Review: My True Love Gave to Me - Anthology

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . .

This beautiful collection features twelve gorgeously romantic stories set during the festive period, by some of the most talented and exciting YA authors writing today. The stories are filled with the magic of first love and the magic of the holidays.

Here is a list of all the stories included in the anthology:
(links take you to the author's websites)
1. Midnights by Rainbow Rowell
2. The lady and the Fox by Kelly Link
3. Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Pena
4. Polaris is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han
5. It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins
6. Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan
7. Krampuslauf by Holly Black
8. What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman
9. Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McEntire
10. Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White
11. Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter
12. The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Review:
Firstly I have to comment on how special the UK hardback of this book is, I'm not usually a fan of hardbacks and prefer to buy my books in paperback or as ebooks but this is one hardback that will happily be displayed on my bookshelves. It has a beautiful blue cover with a gold foil title and design, the edges and end papers are hot pink and it comes with a gold ribbon bookmark. It's the kind of book you want to treasure and I'm happy to say that the contents more than live up to the outer packaging.

I love reading anthologies because they can be a great way of trying new authors but I do tend to find that they are a bit hit and miss, often there will be a couple of stories I love along with a bunch of mediocre entries that were okay but nothing special. I had high hopes for My True Love Gave to Me though because it has contributions from so many well known and popular YA authors and I have to say this is probably one of the best anthologies I've read. It includes 12 holiday themed stories and I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them. Obviously I have a few favourites but the quality was consistently high and there wasn't a single story that missed the mark or bored me.

Midnights by Rainbow Rowell is a story spanning four years in the lives of best friends Mags and Noel, we only get to see one night of each year - New Years Eve - but we get a real sense of how close the two of them are and how strongly they feel for each other. Will one of them ever be brave enough to make the first move to take things further though? A very sweet contemporary romance with likeable characters who I would have loved to spend more time with.

The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link has a real fairytale feel to it, Miranda spends every Christmas staying with her Godmother's family and she meets a mysterious boy in the garden but he will never come into the house and she only ever sees him when it's snowing. This is a sweet and magical story that I completely fell in love with and I definitely plan to check out more stories by Kelly Link in the future.

Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Pena is about Shy, a young man who is flat sitting for his boss over Christmas and the friendship he develops with a girl in the flat upstairs. Matt de la Pena is another new to me author but I loved his writing style and will be looking out for more of his books, this is a feel good story and one that left me with a smile on my face.

Polaris is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han is set in the North Pole and features Santa's adopted daughter Natty, she is the only human there and feels left out because she doesn't have a date to the Christmas Ball. I hate to say it but this was probably my least favourite story in the anthology, purely because it ended so abruptly. I was thoroughly enjoying it but then it just seemed to stop half way through, I turned the page looking for more and nothing. I think this could have been excellent if it had just been a tiny bit longer.

It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins is an incredibly sweet and heart warming romance and it was definitely one of my favourite stories in the anthology. Marigold is in desperate need of a holiday miracle and she gets a lot more than she expected when she goes to buy a Christmas tree from North. I've heard so many great things about Stephanie Perkins's writing and if this is what she can do with a short story I can't wait to read one of her full length novels!

Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan is the story of a boy who dresses up as Santa and sneaks into his boyfriend's house just to help a young girl believe in magic for another year. This was incredibly sweet, it focuses more on family relationships than romance but I loved it.

Krampuslauf by Holly Black brings us the darker side of Christmas and introduces readers to the legend of Krampus. A group of friends decide to throw a New Years Eve party and think it will be the perfect opportunity to get revenge on one of their cheating boyfriends. I really enjoyed this one but would definitely have liked it to have been longer, the characters were great but I wanted to see more of Krampus and his friends.

What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman is a very humorous story about a girl from a big city who is having trouble settling in at a very rural college until she meets Russell who makes her realise that things could be very different if only she was willing to make a bit more of an effort. This was another favourite story with just the right balance of comedy and romance.

Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McEntire was a bit of a strange story but I absolutely loved Vaughn, the town prankster who accidentally set fire to the church hall just a few weeks before Christmas and is now trying to make things right by making sure the nativity play still goes ahead. This had a strong theme of redemption and not playing up to people's expectations of you but instead learning to follow your own path.

Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White is about a tiny little village in the middle of nowhere that does everything it can to live up to it's name. Maria is desperate to escape the dead end town and move away but Ben, the new chef at her family's diner, makes her see things in a different light. I really enjoyed the family relationships in this one, Maria doesn't feel like she has anything in common with her mother and step-father but there are a lot of things that she doesn't realise and once she finds out the truth she finally understands how much they care about her.

Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter is about a young girl who is desperate to get away and have a fresh start, so desperate that she willingly swaps plane tickets with another girl even though she has no idea where she's going to end up. This story was full of surprises but really sweet and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Again it's one where I loved the characters so much that I want to be able to spend more time with them but we still get a satisfying ending.

The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer by Laini Taylor ended up being my favourite story in the anthology. Neve is an orphan who has very little choice about what will happen to her when she turns 18, she either finds a man to marry her or she will be forced to live out a very harsh, and likely very short, existence alone in a very inhospitable environment. When she realises which man has come to court her she is horrified enough to pray for help and her prayers wake a sleeping god who decides to offer her assistance. Laini Taylor has such a beautiful writing style and she hooked me into her story from the very first page, this was completely magical and I loved every minute of it.

My True Love Gave to Me really is a fabulous anthology, one with a diverse range of stories so that there is bound to be something to suit everyone. It's a perfect read for this time of year and one I think I'll be dipping back into each December from now onwards.

Source: Received from Macmillan in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Hardback / Kindle:

Review: Endlessly - Kiersten White

When your world is paranormal, be glad that you’re human… The breathtaking conclusion to the bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, which left Hush, Hush author Becca Fitzpatrick exclaiming, “I’m in love!”

After the shocking revelations about her parents and the faeries’ struggle for possession of her soul, all Evie wants is to spend a normal Christmas with her shapeshifter boyfriend Lend. But as usual things don’t turn out as planned for Evie, as suddenly the International Paranormal Containment Agency, the local paranormals and her faery ex-boyfriend Reth are all in need, and only Evie and her powers can save them. Once again… so much for normal.

Paranormalcy Series:
Paranormalcy
Supernaturally
Endlessly

Check out Kiersten White's website for more information

Review:
I really enjoyed Paranormalcy but I have to admit to being disappointed with Supernaturally so I was a bit nervous when I picked up Endlessly. I knew that this was the last book in the series though and I wanted to find out how things ended for Evie and Lend. I'm glad to say that Kiersten White raised the bar again with this book and we're back to the level of the first book in the series. Endlessly was a fun and entertaining read and a fitting end to the series. These books are perfect light hearted summer reading and even if you weren't a huge fan of the second instalment it is well worth reading the final book.

Evie has been longing for normality for most of her life but every time she seems to get close to achieving it something happens to drag her back into the paranormal world. With the IPCA under new management they are determined to bring her back into the fold at any cost - even if it does mean keeping her their prisoner. Not only that but the paranormals all believe that Evie is their only hope to find a way home and are desperate to get her to help them - no matter how much it costs her.

Evie is going to have some very difficult choices to make and she only has a limited time to make them. Whatever she decides will have long reaching effects on not just her but every faerie, paranormal creature and human so she must be careful to make the right decision. Luckily she still has her friends and Lend on hand to help her but she also has a few surprising allies that she isn't quite sure are completely trustworthy. Evie is such a fun character and along with her beloved Tasey (her pink rhinestone covered taser!) she is a force to be reckoned with. The IPCA don't seem to realise who they are messing with and she is equally sure that she isn't going to let the paranormals she considers friends push her into something she isn't sure of. You have to admire her spunky attitude but the best thing about her is the way she always looks at the bright side of things, she has really been through the wringer in this series but she has never let that stop her from looking for the best in everyone.

I don't want to say any more about the story so I'm just going to tell you that if you enjoyed Paranormalcy then you need to read Endlessly. The series has ended on a perfect high note and I'm looking forward to seeing what Kiersten White comes up with next.

Source: Received from Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Supernaturally - Kiersten White

It's been six months since Evie fled the International Paranormal Containment Agency with her shapeshifter boyfriend, Lend, and she finally has the normal life she's always dreamed of.

But when her faerie ex-boyfriend shows up hinting of a battle brewing between faerie courts over Evie herself, she realises that she hasn't left her not-so-normal past far enough behind . . .

