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Review: Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Ten by Gretchen McNeil
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (September 18th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 294 pages
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Summary:

SHHHH!
Don't spread the word!
Three-day weekend. House party.
White Rock House on Henry Island.
You do NOT want to miss it.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

Review:

WOW! I still shiver thinking about this story. It's not something you want to read when you are alone at night. No way! This is, by far, one of the spookiest books I've ever read. This story starts out like the perfect high school story (or movie); teenagers spending a weekend away on an island with no parents. Perfect, right? NO!

Meg and Minnie are excited to join this little party and, especially, to get to see the school hottie T.J. When they get there the teens do get to have a bit of fun but then things start getting a bit crazy. They find a DVD and the ten of them can't help but watch as ominous messages appear on the screen talking about pay-back.

At first they try to brush it off but then the teens start getting killed one by one. The mystery behind this book is so intense! I had no clue who the killer would be or how they would be connected to the story of the house. I kept second-guessing my choices and considering if it could be Minnie, T.J., or even Meg herself.

The visuals in this story are amazing. It's dark, stormy, intense! You can't help but be sucked into it and feel like you are actually there trying to run for help but finding that escape is impossible. Beyond that, we do have the connection between Meg and T.J. It was a bit if light in this dark tale. I enjoyed getting to know them and discovering their backstory as well. I thought they were adorable with their little flirtations. Then the killer has to go and ruin it all!: )

If you love horror stories, or a book where you can really picture each scene, you need to read this one. I'd love if this was a movie. I'd have to watch it in the daytime with 100 people, but still, I'd love it.

I can't wait to read more from Gretchen!

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Review: Ten by Gretchen McNeil + TIME