Review: Inescapable by Amy A. Bartol

Genre: Paranormal | Angels

Synopsis:

I'm Evie and this was to be the making of me-my first year of college. I'd hoped that once I'd arrived at Crestwood, the nightmare that I've been having would go away. It hasn't. At 17, I may be inexperienced, but I'm sane. When Reed is near, however, nothing makes any sense. He's not what he seems to be...and neither am I. I'm afraid that the nightmare my dream is foretelling is...inescapable.

Review:

My aunt, Globug, let me borrow her copy of Inescapable and I absolutely LOVED it. I read it over the course of two days because I just couldn't put it down. 

As a born and bred Southerner, who actually lives in the Upstate of South Carolina and has many friends from Asheville, I have to say that the linguistic interpretation of the accents from the area are completely off in terms of the timing in which vowels are stressed and when the consonants are shortened. This mistake is an easy fix and is probably only recognizable to Southerners from the area. In regard to the story itself, much of the plot was predictable because of expectations in the genre. Though I was definitely surprised with the ending, in all honesty I'm not too sure about the direction that Bartol took with the ending. However, I'm sure the extra complexity that was shoved in at the end with little explanation will be explored in the next novel. Maybe I just hate cliffhangers, but I still loved the story so much that I will definitely start the second book ASAP. 

So, the parts I absolutely love about Bartol's creation include the characters, the touch of mythology, and the attachment I developed for the characters. While the struggles that the characters face are not completely original--I've read dozens of books where the lead character discovers he or she is a half-breed and must confront the physical changes that occur due to this discovery while simultaneously battling an evil force that just so happens to be rising in the close area and conquering the trials of true love--Bartol has a special way of writing that draws the reader in and makes the characters lovable. While I adore Russell and feel badly for him, I was pulling for Reed all along. Call it pessimism or realism if you like, but even if everyone on earth actually has a soul mate the likely hood of finding one's soul mate before loneliness causes one to "settle" is highly improbable. However, to actually find one's soul mate and deliberately choose to be with another is simply brilliant. I was hooked. Bartol reevaluates the concept of a soul mate and the ideal of true love with a unique interpretation and great writing. 

The touch of mythology, both direct and subtle parallels to the Greek myth of the goddess Persephone, made me sigh a breath of sheer contentment. While I normally don't enjoy books featuring angels, Bartol blew this genre out of the park. She moves from simplicity to complexity all in the same paragraph and leaves  the reader begging for more. The references to some of my favorite literary classics were seamlessly incorporated, yet added so much depth for those familiar with those works. Add on to that the catchy and clever chapter titles and you have a winner. 

I was on the edge of my seat from the beginning. I was falling in love with all of the male characters and I experienced the emotional roller coaster vicariously through Evie. I was proud of Evie for never wavering on her love for Reed, and I appreciated her genuine reactions to the changes her body experiences. I will purchase this for myself to read over and over. I can't wait to start Intuition. This is a definite MUST read.

Rating: 5 out of 5 owls

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Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Genre: Paranormal

Laini Taylor's novel Daughter of Smoke and Bone, begins the story of 17-year-old Karou, the foster child of a mysterious creature named Brimstone. The world of her family is a far cry from the "normal" world in which she lives. Karou is sent, for the most part unwillingly, on errands around the globe for a reason she does not yet understand. Karou must learn to balance the two worlds she loves while she struggles to discover who is she and her place in life. It gives new meaning to the phrase 'ignorance is bliss.' 

There were several aspects of Taylor's creation that captivated and drew me into her world. The first, and arguably the most important, are the characters. Simply put--I love Karou. I connected to her on an artistic level, and appreciated her humor. She is strong and independent, yet craves for a person she can confide in, a person she can be vulnerable with, someone she can love. In this sense, Karou is very relatable to the independent women in our modern society. Her maturity speaks to both young and older audiences. 

In regard to the other-worldly characters, I was impressed with her chimaera. They held all the animalistic qualities of their physical counterparts, as well as the humanesque feelings typical to families and sentient beings. I enjoyed the combination of Greek mythology with Christian tradition. Taylor made a point to illustrate that both sides contained good and evil. One cannot exist without the other. I found myself wishing that the past came more in glimpses rather than several consecutive chapters devoted to flashbacks, but Taylor's writing is still engaging. I look forward to the next installment with enthusiasm. 

Tasty Tid-bit:

"Yearning for love made her feel like a cat that was always twining around ankles, meowing Pet me, pet me, look at me, love me. Better to be the cat gazing coolly down from a high wall, its expression inscrutable. The cat that shunned petting, that needed no one. Why couldn't she be that cat?"--p. 71

Here is the book trailer for your viewing pleasure:

Rating: 4 out of 5 owls

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