Book Review: Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Title: Cryer’s Cross

Author: Lisa McMann

# Of Pages: 256

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: December 6, 2011

Level: Young Adult

Rating: 4 Hearts

Synopsis

(From Amazon.com)

Kendall loves her life in small town Cryer's Cross, Montana, but she also longs for something more. She knows the chances of going to school in New York are small, but she's not the type to give up easily. Even though it will mean leaving Nico, the world's sweetest boyfriend, behind.

But when Cryer's Cross is rocked by unspeakable tragedy, Kendall shoves her dreams aside and focuses on just one goal: help find her missing friends. Even if it means spending time with the one boy she shouldn't get close to... the one boy who makes her question everything she feels for Nico.

Determined to help and to stay true to the boy she's always loved, Kendall keeps up the search--and stumbles upon some frightening local history. She knows she can't stop digging, but Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried....

My Verdict

This book was the perfect mix of suspense, mystery, and romance!

I’ve always been interested in the idea of living in a small, one traffic light town, where everybody knows everybody. I think that’s why I enjoyed the setting of Cryer’s Cross Montana so much! Population 212. The tight-knit community that banded together during a crisis and generally cared for one another was refreshing to read about.

I absolutely loved being in the mind of the main character, Kendall. Kendall has OCD, I’ve never read about a character with OCD and found it very interesting to see how her mind worked. How she had to count a certain amount of raindrops before she let herself stop, or how she checked the locks a certain number of times every night before bed.

It wasn’t just  Kendall I liked, the author focused on a small group of main characters, concentrating on their development and allowing us get to know them all really well.

• Nico, he was so sweet! Him and Kendall were best friends since they were tots, he is the only one who understands her, and the only one besides her parents that knows about her OCD. 
• Marlena, her and her brother Jacian are the new kids in town. Marlena is talkative, outgoing, and friendly, which helps her and Kendall to become friends pretty quick. 
• Jacian, has a major attitude problem as well as anger management issues. He was forced to move to Cryer's Cross  by his parents when his grandfather needed help taking care of his ranch. I disliked him right from the start and even though he changes near the end I never did like him.

The one downfall of this book was that the ending leaves a little to be desired. While you find out the answers to the main mystery it's not explained very well and still leaves you a little confused and wishing it had been discussed in a little more depth. 

After reading this, I quickly ran to the library to grab Lisa’s other “suspense” novel, Dead To You. I’m so glad this was the first of Lisa’s books that I read because her other one didn’t live up at all. If I had read Dead to You first, I don’t think I would have picked this one up.

(SPOILER WARNING!! STOP READING NOW IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS BOOK)

Can’t say I was too happy with the romantic aspect of the story though. My vote was for Nico all the way (I’m a sucker for the best-friends forever turned boyfriend, girlfriend kind of romances). For this reason, I never really gave Jacian a chance. I didn’t like him from the start and I didn’t want him with Kendall.