Blackwood by Gwenda Bond Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Source: Won
Stand Alone
On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.
Miranda, a misfit girl from the island’s most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can’t dodge is each other.
Blackwood is a dark, witty coming of age story that combines America’s oldest mystery with a thoroughly contemporary romance.

Review
I knew absolutely nothing about this when I started it. For most of the book I wasn't sure what was happening. It did have a unique concept though. And the characters were fabulous. 

This is kinda like a retelling of an old legend. I've never heard of the legend but it made for an interesting story. 114 people disappearing, a murder, and the devil all wrapped into one story. 

This had a seriously amazing set of main characters. Miranda was so complex. I didn't enjoy her as much as Phillips but it was pretty close. I liked that she was strong and adventurous. She never have up. Phillips was a totally fearless. He was amazing. Even though he was tough he was very sweet too. I loved him with all my heart. I was honestly surprised by how amazingly well done these characters were. 

This is one of those books that makes you want to learn what the inspiration was. I'm pretty sure this is based off a legend but I could be wrong. It was such am interesting story, much more than I was expecting. I was pleasantly surprised. It had a super unique story. It was fast paced with a fair share of action. There was only one thing I didn't like. That was once I got to the ending it was terribly hard to keep up. Other than that I thought it was a great read. If you like spooky stories, this one is for you!