Need (Need #1)

Reader reviewed by Nikki

OK, first let me say WOW!!!

I am officially in LOVE with this series. I have the second one on hold from the library, so I can't wait to read it!

The book starts off with a girl named Zara White, who is sent to live with her grandmother in Maine from Charleston, SC. She has fallen into a deep depression after seeing her father die after coming in from a morning run. She starts school immediately and meets this boy named Nick and instantly falls for him. She also meets a girl named Megan, who hates her for no reason. She also meets the town "over-achiever" Ian, who is also interested in her.

A few days before Zara moves to Maine, a boy went missing, without a trace. The cops have no clue where he went and Zara is scared; because there is a man that has been following her since she left Charleston. Her father taught her that if she can name a fear she can overcome it, so she has memorized almost all phobias, and when she is scared she repeats them out loud.

Along the way she manages to make two friends (other than Nick), Issie and Devyn.

Zara soon learns about a new world that she had no idea existed including; pixies, were-animals, and other things.

I can not say enough that I LOVED this book, it's right up there with Twilight, Abarat, and The Devouring! It's a MUST read. Definitely 5/5!

Reader reviewed by Natalie

Need starts of with zara, a girl who's mother seds her to live with her grandmother. Suddenly people start disappearing, and a strange guy keeps appearing and for some reason pointing at Zara. Suddenly Zara notices the people closest to Zara are keeping some big secrets.
   this book kept you guessing whats going to happen next.the real culprates of the book are relly surprising. i loved this book.

Reader reviewed by Kristen

As I began this novel, I thought to myself - new girl in small town...
two guys vying for her attention... supernatural creatures... hrm.
Remind you of any other popular YA novel?

Although this will
appeal big time to Twilight fans, Carrie Jones has her own voice in
writing this that really made me not want to put it down for even a
minute.

Zara watches her stepfather (more like a real dad to
her) die and, to help her gain back her old spunky nature, she is sent
to live with her grandmother in Maine. With new friends and love
interests, you start to see her gaining life. Her way of coping with
grief and life is her obsession over phobias. When caught in sticky
situations, she recites them in her head to calm herself down.

The
only problem is that her father's death isn't her only problem. There's
a creepy man appearing everywhere she goes, ominously pointing at her
and leaving only a trail of dust behind him. Not only that, young men
are disappearing right and left. With the help of her friends, she
finds out the truth behind what is happening and delves deep into
finding a solution to keep her friends and family safe.

A definite must read if you like anything paranormal, young adult and semi-romantic.

Reader reviewed by Kim

Need took me on a fast-paced fantasy thrill ride through a small town in Maine where a blood hungry pixie king prowls for the blood and a queen to mate. When her stepfather suddenly passes away and her mother becomes concerned for her daughters mental state of mind, Zara is sent to live with her grandmother in this frozen, remote place. This decision is the catalyst that places Zara as a target of the pixie king and her subsequent immersion in serious danger. It is easy to be won over by Zara. She is portrayed as a humorous, globally conscious teenager who has the quirky habit of collecting phobias like other people collect stamps or coins.
The isolation of her grandmothers home, which is located alongside an eerie dark wood, along with the frigid, constant blizzard-like weather added to the intensity and suspense of the novel for me. On one icy evening, Zaras car spins out of control and she is helped by the handsome, brooding Nick, who has a few secrets of his own. The sizzle between Zara and Nick was palpable. The sparkle and pop of their budding romance was a great contrast to the quiet menace of the small town landscape. I hope to see more character development of Devyn and Issie in the next novel and eagerly am awaiting the sequel.

Reader reviewed by Kelsey

Zara collects phobias like a girl collects dolls when she's a child. After her step-father dies of a heart attack, she isn't the same as she was before. So her mother sends her daughter to Maine with her Grandma. Little does she know, she's being followed by a fairy king. When in a car breakdown Nick comes to her rescue. There's somethin' fishy going on with a boy in her school, Ian, she doesn't know what's the worse part of him though! I reallllly enjoyed this book more than anything, and I can't wait for the sequel that's coming out next year!

Reader reviewed by Lauren

Need by Carrie Jones is a fantasy story that any Twilight lover will enjoy. It's about a teenage girl named Zara who moves to Maine to live with her grandmother after her stepfather dies. Her new home is different, always covered in snow and cold, with a small school. Suffering from depression of her stepfather's death and feeling abandoned by her mother, she tries to cope with the new.

She meets Isabel, Devyn, Nick, and Ian. Isabel is a sweet girl who's almost always happy, and becomes Zara's instant friend. Devyn is in a wheelchair, and Zara is instantly attracted to his best friend Nick. Ian seems to be on the other end, not liking any of these people Zara befriends, and vice versa. It's probably just some regular high school rivalry, right?

When Zara sees this guy stalking her, leaving a trail of gold dust, she tells her new friends about him. Devyn checks an Internet site and believes that this stalker is a pixie, and that he's dangerous. Zara soon discovers that her new home is anything but ordinary, and her life is at stake.

Reader reviewed by Victoria

OMG! this book was sooooo good! i finished it the day after i got it! It has great charecters, a good plot, and an awesome setting! the only thing i didn't like about this book was that the action in the book only lasted like a chapter (or like three/four pages). I recommend this book to all my friends. It's GREAT! (my friends and i are 13/14 years old.)

Reader reviewed by the book muncher

Since the recent death of her beloved stepfather, Zara has been accumulating phobias like some people collect stamps. Shes pretty much afraid of everything. Zaras mother, worried for her, sends Zara to live with her grandmother, believing that Zara will be safer in that cold and isolated state of Maine. Zara is upset, she hats the cold and misses her home in Charleston. And then, theres also that mysterious guy that Zara keeps seeing everywhere, the one that leaves nothing but glittery gold dust behind. It turns out that hes realand a threat. Hes a pixie, and not one of those cute little things that flit around flowery gardens, but one whos controlled by his horrible needsneeds that are causing boys to disappear, needs that are haunting Zaras new home once again, needs that are causing Zaras phobias to pile up at an unprecedented rate. And Zara is about to find out just where she fits into this dangerous pixie tale.

I know they say not to judge a book by its cover, but with one look at this one, I knew I was hooked, even before I read the summary. Zara is such an interesting character; there is something so sweet about how she wants to save the world, yet at the same time, her self-sacrificing tendencies make her vulnerable. I thought Zaras character was extremely well-developed and realistic as well. She constantly struggled between what was imaginary versus what was actually real. I was also impressed that the other characters werent just flat and uniform; Nick and Zaras Gram were characterized especially well. But, although the characters were pretty extraordinary, the plot was even better. Need has all the essential elements such as mystery, fantasy, danger, and romance to keep the story suspenseful. The only thing I didnt really like was that the plot slowed before I felt the climax was reached. Need was an incredible book with the perfect combination of plot and characters that keep me needing to turn those pages until the very end.

I initially thought it a little ambitious for the book to say it appeals to fans of Stephenie Meyer and Melissa Marr, because they are truly phenomenal writers, but now that Ive read Need, I have to agree. Fans of the paranormal, from Meyers Twilight and Marrs Wicked Lovely to Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith and The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong, we well as most reluctant readers, wont be able to set Need down.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com