Title: Exposed
Author: Kimberly Marcus (Twitter)
Publisher: Random House BYR
Publish Date: February 22, 2011
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 255
Source: Personal Copy

Sixteen-year-old Liz is Photogirl—sharp, focused and confident in what she sees through her camera lens. Confident that she and Kate will be best friends forever.

But everything changes in one blurry night. Suddenly, Kate is avoiding her, and people are looking the other way when she passes in the halls. As the aftershocks from a startling accusation rip through Liz's world, everything she thought she knew about photography, family, friendship and herself shifts out of focus. What happens when the picture you see no longer makes sense? What do you do when you may lose everything you love most?

Verse novels are often difficult to read because they are sparse. It is in that sparseness, however, that we find the meaning and the power of a great verse novel, and I was thrilled to find that Exposed filled the void within those spaces with tension and raw grit. Kimberly Marcus embraced the true nature of the verse novel form and wrote between the lines, offering us the story of Liz, a smart, girl-next-door kind of teen, whose life is suddenly turned upside down. There is a beautiful, sad poetry to this book that offers us an aching tangible sort of empathy, but also winds us into a world alive in its descriptions.

I was surprised to find just how accessible Liz's emotions were in this novel, as I figured the poetic nature of Exposed would overshadow any sort of character development. Through her photography and the emotional turmoil of Liz's verses, we are able to truly understand and come to terms with the depth of her emotions. Furthermore, Kate and Liz's brother Mike were also standout characters, offering readers so much more than they might have hoped to gain from reading a quick-paced verse novel.

I've read several such novels now, but I can clearly say that Exposed wins the top prize for me thus far. There is drama, power and beauty to spare, and with each verse, I found myself more and more mesmerized by the skill it takes to weave a story in the blank spaces. There is a complexity to the simplicity of this novel, and it's something that really raised the bar for me. I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction and verse novels.

In My Mailbox is an amazing weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren that features the books we have received during the week. It's so much fun because we get to see what our fellow bloggers stumbled upon this week and add even more to our piles of books! Without further ado, this week I received the following books:

FOR REVIEW

What Comes After by Steve Watkins

(ARC - Thank you, Candlewick)

After her veterinarian dad dies, sixteen-year-old Iris Wight must leave her beloved Maine to live on a North Carolina farm with her hardbitten aunt and a cousin she barely knows. Iris, a vegetarian and animal lover, immediately clashes with Aunt Sue, who mistreats the livestock, spends Iris’s small inheritance, and thinks nothing of striking Iris for the smallest offense. Things come to a head when Iris sets two young goats free to save them from slaughter, and an enraged Aunt Sue orders her brutish son, Book, to beat Iris senseless.

FOR REVIEW

Wynter Chelsea by Becca Ritchie

(Thank you, Becca)

Four hundred years ago a creature descended upon the Earth. The supernatural hunted innocent lives wanting blood and vengeance. Two families, the Wynters and the Chelseas, knew of the darkness that reigned over the world. For thousands of years they hunted and killed to protect those who knew nothing of the dangers. 

Amanda Chelsea vies to be a part of the Wynter Chelsea legacy, constantly craving the thrill of a lifetime that her older brother, Jack, and the two Wynter boys experience. 

FOR REVIEW

Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens

(Thank you, Jennifer)

I met someone who changed everything. Matthias. My autistic sister's guardian angel. Honest. Inspiring. Funny. Hot. And immortal. That was the problem. What could I do? I did what any other girl would do-I fell in love with him. 

Zoe's sister darts in front of cars. Her brother's a pothead. Her parents are so overwhelmed; they don't see Zoe lost in her broken life. Zoe escapes the only way she knows how: partying. Matthias, a guardian sent from Heaven, watches over Zoe's autistic sister.

TRADE FOR REVIEW

Exposed by Kimberly Marcus

(ARC - Thank you, Ivy)

Sixteen-year-old Liz Grayson is photogirl—sharp, focused and ready to take the world by storm with her camera. But Liz's entire life is called into question when her brother is accused of a crime—and the accuser is Liz's own best friend. 

As the aftershocks from that accusation rip through Liz's world, everything she thought she knew about photography, family, friendship and herself, shifts out of focus. And for the first time in her life, Liz finds herself unable to trust her own point of view.