"The Merciless" by Danielle Vega is the only book I have read so far this year, but I can tell it will be one of my favorites. It follows Sophia, a girl whose life is turned upside down when she begins attending a new school and befriends three other students.

Sophia's new group of friends, Riley, Grace and Alexis, believe that a girl at their school named Brooklyn is possessed and convince Sophia that in order to help Brooklyn they must perform an exorcism. Little did she know that this would mean she would be stuck in an abandoned house, looking at Brooklyn, who is laying in her own blood and being gagged in the basement. Despite her efforts to escape or to not be involved, she is not only trapped in the house, but trapped in the world of despair laid out in front of her.

This book had me turning the pages from the very beginning. It was fast paced and I read it very quickly. One big event happened after the other and it really kept me on my toes. Evil can take form in all shapes and sizes and it was really hard to point out who was innocent and who was evil. This wasn't predictable at all and I was constantly surprised and shook by the turn of events.

"The Merciless" is a book that includes not only a teenager's struggle in high school, but a paranormal aspect as well. This book literally gave me chills because it was so unnerving. It is a really good combination of horror and the paranormal, and had aspects of "the mean girl" in high school.

The characters were not only very dynamic, but they also were very diverse; which I really appreciated. The character development was also spot on and the characters all had different flaws that made them who they are. The sins or flaws in this book were major aspects that really wove the story together beautifully. Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned, is in the premise of the book and it does a good job of describing this story. All of these characters are teenagers in high school and have their own flaws and no one is perfect. All together, the character development was magnificent and I really could relate to Sophia, because I remember what high school was like.

I absolutely loved the twists and turns and the rollercoaster this book took me on. "The Merciless" was a very gripping read and I highly recommend this book if you want something to keep you on the edge of your seat and give you chills!

My Rating: 5 out of 5