Customer Reviews

Uninvited

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Justine Musk's sophomore novel Uninvited is a paranormal fantasy set in the lives of a pair of Southern California high school siblings. It's a dark, gothic novel in a glitzy, sunny climate. Musk succeeds at crafting a plot which is just realistic enough to be thoroughly creepy even from a comfortable armchair.

The story centers on an otherworldly uninvited guest who roams Earth in discontent amassing souls. The winged, shape-shifting man entered the lives of Kelly and Jasper Ruland on the night that Jasper walked away the sole survivor of a horrific car accident. Kelly's memory of the evening is hazy, but ever since the crash, the high school student has been alienated and depressed, turning to club drugs for relief. She yearns for a re-connection to her brother while she tries to sort out the ghostly happenings surrounding her family, leading to a climax in which she discovers the truth about the foggy night of the car crash.

Uninvited is a beautiful book to behold. I bought it because I am a fan of Justine Musk, but I daresay that the silvery tribal arabesque pattern on the cover might have attracted me on sight alone.

Kelly and Jasper have always been close, but after the car accident that killed his friends, Jasper disappears without a trace.

Kelly's lost without her older brother. She feels a void that she works hard to fill by taking E and engaging in risky behavior.

One night, Jasper comes back home - but he's not alone.

Archie is there in the shadows watching and waiting. Archie doesn't like to lose and he's got control over Jasper's soul. Can the two siblings survive together or will Jasper succumb to Archie?

UNINVITED is an addicting tale of paranormal horror. Readers will want to uncover Archie's power over the siblings and the secret of the car crash that changed their lives forever.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel

I picked up Uninvited, the other night because I needed/wanted something quick, that I could read before Fade To Black made it's way into my hot little hands, and this really fit the bill. I read it in a day.

I enjoyed Uninvited, with it's quirky story line, Gothic tones, and sunny climates. I found it quite original. The story centers around Kelly, whose brother disappears after a horrible car incident which leaves Kelly feeling, lost, depressed, lonely, and somewhat worthless. After all Jasper was the one her parents had pined all there hopes to, not Kelly - Kelly was just an afterthought to them. Before the accident the only one Kelly felt cared about her was Jasper - and then he left her, alone - so alone.

After Jasper leaves, Kelly lets her whole world fall apart, her parents never around to care, she plunges into a world of darkness, turning to drugs to help dull the pain, only doing enough in school to "squeak" by, all the while experiencing what she can only think of as panic attacks, in which Kelly seems to be plunged into a blackness, where she can't breath, talk or hear what's going on around her.

Suddenly and for no apparent reason, Jasper returns - but he's not alone...Archie and his band or rather gang of soul less motorcycle "people" (for lack of a better word), are right behind him. Archie has control over Jasper's soul and he's not letting go that easily.

I hesitate to write more, I don't want to spoil it for anyone out there who might read it...it's a great book, full of dark twists and scary turns, but with characters you can relate to, and a plot that's not "to far out there." Occasionally Uninvited was a bit predictable, but for the most part it kept me on my toes, with just enough of the paranormal to keep it interesting as well as scary. The ending was one, not to be missed.

I give Uninvited a 4 stars and am looking forward to reading more by Justine Musk!

Kelly Ruland drinks gin-and-tonics, takes E, and tries to fill the void in her life since her brother survived a deadly car accident and quickly skipped town. Now Jasper returns, followed by a motorcycle gang whose leader wants his soul...or maybe Kelly's.

Justine Musk hasn't released a novel since this 2007 young adult urban fantasy, but she's a clever writer who weaves great sentences and a story that doesn't fall into maudlin. Thankfully without a romance, UNINVITED instead focuses on the sibling relationship. With an older brother who's seemingly brilliant at everything, it's easy to understand why Kelly feels she can't measure up so she no longer tries. But ultimately Kelly will do anything to save Jasper, and vice versa. A mature tale of the void, the abyss, that we all face at one time or another.

Kelly Ruland's life could not be any worse. Her pregnant mother is on bed rest for the rest of her labor, her father is always working, and her brother is gone. Ever since Jasper walked out of their lives, Kelly has thought of herself as her parent's consolation prize. Now that the twins are coming, she isn't even that anymore. The only time she feels good anymore is when she does ecstasy. All that changes in one night, though.

The night Jasper reappears, things begin to change, for the family and their town. Signs start showing up around town, signs that tell Jasper that he needs to come home. While he was gone, it seems that Jasper got involved with the wrong type of people and they aren't willing to let him return to his old life.

Will Kelly be able to figure out what is going on, before it's too late?

Uninvited was a story unlike any I have read before. The characters, the plot, everything about the story was original. Justine Musk did a wonderful job writing an original story that will appeal to pretty much all fans of the paranormal.

My one complaint was the amount of drug use. I don't like reading about drugs, especially hardcore drugs like ecstasy. The reason I still liked this book, even with the drug use, was because it actually tied into the story. The story wouldn't really have made sense without it and it wasn't overdone.

I don't really want to say anything more about the plot because it would give the story away but it was great. It was just such an unusual story and the characters were unlike any I had read before. Archie was someone you wanted to trust and hate at the same time. Jasper and Kelly were also so great. They had such a great relationship and I only wish I had that kind of closeness with my brother. My other complaint was that you didn't really find out anything about Kelly's two friends, Morgan and Amy. They were in the very beginning of the book and they just sort of disappeared in the middle. I would have liked to know more about them.

Overall, I really liked Uninvited. While it isn't one of my favorites, it was still a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who is not against a little drug use for the purpose of the story.

it was a thrilling book it always kept me one page behind trying to figure out what will happen next and were it would lead five stars

short simple book with an easy plot. good book for the under 18 but over 10 world. has talk of drug use.