Rating: 3 Stars
Release date: August 25, 2009 from HarperTeen
Summary: Madison Sabatini thought she knew who she was: an almost-sophomore with a bright future. The newest photographer on her school paper. A shopaholic with great hair and a fabulous wardrobe. Then, in a flash, everything changed.
Now she’s stuck in Sandyland, a gloomy beach town in the middle of nowhere, living with her parents in a crappy hotel “suite.” Instead of spending the summer with her friends at home, she’s hanging out with pink-haired Delilah, an artist who works in a shop called Psychic Photo, and a skater boy named Duncan who’s totally not her type. Except, maybe he is . . .
Determined to make the best of things, Madison throws herself into her one passion: photography. But when strange figures start appearing in her pictures—people who weren’t there when she snapped the shots, people who are later reported dead—she begins to question everything about who she is . . . and who she wishes she could be.
There is nothing to do in Sandyland so Madison spends her time taking pictures at the beach. When her camera breaks she ends up at Psychic Photo where she meets some strange characters. Delilah, Leo, Duncan, Rose, and Larry. They make up a very unique family and somehow Madison finds herself spending most of her time with them.
Things seem to be looking up for Madison’s summer until strange people start appearing in her photos. People that weren’t there when the shots were taken. As if that’s not weird enough, Madison starts getting some confusing messages from friends back home.
Will Madison ever figure out what the people in the pictures mean? Will she ever figure out who the people are? And could this vacation to Sandyland turn out to be more than a vacation?
The synopsis for Snap really intrigued me. I’m sad to say that the book didn’t do the same. I was actually really disappointed with Snap after reading such rave reviews of Carol Snow’s first book, Switch.
Madison Sabatini was a stuck-up witch. She was snotty, rude, ungrateful, and just plain mean at times. I couldn’t really find anything to like about her and while I admit that she changed a bit at the end, it wasn’t enough.
The rest of the characters were great. I loved Delilah, Leo, and Duncan. They all had problems with their lives but they were a family and they made it work. Plus, they were pretty funny. =]
Oh and the whole random people in the pictures thing was a very minor part of the book. It was more about Madison and her being forced to spend her summer in Sandyland whining about how unfair her life was. It was explained in the end but not very well or very believably.
Overall, I can’t say I liked Snap or that I would recommend it. If you really want to read it check it out from your local library before buying it. =[
All the reviews I’ve read for this on other blogs have pretty much said the same thing. I was looking forward to it’s release at first, now I’m disappointed to hear not many people liked it :[
By the way, it looks like we have a lot of similar book interests, so I’m following now :]
-Andrea
http://ireadd.blogspot.com
(^^ Enter my contest before 9/15 for a chance to win Summer Boys by Hailey Abbott!)
I really had high expectations for this but I’m a bit worried–I think I’ll try the library like you said. Thanks
I felt the same way…
Hey have you ever read Hannah Friedman’s EVERYTHING SUCKS? I picked it up today and I’m freakin’ loving it! Made of awesome.
xo
Pert
Hey! I just found your blog -it’s pretty cool! I’m impressed with how diligent you are to posting!
I’ve got a few blogs myself (I haven’t had them for very long) and I just made a new one. You inspired me! =)
http://bookbloglog.blogspot.com/
Oops! The address was wrong so I had to fix it… here is the new one: http://book-log-blog.blogspot.com/ =)