Destroy Me (Shatter Me #1.5)

Destroy Me (Shatter Me # 1.5) by Tahereh Mafi

ebook, 103 pages
Published October 2nd 2012 by Harper
ISBN: 0062208195 (ISBN13: 9780062208194)
url: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Destroy-Me-Tahereh-Mafi?isbn=9780062208194

Goodreads Summary

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

My Review

Although Destroy Me is a short 42 page novella, I feel we are given a lot of insight into Warner's thoughts and world. Most of what Mafi reveals about Warner comes as no surprise to me, but I was blown away by the way it was written. You can almost feel what Warner feels, almost like you are experience everything with him. 

When I read Shatter Me, I hated Warner, but I also felt that there was more to him that what he portrays. I felt that if we were to have an opportunity to look at Warner's world we may have difficulty hating him. Destroy Me proved my prediction. Although Warner's thoughts and mannerisms all scream psychosis (particularly obsessive-compulsive disorder), when we meet his father, you have no choice but to think "Ahhh, so that's where he gets it." Warner's father makes Warner look wimpy (which is exactly how his father views him).  He's manipulative, cruel, and controlling. For example, when Warner was in bed recovering from his injuries, his father visited him. However, it was not for the reason a normal parent would check on their injured child, to make sure they're okay. His father actually seemed to think Warner was milking his injury. I have to quote some of the text because it's just so well written. 

"Sit up, son. You should be well enough to function now. You were too stupid to rest when you were supposed to, and now you've overcorrected. Three days you've been unconscious, and I arrived twenty-seven hours ago. Now get up. This is ridiculous."

Not an ounce of sympathy to be found. And when he didn't get a response from Warner (which is really the only amount of control Warner can keep), he decided to take the time to point out Warner's failures, and didn't seem to think the timing was inappropriate. 

"It's funny...because I told myself I'd wait to discuss this with you. But somehow, this moment seems so right doesn't it? ...To tell you just how tremendously...disappointed I am. Though I can't say I'm surprised…"

My favorite quote from the novella was when Warner says in reference to his father "torture is not torture when there's any hope of relief". In otherwords, one cannot be truly tortured if there is any chance of escape or physical or emotional relief. Many times, true relief in the face of torture equal death. What makes this quote so powerful is that it describes Warner’s father concisely. Warner's father gets great pleasure out of torturing and intimidating everyone around him, particularly Warner. As much as Warner would hope that his father would give him relief (namely kill him), he knows that will never be the case because it would mean Warner has won. And his father's torturous and controlling ways have caused Warner to be obsessed with having control. 

"I have an extremely low threshold for disorder; it offends my very being. I shower regularly. I eat six small meals a day. I dedicate two hours of each day to training and physical exercise. And I detest being barefoot."

Warner’s biggest obsession is still Juliette. He can’t stop thinking about her. He has dreams of her that feel too real. During patrols he thinks he sees her. The more he learns about her, the more connected he feels to her.  He insists that if given the opportunity she will realize that her proper place is with him and not with Adam Kent because Warner believes that he is the only one who can truly understand her, and vice versa. Like Juliette, Warner has never had a true friend. He hates his father and believes his troops want him dead. The closest thing Warner has to a friend is Delalieu, his servant, who outwardly fears him even though he’s considerable older than Warner. Although Warner finds Delalieu's fear and obedience both amusing and bothersome, Warner still does not feel comfortable confiding in him. It wouldn't be right given his rank. Like Juliette, Warner lives a life of solitude, never truly entrusting or befriending anyone.

With this information, it could be difficult to view Warner as an evil villain in Unravel Me, as I predicted. And we still don’t know why Warner and Adam are the only people who seem to be immune to Juliette’s powers. We learn that Warner’s interest in Juliette is not what it seemed in Shatter Me; but Warner also does not reveal what his true intentions are.  

This novella serves as a great bridge between Shatter Me and Unravel Me. I highly recommend this to Shatter Me fans. Destroy Me also includes two chapters of Unravel Me. After reading those two chapters, I greatly look forward to reading Unravel Me. 

