Castigate My Sins by Elicia Clegg

Title: Castigate My Sins
Author: Elicia Clegg
Release Date: August 5th, 2011
Publisher: Smashwords
Pages: 255
Format: Paperback
Acquired: From Author
Age Group: Young Adult
Rating: 4 Stars

It has been said perception is reality, and yet, what if the reality in question was twisted and corrupted to a disheartening degree of depravity? Would the corruption have the power to shift the human consciousness and control the very nature of what is and is not?  In Elicia Clegg's newest novel five teenagers: Michael, Suzy, Christopher, Beth, and Leigh will have to answer that very question. Their souls will be thrown into a pit of malevolent despair where they will come face to face with their archetypal selves. their characters will be tested, they will be deceived, given half-truths, and face punishment for crimes they did not commit. Will any surrender to the ever growing lies, or will they escape the void of light and breathe life once again?

What I think must first be noted about this novel is that Elicia Clegg  does not slap you in the face with the plot, but slowly eases in and BAM! here's how it is. It's been awhile since I read a story that held such twists and turns and kept me on my toes.

The basic premise of the novel is the secrets that each of these characters hold and what they do to handle these situations they get placed in. While this story doesn't exactly scream, "Amazing" at first, I slowly get swept into their lives and had been held there.

I think that what works best for Clegg when it comes to her book is the dark world she creates. She is excellent with describing not just the setting but the characters emotions, their thoughts, and everything that's inside of them to the point where it's like the reader is being sucked into their lives and taking a part of the action in the novel. I feel like that is what makes such a book good. When the reader is trapped into the place and no chance of being let go.

The themes are important, obviously, since they drive the book. And I think what stuck out for me is the title of the story and where Clegg was going. I won't reveal much more than the fact that they are tightly intertwined together.

I loved that I got the chance to read it, but the only reason it got a four is because I felt like a little bit more should happen. This is not a very long book, I took in within three hours, but I feel like Clegg could have played a little more with the characters and really give insight into them.

Either way it was a well done job.