Double (ARC)

Hey Guys, I was privileged to participate in an ARC tour from Around the World Tours. I've signed up for a bunch of these and to start things off: "Double" by Jenny Valentine!

Summary:When the sixteen-year-old runaway Chap is mistaken for a missing boy named Cassiel, his life changes dramatically. Chap takes on Cassiel’s identity, gaining the family and friends he’s always dreamed of having. But becoming someone else isn’t as easy as he hoped—and Chap isn’t the only one hiding a secret. As he teeters on the brink of discovery and begins to unravel the mystery behind Cassiel’s disappearance, Chap realizes that he’s in much deeper danger than he could have imagined.

Award-winning author Jenny Valentine delivers an explosive mystery where dark secrets, betrayal, and loss pave the way for one teen’s chance at redemption. After all, you can’t just steal a life and expect to get away with it.

I am a big fan of mystery books (ever since I was five and my dad read me The Boxcar Children) and you cannot deny that Jenny Valentine had a great idea for a novel. It would be like trying to fit into a role in a play or movie that you hadn't studied for at all and just had to stick it out, not mess up and stay in character. Except this wasn't a play, this was real life, and if Chap messed up, the consequences would be very severe. It was so suspenseful because every time he spoke you wouldn't know if it would be his last moment as Cassiel Roadnight.

I think the flashbacks when Chap was still with his Grandpa were the happiest parts of the books, because the relationship he had with his Grandpa was so pleasant and sweet.

One of the weaker parts of the story was the character development, because the only characters that really developed throughout the book were Chap and Floyd, the rest were all too blinded by love to actually do anything interesting. Floyd was hands-down my favorite character. He was nice to Cassiel (Chap) even before Chap became Cassiel. Cassiel had been a complete jerk to him, instead of holding a grudge he lets it go and really helps Chap do the right thing.

This criticism is unimportant but it was interesting so I just thought I'd mention it. In the beginning of the book Chap is at a shelter, and he said "soccer on TV", but wait, this takes place in England, the boy has lived in England all his life and he calls it soccer not football?! An outrage! Maybe they were just trying to appeal to us dumb American readers.

This book was a complex, intense, mysterious thriller that has good series potential.

3.5/5

Book Battle Update: This is my seventh book read in the book battle, Maddz has read 5, smooth sailing from here I hope!

This book will be released Feb. 21, 2012, preorder on Amazon.

This ARC tour was from Around the World Tours (Click on the image above for link).