it follow a young Spenser. The facts were not lining up for it to be a young Myron and I quickly remembered. Oh, just to give myself a little cover, Mickey Boltiar's real first name is Myron Boltiar, with Mickey being his nickname.

Once I got past that little stumble on my part, the early tinge of annoyance dropped away. Well, there were cell phones and the like. Obvious indications this was a present day story. And Myron Boltiar would by no means have grown up with cell phones and other modern day items. Despite my earlier awareness, months ago - quickly forgotten - when I started the book I forgot that it was a young nephew Mickey and not uncle Myron who was the lead. Reminded me of the James Bond reboot, where they put him conducting his first mission, Casino Royale, in roughly modern days. Then, of course, I remembered. Right, repeating myself.

There is a certain . . . thinness to the book. Oh, it is a full thick plot, but . . . something feels . . . thin about the book. I couldn't imagine myself doing the things at the age of 15-16 that Mickey did, but then, Mickey is six four, athletic, and filled with the knowledge gained from growing up around the world. Plus, he knows advanced martial arts. I suppose, in a way, after describing Mickey, I am somewhat surprised he had as hard of a time as he did, to push through to the conclusion of this book.

The book starts with Mickey heading off to his new school. Or remembering. The first part is slightly confused as there is a mixture of “this happened two weeks ago, this is happening right now” that clouds the time line. Well, he is off to his new school. First he befriends an outcast. He nicknames this fella Spoon, for the simple act, on Spoon’s part, of Spoon walking up to Mickey and asking if Mickey wanted to use his spoon. Mickey also befriends a female outcast named Ema, a heavily tattooed, overweight, pierced young woman.

The three youngsters decide to join forces on the case of Mickey’s missing girlfriend, Ashley Kent. Spoon is the less fully developed, character-wise. Spending time spouting odd little bits of fact, though that comes in handy when some of his obsession helps move the case forward. Mickey is more fully developed character than he was in the first book he appeared in, Live Wire. And Myron, the uncle, star of many books in his own series, is there, but not really part of the action.

A quick read. While there’s this odd thin feeling, Coben’s first young adult novel is fully formed. Though the epilogue kind of ends abruptly. Will I read another book in this series (if it is a series, no further books has, as of yet, appeared)? Yes. Do I eagerly await its appearance? No.
(less)

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Jul 30, 2012 Gail Jones rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Review: Shelter by Harlan Coben
Hmn, mixed feelings about this one. This is a young adult spin off from the well known Myron Bolitar series. I read it with great eagerness but couldn’t shake off a feeling of dissatisfaction.

This book is based around Mickey Bolitar, Myron’s fifteen-year-old nephew who came to live with him in the book ‘Live Wire’ when his father, Myron’s brother died in a car crash and his mother ended up in drug rehab.

If you haven’t read any Myron Bolitar books you’ll probably lo...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Wisteriouswoman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I picked up this book in the YA section I recognized Harlan Coban's name but couldn't remember what his books were like. The same day I picked out Live Wire, one of his adult books, too. Unbeknownst to me, they are related.
I am sure glad I read Shelter first. It helps make it a better mystery not knowing all the background of the adults in the story. It seems more believable that Mickey can't stand being around his uncle Myron because you don't know the parts that the adults play in the dr...more When I picked up this book in the YA section I recognized Harlan Coban's name but couldn't remember what his books were like. The same day I picked out Live Wire, one of his adult books, too. Unbeknownst to me, they are related.
I am sure glad I read Shelter first. It helps make it a better mystery not knowing all the background of the adults in the story. It seems more believable that Mickey can't stand being around his uncle Myron because you don't know the parts that the adults play in the drama. In some ways I like it better than Coban's adult series. I'd definitely read the sequel. The fact that the girl he hangs with isn't thin, pretty and popular makes this novel more solid. Many girls that spend a great deal of time reading aren't in this category either. His other friend, though annoying to Mickey, is likeable in a quirky oddball kind of way. As in many stories, a nerdy tech-savvy guy is necessary in order to help the protagonist overcome barriers.

