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Publication
Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (2009), Edition: Reprint, Paperback, 336 pages
Description
Fantasy. Romance. Young Adult Fiction. HTML:In this first book in a YA fantasy series from New York Times bestselling author Carrie Jones, Zara discovers that magic is stirring in her sleepy Maine town . . . and herself. Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks. Little wonder, since she's had a pretty rough life. Her father left when she was a baby, and her stepfather just died. Her mother's pretty much checked out�??in fact, Mom's sent her to live with her grandmother in cold and sleepy Maine to "keep Zara safe." Whatever that means. Zara doesn't think she's in danger; she thinks her mother just can't deal. Zara's wrong. The man she sees everywhere�??the tall creepy guy who points at her from the side of the road�??yet, he's not a figment of her imagination. He's a pixie. And not the cute, sweet kind with little wings. Maine's got a whole assortment of unbelievable creatures, like pixies and were-people. And they seem to need something�??something from Zara . . . Don't miss the all of the books in the Need series: Need Captivate Entice… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Alliebeth927
I really liked this book! Zara is a great heroine who is easily to relate to, with her pain and neuroses. Fans of Twilight would probably really enjoy this (even with the lack of vampires) because the feel of the characters is similar--you want Zara and Nick to be together and succeed. Need works
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very well on it's own, though I hear a sequel is in the works. Even though the story seems complete, I'll be glad to read more of these characters! Show Less
LibraryThing member Crimin
Need had always caught my attention at the local bookstore, with its lovely cover and its interesting summary, but it took me nearly a month to succumb to its charms and buy it.
Simply, this book is about a girl named Zara, who likes to collect phobias and to list them in her mind during troubling
It’s there that Zara finds out about mythical beings, like pixies and werewolves, and how they are very dangerous. . .and very real.
It took about three days to read, which is normal for me, but I wasn’t pleased with this book. The characters seemed childish and, I beg pardon, dumb at times even when the answer to something was clearly obvious.
I wouldn’t recommend this book to much of anyone, even though the plot was intriguing and the Nancy Drew clues hidden in the folds of Stephen King novels made me smile. Unless you’re looking for a boring read (as nothing really magical happens until late in the book), then I suggest you pick this up to kill a few days worth of time.
Simply, this book is about a girl named Zara, who likes to collect phobias and to list them in her mind during troubling
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times. Her father has just died, sending her into a deep, gray depression. Trying to her happy again, her mother sends her away to her grandmother’s, far up in the snow state of Maine.It’s there that Zara finds out about mythical beings, like pixies and werewolves, and how they are very dangerous. . .and very real.
It took about three days to read, which is normal for me, but I wasn’t pleased with this book. The characters seemed childish and, I beg pardon, dumb at times even when the answer to something was clearly obvious.
I wouldn’t recommend this book to much of anyone, even though the plot was intriguing and the Nancy Drew clues hidden in the folds of Stephen King novels made me smile. Unless you’re looking for a boring read (as nothing really magical happens until late in the book), then I suggest you pick this up to kill a few days worth of time.
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LibraryThing member Senfaye
Title: NEED Author: Carrie Jones Publisher: Bloomsbury Number Of Pages: 306
Summary From back of book: Pain shoots through my head. Fireworks. Explosions. All inside my brain. The white world goes dark and I know what’s about to happen.
Zara White suspects there’s a freaky guy semi-stalking her.
She couldn’t be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara’s overactive imagination. In fact, he’s still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There’s something not right-not human-in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.
In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you had to fear.
Review: Carrie truly wrote a fantastic book! I have read so many reviews saying how terrible this book is, but I don’t see it, I really loved it! The characters are complex and interesting, which I like complex characters. I usually love pixies and fairies and all little winged people but this book made me think of pixies in a new way. (In a creepy, terrifying way!) All in all this is a fantastic novel and I can’t wait for the sequel!
I recommend this book if you like fantasy/paranormal novels, Carrie Jones, romance, and YA novels.
Summary From back of book: Pain shoots through my head. Fireworks. Explosions. All inside my brain. The white world goes dark and I know what’s about to happen.
Zara White suspects there’s a freaky guy semi-stalking her.
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She’s also obsessed with phobias. And it’s true, she hasn’t exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane…but Zara’s pretty sure her mom just can’t deal with her right now.She couldn’t be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara’s overactive imagination. In fact, he’s still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There’s something not right-not human-in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.
In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you had to fear.
Review: Carrie truly wrote a fantastic book! I have read so many reviews saying how terrible this book is, but I don’t see it, I really loved it! The characters are complex and interesting, which I like complex characters. I usually love pixies and fairies and all little winged people but this book made me think of pixies in a new way. (In a creepy, terrifying way!) All in all this is a fantastic novel and I can’t wait for the sequel!
I recommend this book if you like fantasy/paranormal novels, Carrie Jones, romance, and YA novels.
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LibraryThing member roguelibrarian
Plot: After Zara’s stepfather dies, she feels hollow. Worried, her mother sends her to live with her grandmother in Maine. Though Zara finds friends, catches the interest of two of the most popular boys in school and starts to feel like herself again, things are not better. Boys are disappearing,
This is a good read. It is fast paced and Jones does a good job of creating a feeling of threat, of being watched. But all the suspense depends on these feelings for there are no surprises. The plot is more than a little predictable. Less than 50 pages in and I had already figured out the town mystery and everyone’s place in the grand scheme of things. The world building also leaves something to be desired. There is little depth to Jones’ magic and supernatural creatures; they are much scarier before we know anything about them. This lack of depth does perhaps explain how the characters were able to find all they needed to know with one library book and a google search (though the librarian in me cringed at their “research”).
But for all that, I enjoyed the book. The writing is solid and the characters are interesting. As we saw in her earlier novel, Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend, Jones has a gift for quirky, realistic characters. I especially liked liked Zara. I liked her grassroots, save-the-world attitude, her unwavering love for her step-father and her intelligence (for as in the best faerie stories, Zara wins through wits and not brawn). I liked her obsession with phobias which colours the narrative. Every chapter is named for a phobia which describes it thematically. Even the villain of the piece has layers and is not simply controlled by his need as the title implies, though it certainly drives him.
