Book Review: Choker by Elizabeth Woods

Title: Choker
Author: Elizabeth Woods
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 
Release Date: April 2012 (AU); August 11th 2011 (US)
Format: Paperback 
Source: Publisher for review (Thank you!)

Sixteen-year-old Cara Lange has always been a loner, even more so since she moved away from her best and only friend, Zoe, a few years ago. Cara mostly spends her time avoiding the popular girls who call her 'choker' after a humiliating incident in the cafeteria, and watching Ethan Gray from a distance, wishing he would finally notice her.

Then one day Cara comes home and finds Zoe waiting for her. Zoe's on the run from problems at home, and Cara agrees to help her hide. With Zoe back, Cara's life changes overnight. Zoe gives her a new look and new confidence, and before she can blink, Cara is flirting with Ethan and getting invited to parties. And best of all, she has her best friend to confide in again.

But just as quickly as Cara's life came together, it starts to unravel. A girl goes missing in her town, and everyone is a suspect ~ including Ethan. Worse still, Zoe starts behaving very strangely, and Cara begins to wonder what exactly her friend does all day when she's at school. You're supposed to be able to trust your best friend no matter what, but what if she turns into a total stranger?

Truthfully, I had pretty low expectations when I read this; having heard that this is a creepy read, but with a 'let-down' ending, I didn’t expect much. But after finishing this at 1:30 last night, I literally slept with the lights on. No kidding. That’s how freaked out I was. I guess I finally understand why so many people thought the ending was a huge disappointment, but personally, I thought the ending was perfect. Though there wasn’t exactly an unpredictable twist, the revelation never crossed my mind, and upon finishing it, I actually went “Wow. That is screwed up, but seriously smart!” I really liked how the book had closure, yet there’s also room for readers to wonder what would happen afterwards.

This review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning our main character; Cara and her best friend Zoe. Cara’s been always been an outsider at her school; she’s never really belonged after moving away from her best friend, Zoe. I guess I felt sorry for Cara throughout the entire book; she was always alone, and when Zoe suddenly appeared out of the blue, claiming to have run away and asking to stay at her house, she happily agreed to hide her best friend, and not once did she suspect anything. Yet, sympathy aside, it was a tad difficult to actually like the girl. Perhaps it was because of her reluctance to stand up for herself against the school “bullies”, and even her best friend- it was obvious their ‘friendship’ was unhealthy and dominating, yet Cara was just too afraid to say ‘no’ and confront Zoe. So, basically I was really annoyed with Cara at times; but just this once, the intriguing mystery overshadowed my dislike for our main character.

Intensely addictive, and incredibly creepy, Choker, is (for me, anyway)an unforgettable 2012 physiological thriller. I know for a fact, that I’ll be sleep deprived for at least a whole week, since I’ll be too freaked out to even turn the lights off. If you’re looking for something creepy, a book that messes with your mind, then I highly recommend reading Choker!