Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Tighter

by Adele Griffin (Goodreads Author)

3.42 of 5 stars 3.42 · rating details · 600 ratings · 189 reviews

When 17-year-old Jamie arrives on the idyllic New England island of Little Bly to work as a summer au pair, she is stunned to learn of the horror that precedes her. Seeking the truth surrounding a young couple's tragic deaths, Jamie discovers that she herself looks shockingly like the dead girl—and that she has a disturbing ability to sense the two ghosts. Why is Jamie's c...more

Hardcover, 216 pages

Published May 10th 2011 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

YA Novels of 2011

495th out of 1,176 books — 6,250 voters

OSTW - Week starting May 8, 2011

2nd out of 20 books — 5 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Apr 12, 2011 Small Review rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ghosts, gothic, own, published-2011, retelling, contemp, first-reads

Billed as a loose retelling of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw, Tighter at first follows the original plot closely and then spirals into Adele’s unique creation. The transition is flawless, using the setup and features of the original story as a backdrop and then spinning the reader into a story that is both completely different and yet still fully compliments The Turn of the Screw. It is not necessary to have read or even liked The Turn of the Screw to enjoy Tighter. The story updates and pa...more

11 likes · like · see review

Mar 28, 2013 Marinda rated it 1 of 5 stars

This was a halfway decent story. The writer isn't bad. But holy crap I hated this book. It may have been the drug addict main character. Or the fact that the drugs are so matter of fact. But it pissed me off. What led me to give this 1 star is that at the end of the book, I was expecting a PSA about the dangers of prescription drug use. Nothing. Nada. Just a lame ending to an okay book. Nice and tidy, and oh, "forget that she was out of her mind on drugs for 6 months. Nothing noteworthy here, ju...more

1 like · like · see review

May 28, 2013 Samantha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 12th-grade-advisory

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Apr 23, 2013 Pinkie Pie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-read

I have to say that while the beginning of this book was a little confusing for me, what with all the names and characters to remember, by 50 pages in I was stuck. I sat up all night last night, and didn't put the book down until it was completed. And with such a jarring ending, even then it took some time for me to place it back on its shelf.

Tighter is supposed to be retelling of The Turn of the Screw. I haven't read it, but I have a copy sitting on my anthologies shelf, and so I'll probably be...more I have to say that while the beginning of this book was a little confusing for me, what with all the names and characters to remember, by 50 pages in I was stuck. I sat up all night last night, and didn't put the book down until it was completed. And with such a jarring ending, even then it took some time for me to place it back on its shelf.

Tighter is supposed to be retelling of The Turn of the Screw. I haven't read it, but I have a copy sitting on my anthologies shelf, and so I'll probably be picking that up next. If these stories are anything alike, I can not wait to read the original.

Immediately off the bat I realized I would like Jamie. From the first page, we are introduced to her world of prescription addiction. I think it's wonderful that Griffin used such a common, scary drug addiction. Not only did it add dimension to what could have been a floppy character, but it aided in the story-telling in all the right places. Since the narration was first-person, we were constantly trapped in Jamie's cloudy, foggy head, and nearly immediately we could tell her perception of what was real and what was not was unreliable at best.

Not only did I adore Jamie as a protagonist, I loved all of Griffin's characters. Every single one of them was so carefully developed as in a house of cards. You take out one piece and it would come crumbling down; but with the right balance of precision and care, and daring, they came together beautifully. Every single character served a purpose, they were another stepping stone toward the truth. And let us not forget the incredible character that was Skylark, the mansion itself. With its haunting nooks and crannies, its hard not to get lost in its history, in its depth.

Griffin's plot and execution were spot on. The entire time we were being wound tighter and tighter, drawing closer and closer to the conclusion. And with every page you could tell something was not quite right. Not with the ghosts, or even with the house. Not with the islanders, lifers and tourists, alike. Nothing is scarier to me than a creepy kid. The ending was jarring, sudden, shocking. Even though we've all seen this ending before, I still felt the urge to re-read before I had even read the last words. I stopped in my tracks, and mentally went over all the clues in my head, and if I had been paying closer attention, I should have noticed from the start!

