Need - Carrie Jones

The great joy of administrating Young & Un:Bound is that the books come to me first. Normally I am good and assign them to the kids straight away. Thing is they have homework and I don't, so I have more time to read (being a kid is tough, I'd forgotten) and Need looked fun so I have sneaked it in for Un:Bound first. MWahahaha.

Zara's father died suddenly and Zara has been numb since. Her mother sends her to Maine to stay with her Gram to see if they can bring her out of her grief and back to life a bit. In the meantime the strange figure Zara thought she saw at home is in Maine too and he's not a figmant of her imagination. Amidst the unfamiliar snow with new friends and strange enemies Zara has to figure out what's going out and it's not just to save herself.

It's another YA paranormal novel with some innocent romance, but there is no real angst in the potential relationships, they are sweet and not nearly as annoying as the tortured romances that riddle the genre. I liked that, Carrie gives a fresh twist, it's a bunch of new friends working together and supporting each other instead of bickering and falling out. Also, no vampires, were's of various sorts, pixies and reference to other Fae but vamps aren't thought to exist in this world which is kind of refreshing.

It's well written in present tense and flows easily, the mystery is intriuging and takes centre stage and the relationships within the group of friends are easy and natural, here are some slightly offbeat characters all finding each other in a school, the sort of defensive pack mentality that creates many friendships at that age. It's the mystery and danger that takes centre stage in Need though and that makes it a stronger book.

Zara is likeable and reasonably believable, she's depressed over her father's death but new friends and strange happenings intrigue her and start to bring her out of herself. She does a couple of slightly stupid things but the circumstances and her character work for them, I wasn't left thinking WTF which happens so often in these sorts of novels.
Also, pixies, c'mon guys, how can you not love that? All in all really enjoyed this one and am crossing fingers that they send me..umm Y&Un:Bound the next one too.