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Clarity #1
Clarity
When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth?
This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.
Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.
And a curse.
When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?
This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.
Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.
And a curse.
When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?
246 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2011
About the author
Kim Harrington
11 books1,078 followersKim Harrington is the author of Clarity (a 2012 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers), Perception, The Dead and Buried, and Forget Me for teens and Revenge of the Red Club, the Sleuth or Dare series, and Gamer Squad series for younger readers. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and son. When not writing, she’s most likely reading, watching one of her favorite TV shows, or fantasizing about her next vacation.
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April 12, 2011
CLARITY, Or Five Reasons Why You Need To THINK Before You WRITE:
Fail #1: The Big Question of Why a Psychic with a Penis is Popular but a Psychic with Boobs is A Freak:
Both Clare and Perry are psychics. While Clare’s gift lies in psychometry, her brother is a medium. Yes, he talks to dead people. They both give psychic readings to tourists in Eastport. Yet Clare’s brother has friends, gets invited to parties, and scores with the ladies, both tourists and locals. Clare, on the other hand, is alternately derided and ignored. Not because she’s ugly, or stupid, but because she’s psychic.
The author further goes on to state that both Perry and Clare’s powers manifested during puberty. But from what we can gather of the backstory, it appears that Clare never had a friend. Not even when she was just a regular kid. Yet she constantly blames her friendless state on the fact people perceive her as a psychic freak. Fail.
Fail #2: Wherein I miss the Rule Book Relating to The Characterization of A Mean Girl:
Clare’s tormentors are a matched set of three blonde cheerleaders with appropriate blonde names: Tiffany, Brooke and Kendra. Seriously, where was I when the rule book got passed around? The one that states that:
a) The Mean Girls in any school must always be the Cheerleaders.
b) The Cheerleaders must always be blonde, preferably of the peroxide variety
c) They must never have names like Mary, Jane and Martha.
d) They must always be skanky, boyfriend-stealing sluts
With a name like Tiffany, how could the poor girl resist the pressure to become a malicious bitch with an eye on the heroine’s smart, suave boyfriend? Of course, she couldn’t, and therefore ends up being the slut who sleeps with (kind of rapes, actually!) Clare’s now-ex-boyfriend. Fail.
Fail #3: On How It is Easier to Suspect Your Own Brother of Murder, Rather than Your Love Interest:
Okay, this was the part that really, really got to me! From the minute Clare’s brother tells her he spent the night with the murder victim Clare is investigating, the doubts start creeping in. She is shown as trying very hard to convince herself that her brother was incapable of murder. But every time she thinks about it, she wonders if he’s being entirely truthful.
That's just creepy. I have a brother. He’s a little weird, a little secretive but he’s my brother, the guy I grew up with. I’ve seen him cry and laugh and hit on girls. If, one day, he ever became embroiled in a murder investigation, I would laugh at any suggestion that he had killed somebody. Even if he was caught with the murder weapon in his hand, I wouldn’t doubt him, I would just think there was a reasonable explanation for it.
Clare, on the other hand, has no reason to disbelieve her brother when he tells her he left the hotel room before the girl was killed, and yet she does. For god’s sake, a minute’s reflection would have convinced her of the difficulties a boy with a psychic mother would face in obtaining a gun, or learning how to use it. And above and beyond that, he’s her brother. She should know on the most visceral level that he is incapable of it. However, she spends most of the book trying to stifle her doubts about whether her brother is actually the killer. And yet, when suspicion turns on one of her love interests, and even a random boy that she starts to get friendly with, she immediately begins to look for another explanation, pointing fingers at fathers and mothers and refusing to consider the possibility that these guys might be guilty. Fail.
Fail #4: An Explanation of Why You don’t Have to be Physically Absent to Suffer from DPS:
Disappearing Parent Syndrome (defn.): Where the voice of parental authority is conveniently absent, leaving the teenage protagonist/s to fend for themselves.
Now you don’t have to be physically absent in order to be a victim of DPS. In fact, Clare’s mother is the perfect example of this. First off, she lets her seventeen year old daughter get involved in a murder investigation, for Chrissakes! Excuse me while I go call Child Services.
Then she reads her son’s mind, and finds out that he has not only been screwing the murder victim just before she died, but also indulging in a TON of suspicious activity in the aftermath, and she says NOTHING to him? Her only involvement in the entire issue is a lukewarm advisory to Clare to make Perry tell the cops the truth. Seriously? Your son could be arrested any minute and you just sit around twiddling your thumbs without confronting him and making him do the right thing? Fail.
Fail #5: The Dreaded Love Triangle takes A Bow Alongside Friend and Fellow Plot-Fail, Loose Threads:
I really need a spy to give me insider gossip on the publishing industry. Or, as someone suggested on my blog, I need to get an editor drunk. Because I MUST have confirmation of my suspicion that every publisher buying a YA book these days requires the author to insert a love triangle in it. I mean, why else would any self-respecting author subject their readers to this angstfest? Oh my brother’s in jail accused of murder, please let me kiss you so that I can forget about him in your manly arms!. And then later, Oh, my brother is STILL in jail, and the other guy I kissed might be responsible for the whole thing, but I can’t think about that now; just kiss me! No, just no.
And as if that’s not bad enough, we don’t even get to find out which boy she picks, because she DOESN’T. Pick one, I mean. And that’s not the only loose thread flapping around. In a “skillful” set-up for the next novel, a psychic makes an ominous prediction for the future and the question of the missing father comes up. Ooooh mystery! Not.
F.A.I.L.
Fail #1: The Big Question of Why a Psychic with a Penis is Popular but a Psychic with Boobs is A Freak:
Both Clare and Perry are psychics. While Clare’s gift lies in psychometry, her brother is a medium. Yes, he talks to dead people. They both give psychic readings to tourists in Eastport. Yet Clare’s brother has friends, gets invited to parties, and scores with the ladies, both tourists and locals. Clare, on the other hand, is alternately derided and ignored. Not because she’s ugly, or stupid, but because she’s psychic.
The author further goes on to state that both Perry and Clare’s powers manifested during puberty. But from what we can gather of the backstory, it appears that Clare never had a friend. Not even when she was just a regular kid. Yet she constantly blames her friendless state on the fact people perceive her as a psychic freak. Fail.
Fail #2: Wherein I miss the Rule Book Relating to The Characterization of A Mean Girl:
Clare’s tormentors are a matched set of three blonde cheerleaders with appropriate blonde names: Tiffany, Brooke and Kendra. Seriously, where was I when the rule book got passed around? The one that states that:
a) The Mean Girls in any school must always be the Cheerleaders.
b) The Cheerleaders must always be blonde, preferably of the peroxide variety
c) They must never have names like Mary, Jane and Martha.
d) They must always be skanky, boyfriend-stealing sluts
With a name like Tiffany, how could the poor girl resist the pressure to become a malicious bitch with an eye on the heroine’s smart, suave boyfriend? Of course, she couldn’t, and therefore ends up being the slut who sleeps with (kind of rapes, actually!) Clare’s now-ex-boyfriend. Fail.
Fail #3: On How It is Easier to Suspect Your Own Brother of Murder, Rather than Your Love Interest:
Okay, this was the part that really, really got to me! From the minute Clare’s brother tells her he spent the night with the murder victim Clare is investigating, the doubts start creeping in. She is shown as trying very hard to convince herself that her brother was incapable of murder. But every time she thinks about it, she wonders if he’s being entirely truthful.
That's just creepy. I have a brother. He’s a little weird, a little secretive but he’s my brother, the guy I grew up with. I’ve seen him cry and laugh and hit on girls. If, one day, he ever became embroiled in a murder investigation, I would laugh at any suggestion that he had killed somebody. Even if he was caught with the murder weapon in his hand, I wouldn’t doubt him, I would just think there was a reasonable explanation for it.
Clare, on the other hand, has no reason to disbelieve her brother when he tells her he left the hotel room before the girl was killed, and yet she does. For god’s sake, a minute’s reflection would have convinced her of the difficulties a boy with a psychic mother would face in obtaining a gun, or learning how to use it. And above and beyond that, he’s her brother. She should know on the most visceral level that he is incapable of it. However, she spends most of the book trying to stifle her doubts about whether her brother is actually the killer. And yet, when suspicion turns on one of her love interests, and even a random boy that she starts to get friendly with, she immediately begins to look for another explanation, pointing fingers at fathers and mothers and refusing to consider the possibility that these guys might be guilty. Fail.
Fail #4: An Explanation of Why You don’t Have to be Physically Absent to Suffer from DPS:
Disappearing Parent Syndrome (defn.): Where the voice of parental authority is conveniently absent, leaving the teenage protagonist/s to fend for themselves.
Now you don’t have to be physically absent in order to be a victim of DPS. In fact, Clare’s mother is the perfect example of this. First off, she lets her seventeen year old daughter get involved in a murder investigation, for Chrissakes! Excuse me while I go call Child Services.
Then she reads her son’s mind, and finds out that he has not only been screwing the murder victim just before she died, but also indulging in a TON of suspicious activity in the aftermath, and she says NOTHING to him? Her only involvement in the entire issue is a lukewarm advisory to Clare to make Perry tell the cops the truth. Seriously? Your son could be arrested any minute and you just sit around twiddling your thumbs without confronting him and making him do the right thing? Fail.
Fail #5: The Dreaded Love Triangle takes A Bow Alongside Friend and Fellow Plot-Fail, Loose Threads:
I really need a spy to give me insider gossip on the publishing industry. Or, as someone suggested on my blog, I need to get an editor drunk. Because I MUST have confirmation of my suspicion that every publisher buying a YA book these days requires the author to insert a love triangle in it. I mean, why else would any self-respecting author subject their readers to this angstfest? Oh my brother’s in jail accused of murder, please let me kiss you so that I can forget about him in your manly arms!. And then later, Oh, my brother is STILL in jail, and the other guy I kissed might be responsible for the whole thing, but I can’t think about that now; just kiss me! No, just no.
And as if that’s not bad enough, we don’t even get to find out which boy she picks, because she DOESN’T. Pick one, I mean. And that’s not the only loose thread flapping around. In a “skillful” set-up for the next novel, a psychic makes an ominous prediction for the future and the question of the missing father comes up. Ooooh mystery! Not.
F.A.I.L.
June 21, 2011
Hmm . . . I think I'm in the minority here when I say that I didn't like this.
I don't know much about the modus operandi of the law (other than what I've seen on Law & Order, naturally), but since when do police detectives and the mayor enlist the residential psychics to help solve a murder case?
The police have Clare investigate the scene of the crime and have her mother read the minds of a lineup of suspects! WT . . . ? I mean, would their testimony even hold up in a court of law? I realize this is fiction, but come on—I've never heard of the police taking psychics and their "abilities" that seriously. (You can actually read more about this subject here.)
Another thing that I found completely ridiculous: Clare's brother's name is Periwinkle (no shit). But, of course, his friends and family just refer to him as Perry because if the girls in town found this out he wouldn't be able to get into their pants (just to be clear, the book doesn't actually describe it like that—that's just my summarization). You see,Periwinkle, excuse me *coughs*, Perry is sowing his wild oats.
I sincerely tried to find interest in Clare's character. It wasn't a matter of liking her, I just simply didn't connect with her and, quite frankly, I found most of the characters (and the writing) rather flat. Gabriel is the typical love interest:
(What follows is the scene where Clare first sees Gabriel and his father, Detective Toscano)
"The door opened, and a man I'd never seen before came in. Tall and broad-shouldered with tan skin and black hair, he was handsome for an older man. Just as I thought that, his younger clone walked in behind him. The younger guy's walk oozed confidence and his body radiated heat. He wore low-slung jeans and a black T-shirt that clung just so to his muscular frame. As he walked past our booth, he glanced at me with his dark eyes and then cracked a small smile. I nearly melted right there in my seat."
Yep. Gabriel is a human furnace and Clare is ice cream. . . . I'm afraid I've heard that one too many times.
The only two characters I found any interest in were Nate and Justin. Nate is the boy who'll always be there for you, although Clare's too busy choosing between her ex (Justin) and the new human furnace in town to recognize him as anything more than a friend.
