Review: Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him? (GoodReads).

OMG! Go read Unspoken! Sarah Rees Brennan has written my favorite book that I have read in a while. I laughed, I swooned, and I read it in a single night.

Originality: 9. This book was refreshing! I loved that it started about mind-melded teens but grew into a much more intricate fantasy/mystery.
Absurdity: 6. You know how people complain sometimes that John Green's teenagers do not talk like real people? In Brennan's case, this is also true, because the whole darn town is charming and hilarious 100% of the time. But I looovvvvved it. Funny dad? Check:

“Why are you putting on lip gloss, my daughter?" Dad asked ." Trip to the library? Trip to the nunnery? I hear the nunneries are nice this time of year." "Not a date; I still remember Claud," Rusty said, and grabbed her ankle. " I forbid it." "You introduced me to Claud," Kami pointed out. "I'm a bad person," Rusty mumbled. "I do bad things." "Is this true, Kami? Are you going out on a date?" Dad asked tragically. "wearing that? Wouldn't you fancy a shapeless cardigan instead? You rock a shapeless cardigan honey.” 

Repartee between potential love interests? Check: 

“Boys. Listen up. We are going out for a girls’ night, where there will be dancing.”Kami did an illustrative shimmy. Angela looked resigned.Jared looked amused. “What was that?”“You’ve got to dance like nobody’s watching, Jared,” Kami informed him.“Have you considered that perhaps nobody’s watching because they’re too embarrassed for you?”“Fine,” said Kami, grinning at him. “Be a hater of dances. Be a hater of joy. I don’t care. You’re not invited!” 

Level of Paranormal Romance: 10! For swoon and build-up alone. There is no insta-love here, which you might expect from a book with mind-melded teens who finally meet. The next bonus was that none of the romances panned out the way I guessed (refreshing!) and there are charming boys galore to pick from. Finally, Brennan's thoughtful exploration of the difficulties and joys Kami and Jared have when forced face to face was moving and swoon-inducing. 
Level of Harry-Potterness: 10. I  loved, loved, loved this book. I laughed out loud a fair amount, and I am invested in the magic as well as the quirky characters. The second Lynburn Legacy book cannot come out soon enough.