Review: Hysteria by Megan Miranda

Title: Hysteria
Author: Megan Miranda
Exp. Pub: February 5, 2013
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Mallory killed her boyfriend, Brian. She can't remember the details of that night but everyone knows it was self-defense, so she isn't charged. But Mallory still feels Brian's presence in her life. Is it all in her head? Or is it something more? In desperate need of a fresh start, Mallory is sent to Monroe, a fancy prep school where no one knows her . . . or anything about her past.But the feeling follows her, as do her secrets. Then, one of her new classmates turns up dead. As suspicion falls on Mallory, she must find a way to remember the details of both deadly nights so she can prove her innocence-to herself and others. In another riveting tale of life and death, Megan Miranda's masterful storytelling brings readers along for a ride to the edge of sanity and back again.

Mallory kills her boyfriend.  She won't be arrested though, it was self defense.  The worst part... even worse than her boyfriend's family stalking her and wanting to make her life miserable... even worse is the way her family is treating her since "the incident".  The knives are removed from the kitchen.  Her BFF Colleen is no longer allowed to be around her.  Her parents lock all windows and doors in the house, including theirs when they go to bed at night.  After only a couple weeks, her parents decide to send her away to a boarding school.  She finds her bags already packed... and she then decides it's for the best.  She's going to Monroe.

Upon her arrival at Monroe, she quickly learns the students already know her past and she will not have an easy road here.  Her roommate moves in... and quickly moves out the next day.  Everyone is isolating her.  She stumbles upon a boy she used to know when she was younger... but will he now judge her for the murder too?

Hysteria was a book I totally hyped up in my own head prior to reading it.  Part of me was worried that I wouldn't like it as much as I really wanted to.  The other part of me just knew I would love it.  The latter part of me won.  :)  The murder/suspense part, mixed with the boarding school drama, with an added paranormal feel, just made it such a great story!  I wholeheartedly loved it.  I was totally satisfied at the end with the way Miranda tied it all together.  Definitely check this one out if you enjoy psychological thrillers... I doubt you'll be disappointed.  I think I'll have to go back and read Miranda's debut novel, Fracture, now. :)

Megan is a scientist - turned - teacher - turned - stay-at-home-mom - turned - writer. She is not nearly as indecisive as she sounds. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina, where she volunteers as an MIT Educational Counselor, does the mom thing by day, and writes by night.

Her first novel, FRACTURE, was published in January 2012 by Walker/Bloomsbury. HYSTERIA, a YA psychological thriller, will be published in February 2013. VENGEANCE, a companion/sequel to FRACTURE, will follow in 2014.

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