The Girl in the Wall

Feb 14, 2013 Dianna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, reviewed

I never expected this book to be this good. The Girl in the Wall is an action-packed novel that will make your heartbeats go crazy while craving to read more and more. I started this book on a meh day, to be honest and all I needed was an easy book to read and take my head of things. But this novel wasn't just that. I was so captivated by this story that I spent hours completely lost in it trying to bring myself to stop (because I had to study for an exam) but well, I couldn't. There were so ma...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, arc-or-galley, young-adult, survival, suspense, romance, realistic-fiction, thriller, mystery, crime, contemporary, psychological

Initial reaction: Whoa, this turned out to be quite the engaging read, and I'm surprised how quick it transpired in both the narrative flow and for events. This is probably one of the better stories of its kind in YA that I've picked up in a while, though it does have some stumbles in the mix. I hope I can expand upon the work more in my full review, but overall, I really appreciated the read.

Full review:

"The Girl in the Wall" pleasantly surprised me in its collective narrative. I did not expect...more Initial reaction: Whoa, this turned out to be quite the engaging read, and I'm surprised how quick it transpired in both the narrative flow and for events. This is probably one of the better stories of its kind in YA that I've picked up in a while, though it does have some stumbles in the mix. I hope I can expand upon the work more in my full review, but overall, I really appreciated the read.

Full review:

"The Girl in the Wall" pleasantly surprised me in its collective narrative. I did not expect to be fully swept up in the twists and turns this story had to offer as a mystery/suspense/thriller in the YA genre. While usually those kinds of stories are right up my alley, I think there was something about Benedis-Grab's narrative that kept this fast, fluid, and hitting hard where it counted. That's not to say that it was without a few bumps in the road, but it proved well worth the journey.

One brief diversion - I actually liked the ARC cover (purple, larger text) of this book far, FAR more than the final cover, which depicts a blonde girl looking through something of a stony wall. The latter's more accurate to the story presentation, but it really didn't appeal to me, unfortunately.

The story's told between two respective narratives - two girls that have had a subsequent falling out as far as their social relationships are concerned. Sera is a social outcast who is invited to her former best friend's (Ariel) party. It's clear that there's been a degree of politics and social ostracizing on behalf of Ariel's part (for a reason unnamed until later in the story), though Ariel's father took the liberty of inviting Sera to what's noted as the biggest party of the year for his daughter. Add to that the appearance of teen superstar Hudson Winters performing at the party, and Sera knows she really wants to go despite her qualms.

Everything at the party goes very wrong in quick succession. Armed gunmen take over the venue and not only shoot several significant victims, but also takes the entire place hostage until their demands are met. Sera has to make an unlikely alliance with both Hunter and Ariel in secret to figure out who's behind it all. All the while being reminded that not everyone they meet or care about will make it through the night alive.

For me the narrative did start off a bit on the typical side of petty rivalries, but it became interesting very quickly when the conflict hit the ground running. And when it does, it hits rather hard. The narrative trades between Ariel and Sera's perspectives, each giving an eye to their respective reactions to events and to their own perception of their rivalry. It actually went much deeper than I thought it would and I understood and connected with each girl's respective experiences, though it was a bit of a rough transition to see through their filters in certain places. I did appreciate the fluidity of the narrative, and I came to connect with even the side character - Hunter and the security guard who helps the girls included. At first I thought Hunter would turn out to be the typical cocky rockstar, but the story develops him very well and quite different than appearances - I actually did like his chemistry with Sera and how the narrative portrayed his role. The story keeps one guessing as to what will happen next with both the possible suspects and the action of how the teens fight back against their captors. I was surprised by how compulsively engaging and resonant the story, particularly of this type, turned out to be.

I think those who like fluid racing against the clock YA thrillers/mysteries will like "The Girl in the Wall". It's easy to take in, kept me on my toes to see what would happen next, and provided an investment in the characters that I didn't think I would have going into it.