I thought that Justin was a much more appealing choice than Gabriel. The only problem with Justin is that he cheated on Clare. And get this: Clare's mother encourages her to get back together with him! Justin's affair is described as a drunken one night stand, but, still, what kind of mother wants their daughter to get back with the boy who cheated on her?
Honestly, I'm not the kind of person who normally dislikes the paranormal genre. If you look at my shelves, you'll see that I've liked a lot of the more harshly criticized YA paranormals. This one just didn't do it for me.
To those interested in reading Clarity, I suggest you try this from your library. Who knows, you might like it more than I did.
I don't know much about the modus operandi of the law (other than what I've seen on Law & Order, naturally), but since when do police detectives and the mayor enlist the residential psychics to help solve a murder case?
The police have Clare investigate the scene of the crime and have her mother read the minds of a lineup of suspects! WT . . . ? I mean, would their testimony even hold up in a court of law? I realize this is fiction, but come on—I've never heard of the police taking psychics and their "abilities" that seriously. (You can actually read more about this subject here.)
Another thing that I found completely ridiculous: Clare's brother's name is Periwinkle (no shit). But, of course, his friends and family just refer to him as Perry because if the girls in town found this out he wouldn't be able to get into their pants (just to be clear, the book doesn't actually describe it like that—that's just my summarization). You see,
I sincerely tried to find interest in Clare's character. It wasn't a matter of liking her, I just simply didn't connect with her and, quite frankly, I found most of the characters (and the writing) rather flat. Gabriel is the typical love interest:
(What follows is the scene where Clare first sees Gabriel and his father, Detective Toscano)
"The door opened, and a man I'd never seen before came in. Tall and broad-shouldered with tan skin and black hair, he was handsome for an older man. Just as I thought that, his younger clone walked in behind him. The younger guy's walk oozed confidence and his body radiated heat. He wore low-slung jeans and a black T-shirt that clung just so to his muscular frame. As he walked past our booth, he glanced at me with his dark eyes and then cracked a small smile. I nearly melted right there in my seat."
Yep. Gabriel is a human furnace and Clare is ice cream. . . . I'm afraid I've heard that one too many times.
The only two characters I found any interest in were Nate and Justin. Nate is the boy who'll always be there for you, although Clare's too busy choosing between her ex (Justin) and the new human furnace in town to recognize him as anything more than a friend.
I thought that Justin was a much more appealing choice than Gabriel. The only problem with Justin is that he cheated on Clare. And get this: Clare's mother encourages her to get back together with him! Justin's affair is described as a drunken one night stand, but, still, what kind of mother wants their daughter to get back with the boy who cheated on her?
Honestly, I'm not the kind of person who normally dislikes the paranormal genre. If you look at my shelves, you'll see that I've liked a lot of the more harshly criticized YA paranormals. This one just didn't do it for me.
To those interested in reading Clarity, I suggest you try this from your library. Who knows, you might like it more than I did.
September 6, 2016
My favorite part of this story is that there's a character named Perry and a sequence in which he is missing and at least four people actually say, "Where's Perry?"
Life was so awesome in these moments.
Life was so awesome in these moments.
March 1, 2019
Στις αρχές του Φεβρουαρίου κατευθύνθηκα προς την πλατεία Κοτζιά γιατί διοργανωνόταν το 23ο Παζάρι βιβλίου. Όπως είναι αυτονόητο πήγα με ανοιχτές αγκάλες και αποχώρησα με γεμάτα χέρια. Η μεγαλύτερη ‘’νίκη’’ της ημέρας ήταν ο ‘’Κουρδιστός Πρίγκιπας’’ της πολυαγαπημένης Cassandra Clare. Μέχρι και παρατήρηση (απόλυτα δικαιολογημένα) μου έκανε ο υπεύθυνος γιατί συνέχισα να ‘’σκάβω’’ μήπως έβρισκα και την ‘’Κουρδιστή Πριγκίπισσα’’. Πλησίον όμως εντόπισα τη ‘’Διαύγεια’’ της Kim Harrington σε απίστευτα χαμηλή τιμή. Το εξώφυλλο πραγματικά μαγνητίζει αλλά και το περιεχόμενο με απορρόφησε ολοκληρωτικά.
Η συγγραφέας αφηγείται την ιστορία της Κλάριτι Φερν όπου διαθέτει το χάρισμα να βυθίζεται σε οράματα του παρελθόντος όταν αγγίζει ένα αντικείμενο. Όμως αυτό το χάρισμα μετατρέπεται σε κατάρα γιατί η διαύγεια της για το παρελθόν λειτουργεί ως τροχοπέδη για το παρόν και το μέλλον της. Δεν γίνεται όμως να αδρανοποιήσει το χάρισμά της καθώς μόνο χάρη σε εκείνο θα εξιχνιαστεί η υπόθεση για το δολοφονημένο κορίτσι.
Μεγάλο πλεονέκτημα του μυθιστορήματος ήταν η μη γραμμική αφήγηση γιατί συνεχώς αναρωτιόμουν πως θα καταλήξουμε στον πρόλογο. Δεν περίμενα να πλανάται τέτοιο μυστήριο, μετατόπιζα συνέχεια την ευθύνη για τη δολοφονημένη κοπέλα σε βαθμό που αναρωτήθηκα μήπως διαβάζω διαφορετικό είδος βιβλίου. Ευτυχώς η Κλάριτι ήταν ωραίο τυπάκι γιατί με διακατέχει πάντα ο φόβος ότι θα αντιπαθήσω την εκάστοτε ηρωίδα. Φυσικά υπάρχει και ερωτικό τρίγωνο για να διαλέξετε όποια επιλογή σας αρέσει. Προσωπικά είμαι #team_justinspellman! Ολοκλήρωσα το βιβλίο μέσα σε ένα 24ωρο αλλά in my defence ήταν μόνο 221 σελίδες.
Είναι ο ορισμός του εφηβικού αναγνώσματος, εάν το είχα διαβάσει τότε θα το είχα βαθμολογήσει με πέντε αστέρια αλλά τώρα έχοντας πατήσει τα πρώτα -άντα θαρρώ πως του αξίζει ένα καθαρό 4άρι. Δεν ήταν το life-changing μυθιστόρημα αλλά ήταν ευκολοδιάβαστο και μου δημιούργησε την έξαψη για να καταπιαστώ με την ‘’Διαίσθηση’’ ώστε να ολοκληρώσω τη διλογία. Γιατί θαρρώ πως έχω διαβάσει σωστά τα ίχνη του βιβλίου ώστε να έχω μια διαυγή αντίληψη για τον γρίφο.
H κριτική δημοσιεύτηκε πρώτα στο One girl, one pen!
Η συγγραφέας αφηγείται την ιστορία της Κλάριτι Φερν όπου διαθέτει το χάρισμα να βυθίζεται σε οράματα του παρελθόντος όταν αγγίζει ένα αντικείμενο. Όμως αυτό το χάρισμα μετατρέπεται σε κατάρα γιατί η διαύγεια της για το παρελθόν λειτουργεί ως τροχοπέδη για το παρόν και το μέλλον της. Δεν γίνεται όμως να αδρανοποιήσει το χάρισμά της καθώς μόνο χάρη σε εκείνο θα εξιχνιαστεί η υπόθεση για το δολοφονημένο κορίτσι.
Μεγάλο πλεονέκτημα του μυθιστορήματος ήταν η μη γραμμική αφήγηση γιατί συνεχώς αναρωτιόμουν πως θα καταλήξουμε στον πρόλογο. Δεν περίμενα να πλανάται τέτοιο μυστήριο, μετατόπιζα συνέχεια την ευθύνη για τη δολοφονημένη κοπέλα σε βαθμό που αναρωτήθηκα μήπως διαβάζω διαφορετικό είδος βιβλίου. Ευτυχώς η Κλάριτι ήταν ωραίο τυπάκι γιατί με διακατέχει πάντα ο φόβος ότι θα αντιπαθήσω την εκάστοτε ηρωίδα. Φυσικά υπάρχει και ερωτικό τρίγωνο για να διαλέξετε όποια επιλογή σας αρέσει. Προσωπικά είμαι #team_justinspellman! Ολοκλήρωσα το βιβλίο μέσα σε ένα 24ωρο αλλά in my defence ήταν μόνο 221 σελίδες.
Είναι ο ορισμός του εφηβικού αναγνώσματος, εάν το είχα διαβάσει τότε θα το είχα βαθμολογήσει με πέντε αστέρια αλλά τώρα έχοντας πατήσει τα πρώτα -άντα θαρρώ πως του αξίζει ένα καθαρό 4άρι. Δεν ήταν το life-changing μυθιστόρημα αλλά ήταν ευκολοδιάβαστο και μου δημιούργησε την έξαψη για να καταπιαστώ με την ‘’Διαίσθηση’’ ώστε να ολοκληρώσω τη διλογία. Γιατί θαρρώ πως έχω διαβάσει σωστά τα ίχνη του βιβλίου ώστε να έχω μια διαυγή αντίληψη για τον γρίφο.
H κριτική δημοσιεύτηκε πρώτα στο One girl, one pen!
March 3, 2011
Yeah, I was Claire Fern, tough psychic chick, member of the freak family. But if they stripped all those labels off people might be shocked to find a normal girl beneath. Who doesn’t want to spend her days on the defensive.
Who wants what everyone else wants.
To be loved.
While some are born with talents like singing and art, the Fern family are born with supernatural abilities. Clarity is a psychic, her brother, Perry is a medium and her mom, Starla is telepathic. Together they work at a business, providing readings to the good tourist that come to Eastport. When a sudden murder happens in town Clarie is asked to help out in the investigation and finds herself working side by side with the Mayer's son and ex-boyfriend, Justin and the detectives son, Gabriel to solve this case. But when Clarie finds out that her brother Perry was with the victim the night she died, Clarie is put in a no-end situation. Family comes first, and she has to do what ever it takes to protect him. What ever it takes.
This book was just awesome!!!
I don't think I found one element I didn't enjoy. The writing style is remarkable, it was so easy to get caught up in these characters lives. The plot-line has a great whodunit mystery that kept me on my toes and had me guessing through out the whole story and the characters are all strongly developed and really likable.
Clarie is freaken awesome! There's nothing like a fiery protag who doesn't take crap from anyone, specially idiotic mean girls or gorgeous guys for that matter. I like that she takes charge and doesn't need others to hold her hand. She can take care of herself and does a fine job of doing just that. That doesn't mean she doesn't feel hurt when others look at her like a freak, but at least she has the spunk to be who she is and hold her head up high. Love her!
Then there are the boys, Justin and Gabriel, who funny enough, made some jackass moves. that doesn't excuse him mind you, but at least he's always accepted Clarie for who she is and loved her because of it. He's always believed in her and that's a plus in my book. Gabriel on the other hand has issues with psychic and totally judged Claire just as soon as he found out what she was. Yes he had his reasons and he's charming and cute and came around eventually and blah blah blah, but I'm rooting for Justin in this one!
I also really love the protective brother/sister bond in this one, I don't know why but I've always love books with a strong family background and this one most definitely has it.
I also liked Madame Maslov role in all of this and was scared that she was going to be put in the plot a different way, which would have ruined it for me, but thankfully that wasn't the case and her character added a great touch to storyline.
The supernatural concept, while isn't exactly something new, still felt fresh and alive and entertaining. Harrington really delivered a cast of fascinating characters and an engaging suspenseful plot that I couldn't get enough of. I loved that we even get a few hints to what we might expect for the next book, making this, more of a must have!!!
Bottom line, I loved, loved Clarity and can't wait to see what happens next!!
For fans who love a good mystery and a sweet romance, this one goes out to you! Fantastic debut!!
More please!
Who wants what everyone else wants.
To be loved.
While some are born with talents like singing and art, the Fern family are born with supernatural abilities. Clarity is a psychic, her brother, Perry is a medium and her mom, Starla is telepathic. Together they work at a business, providing readings to the good tourist that come to Eastport. When a sudden murder happens in town Clarie is asked to help out in the investigation and finds herself working side by side with the Mayer's son and ex-boyfriend, Justin and the detectives son, Gabriel to solve this case. But when Clarie finds out that her brother Perry was with the victim the night she died, Clarie is put in a no-end situation. Family comes first, and she has to do what ever it takes to protect him. What ever it takes.
