Circle of Silence

WiHi #2

by Carol M. Tanzman

The biggest story of my life could be how it ends

It’s my turn to run a Campus News crew, and I’ve put together a team that can break stories wide open. And Washington Irving High has a truly great one to cover, if only we can find a lead.

A secret society has formed in our school. It announced its presence with pranks: underwear on the flagpole, a toilet in the hallway, cryptic notes. A circle of silence keeps the society a mystery. No one knows its members, agenda or initiation secrets—until a student lands in the hospital under strange circumstances.

I will blow this story wide open and stop others from being hurt... …or worse. And while my ex, Jagger, might want to help, I don’t trust him yet. (And, no, not because of our past together. That is not important to this story.)

But whether you find me, Valerie Gaines, reporting in front of the camera, or a victim in the top story of the newscast…be sure to watch Campus News at 9:00 a.m. this Friday.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Romance

304 pages, Paperback

First published July 24, 2012

About the author

Carol Tanzman is the author of the contemporary YA novels DANCERGIRL and CIRCLE OF SILENCE, published by Harlequin Teen. Her first novel, THE SHADOW PLACE was an ALA Quick Pick book. She is an award-winning theatre director, a nationally recognized arts educator, and has been honored (twice) by the Bravo Awards. She also loves to swing dance!

DANCERGIRL and CIRCLE OF SILENCE are contemporary thrillers, part mystery and part romance. Although set in the same Brooklyn, NY high school, WiHi, the books are companion books with different main characters so that they stand-alone. They grab you from the first page and won’t let you go until their thrilling conclusions.

Reviews

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was heart poundingly good!

Seventeen year-old Valerie Gaines prime focus in life is to find and amazing news story that will propel her into the college of her dreams. Being a news reporter is a goal she’s been working on since the eighth grade. So when a series of bizarre school pranks happens, Valerie thinks she may have struck reporter gold. The first and second pranks seem harmless but the third one hints at more sinister things to come, and they are all signed by MP. Who or what is MP? This is what Valerie and her teammates on Campus News set out to discover. However, just when Valerie thinks she has everything under control, her ex-boyfriend, Jagger, unexpectedly enrolls into the class and is assigned to her team. Just what does he think he’s playing at? He’s the one who ruined things. Valerie will not let him distract her from getting what she’s worked so hard for. And, she’s not about to let her heart be broken again!

Valerie was an easy character to connect with, and you get caught up in the mystery trying to figure out things right along with her. In spite of knowing that Jagger ruined his relationship with Valerie by kissing another girl, I ended up loving him. I know, I know! Don’t make that face, let me explain. Jagger knew he screwed up majorly and Valerie doesn’t just let him have a free pass. She busts his chops for a bit and then they end up moving beyond the past, and becoming friends again BEFORE anything romantic was even a suggestion. Jagger wasn’t in a good place when he made a stupid choice, but I like the fact that he owned up to his mistake instead of trying to make excuses. That’s the best way to handle a bad choice, and a great lesson for anyone. That being said, the romance in this story was not the main focus. Figuring out the mystery behind MP before the pranks turn deadly is the center of this story. While I seriously suspected one person’s involvement, I was surprised at some of the revelations. There is a wonderful secondary cast of characters, including Valerie’s large family and her teammates on the Campus News.

I thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful thrill ride. The ending really had me at the edge of my seat, and I couldn’t put this book down! I couldn’t keep my eyes open last night and at 68%. I had to go to bed! So I woke up and started reading and was late going into work because of it!! Let’s hope no one there reads this review! This story was the companion novel in the WiHi series by Ms. Tanzman. While there are some characters from the first story that pop up, you don’t have to read dancergirl first to enjoy Circle of Silence.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for allowing me to read this.

You can read this review and more at
The Readers Den.

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an avid reader of mysteries and thrillers, and after really enjoying Carol's other novel, Dancergirl --Circle of Silence's companion--, this one has been high on my anticipated reads of the year. Regardless of me giving it a 3-star rating, I did truly enjoy it, where it lost its flair on me is on a more individual standpoint which may not be of concern for most readers.

For one, I felt very distant from out protagonist, Valerie. The journalism aspect is interesting, but I felt like some of the decisions she makes are too high stake for a small school news report, as if she thought she was working for CBS and it was expected of her to put her own life on the line. I also found she missed a few clues that, to me at least, were incredibly evident. Consequently, I put this mystery together not far from the half way mark, which inadvertently made the rest of the clues even more obvious. So naturally, I wasn't kept as captivated by the suspense of the mystery as I was hoping, which, in the end, turned out to be anticlimactic for me. Nonetheless, it didn't make it uneventful. I was still intrigued by MP -- the secret society -- and what they were planning next. I was especially delighted to see them share their point-of-view; while keeping their identities hidden, we're given an inside look at their intentions and schemings inside chapters in their perspective. I also enjoyed the dark, dreary tone throughout that progressively got creepier, not to mention a heck of a lot more serious.

Although never the focal point, there's a fairly big romantic undertone in the story. We've got Valerie's ex who cheated and now trying to mend his broken relationship, and Valerie's not sure he can be trusted again. I liked how Jagger was portrayed; even though he's a cheater and I should hate him for it, he's not trying to justify his actions, but rather show that he's remorseful and made a mistake. Plus, it was fun to see Valerie make him work for it. I won't say that I got any butterflies, but it's a cute and sweet romance that gives a good distraction from the more sombre notes.

An entertaining mystery with a good amount of thrill and chill, despite my not getting blown-away, I would still definitely recommend it for fans of the genre.