Overall score: 3.5/5

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley from the publisher Merit Press.(less)

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May 10, 2013 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Summary:
Sera and Ariel used to be best friends. However, they are currently fighting. This would be fine, except Sera's mother forces her to go to Ariel's birthday party. This party is going to be the ULTIMATE party. Everyone is going to be there and there will be a rock star performing. Did I forget to mention that everyone is super rich? Regardless, at the party bad guys take over and hold everyone hostage at gunpoint. They want to kidnap Ariel's father. Ariel escapes into the wall (hence, the...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Shane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A very intense, dramatic, suspenseful, and emotional read. You'll be at the edge of your seat with the turn of every page.

The Girl in the Wall was really interesting from jump off. The fact that the story's told from the POV of two characters was a brilliant idea, because readers are given the opportunity to experience the ordeal from different angles. And I really shouldn't pick favorites in such a setting but honestly, I gravitated more towards Sera. I connected with her from start; being lef...more A very intense, dramatic, suspenseful, and emotional read. You'll be at the edge of your seat with the turn of every page.

The Girl in the Wall was really interesting from jump off. The fact that the story's told from the POV of two characters was a brilliant idea, because readers are given the opportunity to experience the ordeal from different angles. And I really shouldn't pick favorites in such a setting but honestly, I gravitated more towards Sera. I connected with her from start; being left out among her peers and feeling forced into a situation where she would not be welcomed. Also, while Ariel sought out refuge in the tunnels, Sera was there in the drama mostly. I learned a lot about both personalities but Sera's grabbed my attention naturally. There's something about her that just made you want to pull her into your arms and give her a big hug. I'm not saying Ariel was a total moron, but she seemed somewhat crude and unappreciative at first. Overtime, I warmed up to her.

There were various aspects of the story that stirred your emotions, other than the itching mystery of trying to figure out what was taking place, why it was, and who was the mastermind behind it all, there were elements like the value of trust, friendship, and surprisingly-but a great addition-romance. Let's look at the inclusion of trust and real friendship. Ariel's reason for nearly throwing her bond with Sera away wasn't exactly logical, but her feeling betrayed was somewhat understandable. I was happy the two reconciled eventually, even if it took a hostage situation to mend their open wounds. The situation turned into a test of trust, and who each character could really without a doubt depend on to survive.

Throughout the events of lives being taken (the details were as graphic as seeing them with your own eyes), love was in the air for both of the main characters. The end result of each was caught between sweet and painful. That part of the book nearly brought me to tears. At first I was unsure as to how I'd feel about that facet in the story but it made me realize that such things could happen and probably have.

Other good points about the story was how everyone worked together towards the end to get out of the situation. They each had a shared sense of goal, to survive or at least go down fighting. It was truly hurtful when they lost their friends along the way but in the end, justice was served, and lives were changed forever.

In conclusion, I enjoyed the book. The overall situation was so well constructed that it almost seemed like the author had been through such a terror herself. It's definitely a stretch from the sugary romance and fantasy-like YA books, but The Girl in the Wall is a must read if you'd like to challenge yourself to a gripping tale of best friends reuniting in the event of a violent night, among other intriguing things.(less)

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Mar 26, 2013 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ariel and Sera used to be best friends. Unfortunately, Sera still has to go to Ariel's birthday party because their families are still friends. At least she gets to see rock star Hudson Winters perform at the over-the-top bash. Then the party gets interrupted by a group of armed men. When Ariel disappears, they take the guests hostage - and Sera is the only one who knows where Ariel is hiding.

There's a real sense of danger in THE GIRL IN THE WALL. People die throughout the novel, beginning to en...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Girl in the Wall by Daphne Bendis-Grab follows Ariel and Sera two ex-friends that find themselves in a fight for their lives after Sera's party is taken over by armed men. Sera spends most of her time inside the wall as the armed men try to find her. The two must work together to find out why the men are there and to save the lives of themselves and the others at the party.

I really enjoyed this book but it wasn't without it's problems. The two main characters were cliched rich girls and the...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Em rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I seriously loved this book! It was so well-written and had such a good story-line! I haven't read a book with a similar idea before, therefore I thought that this was something new, but I really enjoyed reading The Girl In The Wall.

