YA Paranormal Fantasy Early Review: The Weight of Souls by Bryony Pearce

The Weight of Souls by Bryony Pearce

Egalley thanks to Strange Chemistry

Synopsis from Goodreads
Sixteen year old Taylor Oh is cursed: if she is touched by the ghost of a murder victim then they pass a mark beneath her skin. She has three weeks to find their murderer and pass the mark to them – letting justice take place and sending them into the Darkness. And if she doesn’t make it in time? The Darkness will come for her…

She spends her life trying to avoid ghosts, make it through school where she’s bullied by popular Justin and his cronies, keep her one remaining friend, and persuade her father that this is real and that she’s not going crazy.

But then Justin is murdered and everything gets a whole lot worse. Justin doesn’t know who killed him, so there’s no obvious person for Taylor to go after. The clues she has lead her to the V Club, a vicious secret society at her school where no one is allowed to leave… and where Justin was dared to do the stunt which led to his death.

Can she find out who was responsible for his murder before the Darkness comes for her? Can she put aside her hatred for her former bully to truly help him?

And what happens if she starts to fall for him?

Release date: August 6th 2013.

Amazon  US/UK | Amazon kindle US/UK | The Book Depository US/UK | Fishpond(£6.61)

9/10

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 I fell in love with Bryony Pearce's voice for the first time when I read Angel's Fury. She, -  like many British YA authors, - makes this genre very realistic and unapologetic and gritty. There are no compromises where everyone gets what they want, and there are very strong heroines who are definitely not afraid to go against socially acceptable norms and all sorts of bullying from their own peers.


The Weight of Souls was like that. Oh is one of the unpopular kids in her school but she doesn't give in even an inch and fights back viciously. I extremely admired that about her. She is sassy and strong and has a lot on her plate. Bullying is the last thing she wants to think about. She is more worried about ghosts chasing her so she can avenge their deaths or her father thinking that she is suffering from schizophrenia.

When a teenage boy in her own school dies and marks her as his avenger, she is shaken to her core. Not only he was one of her bullies, he doesn't know who killed him, and Taylor has only 2-3 weeks to figure it out before the Darkness claims her instead.

She will have to infiltrate a secret society of cruel pranksters and go against everything she believes so she can save her own life and let the ghost of a boy have his peace. Add to the mix broken friendships, old secrets and an ancient Egyptian family curse, and you'll get a thrilling and exhilarating read. Much recommended!

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Очень легко и с огромным удовольствием книга читается. 

Я полюбила Брайони Пирс ещё с её дебютной книги - Ярость Ангела. Она очень талантливый писатель подросткового фикшна, и как большинство британских авторов её проза очень реалистична, беспощадна и не боится раскрывать уродливые социальные темы расизма и неравенства.

Вес Душ - это как раз такая книга. Тэйлор О - британка с азиатским наследием и древним египетским проклятием Анубиса, что несёт в себе её семья. Она видит призраков убитых людей, и они могут оставить на ней метку, чтобы она отомстила за них их убийцам. Если она этого не сделает вовремя, то Мрак, в который исчезают убийцы придёт за ней.

Помимо этой проблемы, папа Тэйлор считает, что она страдает от редкой генетической шизофрении и пытается её "вылечить", а в школе над ней немилосердно издеваются сверстники. Однако О совершенно не сдаётся и борется со своими обидчиками изо всех сил.

Однако когда один из таких обидчиков убит и помечает её как своего мстителя, О потрясена до глубины души. Призрак парня не знает кто его убил, и у неё есть всего-лишь несколько недель, чтобы найти убийцу и пометить его прежде чем Мрак заберёт её вместо него. Для этого О приходится инфильтровать секретное общество, к которому принадлежат издевающиеся над ней подростки...

Очень интересная, быстрая, наполненная адреналином книга. Читайте, рекомендую!