Opening Lines (21)

Opening Lines is a new feature here on Portrait of a Book that showcases the first lines of recent and/or upcoming releases. If you're looking for your next read, let these first lines help you decide!



THE WARD
By: Jordana Frankel
Published By: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

Sixteen-year-old Ren is a daredevil mobile racer who will risk everything to survive in the Ward, what remains of a water-logged Manhattan. To save her sister, who is suffering from a deadly illness thought to be caused by years of pollution, Ren accepts a secret mission from the government: to search for a freshwater source in the Ward, with the hope of it leading to a cure.

However, she never expects that her search will lead to dangerous encounters with a passionate young scientist; a web of deceit and lies; and an earth-shattering mystery that’s lurking deep beneath the water’s rippling surface.

Jordana Frankel’s ambitious debut novel and the first in a two-book series, The Ward is arresting, cinematic, and thrilling—perfect for fans of Scott Westerfeld or Ann Aguirre.

"This is no ordinary flea-bitten day - not for me, it ain't."


LIFE AFTER THEFT
By: Aprilynne Pike
Published By: Harper Teen
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

Moving to a new high school sucks. Especially a rich-kid private school. With uniforms. But nothing is worse than finding out the first girl you meet is dead. And a klepto.

No one can see or hear Kimberlee except Jeff, so--in hopes of bringing an end to the snarkiest haunting in history--he agrees to help her complete her "unfinished business." But when the enmity between Kimberlee and Jeff's new crush, Sera, manages to continue posthumously, Jeff wonders if he's made the right choice.

Clash meets sass in this uproarious modern-day retelling of Baroness Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel.

"I hate this school."


GAME. SET. MATCH.
By: Jennifer Iacopelli
Published By: Coliloquy, LLC
Release Date: May 1, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

Nestled along the North Carolina coast, the Outer Banks Tennis Academy is the world's most elite training facility. In this pressure-cooker environment, futures are forged in blood and sweat, and dreams are shattered in an instant.

Penny Harrison, a rising female star, is determined to win the French Open and beat her archrival, Zina Lutrova. But when her coach imports British bad boy Alex Russell as her new training partner, will Penny be able to keep her laser-like focus?

Tennis is all Jasmine Randazzo has ever known. The daughter of two Grand Slam champions, she's hell-bent on extending her family’s legacy and writing her own happily-ever-after...until her chosen Prince Charming gives her the just-friends speech right before the biggest junior tournament of the year, the Outer Banks Classic.

With a powerful serve and killer forehand, newcomer Indiana Gaffney is turning heads. She’s thrilled by all of the attention, especially from Jack Harrison, Penny’s agent and hot older brother, except he keeps backing off every time things start heating up.

With so much at stake, dreams—and hearts—are bound to break. Welcome to OBX: Where LOVE is a four-letter word, on and off the court.

"'Crap. Crap. Crap,' Indy muttered to herself."


THE BOYFRIEND APP
By: Katie Sise
Published By: Balzer & Bray
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

In The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise, super-smart, somewhat geeky Audrey McCarthy can’t wait to get out of high school. Her father’s death and the transformation of her one-time BFF, Blake Dawkins, into her worst nightmare have her longing for the new start college will bring.

But college takes money. So Audrey decides she has to win the competition for the best app designed by a high schooler—and the $200,000 that comes with it. She develops something she calls the Boyfriend App, and suddenly she’s the talk of the school and getting kissed by the hottest boys around. But can the Boyfriend App bring Audrey true love?

"It was lunchtime in the social battleground known as Harrison's upperclassman cafeteria, and I was staring at Aidan Bailey."



Do any of these opening lines grab your attention? What are your favorite first lines that you've read lately?

Review: Golden by Jessi Kirby

GOLDEN
By: Jessi Kirby
Published By: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Series: None
Pages: 288
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: TLA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Love, tragedy, and mystery converge in this compelling novel from “an author to watch” (Booklist).

Seventeen-year-old Parker Frost has never taken the road less traveled. Valedictorian and quintessential good girl, she’s about to graduate high school without ever having kissed her crush or broken the rules. So when fate drops a clue in her lap—one that might be the key to unraveling a town mystery—she decides to take a chance.

