Manifest - Artist Arthur

Krystal Bentley is an outsider at her new high school, having just moved to a small Connecticut town. Lately she's been hearing the voice of a teenage boy in her head, and he has become her friend and confidant. The only problem is, he's dead...

Ricky Watson was killed a year ago in the alley behind Krystal's new school. The rumor mill is filled with stories of Ricky and his untimely death. Unfortunately, as a ghost, Ricky is unable to investigate his own murder, so Ricky needs Krystal to find the truth and she needs someone to listen. When Krystal befriends Sasha and Jake, both outcasts at her high school, the threesome soon discover that they have more in common than their outsider status. Each has a unique paranormal ability and an unusual birthmark in the shape of an "M." Jake announces that the M must stand for misfits, and so the three form an unusual clique. They soon realize that solving Ricky's murder can help them understand the mystery behind their powers and may reveal whether there are others like them.

(Synopsis taken from goodreads.com.)

Title: Manifest (A Mystyx Novel)

Author: Artist Arthur

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Publisher: KimaniTRU

Publication Date: August 1, 2010

My Rating: 3/5

I wanted to like this book, and for the most part I did; however I found that there were a lot of gaping plot holes, and I couldn't stand Krystal's personality (at first). She was very rude, and whiny at the beginning of the book, and once she figured some things out in her life, she toned it down, which is good. There was a lot of reiteration and assumptions, in regards to their powers, made through out the story. I don't know how that will play out in the next book. Krystal, Jake and Sasha band together once they all realize they have the same birthmark, and certain powers specifically tailored for them. They decide to help out the ghost of Ricky Watson as he has been asking Krystal to help him out; as well as look for more information about these powers.

I will say that I disagree with the synopsis of the book. I don't know if the back cover flap will be different from the synopsis found over at goodreads, but I hope it is because this synopsis is somewhat misleading.

I did enjoy the history in regards to their powers, but as of right now, not a lot of questions have been answered. Certain key elements had a "Supernatural" feel to them as well. The ending was a cliffhanger which makes me want to see what happens next. I will say I had the "bad guy" figured out almost immediately, and was waiting for Krystal to realize who it was also.

All in all, the book was okay, don't let Krystal's attitude get to you as she does have some character growth and isn't as bad later on. The bones of the story were good, and I would like to see what happens next.

Disclaimer: This book was obtained through netgalley, free of charge, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Harlequin Teen for sending me this copy to review.