Review: All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab

IBSN: 9780385738354
Age Group: Young Adult
Received From: Kindle Store
Other Info: 2010 Debut Author Challenge
Blurb:
Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School’s most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn’t answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can’t get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind.

Audrey: She’s the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton’s fast crowd in the first place, and now she regrets it—especially since she’s convinced the police have put the wrong person in jail. Audrey thinks the murderer is someone at Brighton, and she wants Neily to help her find out who it is.

As reluctant allies Neily and Audrey dig into their shared past with Carly, her involvement with Brighton’s dark goings-on comes to light. But figuring out how Carly and her killer fit into the twisted drama will force Audrey and Neily to face hard truths about themselves and the girl they couldn’t save.

My Thoughts:

I’ve always liked a good mystery but they are not the type of book I seek out. For some reason All Unquiet Things caught my attention a couple of months ago and would not let go. Maybe it was the dead girl staring at me from the cover. Who knows! But I pre-ordered the book and started reading as soon as it downloaded on my Kindle. I didn’t know what a wild ride I was in for!

The story is told from both Neily and Audrey’s prospective. But mostly Neily’s. The story unfolds beautifully. There are little snippets of the past when Carly was still alive. So we get their back story slowly throughout the book. Not too slowly. Just enough to make you crave more. The mystery bulids through the entire book. So much so that I was biting my nails and losing sleep just so I could finish it.

On top of the expertly crafted mystery is complete and utter heartbreak. Yes, they are trying to solve a murder but Jarzab doesn’t let you forget for one second that it is the murder of a best friend and girlfriend. I loved Neily! I used to have such a hard time reading books from a male point of view but lately I have been loving it! Maybe I’m just reading better books. Back to Neily: He is confused, heartbroken, and angry. Everything he should be. Yet, I was so drawn to him. I felt so much heartbreak for him.
Audrey is also a very well written character. I just found her to be a little unlikeable. Which I think is completely understandable. When she was telling the story I longed to have Neily back. Don’t get me wrong, Audrey was okay, I just loved Neily that much. She did not detract anything from the story for me. She played a very important role.

Overall, I just really really loved this book. Can you tell? Anna Jarzab did a amazing job creating a mystery that will have you gripping the edge of your seat. And writing characters that you can’t help but have strong feelings about. This is one of those books that, I know will pop into my head from time to time. For a long time to come. In the future, I will be reading anything that Anna Jarzab writes! 5 Stars!