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Book Review of Dangerous Neighbors

Dangerous Neighbors
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Reviewed by Melanie Foust for TeensReadToo.com

Anna died in a horrible accident. Katherine, her twin, is convinced there is nothing left to live for. She reaches a high level in a tall building, but her sister's former lover reaches her just in time, begging her to allow him to say something incredibly important.

But Katherine does not stay to listen; neither does her resolve waver. Without Anna, life has lost its meaning. Katherine is on a journey to destruction, but if she takes a closer look at herself and the world around her, she may be able to reverse her path before it's too late.

I loved how specific the setting was for this novel. Rather than just a general time and place, the setting was very clear: the Philadelphia Centennial fair of 1876. It's very evident that the author has done a large amount of research; all that work has not gone to waste. Details of the exhibition leap off the page.

National book award finalist Beth Kephart has written another gorgeous novel full of characters that are slowly brought to life. By the time the end of the novel came around, I found myself fully invested in the life of Katherine and those closest to her. This book held my attention from beginning to end, first because of its suspenseful opening and then its enlightening flashbacks, showing what has brought Katherine to such a dark time in her life.

At less than two-hundred pages, Beth Kephart makes every word count. DANGEROUS NEIGHBORS is the kind of book to keep and reread again and again.