♦publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
♦released: September 11, 2012
♦hardcover, 288 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦source: from publisher for honest review
Summer is the best part
of the year in Winston, California, and the Fourth of July is the
highlight of the season. But the perfect town Clare remembers has
changed, and everyone is praying that this summer will be different from
the last two—that this year's Fourth of July festival won't see one of
their own vanish without a trace, leaving no leads and no suspects. The
media are in a frenzy predicting a third disappearance, but the town
depends on tourist dollars, so the residents of Winston are trying
desperately to pretend nothing's wrong.
And they're not the only ones hiding something.
Clare, a seamstress who redesigns vintage clothing, has been blessed—or perhaps cursed—with a gift: she can see people's pasts when she touches their clothes. When she stumbles across a denim jacket that once belonged to Amanda Stavros, last year's Fourth of July victim, Clare sees her perfect town begin to come apart at the seams.
In a town where appearance means everything, how deep beneath the surface will Clare dig to uncover a murderer?
And they're not the only ones hiding something.
Clare, a seamstress who redesigns vintage clothing, has been blessed—or perhaps cursed—with a gift: she can see people's pasts when she touches their clothes. When she stumbles across a denim jacket that once belonged to Amanda Stavros, last year's Fourth of July victim, Clare sees her perfect town begin to come apart at the seams.
In a town where appearance means everything, how deep beneath the surface will Clare dig to uncover a murderer?
Review: This is one of those books that has a cover that instantly draws you in. A pink cover with blood splayed across the top. This was an instant grab for me.
Clare is a cute eccentric character that loves all things vintage (Becky and I can totally relate) and spends every free second re-designing her vintage finds into wearable art. But the ironic thing is her gift of spinning old clothes into something new is also her curse. Clare carries a family secret passed down from generations; she can see people’s pasts just by touching their clothes.
This causes major problems. Not only does she see things in clothing that she wishes she never did but she also gets involved in solving the town’s murders. Having a serial killer that kills on the same week every year has the town and Clare on high alert and has Clare’s special ability finally helping her gain answers instead of trouble.
As much as I was excited to read this book I found myself a little let down. The story line is great, the characters were well-developed and the ending was a real eye opener (which in fact completely saved this book). Sophie Littlefield is a great writer, however I could tell throughout the whole book that she is foremost an adult fiction writer and almost over-developed the characters. I found some of the characters actions a little unbelievable for a “normal teenager.” But in the authors defense, I guess Clare is anything but normal. Headstrong, independent and out to find the truth using her family’s’ curse to aide her along the way.
Overall a decent mystery and a refreshing change in paranormal abilities.
