Bliss

I picked this up at the library on a whim, the flap sounded interesting but ttyl hadn't left me a good impression on the author. But actually, this book was quite good. Bliss is such an intriguing character and a great mix of naive and knowledgeable with a core of inner strength that you can see growing within her throughout the book.

There were a lot of "duh how could you not see that?" moments throughout and a little predictable, but I liked how Lauren Myracle was actually telling three stories at once. It made up for predictability. And while it was predictable it was a different take on the typical new girl at school story. And the fact that the story is set in 1969 puts just enough of a historical twist to keep the pages turning show more with an almost frenzy. It's actually quite the thriller, if you've ever been dubious about Lauren Myracle I suggest giving this book a try. show less

Bliss is a new kind of book, something quite unlike anything else Lauren Myracle has written, lacking greatly in the fluffy-bunnies department. She pulls it off spectacularly, with great narration, fresh and complicated new characters, and plenty of those lovely plot twists we love so very much! Though I didn't realize at first, this book is set in the past, but the girls seem so modern in their speech and actions, everything blends in wonderfully. I loved how this was your typical YA story...plus plenty of supernatural elements, plus social commentary. The blurring of genre lines was done seamlessly and perfectly. While I had some issues with the ending and I really think the better ending would have been the less tragic one, I can see show more why Myracle did decide to write it as she did. I highly recommend this book--many people somehow think "supernatural? Pshh, must be a lame Twilight rip-off!" but I'm telling you, this bone-chilling novel has things much much scarier than a family of vegetarian vampires, and it's a truly original book well worth your time.

Rating: 5/5 show less

Bliss, the prequel to Rhymes with Witches, is a truly creepy, yet thoroughly entertaining read. I picked it up late Sunday night and have basically been inhaling it every spare second since then. Bliss is the name of our heroine, a freshman in high school dropped off in Atlanta, GA, to live with her prim grandmother in 1969. Having lived the first 14 odd years of her life with her hippie parents on a commune, Bliss has a lot to learn about the social life of her peers. Determined to stay true to the "love and acceptance" ethos she learned from her parents, Bliss sets out to be nice to everyone--including the school outcast, Sandy Lurlene Lear. (aka Lurl the Pearl from "Rhymes with Witches"). As their friendship progresses, Bliss finds show more herself increasingly uncomfortable with Sandy's cruel view of the world, and her nasty attitude toward pretty much everyone else. Bliss grows more and more frightened and Sandy grows more and more disgusting and terrifying. Enhancing the creepiness, the Manson family murders have just come to light, and the trials unfold in the background of Bliss's own drama.
A fun read, all in all, though ultimately dark and depressing. I found it surpassed Rhymes with Witches, which was a lot fluffier then Bliss. The contrast is similar to the contrast of early Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes to the later ones. show less

Bliss follows a 14-year-old in 1969 who has recently moved to Atlanta from a commune in California. She has to learn the ropes of a new school and live in a wildly different culture (TW: racism) than the one she grew up in, while simultaneously dealing with hearing a ghost's voice and occult behavior of a new friend of hers.

The premise of the book was easy to follow and made for a really quick read. I quite enjoyed the creepy vibes it gave and liked learning about the different characters. For me, those creepy vibes are what strung the book together and made for a book I did not want to put down. I did, however, think that there were a lot of extra details, especially regarding the hippie commune and racist behavior in Atlanta that were show more glossed over but still strung through the entire novel, which at times felt out of place with the rest of the book.

If the story had been left as just a creepy ghost story, it would have been great, but the way that racism was tied into the book, combined with a complete lack of addressing it left me feeling a little icky. show less

I found this book a little difficult to get into, but once I had got to grips with it I found it a fairly easy read. Set in the late 1960s the book touches on lots of issues including racism, attitudes towards hippies, and the Vietnam war. All of this is in the backdrop to a story of teenage school girls and occultism. If that sounds like a lot to fit into one book, well it is. The main plotline, with Bliss starting at a posh school for her first experience of formal teaching is really interesting, her experiences of the other pupils’ snobbery and predjudice would have made for an excellent read in itself. The occult storyline that is woven in is interesting but sadly I felt that it ran out of steam in its conclusion. I really liked show more what the author was trying to do, for me it just fell a little short.