Tighter was amazing. It is an excellent candidate for being re-read. I know I will. It's an excellent beach read: island landscape, mystery, and even a romance.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 05, 2012 Andrew rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kvelling-for-ya, book-makes-noises-on-shelf-at-night

Wanted: One au pair, preferably the splitting image of this dead girl who died in a plane crash one year ago. Ability to down enough narcotics to take down a squadron of UFC fighters = A HUGE PLUS. Crushed on your high school teacher hardcore then tried to make a move but got rejected? NO PROBLEM. Bilingual (can understand Lisp. I think it's an Asian language but idk). The better you can conceal you are a dirty, commie townie = $$$. If you feel you are qualified for this position, hmu - Miles Mc...more

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 18, 2012 Clover rated it 4 of 5 stars

Battling depression after a back injury during track, Jamie’s mom gets her a job as an au pair for the summer on the island of Little Bly, vacation spot for the uber-wealthy. What she didn’t anticipate is that she is a near look-a-like for the former nanny, a young girl who died in an accident with her boyfriend the previous summer. Or that their spirits would be hanging around the mansion causing mischief and anguish for those left behind.

The story builds from there as Jamie battles her own de...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 04, 2012 Gabrielle rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: pre-teens, teens, adults between 18 - 23

NO SPOILERS, I PROMISE.

I found this book at a Goodwill, and it was a good deal, but an even better read. It's a novel for teens, but I'm a young adult (early 20's) and even I enjoyed this chilling ghost story loosely adapted from The Turn of the Screw. Having never read "Turn/Screw", I was very intrigued by Jaime, a distraught, secretive, but supernaturally sensitive young teen. After some difficult drama in her recent past, Jaime takes a summer job as an "au pair" (live in nanny) for 11-year o...more

like · see review

May 17, 2012 Karen (Book Light Graveyard) rated it 3 of 5 stars

In case you missed the memo, Tighter is a modernization of The Turn of the Screw, by Henry James. And as such, it kinda threw me a little—because I’m split on whether I liked the book or not. On the one hand, I think it’s an awesome adaptation, but if I try to look at it just as a YA ghost story, there a bunch of things I have issues with.

Like I said, I really do think it’s a fairly brilliant take on Henry James’s novella. Since it had been a while since I’d read the original, I read a summary b...more In case you missed the memo, Tighter is a modernization of The Turn of the Screw, by Henry James. And as such, it kinda threw me a little—because I’m split on whether I liked the book or not. On the one hand, I think it’s an awesome adaptation, but if I try to look at it just as a YA ghost story, there a bunch of things I have issues with.

Like I said, I really do think it’s a fairly brilliant take on Henry James’s novella. Since it had been a while since I’d read the original, I read a summary before starting Tighter, and as I was reading Tighter, I was impressed over and over again how Adele Griffin manages to keep the same basic plot but make it her own. But even more than that, I was impressed at how she managed to capture the tone of the original—that creepy gothic feel that has you wondering whether the ghosts are real or if the narrator is just crazy.

But on its own . . . I don’t know, I think the book would feel weird and a little confusing to anyone who wasn’t familiar with The Turn of the Screw. I feel like some things don’t add up or are left as loose ends, and while they don’t matter in terms of it being an adaption, they do matter if I’m just looking at this as a YA read. Plus, Jamie isn’t a particularly likeable main character—and having read the original, I know liking her isn’t the important part. But if I had just gone into this book without being familiar with the story, Jamie would’ve driven me crazy so fast.

I will say, though, that I thought the climax was well done. A certain fact is revealed that I was totally NOT expecting but that fit into the story perfectly, and after I had picked my jaw up off the floor, I was just like, “Bravo, Ms. Griffin!” I also thought she did great job at building the tension higher and higher until finally something had to give. I love it when an author gets the climax of a story right.

Overall, I think I’d definitely recommend either reading The Turn of the Screw or at least a summary of it before reading Tighter. Because while it shines as a modernization of James’s story, I think it would have too many WTF moments if you weren’t familiar with the original.

Book Light Graveyard (less)

like · see review

Feb 21, 2012 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, ghosts

Seventeen-year-old Jaime goes to the queer yet scenic island of Little Bly as an au pair for the summer. At first it seems like the perfect summer job; she lives in a mansion, and her charge, Isa, is the most adorable little girl. However, things seem to go downhill from there for Jaime. First, she starts seeing the ghosts of her dead uncles again; then, she finds out that she looks uncannily like Isa’s dead au pair. What started out as the ideal summer job for Jaime turned out to be her worst n...more Seventeen-year-old Jaime goes to the queer yet scenic island of Little Bly as an au pair for the summer. At first it seems like the perfect summer job; she lives in a mansion, and her charge, Isa, is the most adorable little girl. However, things seem to go downhill from there for Jaime. First, she starts seeing the ghosts of her dead uncles again; then, she finds out that she looks uncannily like Isa’s dead au pair. What started out as the ideal summer job for Jaime turned out to be her worst nightmare.

I found the beginning of this book dull and pretty overdone. A teenage girl with a traumatic past looking for a good time and then finding out something shocking about her self. Yeah, I’ve only read that plot-line about a thousand times. Plus, I just felt like everything in her book fell a little bit flat. Jaime’s romance wasn’t the kind that made your heart flutter; her fear was kind of wooden, and the characters were quirky, but they came off as weird and bipolar. I don’t know if the author wrote it that way on purpose since for the majority of the novel the narrator was on drugs, or if it was lack of development in her novel, but either way, the novel could have had so much more potential. Because everything else in the novel was so flat, the twist that she added to the end (which in my opinion was the best part) wasn’t as surprising and effective as it could have been.

As I continued reading, however, I found that it was really quite a unique and refreshing read. It supposedly follows the plot of Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw until the second half of the novel where Griffin adds her own twist. I guess I might have enjoyed the beginning of Tighter more if I had read Henry James’s book. Regardless, I really liked Griffin’s creativity, and it definitely takes a lot of confidence to write a book like this. I’d recommend it if you typically like horror or if you have read The Turn of the Screw, but if you’re looking for a summer read, keep searching.
(less)

like · see review

Dec 14, 2011 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

I wish there were 1/2 stars because I would give this a 3.5*.

I am glad that I tried another of Adele's books, after not caring for "The Julian Game". This book I truly enjoyed and finished in only a matter of hours.

The story is about a girl named Jamie, who is having problems back home, such as depression and addiction to pills. She hurt herself in track, I believe it was, and was prescribed pills for that. She just continued using them to help with her depression, and when they seemed to not he...more I wish there were 1/2 stars because I would give this a 3.5*.

I am glad that I tried another of Adele's books, after not caring for "The Julian Game". This book I truly enjoyed and finished in only a matter of hours.

The story is about a girl named Jamie, who is having problems back home, such as depression and addiction to pills. She hurt herself in track, I believe it was, and was prescribed pills for that. She just continued using them to help with her depression, and when they seemed to not help like they used to she resorted to sneaking her parents medications. Her parents are righfully worried about her and are trying to get her out of this funk (they are not aware of her addiction with pills). So one evening while her mother is out at a dinner, she finds Jamie a job as an au pair at an old friends home, looking after his 11yo daughter.

Jamie isn't too eager for this at first, but once she gets there she tries to enjoy herself. But right away, she learns about the au pair, Jessie, from last year, and that the girl is now dead. A fact that was clearly not told to Jamie. Jamie is suspect about this omission and starts to do a little investigating of her own about what happened to Jessie.

