By Heather Frost
Genre YA supernatural/paranormal romance
Pages 330
Recommended by Me
First sentence I stared in the mirror, frowning deeply at my reflection.
Synopsis
Kate Bennett hasn't been the same since the car accident that took her parent's lives and almost took hers. She can see Auras. Just when she's getting used to this new power she meets two boys with no auras. Kate's about to learn more than she wanted about her gift and her future.
What is has going for it
I picked up this book in February at LTUE a conference for writers and readers. The Author is local and this is her first published book. I've always been fascinated with auras (I swear I saw my sister's once) and so the premise sounded exciting. It was a unique little story. Sure, we have the usual girl meets new mysterious boy and gets pulled into a crazy adventure, but the world Kate enters was unique and not something I'd seen before. Patrick, the love interest, (nope, no love triangle. Yay! ) was very dreamy. But that could have just been his Irish accent. ;) He wasn't the only character I liked, though. I enjoyed Toni, he made me laugh, and Lee, Kate's best friend, was a good friend. The ending was exciting and ended with enough closure to satisfy but there was enough left open for the rest of the series cause, yep, it's the start of another series.
What's lacking
And here's where I guiltily pick this one apart. I feel bad trashing a Utah author. She's young and this is her first book so I wasn't expecting perfection but I was hoping for a little bit better writing. So what was it about the writing that was so awful? Holy detailed details, Batman! Every single, and I mean EVERY SINGLE, little move any of the characters made was written down! It was annoying in the first 50 pages. By page 100 I was gritting my teeth and by page 250 I was considering just giving up completely. There's so much that could have been left out and you'd still get the story, but it wasn't, and it was incredibly frustrating! Still, this is a new young author and, with time, she'll get better.
Favorite moment
When Kate first met Toni and actually talked to him. He just cracked me up and I knew before she talked to him I was going to like him and I did.
Yea or Nay?
If you can get through the way too detailed writing there's a fun, unique story to be enjoyed.
You had me at Irish accent. I don't think I'll buy the book (I have a hard time reading too much detail books) but I'll keep an eye out for it at the library.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Yeah, Irish accents are so great! I'd make it a library book for sure.
DeleteThis one sounds like it has an interesting premise. Thanks for informing me about another Utah author
ReplyDeleteYep, she's new. I wonder how she'll do.
DeleteI find books with too much description of moves a bit annoying, unless it's a fight. The Irish accent is a good reason to read the book though :)
ReplyDeleteExactly. If it's a fight then fine but...yeah.
DeleteI think I'll probably pass on this one (though I do like a good Irish accent). It just doesn't sound interesting enough for me to fight through all the extra details.
ReplyDeleteUnless you actually get to hear his accent it's not very fun...but I could imagine. ;)
DeleteHalo was like that for me, with the description. And that writer was really freaking young, too. I'm glad you made your way through it, though, and ended up liking it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, maybe it's a young author thing.
DeleteHmmm, all the details would put me off, but I do like the sound of the story and I like the fact that there's no love triangle. But the writing...I think I'd have to sample the book first on Amazon or something before picking it up. Thanks for the review :).
ReplyDeleteYes, definitely sample it first. That writing might turn you off.
DeleteToo bad she didn't have a better editor, that might have solved the overly detailed problem. Love the premise, but think I'd be too annoyed to finish it because of the details. Here's hoping she'll get better with the next book!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm a little surprised the editor didn't cut out all the details. I just don't get it.
DeleteThat's too bad it was over detailed but at least there was no love triangle! That's awesome because I'm so sick of them.
ReplyDeleteAmen! I'm so sick of love triangles too.
DeleteIt does sound like an interesting book. You did a great job balancing what was good with what was not about this book, BTW. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks. I really tried to be nice. And it was an interesting book.
DeleteThat's so cool that you made it to LTUE! I hear you about detailed details -- they bug me too. But sounds like an overall good read. I do have to say that the character looks bald based on the way the artwork surrounds her head -- gives the book an otherworldly feel.
ReplyDeleteYou've heard of LTUE?! Cool! I'd never looked at the cover that closely but, yeah, she does sort of look bald, huh?
Delete+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteMy eyes glazed over at "meets two boys." I'm so tired of love triangle plots in which the most important decision a girl has to make (sometimes one on which the fate of the entire universe rests!) is whom to go to the prom with. (Yeah, I exaggerate, but that's how much they've started to annoy me.) But if you "spoil" it a bit and say it isn't actually a love triangle story, I might give it a chance.
LOL! Yeah, I get that way too. This one was love triangle free, thank goodness!
DeleteHey, I really liked the review. Especially since even though they are a Utah author you had to be honest and it's saved me from this I think. Details aren't that great for me.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's hard to be honest about a book when you met the author...or it is for me anyway. I just wish it had been edited better.
Delete