Slide

Imagine sliding into someone else's body, seeing the world through their eyes. Being afraid to touch any object that could cause the slide. Being so afraid of moving into someone else's body that you're terrified to fall asleep. Exhausting and creepy, right? Now imagine sliding into someone else's

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body, and seeing a murder. Everyone thinks the victim committed suicide, but you know the truth, it was murder. But, how do you explain the truth, without looking crazy? That's Vee's story. She slides into the bodies of those around her. And when she witnesses a friend's murder through the eyes of the murderer, she's in a race to find out the truth, before the person strikes again...even closer to home.

I have to start by saying, SLIDE is a truly original story. I haven't personally come across anything quite like it. The basis of "the slide" was interesting, Vee enters the consciousness of another person, caused by touching a personal item that person. The quiet desperation Vee feels because of this is a major theme in the story. She can't tell anyone, her dad sent her to a psychiatrist when she opened up to him. She is afraid to touch anything that might trip a slide, causing her to be paranoid and closed off. Vee is also saddled with fear of abandonment. Her mother died when she was very young and her father, a renowned surgeon, has basically left her to care for her younger sister, Mattie. So clearly, Vee is a complicated character. And even if I couldn't identify with her struggle, author Jill Hathaway plants you so firmly into Vee's head that you can't help but be immersed in her story.

Rollins is Vee's best friend, and it quickly becomes obvious (at least to me) that he wants more with her. I love the fact that he is not the "typical YA" best guy friend/potential love interest. Rollins is smoking, artistic, tough guy with a hard life. I can't tell you how much I loved the fact that I never once read about his rippling abs or biceps. I appreciated the fact that the author's focus was on him as a character and not the body. As for the other guy vying for Vee's interest, Zane is kind of that stereotypical guy. He's gorgeous, charming, seemingly perfect. I didn't get his appeal beyond the superficial. For me, it's a no-brainer.

My favorite part of SLIDE, by a landslide, was the murder mystery. The mystery literally made this book impossible to put down. I thought I knew who the culprit was, then something happened that would change my mind. Then something else would change it again. Then someone else died. And Vee would uncover another hidden truth. The suspense kept building and building, amping up bit by bit until I was flying through the pages. Because I was so desperate to learn the truth, I read SLIDE in just a few hours. I would think, "one more chapter", but when I hit that point I still couldn't stop. And I'll just admit it now, I was wrong. Dead wrong.

And that's the one thing I didn't really like about SLIDE. Not that I was wrong about the identity, I promise. It's because the identity didn't feel authentic to me. I mean, I can sort of see the motivation for the murder. But the logic behind it, the extremes gone to by the culprit, I just felt it was a bit much. And when I think about it, I don't even see how the murder could have actually been carried out without the person being caught. How did they get in and out of the house without her parents hearing? Did the girl just lie there and get murdered without making a sound? I felt let down when I learned the truth. Well, that and a little bit angry, as well.

Having said that, I did enjoy SLIDE quite a lot. The plot was gripping and Vee was an intelligent, engaging character. Author Jill Hathaway obviously has a great voice. And even though I didn't love everything about the story, I am definitely going to read the next book in the series, IMPOSTOR, due in 2013.

Favorite Quote:

" I can never get used to the feeling of looking through someone else's eyes. It's as if each person sees the world in a slightly different hue. The tricky part is figuring out who the person is. It's like putting together a jigsaw puzzle - what do I see, hear, smell? Everything is a clue." (pg. 4, ARC)

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Slide is a story about a pink haired girl named Vee. She’s just your regular teenager, except for the fact that she can “slide” into other people’s minds if she has something of theirs. Sometimes she can help it and sometimes she can’t. When her younger sister’s friend dies of a

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so-called suicide, Vee must put the puzzle pieces together to find Sophie’s killer.

This book was a definitely a thriller but was it a great read? Meh. It felt too formulated. The main character is a girl who is has traded in her “glory days” of popularity for pink hair and a bad boy best friend with a lip ring. She has a younger sister who thrives in the social limelight (read: cheerleader), a mother who passed away, and an always-absent -father. I’ve seen it many times before in YA books and nothing about this particular situation made this book stand out in any way. This was a plot driven story and it just felt slow at times. The pacing went from slow to super fast and back to slow again then super fast. I felt too jerked around while reading this book. And oh, how could I forget, enter super hot new guy at school that only has eyes for our main character.

