Perception, by Kim Harrington

- The second book in the Clarity series
Release date: March 1st 2012
Published by: Scholastic Point
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 4/5 stars
Links: Goodreads, Amazon











When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.

My thoughts:

There are some novels that you can't forget. That are memorable and unforgettable, with characters so well constructed and complex that they seem real. Clarity, unfortunately, was not one of those novels. Perception was. The first book in the series (series, trilogy? I'm not sure) was enjoyable and fun, but not especial at all. I could see why Clare made her decisions that way, but I didn't feel connected to it. The love triangle was shallow and not at all likable. Since the first book didn't attract me as much as I had hoped it would, there was no hope for the second book, right?

Wrong. What bothered me in Clarity was dealt with in Perception. Clare evolved and matured, and she actually became a main character I could relate to. Her determination to find her stalker and the reason the girl went missing was great. Her tracking skills weren't good, but her resolve to discover something useful worked perfectly in the story. 

Perry, however, took Clare's place as the most one dimensional character ever. Yes, he had his issues, and yes, I understood them, but seriously, his behavior irritated me most of the time. It was like he cared about Clare and her gift, but not enough to break through his problems. Clare's social enemies were annoying as hell, too. Kim Harrington can write some pretty clichéd characters. Blond cheerleader with a brain as small as a peanut, bitchy body language and bully tendencies? Check. Why are they always like this. 

The love triangle did evolve, and I actually picked a side this time. Both Justin and Gabriel were remarkable guys to Clare, but I couldn't help but love Gabriel much more than Justin. I can't forgive Justin for what he did to Clare in Clarity, and his childish behavior did nothing in his favor. And Clare didn't act slutty towards them, which was wonderful. I hate when the girl ends up making out with both guys and not deciding anything. So, the romance pleased me a lot.

Overall, the plot was great, although a little predictable. Even then, I loved most of this book, including Clare's development as a character and the romance solidification at the end. This book just came out, but I can't wait to read its sequel. I can only it won't take too long to come out. If you want a refreshing read with a bit of paranormal, this is the right book for you.