(44) Sara

Title: Sara by Greg Herren
Publisher: Bold Stroke Books
264 pages
Genre: lgbt, YA

I received an E-ARC of this book from netgalley.com - it is being released July 17, 2012

Synopsis: For Tony Martin, being a senior means being a star on the football team, classes to get through, hanging out with his friends—and dating Candy Dixon. And once he graduates, he’s getting out of Kansas and never looking back. But his best friend Glenn’s decision to come out and be openly gay at their small rural high school creates a lot of problems for the two of them. But a beautiful new student arrives at Southern Heights High—Sara. When all the kids who’ve been mean to Glenn start dying in very strange circumstances, and Glenn starts acting strangely, it’s up to Tony and Candy to get to the bottom of what’s going on in their school—before it’s too late for them.

Review: What starts off seeming like a coming of age story about Glenn coming out and how his best friend Tony and his football team mates handle it turns into a supernatural tale with a dark ending.  When you first meet Sara you know there is something weird about her but you can't quite put your finger on it and when people start dying you start to wonder what she is up to. I really didn't expect the book to go where it did and I'm actually a little disappointed with the ending but the book kept me interested and I was on the edge of my seat near the end trying to figure out how it was all going to play out.

I appreciated the struggles that some of the characters had with Glenn's coming out.  Tony, his best friend struggling with being accepting but also not totally comfortable and knowing that he shouldn't feel that way but not being able to help it. Glenns ex-girlfriend Laney who is struggling with understanding that Glenn is gay and dealing with the hurt and other peoples reactions to why she seemed shocked by it.  I really think Greg did a great job getting into the head of teenagers and the reasons behind some of the ways they behave or feel with regard to someone they know coming out.  I think the multiple deaths at the school would have effected these kids a lot more than they were in the book and that was drawback but I understand that they needed to be able to function for the story to keep going.  I guess like in Buffy people didn't really seem distressed when their friends or family members started dying because of some demon or another life must go on.

All in all a good YA book with characters you could relate to and a good plot.