I did enjoy the idea of her “sliding” into other people but the topic wasn’t explored as much as I thought it should have been; I had more questions than answers. I thought this was a standalone book however from further research, I saw that it does have a sequel, about which I’m confused. This book had a wrap-up indicating a resolution and I’m wondering why the author would created more conflict?

Overall, this book just didn’t feel original and that’s something that I feel YA authors really need to strive for in a market where there are so many books. Will I read the second one? Probably not, but you never know.

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Slide has an interesting premise; I love that Vee is able to slide into other people’s bodies, and then when she slides into a killer’s body… dun dun dun. However, the execution behind the premise makes for a very predictable read.

I liked Vee as a character. Her voice pulled me in right away

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and hooked me. However, as I read, the book sort of fell apart. Vee doesn’t pick up on everything until the entire picture is pulled up, which annoyed me, a lot actually, because I figured out all the twists waaay before they came to light.

The mystery is a bit clichéd and predictable. While I understand the killer’s motivation, I didn’t QUITE get it. REALLY? You’re destroying peoples’ lives over THAT? The secondary characters were a little blah, and seemed more 2D than 3D. The high schoolers sounded like high schoolers, but I didn’t like Maddie and Amber at all—especially for what they were doing to Sophie. It annoyed me immensely. If you’re friends with somebody, you don’t try to ruin them because they like a guy you like.

I think readers are supposed to like Rollins, but I didn’t. I hated his very being. We never really know why he was pulling away from Vee… and it was SO OBVIOUS he’s in love with Vee (of course! In YA, there’s always the best friend who is in love with the main character.)

But I’m SO TORN over this book. It hooked me right away and I read it all the way through in the same day. It was an emotional rollercoaster of liking it and being disappointed. I think what really did it in for me was the ending. I just didn’t LIKE the motivation behind the killer.

I will be reading the sequel, because that has a premise I’m just so freaking curious about. I wonder how Hathaway will execute it.

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Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

SLIDE is a book that despite an intriguing premise and an appealing protagonist, unfortunately slid right out of my mind the moment I finished reading it.

The opening of SLIDE was rather awkward because the idea of Vee randomly ‘sliding’ into the minds

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of other people isn’t established for several chapters. And when it does finally happen, no explanation is given for how or when it started or really what theories Vee has about it. Eventually, yes, we do learn when it started (and it’s one of the stronger scenes in the book), but the delay really hurt my reading experience. What also hurt was how rushed everything was. The character growth, the romantic developments, the murder mysteries, and suspect motives. It’s unfortunate because the bones of the plot and the premise for the supernatural twist had real potential (see below for a few other similar but stronger titles).

SLIDE should have been twice as long in order to appropriately deal with all the complex and weighty issues it attempted to tackle. Eating disorders, bullying, teen pregnancy, adultery, sexual assault, suicide, and two other BIG issues that I won’t reveal because they would be spoilers. Hathaway writes well enough that it could have been great. Instead I suffered whiplash as all these serious issues were raised and then resolved (for the most part) in just a few paragraphs. The ending is especially grievous in that sense.

There is a sequel planned titled IMPOSTER that is scheduled for a March 2013 release. I can only hope that it’s page length is worthy of the topics it covers.

Sexual Content:
Kissing, References to teen pregnancy

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Vee's ability both fascinates me and frightens me. It's an ability that I haven't seen in many books, and I enjoyed seeing what Jill Hathaway does with it. However, it isn't one that I would want to have. Imagine sliding into a private moment or the moment right after someone takes an innocent

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life. I would not want to be Vee then.

And it happens. She learns that Sophie was murdered, and she doesn't know who to confide in. The writing has a good flow and pacing. The story is intense in the right places and filled with twists and turns. While the side character are rather flat, the main characters are well developed and appealing.

