Review: Sanctuary Bay by Laura J. Burns & Melinda Metz

Title: Sanctuary Bay
Author: Laura Burns, Melinda Metz
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: January 19, 2015

In this genre-bending YA thriller, will Sarah Merson's shiny new prep school change her life forever or bring it to a dark and sinister end?

When Sarah Merson receives the opportunity of a lifetime to attend the most elite prep school in the country-Sanctuary Bay Academy-it seems almost too good to be true. But, after years of bouncing from foster home to foster home, escaping to its tranquil setting, nestled deep in Swans Island, couldn't sound more appealing. Swiftly thrown into a world of privilege and secrets, Sarah quickly realizes finding herself noticed by class charmer, Nate, as well as her roommate's dangerously attentive boyfriend, Ethan, are the least of her worries. When her roommate suddenly goes missing, she finds herself in a race against time, not only to find her, but to save herself and discover the dark truth behind Sanctuary Bay's glossy reputation.

In this genre-bending YA thriller, Sanctuary Bay by Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz, Sarah's new school may seem like an idyllic temple of learning, but as she unearths years of terrifying history and manipulation, she discovers this "school" is something much more sinister.

I struggle with what to think on this one.

Sanctuary Bay follows Sarah Merson, a foster kid who got extremely lucky by being accepted to the most elite prep school in the country.  For the first time in her life, she starts to fit in, makes friends, etc.  But things start to turn dark pretty quickly.

Honestly, I thought the first half of the book was pretty slow.  It was just day to day stuff - Sarah getting to know people and getting to know the school.  I was tempted to put it down.  The second half really picks up a lot.  There's action and twists.

So about the twists?  Honestly, I thought they were predictable.  While I hadn't predicted the entire depth of the main plot twist, I had figured out the gist of it.  So I wasn't surprised at all by it.  That said, I could see how it could creep up on you and be a surprise if you weren't looking for it.  The plot itself, was really interesting.  But the characters weren't my favorite.  I found Nate kind of dull.  And Sarah annoyed me a lot at first.  Eventually, I think I finally got in her head and she grew on me.  The only one that I really liked from the beginning was Ethan (amusingly since he was so prickly).

Overall

While the beginning was slow, it picked up a lot toward the end and leaves off on a cliffhanger, making you want more.  If you're into psychological thrillers, you should give it a shot.

Note: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.