While this is going on Jamie is watching Isa (the 11yo girl) and dealing with the snarky attitude of Isa's brother, Milo, who wasn't even supposed to be there and who Jamie hadn't even heard of. Along with Milo, she is also having to deal with Peter, the boyfriend of Jessie, who died with her that night last night. Yes, Jamie can communicate with Peter. She tries to chalk this up to all the pills she has been taking and she does start to get a little freaked out about it when it doesn't stop.

This all comes to a head one night and things take a mean and unexpected twist. How I love twists, especially twists like these.

This was a good ghost story, with good characters and a good storyline. It wasn't too spooky which was OK, although it would have been great if it were more spooky. I wasn't expecting the ending and I think you will be suprised by it too.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Oct 29, 2011 Eva Mitnick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

It starts out most promisingly, with a troubled 17-year-old girl named Jamie getting what sounds like a cushy summer job babysitting a rich 11-year-old girl named Isa on a ritzy resort island in New England. Naturally, there has to be a catch. First there's the matter of the tragic death of last year's nanny, Jessie, and her boyfriend Peter. Then there's the dour housekeeper Connie and Isa's disturbing older brother Milo. Finally, there's the matter of that ghost that keeps popping up and doing...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 03, 2011 Hylary Locsin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!

Seventeen-year-old Jamie Atkinson is struggling with some major personal demons as she sets out to spend the summer as an au pair on the island of Little Bly. She is addicted to pill popping: antihistamines, muscle relaxers, sleeping pills, anything to ease the pain of an old track injury and, more importantly, numb out her mind. Jamie is plagued by memories of a romantic relationship she had with...more Originally posted on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!

Seventeen-year-old Jamie Atkinson is struggling with some major personal demons as she sets out to spend the summer as an au pair on the island of Little Bly. She is addicted to pill popping: antihistamines, muscle relaxers, sleeping pills, anything to ease the pain of an old track injury and, more importantly, numb out her mind. Jamie is plagued by memories of a romantic relationship she had with her chemistry teacher that ended in rejection. She's also being haunted by visions of two of her relatives who committed suicide. Her mother thinks that taking a job on the small New England island will help Jamie, so she travels to Skylark, Little Bly's largest mansion to care for eleven-year-old Isa while her father is in Hong Kong. Also living in Skylark are Connie, the middle-aged housekeeper, and Milo, Isa's older brother. Jamie and Isa become fast friends, but soon Jamie discovers a secret about Skylark's past: Isa's previous au pair, Jessie, was killed in a tragic accident with her boyfriend, Peter, the summer before. It seems that Jamie bears a startling resemblance to Jessie, so much so that the ghost of Peter might be haunting Skylark attempting to reach out to her.

Tighter delivers a ghost story far more psychological than most young adult novels dare to travel, resulting in a thoughtful and unique read. It is clear from the first page that the "heroine", Jamie, is more than a little off-kilter. Not only is she addicted to popping pills stolen from her parents medicine cabinet, but she is plagued by horrifying ghostly visions of two relatives who committed suicide. She is also coping with an inappropriate romantic relationship she had with her chemistry teacher, one that ended with her being rejected. Even with these personal demons, Griffin lets on throughout the story that there is something deeper to Jamie's problems, something that becomes unraveled as the novel progresses. When Jamie arrives on Little Bly and begins to believe that Skylark is haunted, the reader is constantly wondering whether her visions are the result of her self-medicating, or if the ghost of Peter is truly trying to contact her. Jamie's charge, eleven-year-old Isa, is an interesting character who is also dealing with her own demons. It is Isa's older brother, handsome, fourteen-year-old Milo, however, who is the most intriguing resident of Skylark. He and Jamie seem to have an instant connection, but one that is far from positive. Milo has a knack for cutting right to the core of Jamie's insecurities, and seems to be more involved than he's letting on in Peter's ghostly presence in Skylark. Overall, Tighter is a relatively short but powerful novel that delivers a storyline far different from usual young adult fare. Equally enjoyable for teens and adults, readers will be left thinking long after the final page.

