The Suburban Strange

Oct 02, 2012 Giselle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, paranormal

Mysterious accidents the day before girls turn 16, a peculiar group of socialites, a unique paranormal aspect - The Suburban Strange was very promising. It started very intriguing too, with a very sophisticated, high-on-life feel that I found quite refreshing, though my excitement for it came to an quick halt when this high school clique started sounding like 100 year old teenagers, and the cultural references in the book were more persistent than door to door salesmen. Among other things.

A grou...more Mysterious accidents the day before girls turn 16, a peculiar group of socialites, a unique paranormal aspect - The Suburban Strange was very promising. It started very intriguing too, with a very sophisticated, high-on-life feel that I found quite refreshing, though my excitement for it came to an quick halt when this high school clique started sounding like 100 year old teenagers, and the cultural references in the book were more persistent than door to door salesmen. Among other things.

A group of worldly teens spending their time in an underground indie bar scene creates a very sophisticated, hipster vibe in this book that I initially found very refreshing. We get teenagers who like to dress to the nines and act like they're older, more cultured than the average. I liked the attitudes and personalities that it brought out in the book. However, after a while, I'm not sure if it got progressively worse, or if I simply got over my initial enchantment with it, but it became a little too unnatural for me to picture actual teenagers talking and acting like this. I'm certain there must be some in the world that share these personalities, but I was put off by it come half way through. I was also disappointed that their strange behaviour was not linked to the mysterious happenings in the plot which is what I initially assumed. I was expecting them to really be 300 year old demons or vampires - anything but extreme hipsters who are simply just... weird kids.

Have any of you read The Awakening by Kate Chopin? I hadn't heard of it until this book. It's apparently a classic, and if the meh reviews on Goodreads hadn't put me off it, hearing about it 8271362153 times in this book would make it certain that I never want to hear about it ever again. I don't mind cultural references in a novel, in fact I often find them very enjoyable, Gilmore Girls is one of my all time favourite TV shows because of the infinite cultural references--among other things--, but when a conversation unnaturally halts so the protagonist can fangirl for the 3rd time about a book she just read, it becomes grating. Especially when combined with the already considerable music and art references scattered throughout.

Instead of focusing on these grandpa teens with a marketing agenda, I decided to let myself enjoy the plot which I found fairly interesting and unique. I liked how the paranormal aspect was woven into the plot. While it didn't go into great lengths, the Kind and Unkind mythology is a creative concept of good vs evil. There is one aspect of it that I found a bit obscure as I'm not sure of its purpose or relation to the plot: the fact that only girls who are virgins become a victim of this pre-birthday curse. Is it supposed to add relatable teenage dilemmas in the plot? I'm not quite sure but it felt very backwards 80s horror movie with no real significance. Then when it came time to the final twist--the big reveal--I realized just how predictable it all was. Even my two year old son knew who did it. And he thinks B comes first.

I was expecting a fun mystery with creepy happenings and an eerie school setting, instead I got a very slow paced read that was more an exposition on teenage social influences and common peer pressures than anything. I would only recommend this if you love books filled to the brim with very obscure indie music and art references, drab teenage "messages", and unusually sophisticated teenage characters.

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An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Apr 14, 2013 Stacey rated it 4 of 5 stars

This little story was definitely different. For the most part I found it enjoyable. The story is about a girl named Celia who goes to a new school where she is taken under wing by a group of students who call themselves The Rosary. Suddenly accidents start to happen at school to girls on their 16th birthday. It soon happens so many times that no one can pretend its just a coincidence anymore. Things really start getting strange when Celia meets a boy at a gothic type dance club and then he disap...more This little story was definitely different. For the most part I found it enjoyable. The story is about a girl named Celia who goes to a new school where she is taken under wing by a group of students who call themselves The Rosary. Suddenly accidents start to happen at school to girls on their 16th birthday. It soon happens so many times that no one can pretend its just a coincidence anymore. Things really start getting strange when Celia meets a boy at a gothic type dance club and then he disappears.

So the plot peaked my interest. However all through the novel I kept waiting for some secrets to start unraveling with these mysterious Rosary teenagers, but to be honest they had very little to do with the mysteries. Looking back, its almost like they didn't have much to do with anything except giving Celia a few friends and talking about their cool indie music. Unfortunately even that was stale because the music was all cool indie music, but it was almost all from the 90's and real teenagers today would have also been referencing cool indie music from today. This just read like the author was paying homage to the indie music he grew up on which is beautiful but didn't fit into this story in a realistic way. (For the record I am an avid Tori Amos fan and loved his reference to 'Crucify').