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

[Soma Rostam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of thrillers and mysteries. I love it when the book makes me think deeply about something, or discover who is behind something. I read so MANY mixed reviews about Circle of Silence, that I just HAD to try it. And proudly, I am on the good side :) By the way, do I have to remind you? I was not paid to write a positive review, all ideas expressed are mine and mine only. Now, for the review...
Valarie Gaines (what a CUTE name!) has always had a dream. To win a scholarship for journalism, so when group B of Campus News vote for the leader, she is thrilled to be chosen! Now, she has to direct and produce many segments for the high school TV. Fortunately, her group are reliable and hardworking. There is her supportive best friend, Marci. There is the tech-genius Henry and the hard-working Raul. There is the love-able Omar. The group collection cannot get better, but it can get worse. Val (Valarie) is not so happy when another member is added, the handsome, flirty Jagger. The only guy who broke her heart and never gave it back to her.
Fortunately for Valarie, stories are flowing. Well, particularly, one story. Someone named MP is doing horrible pranks in their high school. From hanging underwear in the place of flags, to putting a toilet in the hallway. Val takes over the story with her group; interviewing students, teachers, and scanning hallways. She is determined to know who is behind the pranks. Turns out, the MP is not just one person, they are a group, and they do not want Val to mess up their plans. It looks like threatening will not stop Val, but will putting her loved ones in danger make her stop?
Who are the MP? Is Val getting close to find out? And will she be able to forgive Jagger for what he had done or will she move on? Trust me, feeling shocked is an understatement when you find out who the MP are. Still want to find out? Well, you better read this mysterious, exhilarating, action-packed novel, Circle of Silence....
I LOVED this book. Like, absolutely, perfectly, fell in love with it. I never knew I would enjoy it THAT much. Yeah, I will confess, I am not a very good fan of Contemporary. I hate predictable stories, but this one was different. It was utterly unpredictable. I had NO IDEA who MP was until Val found out. I loved the mysterious aspect of the book. Carol M. Tanzman is a PRO.
I noticed that the author didn't concentrate on the description very much, which was fine by me. When you get into the story, you won't even want to get away from it to read what the surrounding is like. It's THAT captivating! The characters are wonderful. Val is one of the strongest, most hard-headed person I have ever got to know, I ADMIRED and RESPECTED her. Although, my favorite was Marci. If I could describe her in one word, it would be: ME. I loved her. All of the characters are very much believable and relate-able, although not very third-dimensional, but still realistic!
I never knew I would enjoy this book THAT much or I would have read a LONG time ago, I don't know why I kept delaying it! I will definitely be going back to read Carol M. Tanzman's other novel "Dancer Girl" which is the first book in this series, but the two books are companion novels so they can be read as standalone(s). If you want an enjoyable, utterly-compelling read that will keep you on the edge of your chair, then Circle of Silence is the ONE!

[Crystal ✬ Lost in Storyland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carol M. Tanzman has a gift for writing contemporary stories that explore the real, gritty side of high school life in a way that keeps the reader captivated and hanging onto her every word. Honestly, I'm not fond of the synopsis. It doesn't capture the thrill and shivers and dread that I felt while reading this book. It doesn't capture the essence of the story as did the synopsis for dancergirl (WiHi #1). However, I had read dancergirl, and I remembered how much I loved that book. With high expectations, I picked up Circle of Silence, and I loved it.

Although this is the second book in a series, what ties the books together is that they take place in the same high school. The character are all different, but for a couple references to Ali, which was pretty exciting. I cheered, "I KNOW THAT GIRL!!" in my head, as though I'd spotted a celebrity. In a way, I did. I'm that big of a book nerd.

The story focuses on Val's perspective; however, every now and then, the mysterious leader behind the society gets a word in. Each time, I knew that something bad was going to happen. Because the leader doesn't have anything good to say. What we see is plotting--plotting on how to use the other members of the society, what new and dangerous prank to pull, and who should be eliminated. Each prank is more daring and threatening than the last, and I was hanging off the edge of a mental cliff, worrying that Val and her team wouldn't expose the truth in time to prevent something irreversible from happening. As it is, they come across many close calls.

Val is a very different narrator from Ali. Both have large amounts of pressure put onto them, and both are courageous in their own ways. Ali for going after a stalker; Val for pursuing the truth of the story at all costs. The difference is that Val seems more energetic and with more drive, which comes from the reporter within her. As an aspiring journalist, she is always pushing after the truth, after the story, and her curiosity often gets her into trouble. (And having a stalker isn't very energizing. It's downright scary.) Oftentimes, it causes her to forget about what matters. However, that is at the heart of this story: learning to accept yourself and the proper way to go about doing that. I loved watching Val and her team pursue the story on the mysterious society

Val is a courage girl. It takes a lot of guts to pursue a story as dangerous as this one, especially when you know that the authorities won't do anything to help. With this second book, Tanzman has established herself as one of my favorite authors. I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book that she has lying in store for us!

Review at Imaginary Reads

[Carrie Ardoin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Valerie Gaines is determined to rock her school's airwaves during her senior year. She is a member of the Campus News team, and dedicated to becoming a real life journalist when she gets older. Her concentration is broken when her cheating ex, Jagger, joins her class and she is forced to work with him.

Soon, the Campus News team has lots to report on: a group called MP is pulling ridiculous pranks and defacing school property. But when Val tries to investigate, she gets threatened. Never one to back down, she chases the story. But she may not like what she finds out.

I felt like this book was trying way, wayyyy too hard. Not only that, so many moments were just unbelievable that I couldn't let myself really enjoy the story.

Valerie is a senior who basically spends all her time either working on a new story or in the news room editing one. Here was my problem number one: there is NO WAY this girl can be getting through her senior year and hope to get to college if she is concentrating that hard on only one class. Not a mention is made of her ever even going to another class, much less doing homework for one.

Val is one of four kids, and she and her freshman sister Bethany share a room, even though they never get along. Problem two: I have no idea why these girls disliked each other so much. They argued and got mad at each other over seemingly nothing. The tension between them was always sky high, and no real reason was given.

Jagger, Val's ex boyfriend, cheated on her with another girl, but of course she can't help but get wrapped up in him again. Problem 3: there was no relationship development. Even if it were a good idea for these two to get back together (which trust me, it was not), there should have been some "moments" between them, or maybe even a little conversation that didn't end in an argument. If I were Val I would have never looked back at the dude, but hey, high school girls. He's even missing for the last third of the book, but of course they end up together in the end.

I also found Val's "reporter instincts" lacking... Jagger brings along a video camera to record his initiation into MP. Valerie totally forgets about the ting, for WEEKS. Literally when I found out what happened to Jagger, the camera was the FIRST thing I thought of. DUH!

I could go on and on but I'll stop here. I finished this book because I wanted to find out who was in MP...because honestly, the dude in charge of it was a real sociopath. I mean it. The end was pretty predictable, and disappointing.

[Cronache di Betelgeuse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recensione pubblicata su Cronache di Betelgeuse

Valerie adora partecipare al gazzettino della scuola. Sogna di diventare una giornalista e quando si ritrova tra le mani una vera inchiesta, è pronta a buttarsi a capofitto nelle indagini. Anche se questo può mettere in pericolo le persone che ama.

