The Freak Observer

Reader: Sophie D
Age: 14
Title: The Freak Observer
Author: Blythe Woolston
Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab
Pub Date: Aug. 2010
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens’ Top 10: Yes
Annotation: Loa has a broken family, a dead baby sister, no friends, and she's just seen someone die. Not only that, but whenever she goes to sleep (and sometimes while she's awake), he's always there, The Bony Guy, or death. How is she ever going to get through her senior year of high school?
Was the cover tempting: This cover is extremely gross. I don't like it, personally, but I do think that it is an extremely intriguing and different cover, and I would definitely pick it up if I saw it in a bookstore.
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: It's horribly creepy, extremely disturbing, and really depressing. But it is also a well written story about a girl whose life is completely screwed up, and how she kind of overcomes that screwed-upness.
Compelling Aspect of the Book: I've never read a book like this. I loved every part of it, but the best part was the writing. The author has a very concise, to the point way of putting things, which was very interesting to read. The main character was wonderful, and the way her family life and dreams were described was very vivid.
Did you finish: Yes
Were you disappointed with the book at all: I would have liked to know how the main character's life turned out, but the book was amazing and there was nothing disappointing about it.
Age Range: 14-17
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal