Someone’s Behind You

Catherine Perez

Alone

By Cyn Balog

The following is a continuation of my first book review called “What Scares You?”

Imagine having your worst fears come true. What comes next?

After refusing to let the group of stranded teenagers stay at the mansion, Seda permits them to occupy the carriage house that is on the premises. Seda attempts to keep this from her mother but fails when Seda’s mom discovers Heath and Seda outside having a conversation. Seda’s mom finds herself apologizing for Seda's actions, only giving the teenagers the only option to stay in the carriage house and not the mansion. To celebrate Seda’s birthday, Seda’s mom decides to create a murder scavenger hunt. They follow the clues that are left behind for them, only to find what they would have never imagined.

The plot of this book is very engaging, compelling you to continue reading to figure out what will happen next in the storyline. Suspense is a constant throughout this thriller which makes you wonder about the possibilities of what will happen next. For example, Seda and Heath confess their feelings for each other and Heath asks Seda if she has ever gotten a proper kiss from anyone, Seda says no and confesses to Heath that she has never been kissed before: “When was the last time you were properly been kissed...I'm sure mine would be lacking in a lot of things. I’ve never been kissed at all” (180). Moments like this made me really excited because their feelings towards each other grow throughout this section of the novel. The ending of the story was unbelievable, it had me feeling several emotions all at once. It wasn’t what I expected it to be, and I know that the ending will blow your mind too.


In addition, the way Cyn Balog introduces new characters into the novel is very satisfying to the reader because the way they are introduced adds interest to the plot. The main character and her deceased brother are introduced in a very interesting way at the beginning of this book: “Sometimes I dream I am drowning. Sometimes I dream of bloated faces, bobbing on the surface of misty waters… He said it’s normal for kids to have imaginary friends playmates… He’s part of me, after all. And he’s been coming more and more, invading my thoughts”(1-2). After reading this you immediately start to wonder who she could possibly be talking about and why he is staying with her since his passing. Cyn Balog chooses to introduce Heath to the readers with this phrase:  “A man is standing in the kitchen doorway, an ax propped on one shoulder”(46). Your initial reaction is to figure out who the person is, and by doing this, the author keeps the readers guessing until they read the next few pages.

I recommend the novel Alone by Cyn Balog.  This book is intended for an audience of young adults. Like I said in my first book review, the vocabulary is simple and makes it easy for the reader to comprehend the story and events. The novel is about a teenage girl, and teenagers can relate to her experiences. I also recommend this novel to the people who like mystery. Towards the end of the book, the kids go on a murder scavenger hunt that leads them to find things they’ve never seen before.