I have to admit that this novel was not what I was expecting at all after reading the book jacket. In many ways, this novel differs from other ghost stories for teens so much that it would be just as appropriate for adult readers. The plot is very much a psychological thriller that dives headfirst into some very complicated issues. There are elements of a ghost story, but the real focus of the novel is on Jamie and her own personal ghosts. Overall, I was impressed, even if I didn't have a great time reading the novel. Tighter is definitely something different, and something that teens who want to think should read.

(less)

like · see review

Jul 17, 2011 Cathe Olson rated it 4 of 5 stars

17-year-old Jamie gets a summer babysitting job on New England island taking care of a sweet young girl. She's looking forward to getting away from the ghosts who are haunting her, but the mansion where she is staying has ghosts of its own. And even more creepy, the girl who babysat last year looked almost exactly like her . . . and that girl died right there on the island.

This was an interesting modern, teen version of The Turn of the Screw. There were a few things that bothered me--like how co...more

like · see review

Jul 11, 2011 Ivy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tighter by Adele Griffin is about a pill popping, girl works as an au pair (babysitter) for the summer who discovers she is able to see ghosts which leads her to the connection on why she may be able to see them.

This book was less engaging for me in the beginning because I felt like there was not much of a story to go into besides knowing a fact that Jamie is able to see ghosts. Although the synopsis was very much enticing, I felt like there were a few parts that may be able to skip without miss...more

like · see review

Jul 07, 2011 Rachael rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jamie’s not quite sure why she decided to take a job as an au pair at Little Bly this summer. It’s true that she probably needs to take a break from wallowing in the unhappiness of her own life, but she’s not so sure that Little Bly will be any better, since she doesn’t know anyone there. At least her charge Isa seems to be a sweet girl and Jamie has her secret stash of pills for emergencies. Things take a turn for the stranger when Jamie finds out about the accident the summer prior that took t...more Jamie’s not quite sure why she decided to take a job as an au pair at Little Bly this summer. It’s true that she probably needs to take a break from wallowing in the unhappiness of her own life, but she’s not so sure that Little Bly will be any better, since she doesn’t know anyone there. At least her charge Isa seems to be a sweet girl and Jamie has her secret stash of pills for emergencies. Things take a turn for the stranger when Jamie finds out about the accident the summer prior that took the lives of Isa’s former au pair and her boyfriend—and that Jamie looks startlingly similar to her predecessor. Nothing, though, is as bizarre as when Jamie starts to see their ghosts. She’s not really sure why her connection to the dead couple is so strong, but when strange things start happening around the household, she’s convinced that their presence is sinister and real. But with the number of pills that Jamie pops daily, how can she be sure what is real and what is imagined anymore? And will she be able to figure this out before it drives her over the edge?

I was interested in reading Tighter from the moment I heard that it was a modern retelling of The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. I read that classic a few years ago for an English class, and it was an intriguing, if not necessarily the most enjoyable, experience. I wanted to see how Griffin would adapt and add to this creepy tale of mystery and delusion, and I am pleased to say that the results are spectacular. Griffin builds very loosely upon some of the major elements in The Turn of the Screw’s setting and plot but makes it her own with her modern heroine Jamie, a girl struggling with the remnants of a failed relationship, standards she feels she can’t live up to, and a possibly serious addiction. The entire story is just brilliantly crafted with a complex and utterly realistic protagonist and many exciting surprises. If there’s anything that felt off about this book, it’s that some of Jamie’s dialogue felt slightly outdated at times, even if that does add to her character and charm. Overall, though, with all due respect to the master Henry James, I have to say that Griffin’s retelling of his classic is immensely more satisfying than the original.

