{ARC Review} Cold Calls By: Charles Benoit

Title: Cold Calls
Author: Charles Benoit
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Shelves: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery
Publication Date: April 1st, 2014
Source: Clarion Books
Format: Physical ARC

Synopsis: An indistinguishable voice on the phone. Three young teens: each with their own dirty little secret, and each with devastating tasks they must complete in order for their secrets to remain hidden. Thrown together under dire circumstances, Eric, Fatima and Shelly unite to figure out the truth behind the voice- while trying to keep themselves safe. From acclaimed author Charles Benoit comes a chilling tale about the dangers of modern-day technology, and the bully inside us all. 

Review: First, a HUGE thank you to Clarion books for sending me this galley for review! Have any of you guys read YOU by Charles Benoit? Well if you haven't, I'll just tell you that I was immensely impressed with the way the author kept the story illusive, yet interesting. Cold Calls had a very similar feel to it. From the get-go, you will be left in speculation. It is not until much later that the secrets of these kids are slowly revealed, and even then, they are not fully unveiled. For some readers, this may work, and you might be someone who enjoys a mystery where everything is NOT solved. For the most part, this was not a problem for me, although I found myself really curious as to the full and untold depths of these secrets.

Why you should read this book: I was in the mood for a realistic and eerie mystery, and Cold Calls really delivered. It's full of twists and turns, and it also relies on the suspense generated from the plot to keep the reader interested. Cold Calls is also part psychological thriller- especially with the realistic undertone. I got the chills just imagining the prey-like situation these teens were facing. And that is also another characteristic of Cold Calls that you might like. It's really easy to put yourself in these character's shoes. I cringed, just thinking about the desperation and anxiety that must have run through the minds of these kids, whose mistakes cost them in the end. While I'm not saying that these are the most likable characters, nor are they THAT easy to connect to, it is important to understand that you will most likely be able to imagine yourself in their situation. Cold Calls is also a really quick and easy read that you will find yourself enjoying, for the most part.

Now here's where you may be disappointed: The ending. 

Judging from this gif, I think you can tell I was a TEENSY bit disappointed. Cold Calls had such great potential for a stellar ending, but that is the one thing that this book also lacked. The ending was.. eh. Not great. It was mainly just a very confusing ending; and I don't think this was intentional. It is unclear what really happened, and what I think was supposed to be a great cliffhanger ended up being really lame. There were too many loose ends that were not tied up. If there does happen to be a sequel to Cold Calls, then I really do hope Charles Benoit assures us of what we missed in this novel. 

Conclusion: Honestly, I was equal parts LOVE and equal parts EH. I definitely do think, however, that Cold Calls is a book worth reading. And who knows? Maybe the good sometimes cancels out the bad, right? :)