Ten

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Rating: 5 stars

This book is absolutely stunning. Truly, there's no need for elaboration about Ten and I was seriously considering ending my review here. I physically couldn't look away from the book while reading. I was frozen on the spot on my bed where I sat before I started the book and was only able to move when I finished it all in one go. I literally couldn't move. I was compelled by the story and was so rigid the whole time! I did not realise it would be such a stunning and scary read. Seriously, I wasn't expecting much successful horror elements in it. But oh my, I was surprised. Sitting in my room downstairs alone at eleven at night while reading this created an enormous atmosphere for the scariness and creepiness of the book. Well, I've got to say, this is my favourite YA horror and thriller of all time.

Gretchen McNeil started right off with action. No dandying around with useless stuff. While doing this, she also created the atmosphere and set the mood/tone of the story. A series of clues was dropped by characters in the story about a few different relationships and I enjoyed trying to put the pieces together and making guesses at what happened (of course the full answers were revealed at some point in the book). Also, the way Gretchen McNeil used emotive language and different sentence structures also helped to build up suspense about the central event/muder mysteries of the book. I tried to figure out the answers along with the central character (though at times she can intentionally lead me wrong), but the end result was so not what I expected. That was brilliant!

Through out the book, I felt connected with all the characters (especially Meg) and I seemed to be in the story and filled with fear myself. Imagining all the scenes in my head made it so much more realistic and horrifying. I liked a few characters, namely Meg, T.J. and Gunner, but not so much about the rest. However, all of that was of the author's intention. Meg was smart and curious; she was the thinker. While T.J. was a good leader, a kind and active person. Gunner was just steady and funny. While the other characters displayed traits ranging from hypocrisy, dishonesty to slutty (or being man-whores for guys) and falt-out hostility, the characters worked well together to create the twist and turns of the story.

The plot was fast moving and intriguing. Ten was not only about horror and murder, it was also a book that taught me about relationships in everyday life and portrayed the growing up of a girl into a new adult in a short time. There were so many things that I liked about the book and so little fault. So I've got to say, final verdict: an awesome and thrilling read. Highly recommended!

Synopsis

SHHHH!
Don't spread the word!
Three-day weekend. Party at White Rock House on Henry Island.
You do NOT want to miss it.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?