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just as they had shortly before she was born and a strange man is following her, calling her name. It quickly becomes clear that supernatural things are afoot and Zara may be the only one who can prevent any more boys from vanishing.This is a good read. It is fast paced and Jones does a good job of creating a feeling of threat, of being watched. But all the suspense depends on these feelings for there are no surprises. The plot is more than a little predictable. Less than 50 pages in and I had already figured out the town mystery and everyone’s place in the grand scheme of things. The world building also leaves something to be desired. There is little depth to Jones’ magic and supernatural creatures; they are much scarier before we know anything about them. This lack of depth does perhaps explain how the characters were able to find all they needed to know with one library book and a google search (though the librarian in me cringed at their “research”).
But for all that, I enjoyed the book. The writing is solid and the characters are interesting. As we saw in her earlier novel, Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend, Jones has a gift for quirky, realistic characters. I especially liked liked Zara. I liked her grassroots, save-the-world attitude, her unwavering love for her step-father and her intelligence (for as in the best faerie stories, Zara wins through wits and not brawn). I liked her obsession with phobias which colours the narrative. Every chapter is named for a phobia which describes it thematically. Even the villain of the piece has layers and is not simply controlled by his need as the title implies, though it certainly drives him.
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LibraryThing member annamariie
Need was a good book, although as few have mentioned, tails on Twilight a little too close. Girl moves away from mom & big city, to other family member in a much much smaller city. Has two choices in guys, neither of them which are exactly good for her, neither of them like the other. Strange
The only two things that I didn't really like about Need was the non-development in the side characters. I would have loved to learn more about Devyn and Issie. Instead we learn very little about them, and the only time we do learn about them is at the last minute when something is reveled, kind of like it was thrown in at the last moment, without much forethought or afterthought.
Which brings me to my second issue with the story: the Phobia's. To me, after reading the book, they didn't serve much of a purpose. Sure, I found it cool learning about some of them, and then after a research that there is a name for my sisters high fear of clowns, Coulrophobia. (P.S. Did you know that there is a phobia of long words? It's name? Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia. Whoa.) But the purpose they were in there, as I saw it was to calm Zara down, which never actually seemed to work.
In short: Minus the two issues mentioned above, it's a good book, interesting plot, decent characters, a few good twists, a fast read, no pre-knowledge needed. Would I still buy it having already read it? I can't say that I would, but I wouldn't rule it out either.
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things happen, girl does stupid things and gets herself in trouble. However it was by no means a bad book, I really liked the story, it was a decent plot, with a few interesting twists, that I didn't see coming! Well, not completely anyway.The only two things that I didn't really like about Need was the non-development in the side characters. I would have loved to learn more about Devyn and Issie. Instead we learn very little about them, and the only time we do learn about them is at the last minute when something is reveled, kind of like it was thrown in at the last moment, without much forethought or afterthought.
Which brings me to my second issue with the story: the Phobia's. To me, after reading the book, they didn't serve much of a purpose. Sure, I found it cool learning about some of them, and then after a research that there is a name for my sisters high fear of clowns, Coulrophobia. (P.S. Did you know that there is a phobia of long words? It's name? Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia. Whoa.) But the purpose they were in there, as I saw it was to calm Zara down, which never actually seemed to work.
In short: Minus the two issues mentioned above, it's a good book, interesting plot, decent characters, a few good twists, a fast read, no pre-knowledge needed. Would I still buy it having already read it? I can't say that I would, but I wouldn't rule it out either.
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LibraryThing member Allyss
Need by Carrie Jones is about a girl named Zara going to live in a small town with her Grandmother. She feels abandoned by her mother, and struggles with not wanting to talk to her, and missing her at the same time. On her first day of school, she meets a friendly boy, Ian, who is overly-eager to
WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS
This book was alright. The fact that the author used pixies and not vampires was a bit more original. But then of course there were werewolves. And the legend surrounding the Pixie King was interesting. But I had so many problems with this book. From the very first page I had a case of Deja vu, I felt like I was reading Twilight again. A girl, leaving her mother and the big city, moves to a small town with an awkward relative. Her first day she meets the two boys who will rival for her affections, as well as the nasty blonde girl who hates her for her existence. It went on and on like this, subtle similarities to Twilight that I couldn't help notice.
I felt that it could have been longer. If she had expanded it, and changed it around, so it wasn't so similar to a certain other book, I would have enjoyed it more. I felt the characters needed a bit more depth, and a bit more work on their relationships. They didn't have very much time with each other to work things out, in a less awkward way.
My absolute biggest irritation was with the way some of the characters ended up. A few people were revealed near the end of the book, and I really didn't expect it. Not because it wasn't a stereotypical thing, but because I found that those characters didn't fit in with the way the author was portraying them. It was sort of like that ploy, "You thought this character was good, but I tricked you, they aren't! Surprise!". But it didn't work, since I was wincing in disbelief as I read it
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help the new girl find her way around. Zara also comes into contact with Nick, who seems to be the resident bad-boy. He surprises her by warning her to be careful of Ian. It gets confusing when Ian says the same of Nick. Things begin to grow complicated when Zara finds gold dust in strange places, and a boy disappears. Following some research, Zara suspects that some old superstitions might be actually real.WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS
This book was alright. The fact that the author used pixies and not vampires was a bit more original. But then of course there were werewolves. And the legend surrounding the Pixie King was interesting. But I had so many problems with this book. From the very first page I had a case of Deja vu, I felt like I was reading Twilight again. A girl, leaving her mother and the big city, moves to a small town with an awkward relative. Her first day she meets the two boys who will rival for her affections, as well as the nasty blonde girl who hates her for her existence. It went on and on like this, subtle similarities to Twilight that I couldn't help notice.
I felt that it could have been longer. If she had expanded it, and changed it around, so it wasn't so similar to a certain other book, I would have enjoyed it more. I felt the characters needed a bit more depth, and a bit more work on their relationships. They didn't have very much time with each other to work things out, in a less awkward way.
My absolute biggest irritation was with the way some of the characters ended up. A few people were revealed near the end of the book, and I really didn't expect it. Not because it wasn't a stereotypical thing, but because I found that those characters didn't fit in with the way the author was portraying them. It was sort of like that ploy, "You thought this character was good, but I tricked you, they aren't! Surprise!". But it didn't work, since I was wincing in disbelief as I read it
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LibraryThing member ctmsemma
"Need" by Carrie Jones is a fantasy about a teenage girl, Zara, that constantly repeats the phobias when she gets nervous. Little does she know about the people in this small Maine town when she moves there in with her grandma, Betty. She meets a boy named Nick who she later finds out that he is a
This book grabbed my attention three pages into it. I love the idea of a new girl, new town, new people plots. The fact that pixies and weres flowed well into it makes the hairs on my arms stand straight up. Carrie Jones had the plot flowing really well with all of the causes coming up out of no where. It was very easy to follow along and picture the setting in my head. I enjoyed how Carrie Jones introduced her friends but especially Nick. He is the more popular figure but at the same time isn't. In my eyes, he is kind of the more hiddenfigure being foreshadowed more than the grandma who has many surprises for her. I liked how he keeps his life hidden from the more obvious figures that you would think know about him. I could very easily relate and connect to the characters feelins in the book.
