Review: Haven by Kristi Cook
Goodreads: One month into her junior year, sixteen-year-old Violet McKenna transfers to the Winterhaven School in New York’s Hudson Valley, inexplicably drawn to the boarding school with high hopes. Leaving Atlanta behind, she’s looking forward to a fresh start–a new school, and new classmates who will not know her deepest, darkest secret, the one she’s tried to hide all her life: strange, foreboding visions of the future.
But Winterhaven has secrets of its own, secrets that run far deeper than Violet’s. Everyone there–every student, every teacher–has psychic abilities, ‘gifts and talents,’ they like to call them. Once the initial shock of discovery wears off, Violet realizes that the school is a safe haven for people like her. Soon, Violet has a new circle of friends, a new life, and maybe even a boyfriend–Aidan Gray, perhaps the smartest, hottest guy at Winterhaven.
Only there’s more to Aidan than meets the eye–much, much more. And once she learns the horrible truth, there’s no turning back from her destiny. Their destiny. Together, Violet and Aidan must face a common enemy–if only they can do so without destroying each other first.
I read the first half of Haven and admittedly thought the book was going nowhere. I disliked the main character and her decisions and her needy behavior. Then I had an epiphany. Pam you are thirty-one years old. How did you act around boys when you were sixteen? Immediately my outlook on this book changed.
I still am not enamored by the first half of the book, the school at Winterhaven is interesting enough but I wanted to hear more about Violet’s friends and her life at Winterhaven. I felt that important events in the book were glossed over. Why make a big deal about Violet going to Atlanta to never have one scene with her in Atlanta, or talk more than once about her old BFF who is in Atlanta but coming to NY and never have the two meet?
That being said the second half of the book picks up shedding some of my original trepidation’s about Haven. The lore was tight and I appreciated getting a better view of what Violet’s purpose was and why she and Aiden were able to communicate telepathically. The danger element was fun too and the character that double-crossed the pair was one I wouldn’t have expected. I will be reading book two to see how the story progresses now that the new lore has been introduced.
I think teenagers will love this novel, my book club teens have. Sure you can say it is cliche, cliche, cliche but let’s be honest here, it’s full of all my favorites. I recommend this book to fans of Wings, Twilight, and House of Night.
Fragment Friday: The Eternal Ones
James from Book Chic Club hosts this new and fantastic meme, where you can read a tiny excerpt from what you are reading right now! Do it!
Review: Blue Moon by Alyson Noel (The Immortals Series)
To me Noel’s second book was stronger than her first. In Evermore the main character Ever annoyed me a bit. She seemed so dependent and weak to me. A bit over annoying and self pitying. Her parents died yes, but the pity party was a bit much.
In Blue Moon Ever is secure in her own skin. Damen and Ever’s relationship is strong and will probably withstand the tests of eternity. Roman a new bad boy in town gives Ever the creeps. Damen, Miles, or Haven notice nothing and even accuse Ever of just not liking new people. Figuring they are right Ever tries to open up to Roman to devestating consequences. Ever begins a race against time to save her friends and her true love. Will the Summerland give her the answers she is looking for?
Ever made some really bad decisions in this book. I would normally slam the book for the turns this took. It gets a bit outlandish, but it all works together well to end the book and makes me anticipate the time when I pick up the third book in the series. I have to know how all of this Damen / Ever stuff works out. If Miles becomes a pop star, if Haven and Josh’s relationship survives.
However what I do not need to see is Ever’s Aunt bumbling through like an idiot. I love YA books where the adults actually have a clue and aren’t complete idiots. Not every teen, or every teen who reads hates their parents. Ever seems to feel gratitude to her Aunt but not much real love going on there.
I missed the presence of Riley but adding the creepy twins Romy and Rayne made me miss her a bit less.
Ever grew up a lot in this book. I was very happy with her development. I would however like to see some development in the other characters in the third book.
If you like Shiver, The Mortal Instruments Series, or The Dark Guardian Series you will like Evermore and Blue Moon.
