Ghostly Glimmer

Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis

* Book will be released April 17, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

4 gnomes and a gnome hat out of 5 gnomes

Wow, this book is crazy, there is so much going on and the mystery will  keep pecking at your mind and leave you wondering what exactly is going on.

It starts off with a startling moment when a girl wakes up naked in bed with a stranger and finds that she remembers nothing at all about how she got there or about who she is.  Just when she's thinking the worst, the guy wakes up and he doesn't remember anything either. 

This is another great story that uses a dual point of view very well.  It alternates chapters between Elyse and Marshall.  They both have unique voices and some interesting points of view.  She's the insider and he's the outsider so you see two distinct sides of this small town culture.

This story takes and runs with the whole creepy small town vibe.  It's kind of like a tourist trap that you're happy to never leave.  It's a nefarious place but the people there aren't really aware and they always seem to be blissfully happy.  It kind of reminded me of the movie Pleasantville at times.  Any problems in town disappear whenever anyone has a heatnap.  The heatnap thing was really disturbing because in this town it's normal to just fall unconscious at random times, nobody bats an eye.

There is some romance for Elyse and Marshall as they slowly figure out the mystery of Summer Falls.  All doesn't go smoothly though of course because when you don't have your memory it's not easy to trust anyone.  Elyse feels insane pressure at home and Marshall is more of an outsider just trying to fit in.  Though they do seem to complete each other in the best way.  Them getting to know who they are and who they've been adds some great depth to the story.

The characters are in plenty of danger yet continue to forge ahead.  There are secrets aplenty, everyone seems to have one.  I love how all the pieces slowly start to fit together and that there is so much supernatural goodness involved in the plot.

The ending was great because I really had no idea if it would be a happy ending.  It does end up ending happily because it shows the character's lives improving for the better and heading in a good direction. 

I would recommend this book to anyone that's looking for a truly surprising ghostly tale full of magic and mystery.