Vee is a nice girl and a wonderful character, perfect for the story. She is a nonconformist with a purpose; she knows who she is and why she is the way she is. Her abilities do not rule her, as much as they disrupt her life. There are two dynamic relationships in her life that play major roles in the plot: Rollins (her best friend, who's been keeping secrets) and Zane (the new guy, who's gorgeous and perfect boyfriend material).

Slide is a gripping novel that I would recommend to readers who enjoy a good mystery/thriller with paranormal elements.

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This book is like no other that I have read - the ability to 'slide' into someone else's mind and see what they are thinking, doing - kind of like 'walking in someone else's shoes' - is a brilliant story-line.
Within the first few pages, we are thrust right into one of Vee's 'episodes' and

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experience and feel everything that she does when she slides. It's intense and so visual! I really felt like I was sliding right along with her.
The plot - so mysterious and suspenseful! I'm usually really good at figuring out the 'who did it' person right from the beginning, but Hathaway was so very good at giving out the hints and then throwing in few twists to throw me off track!
Vee's family dynamic seemed to be what most authors are going for these days, single parent home, siblings that kind of get along... but I really like the way Hathaway did it. Even though Vee, her sister Mattie and Dad didn't have much communication, they all still loved and cared for each other very much. In my opinion, most families are like this. Which makes their relationship realistic and more relate-able.
And of course, the romance! I adored Zane, not at first though, he seemed a bit too perfect, but nonetheless, he was too sweet and cute not to like... and of course, the BFF! At first I just didn't get it - Rollins was so standoffish and too much of a 'guy' at first. But once I got further into the book, he started to grow on me and I just knew that there had to be more to him than what he was fronting... and then, with the help of one of Vee's episodes, I finally got to see what Rollins was going through in his life - everything starts to click together and I couldn't help going all soft for him too. He had every right to be and react the way he did, I love him... and I loved the ending... and... oh my, so hard to keep this review spoiler free!

Slide has it all: suspense, mystery, love... It's a definite must read for 2012!

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Thank you to HarperCollins and Balzer + Bray (via NetGalley) for the e-galley of Slide.

Slide tells the story of Vee, a girl who has the ability to "slide" into the minds of others if she touches an object they touched. Mostly she sees humdrum things, like teachers sneaking liquor, her sister

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crying, etc. All of that changes, however, when she slides into the mind of a killer right after they've murdered her sister's best friend, Sophie. The murder is considered a suicide, and only Vee knows the truth. As such, she takes it upon herself to use her ability to slide in order to figure out who is responsible for Sophie's death.

This was a thoroughly engrossing read, which I devoured in a matter of hours. The mystery and suspense were first rate, and I loved the idea of Vee's ability; it was something totally fresh and new. However, the highlight for me was watching Vee interact with her friends and family, in particular her barely-home father and her younger sister, Mattie (her relationship with Mattie was my favorite). I felt like this was an extremely accurate look at the life of a teenage girl who's serving as her younger sister's mom (her mom died from cancer several years ago, and her dad is never home) while trying to deal with the things she herself has gone through or is currently experiencing. While I enjoyed the supernatural portion of this story, it was Vee's humanity, faults and feelings that made this a really great read. I'm looking forward to the next installment in this world.

Slide will be released in North America on March 27th, 2012. I highly recommend you check it out.

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Sometimes the books we choose to review can be a hit or a miss with our expectations. Maybe my expectations were too high, or maybe I just didn’t believe the concept. Either way, Slide is one of those books that left a sour taste in my mouth, one that I can’t seem to get rid of no matter how

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hard I try. I wanted to fall in love with the author, her unusual concept, and the characters she created; however, none of those things happened and I am left sitting here thinking, where did she go wrong?

The ability to “slide” into another person and live life through their eyes for a few moments seemed very intriguing at first. When we are initially introduced to Sylvia (Vee) and her ability, readers are given the impression she has come to terms with her gift and learned how (to a certain degree) control when she slides. It’s never explained why she can slide, how she obtained her gift, and I found it very difficult to believe that she never tried to control it (as far as who she slides into and when) before this story in her life takes place. Neither am I fully convinced she’s the only one in the entire world with this gift, like some sort of anomaly.