La storia è incentrata sul personaggio di Valerie, ma la cosa strana è che non sappiamo molto di lei. La sua passione per il giornalismo, per esempio, non è spiegata né è comprensibile. Sembra quasi che la protagonista voglia farsi riprendere per apparire in TV. Anche gli altri ragazzi che partecipano al corso di giornalismo non esprimono una vera passione per la materia, quasi che siano presenti solo per accumulare crediti e prendere voti alti.

Il rapporto con Jagger, che compare fin da subito nella storia, non viene molto approfondito. Si capisce che Valerie sia rimasta delusa dal suo comportamento passato, ma al tempo stesso la ragazza ne è ancora innamorata, anche se non vuole ammetterlo. I loro scontri sono divertenti da leggere, visto che Jagger fa di tutto per dimostrare di essere cambiato e di aver capito di aver commesso un errore. La sua costanza è da premiare, visto che nonostante Valerie lo respinga sempre, lui continua a tornare da lei per supportarla in qualsiasi iniziativa.

Sarà proprio questa sua disponibilità che metterà nei guai seri i due ragazzi: il mistero su cui stanno indagando sta diventando qualcosa di molto pericoloso. Desiderosa di dimostrare di essere all’altezza di una vera indagine giornalistica, Valerie non informerà quasi nessuno di quello che sta facendo. E questo sarà il primo di una serie di errori che la porterà a perdere il controllo della situazione, alla disperata ricerca di chi si sta nascondendo dietro una strana congrega giovanile.

Alcune situazioni sono un po’ surreali, soprattutto nel finale quando finalmente anche gli adulti decidono d’intervenire. Nel complesso però la lettura è gradevole, senza troppe pretese e con un buon ritmo.

[Lauren K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valerie Gaines (a.k.a ValGal) has just been appointed producer of the Campus News B Team crew at Washington Irving High and is determined to cover a big story to get her into college. She is thrilled to be teamed up with dedicated students, including her best friend Marci until Jagger, Valerie’s ex-boyfriend makes a late entrance and is also assigned to the B team. Valerie struggles to be indifferent to Jagger’s charm but her desire to succeed in her position pushes her through any unease.

An underground group known as M.P are pulling pranks and leaving cryptic messages; initially causing a bit of excitement at school soon turns serious when students wind up injured and Valerie is warned off covering the story.

Circle of Silence really surprised me. At first I thought, okay young adult novel, there will be some kind of flightly problem and a predicatble love interest. Boy was I wrong! Circle of Silence is indeed young adult but from page one, it proves how quickly it strays from the usual YA framework. Instead, it’s a fast-paced suspense novel with a strong-minded, hard-working and career driven protagonist who displays all the qualities a great journalist possesses. The love interest with Jagger gives just enough for the reader to be interested in the outcome without taking over the plot.

The writing style is refreshing- fast paced, no nonsense and avoids information dumping. It’s apparently the second book in the WiHi series, following on from Dancergirl (which I haven’t read) but with a new protagonist, so this story can easily be read as a standalone novel.

A very engaging YA mystery novel with smart and likeable characters.

[Michelle (Pink Polka Dot Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Valerie is finally getting her chance to run a news crew for Campus News at the H.S. TV station. Also there's the chance to go for that Student Emmy, which would certainly set her apart from other college applicants. And as luck would have it, there's a secret club of students pulling pranks that are becoming more and more dangerous... breaking a story like this would certainly put her ahead right? But then there's the issue of her slacker/cheater-ex being put on her team at the last minute, and the fact that MP (the name of the secret club) is pretty elusive. Will Val be able to figure out MP before they go over the deep end?

Not my favorite, but not because it was bad writing or a bad story. I just didn't like Val. I felt like she was a goody-goody in an annoying way. Yes she drank at a party and skipped school that one time, but still there was something so blah about her. And the whole thing with Jagger (the slacker ex) was obvious. Just because his dad messed him up doesn't mean you forgive him before he even apologizes. I didn't even get the appeal of him anyway.

The mystery aspect of it was good though. It had me guessing the whole time :)

Note: This was given to me as an ARC from NetGalley

My Blog: http://pinkpolkadotbookblog.blogspot....

[Elora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down! The story pulled me in right from the beginning and never let go. I was dying to figure out who secret society MP was (I thought I had it figured out midway through the book, but then I decided I was definitely wrong. Turns out my initial guess was right, even though I ruled it out!). I loved that the story is told from the news team's point of view and MP's point of view -- it keeps the tension going throughout the whole book.

As for the romance aspect of the story, I think I got myself more emotionally invested than the characters themselves. The love triangles paced the story very nicely. It's a mystery and a thriller, but also a realistic tale of broken hearts and hopeful prom pairings in high school. And in a VERY refreshing twist from the damsel-in-distress Bella Swan-type female protagonists that plague YA novels, Valerie had no illusions about the opposite sex and remained intelligent and strong in her convictions.

If I hadn't read and enjoyed the first book in this series, Dancergirl, I might not have picked Circle of Silence up, since I am a little older than the intended audience. But even though I would absolutely recommend this book to younger readers, I enjoyed it myself just as much and suggest it to anyone looking for a relatively fast, good read!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Circle of Silence arrived on my desk a while back and I fell in love with the blurb on the back as well as the cover. It drew me in with the promise of suspense and a mystery to unravel. Unfortunately for me I couldn’t drop everything and devour the book as I would have liked so I placed it in the pile, knowing that its time would come, and this week I was finally able to pick it up.

I would have loved to sit and devour Circle of Silence in a sitting but it’s been an extremely hectic week in my house this week preparing for a family holiday, making reading the top of my wish list but the bottom of the priority list. I plodded through the book, never wanting to put it down but knowing that I had to. Today was the big drive so I spent 13 hours in the car and less than half of that driving so it was the perfect opportunity to immerse myself in Washington Irving High, providing the children stayed nice and quiet – which they did.

But enough about me, let’s talk about the book.

Circle of Silence is actually the second in the WiHi series according to Goodreads, of which I was unaware until I finished the book. This may be the second in a series but it is a fantastic stand alone that loses nothing if you haven’t read its predecessor, Dancergirl.

The rest of my review can be read here: http://bookgirl.beautyandlace.net/boo...

[A Book Vacation · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a highly entertaining, well written mystery novel that kept my attention from start to finish. All the characters were amazing, and I loved trying to figure out the truth behind MP and their pranks, which become more sadistic as they continue. Tanzman really is a gifted storyteller, and I can’t wait to read more by her as I anticipate her other novel, Dancergirl, is probably just as riveting.

