Review: Save the Enemy by Arin Greenwood

Title: Save the Enemy 

Author: Arin Greenwood
Narrator: Andi Arndt

Publisher:  Soho Teen
Publishing Date: November 12th 2013

Pages/Length: 288 7 Hours 6 Minutes
Genre:  YA Mystery Thriller

Series: Stand Alone
Source: Audio provided by Audio Jukebox

  

Everything has been downhill since Zoey Trask’s mother was murdered in a random mugging. Her younger brother, Ben, is on the autistic spectrum and needs constant supervision. It’s senior year, and she’s the new girl at a weird private school in Old Town Alexandria, VA, full of kids who seem too nice to be true—including a very cute boy named Pete. Aside from half-forgotten martial arts and survivalist skills that her widowed father insisted on teaching her (because that is excellent for her social life), Zoey has nothing to offer Pete or anyone else.

Then Dad is kidnapped. Zoey suddenly finds herself sole caretaker of a younger brother she barely understands. Worse, Ben seems to hold the key to their father’s disappearance in his Dream Diary, a bizarre journal of names and places Ben claims that their mother shares from beyond the grave. And as if Zoey doesn’t have enough on her plate, there’s Pete, who stubbornly refuses to leave her side.

Relying on the skills she never wanted to learn—Dad might have had his reasons after all—Zoey is plunged into a lethal battle to rescue her father, protect her brother, and determine the identity of her family’s true enemy.

This book grabbed my attention the instant I read the synopsis. I was very excited to get a copy of the audio. I love audio and this was the perfect book to listen for audio. The story was suspenseful, well put together, and very exciting. I was caught up on the action from start to finish.  It was everything I thought it would be.

Zoey and her younger brother, Ben, live with their father just trying to make it through the every day steps of life since their mother was killed. Zoey comes home one day to find her brother waiting on the front porch, a cigarette butt in the toilet, and her father missing. All very strange things, especially when added up together. Ben is autistic and shouldn't be left alone and no on in the house smokes. After a day or so of her father missing,  Zoey gets a threat and and a command to hand over the Jfile if she wants to see her father again. There is even more strangeness going on including visits from her ghost mother, odd truths about her father, and a cute boy hanging out with her in the midst of all the weirdness. All three, Zoey, Ben, and the cute boy, Pete, go on a hunt to find her father and the Jfile. This brings in new issues, like danger, secrets, and betrayals. 

This book was pretty cool and everything a mystery thriller should be. The writing was done well and fit the story perfectly. The tone, the setting, the pacing, it was all just right to make a very thrilling read. I was always searching for truths and never getting close. I was in the dark until the author wanted to shed the light. I was very pleased by the level of mystery in this book. The pacing was very quick and the story never slowed or felt sluggish. I was entertained through out and very satisfied in the end. 

The writing was just the beginning. The characters were pretty darn awesome too. I loved Zoey, she was one strong girl. She would do anything for those she loved and that included putting herself in the pit of danger. She was very fast thinking, quick on her feet, and determined. She made a great detective when she needed to be a great detective. She was very lost in the beginning and couldn't believe the turn of events in her life and at first she was a frightened girl but when it all hit, and hit her hard, she hit the pavement running and didn't slow down until the job was done. 

Ben was another awesome character. I love autistic characters, they are very entertaining and when they are done well, I can appreciate the uniqueness and difficulties that come with being autistic. Ben was amazing, smart and blunt. He didn't have any trouble keeping up with his sister.

Pete was also a great secondary character. I could see from the very beginning there was more to him than what was he allowed to be seen. When his true colors came through I liked him more than I did in the beginning. Very sweet and very loyal. He was Zoey's love interest and it was a sweet and cute romance. 

The book really did well as an audio. I think this book was more enjoyable because of the audio. I do believe that the book would have been pretty good read but the audio really made it more intense for me. The narrator did a wonderful job getting the town just right and making the characters come alive. Each character was their own and very different from the rest of the cast. She did well keeping the personalities and the voices very unique. I would love to listen to more from this narrator. 

 A very good read, thrilling, intriguing, and fulfilling read. I got exactly what I was hoping for.