Shine

Nov 28, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime-mystery-thriller, kids-and-teens, lgbt, library-books

I became curious about this book after it was mistakenly nominated as a finalist for the National Book Awards, instead of another similar-sounding title. It also appealed to me because it is about teenagers growing up in the rural south, the problems kids normally deal with, and the bigotry, poverty, drug addiction, and provincialism that affects everyone.

17-year-old openly gay Patrick lies comatose in a hospital bed after a brutal beating that occurred at the convenience store where he works. T...more

34 likes · like · see review

Feb 22, 2011 Tatiana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, 2011, ala-ya-2012, mysteries-thrillers-horror

3.5 stars

I only know Lauren Myracle's name in connection with her ttyl books. I haven't read that series, but it's pretty safe to say Shine is nothing like those stories about girls texting each other (or whatever they do).

Shine is most and foremost a story about small-town bigotry. Cat's childhood gay friend Patrick is brutally assaulted - hit with a baseball bat, tied to a gas pump with a fuel nozzle stuffed in his mouth, with words Suck this, faggot written on his bare chest in blood. Small...more

54 likes · like · see review

May 08, 2012 Richard rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been revised and can now be found at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud.

17 likes · like · see review

Mar 05, 2011 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, blog_etb, highly-recommended, holocaust-and-atrocities, mystery-and-thrillers, religion-related, reviewed, romance, tear-jerkers, the_south, to-buy, young-adult, review-copies, lgbtq, challenge-1010

I've never read any of Lauren Myracle's other books. I'm not much into the whole "txt-spk" thing, so those books have never sparked my interest. Not my cup of tea. Other than those, I couldn't have named another book Myracle had written before today. But this... this book called out to me. Not only because of the absolutely gorgeous cover, but because of the premise, and because it's set in the South. I love me some books set in the South. And because it has Issues. Issues with a capital 'I'.

And...more I've never read any of Lauren Myracle's other books. I'm not much into the whole "txt-spk" thing, so those books have never sparked my interest. Not my cup of tea. Other than those, I couldn't have named another book Myracle had written before today. But this... this book called out to me. Not only because of the absolutely gorgeous cover, but because of the premise, and because it's set in the South. I love me some books set in the South. And because it has Issues. Issues with a capital 'I'.

And boy, did this deliver. If it hadn't been written with such grace and honesty, and a light touch and sense of innocence, it could have gone so very, very badly wrong. The Issues in this book are the kind that outsiders abhor and denounce, while those living in and around and with them are almost oblivious to their existence as an 'Issue' at all. To those people, it's just life. Normal. Everyday. This book touched on a lot of things. Poverty, addiction, class division, alcoholism, abuse, homosexuality and homophobia, fear and hatred, small-town politics, friendship and loyalty, etc. So many things that some could have easily gotten lost and confused. But even with all of these issues entwined throughout the story, I never felt that it forgot what it was.

I loved the way this story was written. I love the way it was parceled out, little by little, edging closer to the truth and the consequences and the brokenness, like a hungry mouse sneaking closer to a crumb not far from the cat's bed. The mouse knows that rushing will cause it to lose its chance, to be hurt -- but caution and stealth may win it a chance to survive. This book was like that. It crept along, building momentum, until it reached where it needed to be.

I instantly fell in love with these characters, especially Cat and Patrick. My heart broke for the things that they lost, both before and after Patrick is beaten and left for dead. I loved their friendship, and the simple acceptance of it. I loved Mama Sweetie, Patrick's Grandma, and her kindness and wisdom and faith. I usually find it hard to accept religion in books, because so very often it comes across as preachy. That was not the case here. It was less religion and more a matter of faith - a simple knowledge that there's something and someone there for us. No judgment, no fire and brimstone, no recriminations for every little thought, just a sense of "If you want, you can - if not, that's OK too." I liked that.

This book is gorgeous and amazing from cover to cover, and I was so wrapped up in this community and these lives that I almost didn't want to see, but I couldn't look away. I found one thing, one little thing, about the very end to be a bit unbelievable, but I understand it, and I wasn't disappointed. All in all, I loved this book and I think it's one that I will need to own, to re-read and absorb and love.

It's that good. (less)

17 likes · like · see review

Mar 18, 2011 Vinaya rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

I'm always a little guilty and anxious when I give books a lower rating than all my friends. I'll be wondering, why didn't I like it, did I miss something there? With Shine, it was double the anxiety, since both Ceilidh and Tatiana loved it, and I respect their opinions quite a bit! But somehow, this book fell short for me, maybe because I expected too much of it.

Shine is about sixteen year old Cat, a girl from a small Southern town whose friend falls victim to a hate crime. When it be...more 3.5 stars

I'm always a little guilty and anxious when I give books a lower rating than all my friends. I'll be wondering, why didn't I like it, did I miss something there? With Shine, it was double the anxiety, since both Ceilidh and Tatiana loved it, and I respect their opinions quite a bit! But somehow, this book fell short for me, maybe because I expected too much of it.

Shine is about sixteen year old Cat, a girl from a small Southern town whose friend falls victim to a hate crime. When it becomes obvious that the local authorities are going to do nothing to bring the perpetrators to book, Cat decides to solve the mystery of the gay-basher herself.