I really love Valerie. Yes, she makes a few really stupid decisions all in the name of a story, but her dedication and yearning to be number one, never losing sight of her goals, is what makes her such a great character! And the tension between her and Jagger… yikes! Though I loved to hate him, I still really liked him as well, which is a bit ironic, but…

Not knowing who to trust throughout this novel, I has many theories about the identities of those in MP, but even when a really telling piece of evidence came up, I didn’t put two and two together until Valerie figured it out. In my opinion, any writer who can keep me constantly guessing and highly engaged is a literary god/dess, and Tanzman fits the bill. I highly suggest everyone read this amazing novel.

To see my full review:

http://wp.me/p1jhaj-2dw

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible. I've never really thought of myself as a lover of mystery-thriller books - I've always been so romance and supernatural focused. Not that the books I read don't often involve a mystery, but they're not the main focus. Circle of Silence has definitely changed that for me. A dark, dangerous and twisted mystery story that I just could not put down.

I loved the emotion and action in this book. I was so attached to everyone. After a very shocking scene towards the end of the novel, I broken my No-Flipping rule. I was so nervous about what had happened, I had to make sure there was a happy ending. But that didn't change the outcome of the story.

I adored this book and I'm definitely going to get my hands on Dancegirl and look out for more WiHi/Carol M. Tanzman novels in the future.

5/5 stars

[Majanka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/mini-rev...

A strong heroine in a riveting thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire duration of the book. Stays true to teen’s voices, and has a realistic main character who struggles with real issues. Suspenseful and atmospheric.

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this was a great book, lots of mystery, and tinges of romance, and danger, and it's just really good! Really enjoyed it!

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read!!! The characters were awesome and the plot mysterious enough to keep the pages turning!
:-)

[Julie Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew that a novel about a high school broadcast production of school news could be so exciting? Apparently Carol Tanzman did, and I am so glad! First off, I don't think the synopsis did this book justice. It was much more suspenseful than I thought it would be. And the pranks? Literally deadly. The characters were strong and the mystery was well written. I couldn't put it down, and it was a very quick read because of this. The pacing was spot on, and the ending was a surprise.

In summary, I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it to fans of YA mysteries/thrillers with some good old fashioned romance thrown in for fun.

5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Harlequin Teen, and Carol M. Tanzman for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Steph Bennett]

The flat characters, the complete incompetency of a protagonist we're told is not, in fact, supposed to be and the absolute slog that is the plot just isn't worth it anymore. I'm giving up.

dnf at 62%.

[Kristen Landon · Rating 3 out of 5]

It didn't feel very suspenseful until the second half.

[Simana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.just wow. Also, what the fork just happened??

[Anncleire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anche “Circle of silence” è stato scelto senza leggere la trama, solo dalla copertina che mi aveva incuriosita e come al solito mi sono gettata nella lettura col galley in scadenza quando mancava pochissimo prima che la licenza espirasse. Ma sono contenta di averlo letto, perché è raro che mi sbagli su una trama.

Valerie, aka Valgal, sta iniziando il suo senior year e il suo sogno è quello di lavorare in una redazione giornalistica televisiva. È per questo che segue il corso di televisione e non per guadagnare qualche credito extra con poco sforzo. Quando viene eletta capo-redattrice nel suo gruppo per Campus News, il telegiornale della scuola, è al settimo cielo salvo poi demoralizzarsi quando alla sua squadra si aggiunge Jagger, il suo ex, che l’ha tradita durante l’estate. E poi un gruppo che si definisce MP inizia a lanciare scherzi e a minare la sicurezza di alcuni studenti. Valerie e Jagger cercheranno di scoprire la verità a tutti i costi, ma fino a che punto sono disposti a rischiare?

La storia è creata in modo molto accurato e la suspense e l’ansia crescono ad ogni capitolo soprattutto quando le file si stringono e i sospetti diventano sempre più reali. Lo ammetto in realtà avevo indovinato un pezzo di trama dall’inizio, ma questo non mi ha rovinato la lettura, anzi ero davvero presa per scoprire se avevo ragione o no. Quando ho iniziato il libro ero piuttosto scettica, perché l’inizio è piuttosto lento e di solito non mi piacciono in modo particolare le storie di investigazione ma mi sono ricreduta, mi sono immersa nella storia e volevo sapere che cosa succedeva. E seppur in qualche occasione volevo andare lì e scrollare Valerie, Jagger ripaga per l’attesa, perché davvero il ragazzo è molto, molto interessante.
Valerie però è un personaggio che merita, è lei che racconta la storia in prima persona e lo fa col cipiglio di chi cerca di raccogliere tutti i dettagli, perché la deve riportare in larga scala. Dirige la sua squadra come una vera pro, cerca di appianare le divergenze e rimane sempre più a lungo per finire il lavoro. Certo vorrebbe tenersi alla larga da Jag, ma è più forte di lei, il ragazzo la attira come una calamita e nonostante il suo continuo ripetersi “non me ne frega niente” ci casca ogni volta. Ma Valerie è coraggiosa, dedita al ritrovare la verità e circondata da una famiglia numerosa e disfunzionale. A parte i fratellini gemelli, c’è anche la sorellina Bethany scontrosa, irriverente e arrabbiata col mondo perché nessuno se la calcola. Considerando che è la sorella di mezzo, quieta, che si impegna a scuola senza fatica e che è abbastanza scorbutica, si veste in modo poco appariscente e non ha molti amici Bethany cerca in ogni modo di salvarsi la pelle, cerca di non soccombere agli eventi e si lascia prendere la mano. Ma è anche capace di fermarsi. Forse è il personaggio più ambiguo e interessante di tutto il libro.
Ma è Jagger naturalmente il mio preferito. Non perché sia un ragazzo super hot con la tempra del badass, che sicuramente non guasta, ma perché ha sentimenti contrastanti, un passato che lo segna e per tutto quello che ha combinato ha una spiegazione che può essere campata per aria ma che reputo assolutamente veritiera. E anche se all’inizio sembra capitato per caso nella redazione del Campus News alla fine ci si dedica completamente aiutando veramente Valgal con idee e aggiustamenti e la scelta musicale sempre molto azzeccata.
Gli altri membri della squadra: Raul, Henry, Marcie, che è la migliore amica di Val e Omar formano un ottimo contorno e danno il loro contributo e alla squadra e alla storia anche se i veri protagonisti sono Valerie e Jagger.
Un espediente utilizzato e che serve tantissimo è il diario del capo dei MP e che ci consente di tenere dietro la storia senza svelare nulla. Io avevo delle ipotesi che si sono rivelate giuste fino ad un certo punto. E sono molto contenta di essere stata smentita.