Paranormalcy Series:
Paranormalcy
Supernaturally
Endlessly

Check out Kiersten White's website for more information



Review:
It's been six months since Evie left the IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency) to live a normal life.  She had always dreamt of going to school and doing all those other things that 16 year old girls do but she is finding it a lot less interesting than she thought it would be.  In fact, she's kind of missing the life she had with the IPCA so when Raquel asks her to work with them again Evie jumps at the chance.  Can she find a balance between the normal and the paranormal or will she be sucked completely back into the world of the IPCA?

I loved Paranormalcy so have been looking forward to Supernaturally for a year now and couldn't wait to start reading it.  Unfortunately I don't think it quite lived up to my expectations and a lot of the things I loved about the first book seemed to be missing in this installment.  In a lot of ways Evie was like a completely different character to the one I remembered.  Instead of being the witty and confident young girl who was never far from her beloved Tasey and was prepared to use it this Evie comes across as selfish, weak and self centred.  Her whole life seems to revolve around Lend and when she isn't complaining that she isn't good enough for him or that he doesn't spend enough time with her she is organising her whole life around fitting in with his plans.  She won't even consider applying to any colleges apart from the one that Lend already goes to.  It isn't even like Lend is asking her to do this, he seems to bend over backwards to show her how much he cares while all she does is lie to him and go behind his back.

That was another thing that really irritated me - Evie is constantly lying to everyone she knows and most of the time she doesn't even have a reason for it.  OK occasionally I could see her logic (even if I didn't agree with it) but when Lend finds out she is working for the IPCA again why does she have to keep lying to Ari about it?  There was also no excuse for not telling Lend what she knows about him.

I do still like Evie's sarcasm but I wanted to see more of the fun banter that was so prevalent in the first installment.  I also would have loved to see her pull out tasey and whip some butt like we all know she is capable of doing.  I enjoyed getting to see more of the faerie realms and am curious to see more of Reth and the results of Evie's actions when she was in faerie so I will be picking up the next book in the series.  I loved getting to see more of Ari and finding out about her past but I have to admit I wasn't a fan of new character Jack though.  I think because I loved Paranormalcy so much I went into Supernaturally with my expectations too high.  Although I didn't love the story I did like it so I would still recommend it to fans of the series, I just hope that Endlessly is even better.

Source: Received from Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Publisher Spotlight: HarperCollins - Winter 2011 & Spring 2012 Releases

I thought it would be fun to start spotlighting new releases that different publishers have coming up over the next few months for us to look forward to.  I'm constantly looking for new books to add to my wish list and thought it would be a nice way of spreading the bookish love with other bloggers.  I'm not sure how regular the posts will be yet but I have quite a few lined up already and we'll see how things go over the next few months.  So in the spotlight today we have . . .

HarperCollins have some fantastic new YA releases in the coming months that I'm very excited about reading!  For more information check out the HarperCollins website.

First up we have Muse by Rebecca Lim, this is the 3rd book in the Mercy series.  I have all 3 books on my to read pile and I really must hurry up and get started on this series!  Muse was released on the 27th of October so you can go out and grab your copy now.  Visit Rebecca Lim's Facebook page for more information.

There's something very wrong with me.  When I wake up I could be anyone...

Mercy is thrust into the excessive world of fashion when she awakes in the body of a troubled Russian supermodel, Irina: bitchy, hot-tempered and known to be dabbling in things she shouldn't, Irina is on the verge of a very public breakdown.

Against the glamorous background of opulent Milan, Mercy continues her increasingly desperate search for Ryan to lead her back to her immortal lover, Luc.  But this time Mercy is aware that her memories and powers are growing ever stronger - and she begins to doubt Luc as The Eight reveal more of her mysterious past.  Are Luc's desires as selfless as her own or does he want her for a more terrifying purpose?

Next we have The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon, this is a debut I'm really excited about.  It's nearly at the top of my to read pile so keep an eye out for my review coming soon.  This book was also released on the 27th of October & I'd love to know what you thought of it if it's one you've already had a chance to read it.  Visit Leigh Fallon's website for more information.

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRís.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.





Coming into 2012 we can look forward to Supernaturally by Kiersten White which will be released on the 5th of January.  I really enjoyed the first book Paranormalcy when I read it earlier this year (read my review here) so I'm looking forward to the sequel.  Visit Kiersten White's website for more information.