This book has a lot going for it. I loved how atmospheric the writing was; it pulled me right in, so much so that I could almost envision the darkness of the forest, the squalor of an almost-ghost town, the small town folk rigidly holding on to the remnants of their life. It's a bleak portrayal, but not entirely depressing.

Cat is a great character, for the most part. I loved the way she was portrayed, as a flawed, scared girl who slowly emerges from her shell to realize her potential. Her abuse and her subsequent withdrawal from her friends was realistic and heart-breaking. I like the fact that she's not an all-guns-firing crusader who is super-human and impervious to fear and hurt. She is a surprisingly introspective character, and Myracle does a great job in chronicling her growth.

I also liked the portrayal of the secondary characters in this book. What I really liked about Shine is that there is no good guy or bad guy. They are all very human, trapped by circumstances and their own desires, with good sides and bad sides to all of their personalities. From Christian, who is still friends with Cat's worst enemy, to her aunt, who likes to ignore reality, to Tommy, who is a Class A jerk, they all have flaws, but Myracle shows us that things are not always what they seem, and sometimes, redemption is possible.

There are so many things I liked and admired about this book, that I almost feel bad giving it a 3-star rating. But two things really bugged me about this novel. The first was the pacing. Over half the book passes with next to no plot development. I guess this is part of what contributes to the atmosphere I mentioned before, but I had to positively slog my way through some sections because of the meandering style of Cat's narration.

The second was the mystery. It took me about one-tenth the time it did Cat to figure out perpetrator and motive. And I didn't do this because of my awesome telepathic superpowers, or my Holmes-like detective skills, but simply because the answer was so obvious. I don't like mysteries that fizzle out like that. Perhaps the hate crime was only a vehicle for an exposition on life in a small Southern town, but that is still no excuse for not handling it with a little élan. Also, Cat was very slow to arrive at the same conclusion, which annoyed me because I was jumping up and down on my bed screaming, 'Figure it out already, stupid!'

I don't have much to say about the romance, since it didn't really play any part in the actual plot. Which is also kind of disappointing, because it felt too convenient. Like Myracle wasn't sure people would read this book if she didn't put at least a little romance in it. But Cat just fell for Jason so quickly and smoothly, with no hitch. Despite being a victim of abuse at an age when it would have scarred her for life. With no therapy and no support, she just got over it and decided to kiss a boy she's known two weeks?

I DID like this book, but not as much as I thought I would. It's more of a descriptive novel, that kind that pulls you in at the moment, rather than one that leaves a lasting impression. My recommendation? Read it.

P.S. An ARC of this book was provided to me by the publishers via Net Galley. No external considerations affected this review.(less)

18 likes · like · see review

Apr 20, 2012 Trudi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-sense-of-place, coming-of-age, crime-mystery, young-adult, modern-lit, 2012-reads, in-her-own-words, secrets

The first time I heard about this book was when the author was pressured to withdraw its National Book Award nomination which had been given in error and intended for the book Chime. What rhymes with Shine? Chime apparently. Good grief. Really people, you can't be any more professional than that? The author talks about the emotional whirlwind that followed, but there was a silver lining to the crushing disappointment -- the controversy brought much needed awareness to this quiet, unassuming book...more The first time I heard about this book was when the author was pressured to withdraw its National Book Award nomination which had been given in error and intended for the book Chime. What rhymes with Shine? Chime apparently. Good grief. Really people, you can't be any more professional than that? The author talks about the emotional whirlwind that followed, but there was a silver lining to the crushing disappointment -- the controversy brought much needed awareness to this quiet, unassuming book.

Shine isn't a dystopia. It has no post-apocalyptic cachet, there are no demons, angels, vampires or fairies. Instead, Shine is a lyrical and realistic coming-of-age portrait of a young girl living in a small backwoods Southern town. Cat is 16 and knows all about secrets. She has been carrying a dark and bitter one of her own for three years. It has caused her to wither and withdraw, and worst of all it has cost her Patrick.

Patrick is Cat's best friend but she hasn't spoken to him, not really, since "the bad thing". Patrick is set adrift without her and finds the only friends left to him are members of "the redneck posse" who tease and berate him mercilessly for being gay. One night Patrick is brutally beaten and left for dead outside of the gas station where he works. The nature of the assault has labeled this a hate crime and Cat -- fueled by guilt and anger -- becomes desperate to find out who has done this to her gentle friend. She believes it's someone she knows, and the closer she gets to unraveling the truth, the more dangerous it becomes for everyone around her, including Patrick who lies helpless in a coma.

In many ways, this has all the hallmarks of a good mystery. I love how Becky describes it in her review as:

parceled out, little by little, edging closer to the truth and the consequences and the brokenness, like a hungry mouse sneaking closer to a crumb not far from the cat's bed. The mouse knows that rushing will cause it to lose its chance, to be hurt -- but caution and stealth may win it a chance to survive. This book was like that. It crept along, building momentum, until it reached where it needed to be.