The mystery was interesting and I didn't completely figure out the whodunit before all was revealed which is a huge plus in my book. I also was shocked by a turn of events with a character I thought was far more interesting than the Rosary kids. The love story was also somewhat unusual and I liked Tomasi and his backstory. Celia herself was a take her or leave her character and even after her 'growth' in the story I feel like I maybe would have liked the old Celia better.

Despite any criticisms I don't want to turn away potential readers because this is a different story from a lot of what is out right now and I think the author has a nice style. The tale was slow to take off but I was never bored by it and never wanted it to just move along. It was definitely worth reading and I think anyone who finds the plot appealing would probably enjoy this tale.(less)

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Feb 22, 2013 Diane rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: high-school, washyarg

Celia is now a sophomore at Suburban High and is hoping that this year will be a turning point. She’s now part of a group of teens who dress alike, like alternative music, and hang out at an exclusive dance club. Her grades are up, due at least in part to her Chem lab partner who is a bit strange. And there’s a cute guy who seems to be interested in her. The only problem is that something is happening to girls at SH on the day before their 16th birthdays – all the virgins are injured in some wa...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Hilary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, speculative-fiction, tri-review, young-adult

Celia Balaustine is a new transfer to Suburban High, where she is befriended by a mysterious group of students called the Rosary. Plentiful references to contemporary music and art are incorporated into Celia’s orientation to the exclusive Rosary group. As Celia embarks on a journey of self-discovery and forges new relationships, she becomes aware of a supernatural conflict between good and evil -- the Kind and Unkind. When her lab partner becomes a fatality in the curse that has been cast on gi...more Celia Balaustine is a new transfer to Suburban High, where she is befriended by a mysterious group of students called the Rosary. Plentiful references to contemporary music and art are incorporated into Celia’s orientation to the exclusive Rosary group. As Celia embarks on a journey of self-discovery and forges new relationships, she becomes aware of a supernatural conflict between good and evil -- the Kind and Unkind. When her lab partner becomes a fatality in the curse that has been cast on girls who are turning sixteen in her school, Celia must confront the malicious Unkind responsible for the situation.

Two elements will rivet the reader’s attention and compel the reader to read Nathan Kotecki’s debut novel. One is the Rosary. Readers will devour details of what is like to be an insider of an exclusive coterie that is more clever, more edgy, more attractive, and more sophisticated than any other social group. The references to music, art, and literature will stretch readers’ horizons as they (inevitably) explore and sample new possibilities woven into the text. Although storytelling would generally have the Rosary dabbling in the supernatural, instead this is a group of cognoscenti teens pushing their intellectual and creative boundaries. Readers will also long to find a chic haven like Diaboliques. Secondly, Every intellectual outcast who has longed for an elite group of sympathetic allies will be drawn into Kotecki’s spell-binding tale of the underground conflict between good and evil. Even if no supernatural powers were involved, it would appear that most people fall into one category or the other. Due to the curse affecting girls about to turn sixteen, virginity is a recurring topic in “The Suburban Strange;” the subject is handled deftly. A same-sex relationship is also no cause for fanfare.

Since the story has an open ending, fans are going to demand to know what happens in Celia’s junior year at Suburban. Be prepared to buy the sequel, “Pull Down the Night.”(less)

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Jan 08, 2013 Ifahh rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: did-not-finish

Holy moly. The premise of this book looked oh so promising. But instead, the story's about as dull as a sack of potatoes.

First of all, Celia. I have no idea why, but this girl FURIATES me like no business. I cringe when she talks, and fortunately, that's not often. She's kind of creepy, too. I get it - you're shy, artistic. Woo wee woo. But I think the thing that made me NOPE was her first interaction with Regine. (view spoiler)...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars

The rating is closer to a 4 than a 3, so like a 3.5. This was a good book to begin a series for many reasons. The writing is great. The characters are well developed and show a great deal of empathy. I have to say that in choosing the names of characters, it was right. The names were not all ones you are used to hearing everyday and that's refreshing. The amount of detail in the storyline was in high amounts. It was in the characters well as in the environment they were in. The reader could conn...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Keith rated it 5 of 5 stars

I heard Nathan Kotecki speak at a local bookstore in NC. I think the best thing I can say about his debut novel is this: I’d already bought the Kindle version when I went to the reading, but forgot to bring my Kindle. I got so wrapped up in reading a display hardcover while I was waiting for the author to begin that I ended up purchasing it again.

YA is a very, very crowded genre. There’s such a glut, that I rarely follow a YA story through to the end, not unless it has more substance than a popu...more I heard Nathan Kotecki speak at a local bookstore in NC. I think the best thing I can say about his debut novel is this: I’d already bought the Kindle version when I went to the reading, but forgot to bring my Kindle. I got so wrapped up in reading a display hardcover while I was waiting for the author to begin that I ended up purchasing it again.