"Need" can be taken in many different perspectives. I think that this book was meant to be read by all ages but at the same time resonable for even adults. This was recommended by my mother and she loved it. Now that i read it i have grown to love it and hopefully my sister will when she reads it. It can be easily read and loved for everyone.
Throughout all of the parts that i loved with this book, i do have some things that i would change. I have read and watched the "Twilight Saga" series by Stephenie Meyer many times and i have found so many similaritites. Some that have revealed themselves to me were the were characters, boyfriend leaves and the personality of the main characters, Zara and Bella. In the "Twilight" series they have character Jacob Black and in the "Need" series they have Nick. The similarities in both are just too much alike. It was like reading the same book but one has vampires and the other pixies. Although i liked the book, there were similarities that were too much alike. In "Twilight Edward Cullen, main character Bella'sboyfriend, leaves because he thinks Bella is dead. In "Need", Nick leaves because of injury. The point is that both leave due to their relationship. If Nick wasn't dating Zara there wouldn't be a problem and he would be alive, but because he is, he got taken by a pixie. The last thing i didn't like because of similarities is the personality of main characters Bella and Zara. They are both willing to die for their boyfriends no matter what obstacles stand in their way risking their life. they both show no fear but on the inside are eaither recitiing phobias or drawing blood to save their boyfriends. Because of the similarities between books, i would give this book a for star rating.
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were, a werewolf to be exact. Already petrified about this boy she liked that is now a were she has to worry about the pixie King after her life. She has no idea about anything relating to pixies or wolves but she has an exciting future ahead of her. This book grabbed my attention three pages into it. I love the idea of a new girl, new town, new people plots. The fact that pixies and weres flowed well into it makes the hairs on my arms stand straight up. Carrie Jones had the plot flowing really well with all of the causes coming up out of no where. It was very easy to follow along and picture the setting in my head. I enjoyed how Carrie Jones introduced her friends but especially Nick. He is the more popular figure but at the same time isn't. In my eyes, he is kind of the more hiddenfigure being foreshadowed more than the grandma who has many surprises for her. I liked how he keeps his life hidden from the more obvious figures that you would think know about him. I could very easily relate and connect to the characters feelins in the book.
"Need" can be taken in many different perspectives. I think that this book was meant to be read by all ages but at the same time resonable for even adults. This was recommended by my mother and she loved it. Now that i read it i have grown to love it and hopefully my sister will when she reads it. It can be easily read and loved for everyone.
Throughout all of the parts that i loved with this book, i do have some things that i would change. I have read and watched the "Twilight Saga" series by Stephenie Meyer many times and i have found so many similaritites. Some that have revealed themselves to me were the were characters, boyfriend leaves and the personality of the main characters, Zara and Bella. In the "Twilight" series they have character Jacob Black and in the "Need" series they have Nick. The similarities in both are just too much alike. It was like reading the same book but one has vampires and the other pixies. Although i liked the book, there were similarities that were too much alike. In "Twilight Edward Cullen, main character Bella'sboyfriend, leaves because he thinks Bella is dead. In "Need", Nick leaves because of injury. The point is that both leave due to their relationship. If Nick wasn't dating Zara there wouldn't be a problem and he would be alive, but because he is, he got taken by a pixie. The last thing i didn't like because of similarities is the personality of main characters Bella and Zara. They are both willing to die for their boyfriends no matter what obstacles stand in their way risking their life. they both show no fear but on the inside are eaither recitiing phobias or drawing blood to save their boyfriends. Because of the similarities between books, i would give this book a for star rating.
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LibraryThing member escondidolibrary
I couldn't help seeing the similarities between this book and Twilight. Instead of vampires, though, this book had pixies and the love interest of the main character was not as well developed. I sped through the first half on this book, but the dragged through the last quarter. It just became
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painful to read. I love books set in Maine and I'm loving all the new teen books about vampires and werewolves and other supernatural creatures, but this book just never convinced me for a minute to suspend my beliefs and get into the story. Show Less
LibraryThing member JRlibrary
Zara White's mother sends her to Maine to live with her grandmother Betty in the hopes that a change in location will help Zara shake off the depression she's been in since her step-father died of a heart attack several months ago. Shortly after her arrival, Zara sees a man who she also saw in
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Charleston and suspects he’s stalking her. When she sees him again through a window at school, she's convinced. The identity of the stranger, why he is interested in Zara, how she defends herself, and who helps her, form the remainder of an enjoyable read. Recent readers of Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely will catch on very quickly. The lore surrounding pixies is revealed through the research conducted by her friends, but having read Wicked Lovely makes it a faster process. I don't want to spoil anything but there were a couple things I didn’t like; I found it hard to believe that Zara's mom would send her to Maine, even though she thought it would be safe. I also thought that it took Zara a ridiculous amount of time to make the connection between the injured dog and the naked boy in the blanket. Having said all of that, there were some redeeming parts with Nick and Zara that were reminiscent of Meyer's scenes with Bella and Edward. I'll be interested to see if my adolescent readers see the parallels, and whether they embrace the book as feverishly. Show Less
LibraryThing member thediaryofabookworm
So I recently bought Need for my good friend in reading, Jenna, for her b-day. Stumped as Stephenie Meyer meets Stephen King type literature it sounded pretty damn perfect for this particular gift. After reading it she leant it to me so we could share and discuss, a favorite past time.
I read it,
Without giving away any spoilers, let me try and give you an idea of what this book is about. Zara is heartbroken by the sudden heartattack death of her stepfather, and in her misery is sent to her Grandmothers to hopefully recuperate. Unfortunately it turns out the backwoods of Maine is the least safe place she could be sent. The pointing man, he has a need, and until Zara comes to him he'll fulfill it by absconding with local teenage boys who never return. Sounds a bit pedophile like right? That's what I thought.