Tighter will be enjoyed by both those who have and have not read The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. This novel also appeals to fans of Possessed by Kate Cann.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com (less)

like · see review

Jul 02, 2011 Jane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ok, who wants a mystery that will have you wanting more? I picked this up to read as it was a new book, but it was fantastic. The title is irrelevant to the story and surely it must have been pulled out of a hat. Seriously. Well, this is the story of a seventeen-year-old girl who, after getting a little too close to her teacher last semester, is spending the summer on an old New England island as an au pair to the daughter of a widowed man her mother used to date back in the day. They pull up to...more

like · see review

Jun 22, 2011 Sarai rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, suspense, supernatural

GIANT SPOILER ALERT - DON'T READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT IT SPOILED!!!!!!!!!!

I can't figure out how to talk about the book without giving away the book, and I hate spoilers. However, this book got me. It totally got me. I didn't see it coming at all. I LOVE it when that happens! I often get a bit arrogant about how plots don't surprise me, but this one did. It was awesome. And that's enough of a spoiler for today.

I'm not saying the book itself was perfect, but I did enjoy it. It had a litt...more

like · see review

May 19, 2011 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review originally posted at: http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com...

Actual Rating: 3.5/5

MY THOUGHTS
Tighter is one of those stories that creeps along, events unfolding with a deliberate slowness that causes our bodies to wind up and coil like a spring, just waiting for the moment when we'll be startled into sudden movement. For the duration of this tale we are deliciously tense–though our tenseness is strictly anticipatory rather than derived from a great deal of action or intensity–and we absor...more Review originally posted at: http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com...

Actual Rating: 3.5/5

MY THOUGHTS
Tighter is one of those stories that creeps along, events unfolding with a deliberate slowness that causes our bodies to wind up and coil like a spring, just waiting for the moment when we'll be startled into sudden movement. For the duration of this tale we are deliciously tense–though our tenseness is strictly anticipatory rather than derived from a great deal of action or intensity–and we absorb every tiny detail about Jamie and Skylark in search of information that might ease our sense of foreboding. While Jamie's story is slow moving, it is never boring; instead we are kept on high alert as separate incidents and situations begin to fit together and paint a larger picture we are positively desperate to see in its entirety by the end.

Though many aspects of the story cause our exhalations to come in rapid succession and our muscles to ache from the strain of clenching them, there are a few small aspects that are a touch disappointing after all is revealed. For much of the book our attention is drawn to the physical similarities between previous au pair Jessie and current au pair Jamie, leading us to believe there is some significance in this detail or some link between the two young women that is perhaps contributory to Jamie's ability to see the spirits of both Jessie and Peter. However, when all is said and done we find their eerily similar appearance is mere coincidence and is unrelated to the greater picture. We spend so much time hearing about their looks and learning about Jessie as Jamie conducts her informal investigation that we're sure we must be in store for some shocking revelation only to have our sought-after connection between the two women fade to nothingness with the turn of the last few pages.

Tighter does end with a twist that causes us to mentally replay the entire story in an attempt to catch the moments that ought to have tipped us off as to the ending, but once our initial awe passes we realize this particular twist is something we've seen before. All the accumulated tension and anticipation of some disturbing ghostly encounter slowly drains from us rather than exploding outward with the force of our discovery, taking with it the last of our strength and leaving us feeling just a bit unsatisfied. Tighter is certainly a quick and entertaining read, we just can't help but want a more disquieting and memorable conclusion to a tale that's kept us taut with awareness and apprehension the entire time.

Rating: 3.5/5 (less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 09, 2012 Lesley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense

What I liked: Great example of an unreliable narrator: Is she seeing ghosts? Or does it have something to do with all the pills she's taking? Or her family's history of mental illness? Clever plotting, mysterious clues to watch for, some genuinely scary moments. Lots of Easter eggs if you've read the original Turn of the Screw, but it stands well on its own if you haven't.

What I didn't like: The cover reminded me way too much of The Human Centipede movie poster! But that shouldn't be an obstacl...more

like · see review

Nov 30, 2011 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, suspense, ghost-stories

This is a modern retelling of The Turn of the Screw - although, pathetically, I can't comment on it because I've never read The Turn of the Screw. I have seen a film version from which I remember the gist of the story - enough to recognize the retelling - but that's not enough to comment on what Griffin chose to change, apart from the obvious time period and setting. And I'm assuming James' heroine wasn't popping pills.