This book was just awesome!!!
I don't think I found one element I didn't enjoy. The writing style is remarkable, it was so easy to get caught up in these characters lives. The plot-line has a great whodunit mystery that kept me on my toes and had me guessing through out the whole story and the characters are all strongly developed and really likable.
Clarie is freaken awesome! There's nothing like a fiery protag who doesn't take crap from anyone, specially idiotic mean girls or gorgeous guys for that matter. I like that she takes charge and doesn't need others to hold her hand. She can take care of herself and does a fine job of doing just that. That doesn't mean she doesn't feel hurt when others look at her like a freak, but at least she has the spunk to be who she is and hold her head up high. Love her!
Then there are the boys, Justin and Gabriel, who funny enough, made some jackass moves. that doesn't excuse him mind you, but at least he's always accepted Clarie for who she is and loved her because of it. He's always believed in her and that's a plus in my book. Gabriel on the other hand has issues with psychic and totally judged Claire just as soon as he found out what she was. Yes he had his reasons and he's charming and cute and came around eventually and blah blah blah, but I'm rooting for Justin in this one!
I also really love the protective brother/sister bond in this one, I don't know why but I've always love books with a strong family background and this one most definitely has it.
I also liked Madame Maslov role in all of this and was scared that she was going to be put in the plot a different way, which would have ruined it for me, but thankfully that wasn't the case and her character added a great touch to storyline.
The supernatural concept, while isn't exactly something new, still felt fresh and alive and entertaining. Harrington really delivered a cast of fascinating characters and an engaging suspenseful plot that I couldn't get enough of. I loved that we even get a few hints to what we might expect for the next book, making this, more of a must have!!!
Bottom line, I loved, loved Clarity and can't wait to see what happens next!!
For fans who love a good mystery and a sweet romance, this one goes out to you! Fantastic debut!!
More please!
April 19, 2012
In Eastport, a tourist town on Cape Cod, lives a family of freaks. My family. I’m a psychic. My brother’s a medium. My mother’s a telepath. Tourists love us. Townies scorn us. My name is Clarity “Clare” Fern and my brother is Periwinkle “Perry” Fern. What were our parents thinking?
Clarity ‘Clare’ Fern is a psychic. Her father is long gone and the family earns a living by using their respective talents to entertain tourists. Even though their customers think it’s just harmless fun, the locals know that their talents are real. When a young girl ends up dead in a hotel room right in the middle of a political campaign, Clare is asked to secretly work with the mayor’s son – her cheating ex boyfriend, and Gabriel, the new boy in town. It is the mayor’s hope that she will be able to use psychometry to identify the killer as quickly as possible, which would help him save face and eventually win the election.
Clarity was a big surprise for me. I always approach paranormal YA with a certain amount of weariness, but I needn’t have worried this time. I finished it all in one sitting, in less than three hours, and found it very refreshing.
I could have done without the love triangle, but I didn’t mind as much as I thought I would. Torn between an almost perfect ex-boyfriend who cheated on her once while heavily drunk, and the mysterious new boy in town who harbors conflicted feelings towards her, Clare didn’t know which way to turn, and neither did I. That’s probably why I didn’t hate the whole situation as much as I normally would – I have no idea who Clare will end up with and I kind of like it that way, for now. I do have a favorite, though.
That said, I’m a bit tired of the new-bad-boy-in-town trope. Gabriel fits it perfectly. He likes Clare the second he sees her, but there’s something in his past (no spoilers, I promise) that makes him hate, or rather despise all psychics, Clare included, so he tries to keep his distance, and the whole love-hate thing that happens after that is just a little tiresome, in my opinion. However, the shortness of the book and the pretty fast pacing didn’t leave much time for Gabriel’s internal struggles.
Clare found her place high up on my list of favorite heroines. She felt like an actual person to me and I enjoyed her intelligence and her loyalty. In fact, I thought all the characters were fully fleshed out, except maybe Clare’s mother, but I have a feeling something’s coming there too. You can only expect so much in 250 pages, and I was really satisfied with how much Harrington was able to include. I have high hopes for all these characters in the sequel. After reading the blurb for book two, I’m absolutely convinced that I already know the identity of Clare’s stalker. I can’t wait to find out if I’m right.
A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, Scholastic UK, for review purposes.
Also posted at The Nocturnal Library
Clarity ‘Clare’ Fern is a psychic. Her father is long gone and the family earns a living by using their respective talents to entertain tourists. Even though their customers think it’s just harmless fun, the locals know that their talents are real. When a young girl ends up dead in a hotel room right in the middle of a political campaign, Clare is asked to secretly work with the mayor’s son – her cheating ex boyfriend, and Gabriel, the new boy in town. It is the mayor’s hope that she will be able to use psychometry to identify the killer as quickly as possible, which would help him save face and eventually win the election.
Clarity was a big surprise for me. I always approach paranormal YA with a certain amount of weariness, but I needn’t have worried this time. I finished it all in one sitting, in less than three hours, and found it very refreshing.
I could have done without the love triangle, but I didn’t mind as much as I thought I would. Torn between an almost perfect ex-boyfriend who cheated on her once while heavily drunk, and the mysterious new boy in town who harbors conflicted feelings towards her, Clare didn’t know which way to turn, and neither did I. That’s probably why I didn’t hate the whole situation as much as I normally would – I have no idea who Clare will end up with and I kind of like it that way, for now. I do have a favorite, though.
That said, I’m a bit tired of the new-bad-boy-in-town trope. Gabriel fits it perfectly. He likes Clare the second he sees her, but there’s something in his past (no spoilers, I promise) that makes him hate, or rather despise all psychics, Clare included, so he tries to keep his distance, and the whole love-hate thing that happens after that is just a little tiresome, in my opinion. However, the shortness of the book and the pretty fast pacing didn’t leave much time for Gabriel’s internal struggles.
Clare found her place high up on my list of favorite heroines. She felt like an actual person to me and I enjoyed her intelligence and her loyalty. In fact, I thought all the characters were fully fleshed out, except maybe Clare’s mother, but I have a feeling something’s coming there too. You can only expect so much in 250 pages, and I was really satisfied with how much Harrington was able to include. I have high hopes for all these characters in the sequel. After reading the blurb for book two, I’m absolutely convinced that I already know the identity of Clare’s stalker. I can’t wait to find out if I’m right.
A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, Scholastic UK, for review purposes.
Also posted at The Nocturnal Library
December 12, 2010
I was so mesmerized reading CLARITY that at one point I got off at the wrong bus stop...but it was well worth the longer walk home. Kim Harrington has extracted the best elements from the Paranormal and Whodunnit genres and synthesized them into a fascinating, beachside murder mystery. In addition to the killer story, I absolutely loved the atmospheric world of CLARITY, which has traded the traditional "Everytown, USA" setting for a very real and well-explored Cape Cod. Everything about this book felt refreshing, and I'm grateful to have finally found a story to fill the Private-Detective-shaped void left in my heart after VERONICA MARS was canceled. Can't wait for Book 2.
April 5, 2011
Rating more like 4.5 stars
Favourite Quote: "Listen, I gather you have a problem working with a psychic. Believe me, I don't like working with a jackass any better."
Loved it! Clarity is an awesome debut. It is a hypnotic and intriguing read that I could not get enough of.
Harrington's effortless style makes for entertaining and absorbing read. I love the premise of Clarity. Clare's gift is retcocognitive psychometry - picking up imprints from objects. She uses her gift to help solve the murder of a teenage girl working alongside her ex-boyfriend and the new sheriff's son (aka new hottie in town). It's pages are full of mystery and suspense. I never guessed who the killer was. I thought it was going to be predictable but there was a few twists that I didn't expect.
Clare is awesome. Feisty, determined and instantly likeable. I love a character that sticks up for herself. She might be bullied but she doesn't take their crap lying down. Clare doesn't mind saying what is on her mind or giving the occasionally elbow to the stomach.
There is a love triangle and I actually didn't mind it. Probably because I couldn't pick between the two guys, Justin and Gabriel, either and also because Clare handle it the right way. Plus I like that fact that it isn't typical bad boy vs good boy. Both are just normal guys who make mistakes but they are both good guys (and gorgeous as well which never hurts).
My only tiny teeny little complaint with this book is the thriller part could have been a little bit scarier. Sure, it had a few surprises but it didn't get my pulse pounding.
Overall, Clarity had everything I was looking for in a fun reading escape - great characters, fantastic premises and left me with a craving for more.
Favourite Quote: "Listen, I gather you have a problem working with a psychic. Believe me, I don't like working with a jackass any better."
Loved it! Clarity is an awesome debut. It is a hypnotic and intriguing read that I could not get enough of.
Harrington's effortless style makes for entertaining and absorbing read. I love the premise of Clarity. Clare's gift is retcocognitive psychometry - picking up imprints from objects. She uses her gift to help solve the murder of a teenage girl working alongside her ex-boyfriend and the new sheriff's son (aka new hottie in town). It's pages are full of mystery and suspense. I never guessed who the killer was. I thought it was going to be predictable but there was a few twists that I didn't expect.
Clare is awesome. Feisty, determined and instantly likeable. I love a character that sticks up for herself. She might be bullied but she doesn't take their crap lying down. Clare doesn't mind saying what is on her mind or giving the occasionally elbow to the stomach.
There is a love triangle and I actually didn't mind it. Probably because I couldn't pick between the two guys, Justin and Gabriel, either and also because Clare handle it the right way. Plus I like that fact that it isn't typical bad boy vs good boy. Both are just normal guys who make mistakes but they are both good guys (and gorgeous as well which never hurts).
My only tiny teeny little complaint with this book is the thriller part could have been a little bit scarier. Sure, it had a few surprises but it didn't get my pulse pounding.
Overall, Clarity had everything I was looking for in a fun reading escape - great characters, fantastic premises and left me with a craving for more.
April 25, 2011
I love teen sleuths. I love teens with paranormal powers. So it’s no wonder that I enjoyed this book combining the two. Yes, the blurb is kind of stupid. I can’t see something like “It’s a gift. And a curse” without thinking of Adrian Monk and snickering; I mean, it’s his trademark line! It’s like trying to use “With great power comes great responsibility” without irony. It can’t be done.
Clarity lives in a Cape Cod island town where tourism is big business, and her family makes their living doing psychic readings. Unlike many tourist traps, though, they’re for real: Clarity uses psychometry to read objects, seeing the past of who held them last, while her brother Perry can talk to the dead and her mother can read thoughts. When a young female tourist is murdered, Clarity’s unique skills as a psychic are in demand, but the case becomes more complicated when she learns that Perry was with the girl on the night she died.
Anyway. So, I must mention Veronica Mars. She's THE teen sleuth to end all teen sleuths. Clarity resembles Veronica in her prickly toughness, her snarkiness, and her resourcefulness. Though she’s psychic, her intelligence and inquisitiveness are just as useful in solving this mystery. She just has a little bit of a psychic edge. She’s no professional like Veronica, but she fits well in the long line of dogged, intrepid teen detectives that precede her. But what really strikes me about the similarity is how they are outsiders in their community. Clarity says right away that she doesn’t really have any friends outside of her brother and her brother’s best friend and (once upon a time) Justin, who is now her ex-boyfriend. She tells herself she’s an outsider because of her paranormal powers, and that’s part of it, sure, but it’s also because she’s unforgiving and stand-offish. She’s always armed to the teeth with witty remarks and righteousness and once you’ve wronged her, you don’t get a second chance. I’m not saying she’s totally at fault for her isolation, because the casual bullying from her peers is real, but I got the feeling that she could make some female friends if she wanted to. That really reminds me of Veronica Mars, whose suspicious nature and taste for revenge is legendary for trumping personal relationships. Though Clarity warms up and becomes more forgiving, especially with her ex Justin, it explains a little bit why her brother, who is frequently described as charming and calming and easy-going, has less trouble at school. (There may also be a male-female double standard thing going, but then, when isn't there? I think in this case self-perception has a lot to do with Clarity's unpopularity versus her brother's popularity.)
