After 16-year-old Lark is murdered, she, her childhood best friend Eva, and Nyetta, a girl Lark used to babysit, find themselves facing hard truths...
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reviews
Nov 04, 2011
Sarah
rated it: 
This was such a dark, dark book, and I can't say I enjoyed it. But it did have some lovely writing and I loved the way the author framed the events through the eyes of the girls versus the adults - whose point of view we never actually hear, but who go on with life as if the murdering of teenage girls is a sad but fairly normal part of living.
I remember one of the girls saying that after Lark's death, she kept waiting for important adults to get together and form a committee to figure More...
I remember one of the girls saying that after Lark's death, she kept waiting for important adults to get together and form a committee to figure More...
Oct 11, 2011
Emily (You Are Beautiful)
rated it:
Concept/Ideas: 3/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Storyline/Plot: 3/5
Writing Style: 4/5
Overall Rating: 3/5
Mixed feelings about Lark. First of all, let's start off by saying I LOVE THE COVER. So beautiful, and definitely has a lot of signifigance to the book.
I knew this was going to be a fast read. Which I love. But... I feel like it really lacked a storyline plot. I don't know how to exactly expain it. I feel like the author just kind of threw you from Poin More...
Characters: 3.5/5
Storyline/Plot: 3/5
Writing Style: 4/5
Overall Rating: 3/5
Mixed feelings about Lark. First of all, let's start off by saying I LOVE THE COVER. So beautiful, and definitely has a lot of signifigance to the book.
I knew this was going to be a fast read. Which I love. But... I feel like it really lacked a storyline plot. I don't know how to exactly expain it. I feel like the author just kind of threw you from Poin More...
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Oct 03, 2011
Hylary
rated it:
Originally posted on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!
haunted by the ghost of Lark who believes she will turn into a tree, the fate of other girls who were murdered in the woods. Eve is also haunted, but only with memories of Lark and the experiences they had growing up as best friends. Nyetta becomes more and more upset when it seems that she will not be able to help Lark escape her fate of being trapped in the forest for eternity. Will More...
haunted by the ghost of Lark who believes she will turn into a tree, the fate of other girls who were murdered in the woods. Eve is also haunted, but only with memories of Lark and the experiences they had growing up as best friends. Nyetta becomes more and more upset when it seems that she will not be able to help Lark escape her fate of being trapped in the forest for eternity. Will More...
Aug 16, 2011
Nicole
rated it: 
More of a novella than a book, this story was…sweet. Well, as sweet as a story about the brutal murder of a 16-year-old girl can be. Peppered with descriptive narratives and sprinklings of magical realism, I never quite bought into the premise but it was fast and fairly enjoyable read nonetheless.
The treatment of the female body was fascinating to me. The curvy girl hates her body and is molested because of it while the stick-straight gymnast is stalked and murdered for her body. G More...
The treatment of the female body was fascinating to me. The curvy girl hates her body and is molested because of it while the stick-straight gymnast is stalked and murdered for her body. G More...
Jun 22, 2011
Emily
rated it:
This book is like a painted Easter egg; it's delicate, fragile, sometimes gorgeous, and/or a bit tacky depending on one's perspective of painted eggs.
The premise is similar to Sebold's "The Lovely Bones", although personally I never connected with that book and felt it lacked a certain something...a sprinkle of salt, glitter, and mozzarella cheese...what have you. The smells of home and of fresh bread baking in the oven. The rubber soles of boots. Grandpa's pipe.
I never f More...
The premise is similar to Sebold's "The Lovely Bones", although personally I never connected with that book and felt it lacked a certain something...a sprinkle of salt, glitter, and mozzarella cheese...what have you. The smells of home and of fresh bread baking in the oven. The rubber soles of boots. Grandpa's pipe.
I never f More...
May 25, 2011
Melissa
rated it: 
One chilly day while waiting for her father to pick her up from gymnastics practice sixteen year-old Lark is abducted, stabbed, sexually assaulted, and left to die tied to a tree in the nearby woods. This book is a haunting tale about three girls and their struggles to come to terms with a horrific event. Nyetta a twelve year old who remembers fondly the times when Lark was her babysitter. Eve, Lark's former best friend, who has dark secrets of her own that created a wedge between her and LarkMore...