On its own merits, it works as a suspenseful, often creepy story, the kind th...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 06, 2012 Stefanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya, supernatural, washyarg-reviews

Jamie has spent the last few months depressed and popping pills because of heartbreak. Her parents just think she’s mopey and send her to a small, idyllic island off the coast of Rhode Island to be an au pair for the summer. When she gets there, she learns the tragic story of what happened to the last au pair and her boyfriend, and she starts to see their ghosts. She wants to head back home, but has already bonded with her charge, a sweet eleven-year-old still dealing with the deaths who is enth...more

like · see review

Jan 03, 2012 Miz Lizzie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ghosts, new-england, realistic-fiction, romance, summer-holidays, usa, young-adult, mental-illness, writing

When seventeen-year-old Jamie Atkinson goes to the New England island of Little Bly to be an au pair for the summer, she takes a grab bag of pilfered prescription pills with her to gentle her depression and the presence of two family ghosts that haunt her. Though she enjoys Isa, her young charge, and starts a romance with local boy, Sebastian, Jamie becomes obsessed with the tragic death of last year's au pair and her boyfriend. The story is apparently based on Henry James' The Turning of the Sc...more

like · see review

Nov 29, 2012 Crystal rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who like books with twist/surprise endings

Shelves: dark, north-south-america

Ok, so I didn't care for this book too much at the beginning, i definitely didn't care for the modern 'slang' (that I honestly have never heard anyone use in reality before...) and it wasn't too awfully interesting at the start but right away I was able to connect to the main character, Jamie, better than I ever have to another character before. She was me, in most respects at least. I'm not sure how to explain it. It was just the easiest to relate to. Not the story itself of course, since I don...more Ok, so I didn't care for this book too much at the beginning, i definitely didn't care for the modern 'slang' (that I honestly have never heard anyone use in reality before...) and it wasn't too awfully interesting at the start but right away I was able to connect to the main character, Jamie, better than I ever have to another character before. She was me, in most respects at least. I'm not sure how to explain it. It was just the easiest to relate to. Not the story itself of course, since I don't see ghosts, thankfully, but the girl, the dialogue (nix the slang for the most part) and the small-town setting? It was just far too real. The whole ghost part I really thought was going to be larger but it wasn't, and I'm not complaining. It may have been what I was looking for in the beginning but in the end, it was well worth it. Until I read the last few chapters, I was only going to rate this book three stars but the surprise ending with certain characters, really turned my opinion, enhanced it. It's really a great read, albeit, a bit slow compared to some other novels. Again, the ghost part of the story isn't really there as much as you'd think, it's more the history of the ghosts and their lives just before their death, but it's still interesting and intriguing. It isn't the type of ghost story that would keep you up at night either so it's great for that novel where you want a slight chill but not enough to keep the light on.

Last note: I now really, really want to try reading Turn of the Screw, I've always wanted to, but other books always seemed to be more in my interest before. Now, if this book is anything like Turn, I will definitely be reading it soon, especially with the very high likeliness that Turn is probably a true, (excuse the term since I can't think of another when I'm this tired) haunting, ghost story. One that gives you real chills and fills your dreams, if you can sleep at all.

(view spoiler)(less)

like · see review

Nov 02, 2012 Owen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Spoilers

To be honest, the only reason I decided to read this was becuse of The Turning by Francine Prose. After that trainwreck of a book, I wanted to see if The Turn of the Screw could redeem itself as a YA retelling.

This book was okay. It wasn't as bad as The turning, but I wasn't really interested in Tighter. In some ways it was better, in some ways it was worse. So, about the same, but a teeny bit of an improvement over The Turning.

The main character was not that important to me. I think som...more

like · see review

Oct 22, 2011 Danya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: psychtember, psychology, books-i-own

This review is in my "snapshot" format.