Of course, while I’m saying that Clarity reminds me of Veronica, that’s where the resemblance ends. (Don’t worry – my essay on Veronica Mars will never see the light of day! You can thank me later.) This is not a dark, twisty thriller where you can’t trust anyone. Even though this is about multiple murders, it has a light tone and I never worried that anything bad was going to happen to the main characters. The story doesn’t take any risks. But what it does, it does well. It presents several viable suspects for the killings and didn’t take the super-easy way out. (I even fell for one of the red herrings!) It’s fast-paced and there’s a sense of rising stakes; the longer it takes Clarity to solve the mystery, the more in danger everyone is (especially when her brother is finally accused of the crime). The opening sets up the tension right away, and if the reveal of who is pointing the gun at Clarity is a little over the top, I still appreciated not being able to immediately guess who it was going to be.
Still, the villain’s monologuing scene is just that: monologuing. Harrington does such a good job making you suspect various people – all we know is that Clarity recognizes the killer – that it’s kind of disappointing how one-note the killer becomes. Not that I don’t buy their motivations, just that I think we should be past the point where the killer waves a gun around smugly explaining everything in one long info-dump. I know what I’m going to do if I ever become a killer with an evil plan: carry it through as efficiently as possible, with minimal time wasted explaining it to people I intend to kill anyway.
The other problem I had was that I didn’t really buy how Clarity ended up working the case in the first place. Not just because it’s ludicrous that the mayor and the police would ask teenagers to investigate, even if the teenagers are a psychic and the son of the new police detective. (Even though it is. Ludicrous, I mean.) What kills me is they don’t recruit the other members of her family, like Perry, who can talk to ghosts, which might be, I don’t know, useful when people are being murdered. And while I like Clarity’s mother, that’s some seriously hands-off parenting. She seems to know what’s going on the whole time, but she never intercedes in her daughter's investigating.
Finally, I enjoyed how chill the love triangle ended up being. I have no problems with love triangles, as long as they don’t become the main focus on the story, and as long as all three characters are equally well-rounded. Justin, the ex-boyfriend who made a drunken mistake, and Gabriel, the son of the new detective, are both good love interests. They both have baggage that affects Clarity without really being about her: Justin cheated on her, but it’s really more like he was taken advantage of while drunk by a scheming girl; and Gabriel hates psychics because of . Unlike some love triangles, right now I don’t care who Clarity ends up with, because I like both of them and was way more interested in the murder mystery. Happily, in this book, I don��t have to care. I don’t think it’s a cliffhanger that the book ended without Clarity choosing one of the guys; the murder mystery was solved, and that’s what’s important.
This has definite series potential.
Clarity lives in a Cape Cod island town where tourism is big business, and her family makes their living doing psychic readings. Unlike many tourist traps, though, they’re for real: Clarity uses psychometry to read objects, seeing the past of who held them last, while her brother Perry can talk to the dead and her mother can read thoughts. When a young female tourist is murdered, Clarity’s unique skills as a psychic are in demand, but the case becomes more complicated when she learns that Perry was with the girl on the night she died.
Anyway. So, I must mention Veronica Mars. She's THE teen sleuth to end all teen sleuths. Clarity resembles Veronica in her prickly toughness, her snarkiness, and her resourcefulness. Though she’s psychic, her intelligence and inquisitiveness are just as useful in solving this mystery. She just has a little bit of a psychic edge. She’s no professional like Veronica, but she fits well in the long line of dogged, intrepid teen detectives that precede her. But what really strikes me about the similarity is how they are outsiders in their community. Clarity says right away that she doesn’t really have any friends outside of her brother and her brother’s best friend and (once upon a time) Justin, who is now her ex-boyfriend. She tells herself she’s an outsider because of her paranormal powers, and that’s part of it, sure, but it’s also because she’s unforgiving and stand-offish. She’s always armed to the teeth with witty remarks and righteousness and once you’ve wronged her, you don’t get a second chance. I’m not saying she’s totally at fault for her isolation, because the casual bullying from her peers is real, but I got the feeling that she could make some female friends if she wanted to. That really reminds me of Veronica Mars, whose suspicious nature and taste for revenge is legendary for trumping personal relationships. Though Clarity warms up and becomes more forgiving, especially with her ex Justin, it explains a little bit why her brother, who is frequently described as charming and calming and easy-going, has less trouble at school. (There may also be a male-female double standard thing going, but then, when isn't there? I think in this case self-perception has a lot to do with Clarity's unpopularity versus her brother's popularity.)
Of course, while I’m saying that Clarity reminds me of Veronica, that’s where the resemblance ends. (Don’t worry – my essay on Veronica Mars will never see the light of day! You can thank me later.) This is not a dark, twisty thriller where you can’t trust anyone. Even though this is about multiple murders, it has a light tone and I never worried that anything bad was going to happen to the main characters. The story doesn’t take any risks. But what it does, it does well. It presents several viable suspects for the killings and didn’t take the super-easy way out. (I even fell for one of the red herrings!) It’s fast-paced and there’s a sense of rising stakes; the longer it takes Clarity to solve the mystery, the more in danger everyone is (especially when her brother is finally accused of the crime). The opening sets up the tension right away, and if the reveal of who is pointing the gun at Clarity is a little over the top, I still appreciated not being able to immediately guess who it was going to be.
Still, the villain’s monologuing scene is just that: monologuing. Harrington does such a good job making you suspect various people – all we know is that Clarity recognizes the killer – that it’s kind of disappointing how one-note the killer becomes. Not that I don’t buy their motivations, just that I think we should be past the point where the killer waves a gun around smugly explaining everything in one long info-dump. I know what I’m going to do if I ever become a killer with an evil plan: carry it through as efficiently as possible, with minimal time wasted explaining it to people I intend to kill anyway.
The other problem I had was that I didn’t really buy how Clarity ended up working the case in the first place. Not just because it’s ludicrous that the mayor and the police would ask teenagers to investigate, even if the teenagers are a psychic and the son of the new police detective. (Even though it is. Ludicrous, I mean.) What kills me is they don’t recruit the other members of her family, like Perry, who can talk to ghosts, which might be, I don’t know, useful when people are being murdered. And while I like Clarity’s mother, that’s some seriously hands-off parenting. She seems to know what’s going on the whole time, but she never intercedes in her daughter's investigating.
Finally, I enjoyed how chill the love triangle ended up being. I have no problems with love triangles, as long as they don’t become the main focus on the story, and as long as all three characters are equally well-rounded. Justin, the ex-boyfriend who made a drunken mistake, and Gabriel, the son of the new detective, are both good love interests. They both have baggage that affects Clarity without really being about her: Justin cheated on her, but it’s really more like he was taken advantage of while drunk by a scheming girl; and Gabriel hates psychics because of . Unlike some love triangles, right now I don’t care who Clarity ends up with, because I like both of them and was way more interested in the murder mystery. Happily, in this book, I don��t have to care. I don’t think it’s a cliffhanger that the book ended without Clarity choosing one of the guys; the murder mystery was solved, and that’s what’s important.
This has definite series potential.
August 10, 2012
3.5 stars
When I first picked up Clarity, I thought it would be your typical paranormal read, but it ended up surprising me in so many ways.
Clarity “Clare” Fern had the gift of retrocognitive psychometry, by touching certain objects she can get visions from them; so what a person may be thinking, doing or feeling. It’s both a good and bad thing having them. When her family does readings for tourists it can be good for business (the rest of her family also have a gift, her mother's a psychic and her brother Perry can connect with spirits) but it can also be a pain in the butt too, people around town think she is a freak and she can find things out by touch when she necessarily didn’t want to. So when a tourist ends up dead, the mayor and his son Justin, Clare’s ex think she could probably help the police solve the case. The police haven’t been having much luck, so may be Clare’s gift could give them the extra point in the right direction, with things already being awkward with Justin, things are made even more weird when a new detective and his son Gabriel move to town. Gabriel is yummy, but he’s also wary of psychics. The mayor thinks that Gabriel and Clare would make the perfect team. So Clare has to solve a murder case, try not to get too distracted by the hottie Gabriel who doesn’t seem to like her anyway, she still has no clue what to do with Justin either and to top it off a new psychic has moved into town who is a major threat to their business . Could things really get any worse?
From the beginning Clarity reminded me of a mash up of charmed and CSI (two of my favourite programmes) solving a mystery with little clues to go by with the infuriating yet charming Gabriel helping her, would they be able to do it or were they just putting themselves into more danger? Clare liked the charmed sisters was a kick butt heroine, she didn’t take any crap from anyone and despite being surrounded by guys (her brother Perry, his best friend Nate, Gabriel and Justin) jumping over themselves to help her out, she could fight her own battles *hooray!* There’s nothing more I like than a girl being able to stand her own ground, and not going to the first guy she gets her hands on. With the situation getting even more dire and her life also being threatened, Clare still refused to back down. I admire the courage she displayed.
Thankfully love triangles don’t seem to bother me as much, so I didn’t have a problem with the Clare- Gabriel- Justin relationship. And it wasn’t like each guy was trying to out do the other so they could make a better impression in Clare’s eyes. Both had admirable characteristics, Justin the ex knew he had made mistakes in the past, but still wanted what was best for Clare. Gabriel the mysterious new guy Could we really totally trust him? Despite his early rudeness and snarky comments he had a sexual ruggedness which I found so appealing. Whenever a love triangle pops up, I usually take one side early on and stick it out. But by the end of this book I was completely torn between Gabriel and Justin.
I’ve started picking up quite a few mystery books in the last week; I’ve been on a run of great ones, and Clarity I’m glad to say will join that pile. The fast pace, different clues trickling in had me captivated; also there was an essence about not knowing who you really could trust. I think that’s what I really enjoyed about this book I had no clue who the killer was until right at the end. It was surprisingly enjoyable having this big shock reveal at the end. Also the ending? What does it all mean? I honestly can’t wait to get my hands on Perception and find out.
This review and more can be found on The Readers Den
When I first picked up Clarity, I thought it would be your typical paranormal read, but it ended up surprising me in so many ways.
Clarity “Clare” Fern had the gift of retrocognitive psychometry, by touching certain objects she can get visions from them; so what a person may be thinking, doing or feeling. It’s both a good and bad thing having them. When her family does readings for tourists it can be good for business (the rest of her family also have a gift, her mother's a psychic and her brother Perry can connect with spirits) but it can also be a pain in the butt too, people around town think she is a freak and she can find things out by touch when she necessarily didn’t want to. So when a tourist ends up dead, the mayor and his son Justin, Clare’s ex think she could probably help the police solve the case. The police haven’t been having much luck, so may be Clare’s gift could give them the extra point in the right direction, with things already being awkward with Justin, things are made even more weird when a new detective and his son Gabriel move to town. Gabriel is yummy, but he’s also wary of psychics. The mayor thinks that Gabriel and Clare would make the perfect team. So Clare has to solve a murder case, try not to get too distracted by the hottie Gabriel who doesn’t seem to like her anyway, she still has no clue what to do with Justin either and to top it off a new psychic has moved into town who is a major threat to their business . Could things really get any worse?
From the beginning Clarity reminded me of a mash up of charmed and CSI (two of my favourite programmes) solving a mystery with little clues to go by with the infuriating yet charming Gabriel helping her, would they be able to do it or were they just putting themselves into more danger? Clare liked the charmed sisters was a kick butt heroine, she didn’t take any crap from anyone and despite being surrounded by guys (her brother Perry, his best friend Nate, Gabriel and Justin) jumping over themselves to help her out, she could fight her own battles *hooray!* There’s nothing more I like than a girl being able to stand her own ground, and not going to the first guy she gets her hands on. With the situation getting even more dire and her life also being threatened, Clare still refused to back down. I admire the courage she displayed.
Thankfully love triangles don’t seem to bother me as much, so I didn’t have a problem with the Clare- Gabriel- Justin relationship. And it wasn’t like each guy was trying to out do the other so they could make a better impression in Clare’s eyes. Both had admirable characteristics, Justin the ex knew he had made mistakes in the past, but still wanted what was best for Clare. Gabriel the mysterious new guy Could we really totally trust him? Despite his early rudeness and snarky comments he had a sexual ruggedness which I found so appealing. Whenever a love triangle pops up, I usually take one side early on and stick it out. But by the end of this book I was completely torn between Gabriel and Justin.