A lot has changed since Evie escaped from the International Paranormal Containment Agency with her shapeshifter boyfriend, Lend.  She spends her days at school like a normal teenager, eagerly awaiting the weekends when Lend comes home from college and trying not to be killed by overly enthusiastic soccer players in her gym class.

Evie's world, in fact, has become overwhelmingly normal.  And Evie is shocked to realise that normal can be . . . kind of boring.  Then Raquel appears, asking her to help out at IPCA again.  As Evie dips back into her former life, she learns that things are changing in the world of paranormals . . .

Also released on the 5th of January is Stormswept by Helen Dunmore.  I haven't read anything by this author before but I was sold as soon as I saw the cover then after reading the description & finding the story was about a Mer boy I knew it this would have to go on my wish list!  As this is the 5th book in the Ingo series I guess I'm going to have to start at the beginning though so I've got a lot of catching up to do!  Visit Helen Dunmore's website for more information.

Morveren lives with her parents and twin sister Jenna on an island off the coast of Cornwall.

As Morveren and Jenna's relationship shifts and changes, like driftwood on the tide, Morveren finds a beautiful teenage boy in a rock pool after a storm.  Going to his rescue, she is shocked to see that he is not human but a Mer boy.

With Jenna refusing to face the truth, Morveren finds herself alone at the worst possible time.  Because when the worlds of Air and Mer meet, the consequences can be terrible . . .







Dancing Jax by Robin Jarvis is already available in hardback but as of the 2nd of February you'll be able to pick up the paperback version.  Just in time for the release of the second book in the series Freax and Rejex that comes out in hardback on the same day.  For more information you can visit Robin Jarvis' website.

At the end of a track, on the outskirts of an ordinary coastal town, lies a dilapidated house.  Once, a group of amateur ghost hunters spend the night there.  Two of them don't like to speak about the experience.  The third can't speak about it.  He went into the basement, you see, and afterwards he screamed so hard and so long he tore his vocal cords.

Now, a group of teenagers have decided to hang out in the old haunted house.  Dismissing the fears of the others, their leader Jezza goes down into the basement . . . and comes back up with a children's book, full of strange and colourful tales of a playing-card world, a fairytale world, full of Jacks, Queens and Kings, unicorns and wolves.

But the book is no fairytale.  Written by Austerly Fellows, a mysterious turn-of-the-century occultist, it might be the gateway to something terrifying . . . and awfully final.

********************

Five months have passed since the publication of the devilish book discovered in Dancing Jax.  It is on its ninth reprint and tens of millions of copies have been sold in the UK.  The entire country is now under its evil spell.

Yet a tiny percentage of the population have proven to be immune to the words of Austerly Fellows.  With the critical eyes of the rest of the world turned towards Britain, the Ismus decides to send the children for an intensive holiday camp, where they will study the sacred text and learn to embrace it.

But after the holiday is over, the children are told their stay has been extended.  A barbed wire fence is put up around the site.  And it soon becomes apparent that the place is not a camp and the children are not guests.  They are prisoners of war . . .

On the 12th of February you will be able to get your hands on a copy of The Flask by Nicky Singer.  This looks very different to the kind of book I usually read but it sounds like a very emotional story & I'm really curious about it.  You can find out more at Nicky Singer's website.

Twelve-year-old Jess is grieving for her beloved Aunt Edie, and anxiously awaiting the birth of her twin brothers, when she finds a mysterious glass flask hidden in a desk.  The flask is beautiful to Jess, and soon she starts to believe that it contains a magical life-force.  When her half-brothers are born critically ill, Jess becomes convinced that their survival depends on what's happening to the flask . . .

Through Jess's stunning narration, Nicky Singer explores the meaning of life, and the interconnected nature of all things - in a way which is entirely accessible to young readers.

An unforgettable standalone novel from Nicky Singer, author of the sensational, award-winning FEATHER BOY.

I absolutely loved Divergent by Veronica Roth when I read it earlier this year (read my review here) so if you haven't tried it yet then it's a book I would highly recommend.  I have to say I love the new cover for the paperback version that is being released on the 12th of February, the colours are so pretty that I may have to buy a new copy!  Visit Veronica Roth's website for more information.