The subject: an au pair struggling to understand the clues she sees about the previous au pair's death...

The setting: the island of Little Bly, a seemingly perfect holiday spot

Shutter speed: fairly slow-moving, I thought. It's not showy in suspense or horror, but the mystery is confusing and keeps you guessing, distrusting everyone. Something about it made me feel uneasy and apprehensive as I read. And the final reveal is mind-boggling.

What's in the backgr...more

like · see review

Apr 14, 2011 Amanda Makepeace rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm not sure what I can say about this book without giving the entire plot away. I will say this, there are going to be a lot of book sellers who place this on the wrong shelf. The Goodreads description only tells you one side of this story. Okay. I better stop before I let it slip!

Here's what I can say. Adele Griffin is an exceptional author. This is the first of her books I've read and now I'm dying to read some more. Tighter is like a spider's web. They take time to build. A spider must find...more

like · see review

Feb 27, 2013 Alicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: boy, chicklit, dysfunctional, mystery, odd

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Dec 05, 2010 Lisa Roecker rated it 5 of 5 stars

From the perfect package--this cover is what creepy is made of, to an incredibly descriptive setting, which brought to mind the gorgeous home from the movie Evening (if you've ever seen it), Adele's TIGHTER has it all. From the moment we meet Jamie, we learn that she's suffering from something in her past and to combat the pain, she abuses whatever pills she can get her hands on. I have to say, this character trait, which I've never really read before in YA, is fascinating. Her mind is in a cons...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 23, 2011 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I borrowed this book from my friend Kim, who won it from a contest here on Goodreads. I actually saw this book before then on the shelf at the bookstore where I work, and blogged about it in one of my Hazards of Working at a Bookstore entries. So I was very excited she won it and I got to borrow it.
I'm going to start with what I didn't like. I didn't like the drugs part. I totally understand why the character was taking them, well, I understand based on what the author wrote it as. But I guess I...more

like · see review

Oct 14, 2011 Jodi Papazian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-reads

When Jamie sets off to Little Bly, RI for an au pair job, she has no idea the mental toll this summer will take on her. The town is consumed with the tragic deaths from the previous summer and Jamie is terrified to learn that she is able to see the spirits of the accident.
This book was primarily ghost-story/mystery. Although, I never felt like it got all that scary, it was still a page-turner. The ending, for me, was an actual surprise. Normally I feel like I can see plot twists coming way ahe...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (5)

More editions...

Genres

Young Adult

55 users

Paranormal > Ghosts

35 users

Mystery

33 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

28 users

Horror

15 users

Thriller

14 users

Young Adult > Teen

14 users

Fantasy

11 users

Fantasy > Supernatural

10 users

Suspense

7 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Adele Griffin

I love to read, I love to write, and I joined Goodreads as a reader and an author.

You can also find me on twitter: http://twitter.com/adelegriffin

and Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adele-G...

and
http://www.tighterthebook.com

and
http://www.picturethedead.com

and
http://www.thejuliangame.com

More about Adele Griffin...

Books by Adele Griffin

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Tighter

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Tighter

“Peter and Jessie were like Romeo and Juliet. Have you ever seen that old movie? Starring Leonardo Dicaprio?” — 3 people liked it

“What are you burning?" On a glance, just some papers.
"I write in a journal." He spoke below his breath, so that his words weren't quite for me. "Because I like to see everything written down. So that I know it really happened. That I wasn't just making it up. Then I read it and memorize it. And then I have to destroy the hard evidence."
I thought of my own journal, the muddle of every page. All those unfiltered, lunatic letters to Sean Ryan.
"What is it, exactly, that you need to destroy?"
"Everything that I don't want to be true.” — 1 person liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Tighter
avg rating	preview: Tighter Goodreads rating: 3.42 (600 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8887240-tighter?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320404832l/8887240.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8887240-tighter?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Tighter by Adele Griffin[/url]

Tighter

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website