I’ve started picking up quite a few mystery books in the last week; I’ve been on a run of great ones, and Clarity I’m glad to say will join that pile. The fast pace, different clues trickling in had me captivated; also there was an essence about not knowing who you really could trust. I think that’s what I really enjoyed about this book I had no clue who the killer was until right at the end. It was surprisingly enjoyable having this big shock reveal at the end. Also the ending? What does it all mean? I honestly can’t wait to get my hands on Perception and find out.
This review and more can be found on The Readers Den
March 23, 2011
Clarity had me from the first Chapter, I mean how intense was that! And then by the second chapter, well Clare had me captivated. I absolutely loved her character. And I must admit, any novel that references the Peach Pit is on my automatic favorites list.
I think I expected this novel to revolve more around Clare's ability, but it was an excellent mix of mystery, paranormal, and romance. I have no complaints what-so-ever, well only that I want more!
This is easily one of my favorites debuts so far. Harrington does an excellent job drawing the reader in and never letting them go. And it wasn't just the constant question of 'who done it' that kept me turning the pages, it was Clare too. I wanted to know more about her and her family, she was a very likable protagonist and she really made this story. I read the entire novel in practically one setting, it was very simple to get sucked into the story and lose your surroundings.
The ending, while it ties up things nicely, still leaves us with the impression that there is a lot more to Clare's story and I can't wait to find out what it is.
Clarity is an impressive debut, it was everything I expected it to be and more. Add this one to your reading piles.... and move it to the top!
I think I expected this novel to revolve more around Clare's ability, but it was an excellent mix of mystery, paranormal, and romance. I have no complaints what-so-ever, well only that I want more!
This is easily one of my favorites debuts so far. Harrington does an excellent job drawing the reader in and never letting them go. And it wasn't just the constant question of 'who done it' that kept me turning the pages, it was Clare too. I wanted to know more about her and her family, she was a very likable protagonist and she really made this story. I read the entire novel in practically one setting, it was very simple to get sucked into the story and lose your surroundings.
The ending, while it ties up things nicely, still leaves us with the impression that there is a lot more to Clare's story and I can't wait to find out what it is.
Clarity is an impressive debut, it was everything I expected it to be and more. Add this one to your reading piles.... and move it to the top!
April 15, 2012
Clarity "Clare" Fern is a psychic, just like her telepathic mother Starla and medium brother Perry. When a murder takes place at King's Courtyard, a cheap motel in Eastport (her living area), Clarity is determined to find out the truth, more so because her brother is the last person to see the victim alive. What starts out as a seemingly-simple task becomes more deadly when the murder count increases.
Although this book has something to do with paranormal abilities, I didn't find it hard to accept as the author didn't write long, boasting explanations about the Ferns' special powers. Instead, she simply tells you about how their powers work in general, without any hullabaloo. The author's writing style is one that will "lure" you into the fictional world she created without any resistance. I also appreciate her quirky sense of humour, which you will come across more than once in this book.
Clare is a great heroine and a clever teen detective. She has a strong sense of family loyalty, and she's willing to do anything to prove her brother's innocence in the murder. She's undoubtedly my favourite character in this book, though she may be headstrong and "blind" at times. Justin, her ex, is a real good guy who loves Clare with all his heart. They broke up because of Justin's accidental betrayal, but I would really love to see them get back together again.
CLARITY's plot is well-planned, the story is fast-paced and you'll be thrown into a situation where everybody is a suspect. That's the one thing I love most about a murder mystery novel. The author handles with the story with such adeptness and sends me away smiling, satisfied with how the story ends.
CLARITY is a guaranteed page-turner, you won't want to stop reading until you've finished the book. Set in a lively tourist town, made up with complex, interesting characters, and spiced up with crime and mystery, Kim Harrington's debut will capture your heart.
For me, CLARITY is the perfect summer read. What about you?
Although this book has something to do with paranormal abilities, I didn't find it hard to accept as the author didn't write long, boasting explanations about the Ferns' special powers. Instead, she simply tells you about how their powers work in general, without any hullabaloo. The author's writing style is one that will "lure" you into the fictional world she created without any resistance. I also appreciate her quirky sense of humour, which you will come across more than once in this book.
Clare is a great heroine and a clever teen detective. She has a strong sense of family loyalty, and she's willing to do anything to prove her brother's innocence in the murder. She's undoubtedly my favourite character in this book, though she may be headstrong and "blind" at times. Justin, her ex, is a real good guy who loves Clare with all his heart. They broke up because of Justin's accidental betrayal, but I would really love to see them get back together again.
CLARITY's plot is well-planned, the story is fast-paced and you'll be thrown into a situation where everybody is a suspect. That's the one thing I love most about a murder mystery novel. The author handles with the story with such adeptness and sends me away smiling, satisfied with how the story ends.
CLARITY is a guaranteed page-turner, you won't want to stop reading until you've finished the book. Set in a lively tourist town, made up with complex, interesting characters, and spiced up with crime and mystery, Kim Harrington's debut will capture your heart.
For me, CLARITY is the perfect summer read. What about you?
May 26, 2014
5 ZVJEZDICA!!!
Relativno nova knjiga, naslovnica obečava, blurb isto odličan, Goodreads kaze visoku srednju ocjenu...rekoh,ajde da i to vidimo!
Na početku,uzmite u obzir da sam ja prerasla te diječje knjigice! I to još prije par godina,nekako s početkom popularnosti NA sam lagano zapostavila YA i odlučila odrasti...napokon (baš me zanima koliko će me dugo ta faza držati...)
Knjiga me iznenadila! I to strašno...
Očekivala sam neku jeftinu teen žvrljotinu,kad ono puf,knjiga čak ima smisla,početak i kraj(uzmite u obzir da je pisana za teense,nije Kafka u pitanju,ok!?) i nije mi ni malo žao da sam ju pročitala. Knjiga je lijepo,jednostavno napisana, nema praznog hoda i najvažnije autorica zna zadržati pažnju čitatelja. A poznajući danasnju mladež i uloženu koncentraciju za vrijeme čitanja (mobiteli,Facebook...) ta činjenica je od presudne važnosti.
" Clarity "Clare" Fern vidi ono što drugima nevidljivo. Dovoljno je da dotakne neki predmet i pred očima joj se pojavi ono što bi drugi rado zadržali za sebe – skriveni poljupci ili duboko zakopane tajne. Neki kažu da je to dar. Neki bi rekli da je to prokletstvo. Majka joj je telepatkinja, brat medij, a ona je vidovita. Turistima su, naravno, silno zanimljivi. Mještanima Eastporta, turističkog gradića na Cape Codu, jednostavno su čudni. Pomalo nastrani.
Kada nađu ubijenu djevojku, Clarein bivši dečko smatra da bi ona trebala pomoći u razrješavanju slučaja, ali Clare se opire, uglavnom jer je još bijesna na njega. No kada optuže Perryja, Clareinog brata, za nju više nema dvojbe. Zajedno s Gabrielom, grijeha vrijednim sinom novog detektiva, Clare ulazi u vrtlog strasti, straha i osvete koji je sve dublje povlači u traganju za ubojicom. Ona će se pouzdati u svoj dar, svoje prokletstvo, ali hoće li je on napustiti baš kad ga bude najviše trebala? "
Dakle,naša glavna junakinja Clarity mi se jako svidjela. Prvenstveno jer nije neki mlaki,plačljivi i bespomočni lik kakve očito autorice u posljednje vrijeme obožavaju pisati. Clarity ne čeka princa na bijelom konju da ju dođe spasiti,već borbenošću i hrabrošću sama dobiva svoje bitke. A uz se to i zabavan je lik za čitanje... Mladim tinejdžerkama trebaju takvi uzori (Katniss iz Igara gladi,Hermiona iz HPa...). Trebaju naučiti od malih nogu da se za sebe uvijek vrijedi boriti,pod svaku cijenu. Zato izuzetno poštujem autorice koje odluče napisati takve likove i upoznati ih s novim generacijama jakih mladih žena!
Ostali likovi me se i nisu nešto posebno dojmili. Plitko su opisani i nekako padaju u zadnji plan. Kako se u knjizi isprepliće više žanrova,od fantasya,misterija i romantike,autorica se bazirala prvenstveno na samu radnju,da se stalno nešto dešava...dok je sporedne likove malo zaboravila.
U knjizi ne nedostaje humora,orginalne priče,romanse,misterija...
I na samom kraju završna misao: ako ste imalo u krizi srednjih godina(ko ja,recimo) ...počinjete se prisječati svojih oglasa koje ste pisali u Postere i prijatelje ili Modru Lastu koji započinju s "Imam 13 godina,slušam NKOTB i volim sve što vole mladi"...e onda je ovo knjiga za vas!
U protivnom...samo ćete s nje brisati prašinu i pitat samog sebe,zasto ste ovo za Boga dragog, čitali...
Relativno nova knjiga, naslovnica obečava, blurb isto odličan, Goodreads kaze visoku srednju ocjenu...rekoh,ajde da i to vidimo!
Na početku,uzmite u obzir da sam ja prerasla te diječje knjigice! I to još prije par godina,nekako s početkom popularnosti NA sam lagano zapostavila YA i odlučila odrasti...napokon (baš me zanima koliko će me dugo ta faza držati...)
Knjiga me iznenadila! I to strašno...
Očekivala sam neku jeftinu teen žvrljotinu,kad ono puf,knjiga čak ima smisla,početak i kraj(uzmite u obzir da je pisana za teense,nije Kafka u pitanju,ok!?) i nije mi ni malo žao da sam ju pročitala. Knjiga je lijepo,jednostavno napisana, nema praznog hoda i najvažnije autorica zna zadržati pažnju čitatelja. A poznajući danasnju mladež i uloženu koncentraciju za vrijeme čitanja (mobiteli,Facebook...) ta činjenica je od presudne važnosti.
" Clarity "Clare" Fern vidi ono što drugima nevidljivo. Dovoljno je da dotakne neki predmet i pred očima joj se pojavi ono što bi drugi rado zadržali za sebe – skriveni poljupci ili duboko zakopane tajne. Neki kažu da je to dar. Neki bi rekli da je to prokletstvo. Majka joj je telepatkinja, brat medij, a ona je vidovita. Turistima su, naravno, silno zanimljivi. Mještanima Eastporta, turističkog gradića na Cape Codu, jednostavno su čudni. Pomalo nastrani.
Kada nađu ubijenu djevojku, Clarein bivši dečko smatra da bi ona trebala pomoći u razrješavanju slučaja, ali Clare se opire, uglavnom jer je još bijesna na njega. No kada optuže Perryja, Clareinog brata, za nju više nema dvojbe. Zajedno s Gabrielom, grijeha vrijednim sinom novog detektiva, Clare ulazi u vrtlog strasti, straha i osvete koji je sve dublje povlači u traganju za ubojicom. Ona će se pouzdati u svoj dar, svoje prokletstvo, ali hoće li je on napustiti baš kad ga bude najviše trebala? "
Dakle,naša glavna junakinja Clarity mi se jako svidjela. Prvenstveno jer nije neki mlaki,plačljivi i bespomočni lik kakve očito autorice u posljednje vrijeme obožavaju pisati. Clarity ne čeka princa na bijelom konju da ju dođe spasiti,već borbenošću i hrabrošću sama dobiva svoje bitke. A uz se to i zabavan je lik za čitanje... Mladim tinejdžerkama trebaju takvi uzori (Katniss iz Igara gladi,Hermiona iz HPa...). Trebaju naučiti od malih nogu da se za sebe uvijek vrijedi boriti,pod svaku cijenu. Zato izuzetno poštujem autorice koje odluče napisati takve likove i upoznati ih s novim generacijama jakih mladih žena!
Ostali likovi me se i nisu nešto posebno dojmili. Plitko su opisani i nekako padaju u zadnji plan. Kako se u knjizi isprepliće više žanrova,od fantasya,misterija i romantike,autorica se bazirala prvenstveno na samu radnju,da se stalno nešto dešava...dok je sporedne likove malo zaboravila.
U knjizi ne nedostaje humora,orginalne priče,romanse,misterija...