Shine isn't a gentle story -- it is a raw and honest consideration of self-acceptance, self-loathing, guilt, friendship and family. There is explicit language and vivid descriptions of violence. Despite the ugliness there is much beauty to consider as well, and Myracle's prose reminded me both of Winter's Bone and To Kill a Mockingbird.

This book has its flaws, but overall it accomplishes something wonderful. (less)

8 likes · like · see review

Feb 27, 2013 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bullying-peer-pressure, coming-of-age, crime-and-punishment, drug-abuse, engl-492-spring-2013, family, glbtq, kick-ass-female-characters, mystery, re-read, relationships, religion, sibling-relationships, suspense, young-adult-literature

Love it just as much on the re-read, if not more.

Original review (from 2010):

I love Lauren Myracle's books. Like, LOVE them. In reading Bliss last year, I was struck by how Myracle had seemed to shift her focus to darker themes. She's always dealt with serious topics, often laced with heavy doses of lightening humor, but with Bliss, and now Shine, she's certainly moved over into the seedier side of human experience.

Cat lives in a small, rural North Carolina town, where everyone knows everyone,...more

4 likes · like · see review

Mar 04, 2012 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Really: 3.5 rating.

I'm ALL ABOUT bringing gay rights and equal rights to the forefront and am glad this was the main aspect of the book along with dealing with regret and becoming a better person and that even teens and young people can recognize that in themselves.

Something that did urk me was that the lone Black character in the book sounded WAY too hick for me, especially since the narrator regularly states that she's a redneck from a redneck town. However the sole character of color was th...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 26, 2011 Halley Todd rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: acceptance, banned-books, boys, community, family-love, friendship, mature, mystery, overcoming-obstacles, drugs, sexual-abuse, si-624-reviews, ya, hate-crimes, homosexuality, grades-10-12

This poignant tale about a supposed hate crime in a small North Carolinian town is not for faint-hearted readers. 16-year old Cat must finally come out of her self-imposed exile from her community when her childhood best friend is put into a coma. Patrick was found outside the convenience store where he worked. He was hit in the head with a baseball bat, a gas nozzle was shoved down his throat, and scrawled across his chest in blood were the words: “Suck on this f-----.” The town is eager to bla...more

5 likes · like · see review

Apr 06, 2011 Justin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, mystery, shelf-of-fame, young-adult, lgbt

This is the first of Myracle’s books that I’ve read, since her popular Internet Girls series is well outside the realm of my interest. However, after reading Shine, I may have to take a look at those books after all. I managed to secure an advance reader’s copy after hearing some other librarians rave about this book, and while initially skeptical, I was surprised at how quickly this book grabbed me. While it has its oddities and weak spots, Shine is a powerful, well-written book that does an ex...more This is the first of Myracle’s books that I’ve read, since her popular Internet Girls series is well outside the realm of my interest. However, after reading Shine, I may have to take a look at those books after all. I managed to secure an advance reader’s copy after hearing some other librarians rave about this book, and while initially skeptical, I was surprised at how quickly this book grabbed me. While it has its oddities and weak spots, Shine is a powerful, well-written book that does an excellent job of framing gritty, tough themes for a teen audience.

The story opens with a newspaper story out of a rural North Carolina town called Black Creek. A teenager named Patrick is known to all the residents of the backwoods town as both the amiable clerk at the local gas station and the village oddity for being openly gay. When Patrick is found severely beaten and tied to a gas pump with a homophobic slur scrawled on his chest, the town is awash with horrified, and almost gleeful, gossip. Cat, a withdrawn sixteen-year-old girl, is particular affected; Patrick was once her closest friend, though she had not been speaking with him at the time of his assault. In a small town where everyone knows everyone, Cat is convinced that she can succeed where the local sheriff is failing, and discover the truth behind what happened to Patrick. Her guilt over the way in which she had handled their friendship drives her to find Patrick’s attacker amidst the residents of Black Creek, and repeated advice from those around her to let sleeping dogs lie only stokes the flames of her anger. However, her quest to shine light on the crime raises the frightening possibility of her being the next target.

This is a rough story to read. It starts with a gut punch and doesn’t get much better. Homophobia, meth addiction, and sexual assault are all touched upon in this story. For all of its darkness, though, Shine never really dips into sensationalism or angst. Everything seems very real in this book. Black Creek is a rural town with rural problems and rural attitudes; while I didn’t grow up as poor as Cat did, I do have enough experience with small-town mindsets to have the setting and characters resonate in a very real way with me. And for all of the darkness in Black Creek, there is beauty, too. Myracle is obviously writing what she knows, and has a talent for presenting the South in a sublime, evocative way, warts and all.

I figured out the mystery early on, but that’s only because I’m fairly familiar with how stories like these play out, unfortunately. But the main plot was extremely well done, with enough tension to keep astute readers strung along but without being too obtuse or boring for teens. The characters are layered, and many are both sympathetic and menacing by turns. Cat, the narrator, is particularly well-written, and her story is visceral and heartbreaking. While the plot itself is something that we have seen before, the mystery in Shine is made compelling by how ambiguous it is, and how there are things left mysterious and unexplained even as the story takes familiar turns.

