LIV, FOREVER by Amy Talkington {Review}

Liv, Forever by Amy Talkington
♦publisher: Soho Teen
♦release date: March 11, 2014
♦hardcover, 280 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦stand-alone (?)
♦source: from publisher for honest review

When Liv Bloom lands an art scholarship at Wickham Hall, it’s her ticket out of the foster system. Liv isn’t sure what to make of the school’s weird traditions and rituals, but she couldn’t be happier. For the first time ever, she has her own studio, her own supply of paints. Everything she could want.

Then she meets Malcolm Astor, a legacy student, a fellow artist, and the one person who’s ever been able to melt her defenses. Liv’s only friend at Wickham, fellow scholarship kid Gabe Nichols, warns her not to get involved, but life is finally going Liv’s way, and all she wants to do is enjoy the ride.

But Liv’s bliss is doomed. Weeks after arriving, she is viciously murdered and, in death, she discovers that she’s the latest victim of a dark conspiracy that has claimed many lives. Cursed with the ability to see the many ghosts on Wickham’s campus, Gabe is now Liv’s only link to the world of the living. To Malcolm.

Together, Liv, Gabe, and Malcolm fight to expose the terrible truth that haunts the halls of Wickham. But Liv must fight alone to come to grips with the ultimate star-crossed love.

Review:  A little bit Ghost and a little bit Lovely Bones, Liv, Forever sets itself apart with some really fun voices and a cleverly twisting mystery.

Liv Bloom is excited to go to Wickham Hall because of their great art program, but she’s having a rough time fitting in.  She’s there on scholarship and everyone seems to know it.  She was raised in foster homes most of her life and she wears a pretty tough exterior. She definitely approaches love with some caution.  She loves art, often using it to express herself and relate to the world. Still her voice is casual and authentic and sometimes funny.

The cliché of the popular boy immediately setting his sights on the new girl was very nearly forgiven because David turns out to be such a unique and heart-strong character himself.  We’re given moments of doubt in his integrity and his sincerity, but he proves himself again and again.  Gabe is also great in that he is just himself, no pretenses or fronts. He’s a bit standoffish, because, like Liv, he doesn’t quite fit in at Windham and he carries a pretty heavy weight on his shoulders with his “gift”, but he and Liv come together to make a great team.

There is a huge cast of intriguing characters, especially the occasional chapters in the voices of the murdered girls.  Each girl comes from a different time period and the author did a wonderful job giving each girl a voice that was true to her era (I personally thought the 70’s hippie was just a tad over-done, but still good). Each tells the story of her death and each little glimpse brings us closer to the truth.

Quite a few emotions and visuals are depicted through art and poetry references, some well-known, some maybe a little more obscure, so unless you know your art or want to take the time to look up a few references on the internet, a few things get lost in translation.  Still, Talkington has a wonderfully engaging writing style and has created a fast-paced story full of lots of creepy moments and imagery.  All the twists kept me guessing about who the killer was, if the killer was a live person or one of the restless spirits.  The greatest mystery is why the murders are happening and to what end. 

Full of art, friendship and first love, secret societies, and a dark, suspenseful mystery, this debut is definitely worth a read.  Can’t wait to see what comes next from this author.

Find Amy Talkington online:  Website  •  Twitter  •  Facebook

Purchase Liv, Forever:  Amazon  •  BookDepository  •  Indiebound