Julianna Farnetti and Shane Cruz are remembered as the golden couple of Summit Lakes High—perfect in every way, meant to be together forever. But Julianna’s journal tells a different story—one of doubts about Shane and a forbidden romance with an older, artistic guy. These are the secrets that were swept away with her the night that Shane’s jeep plunged into an icy river, leaving behind a grieving town and no bodies to bury.

Reading Julianna’s journal gives Parker the courage to start to really live—and it also gives her reasons to question what really happened the night of the accident. Armed with clues from the past, Parker enlists the help of her best friend, Kat, and Trevor, her longtime crush, to track down some leads. The mystery ends up taking Parker places that she never could have imagined. And she soon finds that taking the road less traveled makes all the difference.

So much for normal.



Last year I read Jessi Kirby's novel In Honor. In Honor was one of my favorite books of 2012, so I was extremely excited for Golden, and Golden is definitely one of my favorite books of 2013. Jessi Kirby is a masterful writer, with books that make you feel the entire range of emotions within a single story.

Parker Frost is a model student and daughter, doing exactly what is expected of her, following her mother's plan for her to get into Stamford and go to medical school. But as her senior year goes by, Parker starts to think that perhaps she is missing out on something after all, just like her best friend Kat has said. Kat challenges Parker to do one thing, to take one risk, and Parker has an opportunity she never expected. As an English TA, she has to mail journals from ten years ago back to their authors. However, when one of those journals is from Julianna Farnetti - a girl who died in a horrific car crash - Parker can't help but read it. She never expected to find the story that she does within the pages. As Julianna's story unfolds, Parker realizes that there are always things that you don't know about others, and that she has to find the plan for her life that will make her happy. But what is her path?

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" This question, a quote from a poem posed by Parker's English teacher, resonates throughout the book. As the story unfolds, Parker is constantly confronted with this question, almost like a challenge - from her mother, who expects a certain answer, from her best friend Kat, who wants Parker to take a chance, from the pages of Julianna's diary, as Julianna begins to find her own path in life, and finally from herself, and she realizes that she doesn't have to have her life set in stone already. Parker is such a relatable character. Throughout the book I felt like I was reading not only about my high school self but also the person that I am now. Golden made me think in a way that few books do. I loved everything about this story, from the Frost quotes and references at the beginning of each chapter and scattered throughout the story to the diary entries from Julianna. Orion is definitely swoon-worthy, and Trevor adds some humor to an otherwise deep and poignant story.

What makes Golden so moving isn't just the story itself, but how it is written. Jessi Kirby writes scenes and interactions that are beautiful, heartbreaking, sweet, touching, and just perfect. Between her way with words and the descriptions she gives, she manages to evoke all of the feelings. Once again she's written a book that will make you think, make you want more, make you cry, but in the end make you smile. This book will be one that I recommend to everyone.

Golden is a story that will definitely stick with me for a long time and has officially made Jessi Kirby an autobuy author for me. I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Love in Bloom Giveaway Hop

Welcome to this stop of the Love in Bloom Giveaway Hop, hosted by
I am a reader, not a writer and myself.

With April showers bringing May flowers and all that, everything seems to be in bloom in springtime, and love is no exception. What better time than to read a sweet romance novel?



~GIVEAWAY~


I am very excited to offer one SIGNED copy of Lock and Key for a giveaway!

The contest is open to US residents only. Must be 13 to enter. Please see my Contest Policy for more information.

Must be a GFC follower to enter.

This contest will close on Thursday, May 23 at 12:01AM CST.

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Make sure to visit the all of the blogs on the hop!

Blog Tour: The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED by Page Morgan

It was bizarre and inexplicable, and after it happened, Ingrid Waverly was forced to leave her life in London behind. She had to trade a world full of fancy dresses and society events for exile in gothic Paris with her mother and her younger sister, Gabby.

In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and disturbingly, the house rented by Ingrid's twin brother, Grayson, isn't a house at all. It's an abbey. A creepy, old abbey with a roof lined in stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.

And to top it all off, Grayson is missing.