My main issues with the book is she took an interesting and potential creepy plot line and fluffed it up with a too easy love interest and simplistic discoveries and solutions; lets just say one moment of googling something shouldn't instantly explain what your creepy pointing man is. Nothing ends up seeming risky enough or as dangerous as it ought to. And lets face it, the best love interests are the ones fraught with difficulties and impossibility, make it too easy and it's just your average relationship.
The little preview of Captivate at the end suggests Carrie Jones might have been saving the real story for book two, however. Thus I'm happy to continue reading to find out if she can live up to her hype and pull this story into the land of more formidable writers. As it stands now this book is just one of the many attempts to re-create the Twilight experience. Love interest + Small town + Teenagers + Some type of other beings does not equal automatic literary genius; lets face it I'm not looking for formula in my reading, and I'm guessing neither are you.
I read it,
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and on saturday night we exchanged impressions of it. Like usual we felt pretty much the same way, the story had an interesting plot line but it could have been darker. I mean come on, when you throw Stephen King in for comparison you expect some pretty creepy page turning. That being said, it was a page turner, and the ending suggests that book two, Captivate, might hold a little more promise.Without giving away any spoilers, let me try and give you an idea of what this book is about. Zara is heartbroken by the sudden heartattack death of her stepfather, and in her misery is sent to her Grandmothers to hopefully recuperate. Unfortunately it turns out the backwoods of Maine is the least safe place she could be sent. The pointing man, he has a need, and until Zara comes to him he'll fulfill it by absconding with local teenage boys who never return. Sounds a bit pedophile like right? That's what I thought.
My main issues with the book is she took an interesting and potential creepy plot line and fluffed it up with a too easy love interest and simplistic discoveries and solutions; lets just say one moment of googling something shouldn't instantly explain what your creepy pointing man is. Nothing ends up seeming risky enough or as dangerous as it ought to. And lets face it, the best love interests are the ones fraught with difficulties and impossibility, make it too easy and it's just your average relationship.
The little preview of Captivate at the end suggests Carrie Jones might have been saving the real story for book two, however. Thus I'm happy to continue reading to find out if she can live up to her hype and pull this story into the land of more formidable writers. As it stands now this book is just one of the many attempts to re-create the Twilight experience. Love interest + Small town + Teenagers + Some type of other beings does not equal automatic literary genius; lets face it I'm not looking for formula in my reading, and I'm guessing neither are you.
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LibraryThing member bookbutterfly9
Need took me on a fast-paced fantasy thrill ride through a small town in Maine where a blood hungry pixie king prowls for the blood and a queen to mate. When her stepfather suddenly passes away and her mother becomes concerned for her daughter’s mental state of mind, Zara is sent to live with her
The isolation of her grandmother’s home, which is located alongside an eerie dark wood, along with the frigid, constant blizzard-like weather added to the intensity and suspense of the novel for me. On one icy evening, Zara’s car spins out of control and she is helped by the handsome, brooding Nick, who has a few secrets of his own. The sizzle between Zara and Nick was palpable. The sparkle and pop of their budding romance was a great contrast to the quiet menace of the small town landscape. I hope to see more character development of Devyn and Issie in the next novel and eagerly am awaiting the sequel.
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grandmother in this frozen, remote place. This decision is the catalyst that places Zara as a target of the pixie king and her subsequent immersion in serious danger. It is easy to be won over by Zara. She is portrayed as a humorous, globally conscious teenager who has the quirky habit of collecting phobias like other people collect stamps or coins. The isolation of her grandmother’s home, which is located alongside an eerie dark wood, along with the frigid, constant blizzard-like weather added to the intensity and suspense of the novel for me. On one icy evening, Zara’s car spins out of control and she is helped by the handsome, brooding Nick, who has a few secrets of his own. The sizzle between Zara and Nick was palpable. The sparkle and pop of their budding romance was a great contrast to the quiet menace of the small town landscape. I hope to see more character development of Devyn and Issie in the next novel and eagerly am awaiting the sequel.
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LibraryThing member storylove
So I finally got around to reading this book, and you know what? I enjoyed it very much, that's what!
Okay, I first need to point out a few things that will make Need sound not that great of a book. Jones wastes no time jumping into the story, and I felt the beginning was rushed. The characters
Also, many people have mentioned that Need is very similar to Twilight. And yes, this is true. The story plot lines are almost identical: girl moves away from mom; girl moves from big, warm city to cold, small town; girl is charmed by mysterious boys; girl becomes close with a bunch of people who turn out to be supernatural beings; girl is then hunted down by another supernatural being; girl willingly goes with supernatural bad guy to save the people she loves; girl almost becomes supernatural being herself; etc etc.
You get the idea.
But trust me, Need is actually very much different than Twilight (despite my long, previous paragraph). It is not vampires, but rather pixies. There are also werewolves and other were-beings. And I guess that's what made me like it so much because I am a huge werewolf person (and a Jacob fan!). So that's probably what won me over in to loving this book.
If you like fantasy, romance, action/adventure, or just basically the whole package, then you will definitely enjoy Need. It is great as a stand-alone novel, but the ending does call for a sequel. To my delight, Jones has written a second book! You can find Captivate, the sequel to Need, in stores early 2010 (hopefully)! =)
Okay, I first need to point out a few things that will make Need sound not that great of a book. Jones wastes no time jumping into the story, and I felt the beginning was rushed. The characters
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were too quick to believe everything, which made them lack a little depth. But I was quickly able to look over this small irk, for the characters proceed to develop quite nicely.Also, many people have mentioned that Need is very similar to Twilight. And yes, this is true. The story plot lines are almost identical: girl moves away from mom; girl moves from big, warm city to cold, small town; girl is charmed by mysterious boys; girl becomes close with a bunch of people who turn out to be supernatural beings; girl is then hunted down by another supernatural being; girl willingly goes with supernatural bad guy to save the people she loves; girl almost becomes supernatural being herself; etc etc.
You get the idea.
But trust me, Need is actually very much different than Twilight (despite my long, previous paragraph). It is not vampires, but rather pixies. There are also werewolves and other were-beings. And I guess that's what made me like it so much because I am a huge werewolf person (and a Jacob fan!). So that's probably what won me over in to loving this book.
If you like fantasy, romance, action/adventure, or just basically the whole package, then you will definitely enjoy Need. It is great as a stand-alone novel, but the ending does call for a sequel. To my delight, Jones has written a second book! You can find Captivate, the sequel to Need, in stores early 2010 (hopefully)! =)
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LibraryThing member fayeflame
synopsis
Now fans of Stephenie Meyer and Melissa Marr have a new author to devour . . . Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks. Little wonder, since life's been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother's pretty much checked out.
