Book review of SIREN

Book review!

I just finished, SIREN, by Tricia Rayburn. (Look at this gorgeous cover!)

Here's a short blurb on the plot, borrowed from Booklist. I like it because it doesn't give anything important away:

Vanessa, 17, wishes that she was more like her confident older sister Justine and was less afraid of the dark and the ocean at her family's Maine summerhouse. Then, shockingly, Justine is found dead on the shore, and although the death is termed accidental, Vanessa decides to travel from their family home in Boston to Maine to search for answers. There, she learns that Caleb, Justine's regular summer boyfriend, is missing, and of the mysterious, sea-related deaths of local men—each, eerily, found smiling. Together with Simon, Caleb's brother, Vanessa begins to unfold intertwined mysteries and searches for the courage to thwart a sinister, potentially deadly plan.

Siren was a terrific read, particularly for those searching for something new in paranormal fiction. It's difficult to pinpoint my favorite aspect of this book, but certainly, the skillful writing is at the top of the list. Rayburn strikes a perfect balance between characterization, mythology, plot, and setting. In particular, I found Vanessa's relationship with her sister, Justine, fascinating and utterly realistic, and the atmosphere of Winter Harbor, the seaside vacation town where the story occurs, masterfully rendered. This was a town I could see and feel perfectly.

The romance in the story is lovely and believably paced. This is not the on-site infatuation we frequently see in YA literature, but a relationship built on time and friendship, reminiscent of the romance between childhood pals in Kim Derting's The Body Finder.

The ending certainly leaves some questions unanswered. I'll definitely be picking up a sequel, should there be one. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this and recommend it to anyone who enjoys well-written paranormal romance.