The main character, Sera, had been mentally preparing for her ex-best friend's big birthday which she had to attend. She expects it to be horrible. But in a totally different way than it actually turns out to be. The whole party is taken hostage, but Ariel goes into...more

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Feb 13, 2013 LaQuita (Just Us Girls) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. But honestly, from beginning to end I couldn't put the book down. This is one of those stories that will have you reading for hours until you don't even realize how much time has passed or how late it is. This is exactly what happened to me.

This story is not only about surviving, but mainly about this friendship and bond between these two girls. The two main characters, Ariel and Sera, were childhood friends who haven't been friends for a while...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Miriam Downey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Read my full posting here: http://mimi-cyberlibrarian.blogspot.c...

Other than Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, I have read very little YA fiction over the past few years. Wait! That’s not completely true. I read quite a bit of classic YA literature while I was working last year for Scholastic Books. Yet, I know that YA fiction is currently a very big part of publishing, so when the publicist asked me to read a few YA books, I agreed. I had few expectations.

The Girl in the Wall was typical and...more Read my full posting here: http://mimi-cyberlibrarian.blogspot.c...

Other than Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, I have read very little YA fiction over the past few years. Wait! That’s not completely true. I read quite a bit of classic YA literature while I was working last year for Scholastic Books. Yet, I know that YA fiction is currently a very big part of publishing, so when the publicist asked me to read a few YA books, I agreed. I had few expectations.

The Girl in the Wall was typical and unusual all at the same time. Two teenage girls alternate in telling the story of a hostage crisis. Sera is the former BFF of Ariel, a poor little rich girl, who feels that she has been betrayed by Sera. In typical high school fashion, she has turned everyone in their elite private high school against Sera. When the entire class is invited to Ariel’s house for her birthday, Sera’s parents insist that she attend the party. Besides, the current pop idol, Hudson Winters, is going to be singing at the party, and who would want to be left out of an event like that.

So far, so typical. But we are no more than two chapters in the book when, excuse the expression, “all hell” breaks loose at Ariel’s house; there are dead bodies everywhere, and the party ends up in a hostage crisis. The plot moves into the thriller-mystery genre with only twinges of teenage angst. And as far as thrillers go, it is pretty good. Sera tells her part of the story as one of the hostages; Ariel tells the story from her viewpoint hiding from the gunmen in the secret passageways of the family mansion. It takes a while to figure out who the mastermind of the entire crisis is and why he has decided to stage this bloody coup.

Daphne Benedis-Grab is a good story teller and this is a very satisfying, albeit very bloody story. Even though the protagonists are teenagers, there are way too many deaths, and the people getting shot aren’t vampires, they are real friends, fathers, and allies. It would make it a bit difficult for a young teenager girl to read. I think that teenage boys could read through the father and the BFF and the boyfriend getting killed, but they will not pick up the book because of the cover, which has a beautiful teenage girl on it.

But then again, perhaps I am being overly sensitive. I took my grandsons to see Jack Reacher last week with Tom Cruise. In the movie, a sniper killed several people in the first few minutes. The boys were unfazed while I kept thinking about Sandy Hook. Today, I read an essay by Charles Honey in our local newspaper about the mystery of evil, and I realized that the villain in The Girl in the Wall could be considered evil personified. What makes him all the more evil is that he was a trusted member of Ariel’s life (and I don’t think that I am giving any plot away by saying that.) The essayist says, “America is awash is violence, from the weapons we wield to the games we play and the movies we watch.”

When the kids at Ariel’s party finally take action, they use every weapon they can think of, from hairspray to shaving cream to luxury cars in an attempt to overcome their captors. That part of the story reads like a movie script. I could see it unfolding on the screen. There are little tweeks of humor in the assault, and glimpses of romance. It was fun to read. As Ariel says, “It turns out its fun to scavenge for weapons. I am looking at the stuff in my house in this whole new, totally insane way, wondering what kind of damage it could inflict.” I just kept thinking as the mutiny occurs…was there a way that the plot could unfold without their being so many deaths? At the same time, I counted a lot of deaths in The Hunger Games, so I know this is the trend, and I read The Hunger Games with interest without it bothering me. Not sure, at this point, what the difference is. Perhaps it is the national discussion that is evolving on violence. We understand The Hunger Games because it is part of the dystopian genre of YA fiction; The Girl in the Wall may be too close to home.

It will be interesting to see how Benedis-Grab evolves as a writer. This is her second book. The first is Alive and Well in Prague, New York. I will look forward to her next book.

Daphne Benedis-Grab’s website: http://www.daphnebg.com/
A very funny review on the Forever Young Adult website: http://foreveryoungadult.com/2012/11/...

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Dec 29, 2012 P.M. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sera is dreading the weekend birthday party of her former BFF Ariel. Since she reported Ariel's cutting episodes, Ariel has been on a mission to pay Sera back by making her a pariah. Sera's parents insist that she attend the party which starts out badly and quickly goes from badly to worse. Armed agents take over the party and kill Ariel's father and new BFF Bianca. During the melee, Ariel escapes into the tunnels inside the mansion. Sera quickly guesses where Ariel is and wonders if she will ha...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Tammy Dahle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My Thoughts-
When I first saw the cover of The Girl In The Wall I assumed it was a paranormal tale, I was pleasantly surprised that this book is actually part thriller-part romance.
Author Daphne Benedis-Grab keeps the story fresh by playing off two different points of view-one is Sera and the other is Ariel. Both girls have very different personalities and that keeps the story from lagging or getting boring. Sera and Ariel have a former friendship and a long past in common that we get bits and p...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Nic rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sucks-to-be-everyone-in-this-book

I dunno. This book had an interesting - if violent - premise: a bunch of teens at a rich girl's birthday party are taken hostage by gunmen, and the birthday girl escapes into secret tunnels in the walls of her mansion and sneaks around trying to help her friends as the gunmen get more desperate and the body count climbs. Sadly, I just didn't emotionally buy into either of our point-of-view characters - or anyone in the story, really.

I want to say they seemed too distant and matter-of-fact, but t...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Viviane Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sera made a difficult choice to save a life by telling the truth. Now she’s paying for it day after day after day. Her peers at school are treating her like “pariah of the year.” Now her family is insisting she attend the birthday party of her ex-friend, Ariel. It’s all very uncomfortable until rock star Hudson Winters (real name Hunter Winters) begins to croon a song Sera loves. The mesmerizing effect of his singing is cut short by the burst of gunfire and then the hell begins!
Two people are di...more Sera made a difficult choice to save a life by telling the truth. Now she’s paying for it day after day after day. Her peers at school are treating her like “pariah of the year.” Now her family is insisting she attend the birthday party of her ex-friend, Ariel. It’s all very uncomfortable until rock star Hudson Winters (real name Hunter Winters) begins to croon a song Sera loves. The mesmerizing effect of his singing is cut short by the burst of gunfire and then the hell begins!
Two people are died and a group of killers is holding the rest of the party attendees temporarily until they realize the person they really wanted to kill, Ariel, is missing. So begins an awful night of threats, murders, fire, and more while Ariel is hidden in the walls of her home. It’s a place where Sera and she hung out and played when they were much younger. But now Sera has to make a choice to betray Ariel again or prove her loyalty. The cost of either is huge!
As the night progresses, the remaining youths know there will be no help until well into the next day. They, therefore, begin to plan on how to attack the killers and at the same time gradually discover who is behind this insane, cold-blooded attack and why. It’s NOT a pretty picture, no matter how one sees the choices and possible outcomes.
During this night Sera discovers that Hudson (Hunter) is a regular guy with his own sad story. It’s his strength and ideas that help Sera tolerate the intense pressure and plan for a different alternative to the end they all expect. At the same time, Ariel has the time while in hiding to think about who are her true friends and make a decision that might just save her own life.
The Girl in the Wall punches the reader with its very real brutality and poignancy. The author knows well how to increase the tension but also make it something compassionate and moving, not just another made for TV drama. Superbly done, Daphne Benedis-Grab! YA readers will love this novel, for sure!
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Dec 03, 2012 Megan (The Book Babe) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: received-for-review, reviewed-on-my-site

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.

