Review: I want to do cartwheels it was that good!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 7, 2012
Genre:  YA Dystopian Urban FantasyPublisher Type:  IndieMy Review:There are books that leave a girl almost speechless, muttering "wow" over and over.  Yup, this one did that to me.  It is just so so very well done!!! I want to do cartwheels it was that good!So what do I love?  First, within mere paragraphs, we are immediately moved into the action, we know general setting details and our main character's motivation.  I dare say that takes some serious talent to impart so much, so quickly while still being engrossing.  As a former Pittsburgher, I did especially appreciate the setting.  The world Ms. Jones creates for us is bleak and frightening; perfect dystopia.  Then throw in some vampires, both the zombie-like monsters and the sophisticated, beautiful ones.  Complete awesome-sauce!There are definite similarities to Julie Kagawa's The Immortal Rules.  Published within 6 months of each other, there's definitely no plagiarism here but rather a sign of things to come in speculative fiction.  More and more blending of various fiction sub-genres to create new and amazingly creative works of fiction for this reader in which to sink her teeth.  Yay for that!  I definitely want more of this sort of speculative hybrid!!!Another thing I love about this book are the great characters!  I've got to really care about the protagonists to love a book; I can really like a book based wholly on story line, but to truly love it, I've got to connect with the characters.  It was crazy easy for me to connect with Sloane.  The writing inhales you right into her emotions.  I cried for her; I laughed at her; I felt fearful alongside of her.Sloane had no idea who she could really trust.  I love that in a story!  It thickens the suspense.  This plot has crazy twists and turns.  Then the ending ... wow, the ending.  I literally gasped and said aloud "I so did not see that coming" (I should note that luckily I was not in public talking to my kindle).Sure, there's a few things I didn't love.  I wanted to understand Aden a bit better, I was confused at moments by him, especially when he suddenly asks Sloane out.  Since we don't know if Aden is trustworthy or not and the story is told in first person, I'm not sure the author has any options in clarifying Aden for me, but it doesn't stop me from wanting it. **giggles**And then the conclusion is a suspenseful cliff hanger and I'm not sure how I feel about that.  On one hand, it makes me want to immediately grab book 2 (which sadly isn't out yet), but on the other hand, the character (and subsequently the reader) must continue in strife.  The initial conflict is mostly resolved and that's really the most important thing.So will I continue with this series?  Heck yeah!!!  I'm likely to stalk the author, begging for book 2.  In the meantime, you really should start reading this book.  I read all of it's 300 pages in two days, but I'm not sure my kids got all their meals or bathed or anything.  At the time of this post, you can get it for 99 cents on Amazon.  How freaking cool is that?!?Cover Art:This cover screams "YOU WANT TO READ ME!"  It's sexy and exciting and I would never walk by it in a store without picking it up to check out the blurb.  Gotta give major props to Robin Ludwig Design for this one!See more of my reviews at [...]