Yet no one seems to be concerned about Grayson's whereabouts save for Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant who has some deep and dark secrets of his own.

There's one secret about the city that even Luc can't keep hidden, though: there's a murderer on the loose. And every day that Grayson is missing means there's less chance he's still alive.

Ingrid is sure her twin isn't dead--she can feel it deep in her soul--but she knows that he's in grave danger, and that it's up to her and Gabby to find him before all hope is lost.

And yet the path to him is more dangerous than she could ever imagine. (From Goodreads)



~INTERVIEW WITH INGRID~

I was very excited to have the opportunity to ask Ingrid from The Beautiful and the Cursed a few questions. Take a few moments to learn more about the heroine!

If you could have sent a telegram to anyone after discovering the truth about The Dispossessed, who would you have contacted and what would you have said?

If I had still been on speaking terms with my best friend Anna (I’m quite sure she hasn’t yet forgiven me for setting fire to her ballroom), I would have sent a telegram to her, asking her to come to Paris and assure me that I was not, in fact, losing my mind.

Are there days when you wish you could trade the life you found in Paris for the safe, normal life you had in London?

Only when I’m feeling frustrated or particularly cross. Honestly, my life in Paris is so much more exciting than the one I led in London. The truth is, there are demons everywhere and I know I’m safest here, in Paris, with Luc. Besides, I don’t think my life—whether it’s spent in Paris or in London—will ever be considered ‘normal’ again.

What is one of your favorite childhood memories with Grayson?

Grayson and I preferred our country estate, Glendale Manor, to our London residence, Waverly House. There was this little swimming pond that we’d wade into, armed with nets and pails, and we’d try to catch frogs. We’d always choose the fattest, leggiest frog to sneak back into the manor. We’d then let it loose and settle back and laugh as the servants tried to find the source of all that wretched croaking. One time our cook found the frog in her soup tureen and fainted!

What nickname would you give yourself, since you don't like Griddy?

I don’t believe there is a respectable nickname for Ingrid at all. Even my middle name, Charlemagne, is atrocious.

What is your favorite thing about Luc?

I think I’m drawn to how intense he is about his duty: to keep my family and me safe. I know he doesn’t truly have a choice—the Angelic Order forces him to protect us—but I also know that he wants to be here with us. With me. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s insanely good looking.

Is there anything you want to do in Paris that you haven’t been able to do yet?

I haven’t been up into the Eiffel Tower just yet or to the l’Opera. Maybe I’ll have time for sightseeing and a show soon!

What do you think your biggest challenge will be in the future?

I’m not sure which will be the biggest challenge—having a relationship with a gargoyle, or learning how to handle my new, strange ‘abilities.’ At least I won’t be alone for any of it. I have Grayson and Gabby, Vander and the rest of the Alliance, and of course, Luc. I’d say I’m in good hands.

There you have it! You can learn more about Ingrid and her family and friends by reading The Beautiful and the Cursed! And for even more information, you can find the author, Page Morgan, here:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads



~GIVEAWAY~

There are two giveaways for this blog tour! The first involves trivia questions and answers that you can find scattered on all of the participating blogs. Here are the details from Books Complete Me:

To enter this giveaway, you'll need to follow a few steps, but trust us, it will be worth it! Each blog participating in this tour will have trivia question or a trivia answer. They will be broken down between two teams, TEAM DISPOSSESSED and TEAM WAVERLY, with each blog having either one question or one answer from each team.

Match up as many correct TEAM WAVERLY and TEAM DISPOSSESSED trivia questions and answers as you can, and when you're sure you've got them right send an email to: TBandTCgiveaway@gmail.com with all your answers paired up. There will be a few clues scattered throughout the tour to help you in finding the correct answers, but you do not wait until the last day of the tour to enter. You may enter at any time during the tour. However, once you've emailed in your answers, you may NOT enter again, so be sure to wait until you're certain.

Here are the trivia question and answer:

Team WAVERLY Trivia QUESTION: Ingrid has fled London because of a scandal. What did she do?

Team DISPOSSESSED Trivia ANSWER: livery boy/stable boy

The second giveaway is for five swag packs. Enter using the Rafflecopter below!

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This contest is closed.