It has been my experience with the paranormal; if someone has a special gift either a) someone has heard of it/wants it or b) someone such as a mentor will come along and guide them, show them the ropes, introduce them to a new way of life and/or the world of the supernatural. I believe this is my main issue with Slide. If we are going to believe her gift is “paranormal”, then HELLO we need some elements of paranormal. Heck, I would have even bought the story if Vee found some information that showed her mother had the same condition. In my opinion, any sort of explanation would have been better than none at all. Other than, “oh here I go” and ‘oh I’m back in my body again”. Needless to say it was a tab bit off-putting.

Another issue I had with Slide is the predictability. Any person with basic deductive reasoning skills will be able to guess who the killer is many pages before the end, especially after Vee discovers a certain secret about one of her family members. In a murder mystery there should always be a few things to “throw” the reader off the trail of the killer. Instead what we are given in Slide, are clues and events that lead us directly to the culprit. Now I will say the reasons for the murders were very surprising, a little bit shocking, and maybe even downright disturbing. And the only reason I kept reading was to see how Vee was going to catch said person. Even then I wasn’t fully satisfied with the ending – which was abrupt with the unnecessary epilogue – and I feel cheated for giving myself over to this novel which had so much promise with a big whodunit that failed to pull me into the story.

Despite not loving Slide I did like the overall message of the book. Hidden deep within this mystery novel are the issues that many teenagers face today. Grief, suicide, loss, denial, rape, betrayal, infidelity, and death, all are present and weigh profoundly on our characters. These are very difficult subjects for anyone to deal with and I think I should give Hathaway some credit for attempting to bring such heavy subjects to the forefront of our minds. Our characters reactions to each situation were very believable and had I been in their situation, I may have reacted the same way to a certain degree.

Overall, Slide is a good novel. It does have its shortcomings, but nonetheless the theme is powerful and emotionally compelling. Though some of the characters were better written than others, I still enjoyed Vee as a protagonist. In no way is Hathaway a terrible writer. In fact, I am interested in reading more of her work in the future. Maybe if she writes just a paranormal novel, or a simple murder mystery. I think Slide would have worked if it had been just one or the other. *Sighs*

If you are looking for a short fast-paced read that deals with serious teen issues then give Slide a try. If not, you aren’t missing that much and maybe you should wait for Hathaway’s next novel.

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Vee knows the truth. Not just any truth, but a a horrible truth about her sister's friend Sophie. She didn't kill herself, she was murdered. She didn't exactly witness the murder, she was part of it...sort of. Vee has the strange ability to "slide" into other people's bodies and experience the

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world through their eyes. Though Vee has been sliding for years, nothing was like finding herself standing over a dead body with a bloody knife. But knowing the truth comes with great responsibility, and great danger.

Slide, the debut novel from author Jill Hathaway, is an exciting new thriller that's different from just about anything else I've read recently. Vee has a unique, but interesting conflict that centers around her strange ability. I was a little surprised, though, that she spent so much of the novel agonizing over whether to tell anyone about what she discovered. Sure, the police would have hard-to-answer questions, but what about Rollins, her best friend? Vee seems to spend much of the novel feeling so alone, which makes it even more rewarding when she pushes through it later on.

I wouldn't say that Slide is an amazing book, but it has an interesting concept that's well-constructed and interesting. Definitely worth a read.

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Sylvia (Vee) has the ability to slide into other peoples minds when she touches something they've "imprinted" on. She slides into the mind of the man who killed her sisters best friend Sophie, whom everyone thinks committed suicide. Who can she tell though, without knowing who the killer is, and

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who would believe her, when the story sounds so crazy, even to herself.

I know this book has had some mixed reviews, but I absolutly loved it. This type of book is right up my alley, with the psychological thriller aspect of it. I was on the edge of my seat throughout this whole book and found myself zipping through the pages to find out what happened next. I read this whole book in one day, and pretty much in one sitting minus small breaks to eat and use the restroom. I couldn't put this book down, and although some reviews felt disapointed with the ending, I really liked it. I like who the killer ended up being, and didn't feel like it came out of left field at all.

