Wednesday, December 5, 2012

The Believing Game ~ Eireann Corrigan (earc) review

The Believing Game
Scholastic
December 4, 2012
320 pages
add to Goodreads/buy from Book Depo/or Amazon

A private academy. A cult leader. A girl caught in the middle.

After Greer's caught shoplifting (again) she's sent to McCracken Hill. Part boarding school, part rehab, McCracken Hill is home to troubled teens with a plethora of issues from alcohol and/or drug dependency to eating disorders to Greer's shoplifting habit.

The school's high regimented operation doesn't please Greer and she's ready to be out of there -- until she meets Addison. Addison Bradley, charming and handsome appears to have McCracken Hill and the process more figured out than Greer does and soon is introducing her to his mentor, Joshua.

Despite a ban on relationships, Addison and Greer soon seem captivated with each other.

There's only one problem. The closer she gets to Addison, the more Greer starts to question Joshua and not only his presence in Addison's life but his influence. How did Joshua become such a key part of Addison's life? The more and the harder Greer tries to find out, the more trouble she uncovers. Greer'll find out that as strange as it seemed to be in their circle, it's scarier outside it.


Once I was finally able to read The Believing Game (something about the epub did not agree with my computer or ereader and kept freezing and/or shutting down the programs), it was hard to stop! All of the frozen new chapter starts were so frustrating. This is a book that pulls you in and you really just want to keep reading it regardless of what else you may have to do.

Some stories make a reader uncomfortable inadvertently. Either the characters actions or the way things as a whole unfold is just wrong but it never comes across as intentional or purposeful. Other times, you know it's what was meant but that intention ruins it. In The Believing Game I believe completely that Eireann Corrigan meant for things to be incredibly uncomfortable -- for some of the characters and readers, alike -- and it is.

Even though I couldn't stop reading The Believing Game (except for when the app/program stopped it for me), a tiny part of me wanted to just to have a break from the feeling that was created being a part of everything with these characters (really one in particular) after a while. To have one character make me feel that ill at ease, while the story continues to still, paradoxically, be so hard to put down, is a brilliant accomplishment.

The Believing Game is something that I saw on NetGalley and knew I had to request and I'm not at all sorry I did, at all. It's a fantastic read with fantastically crafted characters.

It is a YA read but some of the content, phrasing, etc may not be quite suitable for younger YA readers.

Rating: 9/10


huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-galley

3 comments:

  1. First of all, incredible review! Thank you for that! I am not a huge fan of this books cover, but I like the sound of the synopsis. It makes me incredibly curious to read it, knowing that the author can make the reader so uncomfortable, and yet still want to continue reading to know what happens. You are right, sometimes that can make you put down a book and not pick it back up again. I will definitely be reading this one.

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  2. The cover to this doesn't really pique my interest but after reading your review, I'd be willing to give this one a shot.

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  3. The cover of this book give me chills!! But I like it :)This definitely sounds like an intense and very different read! Sounds good!

    Great review!!

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