Il particolare da non dimenticare? Una telecamera nascosta in un libro. A cosa serve? Leggete e scopritelo.

“Circle of silence” seppur fa parte di una serie legata al liceo in cui è ambientato, può essere tranquillamente letto senza perdersi nulla come un libro a sé stante, come ho fatto io. Consiglio la lettura agli amanti dei misteri, ai casi di investigazione portati avanti da chi non ne ha la facoltà ma possiede le capacità e l’intuito per farlo. Al cardio palma, per un attimo ho temuto il peggio ma si rimane incollati alle pagine perché si vuole conoscere la verità che arriva come un colpo di frusta.
Buona lettura guys!

Ringrazio Netgalley e Harlequin Teen per avermi concesso l’onore e il piacere di leggere questo libro in anteprima in cambio della mia onesta opinione.

Recensione anche sul mio blog:
http://pleaseanotherbook.tumblr.com/p...

[Annabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

***FINAL RATING: 2.70 STARS***

CATCHALL
I didn't like Circle of Silence quite as much as I loved dancergirl (ack!), which was a shame. dancergirl really drew me in with it suspenseful plot and fun, easily lovable characters. Circle of Silence wasn't like that for me. The mystery was lackluster, and the characters weren't nearly as likable. While I definitely really liked it to a point, it's not a favorite. Circle of Silence was missing some things for me.

THE HEROINE
VAL
I didn't really connect to Val the way I did to Ali. Like Ali, Val has a passion. Hers is reporting. Still, I couldn't connect to her. She seemed to be to stubborn about some things, charging in without ever thinking twice. And then she could be totally oblivious. She missed a lot of obvious clues and made a lot of choices that probably weren't the smartest. At the same time, Val wasn't completely unlikable—even if it was on occasion foolish, she was brave.

THE LOVE INTERESTS
JAGGER
Jagger is Val's ex-boyfriend, who cheated on her. I actually liked quite a few things about him. He didn't try to make excuses, for one. He owned up to his mistake and didn't try to make excuses, which was awesome. What he wanted was to show Val that he really did care about her and he won't hurt her again. Sometimes his attitude did seriously tick me off, but honestly, I think that's just one of those things that happens. He was a fairly likable character, despite first glance.
RAOUL
From the beginning, it's obvious that Raoul is just a distraction. Even so, he's very sweet, and there're hints that he gets his own happy ending anyway. And he cares about Val and when things don't really work out for them, he wants her to move on and be happy like a good friend.

THE PLOT
Unfortunately, I figured out the answer to the mystery probably about halfwayish into the book. So, sadly, there wasn't nearly enough suspense in this book for me. I wish that fewer hints had been dropped. It's no fun to figure everything out too early. And I don't consider myself a very perceptive person or anything.

What I did like was not just that there were people who were pulling these dangerous pranks, but that it was a ganglike group who called themselves MP. That aspect was really great to read about and learn more about.

Additionally, the plot had a nice pacing. Not too fast, and not too slow either. That was a huge improvement on dancergirl. It wasn't erratic, and I could keep up without getting bored.

Circle of Silence is a lot darker than dancergirl. Oh, things are still at stake in that book, but I didn't get as strong of an impression. In this book, the danger was clear. It slowly got darker until the very end, when the darkness was smoothly lifted off.

THE ROMANCE
The romance in this book is really sweet. I loved the dynamic between Jagger and Val, and it was really unique that they had a romantic history before this book because that's not something you see every day. I like how Val distrusts him and first and doesn't want to have anything to do with him, and the way he slowly earns her trust back even though she doesn't make it easy for him.

THE WRITING
Carol's writing is really descriptive, and I like that about her. She's also great at capturing a character's unique voice. Even though I didn't happen to like Val's voice, I can absolutely appreciate Carol's ability to write it. Another thing that was super awesome was the fact that we also get to go into the leader of MP's head—and that was horrifying and yet thrilling to go into his messed-up mind and try to figure out why he was doing what he was doing and why he justified it.

THE ENDING
While a bit anticlimactic, the ending I actually liked. Val gets her happy ending, which made me smile. Everything worked out. Though a few things did seem too convenient, at the same they fit into the story so that they didn't stick out too much. I like that everything closed up too, no loose strings left hanging. The pacing was also better than that of the previous book and didn't rush or drag.

WRAPUP
So, while Circle of Silence was not dancergirl, I still really, really liked it and can definitely recommend it. It's not too much of a mystery, but the romance is cute and the story is still fun, even if the heroine isn't always perfect. I definitely am loving Carol's books, and I do hope that she writes more novels in this series because I will definitely read them!

FINE.

Read more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!

[Kate Westrum]

