Need (Need #1)

This story starts off interesting with Zara arriving to live with her step grandmother. Zara is the sad new girl and she befriends hyper active Issie and smart Devyn. She also starts falling for Nick, an over protective lone wolf type. When she sees the man that has been stalking her, her and the gang try to find out who he is. While this story has a lot going on, shifters, pixies, and murder, a lot of things seemed unfinished or just weird. Zara's moms reactions seemed off and the story behind her conception is barely touched.

It's nice when you read a book and discover an aspect of fantasy that you had not read before. I've read about vampires, wizards, werewolves and all those other fantasy creatures that inundate the young adult paranormal genre, but I had never read about pixies. Carrie Jones creates an entertaining world, one shaded by hues of grey. Good and evil; love and hate; truth and reality are all blurred and it makes for a quick and satisfying read.

What I liked most about Carrie's world is the fact that is seems so real, like if there were any part of fantasy that were true, this world would be it. It's like maybe, just maybe, pixies do exist in a realm of forest and trees, and maybe werewolves and other were-creatures exist alongside them, in constant battle, facing off for the future of humans. One can hope, right??

I wish that Carrie Jones would have spent more time developing the romance. I won't say who Zara falls for because you need to read for yourself, but I was craving more intimacy. I wanted to hear how his hands moved along her sides, brushed her thighs, and how his breath was heavy on her neck! I wanted to hear how Zara's world stopped when he kissed her, and I wanted more of his reaction to--you know what I'm talking about! The sexy manly growl from deep within that makes you wish you could trade places with the girl. But there was none of that. Don't get me wrong, there are some kissy scenes, but I wanted more passion. I wanted them to be the types of scenes that I dog-eared so I could go back and read them over and over again. Hopefully we get more detail in the next book!

So overall, it was an interesting and different read. The prose was a little rough at time, and I'm hoping for more eloquence in the future novels, and definitely some more romance.

I am definitely going to check out the next book to see what happens

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Reader reviewed by Debbie

I have been on a vampire kick lately and without meaning to it looks
like I have been starting a pixie/fairy kick now with Wicked Lovely by
Melissa Marr, Need and coming up in my TBR pile is Fragile Eternity by
Melissa Marr as well.

I thought when I read the synopsis that Zara was going to be one of
those frail girls who suffered from a fear of pretty much everything
but instead she behaved more like a girl who was just a walking
encyclopedia about phobias who deals with the death of her father by
reciting lists of phobias and what they mean.   Her grandma, Betty, is
a kick ass character that helps Zara get her spunk back and of course
there has to be the handsome young man to help rescue Zara, Nick. 

While the story was interesting I cant say the book really grabbed
me and I couldnt put it down.  I would say it was a good story but not
a great story although I would not hesitate to pick up another book by
Jones.

Reprinted here with author's permission.

Reader reviewed by Sara

From book jacket: Pain shoots through my head. Fireworks. Explosions. All inside my brain. The world goes dark and I know whats about to happen. Zara White suspects theres a freaky guy semi-stalking her. Shes also obsessed with phobias. And its true, she hasnt exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane& but Zaras pretty sure her mom just cant deal with her right now.
She couldnt be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zaras overactive imagination. In fact, hes still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. Theres something not right not human in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Nick: he was a dynamic character, I wish we had gotten to know him better; Devyn and Issie: I wish they were have had a bigger part in the novel

When I finished this book I felt: This book was good, and Ill probably read the next one (if there is one), but it wasnt something to rave about. Zara was an airhead and not in a cute way. She kept putting herself in stupid situations; she must have taken after her mother who didnt seem that bright either. The supernatural elements of this book were good, but it didnt really seem fully developed. And, while some of the lines were funny, many of them, especially Zaras, were pretty inane.

Other books to read by this author: this is Jones first novel

I would recommend this book to: Im not really sure Young Adult/Supernatural fans but only if they have already read some better books (they should read this one if theyve already read everything else.)

Reader reviewed by Melissa C.

This book takes you deep into Pixie and Were folklore.  A mystery of young missing boys needs to be solved.

Reader reviewed by Crimin

Need had always caught my attention at the local bookstore, with its lovely cover and its interesting summary, but it took me nearly a month to succumb to its charms and buy it.

Simply, this book is about a girl named Zara, who likes to collect phobias and to list them in her mind during troubling times.  Her father has just died, sending her into a deep, gray depression.  Trying to her happy again, her mother sends her away to her grandmothers, far up in the snow state of Maine.

Its there that Zara finds out about mythical beings, like pixies and werewolves, and how they are very dangerous. . .and very real.  

It took about three days to read, which is normal for me, but I wasnt pleased with this book.  The characters seemed childish and, I beg pardon, dumb at times even when the answer to something was clearly obvious.  

I wouldnt recommend this book to much of anyone, even though the plot was intriguing and the Nancy Drew clues hidden in the folds of Stephen King novels made me smile.  Unless youre looking for a boring read (as nothing really magical happens until late in the book), then I suggest you pick this up to kill a few days worth of time.

Reader reviewed by Elise

I
have recommended this book to absolutely everyone who has asked about
it--and believe me, many people have. The cover is not exactly
unremarkable. At first, I thought I was crazy, picking up this strange
gold lip glossed, misunderstood-high-school-girl book. I have no idea
why I did. But it was easy to get into. The writing is well done, the
characters are likable, the plot is intense and twisting. I was
surprised at this book's greatness. There was, however, one small
drawback. About half way through, I stopped and really started thinking
over the plot line. (I mean really thinking,
not just pondering :-) And I realized that it was suspiciously similar
to that of Twilight. Girl moves from sunny city to cold and tiny town
where she discovers the existence of magical creatures and their role
becomes prominent in her life, not to mention the crazy beautiful,
monsterfied boy in whom she takes an active interest. Hmmm, I thought, that seems odd. But never fear, avid readers! The plot twists! This is no vampire love story. It's a...well, it is
partially a love story...but no vampires involved, I promise. :-) The
voice is so unique and the myths so well-researched that you will
hardly notice. Go at it, I say!