Author: Christina Lauren
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pub Date: October 2015
Rating: 3.75 Stars
Review originally posted on No BS Book Reviews
Our thoughts...
In terms of a Young Adult paranormal novel, this book was good.
Add in the fact that is was Christina Lauren writing and that turns into “of
course it’s good.” Even with all of that, I just wanted more. More suspense,
more feelings, more anxiety, more tension. I’m greedy like that. Christina
Lauren has consistently trained me to expect great things because they deliver
those great things time and time again. I keep reminding myself that this book
is YA so maybe it shouldn’t have more of all of those things on my wish list.
But then I am reminded that YA doesn’t equate to tame, it represents not only
the age of the target reader but also the main characters. I preferred having
my pants scared off more as a teenager than I do as a grownup. Even as an
adult, I wish this book had more of those fun, scary moments.
The main characters, Gavin and Delilah, are engaging and
beautifully quirky. They complement each other well without diminishing the
other or wishing/hoping the other will eventually change somehow. Hooray for
accepting the people you love! The only drama they really face in their
relationship is related to Gavin’s house. You know, the seemingly possessed
one. House is just as much a main character as Gavin and Delilah. Not only has
House essentially raised Gavin but it has also been his watch dog and watch
dogs can be very protective of their charges. Problems arise when Delilah is
perceived as a threat and Gavin starts considering life without living in
House.
The areas of suspense and paranormal activity stem from House’s
disgruntled behavior. These aspects start off slowly and progress at a leisurely
pace (a little too leisurely), plateau and drag, and then finally reach a
consistent high point around the 60-percent mark. This is when the book finally
morphs from an intriguing, slightly-spooky story to a serious, suspenseful one.
I was really hoping for a more consistent scare current throughout. This
transition took too long for my liking but the characters kept me invested. Gavin
and Delilah are enchanting, witty, and lovable; they carry the story from start
to finish.
I wanted to love this book but I’m left just liking it a
lot, primarily because of Gavin and Delilah. The concept is unique and
intriguing but the level of suspense just isn’t steady enough to keep me
consistently intrigued. Definitely pick this up if you like your suspense and
paranormal in smaller doses or if you’re just looking for a fun change of pace.
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