This book had crazy twists and turns and i'm so happy this is the first in the series, because I can't wait to get more of these characters. Vee and her best friends Rollins were very easy characters to like, and I thought they were both well-developed and easily relatible.

If you like "who done it?" type books, or psychological thrillers of sorts, then I think you'll really enjoy this story, I know I did, and can't wait to read more from Jill.

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Slide was so far off from what I expected...in a good way. It was unique and mysterious, lined with a slight supernatural twist. I have to say, I really like the idea of "sliding" into someone else and seeing how others see things and although its a power I wouldn't want to possess, I loved reading

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about it.

Vee keeps her sliding power quiet, mainly because she knows people might think she's crazy. Somehow the sliding effect is connected to touching personal items from others. But, now that she accidentally slid into a murderer's body, she's determined to find out who the killer is and solve the murder. Vee is led into a whirlwind of clues that may or may not be valid and putting together the pieces is harder than she thought.

I got to hand it to Vee. She's not very fond of her ability and she can't seem to get rid of it, so she uses it in a way that helps her gain clues to Sophie's murder. She's equally strong and caring, however different those two characteristics may be. She was the nice girl who didn't care about gaining status by being rude to others, so I was definitely able to build a connection to her. Rollins is a reserved guy, regarding his home life, and Vee notices that he's been acting kind of odd. I liked that he was mysterious and weird. I think the group of characters definitely was the highlight of the book and each gave edge to the storyline.

Jill Hathaway did an excellent job of seamlessly integrating the two emotions of Vee and whoever she's slides into. Obviously Vee is inside the person, but it was mind-boggling to be feeling what Vee is feeling AND what the other person feels. Overall, I really enjoyed the writing and that it was fast-paced.

I would say that Slide is a must-read for everyone! It's mysterious and full of twists and puzzles. It kept me on edge and begging for the answers! It looks as though there will be a Slide series, so I am definitely looking forward to more from Jill Hathaway and the lovely Vee.

For those who like: Light supernatural, murder mysteries
Source: Publisher (ARC)

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Slide kept me guessing until the end! It's a fantastic murder mystery, and Hathaway does an excellent job of blending the paranormal and mystery genres. This novel had me so confused that I could not, for the life of me, figure out who the killer was. It ended up being the person I first suspected,

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but then Hathaway decided to completely mess with my head and make it seem like everyone was guilty. I wasn't completely shocked when I figured out who the killer was, but by this point, I suspected everyone.

My one pet-peeve about the novel is that it is in present tense. I generally don't like present tense novels, but it worked okay for this book. However, I would have liked it better had it been in past tense. With present tense books, I just picture people walking around narrating their lives out loud as they go along. Yea, I know, I'm strange.

I really enjoyed all of the characters, and the decision to put the book in Vee's POV was a good one. I could actually see what she saw when she was sliding. It would not have worked as a third person narrative, so I'm glad that Hathaway made this decision.

Vee is very likable and mature beyond her years. Since her mother died from pancreatic cancer, she has had to act as the parent since her father is always at the hospital performing surgery. Unlike many YA books, he was present for a good part of the novel, though. I liked that the rest of her family wasn't completely out of touch. Her sister, Mattie, grew as a character quite a bit, and I really liked her by the end of the novel as well. Rollins was my favorite from the beginning, and I liked that he was rebellious with a good heart. Vee grew immensely throughout the novel, and by the end of the book, it was obvious that she was finally coming into her own and learning to love herself.

Some of the secondary characters were cliches: Amber was the typical mean girl cheerleader, and Scotch was the typical skeeze quarterback. However, Hathaway made this work by incorporating more complex characters like Sophie, Mattie, Vee, Zane, and Rollins. Therefore, the stereotypes didn't bother me that much. All of the characters were well-developed and three dimensional.

The mythology behind Slide was very interesting. Vee passes out when she touches something that belongs to and/or is important to someone else, and slides into his or her head. If the person didn't imprint on it with strong emotions, then she's unable to slide into his or her head. Her powers grow as the book continues, and she tells the back story of how she learned all of the "rules" of her power as well. There was no one there to tell her how to work her power, and she was the only person in the novel with supernatural abilities. She's a strong and intelligent character to be able to figure out everything she needs to know without any guidance.