"Waiting on" Wednesday

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.



This week's selection is:

ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE
By: Kate Karyus Quinn
Published By: Harper Teen
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: The spine-tingling horror of Stephen King meets an eerie mystery worthy of Sara Shepard's Pretty Little Liars series in Kate Karyus Quinn's haunting debut.

On a cool autumn night, Annaliese Rose Gordon stumbled out of the woods and into a high school party. She was screaming. Drenched in blood. Then she vanished.

A year later, Annaliese is found wandering down a road hundreds of miles away. She doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know how she got there. She only knows one thing: She is not the real Annaliese Rose Gordon.

Now Annaliese is haunted by strange visions and broken memories. Memories of a reckless, desperate wish . . . a bloody razor . . . and the faces of other girls who disappeared. Piece by piece, Annaliese's fractured memories come together to reveal a violent, endless cycle that she will never escape—unless she can unlock the twisted secrets of her past.



Why it's wanted:
I love the pitch for this book, and I'm really curious to see what actually happened to the real Annaliese Rose Gordon.

Teaser Tuesday (79)

I'm very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Then there are moments like this, moments where I hear it all come together, and realize if we keep at it - keep practicing, keep searching for the right combinations - we always make an accidental harmony. Our individual notes come together in ways we never knew were possible, ways that surprise me.

Maybe the searching is the music."


p. 223 (ARC) from RAPTURE PRACTICE by Aaron Hartzler
Please share your teasers - post them or link to your blog!

Opening Lines (20)

Opening Lines is a new feature here on Portrait of a Book that showcases the first lines of recent and/or upcoming releases. If you're looking for your next read, let these first lines help you decide!



ARCLIGHT
By: Josin L. McQuein
Published By: Greenwillow Books
Release Date: April 23, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

No one crosses the wall of light . . . except for one girl who doesn’t remember who she is, where she came from, or how she survived. A harrowing, powerful debut thriller about finding yourself and protecting your future—no matter how short and uncertain it may be.

The Arclight is the last defense. The Fade can’t get in. Outside the Arclight’s border of high-powered beams is the Dark. And between the Light and the Dark is the Grey, a narrow, barren no-man’s-land. That’s where the rescue team finds Marina, a lone teenage girl with no memory of the horrors she faced or the family she lost. Marina is the only person who has ever survived an encounter with the Fade. She’s the first hope humanity has had in generations, but she could also be the catalyst for their final destruction. Because the Fade will stop at nothing to get her back. Marina knows it. Tobin, who’s determined to take his revenge on the Fade, knows it. Anne-Marie, who just wishes it were all over, knows it.

When one of the Fade infiltrates the Arclight and Marina recognizes it, she will begin to unlock secrets she didn’t even know she had. Who will Marina become? Who can she never be again?

"Someone's attention shouldn't have physical weight, but it does."


HOW ZOE MADE HER DREAMS (MOSTLY) COME TRUE
By: Sarah Strohmeyer
Published By: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: April 23, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

From Sarah Strohmeyer, author of Smart Girls Get What They Want, comes this romantic comedy about one girl's summer job from hell. Think The Devil Wears Prada set in Disney World.

When cousins Zoe and Jess land summer internships at the Fairyland Kingdom theme park, they are sure they've hit the jackpot. With perks like hot Abercrombie-like Prince Charmings and a chance to win the coveted $25,000 Dream & Do grant, what more could a girl want?

Once Zoe arrives, however, she's assigned to serve "The Queen"-Fairyland's boss from hell. From spoon-feeding her evil lapdog caviar, to fetching midnight sleeping tonics, Zoe fears she might not have what it takes to survive the summer, much less win the money.

Soon backstabbing interns, a runaway Cinderella, and cutthroat competition make Zoe's job more like a nightmare than a fairy tale. What will happen when Zoe is forced to choose between serving The Queen and saving the prince of her dreams?

"There was no getting around the fact that Tinker Bell was a little bitch."


THE RULES
By: Stacey Kade
Published By: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: April 23, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

1. Never trust anyone.

2. Remember they are always searching.

3. Don’t get involved.

4. Keep your head down.

5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules…

"I have a dead girl's name."