YA is a very, very crowded genre. There’s such a glut, that I rarely follow a YA story through to the end, not unless it has more substance than a popular plot. I also want to see quality writing, and an attention to detail, and solid character-building, and consistent and creative world-building. THE SUBURBAN STRANGE, absolutely, has a depth and weight that most YA novels lack.

I’m not going to recount the plot; others reviews have done that. I just wanted to tick off a couple bullets that stood out for me:

* Some genuinely funny, clever lines: “Celia wouldn’t have known what to do with a boy even if he had been delivered to her in a shipping crate with breathing holes cut into the top.”

* Some beautiful description: “Hearing that music had been like seeing a color she never had seen before, or finding a new room in the house where she had lived for years.”

* Since the novel takes place over a high school year, the author invests a lot of time in slowly developing the central characters. Their individual tastes really stand out -- like Marco’s fashion sense, or Celia’s knowledge of art, or Brendan’s taste in music. Even better, the author is adept at sharing a love for these. I felt that I really learned a little bit more about fashion, and alternative music, and artwork.

* The novel is sort-of a YA Urban Fantasy, if such a genre exists; but the use of magic is sparing, which adds to the sense of wonder when it appears on the page.

* The end of the novel leaves the story wide open for a series, but doesn’t end on a cliffhanger --- which I appreciate. And I enjoyed the book enough that I’m looking forward to reading more.

Altogether, an incredibly well-worded and compelling story.(less)

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Dec 06, 2012 Amy Jacobs rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

90210? Gossip Girl? Melrose Place? These are just some of things that came to my mind while wondering about this book. Was it going to have the drama of 90210? Was it going to have the clique's of Gossip Girl? Was it going to be suspenseful and dangerous like Melrose Place? Or was it going to be something that I grew bored with halfway through like I did with each of those shows?

Well, I can honestly say that the shows had more appeal than this book to me. Too blunt and harsh? Well, I am sorry bu...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Celia Balustine is shy, unsure of herself, and new to Suburban High School. By chance, she meets a girl named Regine, who changes her life. At her new school, Celia is accepted into a small group called the Rosary who all act aloof, listen to music not on top 40 lists, dress in grey and black, and generally set themselves apart from the rest of the school population. Celia conforms to her group and has a good time at school for the first time in years. Then strange things start happening at her...more Celia Balustine is shy, unsure of herself, and new to Suburban High School. By chance, she meets a girl named Regine, who changes her life. At her new school, Celia is accepted into a small group called the Rosary who all act aloof, listen to music not on top 40 lists, dress in grey and black, and generally set themselves apart from the rest of the school population. Celia conforms to her group and has a good time at school for the first time in years. Then strange things start happening at her school. Every girl with who has a 16th birthday suffers some sort of misfortune on the day before consistently throughout the year. As her own birthday nears, she tries to investigate what is causing it. Could it be her chemistry lab partner Mariette, who seems to have odd, impossible things happen around her? Or is it someone completely hidden?

The Suburban Strange has a gorgeous cover that mixes mediums in a very cool way. Despite its beautiful trappings, the actual story is a mixed bag of good and bad. Let's start with the good. I like a lot of the characters, especially Celia. At first, I thought she was a mindless sheep that just cared about being cool, but as the novel goes on, she becomes a force to be reckoned with. She really comes into her own and becomes comfortable with herself, acting how she thinks she should act instead of how others want her to. Her strength and resolve near the end of the novel serves to support her friends and helps her in the main conflict with the villain. She also has amazing artistic talent, which I am always fascinated to read about because I just draw stick figures. Mariette is probably the strongest character because she always stands on her own. She doesn't conform to other people's views or style and accepts that not everyone will like her. For most of the book, I also liked the Rosary. They are basically pretentious, hipster teens who like 70's and 80's music and act like they are better than everyone else, which I know doesn't sound flattering at all. However, they lead Celia into an exotic world of indie clubs, new music, new literature, new clothes and style, and a new way of viewing the world. Kotecki recreates for me how enchanting things are when they are just discovered and how magical they feel.

There are also a lot of flaws in this book. Tomasi is a tolerable character, but the instalove after knowing each other for like two seconds is ridiculous. The pacing of the book is odd. Long stretches of the book have basically no action at all and are just ham-handed infodumps. I get that the world needs to be explained, but there's a better way of doing it through showing rather than telling. The buildup to the end where Celia is doubting herself and trying to find answers is way too long, making the actual finale and denouement rather short. Also, the references to music and art are cool, but made the story completely halt at times, stilting the pace further. It should be used as flavor and not as the substance of the story. I really enjoyed the Kind and Unkind supernatural world aspects. The Unkind are said to be mistaken for creatures like vampires and werewolves. This book doesn't delve completely into that world. Both sides are rather untrained and bumbling, not letting us see the depth and breadth of this very promising world. I did hope that the Rosary were enmeshed somehow in this world, but they proved to be normal, pretentious teens.