The characters in Bliss were all well created and interesting. I really liked Bliss herself and could have happily read much more about her. I also found the character of Sandy intriguing though thoroughly dislikeable – I’m sure this was the intention.

Between chapters the author uses extracts from an anonymous character’s diary, quotes from the Andy Griffith Show and sections from reports of the Manson family trial. These are all used well and build a great atmosphere.

I definitely enjoyed reading this book but I felt the ending let it down a little. It certainly won’t put me off reading other books by this author. show less

Bliss in the Morning Dew goes from living in a commune with her hippie parents to living in regular society with her uptight grandmother in the late 1960's. She doesn't know anything about typical society or who to trust in it. She meets Sarah Lynn, the aloof popular girl that everyone falls all over themselves for, and Sandy, a kind hearted outcast. Which one experiments on cats and is obsessed with the occult? Who should she trust? In addition to her social problems, the ghost of a girl who committed suicide keeps trying to lure her to a creepy room at her school.

The plot of the story is framed by quotes from the Manson murder trials and the Andy Griffith show. This may initially sound odd, but the quotes really capture the mood or show more theme of the chapter to follow. The juxtaposition of sociopathic murderers and the idealized society is very effective. The Manson murder trial quotes represent the mentality of the mysterious villain in the book. It's disturbing that people in reality can commit such atrocities and have the attitude that the Manson family did. On the other hand, the Andy Griffith quotes reveal Bliss's only reference for normal society and what to strive for.

I really liked the view of society that was used. Even though this is a young adult book, the racism of the time isn't sugar coated at all. I was genuinely shocked when young girls started spewing racial slurs and stereotypes like it was acceptable. Bliss has the same reaction because she hasn't been a part of “normal” society. There is an immediate kinship felt with Bliss.

Overall, the book was compelling. The creepy journal entries with the plot and the different quotes made a very interesting form. This book is a good introduction in to the horror genre. It isn't too scary or intense, but still holds one's attention. The main characters were multi-dimensional and believable, while some of the minor ones didn't evolve during the story at all. My big problem with the book was that I was incredibly unsatisfied with the ending. show less

Fourteen-year-old Bliss grew up on a hippie commune, but in 1969, her parents flee for Canada to avoid Nixon's politics, leaving Bliss with her wealthy, up-tight grandmother in a recently-integrated Atlanta, Georgia. On the commune, Bliss' closest friend was Flying V, a black woman who gave Bliss advice and taught her about "the gift" and ESP. Now Bliss is baffled by the idea of having a "negra" woman as a housekeeper, let alone the fact that there is only one black boy at her new prep school. Before she left the commune, Flying V warned her of a vision she had of two girls coming into her life, and that these two girls might not be such a good thing. Bliss does her best to ignore the creepy feelings she gets around a certain part of show more campus, a "blood voice" that speaks in her head, and the sinking feeling she has that maybe this is what V warned her about. But when one of her new friends starts acting a little crazy, sympathizing with the Manson family and romanticizing a rumor about a girl who killed herself long ago on campus, Bliss knows she's in over her head, and she has no idea how to get out.

Myracle's latest is backlit by the Manson Family murders, and the Tate-LaBianca trial, as well as the honesty of the racism of the era. The novel is well-voiced, mostly told by the protagonist, but also including snippets from a social deviant's diary as she delves further into witchcraft and into madness. At first it seems that Myracle has bitten off more than she can chew - is this a novel about a hippie girl acclimating to the culture of Atlanta's wealthy? Is this a social commentary on the Manson family and integration? Or is this an occult mystery in which these other topics simply play a role? Happily, all of these elements are woven together, and tightly, leaving no unpleasant leaf unturned. While at times the design of the book gets in the way (the diary entries are written in cursive on blood-speckled pages, and the "blood voice" is set in a creepy type), it mostly sets a fast pace, spliced together with quotes from 60's pop culture & politics. Ultimately, this is a smart novel, a page-turner in the truest sense, and one that leaves you with a sharp chill in the pit of your stomach. show less