Shelter Me [Paperback]

Alex McAulay (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 6, 2009

Maggie Leigh just wants to be a normal teenager, but when German bombs tear apart London during World War II, her ultra-religious mother sees the destruction as divine punishment. She sends Maggie to a remote boarding school in coastal Wales, supposedly to keep her safe, but also to keep her in line. The school is creepy, the headmistress is a lunatic, and the students range from spoiled rich girls to speechless trauma victims. But when a tragic accident happens on the beach, Maggie and three friends are forced to flee the school, plunging into the nightmarish world of Europe during wartime. Now every decision Maggie makes is fraught with danger, and living to see another day depends on how quickly she can think and act...and how far she's willing to go.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Alex McAulay brings to life one girl's harrowing, nightmarish adventure. Shelter Me is a dark, breakneck-paced journey through wartime England, full of twists and thrilling turns you'll never see coming!" -- Christopher Golden, author of Soulless

About the Author

Alex McAulay, author of Bad Girls, Lost Summer, and Oblivion Road, is a graduate of Brown University, and holds a Ph.D. in literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is also an indie-rock musician who has recorded several albums under the name Charles Douglas.  He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Lisa.  Visit him online at www.alexmcaulay.com.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books; Original edition (January 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416545832
• ISBN-13: 978-1416545835
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,445,351 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I never write reviews..., April 29, 2009

By 

reading teacher (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shelter Me (Paperback)

but as a teacher with an extensive classroom library who often recommends titles to students, I feel compelled to say something about this book. It was, quite possibly, the WORST YA novel I have ever read. The writing was incredibly poor, and the girl's language and attitudes entirely anachronistic to the WWII setting. But that is not really the issue-- there is plenty of poorly written YA lit out there. This book was exploitative of it's young female characters to the extreme. I understand that the conventions of the genre require peril, but when everything has an ultra-creepy sexual undertone it becomes a bit much. Also, the ending was not shocking because it was entirely implausible and wholly unresolved. Any book aimed at the YA audience that leaves the majority of it's character (including an infant) in forced sexual slavery better have a good reason. Regrettably, like nearly every other plot development in this book, I have no idea of the point.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Shelter Me by by Sharon of sharonlovesbooksandcats, January 9, 2009

By 

Sharon A. Somers "sharonluvscats" (ny) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shelter Me (Paperback)

It took me three hours in one sitting to finish Shelter Me. Yes, it was that good. This is the second book this week that I've read about a boarding school run be lunatics. Unlike the first novel Shelter Me was well written and had well developed characters.

Shelter Me starts off with a boom (no pun intended) and never really slows down. The whole atmosphere of London during World War II was very authentic. I did not once question the struggles that Maggie when through. I really felt Maggie's despair when her mother forces her to leave home.

The boarding school itself was beyond creepy. There were several times when I was running right along side Maggie in my head. That is how real she felt to me. The nuns in the school was so scary that I wanted to jump into the book and smack them! The side characters were also very fabulous. The whole scene down at the beach was so shocking and sad. I cannot believe I actually felt sorry for the poor guy (trying not to give too much away here!).

Another thing that struck as interesting was how the differences among the social classes were handled. Maggie comes from a lower middle-class background and it at several times shocked by the wealth of other people around her. Even at the boarding school there is a clear difference among the wealthy and poor. The wealthy girls eat better food and have much better sleeping arrangements. Ironically in the end it is a large sum on money that gets Maggie out of her predicament.

The ending! Oh my god! I did not see this ending coming at all. I love being surprised like that. Kudos to Alex McAuluy for shocking the pants off me.

1.0 out of 5 stars what ?, January 14, 2012

By 

Danielle - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shelter Me (Paperback)

Its a ok book.
It just takes a hard left is all. I can say to much, it would give to much away, but its most likely not what you think its going to be. But for the money and how amazing amason is go for it.