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

   

Paperback, First Edition: 340 pages
Published: October 2nd 2012 by Harper Collins (first published November 15th 2011)
ISBN: 0062085506 
ISBN13: 9780062085504

Goodreads Summary

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

 

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

 

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

My Review

I read this book over a year ago and decided that since I had recently read the novella Destroy Me, which follows the villain Warner, that it would make more sense to post a review of Shatter Me first. You need to know the plot of Shatter Me in order to understand the significance of Destroy Me.
 

I picked up Shatter Me because it was the monthly read for a book group on Goodreads. When I first started reading it, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. There are a lot of crossed out lines within the text and Juliette seems to have obsessive thoughts and is rattled with anxiety. As I began to learn Juliette’s circumstances—her ability, her parents sending her away, her incarceration—it all began to make sense.  And the once the action and romance came into play, I was definitely hooked. This book is most definitely a page turner.

I liked Juliette as a main character. I really felt for her. She has been treated like a monster because of her ability, something which she is unable to control. Even her own parents wanted nothing to do with her, which is always sad. The reality of it is that Juliette is far from a monster. She doesn't want to hurt anyone. The fact that she makes a point never to touch anyone proves that. What I find the most amazing is that despite her history of being shunned and feared, she never took Warner’s promise of revenge. She knows that using her abilities to elicit fear and to gain power will not make her feel better. I also think Juliette may have more control over her powers than she truly realizes and I think that she will learn and develop it more as the story progresses in the rest of the trilogy.

Warner is the villain in this book. He is a head solider of the Reestablishment, the rulers of their world after people started dying from the effects climate change and global warming (e.g., heat, animals dying, famine). Warner is egotistical, arrogant, selfish, and out for only himself. He wishes to use Juliette and her powers as a weapon. He tries to convince Juliette that he holds the key to her getting revenge on all who have wronged her. As good of a villain as Warner is, however, I think there is a lot more to his story than meets the eye, which would explain why he is the way he is. I actually like that we don't know much about his story right now because I believe that if we did, we may have difficulty disliking him.

“You are the only good thing left in this world.”

This leads us to Adam Kent. Adam is a solider in Warner’s army and is assigned to watch over Juliette while she’s held captive by Warner. He knew her as a child in school and it turns out he is the only one who did not view her as a monster. 

I love the relationship between Adam and Juliette. I love the passion that lies between them. Adam is able to see Juliette for what she truly is (which isn't a monster) and he seems to want to protect her. He also provides the love and friendship that she's been missing and yearning for her entire life. In turn, Juliette is the confidant he has always needed. He has always been the one that serves and protects others, never having anyone to admit his fears to. With Juliette, he is finally able to admit his fears when he is at a loss without fear of being viewed as weak. 

“I don’t know what to do,” he says, and it’s like a confession that costs him much more than I can understand. Control is slipping through his fingers and he’s desperate to hold on. 

Up until this point, he has been the one with the plans and solutions. This type of confession is very difficult for him to make and Juliette is probably the only person in the world to which he can let his guard down. 

“There will be a bird today…It will fly.”

There is a bit of symbolism in the novel…the white bird. In this era, it has been a long time since anyone has seen an actual bird fly by because of deterioration of the ozone layer. However, in Juliette’s dreams, she sees a white bird. 

“I've dreamt about the same bird flying through the same sky for exactly 10 years. White streaks of gold like a crown atop its head.”

She soon learns that the bird in her dreams isn't just a dream when she sees a tattoo on Adams chest of the same bird. Although we don’t really know just yet what the bird tattoo means, I think there are some things that can be taken from it symbolically.  Juliette speaks of the bird flying away, which is truly what she wishes to do, so obviously the bird flying represents freedom. It also represents a better time in their society, before the world climate became completley unstable, before the Reestablishment took over. For Juliette, a bird flying in the sky represents a brighter future for their society. Finally, the tattoo of the bird on Adam’s chest is a part of their special connection. If that particular bird means freedom for Juliette, it being on Adam is sign that he will be her savior, her ticket to freedom. 