For sixteen-year-old Tris, the world changes in a heartbeat when she is forced to make a terrible choice.  Turning her back on her family, Tris ventures out, alone, determined to find out where she truly belongs.

Shocked by the brutality of her new life, Tris can trust no one.  And yet she is drawn to a boy who seems to both threaten and protect her.  The hardest choices may yet lie ahead . . . .

She turns to face the future in a world that's falling apart.








Watch out for Slide by Jill Hathaway on the 1st of March, this one sounds really creepy and I'm very curious about it!  Visit Jill Hathaway's website for more information.

Vee Bell hates having narcolepsy.  But collapsing at school is nowhere near as bad as the truth.  When Vee passes out she slides randomly into other people's heads and ends up seeing through their eyes.  So when Vee finds herself in the head of a killer, standing over the body of a cheerleader, she's beyond freaked.

Vee knows that this was no suicide.  And when another cheerleader turns up dead, everyone is a suspect.  Struggling to understand her terrifying and unwanted 'gift', Vee is tangled in a web of secrets, lies and danger . . .

She sees through the eyes of a killer . . .


Now this is one I'm really looking forward to - The 13th Horseman by Barry Hutchison.  Another March the 1st release this has been described as Pratchett meets Python and that just makes it a must read for me.  For more information visit Barry Hutchison's website.

Drake is surprised to find three horsemen of the apocalypse playing snakes and ladders in his garden shed.  He's even more surprised when they insist that he is one of them.  They're missing a Horseman, having gone through several Deaths and they think that Drake is the boy for the job.  At first he's reluctant to usher in Armageddon but does being in charge of Armageddon have to spell the end of the world?

An apocalyptic blend of riotous comedy, heart-stopping action and a richly imagined fantasy adventure.







The 1st of March is a busy day as you'll also be able to pick up a copy of Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda.  This is aimed at a younger audience than most of the books I read but it looks like a fun story and I like the fact that it is set in India so am looking forward to giving it a try.  You can visit Sarwat Chadda's website for more information.

Ash Mistry hates India.  Which is a problem since his uncle has brought him and his annoying younger sister Lucky there to take up a dream job with the mysterious Lord Savage.  But Ash immediately suspects something is very wrong with the eccentric millionaire.  Soon, Ash finds himself in a desperate battle to stop Savage's master plan - the opening of the Iron Gates that have kept Ravana, the demo king, at bay for four millennia . . .

Breathtaking action adventure for boys of 8-12.  Ash Mistry, reluctant hero, faces ancient demons . . . and comes into an astonishing, magical inheritance.




I love Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series (I read the first 3 books before I started blogging & really need to catch up with the series) and I love well written short stories so I'm really excited about Faery Tales and Nightmares which will be released on the 6th of March.  Visit Melissa Marr's website for more information.

Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments, dark and light, by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr.  Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from under the seas, or manifest from seasonal storms to sinister intent - relentlessly.  From the gentle tones of a storyteller's cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favourite characters from Marr's Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with . . . or to fear.  Lush, seductive, and chilling, Melissa Marr's stories revel in the unseen magic that infuses the world as we know it.

An enthralling collection of short stories featuring favourite characters from Melissa Marr's bestselling WICKED LOVELY series.

On the 29th of March we have the release of my most anticipated book of 2012 - The Rising by Will Hill.  Department 19 is one of my favourite books of 2011 (you can read my review here) so I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!  It's already been a long wait for this so March can't get here fast enough for me.  Visit Will Hill's website for more information.

DEPARTMENT 6 IS THE ARMY.
DEPARTMENT 13 IS MI5.
DEPARTMENT 19 IS ALL THAT STANDS BETWEEN YOU AND THE END OF THE WORLD.

After the terrifying attack on Lindisfarne at the end of the first book, Jamie, Larissa and Kate are recovering at Department 19 headquarters, waiting for news of Dracula's stolen ashes.

They won't be waiting long.

Vampire forces are gathering.  Old enemies are getting too close.  And Dracula . . . is rising.







I already mentioned that book 3 in Rebecca Lim's Mercy series was published in October, the really good news is that we don't have to wait too long for the final book in the series.  Fury will be available on the 29th of March!  Now I love series but I hate the long wait between books so this is great news for me, I'm going to have to get started on these books soon so I'm caught up in time for the last installment.

Everything that has happened to Mercy over millennia has made her who she is.