The Suburban Strange has a lot of good things going for it, but a lot of mediocre things hold it back. The writing is engaging and made me forgive a lot of these flaws. I would definitely read another book and give Kotecki another try because of his ability to capture emotions and build characters.(less)

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Oct 14, 2012 Wandering Librarians rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, friendship, fantasy, fairy-tale, romance, series, ya

Celia is starting her sophomore year at Suburban High School. Celia has always tried to remain unseen, observing life from a distance with her sketchbook for company. This year will be different, however, since she's been adopted by an interesting group of students: The Rosary. Celia is beginning to find her confidence, but things aren't quite right at Suburban. The day before a girls' sixteenth birthday, she has a terrible accident. No one knows why it happens or how to avoid it. Celia begins t...more Celia is starting her sophomore year at Suburban High School. Celia has always tried to remain unseen, observing life from a distance with her sketchbook for company. This year will be different, however, since she's been adopted by an interesting group of students: The Rosary. Celia is beginning to find her confidence, but things aren't quite right at Suburban. The day before a girls' sixteenth birthday, she has a terrible accident. No one knows why it happens or how to avoid it. Celia begins to notice things others don't seem to see, and it seems to involve her Chemistry lab partner and the mysterious boy at The Rosary's favorite club, Diaboliques.

It took me a little while to get into this. At first I was like, "Is this going to be like Gossip Girl for the alternative set?" because there was a whole lot of detailed clothing description going on. It was getting a little draggy and boring. Luckily, as the book went on and the plot picked up, the clothes and music descriptions went to the background, which I liked a lot better.

Not that I didn't enjoy hearing about the clothes and music and the club The Rosary went to, it was just a little heavy at the beginning. I understand that a lot of that was setting the scene and making it clear how different the kids in The Rosary were from the regular old high school kids. It wasn't just their taste in music or their carefully selected black and gray clothes. It also had to do with a level of confidence and how they carried themselves.

At first Celia feels like an impostor, but she grows in her own confidence. This was a story as much about Celia coming into her own as it was about the supernatural occurrence at her high school. At first Celia is just going through the motions, still afraid to be seen and in awe of these coolly aloof people who all seem so interesting. Gradually Celia comes to see she has quite a bit to offer herself. This is all going on, of course, while strange things are happening to the girls of Suburban High.

Celia learns that there are people know as the Kind and the Unkind who have powers. There is an Unkind in the midst of the high school, who is trying to fulfill an admonition that involves killing a girl before her sixteenth birthday that will grant him or her more power. Luckily, Celia's chemistry lab partner, Mariette is one of the Kind, and is trying to figure out who it is and protect the girls.

Another of the Kind Celia encounters is Tomasi, the gorgeous, mysterious stranger she meets at Diaboliques, who then disappears for a period of time. Tomasi, of course, becomes the romantic interest, but he wasn't much of a character. He seems like a nice guy. Literary. But his character doesn't get looked at very much. He's just sort of there, and honestly, doesn't add a whole lot to the story. Did there just have to be a love story, or will perhaps Tomasi become more important in later books? I hope it's the latter. He has a cool power.

Celia is strangely tired to the Kind. She notices them when no one else does. She keeps showing up in their admonitions. Both Mariette and Tomasi are convinced that Celia is also one of the Kind, but Celia doesn't think so. She doesn't have any powers and she hasn't received an admonition. But if she's not, what is she?

I wonder if The Rosary will be in the next book, and if so in what form. Several of the members graduated, and of the three who remain, two of them weren't developed very much. Perhaps they will fade away, but I hope they get their chance to shine. It could be interesting.

In Nathan Kotecki's author blurb it says he "...has DJ'd at the largest goth club in New York City..." I wonder if that would be Batcave. When Diaboliques was first being described, it kind of reminded me of Batcave, with it's three separate dance floors and multiple levels. I think that's the biggest goth club. Or at least it was. I wonder if it even still exists.

The Suburban Strange came out October 9, 2012. (less)

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Oct 05, 2012 Kat Heckenbach rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is a book that SHOULD appeal to me. I was an overly tall, artistically talented girl who became part of the alternative subculture when I was a teen. All the references to 1980s alternative bands should have made me feel connected to the story (since that was my era, even though it is obviously not the era of this story), as should have the description of Celia's transformation.

