Paranormalcy (Book 1)
by Kiersten White
Hardcover, 352 pages
HarperTeen
Release Date: August 31, 2o1o
ISBN 0061985848 / 9780061985843
Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie's always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.
Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.
So much for normal.
Evie is not the typical teenage girl. She sees through paranormal glamours and can totally kick paranormal butt, especially with her special pink rhinestone taser -- lovingly named Tasey. In being able to do so, she has become a priceless asset to IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency) - an agency that "bags and tags" paranormals living in our world. One night, there is a break-in at the agency and Evie catches the intruder - a shapeshifter named Lend that is like no paranormal Evie (or anyone) has ever seen before. Evie is intrigued. But as Evie learns more about Lend and why he's there, the more questions come up for Evie about herself, as well as questions about the agency that she has called home for so long.
Take the humor and wit of some of my favorite urban fantasies, mix in my favorite paranormals, and add a dash of teenage drama and romance - and you have Paranormalcy. Honestly, this is probably the most refreshing paranormal YA book that I've read for 2010. It's the perfect mix of light and dark, as well as action and a little bit of fluff.
For me, Evie is a perfect example of what I would call the best YA teen heroine in a fantasy story. Yes, she can kick butt and take names like it's no one business, but she's also still just a teen that yearns for a taste of normal teenage life. She's flawed, isn't perfect, and can whine with the best of them. Yet at the end of the day, she's still herself, who she wants to be and she's a fierce friend who sticks up and avenges her friends like it's no ones business. Reading reviews in the past, I thought I was going to get an overdose of uber-girly, "OMG, PINK!" moments. While Evie does love the color pink, it's not unbearingly so and, honestly, she makes it really cute. That, and her obsession with a teenage drama tv show. It's adorable.
And the guys? Yeah, we can't have a story without some hot guys ... and we definitely got that as well. You can't help but love Lend and Reth? Well, he frustrates you to no end, but there's the intrigue there as well! I can't say that I'm a huge fan of how the vampires were portrayed to look under their glamours, but I was able to look past that to enjoy the story.
White's voice and writing was just ... perfect. I don't know how else to describe it. She's excellent at provoking your emotions at just the right spots. When Evie is sad, you're sad. When she's happy, you're happy. When she wants to slap Reth, you want to jump into the story and do it for her. There are questions throughout that story that are sometimes answered and some that may stay with you until the very end - maybe even through the next book. When I finished this book, I was completely satisfied with what I had just read.. but I was definitely left with a small thirst to quench with the next book.
Take the humor and wit of some of my favorite urban fantasies, mix in my favorite paranormals, and add a dash of teenage drama and romance - and you have Paranormalcy. Honestly, this is probably the most refreshing paranormal YA book that I've read for 2010. It's the perfect mix of light and dark, as well as action and a little bit of fluff.
For me, Evie is a perfect example of what I would call the best YA teen heroine in a fantasy story. Yes, she can kick butt and take names like it's no one business, but she's also still just a teen that yearns for a taste of normal teenage life. She's flawed, isn't perfect, and can whine with the best of them. Yet at the end of the day, she's still herself, who she wants to be and she's a fierce friend who sticks up and avenges her friends like it's no ones business. Reading reviews in the past, I thought I was going to get an overdose of uber-girly, "OMG, PINK!" moments. While Evie does love the color pink, it's not unbearingly so and, honestly, she makes it really cute. That, and her obsession with a teenage drama tv show. It's adorable.
And the guys? Yeah, we can't have a story without some hot guys ... and we definitely got that as well. You can't help but love Lend and Reth? Well, he frustrates you to no end, but there's the intrigue there as well! I can't say that I'm a huge fan of how the vampires were portrayed to look under their glamours, but I was able to look past that to enjoy the story.
White's voice and writing was just ... perfect. I don't know how else to describe it. She's excellent at provoking your emotions at just the right spots. When Evie is sad, you're sad. When she's happy, you're happy. When she wants to slap Reth, you want to jump into the story and do it for her. There are questions throughout that story that are sometimes answered and some that may stay with you until the very end - maybe even through the next book. When I finished this book, I was completely satisfied with what I had just read.. but I was definitely left with a small thirst to quench with the next book.
The Verdict?
Paranormalcy comes out tomorrow! Be sure to pick it up at a bookstore near you!
5 comments:
This book sounds perfect! Love that. I'm not a huge paranormal reader, but it sounds like I'd be a fool to ignore this book! Wonderful review.
I got this book too! Can't wait to read it. Nice review :)
Fab review! I really like the sound of this so I might just have to pick it up at some point!
I loved this book, too. A very fun, entertaining read. Great review!
I am a big paranormal fan and so I think that I will love this book. I have it and I hate that I have not had a chance to read it. I just can't keep up with all the books I want to read.
Glad you loved it!
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