There are a few things that bothered me, at least momentarily. The introduction of Cat’s love interest (and another potential suspect) is so abrupt that at first I wondered what their first scene together was even doing in the book. The explanation of the tension between Cat and her brother near the end of the book is also somewhat confounding, and appears almost contrived at first glance. The ending, too, is somewhat of a letdown. This could be because I figured the mystery out early on and was hoping I was wrong (I was almost completely correct), but the book also ends abruptly and on a strangely positive note, considering how horrible Patrick’s ordeal was and how bleak things still are by the end of the story.

All of these problems spring from a single source, though, and that source is actually the book's biggest strength: the characters in Shine are not stereotypes, despite their corn-fed hillbilly slang, and they do not act in a predictable fashion. There are no easy answers, here, just as there aren’t any in real life. Sometimes relationships do start in strange, abrupt ways, and considering that Shine is a book for teens, it follows the romance formula in way that is refreshingly understated. While the actions of Cat’s brother in the face of her earliest childhood trauma initially ring false to me and, I imagine, every other big brother who reads this book, Christian’s odd reaction is still evocatively real, in that it proves that not everyone is as brave as they seem. And while the mystery played itself out in the way it was foreshadowed (brilliantly, I might add), I am convinced that another character was involved. I am absolutely sure of this, due to multiple hints in the writing, and despite the fact that the ending does not make any mention of it and wraps things up with a single climactic confrontation. Whether this is an intentional tease by Myracle or just my own interpretation of the reading, it’s still a byproduct of a gripping, tightly-plotted mystery, and lends credence to Black Creek’s gritty, bittersweet realism.

For all that I looked for things to criticize, Shine wouldn’t let me go. I tore through the book, and loved every part of it. This is a grim, unflinching take on the consequences of secrecy and self-loathing, and it also is a paean to the lonely beauty and restorative power of a small, tightly-knit community. It offers a hard glimpse into reality while still telling an oddly sweet story, and it provides a moral without preaching. While there are occasions that the themes could be explored a little deeper or with more detail, this is a perfect example of dramatic teen lit. Once it hit shelves, I imagine it will move quickly. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a good mystery, regardless of age.(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Jan 03, 2013 Claudia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Read my full review on this book here .

This is my first book I read by the author Lauren Myracle. If I am to be completely honest, I bought the book because of its cover, it was so incredibly beautiful that I could not resist. However, that the book would be so good was really shocking for me.

This is a fascinating book that you just can not put down, the second a problem has been solved yet another pops up. It's a bit like watching a TV series and it comes up new murder cases or problems in the s...more Read my full review on this book here .

This is my first book I read by the author Lauren Myracle. If I am to be completely honest, I bought the book because of its cover, it was so incredibly beautiful that I could not resist. However, that the book would be so good was really shocking for me.

This is a fascinating book that you just can not put down, the second a problem has been solved yet another pops up. It's a bit like watching a TV series and it comes up new murder cases or problems in the series after each episode. Shine hit me right in the face about how good the book was structured.

- Spoiler Alert -
My favorite character in the book was Beef, which is Patrick's boyfriend. Despite the fact that Beef was the one who injured Patrick, I still had compassion for him. Although the book was about how Cat tried to solve the case of Patrick, I feel that I learned the most about Beef and his life. It was quite tricky to understand first who it was that was behind everything, despite the fact that Black Creek is a very small town where everyone knows everyone. But about in the middle of the book it started to get more and more clear that it was Beef that was behind it. I think it was somewhere between when Cat went to the place where Beef was working and interviewed him as I began to understand that he was behind the case of Patrick.
- End Of Spoiler -

Overall the book was great, you get to see inside society and how it may be today. How drugs can affect you so badly you suddenly turn into a beast you can no longer control. I would never like to lose that control, which made me feel sad for those in the book that struggled with it everyday. The cover was beautiful as well as every beginning of the chapters, good length in chapters and no confusion involved. It was easy to tag along in the book and it was fascinating reading this book, it was special I can tell! Definitely will buy more books from Lauren Myracle.

I would recommend this for both females and males and between the age of 16-40. Good job Myracle!(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2012 Erica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya, high-school

I read this book after all of the controversy with the National Book Awards and Lauren Myracle being asked to remove herself from the finalist list after being accidentally put on the list. If you haven't heard anything about the controversy - here's a brief article.

I went into reading this book with high expectations since so many people said it was National Book Award finalist material. I enjoyed it though at times I found the middle dragged a bit (a common problem for me with a lot of books l...more

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 05, 2011 Veronica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Age of Readership:

14 years and up

Genre:

mystery

Diversity:

LGBTQ, Southern culture, Small-town culture

Illustrations:

There were no actual illustrations, but the book was specifically designed. Each day is separated with a scene of a field and dilapidated shack. The beginning of each chapter had a design of branches, tying it to the cover.

Personal response:

There is a reason this genre is the last genre I read for this class. I do not like mysteries. This wasn't really any different. It had all the qu...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 06, 2013 Annabel ♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adore, cover-love, love-the-writing, idea-is-genius, romance, i-cried-or-almost-cried, amazingness, inspiring, writer-is-amazingg, why-didn-t-i-read-this-earlier, ya-books-that-i-love

I freaking love this book.

