Review: The Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers

Title: The Vanishing Game

Author: Kate Kae Myers

Genre: YA, mystery, horror

Publication date: February 14, 2012

Published by: Bloomsbury Children's Books

Source: The publishers via Netgalley

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Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Jocelyn follows clues apparently from her dead twin, Jack, in and around Seale House, the terrifying foster home where they once lived. With help from childhood friend Noah she begins to uncover the truth about Jack's death and the company that employed him and Noah.

Jocelyn's twin brother Jack was the only family she had growing up in a world of foster homes-and now he's dead, and she has nothing. Then she gets a cryptic letter from "Jason December"-the code name her brother used to use when they were children at Seale House, a terrifying foster home that they believed had dark powers. Only one other person knows about Jason December: Noah, Jocelyn's childhood crush and their only real friend among the troubled children at Seale House.

But when Jocelyn returns to Seale House and the city where she last saw Noah, she gets more than she bargained for. Turns out the house's powers weren't just a figment of a childish imagination. And someone is following Jocelyn. Is Jack still alive? And if he is, what kind of trouble is he in? The answer is revealed in a shocking twist that turns this story on its head and will send readers straight back to page 1 to read the book in a whole new light.

My rating: ★★★★☆
 "...A shocking twist that turns this story on its head..." This line in the blurb describes exactly how I felt at the end! It was so shocking that my jaw almost literally hit the floor and stayed there for about 5 minutes! It was CRAZY! I could not stop thinking about it even after I was done reading!

The story was very intriguing and I found that I just could not put the book down! I wanted to know what was going on and what happened to Jack. There was non-stop action, which I always love in a book. it had great characters, I especially liked Jocelyn and Noah...I even like Jack, and he wasn't even in the book! Unless you count the flashbacks...which I like too. It provided insight in the childhood of the Jocelyn, Jack, and Noah, and, in a way, we got to know them better through those flashbacks.

I thought it was a very enjoyable read, very thrilling and a lot of mystery! The ending, although shocking, I didn't like all that much. I wished Jack would've had a different ending...I really liked him =/

And as far as standalones go...this one was pretty darn good! I'm not a big fan of them (I prefer series), but I thought this one did a great job wrapping things up.

Anyway, if you like mysteries, this one will keep you guessing till the very end!

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a comment! :)