Bliss by Lauren Myracle

When Bliss’s hippie parents leave the commune and dump her at the home of her aloof grandmother in a tony Atlanta neighborhood, it’s like being set down on an alien planet. The only guide naive Bliss has to her new environment is what she’s seen on The Andy Griffith Show. But Mayberry is poor preparation for Crestview Academy, an elite school where the tensions of the present and the dark secrets of the past threaten to simmer into violence. Openhearted Bliss desperately wants new friends, making her the perfect prey of a troubled girl whose obsession with a long-ago death puts Bliss, and anyone she’s kind to, in mortal danger.
I was shocked when I heard that Lauren Myracle was coming out with a “spine-tingling chiller”. I am very proud of her for taking the turn from easy-going chick lit to horror, and doing it well! Bliss was a full of suspense and the supernatural, targeting a new sort of audience for her. I loved the character of Bliss, while her friend Sandy scared the crap out of me. The backdrop of the story was beautiful, filled with historical references from the sixties including segregation, the Nixon era, the Charles Manson murders, and the popular TV show, Andy Griffith. I found myself eagerly reading ahead to get to the quotes that were scattered throughout the novel, setting the scene. The one rather large fault I found was the blunt, abrupt, and strange ending that left far too many questions unanswered. I was very confused when I turned the page and found that the book was over. Although there was no huge cliffhanger at the end that suggested a sequel, I’m hoping there is one that will help redeem the ending of an otherwise flawless book.