Need is about a Girl Named Zara meaning princess(Her name is clue). Her stepfather dies and Her Mom sends her to Maine to Live with her grandma. Zara has been seeing this stalker like guy almost everywhere.Who is this Guy? What does he want? In Maine guys start to go missing,maybe moving to Maine was a bad idea.
The characters were cool. Nick, who doesn't like Nick. Issie is just so funny and quirky. Devlyn he is just sweet and adorable (in a manly kind of way) Grandma Betty is just hilarious. Zara you is weird but in a good way.She collects phobia's(Each chapter is named after a phobia that expresses the chapter well)and hates the cold/snow.I loved that as the book progresses Zara comes out of her shell more. The Pixies are like Melissa Marr's Fairies, well that's how i imagined them.
I would recommend this book because it will draw you in farther. Your in for A BIG surprised at the end. It had me saying OMG.Also, look out for the sequel, CAPTIVATE, which is being released in December 2009 or January 2010.YAY!!!!
Now fans of Stephenie Meyer and Melissa Marr have a new author to devour . . . Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks. Little wonder, since life's been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother's pretty much checked out.
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Now Zara's living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays & safe. Zara doesn't think she's in danger; she thinks her mother can't deal. Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn't a figment of her imagination. He's a pixie and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He's the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he's trailing Zara. With suspense, romance, and paranormal themes, this exciting breakout novel has all the elements to keep teens rapidly turning the pages.Need is about a Girl Named Zara meaning princess(Her name is clue). Her stepfather dies and Her Mom sends her to Maine to Live with her grandma. Zara has been seeing this stalker like guy almost everywhere.Who is this Guy? What does he want? In Maine guys start to go missing,maybe moving to Maine was a bad idea.
The characters were cool. Nick, who doesn't like Nick. Issie is just so funny and quirky. Devlyn he is just sweet and adorable (in a manly kind of way) Grandma Betty is just hilarious. Zara you is weird but in a good way.She collects phobia's(Each chapter is named after a phobia that expresses the chapter well)and hates the cold/snow.I loved that as the book progresses Zara comes out of her shell more. The Pixies are like Melissa Marr's Fairies, well that's how i imagined them.
I would recommend this book because it will draw you in farther. Your in for A BIG surprised at the end. It had me saying OMG.Also, look out for the sequel, CAPTIVATE, which is being released in December 2009 or January 2010.YAY!!!!
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LibraryThing member kperry
Zara hasn’t been herself lately and people are starting to get worried about her. Since the death of her step-father, Zara has fallen deeper and deeper into a pit of despair. Her mother decides to send her to live with her grandmother in Maine in the hopes that a change of scenery might perk her
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up a bit. Zara doesn’t realize that other, more sinister, reasons are behind the move as well.Zara begins school the day after she arrives in Maine. Her grandmother feels that getting Zara in a normal routine is the best way to combat her depression. Once there, she meets the normal characters usual found in a high school. There is the Queen Bee, Megan, the quirky new best friend, Issy, and the hunks battling for Zara’s attention, Nick and Ian.Zara attempts to move on with her life, but being back in the town her step-father grew up just reminds her of how much she misses him. It also doesn’t help that a strange man keeps lurking around her. Who is this man and does he mean her harm? Who can she trust in this town full of strange people? Which boy should she rely on to tell her the truth - Nick or Ian?Carrie Jones has written a touching and emotional novel that contains many elements of a great fantasy novel. The suspense is palpable when Zara struggles to make sense of the odd events in her life. Readers will come to love many of the characters and will definately want to know more about them by the end of the novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member kayceel
This was great! Exciting, creepy and a bit romantic, I whipped through Need.
Zara's dad has just died, and she feels as if she's died as well. Concerned for Zara, her mother has sent her to live with Zara's grandmother in a small town in Maine. However, Zara's piece of mind won't be getting better
Zara is quite skeptical of the "pixie king" idea, as well as the idea that "weres" are the natural enemies of pixies, as she doesn't believe either are real. What she discovers is much more complex and...unreal...than she could ever have dreamed!
Zara's a tough, smart girl, her new friends are "keepers", and her possible love interest is DREAMY. This has a Twilight feel to it, though it's MUCH better written, much less co-dependent, Zara's no weak female needing repeated rescues, and there's no creepy stalker "I watch you while you sleep" moments, thank GOD...
Zara's dad has just died, and she feels as if she's died as well. Concerned for Zara, her mother has sent her to live with Zara's grandmother in a small town in Maine. However, Zara's piece of mind won't be getting better
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anytime soon - she's been seeing an eerie man, whom her new friends think might be a pixie king, desperate for a new queen.Zara is quite skeptical of the "pixie king" idea, as well as the idea that "weres" are the natural enemies of pixies, as she doesn't believe either are real. What she discovers is much more complex and...unreal...than she could ever have dreamed!
Zara's a tough, smart girl, her new friends are "keepers", and her possible love interest is DREAMY. This has a Twilight feel to it, though it's MUCH better written, much less co-dependent, Zara's no weak female needing repeated rescues, and there's no creepy stalker "I watch you while you sleep" moments, thank GOD...
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LibraryThing member librarymeg
Need tells the story of Zara, a grieving teen who has just lost her beloved stepfather to a heart attack. She loves to run, is fascinated by phobias, and is absolutely infuriated that her mother has sent her to Maine to live with her Grandma Betty. Before long, Zara realizes that the kids in her
This book has a lot of themes that will appeal to Twilight fans. There's a hot, fascinating, mysterious boy who seems to like her. There's something strange going on in the town, and a dangerous predator who seems to be after some of the residents. It was a fast, enjoyable read, and provides a good place for fans of Twilight to continue their love affair with reading.
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new school aren't like the kids she's used to. They seem to have some strange ways of doing things, and some secrets. In addition, some local teens have been disappearing, all linked by mysterious gold dust. It all could be connected to the mysterious stalker who's been following Zara.This book has a lot of themes that will appeal to Twilight fans. There's a hot, fascinating, mysterious boy who seems to like her. There's something strange going on in the town, and a dangerous predator who seems to be after some of the residents. It was a fast, enjoyable read, and provides a good place for fans of Twilight to continue their love affair with reading.
