Carrie Jones

Bloomsbury (2010)

ISBN: 978-1-4088-0740-8

Reviewed by Tehani Wessely

Zara White’s stepfather died in front of her, and she isn’t coping very well. In desperation, her mother sends Zara to her (step)grandmother in Maine, with the hopes the change of scenery will help. But strange things are happening in Bedford and a weird man is stalking her – is he connected to her dad’s death? What does he want from Zara, and who among her new friends is actually on her side?

Another addition to the ever-growing pantheon of young adult paranormal romance novels, Jones takes pixies and shapeshifters and brings them into the “real” world, but not always in a traditional manner. She has written pixies in a way I’ve not come across and although she has made them somewhat vampiric in nature (combined with some conventional fairy-style lore), this has created an unusual and engaging story.

The character of Zara is somewhat Bella-ish by nature, but is more rounded than I think Bella ever managed to be. My favourite character is probably Zara’s new friend Issie, for her open, honest disposition and sincere friendliness. Also interesting is wheelchair-bound Devyn (who doesn’t get enough page time) and Zara’s very cool grandmother. The love interests of the story are fairly typical of the genre, without really standing out.

Jones does seem to rush the revelations of the story somewhat, which made engagement with the actually plot a little difficult at times, but the novel, while fairly standard fare, is still entertaining. It can be quite bleak in places, although I wonder about the handling of Zara’s depression and shock over her stepfather’s death. That said, it was fairly believably written. I enjoyed reading Need and with the stunning cover, this will no doubt be a popular addition to library shelves. Look forward to reading the next book!