Instead, it drove me nuts. The descriptions were emotionless info-dumps. The author did nothing to make me *feel*...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-releases

Young Celia is new to Suburban High School, a somewhat prestigious high school full of the haves and have-nots. And most importantly, an influential group of sophomores known as the Rosary, who seem to know what darkness is unfolding at the school. Young girls are having near-fatal accidents on the night before their sixteenth birthdays. No one seems to known what is happening or why, and as Celia nears her sixteenth birthday, she is drawn into a mysterious conflict between good and evil.

Strange...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-library, mystery-suspense-read, paranormal-read, series, young-adult-read

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

My Summary: Celia is just your average quirky art student... until she's forced to transfer schools and finds herself at Suburban High. Within a few days she starts to notice things are a little out of the ordinary in her new school...

As she is accepted into the mysterious group known as the Rosary, Celia begins to realize that girls have been disappearing... and her new friends may hav...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Trish rated it 3 of 5 stars

More like 3.5 stars - this is a great start to a series. The characters have a great depth and as a reader I could feel the emotion on each page as I read. From Celia to Ivo, from Mariette to Regine...the characters are wonderfully complex but in a way that a reader can still connect to them. Kotecki does a bang up job of depicting the details of the high school culture. At the same time he creates this beautiful, mysterious place - Diaboliques where the Rosary can hang out. The only reason the...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Brownie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Just as the back cover so adequately points out, Nathan Kotecki knows exactly what points to cover when illustrating the worries of a high-school sophomore. His character, Celia Baulastine, has just enrolled in Suburban High, and a girl once wishing to disappear into the background now has a group of mysterious friends who try their best to gain the curious eyes of their classmates. They carry a nonchalant and darkly cultured air about them but immediately embrace Celia as a sister.

With this ne...more

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May 10, 2013 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-mt-bookpile

I loved The Secret History and at first this book seemed to mimic that: a group of self-selected students who have certain rituals and mannerisms that separate them from the rest of the student population. Celia is taken into their group (called the Rosary) and suddenly her year is transformed; her new friends change her demeanor, her wardrobe, her study habits and even help her get a part-time job. They're aloof and somewhat mysterious, interested in music like Cocteau Twins, Siouxie and the Ba...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Charlie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazon-vine-reviews, first-reads, october-halloween, paranormal, teen-ya, urban-fantasy

4.5 Stars
This book had me at "Sisters of Mercy," which I still listen to religiously (BTW), but no longer on vinyl or cassette, but on my slim ipod. As usual, I find myself on the opposite end of loving a book, but I predict this series will develop a tightly loyal cult-lit following. Based on this assessment, I can see why The Suburban Strange has received some rather mixed reviews from advanced readership. One point that I disagree with is that this book will generally only appeal to kids arou...more 4.5 Stars
This book had me at "Sisters of Mercy," which I still listen to religiously (BTW), but no longer on vinyl or cassette, but on my slim ipod. As usual, I find myself on the opposite end of loving a book, but I predict this series will develop a tightly loyal cult-lit following. Based on this assessment, I can see why The Suburban Strange has received some rather mixed reviews from advanced readership. One point that I disagree with is that this book will generally only appeal to kids around 15 years old. Yes, it is a young adult novel, but with a very grown up soundtrack. Those over forty will embrace the music selection. Okay...wait...backup, those over forty who were 'progressive,' will likely find themselves closing the cover and running to the computer to download all the favorites revealed in the book to their ipod so they can flashback all the way to work and back the next day. Now, if you were into radio 90's rock or pop, you might be left just as clueless as many other readers. Ahh, not hip then, not hip now...snark, pow, bam!

Despite the oldies but goodies, I think kids of the alternative music era will understand the classic, thematic importance of the playlist and characterization in the novel, if not, I bet they will look them up and become fans. Being a child of underground Seattle nightclubs and alternative 90's (yes, imports and record stores) I jumped up and down at the high school experience depicted because for me, it was truly relatable.

There is a bit of Twilight meets Buffy meets Harry Potter, meets a dozen other YA popular story lines here, but it does provide something new with a twist, being the 'scene' that is resurrected. Nostalgic? I suppose I am, but it was refreshing to have the modern, paranormal and old melded together in a page-turning series starter.