There is rarely a time when I don't close a book after I'm finished with it. Usually I close the book, think about it for a minute, and then move on to a different book. But this book--well, let's just say it was different. I left the book open and let all of its 350 pages blow back and forth in the wind coming from the open window to my room. This book is positively mind-blowing and I couldn't help but think that it was pure awesomeness when I reading it. I suggest you...more I freaking love this book.

There is rarely a time when I don't close a book after I'm finished with it. Usually I close the book, think about it for a minute, and then move on to a different book. But this book--well, let's just say it was different. I left the book open and let all of its 350 pages blow back and forth in the wind coming from the open window to my room. This book is positively mind-blowing and I couldn't help but think that it was pure awesomeness when I reading it. I suggest you read it too!

First of all I love the whole girl detective, murder-mystery type books. Although this book doesn't really fit into the same category as Ally Carter's books (Gallagher Girls, Heist Society) or Nancy Drew, even, for that matter, it had a similar feel. Watching as the reader as Cat wove the strands of the story together to create a couple different suspicions was fun, interesting, and most of all, spine-chilling. I love books like that! Some people don't understand my love for chilling mysteries, but I just can't get enough of them. This book was fabulous!

Reading this book made me marvel at how ignorant people can be, how stupid. I know that everyone makes mistakes, but as Cat talked to each person, it was an amazing realization that hit me--that people are just so ignorant and stupid twenty four hours a day, myself and the ones I love included! And Cat was definitely not a flawless heroine--she had her ups and downs throughout the book and that's what I love about her. Lauren Myracle has hit her readers hard with the realization that no one is perfect, actually, we're all the definition of imperfect. All of us are stupid, selfish, ignorant, awful people. :) (Don't take that the wrong way. I only mean sometimes we are.)

Next, Cat. I looovvved her! She was awesome-sauce. Not only did she stand up for herself and those she loved, she was dedicated and didn't let what others think stand in the way of her goal--to uncover the mystery of what happened to Patrick. Patrick's her friend who she hasn't talked to in three years, but still she cares deeply about his future, which I think is the mark of a true friend. And Jason! Holy fricking god, I loved him from the start, even when he called Cat a non-repeatable name in the library and half the time he was swearing at himself and dropping the F-bomb, but that was just what I loved about him. I added a status update on Goodreads that said, "I kind of feel bad for college boy, even though that's awful..." and I looked back on it and laughed because trusting your instincts on books is the best thing you can do.

You should be warned, though, that this is not like Lauren Myracle's other books. Not even close to the Internet Girls or even The Winnie Years. I was expecting it to be more like those, but they were completely different books, which I like. I hate it when all of authors books are the exact same thing. Myracle has branched out a bit, and I love that! This book is YA, but it's less on the "Y" side and a little bit more on the "A" side, even though I think 13-year-olds and up could read it. I'm not even 13 yet so there were moments when I was like, "Oo-kay, I really shouldn't be reading about some of this stuff," but really and truly, this book was awesome!

so if you are a) a mature preteen, b) a book crazy teenager, c) a mystery-loving person, or d) looking for a YA book that'll give you the biggest case of chills possible, then go out RIGHT THIS MINUTE and buy this book! Or get it from the library like I did! Because this book is just totally, totally, totally awesome and I can't think of another word for it! <3 Happy reading to y'all!*

*I'm not Southern. i live in the Mid-Atlantic. That's just how the characters in Shine talk to each other :)(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 12, 2011 Laura Lulu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, young-adult, coming-of-age, contemporary-fiction, glbt

Set in a small town in the South, this book is about bigotry, and friendship, and love. It's about seeing the best in people, and seeing the worst. It is a beautifully written story about a brutal hate crime.

Cat's best friend, Patrick, is the victim of a gay bashing--smashed in the head with a bat, tied to a gas pump with the nozzle shoved in his mouth, and the words Suck this faggot written on his chest in blood. He is in a coma, and they don't know if he's going to make it.

The small town cop...more Set in a small town in the South, this book is about bigotry, and friendship, and love. It's about seeing the best in people, and seeing the worst. It is a beautifully written story about a brutal hate crime.

Cat's best friend, Patrick, is the victim of a gay bashing--smashed in the head with a bat, tied to a gas pump with the nozzle shoved in his mouth, and the words Suck this faggot written on his chest in blood. He is in a coma, and they don't know if he's going to make it.

The small town cops would rather not look too closely at the crime, they would prefer to act as if they are investigating, and then just blame it on some punks passing through town, and sweep the whole big mess under the rug. Because really, it could have been anyone--small town homophobia runs deep.

But Cat wants to find out who hurt Patrick, so she starts investigating on her own. Which is easier said than done, especially since she's shut out everyone in her life after something happened to her, something that no one knows about, even the reader. She's shut out everyone, including Patrick, including her brother, Christian. So getting people to open up to her proves to be more difficult that she had hoped.

There were a few things I wasn't crazy about--particularly Cat's love interest, whose name I don't even remember 3 days later. He was totally one dimensional and so completely unneeded to the story. He could have been edited out and the book would have been better for it. Also, the big reveal of Cat's traumatic "secret" ended up being a bit underwhelming, and it's resolution felt altogether too nice and tidy for my liking.

