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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Review : The Amanda Project : invisible I by Stella Lennon


Author : Stella Lennon & Melissa Kantor
Publisher : HarperTeen
Genre : Young Adult
ISBN : 978-0061742125
Series : The Amanda Project Book #1
Rating : 3.5/5 - Really Good!

Description from Amazon :

Amanda Valentino changed everything.

Callie Leary has exactly one thing, and one thing only, in common with Nia Rivera and Hal Bennett: They were each chosen by Amanda to be her guide. When Amanda arrived at Endeavor High, she told Callie she moves around a lot and always picks one person to help her navigate the choppy waters of a new school. Why did Amanda lie?

Following a course that they suspect Amanda deliberately plotted, Callie, Nia, and Hal piece together some cryptic clues. But they find more questions than answers and quickly realize that before they can figure out what happened to Amanda—the girl who changed their lives—they'll need to solve the most important mystery of all: Who is Amanda Valentino?

Review :

Callista Leary, better known as Callie, is an I-Girl. I-Girls are the most popular girls in school, and they don't associate with people of a lesser rank. Callie on the other hand, doesn't judge others as easily as the rest of the girls in her clique. She's smart, gets good grades, and enjoys learning. It's no surprise that when a new girl comes to town, it's Callie who will be showing her the ropes.

When Amanda Valentino comes to town, it's Callie's job to tutor her. She starts as a mere study partner, but soon becomes good friends with the newcomer. Amanda tells Callie that she will be her 'guide' while she is going to school at Endeavor High, and this makes Callie feel special. So it's not unlikely, that when Amanda Valentino goes missing, Callie is extremely upset.

When Callie finds out that she is not the only 'guide' Amanda has, she becomes distraught. Why would Amanda lie to her? Why would she tell her she was special, only to tell another the same thing? It's even worse that Amanda was also friends with two of the biggest freaks in school, Hal Bennett and Nia Rivera. With the clues that Amanda leaves behind, these three students, who are absolutely not friends, must stick together to solve the mystery of their missing friend.

There is a lot going on in this first installment to The Amanda Project, but it all flows extremely well. The story is told in the present, but Callie has flashbacks along the way. During these flashbacks you learn tidbits of her life that she didn't realise were so significant until the current day. Callie learns who she is, all the while learning who she can trust. It's a novel of friendship, and what you will do to protect those you care about.

I really enjoyed this book by authors Stella Lennon and Melissa Kantor. It was full of mystery, including little clues that you could try and decipher for yourself. I particularly liked that there were pictures showing you exactly what the characters in the book were seeing. You can even go to AmandaProject.com and sign up to solve the clues with other readers. I'm excited to read the next installment of this series, as it leaves you on a cliffhanger wanting more. I'd like to thank Barnes and Noble for sending me a ARC of this novel to read and review. It was a quick read, and I didn't want to put it down.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've seen this one...but wasn't sure I wanted to pick it up. You make it sound so temping...lol!

Jenni @ Falling Off The Shelf said...

Yay! J.Kaye liked my review :) It's tempting! See that folks...you should read it, lol.

Thanks J.Kaye!

The Cozy Mystery Journal said...

Oh this sounds like fun!

I like the way they have a website too, very interactive :)

Faye( Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm) said...

Yeah the webiste is really cool, i've seen mixed reviews on this book. i might read it.

Leslie said...

awesome review! i've seen this one around so i might pick it up =)

Loraine said...

I like you review, Here's mine: http://lorxiebookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/06/amanda-project-by-amanda-valentino.html Have a nice day!