Friday Favorites: Never

Never by J. Grace Pennington

Recommended For: 13 and up

 Rating: PG-13 (mild violence, mildly disturbing scenes, and a murder)
 
Travis Hamilton never expected to be a killer. One day he was studying to become a schoolteacher in the little western town of Spencervale, and the next he was sentenced to ten years hard labor in the Dead Mines outside town--from which few return alive. 

Ross Hamilton is no detective. But when his brother is convicted of murder, he has no choice but to abandon his ranch and do all in his power to find out just what happened the night of the killing, and who is really responsible. 

 Neither brother is prepared to be stretched and tested to his limits and beyond by an adventure that is much bigger than either of them ever imagined. But in the next few days, they will be. The only way to survive is to never compromise.

 Never.

I started this book with a very intriguing premise from my sister on my mind. A young man was convicted of killing somebody while he was asleep and was sentenced to work in the Dead Mines for ten years. His older brother quarantined a hotel to try and find out what really happened.

I must say, the book did not disappoint. I couldn't put it down (honestly, I was reading it when I should have been doing other things). I liked it so much I wanted it in physical form instead of e-book form, and asked for it for Christmas. Now I can pull it off my shelf and read it whenever I want (and I do often).

Never is a really, really good book. J. Grace Pennington is a really good writer. Her writing puts my writing to shame. She makes you feel as if you're really there seeing what the characters are seeing and feeling what they're feeling. This is very instrumental in drawing you in. And the plot. Up until the end I hadn't got it figured out completely. I thought I had, but I hadn't. I can't write mysteries myself (I've tried) so that made me appreciate this well-done mystery even more. Many mysteries I've read are cheesy and unrealistic. This was anything but. And yet there's so much more to it than the mystery aspect. It's a little hard to explain if you haven't read the book. Which is why you should go read it right now if you haven't. And read it again if you have.

I could go on all day about how much I love this book, but I really have other things to do. So I'll suffice to finish with this famous quote.

"READ NEVER OR OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!" as the Queen of Hearts said. What's that you say? The Queen of Hearts didn't really say that? Well, if she didn't, that's only because she was born before Never was written. If she had been born, she totally would have said it.

I know, I know, the Queen of Hearts isn't real. But Never is, which is why you should go read it.

Seriously, why are you still reading this? Go read Never now!