Review: Perception

Book: Perception
Author: Kim Harringon
Series: Clarity #1
Release Date: March 1, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Pages: 288
Source: publisher (Thank you so much, Scholastic Canada!!)
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Website
Stars: 5/5

When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.

(summary taken from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS:  

Oh my gosh, I can't even begin to describe how absolutely AMAZING this book was! The kind of amazing that makes you stay up until 2 a.m. to finish it; the kind of amazing that doesn't leave your mind until long after the last page is turned.  

I have to admit that I wasn't the biggest fan of the first book, Clarity, but Perception makes me remember why I love YA as much as I do! ♥ It was intense and gripping, twisting and totally unexpected, and I'm not even exaggerating when I say it had a mystery that left me guessing until the very end — I didn't expect any of it at all! 

Clare has to be my newest hero. Even as a psychic, she's the kind of realistic, down-to-earth, and easy-to-relate-to girl you see everywhere you go. When she received those anonymous notes and flowers, she reacted exactly as any sane girl would have: flattered at first, but then thoroughly creeped out. She was so well-written that I couldn't tell her thoughts from mine. 

And yes, there's a love triangle, but it's one that I promise you won't mind it because of how real it is! There's no "I'll die if I don't have Boy 1, but I don't want to leave Boy 2 either!" Instead, the author crafts an insta-love free romance where the girl knows the risk of choosing her attraction for either and that whatever she chooses may not work out anyways.  

Part heart-stopping mystery, part intriguing supernatural, and 100% altogether amazing book, Perception is undoubtedly one of the best YA mysteries out there! I'll recommend it to you whether you liked Clarity or not — definitely a book you don't want to miss! :) 

BUY or BORROW?: If you have any money left in your wallet, you should go out and buy this book instead. It's guaranteed to keep you up until you finish! ;)  

-Mimi