I gave Shine 4 stars, but it's a very disappointed 4 stars. For 2/3 of the novel, Lauren Myracle had me. I was totally invested in the story and the characters. I bought the atmosphere of Black Creek and how it had devolved after the closing of the local paper mill. My anxiety increased with every chapter as the mystery behind Patrick's attack built and built. And then came the final 1/3 of the novel. So disappointing -- even more so because the majority of the novel was so taut and well written. Still, Shine brought a small town in the Carolina mountains to life for me and had me interested and invested, which is no easy feat. It also addressed issues such as homosexuality and poverty in a frank manner without condescending to YA readers.