Valynne E. MaetaniRezensionen

Very exciting mystery, with a little teen romance mixed in. I liked the unusual family, the solid pack of dude friends ready to help Claire out, and guessing the mystery up to the last minute.

Considering my lack of excitement about realistic reads (even sort-of-realistic-mystery-esque-reads like this one), I wasn't sure what to expect going into this story. I ended up LOVING the family/friend dynamics and most of the characters. Claire felt so teenagery, even to the point where I would get exasperated at something she said or did and would have to remind myself that, probably, a real teen would make a similar choice. This is a great book to pick up if you'd like a solid mystery with thriller elements and plenty of funny throw away lines.

So, I accidentally read this book...I know...sounds dumb, but I mistakenly thought it was on a list of books that I am required to read for a committee I am on, but I am so glad I read it! I loved this book! I loved Claire and how determined she was in everything she did. I love that she's not a simpering, whiny MC depending on everyone else to save/help her. With that being said, however, she does have a crew of boys/family that are with her all the way, and that is AWESOME. I have always envied people that have life-long friends that remain friends through thick and thin, and this is how Claire's crew is.

I loved the protectiveness of the guys, but I also love that Claire is still very independent.

I loved the mystery, I loved the suspense, and I loved the outcome. All-in-all, this is a MUST READ!

A little suspense, a little family drama, a little romance, all add up to a page turning read.

Claire suddenly finds that her dad and her step-father might have a history together that she and her siblings knew nothing about. A curious and tenacious person, Claire enlists the help of her brothers and best friends to get to the bottom of the mystery. Unfortunately, it takes them places they don't want to go and gets them in a lot of life-threatening situations.
There's a romance.
There's action and suspense.
I read this book in an afternoon. It hooked me in, and I wanted to know what was going on. The group is pretty ingenious.
Might be a little mature for 4-5, but I think middle schoolers would really like it!

Great to read a stand alone novel; though the author left some clues that could be continued in another follow-up novel. Overall, I would classify this as a one stop book. Death, mystery, family secrets, and an alliance among the 6 teens moves the plot along quickly. Plausible and not too predictable makes this realistic fiction novel great read for teens in high school and perhaps junior high. Glossary at the end will help with the Japanese terms used throughout the book. Overall recommendations: teens, semi- mystery lovers, Japanese culture affectionados, family relationships and secrets interests, and those who want to see how a bunch of friends who act as family deal with deep, dark family secrets.

Wow! There are so many awesome things to say about this book that I'm not quite sure where to start. I picked this for a diverse read. I that I was going to be getting a good story since it was published by Tu Books. (In case you didn't know, Tu Books focuses on diverse young adult science fiction.)

This was a great glimpse in Japanese culture. This had depth, meaning and connection. ot was wan't overwhelming , but it also didn't feel as if it was just placed in the story as window dressing. This actually had everything that I could want in a good book: characters that I liked and cared about, suspense and mystery that had me guessing all the way to the end, great pacing for the story and a heroine that I could believe in.

Claire Takata was not perfect, but, I think that is what made her character so believable. She was a bit whiny, and I hate to admit it, but most girls have thier whiny moments. She was also strong, brave and very capable of taking care of herself. Her position of being the only girl in a group of boys was fitting, somehow.

Lately, I've been having trouble with romance in YA, but I am glad to say that it worked in this book. Not everything that happened was your run of the mill stuff. And everything wasn't wrapped up nice and neatly. But... every question was answered, even if it was complicated.

Even though I focused on Claire, the other characters were well thought out and developed. They had their own quirks and endearing charms. I really enjoyed this work, and will be looking forward to more from this author.

When Japanese American Claire Takata finds out that her deceased father was once a member of the yakuza, a Japanese crime syndicate, danger enters her life that could end up killing someone.

If you want a page-turner, here you go! It’s a suspense thriller where you will hope the characters can survive.

Claire, Avery, and Parker’s father died ten years ago. Their mom remarried fairly quickly; they had been told that their step-father (whom they call “dad”) never knew their father. Claire discovers a picture with the two of them and they appear to be very close friends. Claire and her brothers Avery and Parker call their best friends, Forrest, Nicholas and Fed to an APM (Axis Powers Meeting). They all decide to investigate and quickly suspect that Claire's father was part of the Yakuza, a Japanese crime syndicate that is very cruel and sadistic. Are they safe from the Yakuza?

While investigating, they still must attend school; but, as the days progress, someone begins to watch Claire. Eventually, she receives unwanted gifts that imply Claire is in danger. The novel isn’t completely dark and full of danger. Forrest, Nicholas, and Fed are great friends and act like typical teen boys. I loved the relationship between all the boys and Claire. They are over-protective and loyal to Claire and each other. What surprises Claire is that in the midst of the investigation, she experiences her first love.

Often teen novels are about teens who are being rebellious and experimenting with various ideas and activities. What I liked about this novel is that it’s about the teens who come from good families, have good friends, and are loved. The parents are present in the novel and they know all the friends and host them at their house. I only wanted to read and hated that I had responsibilities keeping me from reading. This novel has a great pace and keeps you on the edge of your seat, even laughing at times. Make sure you have time to read because you won’t accomplish anything until you finish the novel!½