SHIFT

SHIFT  by Em Bailey    (YA fiction)

From the very first sentence I knew I was going to love this book. The cover, the blurb at the back of the book and the title all entrigued me and I'm so glad I read this book. It was a psychological thriller that kept me reading non-stop. The only time I put it down was to re-energise myself with a quick bite to eat and a coffee. Total shock came when I was around 1/2 way through the novel and there was a dramatic twist... it made me want to go right back to the start and re-read it to see what was staring at me the whole time. Of course I couldn't do that because I just wanted to keep reading and find out what happens.

The story is told by Olive, who is not 'crazy', well... not anymore,  is a self-impossed outcast who comes from a broke home. She is intrigued by a new student in her class, Miranda, who is an orphan and rumours have it she killed her parents. Olive and her best (and only) friend Ami, study Miranda and notice she is very unusal and has latched onto Olive's ex-best friend, the beautiful and popular Katie. Soon Olive is paranoid that Miranda is up to something as she becomes more and more like Katie, both in looks and personality. She has read about 'Shape-shifters' and although that seems impossible she is disturbed by what's happening to Katie and how Miranda is becoming like a parasite.

 

Olive has reinvented herself mentally and physically after something she refers to as ' The Incident' which she constantly refers to, and strings you along throughout the book until she reveals what happened. There's a bit of romance when a new boy in the class, Lachlan, is interested in her but she feels she is no good for him because of her murky past and refuses to be lulled into the romance and rejects him over and over again.

 

I don't want to give away the ending but let's just say you won't be disappointed as you are on a rollercoaster of a ride until the end.

 

 I can't believe this is Em Bailey's first Young Adult novel but I'm sure it won't be the last. Another great Australian writer that I will be sure to look out for in future.