The Frenzy by Francesca Lia Block

Summary/Cover Image taken from Publisher's Website:

Something terrifying happened to Liv when she was thirteen. Something that changed everything. Liv knows she doesn’t belong anymore; not in her family, not in her own skin...not anywhere. The only time she truly feels like herself is when she’s with her boyfriend, Corey, and in the woods that surround her town. But danger lurks in the woods, too. While Corey and Liv’s love binds them together, Liv’s past threatens to tear them apart as she struggles to understand who—or what—she really is. And by the light of the full moon, the most dangerous secrets bare their claws....

In the luminous hands of acclaimed writer Francesca Lia Block, werewolves take on a chilling new life. Loyal fans, as well as a fresh new generation of readers, will be enthralled.

 
Review:

Werewolf books never used to one of my favorite types of YA books, but with amazing ones like The Frenzy, Sisters Red, and Raised by Wolves, it's seriously getting harder and harder for them not to be anymore.

The Frenzy tells the story of Liv, a girl who's always felt like an outsider among her peers and family ever since the chaos that occurred when she was thirteen, chaos that lead to her being taken to a shrink and her family and her growing even farther apart. Though, now it's five years latter and everything seems to be going just fine with the expectation of a few things. She has an amazing boyfriend named Kyle, a best friend who loves and accepts her for who she is, and best of all she hasn't had any more 'incidents'. But soon everything is going to change; relationships will be tested, secrets will come out, and everything may just be getting a little bit more hairy. And the question that bets all; will Liv be able to handle all the pressure? Only time and pages will tell!

Liv was such a great protagonist to lead the story. She was an interesting and relatable character that I never had any trouble rooting for, and I always found her struggle to hid the so-called evil part in her to be intriguing and well done, because I could always feel her need to release the 'beast' in herself yet her other need to keep it hidden. Plus I really enjoyed seeing how her relationships with the two guys who meant the most to her- Pace and Corey- were used to show the many sides to her (Corey with the lovable and normal side to Pace with her outsider and need to fit in side), and adding to this, I liked seeing how both were used to move her along development wise. Though, I have to admit, I would have liked some more character development to both Corey and Pace because I always felt there wasn't nearly enough.

Further more, the plot of this was another part of the story I enjoyed. It never failed to keep me interested with the sudden twists and turns it would take the story in, ones that always lead for me to be eager to see what would occur next, and I have to say I really enjoyed the different characteristics Francesca gave the werewolves in the story.

Lastly, I really enjoyed Francesca's writing and story building, but I really would have liked to seen more development to plot lines and secondary character development, as well as a less choppy and rushed ending.

Regardless, The Frenzy is still a read I highly enjoyed, one that I will not be hesitating to suggest come its release date this September.

Grade: B

The Frenzy will be released September 28, 2010.

Source: Publisher. Thanks, Harperteen!