But other than that, this was a beautiful book. The mystery was done nicely, with enough suspense to last until the whodunnit reveal. I popped around through the entire book, "It was him. No, it was him. Hmmm...maybe it was him?" and still I was pretty shocked when the truth came out.

Lauren Myracle tackled a bunch of tough issues in this book--abuse, alcoholism, homosexuality, homophobia, drug use, small town politics, class warfare, small mindedness & ignorance--and she did it beautifully.

*I received this as a free ARC from NetGalley, in exchange for my review. No goodies (other than the story) were acquired by me.*(less)

10 likes · like · see review

Jun 21, 2011 Cinnamon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, netgalley, 2011, realistic-fiction, young-adult, 4-delightfully-scrumptious, reviewed

This review may also be found on A Thousand Little Pages.

An article recently came out in the Wall Street Journal that generated quite a buzz in the young adult book community. It basically slanders every YA novel out there that is “dark” by their standards and indirectly blames the books for familiarizing and possibly prompting trauma, violence, and profanity within the average teen. Shine received an honorary place in the article and was complained about quite a bit. So, dear Ms. Gurdon, author...more

8 likes · like · see review

Sep 14, 2011 Kara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, glbt, the-tough-stuff, young-adult, north-carolina, own

The whole time I was reading Shine, I couldn't help but think what a gorgeous book this was. The prose was just brilliantly written, and the thing I think I loved most was the voice of Cat. It just felt extremely authentic and really created a wonderful sense of place while reading. Although the book covers a very sensitive subject matter, and I spent a good majority of the book angry, I still as a reader appreciated the beauty in the writing. Not to mention, this has to be the prettiest cover o...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 20, 2011 Kaethe rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: format-ebooks, adventure, age-ya, challenged, fiction, friendship, glbtq, kids, libraries, nc, orphans, realistic, mystery, social-issues, strong-smart-female-protagonist, suspense, contemporary

It's probably going to take me a little while to let this settle in. It was a very emotional book for me to read. I've never lived in any place so destitute, so small, so isolated. But it all felt as if I had.

***

Serendipitously, I followed up this reading with Pie. It was a good pairing, because the two address some of the same issues, but in age-appropriate ways. But it also gave me a foil and a different angle.

Cat is grieving because her best friend has been horribly attacked, beaten with a b...more

5 likes · like · see review

Nov 18, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip marked it as to-read

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, lendle-wait-list, mystery-thriller, teen

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

Cat is a loner. Something happened a few years back that made her withdraw and ignore even her best friend, Patrick.

One horrible night, Patrick is attacked at the gas station he works at and left for dead. He's in a coma, and Cat is determined to figure out who is responsible. The police in their backwards town are doing little to solve the crime.

Cat embarks on her quest with many against her seeking the truth. When she is confronted by a college student at...more

1 like · like · see review

May 05, 2012 Kristin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen, literary-fiction

_Shine_ was quite gripping both as a mystery and as a coming-of-age novel. Being from North Carolina, I appreciated the strong sense of place Myracle created.

However, there were bits of the plot that I found a bit contrived, such as Tommy's conversion (what motivation did he have?) and Cat's romance (questionable considering her emotional damage from her past experience). And, the South continues to be a convenient place to set anti-gay hate crime novels. It may be more useful to the larger con...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 16, 2011 Ricki rated it 5 of 5 stars

Holy creamed corn, this is the best book I've read in a long time. I am embarrassed to say that the ARC sat on my bookshelf for much longer than it should have.

Cat is best friends with Patrick. They are inseparable. After some troubling incidents, she decides to stray from Patrick and their group of friends and becomes a loner. The book starts off with Patrick, beaten until he is unconscious, slumped in front of a gas station with a gas nozzle hanging from his mouth and a sign that reads "Suck...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 19, 2011 Aneeqah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mock-printz-2012, covers-to-die-for

This story is about a girl named Cat. She's trying to figure out the person who attacked her best friend is. She stopped being best friends with him years ago. Yet she finds the need to figure out the mystery.

I must say, it took a very long time for the mystery part to actually start. Actually, I would say it barely existed. The whole story was just about Cat, Cat, Cat. And it didn't even reveal her whole past until the near end of the book.

There were also a few disconnects for me. For example,...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 10, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This reminded me a lot of The Body of Christopher Creed, a favorite read-again teen mystery. None of the characters are perfect, but they're all worth knowing. The narrator has her own blind spots, which add to the suspense. The hero here is not the young man who is the hate crime victim but his neglectful long-time friend, a girl who has pulled into herself for so long it takes something this tragic to pull her back out into the world--but when it does, watch out! And it's nice to get a good ha...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 16, 2013 Kaitlyn rated it 1 of 5 stars

I can't remember the last time I was this angry at a book for so many different reasons. It was mediocre but okay for the first hundred pages or so. A few things didn't sit quite right with me, but I couldn't pin it down. I don't doubt Myracle's good intentions, but the whole thing did come off as very moralizing without much substance behind it.