One issue I have is that I have a hard time really visualize this world because they don't go into very much detail about it. We know that the Ozone layer disintegrated, that climate is unpredictable, and many of the creatures that we know of are unable to survive within it. The rest is a bit up in the air. Unlike many other dystopian/apocalyptic novels, this book doesn't really seem to be centered on that. I hope that we learn more in the later books, because I would like to have a better grasp of the situation. 

I highly recommend this book. It is well written, the language is almost poetic, there is some good character development, symbolism, and it has a lot of action and romance. The route the book takes at the end wasn't entirely surprising to me, but it was kind of cool because I've never read a book that went that route. The book doesn't end in a clear cut cliffhanger, but there are a lot of questions that need to be answered which make me excited to read the rest of the series. 

Evermore (The Immortals #1) by Alyson Noel

Evermore (The Immortals #1) by Alyson Noel

Paperback, 1st Edition, 301 pages
Published February 3rd 2009 by St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN: 031253275X (ISBN13: 9780312532758)
url: http://www.immortalsseries.com/
literary awards: Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Favorite Book & Young Adult Series (2009), Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2011)

Goodreads Summary

The first book in Alyson Noel's extraordinary new Immortals series. Enter an enchanting new world, where true love never dies...

After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact to suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school — but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste.

Damen is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head - wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is - or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

My Review

I read this book a couple of years ago, but after noticing all of the negative reviews on Goodreads about it, I decided to write my own review of it. Another reason for this review is that I read a newer book of Noel's (or I should say tried to read), Fated, back in January and in my review of it I praised Evermore and the Immortals series over Fated. I first considered writing one review of the whole Immortals series, but decided against it because I didn't feel the same way about the entire series. 

First, I want to say that I feel that many of the negative reviews about books like this are negative because sometimes readers go into them with the wrong approach. I feel that sometimes readers read these books looking for a literary masterpiece of some sort. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of YA novels out there with great literary substance (i.e., good plot, word usage, character development, etc.). In this day and age, however, we as readers have to accept the factor that many times you are not going to get a literary masterpiece when you pick up something like this. I say view it the way you would drug store romance novels: take away the location, characters, and situations and you pretty much have the same novel written over and over again.  I agree that this is sad, but we have to face the reality of the situation. Writers write towards specific audiences, in this case teens and young adults. Teens and young adults that read and swoon over books like this do not do solely based on literary content. What they want is something light and fun and a break from the real literary works they are required to read for school that they find boring (but are likely appreciate more as they get older). You can call them dumb, lazy, or whatever you want. I personally don’t view it that way; I know some really intelligent pre-teens, teens, and young adults who genuinely love reading for the sake of read and read of a variety of books from the mind-numbing to the scholarly. So rather than going into books such as this with the anticipation of great literary substance, we should take them for what they are and anticipate something light, fun, and quick way to pass the time. If you can’t do that, then pass these books by like you would a drug store romance novel. 

Taken in this context, I enjoyed Evermore. At the time when I was reading the series, I was totally engrossed in it (until the latter books, an opinion I will save for a later review). Now looking back on it, I truly see it for what it truly was (as I did the Twilight series) and I can still say I enjoyed it. Some things were very much predictable (namely the growing attraction between Ever and Damen) and other things, at least for me, where a bit of a surprise (namely what Damen is). Even looking back on it after reading all of the YA fiction I have since, what Damen turns out to be is still somewhat of  surprised to me compared to the very predictable Angel/Demon, Vampire, Werewolf revelations of other novels. The revelation here, which I’m obviously not going to disclose, is a bit more scientific and fantastic than that, which is strange to me considering that I don’t always seem to see science and fantasy going together in such a way. Those who have read the entire series already know what I mean. If you've read only this book thus far, what I mean by this will be a lot clearer further in the series. 