What else worked? Um....the fact that a YA novel with a female lead was written by a male author! Similar to the literary references, from the Awakening, Alice In Wonderland and Portrait of A Lady, (nope, they weren't lost on me!) made in the novel, Nathan Kotecki flawlessly channels a teen misfit turned heroine. The voice, emotions and characterization were spot on and left me completely believing the authenticity of the story and characters. Looking forward to the second book! Bring on the dancing horses!(less)

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Aug 10, 2012 Dennis Mahoney rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book and cared about Celia all the way through. It's a coming-of-age story, both normal and paranormal, full of ambience, vivid supernatural invention, and deceptively sharp perceptions about adolescence. The central group of characters, brooding teens who call themselves The Rosary, seem almost unbelievably mature until you get to know them, at which point you see they really ARE like ordinary high-schoolers. They build their identities superficially at first--obsessing over music...more I loved this book and cared about Celia all the way through. It's a coming-of-age story, both normal and paranormal, full of ambience, vivid supernatural invention, and deceptively sharp perceptions about adolescence. The central group of characters, brooding teens who call themselves The Rosary, seem almost unbelievably mature until you get to know them, at which point you see they really ARE like ordinary high-schoolers. They build their identities superficially at first--obsessing over music and books, wearing clothing so dramatic it's essentially costume, and acting much more adult than they actually are. But they're still prone to funny and touching relationship troubles, and they're vulnerable under their veneers. This is a book that captures that time in high school when we started taking control of our lives and maybe overdid it, and when our strengths were new, and strange, and difficult to clarify.

Kotecki avoids a common danger with any protagonist who's coming into her own. Those characters are always great at the start but often become less interesting after they've gotten a handle on their lives, even when their self-actualization leads to bigger trouble. But Celia's external troubles (eerie mysteries, threatened love) never overwhelm her inner struggles. She stays vulnerable and human to the end, so I cared to the end.

There's a major plot twist that haunts the latter part of the book, enough so that it doesn't feel like a Plot Twist but rather like a necessary turn in Celia's life. And there were enough red herrings to keep me wondering what would happen right to the final chapters. Kotecki does a great job evoking that weird late-semester vibe of looming college, when the inseparable group of friends will, in fact, have to deal with separation. And hat's off to the terrific gay and lesbian characters, who were handled in a refreshingly natural way. They're simply gay characters in ordinary relationships like the straight characters, neither token nor overemphasized.

The frequent music references are fun and, because they're vintage, add a unique and colorful vibe. Another reader disliked the vintage aspect, finding it hard to swallow that teens would obsess over music from 10-20 years ago... but what teenager doesn't discover and obsess over older music? Most of us had a Dylan or Beatles or 70s/80s phase because it was new to *us* when we discovered it, and there's nothing weird about serious teens getting into classic goth and books that most adults have learned to take for granted. And that was heart of THE SUBURBAN STRANGE for me--a young woman's discovery of a larger, stranger world she didn't expect but had to deal with, sometimes by faking her way through, until she was strong enough to build a genuine identity.(less)

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Oct 05, 2012 Cheyenne Teska rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, for-review, own, reviewed

As if being a teenager wasn't hard enough, the students at Suburban High have to worry about the strange things that have been happening on the eve of each girl's 16th birthday. Celia is fifteen-years-old, and although she's the new girl, she's quickly accepted into the school's most popular cliques, the Rosary. As her birthday slowly creeps up and the "accidents" become more threatening, she team up with a few unusual friends to put an end to the curse.

At first the story felt as though it was g...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Chapter by Chapter rated it 3 of 5 stars

Well, when I first started reading the Suburban Strange I judged the book by its cover and assumed that because of how pretty the cover is that the rest of the novel would follow off from there. Was I correct? Definitely, in some areas. But honestly, the one thing that had me wanting to even give the story a try was the bit of titling that tells readers about how Celia’s sixteenth birthday could be the end of her life as she knows it. Dun, dun, dun! That being said I expected the story to be thi...more Well, when I first started reading the Suburban Strange I judged the book by its cover and assumed that because of how pretty the cover is that the rest of the novel would follow off from there. Was I correct? Definitely, in some areas. But honestly, the one thing that had me wanting to even give the story a try was the bit of titling that tells readers about how Celia’s sixteenth birthday could be the end of her life as she knows it. Dun, dun, dun! That being said I expected the story to be this action filled thriller and what I got was something else entirely. The Suburban Strange was an entertaining and gothic read.

And I mean that in a literal sense, the characters are Goths but stray far away from the clichéd view of Goths. They don’t wear white face paint or black lipstick. The characters in the Suburban Strange wear black clothing and music that is very dark and somewhat ethereal. The novel itself throws us into the life of main character Celia Balaustine who is entering a new school and a new life for herself. Instead of being the outcast she was last year, Celia becomes a member of an elite clique known as the Rosary. Celia now has friends, an interest in darker clothing and music and is thrown into the realm of the supernatural!

Whoa! The supernatural? Yes the supernatural because if you’re going to have gothic characters, gothic club going and punk music you need to have some supernatural elements to make the story awesome-sauce. At Suburban High (which already sounds like it would be stuffed with the supernatural) sophomore girls are dying the day before their sixteenth birthdays. While Celia does witness most of the “accidents” she knows that they hold deeper and meaning and begins involving herself in the Kind and the Unkind.

