Find Me by Romily Bernard Review

Title: Find Me
Author: Romily Bernard (Twitter)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: September 24, 2013
Genre: YA, Mystery
Pages: 307
Source: Publisher

"Find Me." These are the words written on Tessa Waye's diary. The diary that ends up with Wick Tate. But Tessa's just been found...dead.

Wick has the right computer-hacking skills for the job, but little interest in this perverse game of hide-and-seek. Until her sister Lily is the next target. Then Griff, trailer-park boy next door and fellow hacker, shows up, intent on helping Wick. Is a happy ending possible with the threat of Wick's deadbeat dad returning, the detective hunting him sniffing around Wick instead, and a killer taunting her at every step?

Foster child. Daughter of a felon. Loner hacker girl. Wick has a bad attitude and sarcasm to spare. But she's going to find this killer no matter what. Because it just got personal.

Wick's life hasn't been easy. She's bounced from foster home to foster home with her little sister, barely escaping the notoriety of her father's bad rep with the authorities and her hacking prowess which, for all intents and purposes, should and needs to remain hidden from the rest of the world. But someone knows what Wick does behind closed doors, and somebody is sending her on a wild goose chase to uncover exactly what happened to Tessa. But just in case she needed a little more motivation, this time, the creep is after Lily.

Many a reader will agree with me, I'm sure, when I state that there is nothing like a good mystery tale to keep you awake at night, guessing throughout and pondering the turnout long after you've closed the last page. Find Me is that tale; preparing to burst onto the market with a tense, atmospheric and, often times, terrifying guessing game. Romily Bernard carves a name for herself on the YA market with this fantastic and thrilling debut, offering readers a tangible tale, likable characters and a heroine worth believing in. 

I've been a bit let down by the mystery aspect of the YA genre as of late, so when I heard about Find Me, you'd better believe I was intrigued. When I read a mystery story, there are a few things that I absolutely must have. I want action, first and foremost. I want real, palpable tension that makes me cringe at times. And, above all else, I don't want the answers before I'm supposed to receive them. Find Me delivers all that and more. From page one, we are thrust into an early-hours game of cat-and-mouse which, in all honesty, left me on edge and had me double-checking the locks on my doors. And, from the start, we got to see Wick's personality. She's a bit edgy and rough, but we're privvied to just enough of her backstory to give us a glimpse as to why she strays from conformity and why she spends her private hours hacking. Although she seems a bit scrappy at times, there is a softer, more vulnerable side when it comes to Lily, her sister. Speaking of Lily, she was the perfect counterpart for her sister - just innocent enough to make it believable that Wick truly did have to play the role of heroine and caretaker for her little sister. In terms of the mystery, the author delivers pieces and tidbits of information just when we need it most, making certain not to let the foreshadowing and clues reach the limelight too soon, distracting us and making us lose interest. Plus, we're given a touch of a romance, which I am pleased to say was not heavy on the insta-love. Griff is an edgy, alternative hero that plays well into Wick's character, exposing more emotion than her desire to just find the culprit and the person after her sister. I will say that I wished we'd seen more of Griff, his background and how it played into Wick's present in Find Me, but I can only hope we're given a sequel. 

All in all, I was really pleased with Find Me. I think it's an excellent debut novel, and the writing has a distinct, memorable and appealing voice, which makes it all the more enjoyable to read. I give it a very strong 4 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy mysteries and thrillers. 

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.