It pains me to say this after reading this non-stop action book, but I don't get the ending. It was a bit too abrupt, and I just wish that more things would've panned out. I thought that Ariel gave up a little too much for me to identify all that well with her--I loved the book until the end. Some people died, and it was all so...undramatic.

I just wish that the person who died hadn't--I mean, I know that it's for a higher purpose and all, but why...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Paula Mitchell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, fsb-media, netgalley, read-in-2012

I loved this book we first meet Sera who's having a hard time when here ex-bestfriend Ariel is having a birthday party and her father is forcing her to go. The relationship between Ariel and Sera was damaged about a year ago when something traumatic happened to Ariel in Mexico and Sera being a best friend did what she thought was right out of love for Ariel. Unfortunatly Ariel doesn't see it that way and has turned Sera into an outcast at their school.

As the birthday party and concert are gettin...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It is Ariel’s birthday party or I should say birthday bash. The bash is going to be huge with guest singer, Hudson Winter.

Ariel used to be Sera’s best friend until she turned the whole school against Sera. Sera’s father convinces Sera to attend Ariel’s bash. All of the partygoers get a big surprise when a group of mercenaries take over the house and hold Sera and her classmates’ hostiles. Ariel goes into hiding in the hidden stairwell. The mercenaries demand Ariel or they will shoot everyone un...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Yeowsers! Kept me on my toes and feeling very anxious! Another awesome, awesome read! I was so worried when I asked for a number of books from NetGalley and was accepted for them – I never thought I’d be able to read through them but when they are winners like The Girl in the Wall what was I worried about?

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a story with 2 perspectives, in this case, Ariel and Sera. It was very well done and I love how we were able to see the 2 sides to the situation they were in AN...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Paula from Reading Lark rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reviewed on readinglark.blogspot.com

Yep, that's right- this book earned 5 birdies. And here's why. I've been in a bit of a reading slump. I have two books that I'd been waiting for for a while sitting here, started, but not holding my attention. I have a stack of books that I know will be wonderful once I can focus on them, but I've had trouble doing just that. Until I picked this book up Sunday, determined to read it for this review today.

Once I got started, I spent hours telling myself, "Just...more Reviewed on readinglark.blogspot.com

Yep, that's right- this book earned 5 birdies. And here's why. I've been in a bit of a reading slump. I have two books that I'd been waiting for for a while sitting here, started, but not holding my attention. I have a stack of books that I know will be wonderful once I can focus on them, but I've had trouble doing just that. Until I picked this book up Sunday, determined to read it for this review today.

Once I got started, I spent hours telling myself, "Just one more chapter." I chewed through page after page of this thriller, unable to slow down, let alone stop reading. I was entranced.

Others will pick this up and wonder why I'm talking it up so much. At first glance, there doesn't seem to be anything exceptional about the book; it's from a largely unknown author, from a largely unknown pub house, with a cover image that does the job, but isn't really remarkable. The craftsmanship of the plot, however, is so finely-tuned, it's pretty difficult to find a spot where the pacing is anything less than pristine. The suspense builds steadily and without pause, while the author builds in just enough back-story to explain character relationships without getting in the way of the action.

Another element I enjoy: this is a perfectly wrapped-up stand-alone, without a love triangle. I love my series books, but it was refreshing to finish this one in a single afternoon and know that I've read the whole story; I don't have to wait months and months for the next installment. There were elements of innocent romance sprinkled throughout, but I wasn't asked to sympathize with a heroine who had to choose between two boys. Thank you, dear author.

