Word Spelunking

READ MORE OF MY REVIEWS AT WORD SPELUNKINGMY REVIEW: Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis turned out to be quite different than I initially expected it to be based off its blurb, but this isn’t a bad thing. Glimmer took me on a strange and complex, yet completely intriguing journey.A teenage boy and girl wake up naked and entangled together with no memory of each other or even of who they are. Scared and confused, the two band together to uncover their missing memories, but end up uncovering a whole town’s worth of secrets. They soon learn that they are Elyse Alton and Marshall King- the resident popular girl and cocky, hot computer nerd- and they live in Summer Falls, a seemingly idyllic town. Summer Falls is paradise for its residents and a haven for tourists…but underneath its glimmering façade lays a sinister power that deprives the residents of their bad memories and hungry ghosts. Elyse and Marshall race to save their town, the people they love and their intense relationship.Phoebe Kitanidis has certainly crafted an enthralling story that is original and, well unusual and weird…but, I use the term weird in the best way possible. Weird is good. Weird is intriguing. Weird is unexpectantly, but welcomingly different. I’m going to try my hardest to not include any spoilers, so forgive me if I’m a bit vague…Glimmer wastes no time jumping right into the mystery and intrigue, which I really loved. Told from alternating perspectives- Elsye’s and Marshall’s- the story unfolds with the two teens simply trying to figure out who they are and why they’re connected, then once this is accomplished the story delves deeper into the bigger mystery. All the mystery is captivating, but the book has a bit of a pacing problem. The first quarter moves slowly, the last couple of chapters seem sorta rushed, while the rest of the book paces nicely. But this didn’t keep me from enjoying the story as a whole.And the overall mystery is written very well. There are plenty of suspenseful twists, turns and unexpected revelations and Kitanidis adds very rich and complex layers to each storyline. This is a fantasy/paranormal book, but some readers may find the magical/supernatural elements and story too farfetched or even confusing to believe. I felt this way when the main paranormal and magical abilities were revealed, but once I simply let myself fall into the story and just go with it, I found that I was truly captivated by and appreciated the “out there-ness” of it.While I think the story and mystery really shine, I found the characters a little lackluster, at least as individuals. I like Elyse and Marshall well enough, but I just don’t love them. I admire Elsye’s determination and strength and Marshall’s compassion and humor, but I never really connected with them individually on a deeper level. I really enjoyed them as a pair and team, but I didn’t like that they never felt complete or developed enough as separate characters.I’m surprised that I liked the romantic aspect of Elyse and Marshall’s relationship as much as I did. Like I said, as a pair the two are engaging and they have palpable sparks and chemistry. At first their relationship seems to be of the dreaded insta-love variety, but eventually you realize it isn’t…and I can’t elaborate more than that without totally spoiling the book ;)As I already stated, the last few chapters feel kinda rushed, but the mysteries and storylines are wrapped up in a way that left me satisfied.MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Glimmer is a refreshing read, with an intriguingly weird and captivating story full of well written mystery and root-able romance.***Oh and one more thing- the cover is really beautiful and all but who the heck is that blonde, smoky eyed gal supposed to be? ‘Cuz it looks NOTHING like how Elyse is described…this bothers me more than it should…that is all***