Title: League of Strays
Author: L.B. Schulman
Publisher: Amulet Books
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Release Date: October 1st, 2012
Source: Paperback, ARC
This suspenseful debut follows a group of teenage misfits in their delicious quest for revenge on those who have wronged them at their high school. When a mysterious note appears in Charlotte’s mailbox inviting her to join the League of Strays, she’s hopeful it will lead to making friends. What she discovers is a motley crew of loners and an alluring, manipulative ringleader named Kade. Kade convinces the group that they need one another both for friendship and to get back at the classmates and teachers who have betrayed them. But Kade has a bigger agenda. In addition to vandalizing their school and causing fights between other students, Kade’s real intention is a dangerous plot that will threaten lives and force Charlotte to choose between her loyalty to the League and her own conscience.
Wow, so where do I start? Well, I can honestly say that this book is not at all what I expected. I was intrigued by the cover at first. Just his eyes were enough to pull me in. Then I read the blurb on the back cover...I thought that this would be a pretty good read. And don't get me wrong, it was good, but it wasn't as great as I thought that it would be.
The writer is very articulate and the way they wrote this, it was not hard to imagine everything. I enjoy a book where you can visualize the story unfolding. If I can't visualize it, it's lost to me. Unfortunately for me, I had to put this book down a few times in the beginning before I could finally get lost into this book.
The characters are complex, but that's what brings this story to life. At first Kade's motives are questionable, but soon realize that there is something more to the story. Once the story starts to unfold we start to see the struggles the characters have to face and what Charlotte will do to try to stop them.
Charlotte's character is actually quite strong and she is the main one that can see Kade for what he really is worth once she can make it past his mesmerizing eyes. Zoe is one of my favorites, however, with her intense attitude toward things and people.
My final thoughts on this book are that this is a good read for people that enjoy mysteries, slight thrillers and contemporary pieces. I would recommend this book to anyone 13 years of age and older.
