*I received a free copy of Made for You from HarperCollins UK Children's via Netgalley. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *
Warning: This book includes mature content such as: sexual content, and/or drug and/or alcohol use, and/or violence.
Made for You by Melissa Marr Published by HarperCollins UK Children's on 26 March 2015
Genres: Paranormal, Psychological Thriller, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 373
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley
Contemporary, racy thriller packed with chilling twists, unrequited obsession and high-stakes. From New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr.
Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital to discover an attempt has been made on her life. But who in her sleepy town could have hit her with their car? And why? Before she can consider the question, she finds that she's awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people's deaths when they touch her.
While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old friend, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva's power to keep her friends -
and themselves – alive. But the killer is obsessed and will stop at nothing to get to Eva…
Made for You is a chilling psychological thriller / murder mystery made all the more chilling because it’s YA, with young characters involved.
My Made for You review:
Made for You have so many things going for it! One is that it’s not that easy to find a psychological thriller in the young adult category that actually is a thrilling ride! And there are parents who are involved in their children’s lives – not all in equal parts, and some not so much in the beginning, but then they are working on it! There is a very creepy stalker with a God-complex, a best friend who is a very good friend, and the main character is smart and hard-working, and tries her best to be a good friend and a good student. After Eva is run over by a car and left for dead, she thinks it’s just a freak accident, but the reader knows this is not at all the case. And while I knew there was a stalker out there, narrating parts in first person perspective, it was very hard to figure out just who it was for a long time.
I really appreciated the friendship between Grace and Eva, especially when Eva didn’t feel up to having a lot of her friends visiting her at the hospital. Made for You managed to get that teenage all encompassing friends part down to pat, and while Eva was wishing for her parents, especially while she was in the hospital, once they did come back home she realized that their relationship was slowly shifting. Her mom was not a hands on mom at first, but she did want to change that, and she really did throughout the story.
The romance aspect was pretty light, and I have to admit I was suspicious of almost all of the boys who were a part of Eva’s circle, because it was quite obvious that a boy was behind Eva’s hit and run. And when more accidents happened, my mind was working overtime to try to figure out who was behind it all. Also, the paranormal aspect in Made for You was quite different from any other I’ve read, because after her accident, Eva could experience a person’s death when that person touched her skin. At first, she had no idea what was happening to her, because it was as if she was inside another person’s body, living that person’s last moments. As the story moved forward, it became even more important that Eva figure this new premonition out, so that she could save her friends, and quite possibly herself as well.
Marr managed to keep me guessing for well over half of Made for You, and even after she let me figure out who the culprit was, the tension was still tangible, and I was wondering until the very end how things would fold out. Written in present tense, mostly from Eva’s point of view, but some glimpses into the stalker’s psyche as well, I was mesmerized all the while I was reading.
Some of my favorite Made for You quotes:
Some friendships work because they have so much in common; we work because we have so many differences. We fill each other’s gaps. That shouldn’t have to stop just because some jerk hit me with his car.
Later, if she heeds the messages, we’ll have new pictures where we are close like we should be.
Soon.
I feel a ripple of excitement at the though of our future. When we were kids, I didn’t appreciate what a gift she was. i see that now. No one understands me like she does. No one else can. Only Eva.
I don’t draw attention to myself, not academically or socially. Taking up with Nathaniel Bouchet would raise a lot of brows and lower a lot of voices.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Twitter: bmreviewsohmy
I was sent this book unsolicited and it’s been sitting on my review shelf for a while thinking that I might read it…now I really think I need to read this one..sounds like it was great. 🙂
Stormi!! you have to read it! I’m sure this one would really appeal to you 🙂
You know, I was ready to write this one off because of the author, but I have a tough time turning down and mind-game thriller.
You should definitely give it a chance, Lyn! I’m thinking you just might enjoy Made for You. It’s deliciously creepy.
I’m so happy that this is out now BECAUSE GOOD LORD IN HEAVEN I AM GETTING THIS. A psychological thriller that just gives you the thrills?! I want that! I want that so much! Especially after I supposedly read a “powerful” thriller whose thrills were pretty much next to nonexistent, which isn’t much, let me tell you, lol. If it makes your brain turn to overdrive, you know that book is legit!
