Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne

Title: Harbinger

Author: Sara Wilson Etienne

Pages: 309

Release: February 2^nd, 2012

Synopsis:(from Goodreads)Plagued by waking visions and nightmares, inexplicably drawn to the bones of dead animals, Faye thinks she's going crazy. Fast. Her parents beleive Holbrook Academy might just be the solution. Dr. Mordoch tells her it's the only answer. But Faye knows that something's not quite right about Dr. Mordoch and her creepy, prisonlike school for disturbed teenagers.
What's wrong with Holbrook goes beyond the Takers, sadistic guards who threaten the student body with Tasers and pepper spray; or Nurse, who doles out pills at bedtime and doses of solitary confinement when kids step out of line; or Rita, the strange girl who delivers ominous messages to Faye that never seem to make any sense. What's wrong with Holbrook begins and ends with Faye's red hands; she and her newfound friends--her Holbrook "family"--wake up every morning with their hands stained the terrible brown of dried blood. Faye has no idea what it means but fears she may be the cause.
Because despite the strangeness of Holbrook and the island on which it sits, Faye feels oddly connected to the place; she feels especially linked to the handsome Kel, who helps her unravel the mystery. There's just one problem: Faye's certain Kel's trying to kill her--and maybe the rest of the world, too.
A rich and tautly told psychological thriller, Harbinger heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice in young adult fiction.

My Thoughts:

I won this book from a giveaway and I remember that when I got it in the mail, I was so excited! Not just for the story, but for some superficial reasons too. First off, the cover has a different texture than most hardcover jackets and it made the book look unique and feel nice! Secondly, the author included this nice pamphlet from Holbrook Academy and that really got me psyched about entering into this world she created and lastly, it was the first book I had ever gotten signed! I was so excited that I wanted to dance(which is a little ironic if you’ve read the book).

So, you know from all that, that my expectations were high. Were they fulfilled? Mostly. You see Harbinger is unlike any book I have ever read before in that it is paranormal, but in a completely untouched way. It’s kind of dystopian, but that’s not the central idea in the plot. A lot of it has to do with prophecy and tarot cards. I have never read a book before that comes even close to this. It was so intricately woven and had such detail that occasionally it was even a little too much for me and I felt lost. I also found the characters to be fascinating and while I did not relate to them very much, I was always eager to unravel more of the mystery in this book.

I would say that in the long run, it was a very interesting read and I am glad I read it because it truly was a very unique book, but even after finishing it, I feel kind of confused and like I might need to read the last 100 pages over again. So, I would say if it’s something that interests you, then give it a shot. It’s definitely a quality standalone novel.

In Short:

Rating: 4/5

Purchase or Check Out?: Check Out

Would I read it again?: Maybe