I na samom kraju završna misao: ako ste imalo u krizi srednjih godina(ko ja,recimo) ...počinjete se prisječati svojih oglasa koje ste pisali u Postere i prijatelje ili Modru Lastu koji započinju s "Imam 13 godina,slušam NKOTB i volim sve što vole mladi"...e onda je ovo knjiga za vas!
U protivnom...samo ćete s nje brisati prašinu i pitat samog sebe,zasto ste ovo za Boga dragog, čitali...
March 27, 2011
I feel like I’ve just seen one of those made for TV murder-mysteries. With all these little clues pointing to one guy, the protagonist(s) couldn’t help jumping to conclusions. There’s a lot of this jumping-to’s going on. It got a little repetitive in fact: circumstantial evidence points to X, so X must have done it. X cleared. Newly found evidence points to Y, so of course Y is guilty.. and so and so forth. I mean, the authorities were just so easy to lead along! All of that was worth it though because that ending (while visible from miles away) was well executed.
But the thing that I had the most difficulty was how she got involved in the first place. Apparently when there‘s murder in town, who you gonna call? Why, the local 16 year old psychic. Up to that point, I was sure to give this book a big old 5/5... especially, given Clare being just that fiery/snarky/spunky. Swallowing the pill of authorities actually roping her in to help (albeit secretly,) was a difficult to do. But once done, I found I enjoyed Clarity. Setting aside the two points above, I shall now do a John Green and enumerate the reasons I liked it:
First, the cover! Just look at it! Isn’t it gorgeous? That alone entitles this book a star (at least.) Next, the dialogue just zinged. I liked how Harrington made them all sound like mini-cops. The novelty of that alone entitles this to another star. Then, the characters (of which there are plenty):
Her brother is… honestly? Slutty, but I cannot discount the affectionate, protective bond between him and Clare. Clare, I absolutely adore a character that stands up for herself. I respect how the author paints a picture of this tourist town girl, who cannot wait to get out of it. I respect how the author clearly shows that she has a lot of feelings: good ones, bad ones, but the best were her conflicted ones, which leads me to… Justin and Gabriel.
Yes, there is a love triangle. But surprise of surprises--- I liked it, all of three of them in fact. I liked how she and Justin had a history. I enjoyed the insta-love/lust she and Gabriel had for each other. (I prefer Justin btw.)
Overall: Clarity = WIN!
3.5/5
*THANKS MEG!
But the thing that I had the most difficulty was how she got involved in the first place. Apparently when there‘s murder in town, who you gonna call? Why, the local 16 year old psychic. Up to that point, I was sure to give this book a big old 5/5... especially, given Clare being just that fiery/snarky/spunky. Swallowing the pill of authorities actually roping her in to help (albeit secretly,) was a difficult to do. But once done, I found I enjoyed Clarity. Setting aside the two points above, I shall now do a John Green and enumerate the reasons I liked it:
First, the cover! Just look at it! Isn’t it gorgeous? That alone entitles this book a star (at least.) Next, the dialogue just zinged. I liked how Harrington made them all sound like mini-cops. The novelty of that alone entitles this to another star. Then, the characters (of which there are plenty):
Her brother is… honestly? Slutty, but I cannot discount the affectionate, protective bond between him and Clare. Clare, I absolutely adore a character that stands up for herself. I respect how the author paints a picture of this tourist town girl, who cannot wait to get out of it. I respect how the author clearly shows that she has a lot of feelings: good ones, bad ones, but the best were her conflicted ones, which leads me to… Justin and Gabriel.
Yes, there is a love triangle. But surprise of surprises--- I liked it, all of three of them in fact. I liked how she and Justin had a history. I enjoyed the insta-love/lust she and Gabriel had for each other. (I prefer Justin btw.)
Overall: Clarity = WIN!
3.5/5
*THANKS MEG!
July 25, 2012
ΥΠΕΡΟΧΟ!Αχ επιτέλους καιρό είχα να διαβάσω ένα βιβλίο που να με απορροφήσει τόσο μα τόσο πολύ!Ήταν γρήγορο,έξυπνο με πολύ καλό χιούμορ και μπόλικο μυστήριο!Έπισης συμπάθησα πάρο πολύ την ηρωίδα την Κλέρ ήταν πραγματικά υπέροχη και πολύ ξεχωριστή!Ακόμη χαίρομαι που το τέλος δεν ήταν καθόλου προβλέψιμο και μέχρι το τέλος αγωνιούσες για το ποιός θα είναι τελικά ο δολοφόνος!Μακάρι να πέσουν και άλλα τόσο καλά βιβλία μυστηρίου στα χέρια μου!
May 19, 2011
What caught my attention was the premise of this book. I mean how cool (or maybe not cool but handy) would it be to be a part of a paranormal family? Clarity (aka Clare) can see memories through objects, her brother Periwinkle (aka Perry) can talk to the dead, and her mother can read minds. As with all gifts they can be fickle, but they make enough money to get by in the touristic area of Eastport. Things start to get bad when a murder happens in town. Clare is enlisted by her ex-boyfriend to help, and if that wasn't awkward enough, there is the new guy in town that just screams hotness. Before Clare can really start to help with the investigation she finds out that Perry was the last person to see the murdered girl alive. Clare now has something personally invested and will do what she can to prove Perry is innocent, and hopefully she's right.
There were some parts of the story I enjoyed. The teenage voice is captured well, and seeing how the family used their "powers" was interesting. I'm also a fan of beach settings (must come from living in place where there are no beaches), and there were some pretty funny lines. I actually should read more mystery books because I enjoyed trying to guess 'who done it?' But I gotta say this wasn't executed well, at least for my taste.
All that though could not make up for the annoying amount of love interest that Clare has. I think I counted about four? Seriously? This from a person who can't even attract or nab a friend? Supposedly she has no friends, and she makes this clear over and over again. Usually there is a reason why people don't have friends, but the author doesn't offer any. It can't be because of her paranormal gift because her brother Perry has a friend and is evidently quite the player. And I hate the agrument of people being jealous. (insert eye roll) To be fair I think only two of the guys are really in the playing field, but still. Out of everything this is what really brought down my enjoyment of the story.
I hate to rant, but it just has to be said. If Perry had been let's say the sister who "hooks" up with numerous guys we would not have seen her in the same light. I was interested enough to finish and I thought things were woven in nicely. Here's hoping that the next installment Perception will knock me off my rocker.
There were some parts of the story I enjoyed. The teenage voice is captured well, and seeing how the family used their "powers" was interesting. I'm also a fan of beach settings (must come from living in place where there are no beaches), and there were some pretty funny lines. I actually should read more mystery books because I enjoyed trying to guess 'who done it?' But I gotta say this wasn't executed well, at least for my taste.
All that though could not make up for the annoying amount of love interest that Clare has. I think I counted about four? Seriously? This from a person who can't even attract or nab a friend? Supposedly she has no friends, and she makes this clear over and over again. Usually there is a reason why people don't have friends, but the author doesn't offer any. It can't be because of her paranormal gift because her brother Perry has a friend and is evidently quite the player. And I hate the agrument of people being jealous. (insert eye roll) To be fair I think only two of the guys are really in the playing field, but still. Out of everything this is what really brought down my enjoyment of the story.
I hate to rant, but it just has to be said. If Perry had been let's say the sister who "hooks" up with numerous guys we would not have seen her in the same light. I was interested enough to finish and I thought things were woven in nicely. Here's hoping that the next installment Perception will knock me off my rocker.
March 24, 2011
Clarity, the debut novel by (the confusingly named) Kim Harrington, is a solid young adult mystery with a paranormal twist. Clarity, called Clare, comes from a family of psychics. She possesses the power of psychometry, while her mother is a telepath and her brother can speak to the spirits of the dead. They live in Eastport, a picturesque Cape Cod tourist town, and do readings for the tourists. The locals see Clare as a freak.
Clare’s life is shaken up one summer when a pretty young tourist is murdered and the prime suspect is someone very close to home. It’s up to Clare to find the real culprit. This involves her psychic ability, of course, but her quick thinking and good old-fashioned nosiness are even more useful. Clarity would be a terrific mystery even if you took the paranormal aspects out.
Her two allies in her investigation are Justin, her ex-boyfriend; and Gabriel, the new guy in town. Yes, it’s a love triangle, but fear not — Harrington mostly avoids cliché in its depiction. Neither boy is a vampire or a werewolf. Neither boy is a borderline-stalker overbearing alpha male. Neither boy is Clare’s magically fated true love. They’re just normal guys, and both Justin and Gabriel click — and clash — realistically with Clare.
Clare is a delightful character. Her self-knowledge and self-possession are so much fun to read! Her peers are jerks to her, but even as it makes her sad, she knows they’re being idiots. She’s not exactly sought after by the local boys, but she realizes in her gut that she’s not actually unattractive; the boys are just responding to social pressure. Clare has a realistic level of teen angst but also an admirable sense of her own worth. The supporting characters are vivid too, both the likable and the un-.
Harrington wraps up the mystery in the end, but leaves Clare still undecided about her love life. I’m curious to see how this unfolds — but it’s the twisty mystery and the excellent characters that really hooked me and that have me looking forward to Perception.
Clare’s life is shaken up one summer when a pretty young tourist is murdered and the prime suspect is someone very close to home. It’s up to Clare to find the real culprit. This involves her psychic ability, of course, but her quick thinking and good old-fashioned nosiness are even more useful. Clarity would be a terrific mystery even if you took the paranormal aspects out.
Her two allies in her investigation are Justin, her ex-boyfriend; and Gabriel, the new guy in town. Yes, it’s a love triangle, but fear not — Harrington mostly avoids cliché in its depiction. Neither boy is a vampire or a werewolf. Neither boy is a borderline-stalker overbearing alpha male. Neither boy is Clare’s magically fated true love. They’re just normal guys, and both Justin and Gabriel click — and clash — realistically with Clare.
Clare is a delightful character. Her self-knowledge and self-possession are so much fun to read! Her peers are jerks to her, but even as it makes her sad, she knows they’re being idiots. She’s not exactly sought after by the local boys, but she realizes in her gut that she’s not actually unattractive; the boys are just responding to social pressure. Clare has a realistic level of teen angst but also an admirable sense of her own worth. The supporting characters are vivid too, both the likable and the un-.
Harrington wraps up the mystery in the end, but leaves Clare still undecided about her love life. I’m curious to see how this unfolds — but it’s the twisty mystery and the excellent characters that really hooked me and that have me looking forward to Perception.
March 29, 2016
Several of my reading friends went on at length to convince me that CLARITY was not like the usual paranormal teen book. In fact the powers of Clare's family are downplayed and treated no differently then any other trait. I liked the fact that it wasn't just Clare who claimed specialness, but her family. It was also refreshing to see that Clare didn't angst over being different, she reveled in it and defiantly dared others to comment. She was snarky and obstinate and sometimes thoughtless, but beyond all that she stood by her family. Blood is thicker than water is not just a saying to her, its her core truth.
Surprisingly, at least to me, I barely took notice of the length. I didn't find myself looking at the page number constantly or wondering 'Can she build this enough?'. Harrington doesn't let anything stand in as filler--from clues to the identity of the killer, to Clare's own inner turmoil and the tense pace of the investigation--Harrington trimmed off all excess. This is both a godsend and a frustration. At the good news it means we weren't subjected to day-to-day moments or extra angst and teenage issues. The sad news is that it means while Clare, Justin and Gabriel are all fleshed out and seem to have lives outside of the events of the book, the other characters seem less real.
And while I wouldn't ordinarily be a fan of the relationship tangle that emerges by the end of the book, I'm wary of both guys. Truthfully despite her past with Justin and her start with Gabriel, I can't say who is more 'right' or 'wrong'. Which is good, Harrington spent less time trying to push one guy or the other as right for Clare and more time on the murder.
As a debut this was pleasing and shocking; it gave me a murder mystery on par with the shows I adore and the books I devour, but it gave me a character who I would have loved to have as a friend in HS. I look forward to Harrington's next book and what happens next to Clare and co!