In the beginning, one may think that Ever’s abilities are just the crazy delusions of a grieving girl. She lost both her parents and her sister in an accident and was uprooted to a new town to live with her aunt Sabine (her father’s twin sister lawyer who is single and has no experience raising children). These changes are hard enough for any teenager, but Ever also has to deal with her sudden ability to see auras, read others thoughts, and of seeing ghosts, particularly her sister, Riley. She also claims to have gone through a near death experience where she witnessed the aftermath of the accident outside of herself and watched her parents and sister cross a “bridge” to the afterlife, but was unfortunately unable to join them. So she goes through her new school in hoodies, listening to her Ipod and avoiding all contact with others except her friends Haven and Miles, causing the popular girls to call her a freak, tease her, and make her life even more miserable. As depressed as all of this makes Ever, she has accepted it because she lacks the strength and desire to do anything about it in her grief. 

Given all of Ever’s troubles, however, one can’t help but deem Ever a little ungrateful. Her Aunt Sabine didn't have to take her in, even though Ever thinks through family and moral obligation she had no choice but to. Even if that were so, Sabine definitely did not have to purchase a huge house and provide Ever with a convertible and a room with luxuries such as a flat screen TV, a walk-in closet, a bathroom with a Jacuzzi, a balcony, and a private den. A private den for cry sakes! How many teenagers do you know have their own private den?! I'll bet not many, if any at all. Yet, Ever can’t seem to allow herself to be grateful.

"It’s funny how before I would've given anything for a room like this.

But now I’d give anything just to go back to before."

--p. 24, epub

Instead, Ever analyzes Sabine, assuming that because she works so much that she felt she needed to make up for it with all of these material things. She also analyzes why Sabine never had children. Was it because she works so much and “can’t schedule it in”? Was it because she just hasn't found the right guy? Or was it because she just didn't have the desire to? Not very nice things to think about someone who saved you from foster homes and provided you with things most teenage girls dream of. 

If things weren't complicated enough for Ever, Damen’s arrival in town adds even more questions. He’s gorgeous and although Ever tries to avoid it, she can’t take her eyes off of him. He’s also very mysterious, whenever he speaks to her or touches her, not only does her skin tingle, but all of the buzzing conversation from the thoughts of those around her seem to disappear, allowing her to only focus on him. He also seems to runs hot and cold; one moment he is having lunch with Ever and her friends, trying to get to know her, presenting her with red tulips practically out of thin air and the next he’s flirting with Stacia Miller, Ever's arch enemy. The oddest thing of all is that he doesn't have an aura. For Ever, the only beings she’s ever encountered without an aura were dead. 

One character I had mixed feelings about was Haven. On the one hand I feel sorry for her. She comes from a home with parents who are hardly ever there and who pay little attention to her, so she is eager for any love or attention she can gain. Ever calls her a “anonymous-group addict”; she goes around attending different twelve-step meetings for alcoholics, cyber addicts, overeaters, gamblers, shopaholics, codependents, and so forth even though she has none of these problems. She has a tendency to copy the personae of whomever she is trying to gain attention from and has gone through several phases (i.e., ballerina, J-Crew, goth). It is sad to see a girl who is so starved for attention go to such lengths to get it. On the other hand, there are instances where her desperation for attention turns her into a real witch and I can no longer sympathize with her. It’s almost like she adores you as long as she can gain something from you but the second she find someone better you’re beneath her. For example, as it becomes clear that Damen has eyes for Ever and vice versa, Haven treats Ever like she’s the worst friend and betrayer ever since she knew Haven was interested and claimed she wasn't interested. At the same time, Haven also plays it off like she doesn't care. Although they are friends, Haven is very much jealous of Ever’s blonde hair and good looks (although it’s hard to tell through Ever’s hoodies, baggy jeans, and lack of make-up). Deep down she knows it’s only natural for a girl with Ever’s looks to bag the hottest guy in the school, but she hopes that Ever’s antisocial behavior will give her more of a chance. Also, when she makes friends with Evangeline and Drina and their vampire crowd, Haven is all of sudden too cool for Miles and Ever. When Haven needs help, however, who does she instantly turn to and expect immediate sympathy…Ever and Miles. 

