The Vanishing Season (The Moment Collector) by Jodi Lynn Anderson Review (non-spoiler):

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

*NOTE* I CRIED DURING THE LAST FEW CHAPTERS OF THIS BOOK, BE FOREWARNED!

This book has been deemed The Lovely Bones meets love story, and it sure does meet that expectation.

This book is basically about a girl named Maggie whose parents are going through financial problems and have to move to middle-ofno-where-like Door County Water Street. Maggie leaves behind her old life and friends to a life that seems at first unpleasant. Maggie has been for a long while, home-schooled. But, you should know that this book isn't written in Maggie's point of view, but a ghost who is stuck to Maggie's new home. Maggie and her parents slowly but surely make their fixer-upper of a house their new home. Maggie meets her new neighbors, Pauline and Liam. And Maggie begins to feel at home. But in peaceful Door County, things turn un-peaceful. A killer is rampant and everyone is afraid. Girls go missing and found dead and everyone is a suspect. Nothing is as it seems in what once was peaceful Door County. Love, heart-break, loss, and death are all key emotions that rampage throughout this beautiful story.

I haven't read a book by Jodi Lynn Anderson before, but I've wanted to for a long time (I wanted to read her book Tiger Lily), and now I finally have. I honestly went into this story barely knowing a thing, but I loved it just the same.

Maggie turns out to be a beautifully written character that the reader can easily love and cherish. She has her faults but she's easily relatable. To be honest, all the characters in this book were easily likeable.

I loved the way this story was written, somebody on the outside looking in. I've never read a story written this way before, so it was a pleasant surprise. The writing in this book was strong and hit home but simple, as to not confuse the reader. The love story was adorable and laughable (in a good way, you know that giddy feeling!). I also loved the fact of how surprising the ending was and how surprising the whole story was. This story was written to surprise the reader at every corner and keep the reader guessing, and it did through and through.

I wouldn't have picked this book up on my own, to be honest. I am a cover buyer and this cover is beautiful, but I also look at the genres of books before I buy them. I don't normally read horror/creepy books, so I wouldn't have bought this book on my own (because it sure is dark and creepy at times!). I'm so glad I recieved this ARC from the publisher HarperTeen and Goodreads First Reads.

Any who, stay tuned for my spoiler review July 1st or 10th (time permitting), if you want to!