Surprisingly, at least to me, I barely took notice of the length. I didn't find myself looking at the page number constantly or wondering 'Can she build this enough?'. Harrington doesn't let anything stand in as filler--from clues to the identity of the killer, to Clare's own inner turmoil and the tense pace of the investigation--Harrington trimmed off all excess. This is both a godsend and a frustration. At the good news it means we weren't subjected to day-to-day moments or extra angst and teenage issues. The sad news is that it means while Clare, Justin and Gabriel are all fleshed out and seem to have lives outside of the events of the book, the other characters seem less real.
And while I wouldn't ordinarily be a fan of the relationship tangle that emerges by the end of the book, I'm wary of both guys. Truthfully despite her past with Justin and her start with Gabriel, I can't say who is more 'right' or 'wrong'. Which is good, Harrington spent less time trying to push one guy or the other as right for Clare and more time on the murder.
As a debut this was pleasing and shocking; it gave me a murder mystery on par with the shows I adore and the books I devour, but it gave me a character who I would have loved to have as a friend in HS. I look forward to Harrington's next book and what happens next to Clare and co!
November 29, 2011
First off I have to say that this is not going to be for everyone. For instance this is not for you if: You are a huge mystery buff and are going to be bothered by all the details or if You are looking for something scary. Also, not for you if it's going to bother you reading about psychic powers.
I however, 100% enjoyed this for what it was, a young adult mystery/fiction story. It was fun and quick. I haven't read anything like it.
Brief Summary:
Clare can touch objects and get flashback's from the people who have touched it. She and her family all have some sort of "power". It comes in handy when a tourist in her hometown is murdered. She becomes part of the investigation-on the side. She can see through the eyes of the deceased, she actually witnesses her death... only the killer can't be who she thinks it is. Can it?
One death turns into 2 and it feels like a wild goose chase. Will Clare be able to stop this killer before the wrong person is framed?
Ahh, I would love this as a movie. (as long as it wasn't scary)
I love the cover. Random, but doesn't that girl on the cover remind you of a younger Aunt Jenna from Vampire Dairies?!?!?!!?
If you are thinking of reading this one, go for it. It's a quick and easy read. Good for when you need a break from romance or aliens or vampires or whatever.
4 stars
I however, 100% enjoyed this for what it was, a young adult mystery/fiction story. It was fun and quick. I haven't read anything like it.
Brief Summary:
Clare can touch objects and get flashback's from the people who have touched it. She and her family all have some sort of "power". It comes in handy when a tourist in her hometown is murdered. She becomes part of the investigation-on the side. She can see through the eyes of the deceased, she actually witnesses her death... only the killer can't be who she thinks it is. Can it?
One death turns into 2 and it feels like a wild goose chase. Will Clare be able to stop this killer before the wrong person is framed?
Ahh, I would love this as a movie. (as long as it wasn't scary)
I love the cover. Random, but doesn't that girl on the cover remind you of a younger Aunt Jenna from Vampire Dairies?!?!?!!?
If you are thinking of reading this one, go for it. It's a quick and easy read. Good for when you need a break from romance or aliens or vampires or whatever.
4 stars
March 28, 2011
Unbelievable! I LOVED LOVED LOVED this. I read this in 3-4 hours. I love Clare. She is such a great character. Ms. Harrington, THANK YOU! for writing this amazing piece of art. This was an amazing read and even though the plot is based on the murder of a girl named Victoria and then two more people, it focuses more on Clare and her ability and the type of person she is.
And the COVER! can anyone say gorgeous? I know I can. I’m getting a little tired of all the dark covers appearing. I’m starting to like the lightness and cover contrast in this one. More covers should be coming out lighter I think.
But my favorite character after Clare had to be Madame Maslov. She was just so quirky and fun, I think. And she totally proved to be the impossible. (Was that a little spoilorish? I hope not.) Anyways you guys should definitely read this. A GREAT READ!
And the COVER! can anyone say gorgeous? I know I can. I’m getting a little tired of all the dark covers appearing. I’m starting to like the lightness and cover contrast in this one. More covers should be coming out lighter I think.
But my favorite character after Clare had to be Madame Maslov. She was just so quirky and fun, I think. And she totally proved to be the impossible. (Was that a little spoilorish? I hope not.) Anyways you guys should definitely read this. A GREAT READ!
October 5, 2011
Someone - and I can't remember who - recommended this to me because they said that Clarity (the character) reminded them of Veronica Mars. And I am a leeetle obsessed with that show. Until said comparison, I actually had no intention of buying this. Couldn't tell you why, I was probably just burned out on the glut of YA paranormal books out there, but I just assumed that if I ever decided to read this, it would be a library grab. But no. There was a V Mars comparison, and that meant that I clicked over and bought it that night. And I'm glad I did.
Though I think this book doesn't have quite the sparkle of Veronica Mars, and it's not quite at that level of this-is-perfect-I-want-to-be-this-when-I-grow-up, it certainly does invite the comparison (which equals a win for anyone who loves a smart and sassy character). I truly liked Clare and the intro into her life. I liked the family element - and the family business - and the small town that goes crazy with tourist season; I liked Clare's relationships with her mom and man-whoring yet lovable brother, and her realizations and suspicions about his actions; I liked Clare's outcast status that became a bit less-so as the book went on - it all just worked together for me so that even when it wasn't completely believable, it was still thoroughly enjoyable. Add to that the fact that it's a fairly trim book and a definite quick read, and it made for the perfect fun bit of escapism. Harrington's style doesn't take effort to read - and I don't mean that as an insult, like it's too simple or not taken to the next level; I just mean that she's got Clare's voice down cold, and it reads effortlessly, drawing you along and keeping you entertained.
One thing that was a really pleasant surprise is that it actually kept me guessing. I had suspicions of course, but the thing is - I had a lot of suspicions and I kept going back and forth with who I thought just had to be the guilty party. It's a rarity for me to not figure out, with absolute assurance, any mystery within the first 1/4 of a book. That's why I don't read mysteries. Even if it's still sometimes fun seeing it all unfold and waiting with bated breath for everything to come to a crisis, the whole point of a mystery is the doubt that you have, and the suspicious thoughts you find yourself having about everybody. In this case, I really was having those suspicious thoughts about just about everybody. But it wasn't because the groundwork hadn't been laid and everything was up in the air. It's just that there was enough mystery and enough self-doubt on Clare's part that the reader was able to get caught up in it and doubt their own judgement, too. I love that. It's what a mystery should be. And the paranormal aspects just enhanced this. It didn't feel like it was too much of a stretch and it was worked in so as to amp the tension but not make me roll my eyes, which = impressive.
Yes, of course there were times were I felt like it was a little wish-fulfillment-y. There was a rough patch in the middle where I felt it tread a little close to typical, predictable YA, but for the most part, it was in such minor ways that it didn't really bother me. And yes, things are sometimes too convenient, and Clare has too many people pursuing her (in the true lurve way, not the homicidal maniac way, though...) for it to be believable. Or, if not believable then relatable, I guess. And yeah, there probably aren't any 16 year olds who would get to or even could do the things Clare gets to do. But that didn't stop me from loving Veronica Mars, and it didn't stop me from enjoying every minute of this book.
I feel like I've been really inarticulate through this whole review, but that's really all I can say. It's just a book that I just fully enjoyed that I hand't even planned on reading, and I love it when that happens. I often recommend Paranormalcy as the perfect funk-breaker because of the tone and the enjoyable way it reads, and I think this one is now going to be added to that list. This a great quick read that kind of livens you up and entertains above all else, and I loved that. Perception is being added to the wishlist for sure (no cajoling from forgotten friends necessary).
;)
Oh yeah, and I did an interview with Kim Harrington =D
Though I think this book doesn't have quite the sparkle of Veronica Mars, and it's not quite at that level of this-is-perfect-I-want-to-be-this-when-I-grow-up, it certainly does invite the comparison (which equals a win for anyone who loves a smart and sassy character). I truly liked Clare and the intro into her life. I liked the family element - and the family business - and the small town that goes crazy with tourist season; I liked Clare's relationships with her mom and man-whoring yet lovable brother, and her realizations and suspicions about his actions; I liked Clare's outcast status that became a bit less-so as the book went on - it all just worked together for me so that even when it wasn't completely believable, it was still thoroughly enjoyable. Add to that the fact that it's a fairly trim book and a definite quick read, and it made for the perfect fun bit of escapism. Harrington's style doesn't take effort to read - and I don't mean that as an insult, like it's too simple or not taken to the next level; I just mean that she's got Clare's voice down cold, and it reads effortlessly, drawing you along and keeping you entertained.
One thing that was a really pleasant surprise is that it actually kept me guessing. I had suspicions of course, but the thing is - I had a lot of suspicions and I kept going back and forth with who I thought just had to be the guilty party. It's a rarity for me to not figure out, with absolute assurance, any mystery within the first 1/4 of a book. That's why I don't read mysteries. Even if it's still sometimes fun seeing it all unfold and waiting with bated breath for everything to come to a crisis, the whole point of a mystery is the doubt that you have, and the suspicious thoughts you find yourself having about everybody. In this case, I really was having those suspicious thoughts about just about everybody. But it wasn't because the groundwork hadn't been laid and everything was up in the air. It's just that there was enough mystery and enough self-doubt on Clare's part that the reader was able to get caught up in it and doubt their own judgement, too. I love that. It's what a mystery should be. And the paranormal aspects just enhanced this. It didn't feel like it was too much of a stretch and it was worked in so as to amp the tension but not make me roll my eyes, which = impressive.
Yes, of course there were times were I felt like it was a little wish-fulfillment-y. There was a rough patch in the middle where I felt it tread a little close to typical, predictable YA, but for the most part, it was in such minor ways that it didn't really bother me. And yes, things are sometimes too convenient, and Clare has too many people pursuing her (in the true lurve way, not the homicidal maniac way, though...) for it to be believable. Or, if not believable then relatable, I guess. And yeah, there probably aren't any 16 year olds who would get to or even could do the things Clare gets to do. But that didn't stop me from loving Veronica Mars, and it didn't stop me from enjoying every minute of this book.
I feel like I've been really inarticulate through this whole review, but that's really all I can say. It's just a book that I just fully enjoyed that I hand't even planned on reading, and I love it when that happens. I often recommend Paranormalcy as the perfect funk-breaker because of the tone and the enjoyable way it reads, and I think this one is now going to be added to that list. This a great quick read that kind of livens you up and entertains above all else, and I loved that. Perception is being added to the wishlist for sure (no cajoling from forgotten friends necessary).
;)
Oh yeah, and I did an interview with Kim Harrington =D
October 1, 2011
Review originally posted at http://bookstobrightenyourmood.blogsp...
If someone would ask me to describe Clarity in only three words,that's what pops in my mind immediatelly: Brilliant,Magical and Fascinating!
Clarity by Kim Harrington is easily among the best books I've read this year and among the best YA books I have ever read in general!
It's an extremelly well written book,with a good plot,not that predictable at least for me.Granted I had my suspects narrowed down to 2 but still I kept wondering the whole time until the final revelation...The characters are simply amazing!One would wonder how in such a small book there would be enough character development along with everything else going on,but Harrington managed just fine to progress everything in an amazing way.So,you see Clare's character unfold and develop along with the mystery of the plot throughout the whole book.
Harrington isn't going around the bush.She immediatelly starts her story,she gives you even clues right from the very first page of the story,a fact that made me go back to that first page the whole time...You see I wanted to find the killer before everything and that first page kept calling me the whole time!
I loved Clare!Her perception of the world,how she dealt with her being a psychic and her whole peers mocking at her,the way she tried to do the best for her and her family along with her sense of duty towards society.Clare is your typical teenager,with all the needs and wants and problems a typical teen has but with a special ability to deal with along with everything else.I loved the way she was in terms with hers and her family's abilitities but down to the bottom all she wanted was normalcy.Such a thing shows deep self knowledge and made Clare all the more believable.
I enjoyed her strange mother and her brother.Although,as side characters they weren't in the front line the whole time,I found them equally believable and with a fair share in the progress of the story.
Clarity is a bit unusual as well.Many YA novels (at least the one's I've read and those I'm picking!) have a good amount of romance among their plots,a romance that is touchable from the first pages and a romantic interest or two that are also quite evident.But Clarity is a bit different!Although there is some romance,although you get your romantic interests of the hero,you don't get declarations of undying love,or even a full formed romantic relationship!And despite the fact,to be honest nowadays I really want my books with a fair amount of the romantic element,I just couldn't care about it less!After all,the romantic element is present,just not all the time!And no need to mention that this fact leaves room for all kind of possibilities for the sequel!