The book reminded me of the Homelander series by Andrew Klavan; likeable boy protagonist, quirky friends that help figure things out, bad guys after him for mysterious reasons, martial arts experience getting him through some hairy situations, and adults that he can't trust because they may turn out to be bad guys.

The thing that didn't ring true was the fact that Mickey was a world traveler. He didn't act like it. He should have been a bit more sophisticated and also able to make friends at the drop of a hat. But on the other hand you don't get the feeling that he has trouble fitting in with American teen culture. This would probably be the case for someone who has spent time in war torn countries and places like the Amazon. But like many thrillers you have to suspend reality. The action rather than dialog will definitely draw teenage boys to this series.

It seems that traveling with his parents has made him feel very close to them so the fact that he loves his mom and visits her when she is locked up in rehab is believable. Staying clean may be too difficult for her and you get a glimpse of the fallout of a very real challenge that many families face. I appreciate the fact that in many of his books Coban deals with some real issues that need to be addressed in our society.

It is a great fast paced story with interesting twists and turns. The ending doesn't totally make sense but perhaps that will be explained in the sequel. It is better than many teen series because Coban has the experience of writing mysteries for adults.
(less)

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Jul 07, 2012 Pirl{Okay So This Isn't My Real Name} rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was a fluke.

I went to the book store, and it had a sale, four books for 99 NIS. I came there for that exact purpose of buying books in that sale.
However, the first book I wanted was gone. They were out.
Now, I had 100 NIS in my hand, and three books I want to buy. They cost me about two times maybe even three times more if I don't get a fourth book. But I can't buy one of these books if I don't buy the first one of the series!
So the nice lady who's been helping me all this time says, "h...more

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Jul 05, 2012 KRM rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've been a huge fan of Harlan Coben's books for years - his Myron Bolitar series is one of my favourites and his stand alone novels are always excellent. This new book, Shelter, re-introduces Myron's nephew, Mickey, who we met in the latest Myron book, Live Wire and it carries on from the events in that story. Mickey's father was recently killed in a car crash and his mother is in rehab, so Mickey is now living with his uncle Myron. He is new to his high school and his girlfriend has gone missi...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Stephanie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

2.5 stars

This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com.

You know what they say about throwing rocks at your characters in order to keep things interesting? Well, Mickey Bolitar, hero of Harlan Coben’s new spin-off YA series, has had more than a few boulders chucked his way over the past few months: think a Donkey Kong-esque onslaught of barrels of misery. His dad’s dead, his mother’s turned into a junkie, and his almost-girlfriend Ashley has suddenly upped and vanished. (Not to...more 2.5 stars

This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com.

You know what they say about throwing rocks at your characters in order to keep things interesting? Well, Mickey Bolitar, hero of Harlan Coben’s new spin-off YA series, has had more than a few boulders chucked his way over the past few months: think a Donkey Kong-esque onslaught of barrels of misery. His dad’s dead, his mother’s turned into a junkie, and his almost-girlfriend Ashley has suddenly upped and vanished. (Not to mention that he’s just about to start at a new school, and he’s just had a run-in with his town’s resident Grandma Death.)

There’s not much Mickey can do about his parents, although he suspects that there are a few as yet unearthed mysteries involved there, but Mickey does have a touch of the knight-in-shining-armour inclination that he puts to good use in trying to figure out what’s happened to his girlfriend. With the help of cranky goth girl sidekick Ema and nerdy hacker Spoon, Mickey sets about solving the mystery–only to find that it’s a far bigger mystery than he might have guessed, and that his family is a part of it.

While it’s not unusual for a novel such as this to begin with a bang, and indeed this one does, the problem with doing so is that the reader can be left treading water until they figure out what’s going on. Readers familiar with Coben’s work for older readers, such as the Myron Bolitar series, may have more luck here, but given that we’re talking about an adult versus a YA audience, I’m not sure how true this is. Certainly, I found myself floundering a little as we were flung from a heeby-jeeby Grandma Death scene in to your typical first day of school scene. As obligatory as the cliques-in-the-cafeteria scene is in the YA novel, it does put an odd damper on a novel that’s just warned the reader that all sorts of terrible things are going to go down.

