Beth Fish Reads: Today's Read: The Fever by Megan Abbott

17 June 2014

Today's Read: The Fever by Megan Abbott

What if practically all the girls in your school suddenly and mysteriously started suffering from an unexplained illness? What if, as you were trying to understand what was happening and why you seemed immune, you started discovering nasty things about your BFFs? That's what happened to sixteen-year-old Deenie Nash.

[S]he became Gabby's friend in that way that can happen, because the girl with the cool boots always finds the girl with the occasional slash of pink in her hair. The two of them like a pair of exotic birds dripping over the school's water fountains—you knew they would find each other. And, about a year ago, they had.

—The Fever by Megan Abbott (Hachette Book Group / Little, Brown, 2014, p. 49, uncorrected proof)

Quick Facts

Setting: small town America
Circumstances: When high school girls begin to sicken from a mysterious illness, the town is thrown into turmoil as parents, teens, and doctors search for answers
Characters: Deenie and her best friends Lise and Gabby; Deenie's family; friends and neighbors; teenage boys (including Deenie's older brother) and girls; teachers (including Deenie's father); doctors and nurses
Genre: contemporary adult fiction; thriller
What I think so far: Abbott seems to have nailed the complex nature of teenage girls' friendships; she also has captured parental hysteria mixed with cluelessness of their kids' activities; a definite creepy factor
Extras: According to Abbott's website, the story was "loosely inspired" by true events; published today

26 comments:

rhapsodyinbooks, 6/17/14, 7:29 AM: "parental hysteria mixed with cluelessness of their kids' activities" - isn't that the truth in general! And scary too!
bermudaonion, 6/17/14, 8:08 AM: I loved this book!
Melissa O., 6/17/14, 8:08 AM: Great teaser! Sounds like an interesting read. I can tell I'd like Abbott's writing style, just from those two sentences.

My Teaser Tuesday post is from upcoming YA Urban Fantasy release, Fractured, by Karen E. Hoover.
JoAnn, 6/17/14, 8:16 AM: This book is everywhere lately!
Udita Banerjee, 6/17/14, 8:26 AM: That sounds a lot like Robin Cook's 'Fever', although I suspect this isn't medical?
http://cupandchaucer.wordpress.com/2014/06/17/teaser-tuesday-june-17/
Anonymous, 6/17/14, 8:52 AM: Scary thought! Good one!

Mine today is from
The Hatmaker's Heart
Love Africa Book Club, 6/17/14, 8:58 AM: Oh, the teaser certainly got my attention and I would read on. Seems like you're enjoying it.

Happy Tuesday!
Kay
Here's mine
http://www.lovebitessilkties.co.uk/2014/06/teasertuesday-opening-paragraph-harlot.html
Daryl, 6/17/14, 8:58 AM: interesting premise i assume based on that weird malaise that hit teens a year ago… now i wonder what ever happened with that since its not been in the news in a long time …
Daryl, 6/17/14, 8:59 AM: This comment has been removed by the author.
Kathy Martin, 6/17/14, 10:25 AM: Sounds interesting. I'll be eager to hear what you think when you finish it. My teasers this week are from The Inventor's Secret by Andrea Cremer and Shadow Spell by Nora Roberts. Happy reading!
Laurel-Rain Snow, 6/17/14, 11:06 AM: Sounds so gripping! Thanks for sharing...and here's mine: “THE IDEA OF HIM”
Catherine @ Book Club Librarian, 6/17/14, 11:22 AM: I have my eye on this one. Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks for visiting my blog.

My Tuesday post: http://www.bookclublibrarian.com/2014/06/first-chapter-first-paragraph-65-and.html
Kim@Time2Read, 6/17/14, 12:17 PM: This one sounds really good! I'm gong to have to add it to my list! Thanks for stopping by.
Sandra Nachlinger, 6/17/14, 12:37 PM: Sounds like a great plot that would keep me interested. I like the description of the cool girls, especially the "occasional slash of pink." Good Teaser.
My Teaser is from MAJOR PETTIGREW'S LAST STAND.
Claudia {Sparrowhawk}, 6/17/14, 1:41 PM: Everyone's true colors always come out when one is under pressure. This sounds like something I would definitely read! Thanks for sharing :)

Here is my TT:
Looking for Alaska By: John Green
Heather, 6/17/14, 2:30 PM: Interesting teaser, enjoy the rest of the book! Mine: The Swiss Family Robinson
Heather, 6/17/14, 2:31 PM: This comment has been removed by the author.
Vicki, 6/17/14, 2:39 PM: Sounds interesting! I want to know why they're getting sich and how the story ends.
Anonymous, 6/17/14, 3:26 PM: Would like to read this one.
Sarah (Sarah's Book Shelves), 6/17/14, 4:33 PM: I'm about a quarter through this one right now and I'm HOOKED! Can't wait to delve deeper into what this fever is!
Sheila (Bookjourney), 6/17/14, 6:42 PM: I must get to this one soon! *digs through book piles looking for it* :)
Kimberly @ Turning the Pages, 6/17/14, 10:03 PM: I've had my eye on this one, it sounds great, and I love the teaser you chose :)
Here's my Teaser Tuesday
-Kimberly @ Turning the Pages
Greg, 6/17/14, 10:39 PM: I just saw this one over the weekend on a blog- and thought it looked good. That's a great teaser...the cover looks kinda intense too. I'll probably give this one a try.
Margot, 6/18/14, 12:47 AM: One paragraph and I'm hooked. I like the sound of this one.
Margot, 6/18/14, 12:48 AM: One paragraph and I'm hooked. I like the sound of this one.
(Diane) bookchickdi, 6/18/14, 7:10 AM: The story that this was loosely based on happened near my hometown and I remember this well. I'm going to look for this, I've heard great things about it.