Readers should be forewarned that there is some graphic violence in this book; characters get shot and die, and some of the description is unpleasant for the squeamish. Otherwise, the book is quite clean of elements that some consider inappropriate for young readers. I'd especially recommend for the reluctant reader, since the action is so engaging.

If you're at all inclined to take a chance on a book that may not have been on your to-read list, something just for fun, try this one. I dare ya.
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Dec 23, 2012 Lelia Taylor rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: full-reviews

One of the dreaded tropes of young adult fiction is femjep, female in jeopardy. This goes way back, to the days of “The Perils of Pauline” nearly a hundred years ago and earlier. At times, it seems as though many writers of young adult fiction can’t come up with a story without it, and that has led to a craving for those tales that feature girls with a brain, girls that can actually take care of themselves most of the time. It’s an even greater pleasure when an author is able to craft a story ar...more

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

Shelves: on-my-kindle

Sometimes it is refreshing to read a book that turns out to be completely different to what you were expecting. I was expecting this to be a fluffy easy-read book, but I found it to be an engaging thriller that made my eyes well up at points.

So to set the scene we have Sera, who is a fairly recent social outcast, and Ariel who is the one that exiled Sera from having any social standing at school or within the powerful group of friends. Sera has been made to go to Ariel's fabulous birthday party...more Sometimes it is refreshing to read a book that turns out to be completely different to what you were expecting. I was expecting this to be a fluffy easy-read book, but I found it to be an engaging thriller that made my eyes well up at points.

So to set the scene we have Sera, who is a fairly recent social outcast, and Ariel who is the one that exiled Sera from having any social standing at school or within the powerful group of friends. Sera has been made to go to Ariel's fabulous birthday party by her parents since they used to be best friends. The party is going to be fabulous, her whole class is going to be there, and there is will be a musical performance by Hudson Winters, rock star extraordinare. Suddenly the party is taken over by men at gunpoint in an attempt to kidnap Ariel's Father. Ariel manages to hide in the secret passages in the walls of her house which angers the kidnappers. As the hostages begin to die, Ariel has to decide if she stays where she is or gives herself up, and Sera has to decide if she tells the kidnappers where Ariel is or stays quiet.

The story in this book only covers a few hours, but it is a gripping read. The chapters switch between Ariel and Sera being the narrator. At the beginning when the two girls have really different personalities which made it easy to know who you were reading. Ariel is incredibly strong and closed off emotionally at the beginning of the book. She quickly decides that she will have to sort this problem out herself and takes charge of the situation the best she can. As Ariel's character evolves and we find out why there is a rift between her and Sera she begins to soften a little and become a rich character.

Sera starts off as a quiet character who tries to keep her head down and not get involved with what is going on. She is a little bitter about why she has been socially exiled. As her character develops and she begins to understand Ariel's issues a little more she starts to get stronger and less willing to roll over and accept the situation. I felt that towards the end Ariel and Sera had become extremely similar as characters and I would forget who I was reading.

This story and the characters gripped me and made this an amazing read. I love a good thriller and a bit of a mystery, and with the addition of it being YA and having some solid characters, made this book really enjoyable and something I will be recommending to others in the future.

Posted on Lost In A YA Book.(less)

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Nov 19, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ariel and Sera had a BFF break-up to find themselves crusaders in a hostage situation less than a year later. The girls share a secret; tunnels running throughout the Barett home. That’s how Ariel escaped, and Sera is the only one who knows where she is. Together, they need to find a way to put the last nine months (of hatred and pain) behind them and put together a plan. Sera needs to break through the barrier of the clique that only sees her as a traitor and Ariel has to quickly piece together...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Jenny - Book Sojourner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-copy, read-in-2013

I didn't know what to expect from this book. I was just looking forward to something a bit different from what I'd been reading. What The Girl in the Wall turned out to be was a book that far exceeded my expectations. This book gripped me from the beginning and I finished it in a day.