As I mentioned previously, when I first read this series I was very much into it, mainly because I’m a sucker for the romantic aspect. I still liked this book and most of the series looking back on it, but I can’t entirely say that I’m in love with it. I've read better (i.e., Fallen) but I've also read worse (i.e., Fated).

Guardians of the Akasha by Celia Stander

Guardians of the Akasha by Celia Stander

Goodreads Summary

Eighteen-year old Keira Wilde has finished school and is determined to make her own plans for her future, thank you very much. She wants to be a photographer; not go to Oxford, like her parents want, or be a hero, like her aunt wants. But Keira’s plans go flying out of the window when she is attacked on the streets of London and she is forced to use her powers in self-defense.

Unfortunately, her actions attract the attention of a predator intent on using her...or destroying her. Preferring to be neither used nor destroyed, Keira takes charge of her destiny and enters the hidden world of the Guardians of the Akasha.

Fighting side by side with the battle-scarred Marco Santana, they race from London to Argentina and a castle in the forests of the Czech Republic to find the source of all knowledge and prevent the fabric of time from unraveling.

My Review

I read this book as a read & review. When I first agreed to the R&R, I wasn't sure if I was going to like the book. The plot seemed interesting enough, but something I couldn't quite put my finger on left me a bit skeptical. After reading it, I am happy that I gave it a chance and that I had proven myself wrong. 

"Akasha literally means ‘space’…Everything around us, from the smallest atom to the biggest planet is connected through the Akasha."

What is the Akasha? That is the major question throughout this novel. The term itself comes from known religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akasha).  The easiest explanation for it is the quote above. For the basis of the novel, it is not an alternate dimension, but rather an area between dimensions that connects them. Since it connects all dimensions and realities, any manipulation of the Akasha can alter time and dimensions as they are currently known. Hence the need for the Guardians for the Akasha, to guard the Akasha from those intent on misusing it for personal gain. The Guardians are people who are born with the special ability to manipulate space and energy. This ability tends to run in specific families, why some members possess these powers while others don’t is unclear. 

Keira finds out that not only is she one of these special people with these abilities—not the lone weirdo freak that she had believed herself to be all this time—but that her powers are great and that she has a specific destiny within the Guardians. Keira's powers and her destiny are so crucial that Daemon, who wishes to use the Book of Knowledge--which holds all the secrets and history of the Akasha--to manipulate the Akasha to alter time, will stop at nothing to use Keira. 

Keira is a very likable protagonist. Her overall strength is seen from the beginning of the book. She has a rebellious nature and a desire to follow her own path. As she learns more about the Guardians and her destiny, there is a sense of obvious confusion within her, yet she still has the ability to make up her own mind and make her own choices. This puts her and Marco, the commander of the Draaken (warriors who protect the Guardians) who has sworn to Keira’s Aunt Victoria to protect her, at odds with each other constantly.

One thing I liked about this book is the setting. Even though its a fantasy that it includes supernatural powers, magic, and fairy-tale-like locations, its all within real-life locations like London, Argentina, and the Czech Republic. Many fantasy novels (and even some dystopian, apocalyptic ones) include made-up places that can never be located on a map. While the exact location of the castle and the Santana estate probably cannot be specifically pointed to on a map, their countries of origin can. This added a level of realism that I enjoyed. 

One issue that I have to mimic other reviewers on is that there is a lacking in development. Many times we’re taken from one place or situation to another without much explanation as to how we got there. Keira definitely went through a transformation as she learned about the Akasha and her powers, but there really was no development there. One scene she’s a typical human high school graduate, with no real understanding about the Akasha and her powers and the next she seems to understand and know everything and has morphed into the powerful girl. There is very little description or explanation of how she got to this point. As Keira describes it, the whole training felt like only days as opposed to weeks. It could very well be explained by the factor that the dimension she was in time seems to have slowed to almost a standstill, but still more development there would've been helpful. 