Manicpixiedreamgirl
By: Tom Leveen
Published By: Random House Children's Books
Release Date: April 23, 2013
Buy the Book: Amazon

Sometimes the most dramatic scenes in a high school theater club are the ones that happen between the actors and crew off stage.

Seventeen-year-old Tyler Darcy's dream of being a writer is starting to feel very real now that he's sold his first short story to a literary journal. He should be celebrating its publication with his two best friends who've always had his back, but on this night, a steady stream of texts from his girlfriend Sidney keep intruding. So do the memories of his dream girl, Becky, who's been on his mind a little too much since the first day of high school. Before the night is over, Ty might just find the nerve to stop all the obsessing and finally take action.

"This isn't going to end well."



Do any of these opening lines grab your attention? What are your favorite first lines that you've read lately?

Saturday Steals

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Blog Tour: Thorn Abbey by Nancy Ohlin

Today is the final stop for the Thorn Abbey blog tour, hosted by Mundie Moms. If you've missed any of the stops, you can see the official schedule here.


Nothing is as it seems in this darkly romantic tale of infatuation and possession, inspired by Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.Becca was the perfect girlfriend: smart, gorgeous, and loved by everyone at New England’s premier boarding school, Thorn Abbey. But Becca’s dead. And her boyfriend, Max, can’t get over his loss.

Then Tess transfers to Thorn Abbey. She’s shy, insecure, and ordinary—everything that Becca wasn’t. And despite her roommate’s warnings, she falls for brooding Max.

Now Max finally has a reason to move on. Except it won’t be easy. Because Becca may be gone, but she’s not quite ready to let him go…



~ GUEST POST ~

How I Started (and Re-Started) Thorn Abbey

The other day while digging through my computer, I found one of my earliest drafts of Thorn Abbey (with the working title The Return). The opening chapter was entirely different from what it is now, and it began with this scene:

I wonder if any of this would have happened if my mother hadn’t been a People addict. The magazine, that is—not actual human beings. For my mom, the celebrities in People are everything she aspires to be: stylish, beautiful, famous, talked-about. Every Monday, the second she gets home from the grocery store, she makes a beeline for the couch with the latest issue and an icy bottle of white wine spritzer. The bags of groceries will wilt on the kitchen table as she reads about Sandra Bullock’s divorce or Justin Timberlake new SoHo condo or Heidi Montag’s new boobs. It is practically a religion for her. Last summer, she was doing just this when a particular story caught her eye. The daughter of some European royal had just graduated from Grace Abbey, which I knew then to be an uber-exclusive boarding school for the children of zillionaires.

“Do you know who should be going to this school?” she said, stabbing her acrylic-tipped index finger at the page. “You.”

“That’s funny, Mom.”

“No, really. You’re just as pretty as this girl, or you could be, if you showed any interest.”

… and so on.

I worked on this opening scene for weeks. I liked it because: (1) it established Tess as a smart but insecure girl with a shallow, critical mom, and (2) it set up Tess’s transition from public school (and living at home) to boarding school (and living in an unfamiliar setting with strangers).

And yet the scene felt wrong. I couldn’t put my finger on why; it just did. Nevertheless, I was determined to beat it into submission and make it right. I wrote and re-wrote; I tweaked and re-tweaked. At one point I set it aside and moved on to the next chapter. I figured I could come back to it with a fresh perspective later on.

Which I did. But it still felt wrong. I couldn’t find Tess’s character in those words. She seemed as distant and unreal to me as a photograph in People.

One day, out of desperation, I did something completely different. I decided to mentally scrap the scene and start from scratch. I was terrified of letting that scene go; I had been so invested in making it work. So I told myself I was just goofing around. I even lay down on the couch with my laptop propped up on my legs, as though I was watching Netflix.

I then started typing away without a plan or outline or any preconceived notion whatsoever.

(I even labeled the document: “novel.EXPERIMENT.firstdraft.docx,” with the word “experiment” in all caps.)

Lying there and free-associating on my keyboard, what came to me out of the fuzzy creative ether was the famous opening line of the very novel I was attempting to retell: “Last night I dreamt I was in Manderley again.” In Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, the main character dreams about the magnificent mansion where she and her husband Maximilian used to live—the same place he used to occupy with his former (and now dead) wife, Rebecca.