Aug 19, 2011
Bunny
rated it: 
Don’t let this book’s small size deter you. It packs a pretty mean punch, straight to the heart. I flew through this within two or three hours.
Admittedly, I stayed far away from this until I felt like I had plucked up the courage to finally read it. I needed every ounce of that courage for the story that was waiting for me within these pages. Lark is a very real and heartbreaking account of a young girl who is abducted, raped, and left for dead in the woods of her small hometown in n More...
Admittedly, I stayed far away from this until I felt like I had plucked up the courage to finally read it. I needed every ounce of that courage for the story that was waiting for me within these pages. Lark is a very real and heartbreaking account of a young girl who is abducted, raped, and left for dead in the woods of her small hometown in n More...
Jul 16, 2011
Danielle
rated it:
When sixteen-year-old Lark Austin is kidnapped from her Virginia hometown and left to die in a snowy forest, she leaves behind two friends who are stunned by the loss. As Lark's former best friend, Eve can't shake the guilt that this tragedy was somehow her fault. Meanwhile, Nyetta is haunted each night by Lark's ghost, who comes through the bedroom window and begs Nyetta to set her soul free. Eve and Nyetta realize that Lark is trapped in limbo, and only by coming together to heal themselves wi
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Jun 16, 2011
Cory
rated it:
more @ (http://antidrugreads.blogspot.com)
I have to admit that my expectations for Lark were embarrassingly too low. After reading it, I came to realize the vast greatness that Tracey Porter's writing has to offer. This intense contemporary novel turned out to be a phenomenal read!
With Lark being merely 180 pages, I thought that I would be able to devour this within a few days. I was wrong. I finished it in barely one. Half way through, I planned on reading just a couple More...
I have to admit that my expectations for Lark were embarrassingly too low. After reading it, I came to realize the vast greatness that Tracey Porter's writing has to offer. This intense contemporary novel turned out to be a phenomenal read!
With Lark being merely 180 pages, I thought that I would be able to devour this within a few days. I was wrong. I finished it in barely one. Half way through, I planned on reading just a couple More...
Feb 22, 2012
Arthur
rated it:
Reading Level: Grade 8+
He was the father of one of the younger kids on her gymnastics team. How was 16-year-old Lark supposed to know that he was a predator? Lark died of exposure after he assaulted her and left her tied to a tree in the winter woods.
Lark's ghost begins visiting Nyetta soon after. Lark needs Nyetta to do something for her, something Nyetta is afraid to do. If Nyetta does not do it, Lark will be condemned to a horrible fate for eternity.
More...
He was the father of one of the younger kids on her gymnastics team. How was 16-year-old Lark supposed to know that he was a predator? Lark died of exposure after he assaulted her and left her tied to a tree in the winter woods.
Lark's ghost begins visiting Nyetta soon after. Lark needs Nyetta to do something for her, something Nyetta is afraid to do. If Nyetta does not do it, Lark will be condemned to a horrible fate for eternity.
More...
Nov 20, 2011
Dolores
rated it:
Not really a fan of "Billy Creekmore," which I'm sure was very well written and yada, yada, but Historical fiction is not really my thing. It has to be really special to hold my attention, and Creekmore, just didn't do it for me. So, when I saw this one was by the same author, I really hesitated, but the premise sounded really intriguing. Super fast read, and beautifully done. Alternating points of view move the story along and tell the story of three young girls, each suffering from a
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Dec 23, 2011
E.
rated it:
Wow.
I’m starting this review not really knowing what to say. I’m so infrequently rendered speechless, and, yet, LARK by Tracey Porter blew me away to the point that I’m not really sure what I can say about it other than this: Wow.
I’m thinking that I could tell you it’s the story of a girl, but it’s not…not quite. It’s the story of three girls: One who died, and two who survived. When Lark was murdered she left behind friends and family. But perhaps it was More...
I’m starting this review not really knowing what to say. I’m so infrequently rendered speechless, and, yet, LARK by Tracey Porter blew me away to the point that I’m not really sure what I can say about it other than this: Wow.
