Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah 
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 New Girl is a "retelling" of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Can I review this book as a retelling? No, I cannot. I have never read Rebecca, so my review is of New Girl all on it's own. 
 ***My review does NOT reveal the protagonist's name!*** 
 Moving on! 
 Our Florida-native protagonist is extremely unhappy when she learns that she has been accepted to Manderley Academy in New Hampshire. As a child she wanted to attend boarding school, so her parents began trying to get her accepted every year. After a slew of rejections, Rebecca gave up the dream and began enjoying public school. Her parents, of course, never realized that she had forgotten that long-ago dream. So, she finds herself spending her very last year of high school in a brand new place full of brand new people. After her arrival, she soon realizes that missing her sunny home is going to be the least of her problems at Manderley. 
 Almost everyone at Manderley seems offended by our protag's simple presence at the school. Almost immediately she realizes she's constantly being measured up against the student she's replaced. Becca Normandy. 
 "They call me 'New Girl'... " 
 When everyone whispers, she knows it's about her. About how she'll never be like Becca, never have what or who Becca had. Becca disappeared from Manderley the previous year, and no one even knows whether she is alive or dead. Rumors run rampant throughout the school, and a lot of them point to Max Holloway, Becca's boyfriend - or ex boyfriend. Did he murder her? Knock her up and abandon her? Or did she simply drown in the cold waters of New Hampshire ocean? 
 Just when our protagonist is about to burst from the pressure of it all, she finds out the truth - but not before bizarre happenings make her think she may be going insane, or that possibly everyone around her is. 
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 Complaints: 
 Well, not many! The only thing that irked me was the fact that, during our parallel storyline about Becca, some of the characters (including Becca herself) seemed quite vapid and overly shallow. It seemed like they were too air-headed to even be at this prestigious school. It was clearly stated that most of the students had a 4.0 GPA and you had to be super-smart to even get in. It just seemed like most of these students weren't that smart. It didn't seem to fit together properly. At times I was disgusted by Becca, and I really did not like her at all. I think readers were meant to hate her, and then maybe feel for her in the end, but I never did. I just disliked her the entire time, from beginning to end. 
 The good: 
 There is much good! 
 * Our protagonist (NOT Becca) was a very strong character. As I said, I can't review this book as a retelling. Not knowing the main character's name, though, would obviously make it very hard to connect with her for readers if the author doesn't do it right. Well, Harbison did it right. Even as a nameless teenager, our protagonist was an incredibly strong and moving lead. She had a clear and precise personality and I really enjoyed reading from her POV. 
 * Paige Harbison has a beautiful writing style. The plot was amazing, detailed, and intelligent. It was entertaining and emotional, and moved at a wonderful pace. This was one of those books I just could not put down! I stayed up 'til the wee hours of the morning because there was just no way I could go to bed without knowing what on Earth happened! That brings me to... 
 * The mystery and suspense! Harbison teased us to just the right degree all throughout the book. I can honestly say I did not see the end coming until, well.. the end. She threw us olive branches left and right, and you just never really knew what happened.. but you will get that feeling of NEED. You will NEED to know what happened. 
 * The paranormal aspect. Oh yes, it's there! It's so subtle and you aren't even sure whether or not it's real. It was woven into the story so seamlessly. It's got a little bit of a creepy factor going, and it just gave me the chills! 
 * The romance. There was definitely some angst but not to the point where it was too much or had me rolling my eyes in irritation. I personally enjoyed the fact that I was never really sure about who was going to end up with who. It was nice to ponder it and not have it be so clear from the get-go. 
 Overall: 
 This book is entertaining. It's got romance and suspense, mystery and emotion, with just a touch of the paranormal. The characters are all incredibly strong and well written. Some you'll love, some you'll hate. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat, and I highly doubt that once you begin, you'll be able to stop. It's a tragically beautiful and insightful story. I definitely recommend it for readers of all types! 
 Adult content - mildly graphic sexual situations, drug use, cursing, and rape. 
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 Book source: NetGalley 
 Publisher: Harlequin Teen