Fortunately, Mickey does don his sleuthing hat fairly promptly, and it’s not long before he’s hanging out behind Grandma Death’s home (okay, so her name’s Bat Lady, but all I can think of is the granny from Donnie Darko), breaking into student lockers, visiting tattoo parlours and staking out strip clubs. Why yes, those last two do feel strangely out of place in a YA novel, but I suppose this stuff is the bread and butter of the crime world.
To be honest, although the mystery has some interesting aspects, the story behind Ashley’s disappearance just felt familiar and tired. Instead, it’s the mystery surrounding Mickey’s parents and their connection with Bat Lady that’s the really intriguing element of this novel, and I suspect that this aspect will be gradually teased out as this series grows. Unfortunately, the latter gets slightly jumbled up amidst an array of fight and flight scenes, car chases and strip club visits, all of which I found a tad messily written and terribly cliched. And even after finishing the book, I still can’t get past that first scene in which Bat Lady emerges from the depths of her house to croak “Your father’s not dead” at Mickey whilst pointing a crooked finger at him–it just sets such an odd tone for the book, and the book is far more of a thriller than the horror/mystery this first scene would suggest.

I admit to having trouble with some of the characters as well: with the exception of Mickey’s family and Ema, they often lean towards being little more than flat archetypes whose use is merely to move the plot forward. Spoon, for example, is good fun, but his role is largely off-stage, and typically involves helping Mickey and Ema get the information they need to further their search for the truth. Ashley, likewise, is essentially a Maguffin: she’s the reason for this whole sleuthing business, but plays no role in the book at all. Even the basis for the search seems a little odd, as Mickey seems to have hardly known her at all. Also, is it normal for fifteen year old boys to be 6’4″? Because, goodness, I feel extremely short right now.
Shelter is a quick read overall, and Coben’s sense of humour helps to hide some of the over-the-top plotting, I found it too exaggerated and overblown for my tastes.(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mickey Bolitar has traveled the world with his parents. His experiences ensured that he's more tough and capable than your average fifteen-year-old. Unfortunately, Mickey's dad died and his mother is in rehab, leaving him to move in with Myron, his estranged uncle. Myron, who lives near the mysterious Bat Lady. Of course, even trying to discover the Bat Lady's secrets can't hold Myron's attention when his girlfriend Ashley is missing.

I devoured SHELTER extremely quickly. It's an effectively pace...more

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May 06, 2012 Alexei rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

{Come check out my website TeenageBookaholic }

SYNOPSIS: After spending all of his life traveling the world with his parents, gaining and leaving friends, changing schools frequently, and being anything but a normal teen, Mickey Bolitar finally gets to settle down in the US with his parents.

As if.

After a horrific car crash that the family was in, leaving Mickey's dad dead and, by finding love through a needle, Mickey's mom in rehab. And just as Mickey's Sophomore year is about to begin, he meets...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, science-fiction-fantasy, suspense-mystery, young-adult

Originally posted at: http://aurorareviews.blogspot.com/201...

In an instant, Mickey Bolitar’s life is turned inside out. He was living the perfect life with his parents when a car accident takes his father’s life and sends Mickey spinning and grasping for control. Now that he and his mom are somewhat settled, the real chaos is about to begin with the disappearance of his sort-of girlfriend, Ashley. When he makes it his priority to discover what really happened, the race to separate the truth fro...more

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Mar 20, 2012 F.T. Bradley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I started reading this book with an extra sceptical eye when I saw who the author was--I know, not fair. But often when a writer crossed from fiction for adults to fiction for kids, it doesn't produce the best books. Writing for teens is just a different beast, and it's not for every author.

