Soulprint

Soulprint
Megan Miranda

My rating: ★★★

ISBN: 978-0802737748
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Date of publication: February 3, 2015
Age: Grades 8 to 11
Genre: Science Fiction

Themes: identity, justice, fugitives, reincarnation

Alina Chase has been imprisoned on a secluded island her whole life because of a crime committed in a previous lifetime. Her soul, printed and tracked in a massive database, has been pegged as guilty. And she's sick of it. She finally manages to escape with the help of three teens with their own ulterior motives. Can she trust any of them? And as she uncovers clues from her past life, will she be able to clear her name? Or is she fated to repeat history?

It's a pretty suspenseful read, with plenty of intrigue and a fast-paced plot. But I'm not sure Miranda is quite able to handle the rather weighty issue of reincarnation. It just doesn't come off as plausible. She makes attempts at gravitas—bringing in its affect on religion, fate, and perception—but it just didn't quite get there. Alina is a troubled character: can she make her own decisions or is her soul deciding her fate? It didn't feel real enough for me.

But that's more of my personal bias. Otherwise, you've got a pretty exciting read with a lot of action and whatnot. The characters are interesting, with their current pasts, as well as their soul's past to deal with and delve into. Miranda does a good job of revealing the depth of the characters piece by piece. And I do like how it ends. So you can decide for yourself.

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Hysteria

Hysteria
Megan Miranda

My rating: ★★★

ISBN: 9780802723109
Publisher: Walker
Date of publication: February 5, 2013
Age: Grades 9 and up
Genre: Mystery, Horror

Themes: Murder, hallucinations, boarding school, self-doubt

Mallory killed her boyfriend. Everyone in the town knows, and they know it was ruled as self-defense. But what really happened that night? Even Mallory can't remember, and she feels haunted by Brian's presence, and plagued with self-doubt. Her parents ship her off to boarding school, and she can't help but hope for a new start. But in a school where secrets are like currency, it becomes quickly apparent that her past will follow her, putting herself and her loved ones in danger.

This one was a page turner, for sure. I couldn't put it down, especially because I couldn't predict the ending--partly due to a shocking revelation, but also partly due to a weird split in the plot that was a tad confusing. The characters were somewhat flat, which contributed to the surprise ending (like, where did that come from?). But I like Mallory's character and the doubt she struggles with throughout the story. Overall, I would recommend it for a good thriller.

Warning: Explicit Content
Language

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