While reading Circle of Silence by Carol M. Tanzman, I could not help but feel disappointed. Valerie Gaines, the main character, is a senior Campus News reporter at Washington Irving High School. When all she wants is a big break for a piece in the broadcast, a top-secret someone, or group, MP (we later find that MP stands for merry pranksters), starts pulling pranks at the school-some not so innocent- she takes it upon herself to figure out who is responsible for doing these things.
While I read the description of this novel at the Barnes and Noble, I could not help but sense excitement for a scary, climactic, mystery to read for free reading. As I began reading the book, all I wanted was some drama, something bad to happen, be it murder, death, or something that makes me want to sleep with the lights on. The plot never shocked me or snuck up and alarmed me. I was waiting for someone to die, but nothing electrifying ever really happened. I wanted to be compelled to continue reading after the mandated twenty minutes had ended, but I never felt the urge to pick this book back up, and figure out if this week’s broadcast was a smash!
Even though I found this novel lacking suspense, I could easily share feelings similar to the main character, Val. Her ex-boyfriend, Jagger, even though he may be a flirtatious jerk, and only wants what might be best for the broadcast team, treats her horribly. Valerie is a vulnerable teenager whose emotions were played with during the past summer. All she wants is to know if he still has feelings for her or if he does not. While I may feel bad for this character and enjoy her frustration throughout this adventurous love journey, it doesn’t add to the novel. “Tanzman [has] created realistic, likable characters…kept me on the edge of my seat.” –Nicole’s YA Book Haven blog. Although I couldn’t agree any less with the second half of the quote, I completely agree that there are likable characters. I feel as though any heartbroken girl can relate to Valerie with the trauma she undergoes class after class with him. Reading this book, waiting for something exciting and shocking to happen, I got lost in my compassion and sympathy for poor “Val Gal”.
I found one aspect of the book to be very interesting though: the author wrote in first person. I could really comprehend the personality of the main character, Val. Hearing her voice almost took me into her body and made me feel what she was feeling. “How could Jagger do this to me? My triumphant moment- ruined!” (Tanzman 15). During this part I could easily relate to a time when I had someone ruin something great for me. With snippets of attitude filled lines scattered throughout the novel, I received her thoughts and what she would really say if her thoughts came out as words.
Many parts of this book confused me such as the MP “logs.” Throughout this book, every three or four chapters, there is a “log” from the mysterious MP group. It tells about how the group came to be and how they work. I struggled to understand this part because they gave this book another tinge of mystery. The “log” I was most confused with was when they recalled about initiating a girl. I thought that it was strange, because their story was so unspecified as to whom it was, that I felt as though it did not matter. I wish I found out more throughout the book rather than all at the end. I feel as though the news team should have figured more out about MP in smaller chunks throughout the text.
Although I wanted this book to resemble something heart pounding and climactic similar to Pretty Little Liars, I enjoyed the how anyone can relate to confused teenagers dealing with emotions and drama.

[Nazish Ahmed (Nazish Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

To view the full post and other reviews, click here WiHi: Book 2 Circle of Silence by Carol M. Tanzman



Gore: no
Magic: no
Romance: yes

Action: This one is hard to say, so I'm not going to rate it this time.
Pacing: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars

I finished reading this book on Monday, and wrote this review on Friday, July 13.

After reading Solstice for a blog tour, I needed a non supernatural read as a break, so I checked my netgalley account to see which books I have that I didn't review, I decided to read this one mostly because it's a mystery and because it's going to release to stores soon. I didn't read the first book, which is called Dancegirl, I read on goodreads that people who read it say that Dancegirl is better and creepier than Circle of Silence, which made me want to read Dancegirl, so it's on my tbr list now. Even though Dancegirl is the first book in the series, I don't think it's necessary to read them in the order that they were published, since there are different main characters in each book.

The story starts with a girl named Valerie Gaines and her best friend Marci walking to one of their classes, the one that Valerie says is her most important class. She wants to be the producer of the group and she's pretty dedicated to it.

MP (the secret society) plays some pranks, but later on they're not pranks anymore, they get serious. From hanging underwear on flagpoles and a toilet in the hallway, to some students ending up in the hospital. In the beginning, it feels normal, no creepiness or anything, just weird school days, but later on, when the "pranks" started getting worse and more serious, it got creepier. I really needed to know who these MP people are. The suspense and the mystery are great, it kind of reminded me of Nancy Drew, my most favourite childhood series, I loved mysteries since I was a little kid, so naturally, I would enjoy this.

In Circle of Silence, Val and her team are looking for a story, so they try to figure out what's going on, plus later on a few people getting hurt is another reason why they're trying to figure out who these people are. We also learn a little about filming, reporting and working on news broadcasts. I remember learning that in grade my grade 12 communications technology class.

I like the characters, but for some of them it was hard for me to understand what their personality is. I liked Val, she's focused and determined, and very relatable. There's also a nice romance story as a side story, at least it seems like a side story compared to the MP mystery.

I was kind of disappointed by the ending. I'd figured out the biggest twist a few pages before Val does. I wasn't satisfied with who most of the MP members are, because I don't even know them, I was hoping that at least more than half of them would be people we know about from the book (like in Case Closed and Nancy Drew mysteries), but unfortunately that wasn't the case, so when Val found out who these mysterious people were, it wasn't as exciting as I hoped it would be.

Other than what I said above, I loved this book. This is definitely a book I enjoyed reading and I might buy it when it's in stores.
Circle of Silence was a great book, it has lots of mystery, suspense, a little bit of romance, and danger in it, yet it's still a light read compared to other mystery stories.

[Danica Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimers: I received a temporary e-galley from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I didn't know this was a sequel until I had finished reading this one so you can definitely read it as a stand-alone novel.

I'll admit to being curious to see what happens in the first one now. I'll have to go back and read that one.

But let's get into what I thought of this book. I picked it up because it was a bout journalism and I'm a journalist (granted I'm on the print side not broadcasting).

I didn't have high expectations for this novel. I liked the idea of a secret society being formed and figured it would be interesting. What I didn't expect was the secret society to be actually dangerous and so creepy.

Tanzman's writing style drew me in and I loved the characters. I loved Val. She was so intense that she was sometimes narrow-minded but I loved watching her interact with her friends and then of course her ex Jagger. I'm definitely a Jagger fan. He was a bad boy who was not really a bad boy.

I don't know why I love characters like that so much I just do.

The plot was slightly predictable and I felt like that the police and the faculty should have stepped in much sooner. In that regard, I found the plot slightly unrealistic. These pranks weren't so innocent and were more crimes than pranks. They should have stepped in more forcefully and much sooner.

But having said that, Carol created a thrilling tale full of suspense and while I had unraveled the plot very early it was still a compelling read. My heart was racing while I watched Val recklessly track this story.

In horror movies, there are always the moments where you want to scream at the protagonist "don't go into the creepy dark basement" "don't open the closet." While reading this book, I had those moments several times.

I still thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Carol's characters were compelling. The writing was for the most part very well done. Definitely an enjoyable read. It was entertaining and suspenseful. However, it lacked that extra something to push it up to a book that I really loved.

I wouldn't reread this one or buy it since I've already read it, but wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to fans of this genre.

In Summary: Carol's novel presents a suspenseful and compelling read that mixes mystery with enough romance to make this a book I adored reading. Compelling characters juxtaposed with an intriguing plot will keep you turning pages until the very end.

The Wrap-up: This is the sequel but this acts as a stand-alone novel. Carol's writing was intriguing and I'll definitely be curious to see what she writes next. If you like mystery/suspense in the young adult genre, then I recommend this one to you.