Also, there is one instance in particular that seems very much unrealistic. Without giving too much away, basically Keira and the Guardians go from one country to another to intercept a plane that is about to take off. I understand that this is a fantasy novel and in a fantasy novel almost anything is possible, but there still needs to be just at least some realism. This scene in particular seemed way too convenient for my taste. 

Besides Keira, Marco, and the Draaken, little Amber was by far the bravest character in the novel. She is a nine-year-old daughter of the cook and the groundskeeper of the Castle of the Guardians. Don’t let her age  and smalls stature fool you; she has a lot of spunk and courage for a young girl. Even though she's sweet and a bit talkative, she's definitely got a fire within her with flames as red as her hair. I don’t want to give anything way, so I’ll just say that by the end Amber was as much a savior as Keira, Marco, and the Draaken.

There are battle scenes, with the Draaken battling Dameon's forces to protect the castle, the Akasha, and Keira, but they sometimes fall short a little in their length and description. The revelation and resolution in the end is a bit rushed and could use a little more development. The situation with the Book of Knowledge in particular needed more development  It can't be a simple as Keira not knowing or understanding the Book one moment and then instantly knowing everything the next. 

This book was very intriguing, creative and a fun read. The world of the Draaken, the Guardians, and the Akasha was very different than many of the other fantasy YA novels I have read. However, because of its uniqueness, a little more explanation and development would definitely have been helpful. It is not listed on Goodreads or Smashwords as part of a series, but the ending does leave room for a least a sequel. If Celia Stander does come out with a sequel to this book, I would definitely pick it up to see how the abrupt cliffhanger turns out. I definitely recommend this book to YA fantasy lovers. 

The Body Finder (The Body Finder #1) by Kimberly Derting

The Body Finder (The Body Finder #1) by Kimberly Derting 
Hardcover, 327 pages
Published: March 16th 2010 by Harper Collins Children's Books
ISBN: 0061779814 
ISBN13: 9780061779817
url: http://www.thebodyfinder.com
Literary awards: YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults (2011), Chicago Public Library Best of the Best for Teens (2011)

Goodreads Summary

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.

My Review

I absolutely loved this book. I regret not instantly reading it months ago when I first bought the epub version during a sale. It incorporated several genres that I enjoy...romance, paranormal, crime, and mystery. The romantic aspect won me over more than anything. What can I say; I’m a sucker for romance. 

Before I get into all the juicy romantic stuff, let me talk about the main thing that drives this series…Violet’s “ability”.  As mentioned in the summary, Violet has the ability to sense the bodies of murdered people. She doesn't seek them out, they call to her. Each body has its own unique sound that resonates which only she can hear.  She refers to it as an echo or an imprint.  It started when she was a little girl, when she uncovered a dead girl while in the woods with her father. For the majority of her childhood she mostly found dead animals, so many that she created her own pet cemetery in her yard. But she doesn't only hear “echoes” of bodies; she also hears echoes of the bodies on the ones who murdered them.  For example, she can’t around her cat after he has hunted because she can hear the echo of his prey on him. It is also difficult for her to be around some police officers and military men because ending a life is a downside to their profession.  Each echo and imprint is as unique as a fingerprint. Her gift is a complete secret and no one completely understands where it came from or why she’s the only one who seems to have it. The only person who knows about it outside of her parents and her police chief uncle is her best friend Jay. 

Ah Jay! What a character. He’s witty, tall, smart, strong, protective, and as of late, very popular with the girls at their high school. He lives with his mom (I believe she’s a single parent because there isn't much mention of his father), but spends almost every free moment with Violet. Platonically of course! Normally, Violet only looked at Jay as her goofy best friend and wouldn't care about his new popularity with the girls. However, something must have changed about Jay over the summer because, like the girls at school, she’s starting to view him differently too. She actually finds herself becoming jealous at all the new attention he’s getting. But she really shouldn't worry at all; he doesn't appear to be very interested in spending time with any other girl but Violet. But of course, they’re best friends; it’s perfectly normal, right? In the land of romantic YA novels, predictably it isn't so simple.

The murder/kidnapping of the young girls is the contemporary portion of the novel. Especially during the chapters when the predator is the narrator. The way he seeks out and lures in his victims is similar to many real-life news stories we unfortunately hear about often. Yet, when I first read the abductions, I found myself asking the same question many ask when they see some horror/thriller movies…why are these people so stupid? Don’t these girls know not to talk to or accept rides from strangers (a point even the predator wonders, even though it’s to his advantage that they don’t)? Their best defense in this novel is that they’re from a small town where the biggest crime is probably jaywalking, which is why the anxiety level of the town immediately went up after Violet discovered the first body. Be that as it may, the scenes the predator describes and the chase scenes are very active, suspenseful, and have you at the edge of your seat. Unfortunately, since the few secondary characters in this book aren't as defined as Jay and Violet, what few clues that are given do not lead you to any concrete guesses as to who the predator is. It is as big a mystery to us as it is them. If you‘re an avid reader of crime, thriller, mystery books as I am, the conclusion may not be a complete surprise to you. If you’re not, then it most definitely will be. I will say this…for someone who says she’s accustomed to woods and trails in her town, Violet sure does trip and fall a lot. 

The relationship between Jay and Violet is the bright side of the novel. The fact that Jay and Violet were friends first adds to their romantic relationship. They already had a comfort level with each other that was boyfriend/girlfriend-like before they decided to go beyond friendship (i.e., holding hands). Even after they officially get together, they still have those casual, playful buddy moments that are funny and adorable. They know each other so well that they know what the other is thinking without one word being uttered. 

Their hooking up was predictable, as most books like this are. As Jay put it, they were going to get together eventually; it was just a matter of time. Everyone saw it…everyone except Violet, that is. We know about Violet’s changing feelings because she tells us, but Jay’s feelings were just as obvious. It was evident that he was willing to do anything for Violet and only had eyes for her. Even as the line of girls interested in him grew, he only wanted to spend time with Violet and seemed to get a bigger rise out of bragging to her about it than from getting the attention to begin with. He’d be polite to his “fan club”, all the while looking over his shoulder to see where Violet was. 

What wasn't immediately predictable was how electrifying their relationship would be once it finally happened. At first it’s very romantic and sweet and then the temperature between them shot up about 100 degrees two chapters later. And it’s only a nice surprise for us, but for them as well. Fortunately, they still keep their heads about them and are able to reign in the physical activity so that book remains suitable for teens as young as 14. 

I strongly recommend this book and I will definitely be continuing the series. The next book is Desires of the Dead and my copy included and excerpt from it. It promises to be just as good. 

Black Moon (Paige Tailor Series #1) by Jessica McQuay

Black Moon (Paige Tailor Series #1) by Jessica McQuay
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: October 2012 by Cambridge Press
ISBN-10: 1936185741
ISBN-13: 978-1936185740

Goodreads Summary

"Am I losing my mind?"

Paige couldn't help but question her sanity. What other explanation could there be for her hearing a conversation held barely above a whisper in the back of a classroom full of students? What about coming home to find one of those very classmates lying in wait in the darkness of her home, ready to attack her?

Confused, frustrated and feeling every ounce of her social ostracism, Paige confides in the one person she's always been able to count on: her mom. But when her mom reveals a deeply rooted, unbelievable family secret, Paige discovers her world is filled with more than she ever imagined possible. A world where fairytales live alongside nightmares and secrets are the glue that binds them together. Suddenly no one is who they seem and Paige is faced with more questions than answers. Can she survive in a world filled with creatures scarier than anything she could imagine and where deceit runs as thick as blood? Or will the truth send her over the edge?