The Girl in the Wall alternates between Sera's and Ariel's POV. I really liked this approach because we know from the beginning that Sera and Ariel used to be best friends until a little over 9 months ago when somet...more I didn't know what to expect from this book. I was just looking forward to something a bit different from what I'd been reading. What The Girl in the Wall turned out to be was a book that far exceeded my expectations. This book gripped me from the beginning and I finished it in a day.

The Girl in the Wall alternates between Sera's and Ariel's POV. I really liked this approach because we know from the beginning that Sera and Ariel used to be best friends until a little over 9 months ago when something happened, causing Ariel to call Sera a back-stabber and turn her into a pariah at school. Through these alternating POVs we are gradually able to find out what happened to their friendship, and if there is any hope of reconciliation. This is also how we know that Sera is the only one who knows where Ariel is, testing her loyalty to Ariel once again.

This broken friendship is only part of the story. The main problem is that Ariel's birthday party has been taken hostage for reasons that Ariel is not aware of initially. This part of the storyline is scary and suspenseful - a group of high school students, plus one rock star, taken hostage by a huge group of gun-toting agents who show no mercy. There are meaningless deaths, physical wounds, and emotional scars to last a lifetime. But this is a hostage situation gone wrong, so that's where even more suspense occurs, because we don't know what the next move of the bad guys will be, and we don't know if the choices that Sera and Ariel make are good or will be more costly in the end.

Then there is the minor storyline of the budding potential romances. I liked how the author handled this. In a situation like this, of course emotions would be high, but these kids are also getting to know each other in a intense kind of way, all their fears exposed, their emotions bare, and honesty their only course. So for some of them to form special bonds makes sense. But I also like how this did not overtake the storyline. With Sera and Hudson in particular, they were able to work together as a team as well as get to know each other on a personal level, yet always kept their heads in the game. You could see their connection, yet the author did not overly-romanticize anything. This also holds true for the other potential relationship, though it was not explored as much.

I will say that I had a few discrepancies with a few plot points and situation handlings in the book, but I was able to overlook them enough to continue enjoying the storyline. Though perhaps some of these details detracted from my overall rating.

To keep this spoiler-free, I will not reveal any deaths or outcomes in detail, but as you can imagine, this type of situation takes its toll and not everyone survives. I found myself teary-eyed at the end, which I did not expect to feel. One character in particular touched a chord with me, but I could understand why the author chose the outcome she did. Because the reality is that this is not a happily-ever-after story. It is an ugly situation caused by hateful, selfish people. The author touches on how some of the characters react after the trauma, some in more detail than others. You'd need a whole other book to deal with all the PTSD. But not all is lost, and there is some hope and happiness left after all the tragedy.

Bottomline: This is a fast-paced story dealing with a brutal situation that I did not want to put down. The action was intense but well-paced, the characters were realistic and meaningful, the consequences were honest. If you're looking for a different YA book, try this one.
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Jan 19, 2013 Pretty in Fiction rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews-by-taylor

The Girl in the Wall by Daphne Benedis-Grab is a heart pounding thriller that will leave you breathless. It's about two ex-friends who are trapped together in a house taken over by terrorists, during one of the girl's birthday party. They must depend on their knowledge of the house and each other to get themselves out alive.

I really enjoyed reading from the dual points of view of both Ariel and Sera. They both had enough personality that I was able to easily switch between chapters without forge...more

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Dec 03, 2012 ABookVacation rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book! It has just the right amount of mystery, intrigue, romance, and action… it’s right up my alley and I’d love to see it turned into a movie! Sera’s predicament is painful—her ex-best friend, Ariel, has skewered Sera’s reputation and yet Sera must still attend Ariel’s birthday party, a fate worse than death, or so it seems. I can’t imagine being in Sera’s shoes, especially when the reader learns the trivial reason that Ariel defriended Sera in the first place. Teens can be so cru...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Pam rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-read

GoodReads Synopsis: Ariel's birthday weekend looks to be the event of the season, with a private concert by rock star Hudson Winters on the grounds of her family's east coast estate, and all of Ariel's elite prep school friends in attendance. The only person who's dreading the party is Sera, Ariel's former best friend, whose father is forcing her to go. Sera has been the school pariah since she betrayed Ariel, and she now avoids Ariel and their former friends. Thrown together, Ariel and Sera can...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Debdatta Dasgupta Sahay rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copy

