Slide: Review

Title: Slide

Author: Jill Hathaway

Release Date: March 2012

Published By: Balzer + Bray

Pages: 250

Goodreads Rating: 3.75 stars

Review: Everyone thinks Vee's a narcoleptic, but when she has episodes, she doesn't fall asleep - she slides into others' minds. She's seen the worst in people, but nothing could prepare her for sliding into the mind of someone holding a knife over her sister's friend's body. She desperately wants to tell someone, but who would believe her? It's up to Vee to find a way to unmask the killer... before he strikes again.

I originally picked up SLIDE because of its interesting concept of a supposed narcoleptic who can slide into other people's minds. It's a nice twist on the old story of reading people's minds or otherwise gaining alternative perspectives, and I liked how it was incorporated in the story smoothly with just enough explanation to be satisfying without bordering on overwhelming.

However, I did wish that the romance was a little less predictable. There were two main romance lines, one with Vee's best friend Rollins and one with the new guy, Zane, and you could see both of them coming from a mile away. It developed more or less how you would expect it to as well, so I found it difficult to truly enjoy this aspect of the story.

I also had some quibbles regarding the pacing of the plot. Many events built up very slowly, which isn't bad in and of itself, but then I felt like the main mystery of the story wasn't explored as fully or for as long a period of time as it could have been. I wanted a suspenseful and creepy read, and there wasn't as much of those types of elements as I had hoped upon reading the summary.

All in all, SLIDE is a compelling novel with an intriguing concept whose execution was good, but not great. I wanted a better romance and improved pacing so that the novel would be both less predictable and more suspenseful, but it was still a decent read. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys novels with fascinating concepts and relatable protagonists.

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

This week, I'm waiting on Slide by Jill Hathaway. Goodreads says...

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

I don't think I have to explain why I want to read this. Murder? Supernatural abilities? Secrets, lies, and danger? I'm so there. Or at least, I will be in March 2012.

Have you heard of this book? Do you want to read it? And what are you waiting on this Wednesday?