Between the Bookcovers

Author: Eireann Corrigan
Published: August 1, 2010
Pages: 304
Rating: 4/5

Description from Goodreads:

They've gotten good grades - but that's not good enough. They've spent hours on community service - but that's not good enough. Finn and Chloe's advisor says that colleges have enough kids with good grades and perfect attendance, so Chloe decides they'll have to attract attention another way. She and Finn will stage Chloe's disappearance, and then, when CNN is on their doorstep and the nation is riveted, Finn will find and save her. It seems like the perfect plan - until things start to go wrong. Very wrong.

Review:

Finn and Chloe have been best friends for years. Near high school graduation the school counselor advises them that they will have to be very memorable to get into the college of their choice. Chloe comes up with a plan to fake her disappearance, believing that she will have a great story to put on her college application. She hides out in an empty house, while Finn has to watch the fallout of the fake kidnapping. Chloe's parents are distraught, Finn hates lying about the disappearance and then a friend is arrested for the kidnapping. The novel follows the entire plot and the consequences of their actions.

The book is fast paced and suspenseful and it kept my attention from the first page right through to the end of the book. The story was narrated by Finn whose teenage voice was realistic and we watch her character grow as she realizes that everyone has to pay for the choices they make and that sometimes the cost of friendship can be too high. Chloe was also a well developed character who was so self centered that I didn't like her. But it was the combination of the two that made the book work and it was fascinating to view the insides of their friendship. This was a captivating book and I couldn't wait to see how it all turned out. The ending was satisfying and by the end of the book the message was clear: your actions affect more people than you think and the consequences last a lifetime.

Rating: An excellent book with a unique story