3.5Stars

Sera and Ariel were once best friends till Ariel betrayed Sera and turned the whole school against her. Sera’s father however treats this as a ‘small tiff between friends’ and forces her to go to Ariel’s birthday bash – ‘the’ party in town. With Hudson Winters band performing and whole school invited, Sera has something to look forward to and something to dread about. But as she has absolutely no say in it, she arrives at the party hoping to just get it over with. Soon things spin out of...more 3.5Stars

Sera and Ariel were once best friends till Ariel betrayed Sera and turned the whole school against her. Sera’s father however treats this as a ‘small tiff between friends’ and forces her to go to Ariel’s birthday bash – ‘the’ party in town. With Hudson Winters band performing and whole school invited, Sera has something to look forward to and something to dread about. But as she has absolutely no say in it, she arrives at the party hoping to just get it over with. Soon things spin out of control unexpectedly and they find themselves in hostage situation. Will the two girls hold on to their grudges or call on the friendship that they had shared earlier?

Let me get the not so ‘good’ things out of the way first. I got this ARC through Netgalley and my version of it has lots of mistakes in it. Hopefully the book will be going through another round at the editors table before its release in mid-december. The other thing that I didn’t enjoy as much is the way the teenagers get out of the hostage situation. Without giving out any spoilers, let’s just say Macaulay Culkin had far better tricks up his sleeve in Home Alone 1 to deal with the thieves. And, that’s about it!

The plot isn’t something out of this world, but I did enjoy it. The start was a bit slow but it soon picked up its pace and during the last few chapters, they were literally turning itself! Written from the point of view of both Ariel & Sera, the book gives us complete knowledge of what’s exactly going on. The characters were interesting and developed throughout the story. Especially, Ariel and Sera. They start off as this rich, spoilt hot-headed girl and the sensitive and shy girl. But by the end, they were so much more. Author’s writing style is simple, making it easier to get into the story. She has given just enough description about the surroundings for the reader to picturise the different situations.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read that kept me interested throughout.
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Apr 04, 2013 Wisteriouswoman rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't know why I bothered to finish this book.
It could have been a great story considering the premise. I was totally confused by which girl was which every time I switched chapters. Ariel is basically a rich bitch and doesn't deserve much empathy.

The two romances don't make a bit of sense. Everyone must be just totally smelly and gross after being taken hostage and when people are stressed and have their life threaten they often pee in their pants.

And people die. It is horrible but I didn'...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Nenia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: x-2012s, ya-baby-ya, netgalley

You can read more reviews at my blog, The Armchair Librarian!

I was expecting something like Wes Craven's The People Under the Stairs, so I was relieved that this wasn't some splatterpunk fest. It is edgier and darker than your typical YA novel, though. While reading The Girl in the Wall, I kept having flashbacks to all those trashy YA horror novels I read in middle school, where the kids all go to a party and some psycho with a vendetta kills everyone.

In Girl in the Wall, which is narrated by tw...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Anna Randall rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book I chose to read was The Girl In The Wall by Daphine Benedis-Grab. I gave this book 5 stars. It is full if suspense and romance. It is about a young girl who is porced to go to her ex best friend's birthday party. While a famous Hudson is singing everything goes wrong.

The house is taken over by thugs running a secret operation for her friends father's wealth. All of the students are taken captive. Her friend manages to escape and sit through the event while hiding in secret passeges in...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, suspense, washyarg

It’s the night of Ariel’s birthday party and Sera is not looking forward to it. She and Ariel used to be best friends, but no more and now Sera is ostracized by virtually everyone in the school. But, Sera was invited and a popular rock star is performing. Once he starts singing, though, everything begins to go terribly wrong – the security guards hired for the party pull out their guns, a girl and Ariel’s father are grabbed and killed. The intended target was Ariel, but she escapes through a ser...more

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