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LibraryThing member thelittlebookworm
Zara is deeply depressed after the death of her stepfather who was more like her actual father. Her mother sends her to live with her grandmother, Betty, to try to get her out of her depression in wintry Maine. There she meets beautiful boys Ian and Nick. Ian is friendly and outgoing and involved
Adding to her problems is a strange man who seems to be following her. Her new friends tell her it’s the pixie king who, until he finds a queen, is abducting boys until he finds a queen to fulfill his needs. And it looks like he’s set his sights on someone.
Need did remind me of Twilight in that it’s about a girl who is sent away by her mother and is unhappy about that move. She meets two guys who like her but one blows her off at first. She is not necessarily the brightest but she comes around and saves the day. The difference is that Zara has an actual reason to be unhappy after witnessing her father have a heart attack and die and her family is carrying its own secrets too. I enjoyed this book although it had a slow start.
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with everything. Nick is a loner who does not like Ian for some reason. Both boys take an interest in Zara who is too depressed with the memory of her father’s death to pay them more than courtesy attention.Adding to her problems is a strange man who seems to be following her. Her new friends tell her it’s the pixie king who, until he finds a queen, is abducting boys until he finds a queen to fulfill his needs. And it looks like he’s set his sights on someone.
Need did remind me of Twilight in that it’s about a girl who is sent away by her mother and is unhappy about that move. She meets two guys who like her but one blows her off at first. She is not necessarily the brightest but she comes around and saves the day. The difference is that Zara has an actual reason to be unhappy after witnessing her father have a heart attack and die and her family is carrying its own secrets too. I enjoyed this book although it had a slow start.
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LibraryThing member dasuzuki
I have been on a vampire kick lately and without meaning to it looks like I have been starting a pixie/fairy kick now with Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, Need and coming up in my TBR pile is Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr as well.
I thought when I read the synopsis that Zara was going to be one of
While the story was interesting I can’t say the book really grabbed me and I couldn’t put it down. I would say it was a good story but not a great story although I would not hesitate to pick up another book by Jones.
I thought when I read the synopsis that Zara was going to be one of
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those frail girls who suffered from a fear of pretty much everything but instead she behaved more like a girl who was just a walking encyclopedia about phobias who deals with the death of her father by reciting lists of phobias and what they mean. Her grandma, Betty, is a kick ass character that helps Zara get her spunk back and of course there has to be the handsome young man to help rescue Zara, Nick. While the story was interesting I can’t say the book really grabbed me and I couldn’t put it down. I would say it was a good story but not a great story although I would not hesitate to pick up another book by Jones.
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LibraryThing member Thing1andThing2
I liked this book a lot. It was about a girl who's grandmother is a weretyger and her boyfriend is a werewolf. She found out that her real father is a pixie king. Pixies can get destroyed is by weres and iron. If you get kissed by a pixie and you are not a pixie you could die or you can get turned
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to a pixie. At the end they go back to see if the pixies had excaped or not and they didn't. And that is good. Show Less
LibraryThing member jedziedz
A young adult novel with Twilight commonalities, Need is a fast and fun read. The author, Carrie Jones, creates extremely likable characters and a great romance between our heroine and her hero. My only concern was the action packed ending, where I found myself confused over how the plan was
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implemented. I just chalked it up to my lack of knowledge in regards to railroad materials. Overall, a paranormal young adult novel that I recommend reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member monsterofbooks
Ever read one of those, 100 Things You Should Do Before You Die books? Well Need By Carrie Jones is on there!!! It's a Must Read!!! You'll regret not reading this paranormal/fantasy romance book. The author brings it all in 336 pages: Good Plot, Suspense, Emotion, fast paste and an amazing story. I
The best thing about Need other then the great story and cool characters, is the dialogue. It's priceless, and probably the best dialogue I've read in a long time. It's so funny and down to earth. What they said made me laugh and made me like this book even more. For example: "'Okay, just don't hurt Yoko.' 'Yoko?' 'My car.' 'You named your car Yoko? As in Ono?' 'You have a better name?' 'How about Subaru?'" (Page.65). That's only one example, another one is: "Think about it. For almost seventeen years my mom hasn't come back here. Why?' 'It's cold,' Devyn says. 'It's creepy," Issie adds." (Page.263).
With dialogue like that, how can you not love a book like this? The story brings tons of suspense too, especially in a scene where pixies come after Zara. I really felt what she felt, I was so in tuned with her it was unbelievable. Some of the plot twists are easy to guess, but others you won't see coming. The ending leaves you wanting more, but isn't a cliffhanger. And the only real thing that bothered me about this book is at first it felt very unrealistic of how Zara handle the knowledge of pixies. But once getting into the story more, you start to understand why she acts like that and becomes pretty real.
Another intriguing fact is that each chapter had a phobia name on it!! It was so cool, did you know you can have a phobia of school? or a phobia of girls? or phobia of pixies *O.K Zara made that one up!!!*.
I enjoyed this story so much and am so excited to read Captivate (the sequel). This is a must read, Carrie Jones did a excellent job and I praise her for that.
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found myself in love with all the characters, particularly Nick & Zara. They're such a good pair together, I mean they're so cute. I love how they're being so stubborn to admit the truth, it's adorable. I mean Grandma Betty is more open about there relationship then they are. I also enjoyed the character development in Zara (the protagonist). I enjoyed knowing that everyone kind of made her out to be a damsel in the distress at first but in the end she is able to stand on her own two feet. Also it's interesting the theory that she doesn't need to think big to save the world, it can be a small way. Am I making any sense???The best thing about Need other then the great story and cool characters, is the dialogue. It's priceless, and probably the best dialogue I've read in a long time. It's so funny and down to earth. What they said made me laugh and made me like this book even more. For example: "'Okay, just don't hurt Yoko.' 'Yoko?' 'My car.' 'You named your car Yoko? As in Ono?' 'You have a better name?' 'How about Subaru?'" (Page.65). That's only one example, another one is: "Think about it. For almost seventeen years my mom hasn't come back here. Why?' 'It's cold,' Devyn says. 'It's creepy," Issie adds." (Page.263).
With dialogue like that, how can you not love a book like this? The story brings tons of suspense too, especially in a scene where pixies come after Zara. I really felt what she felt, I was so in tuned with her it was unbelievable. Some of the plot twists are easy to guess, but others you won't see coming. The ending leaves you wanting more, but isn't a cliffhanger. And the only real thing that bothered me about this book is at first it felt very unrealistic of how Zara handle the knowledge of pixies. But once getting into the story more, you start to understand why she acts like that and becomes pretty real.