I’m thinking that I could tell you it’s the story of a girl, but it’s not…not quite. It’s the story of three girls: One who died, and two who survived. When Lark was murdered she left behind friends and family. But perhaps it was More...
Oct 04, 2011
Tasha
rated it:
Sixteen-year-old Lark is kidnapped, raped and left to die in a snowy woods. The story is told in alternating chapters by Lark and two of her friends. There is Eve, a girl who used to be Lark’s best friend until one argument destroyed their friendship. Finally, there is Nyetta, who struggles with being able to see and hear the ghost of Lark. She is tasked by Lark to save her from being bound into a tree. Nyetta is put into therapy because of this. While the book is certainly centered around
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May 20, 2011
Nicole
rated it:
I've started the summer by tackling my "Oh, this book looks small; I should be able to finish it quickly!" pile. Lark was a good way to start that pile.
I don't often read books like Lark; this one came in the mail and seeing as it was coming out soon at the time I was looking at it, I figured I'd read it. I actually sat down and read it in one sitting.
Though not my typical kind of book, I rather enjoyed it; it's got a lot of good things going f More...
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Jun 02, 2011
Lauren (365 Days of Reading)
rated it:
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Lark Austin has been found dead—she was stabbed, tied to a tree, and left there in the bitter cold. Eve, Lark’s former best friend, struggles with the loss of Lark—she’s not sure if she should feel anything. Nyetta, a young girl Lark used to babysit, knows that Lark needs her to set her free. The stories of these three girls are woven together in the most lovely way possible, and leave a lingering feeling of hope.
My thoughts: Haunting and shiver-inducing, La More...
My thoughts: Haunting and shiver-inducing, La More...
Jun 22, 2011
Brittany
rated it:
Lark came to Nyetta one night, because no one else would listen, no one else would look. Nyetta doesn't want to look either, even if it will set Lark free. Eve used to be friends with Lark, before things happened, and she can't help but feel like if they were still friends Lark would be alive. Nyetta and Eve are the only ones who can help Lark, the only ones who can set her free after her vicious murder.
This was a fast read. A beautifully written story about a girl who was murdered, More...
This was a fast read. A beautifully written story about a girl who was murdered, More...
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Dec 10, 2011
Jennifer
rated it:
I enjoyed the book. I wanted more flesh on it. The writer gives just enough details and no more. I did have a good sense of the characters by the end which is a tribute to her skill as a writer. There isn't a wasted word on the page. I checked it out from the library and read it in maybe 40 minutes. I think I would have disappointed if I'd paid 15.99 plus tax on it. It's a novella, not a novel. It's what she didn't write that I'm most interested in.
Jul 18, 2011
Ann
rated it:
Ages 14+
Spare, short and haunting. It certainly isn't a must-read. It's not even going to appeal to the fans of your general murder-mystery/ripped from the headlines/horrific abuse stories. But what you will find is a story of death (a raped and murdered girl) and recovery (a former friend, a young neighbor) that is almost therapeutic, if not fully fleshed out.
Hand to fans of The Lovely Bones.
Spare, short and haunting. It certainly isn't a must-read. It's not even going to appeal to the fans of your general murder-mystery/ripped from the headlines/horrific abuse stories. But what you will find is a story of death (a raped and murdered girl) and recovery (a former friend, a young neighbor) that is almost therapeutic, if not fully fleshed out.
Hand to fans of The Lovely Bones.
Jun 21, 2011
Cathy
rated it:
Lark is 16 when she is kidnapped and left to die tied to a tree in her Virginia hometown. That's the short of it. The long of it is how Lark's death affects her friends. Told in alternating voices - Lark's, Eve's and Nyetta's - readers are taken on the journey of grief: shock, guilt, anger and, finally, healing. Porter's prose is poetic - I often forgot it wasn't a verse novel - and the imagery is sharp and darkly beautiful. I did find the ending rather out of context as I expected the heali
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Sep 30, 2011
Peggy
rated it:
Lark is stabbed, raped, tied to a tree and left to die of exposure in the first snowstorm of a Virginia winter. This story is told from three alternating viewpoints: Lark now that she is dead, Nyette - a girl Lark used to babysit and Eve - Lark's once best friend. It was a moving, powerful book that was not terribly graphic, but still hard to read and impossible to put down.