WooHoo Faye! I really hope you’ll love it as much as I did. There was so many red herrings leading me on my wrong merry way to try to figure out who the bad one was 😉
Made for You sounds fascinating, Lexxie. The fact that Marr kept you guessing for so long is something. You know I love a story that keeps me guessing. And I like all the other elements – like parents who are or are trying to be involved in their kids’ lives, the friendship aspect, and the paranormal element. <– that last one is kinda creepy. I haven't read Marr is a long while but I've always enjoyed her writing. I'll have to place this one atop Mt. TBR. 😉
I hope you've had a marvelous day so far and that it continues that way. 😉 **BIG HUGS**
I know, Brandee, when I keep guessing, figure out I was wrong just to get it wrong again, I’m a very happy reader. And yes, the fact that parents were mentioned quite often made Made for You stand out from so many other YA stories, too.
I hadn’t read Marr in a long time either, but I’m so happy I got my hands on this one.
Only 29 more days, girlfriend!! *BIG HUGS*
This title sounds pretty interesting . . . I have to confess that it’s been a while since I’ve read a YA, but this seems to have something different and your enthusiasm makes me really want to check it out. Ok, you know what? I’ve noted it down so we can be sure I won’t forget it! 😉
Thanks for reviewing this, Lexxie 🙂
The only thing that made me really think of this as YA is that the characters are young… but the creepiness really made my skin crawl, and I hope you’ll check it out one day, Silvia 🙂
I definitely will! 🙂
I haven’t tried this one but I remember reading a book by this author and liking it so I should try more one day too, mainly after such a review! thanks!
If you enjoy Marr’s writing, you should definitely check this one out, Melliane!
Twitter: talksupeblog
I haven’t read a good YA thriller in a long time!!! Adding this to my wishlist, it sounds so good!
I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did, Braine!!
Anything written by Melissa Marr is an auto buy for me and I love the fact that this ones a thriller! I haven’t read a good thriller in a long time! Great review!
YAY for autobuy, Lily. Made for You really made my head spin, because for a long time, it took me on a red herring hunt 😉 I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.
This sounds very interesting. I’ve only read Marr’s Graveminder, but loved it.
I know what you mean about your mind starting to work overtime looking for clues in anyone’s behavior to see if they are the bad guy. It happens to me a lot too.
I may have to add this to my to be read someday list. 🙂 Thank you for the review.
Hey, I forget…did you finish Harry Potter yet?
I enjoyed Graveminder, Xyra, but Made for You is even better! I’m glad I’m not the only one looking for clues everywhere when I’m reading a good thriller 🙂
heh! Finish Harry Potter? I think I’ll need to actually start for that to happen 😉
Haha! Yes, starting the series is a step in the right direction. I had wondered when I asked about finishing if you had started…now I know. 🙂
I read in one of the other comments about creepy skin crawling…is it creepy like Edgar Allan Poe or like Steven King?
It’s just that there are SO many other books out there, Xyra.
It’s creepy kind of like Steven King, but not really, if that makes any sense at all.
I understand. It’s hard to get to all the great recommendations.
Yes, it does…so how about thriller creepy like VC Andrews? (I’ve read two of her books and not the ones everyone else has. LOL) Ooo, or Alfred Hitchcock?
I think it’s a mix of Alfred Hitchcock and Stephen King in a strange way, Xyra 😉
This sounds like a fantastic, intense read!
Great review, as per usual.
Yup, definitely intense, 🙂
This thriller was definitely really creepy wasn’t it? I was super impressed with how scared I was at it! The villain was super creepy, and I did suspect everyone at times. I did find it a bit predictable later on though, but that didn’t inhibit my enjoyment…much. Lovely review Lexxie!
Yeah, it was so good, Jeann! I did figure out who it was later on, but the way the story unfolded was still amazing to me 🙂
Twitter: limabean74
I have read one book from her and really enjoyed it but I have seen this one around, I loved your review and I think I might need to check this one out. Great Review Lexxie!
This one was so well done, Michelle. And you know I enjoy a good thriller every now and then, so when I find one that is good, I’m all excited 🙂