The simplest way to define the Kind and Unkind is by saying that the Kind are people who have a natural affinity for white magic and the Unkind are people who have a natural affinity for black magic. And one of the Unkind is trying to kill an innocent teenage girl the day before she turns sweet sixteen. I have to admit that there was a lot of hype built up on the topic and I was highly disappointed by the turn of events that unfolded on Celia’s sixteenth birthday.

All I’m gonna say without spoiling the story. All in all, I really did enjoy the story. It didn’t have over the top romance and stuck to the plot rather than ramble on aimlessly on the subject of romance. This novel was a lot darker than most of the YA novels that I’ve read lately and I have to admit that I’m happy I enjoyed the story. Celia is a character who isn’t afraid to put herself in danger to save others and beneath her skin she is still afraid of becoming an outcast again. My only complaint is that I found the pacing to be inconsistent. It was up, down, swirl it around and that would cause my mind to wander away from the story and to the internet. A lot.

I would recommend the Suburban Strange to fans of the YA supernatural, teen-fic and of thrilling reads.(less)

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Oct 15, 2012 Giselle at Book Nerd Canada rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, from-publishers

Celia's starting the tenth grade at Suburban high school. The shy and quiet teenager befriends Regine during an art class and she finds herself being welcomed into their clique called The Rosary. Eccentric, sophisticated and unique, their group strives to be different and goes out of their way to help Celia navigate the icy waters of high school. On the first day of school she witnesses a girl go into shock due to her allergy with bees. Then more girls start to get hurt. Celia's caught in the mi...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Bookworm1858 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazon-vine, read-2012, ya-read, sffp

The Suburban Strange was an odd but pleasurable reading experience. I didn't really know what to expect, having not seen many reviews of it before reading but I suspected that it was not your typical YA paranormal romance. This suspicion is quite accurate. I feel like the best way to approach this review is to divide it into the two main parts of the book: the contemporary and the paranormal.

The contemporary falls main character Celia falling in with slightly older kids (junior and senior to her...more The Suburban Strange was an odd but pleasurable reading experience. I didn't really know what to expect, having not seen many reviews of it before reading but I suspected that it was not your typical YA paranormal romance. This suspicion is quite accurate. I feel like the best way to approach this review is to divide it into the two main parts of the book: the contemporary and the paranormal.

The contemporary falls main character Celia falling in with slightly older kids (junior and senior to her sophomore status) who are very sophisticated, consciously striving to be more cultured and open to new experiences, holding themselves apart from the rest of the student population. This can be seen in their clothing to their carpooling practices to their outside pursuits to the music they listen to. This could have easily led to some kind of horror story where they were inducting her into a dark secret society but no, they were more instruments of her gaining confidence and undergoing a transformation to figure out who she wanted to be. Actually they helped make a rather good high school experience for her. I appreciated the music recommendations in this section as well as a shout out for The Awakening by Kate Chopin which is on my to-read list. I guess I felt I got a bit of education along with Celia in that respect.

The other section, the paranormal part, is almost entirely separate because Celia runs in the two different circles. This relates to the synopsis of girls almost dying on the eve of their sixteenth birthdays. Who could be acting in such a malicious way? Well, Celia teams up with the brightly shining Mariette (a really fun character) who is one of the Kind. That is, she is kind of a witch but you should not use that word. There is also a love interest but certain circumstances prevent him from playing too big of a role in the story. One disappointment in this regard was the final confrontation over the person responsible for attacking those girls-I thought it was over way too fast and easily.

Overall: I can definitely see this book being kind of divisive. It's a book I would classify as paranormal but it's not really like most other paranormals I've read. The characters aren't necessarily ones you'll strongly connect with but the writing is exquisite and I found the plot incredibly intriguing. I never considered putting it aside; I had to know how it would end.(less)

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Jan 19, 2013 Stacey B. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazon-vine, arc, i-own, read-2013, reviewed

3.5/5

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I really enjoyed this book a lot. It had a great balance between the intense, exciting parts and the normal everyday teenager troubles that everyone faces.

I felt like all of the pieces of this book were slowly trying really hard to come together in my mind as the story went on, but I just couldn't figure it out. It was a "work-out" for my brain. It was fun and I enjoyed trying to figure out who was responsible and what was going to happen next.

The book had a great endi...more

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Oct 08, 2012 the golden witch. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, ala12, own-print-arc, not-for-swap, teenage-shennanigans, witches-and-whores, best-of-12, reviewed

I guess I'm in the minority when I say that I thought this book was pretty awesome. Yes, the maturity of the Rosary was a bit over-the-top at some points in the book, but otherwise? I really enjoyed this read - surprisingly so. And I definitely want to read more. Anyone looking for the way out of a traditional paranormal or PNR read should definitely check out "The Suburban Strange".