Taking that opening line as a cue, I wrote a new scene that later became the prologue for Thorn Abbey, pretty much in one sitting (or one lying-on-the-couch, anyway). It was entirely different from the People magazine scene I’d originally envisioned, and I immediately realized that it was The One. It hinted at Tess and Max’s romance; it set up Becca as Tess’s rival; it showed Tess’s deep insecurity; and it warned of grave danger. Plus, it was eerie and Gothic, full of cold gray mist and pounding ocean waves.

But even more than those individual elements, the scene just felt right. And (to paraphrase a writer friend), I didn’t have to wrestle my computer to the ground to achieve it.

All of which is to say that for me, starting and re-starting Thorn Abbey taught me that writing is a lot about instinct. And faith. And surrendering control. And knowing when to walk away from a scene, even if it’s one you’re totally and 100% invested in.

About Nancy Ohlin


I am the author of Thorn Abbey, a YA retelling of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, and Beauty. a YA retelling of the Snow White tale.

I've also contributed to several celebrity novels, including a New York Times-bestselling YA trilogy.

I'm currently hard at work on my next YA novel, which will be as romantic and mind-bending as Thorn Abbey (I hope!).

My favorite cures for writers' block are long walks, long showers, popcorn, chocolate, and really expensive coffee. I talk to myself a lot while I write (you know, to make sure the dialogue zings).

Find Nancy Ohlin online:
Author Website | Twitter | Facebook



~ GIVEAWAY ~

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, blog tour followers can enter to win a copy of Nancy's THORN ABBEY! Be sure to follow the tour and enter to win below.

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Review: Supernaturally by Kiersten White

SUPERNATURALLY
By: Kiersten White
Published By: Harper Teen
Release Date: July 26, 2011
Series: Paranormalcy (#2)
Pages: 336
Genre: Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Note: Supernaturally is the second book in a trilogy. The following summary and review may contain spoilers if you haven't read the first book, Paranormalcy.

Goodreads Summary: Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be...kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.



I really enjoyed Paranormalcy because of the plethora of paranormal creatures, but mostly because of Evie's voice. The book was a fun read, and I was eager to pick up this sequel and see how Evie's story continues. The story became darker in Supernaturally, but I loved getting to know the characters more and becoming more invested in the world.

Evie grew up working for IPCA, the International Paranormal Containment Agency, tracking down and tagging paranormal creatures. She longs for a normal life like the ones she watches on TV, but once she gets it, not even her high school locker can make up for the lack of excitement. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the paranormal world isn't done with her. When a strange (but annoyingly endearing) boy shows up and she is offered the chance to work for IPCA again, she takes it. But this time Evie is fighting more than just paranormal creatures - she's fighting her conscience, her self. And the fact that the faeries are still involved in her life can never be a good sign...

If you haven't read Paranormalcy, you are missing out on one of the funniest kick-butt heroines in YA books. Evie's voice is unique, direct and humorous, and these books are worth reading for that alone. She's the kind of girl you'd want in your circle of friends, while at the same time feeling real, alternating between strength and insecurity, independence and needing a friend, maturity and trying to figure out what exactly she wants out of life. In Supernaturally, Evie is facing more than she ever thought she'd have to; she has tough choices to make, and even though I didn't always agree with them, she faces the consequences when she has to. And she certainly has her hands full in this book with Jack. He is one of those people that grows on you, that you want to be annoyed with but in the end you can't. There's just something about him, like with Reth. I love that with all of these characters there is more than meets the eye, and the chance to finally learn all of the secrets makes me excited to read the last book.

As much as I love the characters, I couldn't help but feel that in a lot of ways Supernaturally fell into the general archetype for sophomore books. Even though the book was still an enjoyable read, I wanted to be more surprised than I was. I liked the character development, but I wanted more action or more twists. I'm hoping that the third book brings back the excitement level of the first.

Supernaturally (or Paranormalcy) is definitely a book to pick up when you're looking for something fun with great characters. I can't wait to see how everything wraps up for them in Endlessly!