The part that automatically made this a one star review was Cat's confrontation of the meth dealer. I was offended by the lack of intelligence shown in...more I can't remember the last time I was this angry at a book for so many different reasons. It was mediocre but okay for the first hundred pages or so. A few things didn't sit quite right with me, but I couldn't pin it down. I don't doubt Myracle's good intentions, but the whole thing did come off as very moralizing without much substance behind it.

The part that automatically made this a one star review was Cat's confrontation of the meth dealer. I was offended by the lack of intelligence shown in this scene. This isn't just true-to-life stupidity, the motivation and emotional drive of Cat did not even close to realistically warrant this decision. The whole thing was structured for the sake of finding a clue without thought to plausibility.

But then we get to the part where Cat starts falling for Jason, which after the circumstances of their first meeting, I found appalling. If Myracle treated this as poor judgement...I would find that acceptable, but she didn't.

Then there was the backstory with Tommy. Yes, timeline-wise, she has ample time to "get over it" when she supposedly comes to her epiphany (again, terrible) very quickly near the end of the book, but I found again the treatment of the entire very serious issue all surface without substance and felt very unsettled by the whole thing. (Not in the way Myracle intended)

As for the climax scene, I think it'll suffice to say that the setting made me roll my eyes. It felt like an over the top stereotypical villain moment.

I liked the premise of this book and the southern setting for it. The overall plot was good, but the details and characterization were terrible. There need to be more YA novels dealing with this subject matter, but Shine did a poor job of it. I was hoping for a girl investigator with the determination of Veronica Mars, but instead Cat is...very bland and difficult to pin down as a character. She doesn't display the intelligence that other characters claims he has, and I didn't find her emotional damage convincing at all.

Basically loads of potential, all let-down, and I regret having bought this book.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 05, 2013 Roseanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a powerful book. I didn't know anything about this book going in, and if I had, I might not have chosen it. Like someone said in a previous post-- the cover was most pleasantly misleading!

Spoilers: For all that it is a book packed with meth, rape, fear of homosexuality, hate crimes, and small town bigotry-- this book is eloquently written and covers the vast spectrum of subject matter with fluidity and a matter of fact approach to dealing with life's troubles and finding out how you can ov...more

like · see review

Mar 05, 2013 Daniel rated it 1 of 5 stars

Cat is shocked when she learns that her childhood friend, Patrick, was the victim of a brutal assault at the country quick stop and gas station he worked at that left him in a coma fighting for his life. A note left at the scene seemed to indicate that the incident was the result of anti-gay violence. Since Cat’s backward hometown of Black Creek, North Carolina isn’t particularly open to homosexuality, and the investigation appeared to be at a standstill, she takes it upon herself to investigate...more Cat is shocked when she learns that her childhood friend, Patrick, was the victim of a brutal assault at the country quick stop and gas station he worked at that left him in a coma fighting for his life. A note left at the scene seemed to indicate that the incident was the result of anti-gay violence. Since Cat’s backward hometown of Black Creek, North Carolina isn’t particularly open to homosexuality, and the investigation appeared to be at a standstill, she takes it upon herself to investigate the crime in hopes of uncovering who was behind the vicious attack.

Written in the wake of the Matthew Shepard tragedy, this novel quite blatantly “shines” a light on the horrific hate crime committed back in October, 1998. While Shine by no means directly mirrors the Shepard case, it does draw on many of the elements and circumstances that surrounded the real life murder.

The novel is written very much in the same vain as the film, Stand By Me. Cat, the central character, recounts her relationship with Patrick before they went their separate ways, and as a result of dutiful friendship mixed with guilt for abandoning him in high school to avoid the cruel teasing in connection to his sexual orientation, sets out to investigate the events leading up to the attack. Interviewing all their mutual acquaintances and the sordid relationships that extend beyond her own circle, Cat learns more than she bargained for and puts her own life in jeopardy along with those who assist her. Though it paints a vivid picture of small town allegiance that can only be understood by those who keep that type of community, Shine has a simple plot that moves forward slowly, and coasts on the verge of becoming stale and monotonous.

Additionally, though Shine opens up rather cleanly, it quickly develops Turrets, as the interviews begin, dropping F-bombs that are unsuited for younger readers and may offend adult readers as well. One should also be aware that it delves into some dark territory with scenes of molestation, attempted rape, drug references dealing with the use, and distribution of meth, and a sexual incident of male prostitution for the purpose of drug acquisition. Needless to say, this is an R-rated novel.

Despite the rather excessive language, this novel does give an honest effort at illuminating the tragedy of the Matthew Shepard case. Hate is hate and has no place in civilized society. Though I enjoyed the unique approach of the murder mystery, the mundane narrative didn’t compliment the subject matter well and limply drug the plot forward in a series of verbose and melodramatic scenarios, which unfortunately left Shine in the dark. (less)

like · see review

Mar 04, 2013 Sean Mccambridge rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: engl-492

Cat lives in a small backwoods town in North Carolina near the mountains. Her one-time best friend is gay bashed and she tries to solve the mystery of who did it. Along the way she uncovers many truths about herself, the town she grew up in, and the friends she once had.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There are times that Cat's naivety can be really annoying, and a lot of the Christian overtones are kinda beaten to death, but under that lies a decent story and half decent mystery. The chara...more

like · see review

Feb 17, 2013 bjneary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bullying, glbt, realistic-fiction, ya

I have been on a mission to read as many books similar to the Matthew Shepard hate crime (because of reading October Mourning by Leslea Newman) and Shine is such an important book for teens to read because it concerns a subject that is so upsetting but occurring all too often: hate crimes, and gay and lesbian intolerance. But even more, Shine is about a girl who has shut out her best friend, Patrick, for the last three years, as well as everyone else and now Cat must look within herself and ask...more

like · see review

Jan 26, 2013 Lisa Quills rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, mystery

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. While the writing in this book is excellent, I had a few issues with the story itself.

