Unrest by Michelle Harrison

 Synopsis (from the Waterstones Website)

Pages: 384
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release Date: 26th of April 2012

Seventeen-year-old Elliott hasn't slept properly for six months. Not since the accident that nearly killed him. Now he is afraid to go to sleep. Sometimes he wakes to find himself paralysed, unable to move a muscle, while shadowy figures move around him. Other times he is the one moving around, while his body lies asleep on the bed. According to his doctor, sleep paralysis and out of body experiences are harmless - but to Elliot they're terrifying. Convinced that his brush with death has opened up connections with the spirit world, Elliott secures a live-in job at one of England's most haunted locations, determined to find out the truth. There he finds Sebastian, the ghost of a long-dead servant boy hanged for stealing bread. He also meets the living, breathing Ophelia, a girl with secrets of her own. She and Elliott grow closer, but things take a terrifying turn when Elliott discovers Sebastian is occupying his body when he leaves it. And the more time Sebastian spends inhabiting a living body, the more resistant he becomes to giving it back. Worse, he seems to have an unhealthy interest in Ophelia. Unless Elliott can lay Sebastian's spirit to rest, he risks being possessed by him for ever, and losing the girl of his dreams...

 What I Have to Say

I was so excited when I found this book in waterstones the other day. I felt really lucky since it's not technically out until Thursday ^^ And I wasn't disappointed!

I've read and loved Michelle Harrison's faery books. This one was even better! Though if you want to sleep, don't read it after dark ;)

I think the thing that I most loved about this book was the realness of it. Harrison has really done her research on paranormal sightings and sleep disorders. The characters were also really well built and the relationship between Elliott and Ophelia was really easy to believe.

Harrison is also really good at creating mystery and tension. She built up almost every revelation to bring more questions. There were also a few surprises. I always try to guess the end of the book and feel really clever when I do (well, doesn't everyone really :P) but with this book she slipped in two revelations at once, one that I guessed and one that I hadn't. It made me feel clever and surprised me at the same time!

So if you like realistic characters and ghost stories then this book is definitely for you! Just don't read after dark!