Love.  Vengeance.  Truth.

Hell Hath no fury like Mercy . . .

Fury is the culmination of the spellbinding Mercy series.

An angel searching for answers, for her destiny . . .














Like a lot of people I'm fascinated by the story of the Titanic so Fateful by Claudia Gray really appeals to me.  This is another March the 29th release and it's definitely on my wish list.  You can visit Claudia Gray's website for more information.

The Titanic is the most luxurious ship ever built, but for eighteen-year-old Tess Davies it's a prison.  Travelling as a maid for the family she has served for years, Tess is trapped in their employ amid painful memories and family secrets.

When she meets Alec, a handsome passenger, Tess falls helplessly in love.  But Alex has secrets of his own . . . and soon Tess is entangled in a dangerous game.  A sinister brotherhood has followed him onboard.  And Tess is now their most powerful pawn.

Tess and Alec fight the dark forces threatening to tear them apart, never realising that they will have to face an even greater peril before the journey is over . . .

A tragic tale about falling in love on the world's most infamous ill-fated sea voyage as heroine, Tess, discovers darker secrets that lie beneath the doomed crossing . . .

So what do you think of the upcoming HarperCollins titles?  Do you already have some of these on your wish list?  Which books are you most excited about getting your hands on?

Review: Paranormalcy - Kiersten White

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 shapeshifter 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 begins to suspect that there is a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths, and even worse, that she is at the centre of a dark prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

Paranormalcy Series:
Paranormalcy
Supernaturally
Endlessly

Check out Kiersten White's website for more information

Review:
Evie was abandoned by her mother as a baby and spent her early years growing up in foster care before she was discovered by the IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency).  Evie has the rare ability to see through the glamours that paranormals use to hide their real identity from the human population making her an asset to the agency who tag paranormals to make sure they aren't breaking any rules.  Evie's life is anything but normal, she has grown up on the agency base with a mermaid for a best friend, her ex boyfriend is a faerie and she has a crush on a shapeshifter, but she wants to be like any other teenage girl.  Evie dreams of going to school and living in the normal human world but when someone (or something) starts murdering paranormals her dream seems to be getting further and further away from her.  After discovering that she is at the centre of a disturbing prophecy Evie's life will never be the same again.

I've been looking forward to reading Paranormalcy since I first saw it released in the US so I was really excited when I was sent a copy for review.  I was really impressed with this debut from Kiersten White and can't wait to see what she does with the rest of the series.

I liked Evie's voice from the very first page, she is such a fun character with her love of all things pink (including her taser!) and a snarky attitude that had me laughing out loud.  I found it nearly impossible to put the book down because I wanted to see what kind of trouble she'd manage to get herself into next.  I loved the relationship between Evie and her best friend Lish, they may not have much in common (after all Lish is a mermaid unable to leave her tank on the base) but they obviously cared for each other.  Someone else that Evie has a lot of contact with is her boss Raquel who is also a mother figure to her, I'm sure mothers and daughters everywhere will see themselves in the interactions between the two of them - they have their arguments but deep down they both love each other.

Kiersten White has created a detailed world with lots of unique and interesting supernatural characters, from those we see quite regularly in paranormal stories right through to ones I've not come across before.  I liked the way we were introduced to the history and mythology for all of the different species and I was glad that the author managed to put her own slant on even the most common creatures.  One of my favorite characters after Evie was Lend (the shapeshifter Evie has a crush on).  I can't go into too much detail here as I don't want to give any spoilers so I'll just say he wasn't at all what I was expecting and I loved him all the more because of it.  I really enjoyed the developing relationship between Evie and Lend but I was pleased that this didn't overshadow the rest of the story.  I think Paranormalcy had the perfect blend of action and romance.

Alongside the characters you will love there are also some great characters that you will love to hate.  The faeries (Reth in particular) are experts at manipulation and manage to turn everything around to suit themselves.  I love the fact that you're kept guessing about who can be trusted and who the real bad guys are right until nearly the end of the book.

Paranormalcy is a fun read and one which completely pulled me into Evie's world.  I wanted to spend more time with these characters so can't wait to read the next book in the series.  If you're a fan of YA urban fantasy and are looking for something a bit different to all the books we've seen recently I'd definitely recommend picking this one up.

Source: Received from Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.