Love,

Danica Page

[Starr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this digital galley, free, in exchange for my honest opinion.
Goodreads Summary: The biggest story of my life could be how it ends. It’s my turn to run a Campus News crew, and I’ve put together a team that can break stories wide open. And Washington Irving High has a truly great one to cover, if only we can find a lead. A secret society has formed in our school. It announced its presence with pranks: underwear on the flagpole, a toilet in the hallway, cryptic notes. A circle of silence keeps the society a mystery. No one knows its members, agenda or initiation secrets—until a student lands in the hospital under strange circumstances. I will blow this story wide open and stop others from being hurt... …or worse. And while my ex, Jagger, might want to help, I don’t trust him yet. (And, no, not because of our past together. That is not important to this story.) But whether you find me, Valerie Gaines, reporting in front of the camera or a victim in the top story of the newscast be sure to watch Campus News at 9:00 a.m. this Friday.
My thoughts:
Valerie, a reporter for Campus News , is working on the story of her life. But the cost must be her life. MP starts with small pranks but soon they escalate and someone gets hurt. As the B team races to uncover MP’s identity and purpose, the danger increases and the enemy is closer to home.
Okay, I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading Circle of Silence. I think that this was a pretty decent read, though it didn’t create a whole lot of excitement. I like the characters and their interactions with each other. Val and Bethany’s relationship is awkward. No, they don’t get along with each other and it’s normal for sisters to be distant with each other. But there were moments that Val actually reached out and tried to connect with Bethany. Bethany is the little sister, and for her there is a mixture of emotions that she is dealing with: jealousy and not having a group to belong to (just to name a couple). Regardless of the awkwardness, there was a lot of love within the family. This fact makes some of the events that happen a little unbelievable.
As far as the romance, not every story requires a love triangle and I tend to avoid triangles. There were an equal amount of reasons for both guys, but ultimately I think Val made too big a deal out of choosing. It is high school though. My favorite part of the book was how B-team worked together and going after the stories. I did like the characters and the passion that they had for their pursuits.
Recommendation: While I think that there is a lot of room to increase the tension and excitement within the story, I did enjoy it. And I still think that it’s worth checking out.

3 stars ***

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Circle of Silence is a companion novel to dancergrl (my review), with different characters so that it can be read as a standalone, even if Ali from dancergrl does make a brief appearance here too. I did like dancergrl when I read it last year, but Circle of Silence was so much better!

Valerie Gaines lives and breathes for the school newscast “Campus News”, and is set on making her crew the best in school history. Not that much exciting really happens, or at least not until the day Valerie shows up to school to see a long line of underwear hanging from the flagpole. A secret society that calls itself MP is playing pranks on the school, but as the pranks become more and more serious Val starts seeing it as more than just a story and begins trying to find out who’s doing this before someone else gets hurt.

Valerie was a very easy character to connect with, as she is just so driven and determined to always do her best in any situation. Yes, she can come across as a little arrogant, but you can tell it’s only because she’s a total overachiever. I really liked how she relied on her team/news crew, and they really were a great cast of characters. Oman, Henry and Raul all contributed so much both to the team and to the story, and were the kind of guys I could easily see myself hanging out with. Marci, Valerie’s best friend, was great in that she was always there for her friend, but she wasn’t a pushover as so many bffs end up being, as she still had her own opinion on everything and wasn’t afraid to stick to it. And Jagger, although a bit of a bad boy/tortured soul, was so much more than the stereotypical love interest. I loved that he knew he had to work on regaining Val’s trust, and that he pulled his own weight on the team even if he had his own reasons for being there.

My favorite part of Circle of Silence was without question the fast-paced mystery. The story is told from Val’s point of view, but in between her chapters are excerpts from the diary of “Skeletor”, the leader of MP. I loved how this gave me an extra insight into their plans, and so there was always this dark, foreboding feeling of what was to come next for Val and her team. The mystery was really exciting, and even if I figured out one of the major surprises very early on I had no clue who most of the MP members were. Their pranks go from innocent to serious fast, and it was just as thrilling trying to figure out what they were planning as who they were.

Circle of Silence is an expertly paced, thrilling mystery, one that managed to keep me on the edge of my seat from the first chapter until the very last page, as I had no other choice than to read the whole book in one sitting. Highly recommended!

[Chapter by Chapter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt like a true Nancy Drew while I was reading Circle of Silence by Carol M. Tanzman…minus the actual grunt work. Ok, ok…more like a behind the scenes Nancy Drew…

Beginning senior year, main protagonist, Valerie Gaines, is planning to finish of her high school Media career as Producer of Campus News. Luckily, or unluckily, for her a new story seems to surface involving a group of misfits who lovingly call themselves MP who are pulling pranks left, right, and centre. For what reason? To make a statement? To get a rise out of everyone? To stick it to the man?

But when the pranks start to turn more morbid and threatening, Valerie and her news team take it upon themselves to find the truth, and nip this thing in the bud. But to complicate things even more for our dear ValGal, her ex-boyfriend Jagger has decided to take the same class and has been placed in Valerie’s group.

Initially the pranks were thought as harmless…taking the school flag and placing it in a bucket located inside a toilet. But the MP’s, who all wear assorted masks and call themselves by said mask’s name (Skeletor, Frankenstein, etc.), feel threatened by the presence of the Campus News and their nosing around. The pranks become more and more dark and violent in nature, until eventually one of the Campus News’ own becomes the one on the receiving end of a prank which doesn’t end very well.

Now Valerie and Scooby gang must dig deeper and tread further to find the truth, and to unmask these pranksters.

Circle of Silence was an addictive and gripping story that I am so glad to have been able to experience. It flowed exactly how a good mystery book should read. Many cliff hanger moments, much finger pointing, multiple suspects, and action, action, action!

All the characters in Circle of Silence are ones that I won’t soon forget, many with their own personal demons that they need to deal with. Valerie, although seemed like she charged into situations rather than consider different options, is a strong, female, lead. I love reading books where the female leads are headstrong, can fend for themselves, is not selfish, and extremely brave. Although her flaw for me would be how easily she accepted Jagger back into her life. I mean, hellooo…he cheated on you, and you totally busted him! And in all honestly, Raul sounds super yummy and would probably treat ValGal like a queen.

Complete with an annoying younger sister, and brooding bad boy, a spunky best friend, and a potential love interest that is totally drool worthy, Circle of Silence is a must read for mystery fans everywhere. Where the decision you make can, ultimately, be your last. Get caught up in the world of WiFi High, and get your sleuthing game on!