That being said, this is not a feel good book. There is a lot of death and really depressing lost in Slide. It rips your heart out a few times. I didn't cry, but I was pretty sad during some of the scenes. The ending, though, is a bit happier, and things started to come together a bit. Also, I would recommend this book to someone 16+ because there are a ton of drug and sex references in it.

I'm not sure if there is a sequel to Slide or not. It felt like a stand alone book with the ending. However, if Harper Collins and Hathaway decide to publish a sequel, I will definitely read it. I liked Vee, and I'd like to see how else she can use her powers. Hathaway did an excellent job with this novel, and I can't wait to read what she comes up with next.

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I was immediately intrigued by the synopsis. The ability to slide into someone else's mind captured me in heartbeat. This book is fast and so easily to get into!

What I loved about this book is the plot. I loved it when something from the past comes back to haunt you. You think your demons are dead

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and buried and BOOM, they're back. The plot intensifies with each turn page leaving more clues for the reader to follow. I enjoyed getting to slide into the other minds of the characters.It certainly left my mind blown.

The love interest definitely took a turn I was not expecting. I thought of it going one way but turn around. This is like. Taking me by surprise of what is really going behind the scene left me giddy. I liked reading about Vee in her emotions toward the guys.

I think the best part of this book is watching the whole story unfold before my eyes. Ms. Hathaway had a real talent for letting things fall together so that the reader gets a great effect of everything in the end.

Slide is undeniably tense and thrilling! Slide is a marvelous captivating book that will leave you breathless after your first slide.

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This book was different. Overall, I would say I enjoyed it, but that the novel was not without its problems.

First, I really liked Sylvia "Vee" Bell. I thought she was a great character. Very real, easy to relate to, down-to-earth, and took her special ability in stride. There was no angst regarding

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her ability, which I often see in novels where a character has an extraordinary ability.

Second, I loved Vee's special ability! Her ability to "slide" into other people and see events unfold through their eyes was fantastic! This ability was great because it is different and unexplained and kind of messes with your mind a little bit. Vee's ability also provides the catalyst for the plot. Vee slides into someone, she doesn't know who, and sees events that lead her to believe her sister's friend Sophie was murdered. This was particularly enjoyable because Vee cannot control the "sliding" and she is not always sure who she is seeing through when it happens. The reader and Vee get to puzzle it out together, which I enjoyed.

Here's what I didn't love: the ending. The plot for 99.9% of the novel was extremely good. I was kept guessing, entertained, and intrigued. When the big reveal or the "who dunnit" moment happens, I was horribly disappointed. The bad guy seemed to come from way out in left field. There was no build up to this person being the bad guy. I felt kind of ripped off and cheated. There had been so much build up, practically the entire book, to who killed Sophie. When the killer is revealed as this bizarre choice, I was way disappointed. It totally colored my enjoyment of the novel as a whole. I would have easily given Slide a 4 martini review if the ending had not been such a crushing disappointment.

Would I recommend this book? I suppose I would. It is the first in a series and I have hopes that the second book will have a better ending.

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SLIDE promised me a few things in the synopsis. A murder mystery (love those). A romance (love those, too). Catty high school drama (definitely love). This was actually the first book I ever requested from HarperCollins for review, and I was super excited for it. Maybe I overhyped the book in my

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head, or maybe I let the hype on Goodreads mislead me, but this book didn’t live up to all my expectations. I enjoyed the book, but it wasn’t all the way there for me. While SLIDE does have an awesome premise and a unique take on the paranormal, I felt that it could have been a lot more than how it ended up.

Vee Bell is a typical high school student in Iowa. Like many young teenage girls, she has gone through a lot in her life at school – backstabbing friends, issues with boys, peer pressure, alcohol, etc. When she was 11, she lost her mother to cancer. But she has a certain secret that she carries with her. Everyone thinks she is narcoleptic, passing out at certain times in reaction to stimuli. In reality, when she passes out, she “slides” into the mind of another and becomes a passenger to their thoughts. If you saw the movie BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, it’s basically like the door to Malkovich’s brain.