What I think I liked the most about this book was the sheer originality of it - yet at the same time it was very f...more I guess I'm in the minority when I say that I thought this book was pretty awesome. Yes, the maturity of the Rosary was a bit over-the-top at some points in the book, but otherwise? I really enjoyed this read - surprisingly so. And I definitely want to read more. Anyone looking for the way out of a traditional paranormal or PNR read should definitely check out "The Suburban Strange".

What I think I liked the most about this book was the sheer originality of it - yet at the same time it was very familiar. It felt like a goth "Breakfast Club" updated for the current culture. The idea of having a group that actively liked to seek out old things in order to make them new again, in order to have inspiration, in order to better themselves was just a really nice breath of fresh air. I also liked that they purposely delineated themselves from the standard goth crowd, which was kind of a pleasant change from so many YA high school-centric novels.

I also liked that Celia allowed herself to be made over and kind of "baptized" into the Rosary counterculture that they built, and that she didn't seem to have limits when it came to that. She absorbed everything and kept what she liked. It seems like some reviewers have taken this to mean that she lets her friends use her as a doormat, but if this were the case, I don't think she would have been friends with Mariette, as she might have been afraid of retaliation from said friends. It feels like Celia was a lot stronger than many gave her credit for, and I felt a strange bond with her. True, I didn't have my own Rosary in high school, but I was constantly seeking out new things to immerse myself in to broaden myself.

The Kind/Unkind plot was interesting, but here's where I agree with other reviewers - the virginity clause in the curse (as in, if you stay a virgin, you'll die on your curse day) could have been explained and explored a bit better. Instead, it felt like one of those '80s horror movies where the virgins died because they were virgins, and nothing more. And while I feel like there was, happily enough, no slut-shaming in this book, I was still kind of uncomfortable the way the whole virgin/curse day relationship was approached. It could have been smoothed out in another edit. However, I will give Kotecki props for having a gay couple in the main cast - it feels like unless it's either couched in bullying, self-hatred, or depression, YA seems to be keeping its distance as a whole. There are exceptions, of course, but I'm glad that Kotecki brought this to the fore - as teenagers are always exploring themselves, all parts of themselves, all the time - including sexual identity. Good on him for this.

The sensory language and imagery could have been a bit sharper - again, I think another edit round could have been needed - but when he wanted to use it, Kotecki could really use it. Everything concerning Mariette's abilities and how flowers changed around her were gorgeous, as were the images of the uber-stylish Rosary going off to Diaboliques every Friday night.

Final verdict? If you're looking for something new and exciting within paranormal YA, definitely check out this book. "The Suburban Strange" is out now from HMH in North America, so be sure to give it a read - it definitely deserves it as it's made my best of 2012 so far.

(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)(less)

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May 10, 2012 Greg rated it 5 of 5 stars

Before I say word one about this book, I feel I must provide a few disclaimers.

1. I know the author. So naturally my real or perceived impressions of the author as an individual may come into play.

2. I am also a writer. As such, I may approach the story much differently. (I'm not being arrogant here -- I don't think a writer's approach to reading is necessarily better or worse than any other reader, just different.)

3. I typically do not read young adult fiction.

Now for the sub-disclaimers to th...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Maryellen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-read, selectively-recommend

This book was gorgeous and interesting and altogether original, even though maybe some elements were almost 'everyperson'. I like the use of music, mood and a very calculated approach to evolving into who you wish to be. The paranormal slant seems almost inevitable, and as such works very very well.

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Feb 10, 2013 P.T. McHugh rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved it. Read the majority of it in one day. I know Kotecki is working on his second book, can't wait for his next release. I wished I came up with the plot. His writing is sharp and his characters are wonderful. I have no doubt we will be hearing much more about this new young author in the future!!

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Jan 05, 2013 Samara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I really loved this book.
I know there were mixed reviews of it getting slow, seeming to go nowhere, etc, etc. But, being that this is a debut novel, I thought the characters were really strong. The dialog could get a bit awkward, but was appropriate and foretelling, which I enjoy. The story was interesting, and yes, a bit slow in spots losing it a star but very, very good.

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Jun 21, 2012 Colleen Mondor rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kept me guessing until the end! Great balance between mystery, romance, coming-of-age and paranormal. A quiet thriller that resists going for the easy vampire/werewolf path. Really enjoyed it.

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Oct 15, 2012 Linnie Greene rated it 3 of 5 stars

Great for folks who aren't necessarily well-versed in the YA genre. A great plot that really kept me hooked, so I'll be staying tuned for future volumes from this awesome Durham author!

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