But Shelter had me pleasantly surprised. Sure, it opened with a few YA cliches: the protagonist is the new kid in town, we're in the cafeteria, sizing up the cliques, etc. But the voice was spot-on: fun, snap...more

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Mar 10, 2012 Laura Salas rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, young-adult

Loved this book. Mickey Bolitar's father has died(view spoiler). He's the child of two do-gooder parents and has spent his life until now traveling the globe with them. Now they've gone home so Mickey can have a normal high school. Mickey's mom falls apart at his father's death and becomes a junkie. (I did wonder if she'd ever had drug problems before...) His girlfriend disappears, and the local Bat Lady is somehow mixed up in the mystery that Mickey sets out to solv...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Marleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mickey Bolitar is going through a horrible time in is young life. He witnessed his father’s death in a car crash, saw how his mother, unable to cope with the grieve became a junkie and now finds himself living with his estranged uncle, Myron.
Joining a new high school should be the least of Mickey’s worries but it is still a scary occasion, made easier by Ashley. She is a beautiful girl, also new to the school and before long Mickey and Ashley are close.
And then, after just a few weeks in school,...more Mickey Bolitar is going through a horrible time in is young life. He witnessed his father’s death in a car crash, saw how his mother, unable to cope with the grieve became a junkie and now finds himself living with his estranged uncle, Myron.
Joining a new high school should be the least of Mickey’s worries but it is still a scary occasion, made easier by Ashley. She is a beautiful girl, also new to the school and before long Mickey and Ashley are close.
And then, after just a few weeks in school, Ashley disappears without a word and without a trace.
Devastated to have lost yet another person he felt close to, Mickey decides to try and find Ashley unaware that she was not the squeaky clean girl she appeared to be and that following her trail will lead him into dangerous territory.
Of course, there is also Bat-lady, the old woman living a secluded life in the neighbourhood who shouts out at Mickey one morning that his father is still alive. Although he knows better, Mickey can’t help hoping and has to know what the woman meant.
Two investigations for Mickey both involving people close to his heart. Two cases that may well be connected.
Several shocking revelations to follow.

The character Mickey Bolitar was introduced in Live Wire, a book in the Myron Bolitar series. At the time I wrote that the book felt a bit like a vehicle to introduce Mickey and that I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
When I started this book I was a bit afraid that the opposite might happen here. Was this really going to be a book and series about a new character, Mickey, or would it in reality turn out to be more Myron but this time with a much younger side-kick.
I’m very glad to have discovered that this is very much a Mickey Bolitar story. Myron features of course, he has to since Mickey is living in his house, but he is very much in the background. In fact he was so much in the background that I couldn’t help wishing for a little bit more of him.
Having said that, there are very obvious similarities between nephew and uncle and at times they even sound exactly the same but that didn’t bother me. In fact, on several occasions those similarities made me smile.
This was an interesting mystery and thrilling story. Yes, I could see some things coming a long time before they were revealed in the book, but this is a book for teenagers, and besides, there were quite a few things I could never have predicted.
I liked the way the friendships Mickey makes were described and I love the idea of the group of friends he ends up with, even if I’m not sure how realistic that grouping actually is.
Overall I enjoyed listening to this story, liked the characters in it and found myself caught up in the story. And I know I will read or listen to the sequel as soon as it comes out because to say that this book ended on a bombshell and cliff-hanger would be the understatement of the year.
(less)

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Feb 02, 2012 Kendra rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a mystery for teens written by a well-known author of thrillers for adults. I was pretty excited to read this since I like Coben's adult books, but I really ended up thinking this was just okay. My main complaints involve weakly-created characters and terrible dialogue. I just didn't feel like many of the characters were real, or even believable, and much of the dialogue was horrible.

That being said, there is an exciting and interesting plot, so for readers who care more about plot than...more

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About Harlan Coben

With over 50 million books in print worldwide, Harlan Coben’s last six consecutive novels, SIX YEARS, STAY CLOSE, LIVE WIRE, CAUGHT, LONG LOST and HOLD TIGHT all debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and lists around the world. His first Young Adult novel SHELTER was just released in paperback, and the second in the Mickey Bolitar series, SECONDS AWAY, was released on September 18th....more With over 50 million books in print worldwide, Harlan Coben’s last six consecutive novels, SIX YEARS, STAY CLOSE, LIVE WIRE, CAUGHT, LONG LOST and HOLD TIGHT all debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and lists around the world. His first Young Adult novel SHELTER was just released in paperback, and the second in the Mickey Bolitar series, SECONDS AWAY, was released on September 18th. His books are published in 41 languages around the globe and have been number one bestsellers in over a dozen countries.