Sep 08, 2011
Ellen
rated it:
Innocent girl gets kidnapped, raped, stabbed and left for dead. Her story is told in sometimes overly detailed snippets pushing this to the upper end of the YA spectrum, in spite of reviews suggesting grades 7+. Spreading the thin (180 pgs) novel into three narrators adds to the surface treatment of all three characters, and pushed this into exploitative gruesome dead girl porn.
Aug 08, 2011
Susan P
rated it:
Lark has been murdered, but her spirit still inhabits the woods where her body was discovered. In alternating chapters, we meet the neighborhood girl who idolized Lark, as well as her former best friend. Both Nyetta and Eve blame themselves for at least a part of Lark's death - but it's not until they come together that they realize what they must do to help her rest.
Feb 03, 2012
Heather
rated it:
Read this one because it was on the BFYA 2012 list. The subject is pretty dark, and there are a lot of really rotten things going on here for all 3 of our female narrators. But I liked how our 3 narrators were tied in with the legend of the 3 sisters and how Lark needed her friends to help her move on after her death. That was kind of an interesting approach.
May 25, 2011
Kelly
rated it:
Hmm.
Loved the set up and execution, as well as the story itself (which is creepy and unsettling) but the ending was a bit of a let down. I wanted a little more character development because the way things weaved through the story gave me promises of a little more.
But.
This will be a good book talk book for sure.
Longer review to come.
Loved the set up and execution, as well as the story itself (which is creepy and unsettling) but the ending was a bit of a let down. I wanted a little more character development because the way things weaved through the story gave me promises of a little more.
But.
This will be a good book talk book for sure.
Longer review to come.
Jul 29, 2011
Mars123
rated it:
Lark = The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold....The only big difference between Lark and Lovely Bones...the MC in Lark can be seen by family and friends. I did like Lark but felt like the plot has been done before many times...and nothing new was added in this tale.
Feb 06, 2012
Kari
rated it:
Not doubt, this was a sad a read. I couldn't cry though. I was too stunned by the beauty of the compassion. When Eve and Nyetta meet at Lark's house and Nyetta tells Eve about what she's seen, what she is unable to do Eve want to make it better for the younger girl and I loved that.
Jun 27, 2011
Mara
rated it:
This story about a girl who is kidnapped, assaulted, and killed is a timely (and not yet overdone) one. It was an engaging, quick read, but the combination of criminal details and girl's-spirit-trapped-in-a-tree didn't always go together well.
Dec 12, 2011
Richard
rated it:
BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN & HEARTBREAKING.
I loved this book so much, that it earned a spot in the best books of 2011 for me.
I can't get over how well it was executed and the realness of the subjects used in the book.
Tracey is a wonderful writer & I am going to read more by her. "Lark" was intense, beautiful, and heartbreaking. Everyone should read this book, that is how good it is. There are some graphic moments in this novel, and I thought that gave it a more realistic More...
I loved this book so much, that it earned a spot in the best books of 2011 for me.
I can't get over how well it was executed and the realness of the subjects used in the book.
Tracey is a wonderful writer & I am going to read more by her. "Lark" was intense, beautiful, and heartbreaking. Everyone should read this book, that is how good it is. There are some graphic moments in this novel, and I thought that gave it a more realistic More...
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Aug 20, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
It was beautifully written, yes, and had moments of brilliant commentary on rape culture and how we address violence against young women. But a lot of the meaningful moments fell flat and it feels like I never got to know Lark, even through the eyes of her friends, well enough to understand her. An interesting mythos about young girls and trees is introduced but it seems almost wasted. A quick, pretty, but utterly forgettable read.
Mar 29, 2011
Yazz
rated it:
Reminds me of the Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, I love it; it's great for a quick read or if you need to pass some time while waiting for a bus or train. Love it!! Great twist on the afterlife.
