You can read this review and more like it at Pretty Deadly Reviews.

I read Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne last year and wasn't wholly impressed. I thought it was lacking in many places, especially in characterization. On the whole it was entirely forgettable. I wasn't expecting much from Never Let You Go but it's hard to stay away from something described as 'a love triangle gone horribly wrong'. You all know how I feel about love triangles - and what's more is this one involves one boy and two girls. So of course, I snatched it up, and I was actually pleasantly surprised.

This time around (which looks like her sophomore YA effort) Berne was able to create rich characters in just over 200 pages, who are distinct and vivid. The protagonist, Megan, moves onto a farm for the summer and joins a large cast of characters. But I never felt that I couldn't distinguish who was who - each character had a separate voice and distinct story and I felt like I really knew all of them. Megan and Anna have the classic 'frienemies' relationship. Anna saved Megan from social exile, and I honestly don't see what they liked about each other. Now they are are older, and Megan has betrayed Anna by kissing her boyfriend, I really don't see why they even tried to be friends. The romance I thought was great - no insta-love. It was cute and adorable and organic. I really liked Jordan. He had a great head on his shoulders, and goals and a history outside of Megan, which I thought was a breath of fresh air.

Berne masterfully wove suspense into what, on the surface, could seem like a cute story about navigating romance and friendships. But you could always tell something wasn't quite right. Anna was throwing herself at Jordan to the point where I was embarrassed for her. It was really uncomfortable to watch Anna take the smallest snippet of conversation with Jordan and twist it and stretch it into something completely different. Her way of bending reality was truly scary.

Throughout the story we're given glimpses into Anna and Megan's past together, and it's easy to see how each girl turned out the way they were, and how they made the decisions they made. Megan was always the out cast, the loner, and Anna always made jabs at her. Boys always flocked to Anna first, so when Anna's boyfriend was giving Megan attention I can see how she could make that terrible decision. And we could see where Anna's head was just never in the right place.

When Anna finally snapped, it was wild and terrifying. I don't feel like I'm spoiling anything here, because that's basically what the story was about. While I waited for the climax, anticipation kept mounting. You know what's coming, but you don't know when and you're powerless to stop it. And the ending? Totally creepy.

The reason why I only rated it three stars is for how forgettable is it. While I thought the story was masterfully woven, and the characters were great, I really don't think I'll reflect back on it like I do other books. I might reread it one day, since I own it, but I won't look back on the lessons it's taught me, or the way it provoked me. It's just a simple thriller, albeit with a great cast of characters.

I do recommend it, if your library has it. It's a fun, quick read, with quite a dark side. The characters are grabbing, and there are a couple you'll be rooting for, no doubt. And with anticipation high, Never Let You Go practically forces you to keep turning the pages. ( )