Review: Surprising Read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 12, 2012
I'll be honest, there was a moment when I first started reading where I gave consideration to putting this book down and walking away. The beginning wasn't making a whole lot of sense to me and I was finding it difficult to connect with the plot, but I made myself keep going because I really enjoyed Dayton and her friends and was curious to see just where Ryals was going to take things. And I am very glad that I did because this book surprised me, murr! The more I read, the more intrigued I became by it all. And by the time I was done, I definitely wanted to find out what happened next. This is one of those books which is definitely more than it seems at first, that much is for sure.Dayton is one of those characters that I instantly connected with. Her love of DumDums, rebellious nature, and creative imagination were traits that I immediately became attracted too. She struck me as a typical teenager trying to find her place in the world around her. I loved how she went out of her way to stay true to herself when those of the abby she was being raised at tried to change her. Yes, I get that many people would probably find her to be a bit of a callous character, but I loved her. And her friends were also wonderful. Monroe is one of those girls that I would love to know in real life. She's got a personality that makes her the perfect friend for Dayton, and she definitely adds humor to the story. Conner is an interesting guy, with a secret that I won't spoil for you, but will say was unexpected. And while we don't see much of Lita and Jacin in the book, they also struck me as a couple of fun people to hang out with. It's because of these guys that I kept reading. And once Marcas came into the book, my attention was hooked. He's both annoying and awesome at the same time. Mysterious, closed off, but he's got an element to him that just draws you in and makes you want to figure him out. There's a lot more going on with this character than we get in this first book, murr!So as I mentioned, I was tempted to walk away from this book when I first started and that's because I wasn't connecting with the story as much as I liked. The opening events were shrouded in a bit too much mystery. I couldn't figure out where the author was going with things and at one point I felt about as lost as Dayton did in the story. It wasn't until after Marcas showed up that I suddenly started seeing where the book was headed. And I am glad that I kept reading, because the book takes some wonderful twists and turns, and the ending leaves you wanting more. For once I actually don't mind that a few of my questions were left unanswered.This is one of those types of books that I definitely recommend keeping an open mind while reading and just go with the flow of the story. It's not going to be a book that will appeal to everyone, but for those who like YA books which go off into the realm of the unexpected, this is well worth the consideration. Can't wait to read book two, Ransom!