The huge traumatizing event that drove Cat into her shell to begin with wasn't, in all actuality - once I got to that part that had been alluded to REPEATEDLY - as traumatizing as I expected it to be. The author made it seem like something utterly, horribly, terrifyingly horrific happened, when it wasn't anything a hundred guys do to a hundred girls every Friday night. He didn't hurt her. He didn't rape her. Al...more While the writing in this book is excellent, I had a few issues with the story itself.

The huge traumatizing event that drove Cat into her shell to begin with wasn't, in all actuality - once I got to that part that had been alluded to REPEATEDLY - as traumatizing as I expected it to be. The author made it seem like something utterly, horribly, terrifyingly horrific happened, when it wasn't anything a hundred guys do to a hundred girls every Friday night. He didn't hurt her. He didn't rape her. All he did really did was scare her, for the most part. I guess her big trauma came from her aunt watching it and doing nothing about it, but you'd think she'd be upset and withdrawn from her aunt then, not the world. I'm not condoning it as acceptable, but it certainly wasn't enough (in my opinion) to warrant the complete withdrawal from society and fear of her one-time-for-a-couple-minutes-hormonal-teenage-boy-not-really-an-abuser that Cat displayed. We (as readers) are led to believe something akin to what happened to her best friend was done to her, and it was a huge - I hesitate to use the word "disappointment" in reference to a vaguely sexual abuse scene, but that's the only one I can think of that's appropriate. All I could think when I got there was "That's it? That's your big trauma? Your horrible abuse? That? HE DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING TO YOU!" Maybe it was the idea that he would have continued onto actual rape if he hadn't been interrupted, and that was the big trauma. Or maybe I just missed the point entirely.

I reread the abuse scene a few times just to make sure I didn't miss anything. Maybe he really did hurt her. Maybe there was more I missed. But no. Nope. Maybe I'm just callous, but I've worked in the social services field and believe me this was nothing.

That Cat reacted to something so benign so strongly really made me lose respect for her as a character. She's built up so well and we're supposed to be proud of her for coming out of her shell to fight for her friend, but once I learned she was basically traumatized over nothing, I just shook my head. But enough about that.

I'm not a huge fan of mystery stories, but I do like GLBTQQ and I was really pleased when I read a blog post about this book. I bought it because it addressed the LGBTQQ hate that goes on in the South and elsewhere. The reason I'm not a fan of mysteries is because I can usually solve it in the first 100 pages or less. This leaves almost 2/3rds of the book to prove my conclusions. This book was no different.

I had this book pegged immediately. I finished it to the end in one sitting for two reasons - 1) the writing was good and 2) I wanted to confirm my suspicions.

I knew what had happened, knew who had committed the crime, etc. etc. There wasn't one single surprise or curveball. I knew the red herring the moment I saw it.

I give this book 2 stars for that reason. Good writing doesn't make up for lack of storytelling, and while this story had potential, it missed the mark in my opinion. The story was so lack-luster that I couldn't even remember the narrator's name, and it was written in 1st Person! I had to go back to the cover flap to find out what it was, and I was 3/4 through the book. That's bad, when you're almost to the end of the book and can't remember the main character's name.

They say never give criticism without praise, so here's some praise: I loved Christian. I loved Jason. I loved Robert. I loved Patrick even though he was in a coma. I loved Kid. I even loved Tommy after a bit.

This is the first book I've read of Ms. Myracle's, and she is an excellent writer. Good character development, good pacing, good plot arc from beginning to end. Ms. Myracle knows how to tell a story. She just doesn't tell this one very well.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 31, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

As an adult reading Shine I am torn. Don't get me wrong it is a great book and story, but I think it is more important for the young adults it is aimed at than myself or any other adult.

Cat's journey and the things that she learns about her family, friends and herself are wonderful it can really teach young people. Without giving away the end of the story, young people can learn the value of being yourself and more. It's a really beautiful story. I especially loved watching the relationship bet...more

like · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
Shine or Chime	5	33	Apr 24, 2013 10:10am
Question and Spoiler about Ending	6	52	Apr 23, 2013 11:57am
Gourley-Jefferson...: The book Shine...what did you think?	12	14	Oct 17, 2012 11:07am

title link	preview: Shine
avg rating	preview: Shine Goodreads rating: 3.87 (6055 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8928054-shine?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1294346503l/8928054.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8928054-shine?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Shine by Lauren Myracle[/url]

Shine

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (8)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Lauren Myracle

Books by Lauren Myracle

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Shine

Quotes from Shine