Winner of the Edgar Award, Shamus Award and Anthony Award – the first author to win all three – international bestselling author Harlan Coben’s critically-acclaimed novels have been called “ingenious” (New York Times), “poignant and insightful” (Los Angeles Times), “consistently entertaining” (Houston Chronicle), “superb” (Chicago Tribune) and “must reading” (Philadelphia Inquirer).

Harlan’s novel TELL NO ONE has been turned into the commercial and critical smash hit French film of the same name, starring Francois Cluzet and Kristin Scott Thomas. The movie was the top box office foreign-language film of the year in USA, won the Lumiere (French Golden Globe) for best picture and was nominated for nine Cesars (French Oscar) and won four, including best actor, best director and best music. To see the trailer, click here and for stills and to see Harlan appearing in the film, visit our gallery page. The movie is now available in DVD and Blu-Ray. An American/Hollywood remake is in the works.

In his first books, Coben immersed himself in the exploits of sports agent Myron Bolitar. Critics loved the series, saying, “You race to turn pages…both suspenseful and often surprisingly funny” (People). After seven books Coben wanted to try something different. “I came up with a great idea that simply would not work for Myron,” says Coben. The result was the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller TELL NO ONE, which became the most decorated thriller of 2001 – nominated for an Edgar, an Anthony, a Macavity, a Nero, and a Barry; winner of the Audie Award for Best Audio Mystery/Suspense Book (read by Steven Weber); and a #1 hardcover book on the Book Sense 76 list. Coben followed the success of TELL NO ONE with the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers GONE FOR GOOD (2002), NO SECOND CHANCE (2003), and JUST ONE LOOK (2004) and THE INNOCENT (2005). Bookspan, recognizing Coben’s broad international appeal, named NO SECOND CHANCE its first ever International Book of the Month in 2003 – the Main Selection in 15 different countries.

Coben was the first writer in more than a decade to be invited to write fiction for the NEW YORK TIMES op-ed page. His Father’s Day short story, THE KEY TO MY FATHER, appeared June 15, 2003. His essays and columns have appeared in many top publications including the New York Times, Parade Magazine and Bloomberg Views.

Since his critically-acclaimed Myron Bolitar series debuted in 1995, Harlan Coben has won the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Allan Poe Award and was nominated for the Edgar two other times. Harlan also won the Anthony Award at the World Mystery Conference, was nominated for another Anthony Award, won the Shamus Award by the Private Eye Writers of America, was nominated for another Shamus, and was twice nominated for the Dilys Award by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association.

In the United Kingdom, his novel ONE FALSE MOVE earned him the prestigious “Fresh Talent Award”, given annually by Great Britain’s largest bookstore chain, W. H. Smith, and GONE FOR GOOD won the W. H. SMITH “Thumping Good Read” Award. In France, TELL NO ONE (NE LE DIS A PERSONE) won Le Grand Prix des Lectrices de Elle for fiction. His novels have been PEOPLE magazine Page-Turners of the Week and a Publishers Weekly Best of the Year pick.

Harlan was born in Newark, New Jersey. After graduating from Amherst College a political science major, Harlan worked in the travel industry. He no(less)

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Quotes from Shelter

“Getting into a fight with a popular senior. Pissing off a school teacher and the local chief of police. Hanging with two major-league losers." She slapped my back. "Welcome to high school.” — 7 people liked it

“Its funny how you can let yourself forget for seconds, how even in the heat of the horrible, you can have moments when you fool yourself into thinking it might all be okay” — 5 people liked it

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Shelter (Mickey Bolitar #1)

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