This set up presents interesting opportunities, and lots of complications. She’s afraid to tell anyone, including her friends and family, but she can’t control her affliction. Vee is a strong girl who has a lot of stuff to deal with in her life, from a father that is constantly working (and hiding stuff) to a sister who is hard to control. But when her sister’s friends start dropping, and Vee slides into the mind of the killer during one of their murders, things start going bad.

SLIDE is a book on the border between contemporary and paranormal, a standalone by a debut author in a market heavy towards series. And sadly, this story fell flat for me. The writing was fine – smooth, realistic, light on the frilly aspects that I hate. But the plot was what threw me. I have seen other reviewers comment on the predictability of the story, and I have to agree. Vee might not see the clues, but anyone with half a brain will be able to tell who the killer is the moment certain clues are revealed. With this, the conclusion doesn’t seem very exciting, and the climax is dull.

Other than that, I quite enjoyed the novel. Vee was an awesome character and her voice and POV were very clear and interesting. Her best friend Rollins was equally as cool, although I wasn’t as hot for her love interest Zane. The characters were for the most part engaging and realistic. It was just the evolution of the plot and the clues that rubbed me wrong, detracting from what could have been – an awesome, seat-of-your-pants murder mystery. When you can tell who the killer is from 100 pages out, that’s not a good sign.

VERDICT: With a predictable ending, SLIDE could have been a lot more. Nevertheless, it was still an exciting story with an awesome protagonist and signals the arrival of an author to watch in the future.

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I loved the premise of this book. It was very original, and one I wished I had come up with.

This is a very difficult review to write. Not because I didn’t like the book, but because I can’t really say much without giving things away. I’m going to do my best.

First of all, I really enjoyed

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Ms. Hathaway’s writing style. It flowed nicely and she has a wonderful sense of pace. A good thriller builds at just the right times, gets your heart racing and then gives you a chance to breathe before starting up again. I felt this book definitely falls into this category.

I really enjoyed the characters — especially Vee. I love that she has pink hair and does her best NOT to conform. Sometimes this type of character grates my nerves because they try so hard to be different it detracts from the real story. That wasn’t the case here. Vee was Vee and you knew exactly why she was the way she was.

My favorite thing about this book was the mystery. It’s intense, and twisty and turny and so fun to read. I wish I could say more about it, but then I’d ruin the book for you and I so don’t want to do that. This is a fast-paced, intriguing read, and I highly recommend it to fans of mysteries.

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Slide by Jill Hathaway is an interesting book. Technically, the plot deals with something that could be considered paranormal (sliding into someone else's body...sounds paranormal to me), but actually, it reads more contemporary. Now, if you're not a fan of contemporary, but you're a fan of

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paranormal, you'd still probably enjoy this. Actually, if you're a fan of either genre, you'd probably enjoy it.

I really liked reading Slide. Lately, I've read a lot of books not in my usual genre that were good, but not great. I've had to take breaks while reading them because they didn't hold my attention well enough. I'm pleased that this wasn't my experience with Slide. It felt out of my genre because of the contemporary feel, but it was a very intriguing, quick read. I actually finished it in one sitting.

Besides Vee's unique ability, the story was captivating because of the characters and the mystery. All along, we're trying to figure out several things at once. First, the murder is unsettling and Vee is desperately trying to figure out who did it. Second, Rollins is being more distant. Vee doesn't know why and doesn't know how to fix their relationship. Third, there's this new boy Zane that is attractive and brimming with secrets. And that's all I'm going to say, but there's even more mysterious behaviors from other characters.

Trying to piece together these mysteries and figure out which ones fit together and which are unrelated definitely kept my attention throughout the story. I thought Hathaway's choices as far as what to include in the web of interrelated actions and what to cast off as separate was well thought out. Bits you think might be connected aren't, and things you didn't think would be connected are. It's good. I was able to figure some of the things out (in general, not all the details) but there was enough surprise to keep me intrigued.

Overall, Slide was an intriguing, fast read that I'd recommend to anyone who reads the summary and thinks they might be interested. Content wise, it's not for everyone, but that's why you should read the summary first.

Final thoughts: Buy or borrow.

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