Another intriguing fact is that each chapter had a phobia name on it!! It was so cool, did you know you can have a phobia of school? or a phobia of girls? or phobia of pixies *O.K Zara made that one up!!!*.
I enjoyed this story so much and am so excited to read Captivate (the sequel). This is a must read, Carrie Jones did a excellent job and I praise her for that.
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LibraryThing member ariebonn
I normally do not read a lot of young adult fiction, but in the past year I have come across a ton of young adult books which I want to read. So this year I have decided to include more books from this genre, and that started when I was at the airport in London waiting for my flight back home. As
Zara's world comes to a halt when her father suddenly dies. To help her move on, her mother decides to send her to live with her grandmother in Maine, and although Zara loves her grandmother she is not too thrilled about leaving her home in Charleston. Once in Maine things do not seem too bad however, her first day at school went relatively well and it did not take her long to find new friends in Issie, Devyn and the very handsome Nick. Except one thing is still bothering her. Back when she was at home she thought that a guy was stalking her, and it looks like moving to Maine did not get rid of him. On her mission to find out who's following her, Zara makes a surprising discovery, one that is completely new to her, but what is more surprising is that it is not so new to the people around her.
I have read this book a couple of weeks ago and I still have mixed feelings about it. I liked the plot in general, but I think the story could have been developed in a better way instead of being cut so short. It feels like I barely had time to get to know the characters and their surroundings and before I knew it the story was over. Most of the time it is quite predictable and you can see what is going to happen early on. Once that happens it makes it a little frustrating that you have to wait a good amount of pages for it to be revealed. The characters are mostly likable, even though I may have wanted to yell at Zara a few times, I liked the way that she views everything around her. I also liked the bubbly Issie, but I can see where she may come across as annoying to some. In fact I missed Issie and Devyn when they got out of the picture for a while, but just when I started to wonder what happened to them they were introduced back in. My favorite character was without a doubt Zara's grandmother Betty, I thought her humor made the book more enjoyable. Having a grandma like her would be amazing. The other thing I wasn't a big fan of was the short sentences which occurred so often, such as "I pull away. He lets go. I walk over to the door." I don't get the point of having such sentences, or how they're supposed to enhance your experience when reading, I personally find these very tedious.
One thing that this book definitely did though, is make me want to read more young adult / urban fantasy books. Oh to be lost in a completely different world, one with faeries, werewolves, and young love! Isn't it so awesome!
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usual I went to the bookstore to pick up a book or two, as is my custom, and Need was one of the books I got. I couldn't wait to read it, so I started it as soon as I got home.Zara's world comes to a halt when her father suddenly dies. To help her move on, her mother decides to send her to live with her grandmother in Maine, and although Zara loves her grandmother she is not too thrilled about leaving her home in Charleston. Once in Maine things do not seem too bad however, her first day at school went relatively well and it did not take her long to find new friends in Issie, Devyn and the very handsome Nick. Except one thing is still bothering her. Back when she was at home she thought that a guy was stalking her, and it looks like moving to Maine did not get rid of him. On her mission to find out who's following her, Zara makes a surprising discovery, one that is completely new to her, but what is more surprising is that it is not so new to the people around her.
I have read this book a couple of weeks ago and I still have mixed feelings about it. I liked the plot in general, but I think the story could have been developed in a better way instead of being cut so short. It feels like I barely had time to get to know the characters and their surroundings and before I knew it the story was over. Most of the time it is quite predictable and you can see what is going to happen early on. Once that happens it makes it a little frustrating that you have to wait a good amount of pages for it to be revealed. The characters are mostly likable, even though I may have wanted to yell at Zara a few times, I liked the way that she views everything around her. I also liked the bubbly Issie, but I can see where she may come across as annoying to some. In fact I missed Issie and Devyn when they got out of the picture for a while, but just when I started to wonder what happened to them they were introduced back in. My favorite character was without a doubt Zara's grandmother Betty, I thought her humor made the book more enjoyable. Having a grandma like her would be amazing. The other thing I wasn't a big fan of was the short sentences which occurred so often, such as "I pull away. He lets go. I walk over to the door." I don't get the point of having such sentences, or how they're supposed to enhance your experience when reading, I personally find these very tedious.
One thing that this book definitely did though, is make me want to read more young adult / urban fantasy books. Oh to be lost in a completely different world, one with faeries, werewolves, and young love! Isn't it so awesome!
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LibraryThing member cleverlyinked
Carrie Jones did a remarkable job on Need. Zara the main character and a delightful surprise. Though she may be eccentric, after all it's not normal to know and list phobias off as if it were chewing gum. With a beloved father passing Zara's mother ships her off to her grandmother Betty's home. To
During all the interaction with her grandmother you see what an awesome grandmother she is. She fun and lighthearted and there is no age barrier for her. There is something there that you just feel is right. Carrie Jones did an amazing job on Betty's character. There is something that Betty is keeping quiet. It's a shocker.
At school she meets a few friends Ian, Nick, Issie, Devyn. All the character are well written and all but one have something to hide. Nick is a loner with a hero complex and their is something below the surface loneliness? Ian is so likable from the start a bit annoying but likable. Issie is nothing but sugar plums. Devyn is the master mind of the group, Genuis. Zara has no idea what secrets they keep. The Pixie King was an King-riffic. Carrie Jones really rought you in made you feel for his side of the story. He can't be all bad right? In the end Zara is able to be the heroine that you know she is. Or is she?
The suspense in the book doesn't stop. It keeps you page turning page after page. It left a great ending which left you wondering how Book 2 Captivate will turn out. With so many twists your sure to love this book.
1 out of 10: this ranks an 8
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Zara things can't get worse. Living in a small hick town in Maine, going to a new school in the middle of the school year, not knowing a single person there. Zara manages to fit in. (for the most part)During all the interaction with her grandmother you see what an awesome grandmother she is. She fun and lighthearted and there is no age barrier for her. There is something there that you just feel is right. Carrie Jones did an amazing job on Betty's character. There is something that Betty is keeping quiet. It's a shocker.
