CARRIE JONES; Need

I am going to review these books as I read them, each straight after the other.

Author: Carrie Jones
Novel: Need (Need #1)
Publication date: 2008

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear.


This book followed all the normal stages of a high school fantasy. The protagonist, Zara White, changes schools, finds new friends, has a whirl-wind romance and fights a couple of blood-lusting pixies. Nothing special there. What makes this story different is Zara's personality. She is a peace loving, human activist who wants to save the entire world via letter writing and reasoned arguments. It was very interesting seeing how someone so anti-violence coped with the brutal business of pixie hunting. It is this constant inner battle that makes the book worth the read. Zara is definitely not two-dementiaonal but a real character, someone I can see myself having a conversation with down at my local store.

Author: Carrie Jones

Novel: Captivate (Need #2)

Publication date: 2010

Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his. 

 Carrie Jones keeps her characters consistent and the story believable. Book two carries Zara's inner battle to the next level. She now has to come to terms with her own past actions which she believes contradict her work as a member of Amnesty International.  This book also focuses on Zara's relationship with Nick, who is much more relaxed with killing. All of this makes for a good second book.

Author: Carrie Jones

Novel: Entice (Need #3)

Publication date: 2011

Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever.
But that's not quite how things have worked out.

For starters, well, Nick is dead.
Supposedly, he's been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. But it's taking time, and meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But how to get to Valhalla?

And even if Zara and her friends discover the way, there's that other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn't just turned...she's Astley's queen.


This was my least favourite of the series. I didn't like how the whole demon-pixie theme was side-lined because Zara was more focused on saving Nick from Death. I didn't think it was properly explained why she thought it was so important to save him. Sure, they're in love, but considering the sacrifices Zara was prepared to let her friends and family face it wasn't worth it. This book was like a side-line story, setting the scene for book four but not adding much to the current stage. 


All in all I am giving this series three stars.