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of my reviews @ www.obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com

Circle of Silence is the second book in the WiHi series by Carol M. Tanzman and was kindly provided to me by Harlequin Teen; it was an entertaining, thrilling and suspense filled read which kept me turning the pages.

Valerie ‘ValGal’ Gaines is trying to prove herself worthy of running Campus News at Washington Irving High School by getting the most newsworthy stories and being the best reporter. When a few pranks are pulled by a secret group calling themselves MP which start off minor but escalate to something more sinister, Val chases the story along with her trusty news crew.

For some reason, Circle of Silence reminded me a little of the Deadly Cool series by Gemma Halliday which I loved – it has a mystery solving plot which revolved around the secret society within WiHi and Val and her team trying to work out who was behind the pranks. It is a tad predictable and I was able to guess one of the people involved early on in the book but I was unable to work out the groups motives which was a good thing because I always enjoy the element of surprise.

There is a small amount of romance although it isn’t at the forefront of the story; Jagger who is new to Campus news is Val’s ex whom she still has feelings for despite his cheating (kissing) and although I found his reasoning weak; I enjoyed the way he tried to earn back her respect and trust, I would have made him grovel a tad more but she was weak-willed when it did come to him.

I especially enjoyed the POV written by the MP leader which were more sinister and intriguing; he had a lot of angst and it really came across in his actions. The mystery, drama and small plot twists and turns certainly made for an entertaining read.

The only thing I didn’t like was the recklessness at times of Val, I wish she could have advised a teacher, parent or the authorities sooner rather than let things escalate to the point they did. Other than this it was a great read.

There were a few secondary characters I liked – best friend Marci, Raul, Omar and Henry were great crew team members and it was nice to see Val had a solid family unit and despite my dislike of her sister Bethany who had a huge chip on her shoulder, the parental presence was a welcomed relief to what I have read more recently in YA novels.

This book is the second in the WiHi series and I don’t feel I was missing anything by not reading the first book - dancergirl; it could certainly be read as a stand-alone.

Circle of Silence is well paced and engaging and I was immersed in Ms. Tanzman’s writing and storytelling. I will definitely be picking up the first book in this series as well as future books written by this author.

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Circle of Silence (Why do I think it's Circle of Secrets?) is a mystery book. If you don't know what a mystery book is, please go back to junior high, or whatever school that teaches what-is-a-mystery-book. Okay, I'm getting off tracks. I'll admit it.

Circle of Silence is a short book, around a good two hundred pages. It's not that bad for a paperback book, or at least in my mind. (And I'm sure there's some hardcovers hanging around, but I haven't seen them yet). Anyway, Circle of Silence is an okay book. Neutral. Maybe a bit above neutral? Let me take a look at the goods and bads before I give my last conclusion.

The way the book is layered out gives Circle of Silence a sense of organization and cleanness, despite the things within the pages. For example, there's a part with the bad guy narrating whatever the MP was doing. For example, he or she writes a log about the activities and pranks of the MP. It's quite interesting to see the POV of a bad guy or girl.

The plot is crazy. Most of the time, Valerie Gaines is trying to figure out the MP members. Valerie and her team spend a lot of time chasing the MP, going from one story to another like crazy paparazzi. It's get quite annoying before become deadly and dangerous when MP started to hunt, nearly killing one of its members. Circle of Silence is quite a ride to read.

The romance/chemistry between Valerie and her ex-boyfriend isn't there. I mean, it's there in words, but there's no emotion behind it. Well, there is. Only a tiny bit, but not enough for it to send your stomach into tingles. Remember that kind of romance? The one Warner and Julitte has. The one Four and Tris had. That tiny feeling that feels so good, creeping up your toes and reaching into your heart. It's a beautiful feeling, but it isn't here. You can't find it here.

Valerie herself isn't a bad character. I think she's in the wrong situation, but she learns from her experience (what we read) well. I like what she said at the end about the different kinds of masks we wear and the roles we play. It blended really well with the book, which is actually pretty nice, because some books are so random that you have no idea what it's referring to unless you read ten times.

The writing of Carol Tanzman is okay. I don't see anything wrong with it. Oh, there's also a book before Circle of Silence. You don't have to read the first book, which is what I did. (I didn't read it, because my library doesn't carry that book). You'll still be able to understand Circle of Silence without reading the first book, which is great.

Rating: It's definitely better than neutral. Three point five out of five, rounded to four out of five.

-ofpaperandwords.blogspot.com

[roxtao · Rating 3 out of 5]

Circle of silence is mixing the characteristics of the detective fiction with the ones of the young adult literature. Valerie Gaines is a news reporter in her high-school. When a secret society begins to signal their presence by some tricks, Valerie is intrigued by the story and tries to find out who are the clan’s members. But everything happens to quickly, and from the innocent tricks to some fatal initiations, there’s just a tiny step. And the lives of some close friends of Valerie are in danger.

Honestly, until the half of the novel the story is so outstretched, that it becomes boring. Indeed, we have some mystery, but the intrigue is not very well built. I was expecting some thrilling moments, something like Pretty Little Liars, lots of suspense or some secrets that blow your mind. Unfortunately, the secret society’s tricks are boring and the way the news team follows the story is superficial. At some point, you really lose the hope that the book could bring something interesting. But everything changes when one of the main characters almost loses his life. And when you find out that another character, one that’s really close to Val, is actually a member of the secret society. Only from the half, the book begins to captivate you. Especially because at that point, you’re almost sure that the book is only..acceptable, so the surprise is even bigger. The ending is only partially offering what the reader would expect. We do get the revelation of one of the society’s members, but the other ones are unknown, they don’t have a story, they’re not linked in any way with the main characters, so their identities revelation is not offering an interesting moment.

The romance side of the story is ok, but not impressive. Valerie is caught between her ex and the possibility of a new relation, but the stories don’t grow to much. The flirting with the new colleague remains at an incipient level, the two characters never getting a first date. And the relation with her ex is resumed only after the whole adventure, when the protagonist is offering kind of a conclusion for the story.

Pros:

- The author created some perfect moments, when you’re totally surprised, because you couldn’t expect any of those things to happen. Unfortunately, these fragments are not very frequent and they don’t cancel all the lack of interesting aspects from the rest of the story.

Cons:

- The story comes off on a single plan – the news team attempts to figure out who are the secret society’s members. The other aspects are presented in a superficial way, so the story looks unbalanced and incomplete.