At school she meets a few friends Ian, Nick, Issie, Devyn. All the character are well written and all but one have something to hide. Nick is a loner with a hero complex and their is something below the surface loneliness? Ian is so likable from the start a bit annoying but likable. Issie is nothing but sugar plums. Devyn is the master mind of the group, Genuis. Zara has no idea what secrets they keep. The Pixie King was an King-riffic. Carrie Jones really rought you in made you feel for his side of the story. He can't be all bad right? In the end Zara is able to be the heroine that you know she is. Or is she?
The suspense in the book doesn't stop. It keeps you page turning page after page. It left a great ending which left you wondering how Book 2 Captivate will turn out. With so many twists your sure to love this book.
1 out of 10: this ranks an 8
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LibraryThing member ldelprete
This was a very predictible story that struggled to hold my attention. I was able to identify the main characters storyline from very early on. I was not impressed with hold the details of this story were revealed. If you are going to place paranormal elements into regular society there are certain
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things that need to happen and in this story they weren;'t there which left a number of unanswered questions. I found the ending to be very unfinished and weak. the whole story overall was very anticlimactic. There were a lot of things that didn;t add up even for a fantasy book. I would not reccomend this for anyone over the age of 12 or 13. Show Less
LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: Zara White hasn't been the same since her dad (technically her stepdad) died of a heart attack a few months ago. She's been isolated and severely depressed, and her mother sends her to live with her grandmother in a tiny town in Maine to hopefully snap her out of it. Zara hates Maine -
Review: Does the literary world really need another Twilight-clone teen paranormal romance? No, probably not. But, on the other hand, does the average reader occasionally just need to kick back with something silly and fun that doesn't make her think too hard (if at all)? Yes, I'd say that she does. And, on that scale, Need serves its purpose admirably well.
Need is not particularly original, even within its sub-genre. Almost all of the elements here are ones I've encountered before - the new girl in school set-up, shapeshifters, a King of the Fey Court luring mortal girls away from safety in order to change them into fey. The main difference is that in Need, the fey are called pixies and are distinguished from fairies, although what the difference is is never made clear. (Also, the pixies literally shedding gold dust wherever they walk was new... Maybe that's why pixies are so dangerous: it's not the soul-stealing, it's because it's impossible to ever get all of the glitter out of your carpet afterward.)
Neither is Need particularly subtle. Most of the plot twists are telegraphed from the very early chapters, and I'd figured out almost all of what was going on before the real action had even started. As an example, when I started reading this book, I didn't realize that it was about shapeshifters as well as pixies, but within about three paragraphs of meeting one of the characters, I was thinking "Well, that one's obviously a werewolf." A lot of the characterizations are done with similarly broad strokes.
BUT. Despite it being fairly cookie-cutter-ish, and despite it being incredibly predictable, I still got a kick out of reading it. Zara is not particularly complex, but she is a sympathetic narrator, and her reaction to the death of her father felt vivid and true, both drawing on and evoking some real emotion. Furthermore, she also has a brain, and a spine, and is not content to sit around and wait for the boy to come rescue her. (She also may have a blood pressure condition, though, because my word she seemed to get lightheaded and pass out a lot.) The action is good, the romance is all palm-sweaty and first-kiss-tingly, and there are a number of parts that were legitimately creepy. So, while Need is not a barn-burner of a book, it's certainly an enjoyable way to pass a few hours. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Folks who can't get enough YA paranormal romance (Twilight, Wicked Lovely, etc.) will enjoy this one for sure, and those who occasionally enjoy some fluffy, light, quick reading may want to add this to their lists as well.
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it's cold and bleak, her grandmother won't let her be alone at night, and being the new kid in school is never easy. But Zara's new school seems stranger than most. It seems like everyone's hiding something, like everyone knows a secret that Zara doesn't - even her new friends Issie and Devyn, and Nick, the intense - and intensely attractive - boy that Zara's falling for. But what really worries her is the strange man... the one who's been following her all the way from Charleston, the one who appears out of nowhere to point at her silently, the one who calls her name if she gets too close to the woods, the one she's starting to think might not even be human...Review: Does the literary world really need another Twilight-clone teen paranormal romance? No, probably not. But, on the other hand, does the average reader occasionally just need to kick back with something silly and fun that doesn't make her think too hard (if at all)? Yes, I'd say that she does. And, on that scale, Need serves its purpose admirably well.
Need is not particularly original, even within its sub-genre. Almost all of the elements here are ones I've encountered before - the new girl in school set-up, shapeshifters, a King of the Fey Court luring mortal girls away from safety in order to change them into fey. The main difference is that in Need, the fey are called pixies and are distinguished from fairies, although what the difference is is never made clear. (Also, the pixies literally shedding gold dust wherever they walk was new... Maybe that's why pixies are so dangerous: it's not the soul-stealing, it's because it's impossible to ever get all of the glitter out of your carpet afterward.)
Neither is Need particularly subtle. Most of the plot twists are telegraphed from the very early chapters, and I'd figured out almost all of what was going on before the real action had even started. As an example, when I started reading this book, I didn't realize that it was about shapeshifters as well as pixies, but within about three paragraphs of meeting one of the characters, I was thinking "Well, that one's obviously a werewolf." A lot of the characterizations are done with similarly broad strokes.
BUT. Despite it being fairly cookie-cutter-ish, and despite it being incredibly predictable, I still got a kick out of reading it. Zara is not particularly complex, but she is a sympathetic narrator, and her reaction to the death of her father felt vivid and true, both drawing on and evoking some real emotion. Furthermore, she also has a brain, and a spine, and is not content to sit around and wait for the boy to come rescue her. (She also may have a blood pressure condition, though, because my word she seemed to get lightheaded and pass out a lot.) The action is good, the romance is all palm-sweaty and first-kiss-tingly, and there are a number of parts that were legitimately creepy. So, while Need is not a barn-burner of a book, it's certainly an enjoyable way to pass a few hours. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Folks who can't get enough YA paranormal romance (Twilight, Wicked Lovely, etc.) will enjoy this one for sure, and those who occasionally enjoy some fluffy, light, quick reading may want to add this to their lists as well.
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Awards
South Dakota Teen Choice Book Awards (Nominee — 2011)
Language
Original publication date
2008-12-23
Physical description
336 p.; 8.18 inches
ISBN
1599904535 / 9781599904535
Local notes
Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks. Now she's living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays 'safe.' Zara doesn't think she's in danger; she thinks her mother can't deal. Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn't a figment of her imagination. He's a pixie - and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He's the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he's trailing Zara.
Fairly obvious plotting, but an okay read.
Fairly obvious plotting, but an okay read.
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