My Review

I read this book as part of a read and review and I received an ARC copy of the book. The book is a bit slow starting as Paige learns about who (or better yet what) she is, her roots, and her powers. For the most part I enjoyed it. It was nice to join Paige in her journey to learn about herself. Every time Paige thinks she's learned the whole truth, another twist in her family history comes to light. I greatly felt Paige's pain and confusion as her world is turned upside down and the person she trusted the most, her mother, reveals lie after lie (even though they're more lies of omission than anything else).

My feelings towards Paige as a character are kind of bitter sweet. Sometimes I was with her and felt for her, but other times, particularly when she was sarcastic or uncontrollably angry, I just wanted to shake her. She is a strong character, especially towards the end, but her age, immaturity, and social awkwardness shine through quite a bit. She doesn't seem to have any friends at all, not even acquaintances. And she reminds us over and over how she is uncomfortable in social situations and that she isn't the most athletic person. It really makes me wonder how she's gotten this far in life. Not everyone is a socialite, this is very true. However, I've read only a handful novels where the protagonist lacks any companionship. It must be so lonely for Paige to be going through all of these changes and new discoveries without anyone to talk to about it. Well, until she meets Naialah, that is.  

One question I have is how come in these YA novels are children allowed to miss school abruptly and sometimes for long periods, and yet still move on to the next grade? This isn't particular to this one novel; I've seen this in quite a few. In this novel there is at least one consequence to Paige's absence to go to her mother's childhood home, but she was still able to graduate even though I believe she was gone for weeks. I don't think it’s as simple as that in real life. Just saying.

I did have one major problem with this novel and it's a stylistic one. I know some people like a lot of details and I am not totally against it myself (I just speed read through when it gets to be too much). I am a firm believer, however, that there is such a thing as too much detail, especially when it leads to redundancy.

I won't even touch the factor that every little thing that the characters do is described when I feel that at times it could have been expressed in a simpler fashion. For example:

"I grabbed the mouse and double clicked on the internet icon and waited as it loaded onto the screen. I clicked Google and typed in 'Faeries' as the search string."

I feel this is too detailed. It could have been stated much more simply because these are steps that everyone knows. However, this is my personal preference, everyone's style is different. Plus, this was an ARC copy, so maybe this was fixed before publication.

My problem has to do with the instances where Paige expresses her thoughts to us and then says the exact same thing verbatim in the next paragraph. Or at one point where Paige explains to her mother everything that happened one afternoon and we get a whole monologue of information we already know. 

"I told her about trying to make the grass and flowers around me grow and failing and how stupid the whole thing made me feel. The in the middle of my lame attempt at magic, hearing Rachel approach through her thoughts...And how I ran away when I heard the thoughts of the rest of her little entourage, and left her stuck there."

All this information would have been fine, except we just went through the whole thing with her. I feel a simple "I told her everything that happened this afternoon..." would've sufficed. 

Also, many times there are long, speech-like dialogues from characters that sometime either say the same thing several ways or are just too wordy. Sometimes less is more powerful.

I also wonder about the cover. It's nice and all, but I'm not sure if it fits in with the story. Is it a foreshadowing to all the family secrets that are to be revealed?

For those who like action, there is some, but it doesn't come until the last fourth of the book. McQuay does do a good job of making it worth the wait.

For those romantics out there, sorry, there isn't a guy that catches Paige's eye. Actually, it's a  little unclear whether Paige is interested in guys at all. There are hints towards the end, but nothing concrete. I guess Paige is learning about herself all the way around. 

For a first novel, this novel is pretty good. The plot is good, with a lot of buildup and a great climax. Paige is a decent protagonist, but there are instances where she gets a bit annoying. She does gain strength by the end. Stylistically, it was a bit too detailed and wordy for me at times, but if that doesn't bother you, then I definitely recommend it. I would like to read the next book in the series when it comes out because there are still questions that I hope McQuay will answer.