As I said from the beggining of this review,Clarity is among the best books I've ever read and as such,I recommend it to anyone!It's a fast paced,beautifully written novel by an author whose work I will check from now on!
March 7, 2011
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
Did you happen to watch a little TV show back in 2007 called Veronica Mars (you can watch the entire series on Netflix Instant Watch)? It was a very cool teen noir series that revolved around a high school girl in a small town who used the skills she learned from working with her P.I. father to investigate crimes (everything from identity theft to cold case murders) and ruffle feathers of the affluent and influential in her city. Like most great shows, it was canceled too soon. I’ve looked unsuccessfully for something similar for years until I read CLARITY. I knew by the first chapter that this was the spiritual successor of Veronica Mars.
Clare is going to be my new standard for YA heroines. She doesn’t have herculean strength or the ability to summon formidable magical powers. She’s pretty normal except for the psychic ability she inherited. Her mother is telepathic, her brother can communicate with ghosts (sometimes), and Clare has the gift of retrocognative psychometry (the ability to sense the history—sometimes—of an object by touching it). Being labeled as ‘freaks’ in her small town has given her a pretty thick skin, a razor sharp wit, and a lethal sarcasm. She’s smart and resourceful and doesn’t make apologies to herself or anyone else for doing what needs to be done.
The character of Clare would have been enough to win me over, but I also loved how understated the supernatural elements were in CLARITY. Clare uses her intellect more than her psychometry to investigate the murder that lies at the center of the plot. She schmoozes some witnesses, outright deceives others, and even flirts with a few when the ends justify it. There is room for the paranormal aspects of this story to expand as the series progresses, and judging by some of the hints dropped in this story, I’m expecting they will.
Overall, if you loved the TV show Veronica Mars, you will revel in this book. Clare and Veronica are clearly cut from the same cloth. If you’ve never watched the show, CLARITY delivers small town scandal, big time intrigue, and an intrepid teen protagonist caught in the crosshairs of a murderer. It’s a refreshing mix of mystery, romance, and subtle supernatural secrets. The second book in the Clarity series is called PERCEPTION and will be released in March 2012. That’s a depressingly long time to wait for when the first book was so head over heels amazing.
Sexual Content:
Kissing. References to sex.
Did you happen to watch a little TV show back in 2007 called Veronica Mars (you can watch the entire series on Netflix Instant Watch)? It was a very cool teen noir series that revolved around a high school girl in a small town who used the skills she learned from working with her P.I. father to investigate crimes (everything from identity theft to cold case murders) and ruffle feathers of the affluent and influential in her city. Like most great shows, it was canceled too soon. I’ve looked unsuccessfully for something similar for years until I read CLARITY. I knew by the first chapter that this was the spiritual successor of Veronica Mars.
Clare is going to be my new standard for YA heroines. She doesn’t have herculean strength or the ability to summon formidable magical powers. She’s pretty normal except for the psychic ability she inherited. Her mother is telepathic, her brother can communicate with ghosts (sometimes), and Clare has the gift of retrocognative psychometry (the ability to sense the history—sometimes—of an object by touching it). Being labeled as ‘freaks’ in her small town has given her a pretty thick skin, a razor sharp wit, and a lethal sarcasm. She’s smart and resourceful and doesn’t make apologies to herself or anyone else for doing what needs to be done.
The character of Clare would have been enough to win me over, but I also loved how understated the supernatural elements were in CLARITY. Clare uses her intellect more than her psychometry to investigate the murder that lies at the center of the plot. She schmoozes some witnesses, outright deceives others, and even flirts with a few when the ends justify it. There is room for the paranormal aspects of this story to expand as the series progresses, and judging by some of the hints dropped in this story, I’m expecting they will.
Overall, if you loved the TV show Veronica Mars, you will revel in this book. Clare and Veronica are clearly cut from the same cloth. If you’ve never watched the show, CLARITY delivers small town scandal, big time intrigue, and an intrepid teen protagonist caught in the crosshairs of a murderer. It’s a refreshing mix of mystery, romance, and subtle supernatural secrets. The second book in the Clarity series is called PERCEPTION and will be released in March 2012. That’s a depressingly long time to wait for when the first book was so head over heels amazing.
Sexual Content:
Kissing. References to sex.
February 24, 2011
This was a quick and awesome read! First: isn't the cover awesome? I absolutely love the girl and the colors and just everything. Seriously this was one of the books I would have picked up just because of the cover-awesomeness.
Clarity tells the story about Clare (who refuses to use her beautiful real name Clarity) who lives with her brother Perry and her mother. All of them are have special psychic abilities. Clarity (love that name...) can get visions by touching objects. Needless to say life isn't easy for her and and she and her family are the town freaks. She doesn't have much friends and er best friend is her bother.
Which leads me right into their relationship. I loved this sister and brother relation, it was sweet, strong and genuine. They love each other deeply and I found this beautifully described.
The most remarkable is Clarity, from which's POV the story is told. She is brave, funny and a real strong person. I absolutely loved that! She wasn't insecure and truly determined.
What made this story so fresh was the setting: a small town on the beach during the summer break - no high school drama. Two thumps up for that! Also, Clare just broke up with her BF because he cheated on her. Meaning we get a girl that is already beyond the first love which makes it also very refreshing for me.
Plus, I love the combination of a good mystery ( in this case here a murder case) and supernatural abilities. The story line was captivating and kept me at an edge the whole time. I needed to figure out who was the murder and I had theories over theories and in the end I was just wrong. Again, Two Thumps up for surprising me here!
My second fav character was Perry, Clare's brother. He was so different than Clarity but all the same lovely. Actually, I fell in love with him! We meet him in the beginning of the story where he's strong and carefree, but see him change when he gets arrested for being the murderer. He truly did some stupid stupid things but still, I love him.
We get some pretty decent kisses and we are once again caught in a Triangle. Although, I don't need Triangles and actually prefer not to have them I don't care so much here. Clarity with her personality and the mystery rocked the book!
Bottom Line,
Loved this book and most of all I love Clarity's voice. Full of strength, bravery and fun. With around 250 pages this is a fast read and I will definitely read more from Kim Harrington!
Clarity tells the story about Clare (who refuses to use her beautiful real name Clarity) who lives with her brother Perry and her mother. All of them are have special psychic abilities. Clarity (love that name...) can get visions by touching objects. Needless to say life isn't easy for her and and she and her family are the town freaks. She doesn't have much friends and er best friend is her bother.
Which leads me right into their relationship. I loved this sister and brother relation, it was sweet, strong and genuine. They love each other deeply and I found this beautifully described.
The most remarkable is Clarity, from which's POV the story is told. She is brave, funny and a real strong person. I absolutely loved that! She wasn't insecure and truly determined.
What made this story so fresh was the setting: a small town on the beach during the summer break - no high school drama. Two thumps up for that! Also, Clare just broke up with her BF because he cheated on her. Meaning we get a girl that is already beyond the first love which makes it also very refreshing for me.
Plus, I love the combination of a good mystery ( in this case here a murder case) and supernatural abilities. The story line was captivating and kept me at an edge the whole time. I needed to figure out who was the murder and I had theories over theories and in the end I was just wrong. Again, Two Thumps up for surprising me here!
My second fav character was Perry, Clare's brother. He was so different than Clarity but all the same lovely. Actually, I fell in love with him! We meet him in the beginning of the story where he's strong and carefree, but see him change when he gets arrested for being the murderer. He truly did some stupid stupid things but still, I love him.
We get some pretty decent kisses and we are once again caught in a Triangle. Although, I don't need Triangles and actually prefer not to have them I don't care so much here. Clarity with her personality and the mystery rocked the book!
Bottom Line,
Loved this book and most of all I love Clarity's voice. Full of strength, bravery and fun. With around 250 pages this is a fast read and I will definitely read more from Kim Harrington!
July 10, 2016
Clarity is a decent and entertaining debut, but I'm struggling to find anything especially unique or memorable about it. There's nothing that sets it apart from other YA paranormal mysteries. (It's very similar to The Body Finder, but not quite as good).
Clare has the ability to sense visions and memories whenever she touches an object. When a teenage girl is found murdered and her brother is one of the prime suspects, Clare decides to team up with the police to solve the case using her special powers.
Like the story itself, Clare is a decent heroine, but not especially noteworthy or memorable. She's the same as every other protagonist in the paranormal mystery genre - sassy, smart and loyal - and I just wish there was a bit more depth to her.
There is a love triangle here between Justin, Clare's ex-boyfriend (the sweet golden boy), and Gabriel, the detective's son (the mysterious bad boy). The love triangle was one I was a bit ambivalent about. It wasn't completely necessary to the story, but it didn't overpower the plot either.
The mystery itself is mediocre. The murderer is rather obvious, and I wish there were more red herrings and twists to make the reveal more surprising and unpredictable.
All in all, Clarity is not a bad book, but it's not a great book either. If you don't mind reading about a lot of common YA troupes, you'll probably find this to be an entertaining and quick read.
December 13, 2014
With the good and the bad, I really enjoyed reading this book. It kept me guessing who the murderer could be (and I am glad to know that I was 'half right' about it).
But the ending, oh... I hate series, they always keep you waiting for more and my patience is probably in far-far-far-away-land by now ;))
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July 18, 2011
Clarity is a good YA paranormal murder-mystery. I wasn't sure that I would like it once I found out that the main character's (Clare) special power was psychically reading objects. Basically, it translates into her being able to touch things, and then feel or see what other people felt or saw when they were touching it. I thought that was pretty lame, considering her brother could talk to spirits and her mother could read minds. So color me surprised when Harrington managed to turn her into a cool heroine!
I thought the mystery was well done, too. I had a lot of fun trying to guess whodunnit! It had that Agatha Christie feel to it. There are too many red herrings and false leads thrown out there to be absolutely sure who the bad guy is, but it was still fun to try!
Yes, there is a love triangle. Who does she choose?! The wholesome ex-boyfriend who made a mistake, but still pines for her...or the bad-boy with a secret, who runs hot and cold? Seriously, who cares? I'm sure the teen girls (who are the actual target audience...not crusty old chicks, right?) will eat that stuff up with a fork and spoon!
I thought the mystery was well done, too. I had a lot of fun trying to guess whodunnit! It had that Agatha Christie feel to it. There are too many red herrings and false leads thrown out there to be absolutely sure who the bad guy is, but it was still fun to try!
Yes, there is a love triangle. Who does she choose?! The wholesome ex-boyfriend who made a mistake, but still pines for her...or the bad-boy with a secret, who runs hot and cold? Seriously, who cares? I'm sure the teen girls (who are the actual target audience...not crusty old chicks, right?) will eat that stuff up with a fork and spoon!
April 20, 2011
In the Cape Cod tourist town of Eastport, the summers for Clarity ‘Clare’ Fern and her family are filled with psychic readings and not much else, but when a teenage tourist is found murdered in her motel room, the summer becomes unforgettable. Clare must team up with a Detective and his son (who are against psychics) to find the killer, but when one murder leads to three more, the quest to put the criminal behind bars becomes a battle for life, truth, and love.
This murder mystery had fantasy and romance twisted into its plot to make it much more exciting. I really enjoyed the story and would definetly recommend it to young adults.
This murder mystery had fantasy and romance twisted into its plot to make it much more exciting. I really enjoyed the story and would definetly recommend it to young adults.
February 6, 2018
Εφηβικό ανάγνωσμα που έχει όλα τα απαραίτητα συστατικά. Έρωτα, περιπέτεια, μυστήριο, χιούμορ, διδάγματα. Είναι καλογραμμένο με γρήγορη και πλούσια πλοκή και με άφησε με την επιθυμία να διαβάσω τη συνέχεια, την οποία έχω ήδη παραγγείλει. Αποφάσισα να αφαιρέσω ένα αστεράκι μόνο επειδή ήταν κάπως προβλέψιμη η ανατροπή.
Read
June 12, 2011A snarky narrator and a really solid whodunnit mystery. Short, fast-paced, and a fun read.
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