Review: I loved this book
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 28, 2011
I loved Qi. It's one of those books that leave a life long impression and still haunt you a long time after reading it. So here's the story: Samantha and her sister, Abby, are accepted into the famous Xenith Academy, where only the best of the best athletes get to train for the Olympics. Abby is thrilled because she's the competitive type and wants to win at all costs. Samantha is thrilled also, but not for the same reasons as Abby. At Xenith, Samantha meets her mother, whom she hasn't seen for a long time. But there's something wrong with her mother. She's mysterious. Different. Not the woman Sam remembers.At Xenith, Sam also gets reunited with Eli and their attraction to one another is rekindled. But Eli is haunted by his brother's disappearance and that the mystery was never solved. Everyone tells them to let it be and accept Jonah's disappearance, but Sam vows to find out what happened to him and where he disappeared that fateful night. And so Sam and Eli embark on a dangerous adventure, solving clue after clue that leads them to a dark and dangerous secret. One that shows them how dangerous Xenith really is, and that not everyone living there is who they say they are. And so Sam's life and strength is put to the test.I absolutely adored Sam. She's such a strong and witty character. She's a fighter who isn't easily scared, but she also has a few weaknesses that make her endearing and easy to relate to, such as her hopes that her parents might reunite eventually, or her attraction to Eli and her fears that her archrival might just snatch his attention. I loved the chemistry between Sam and Eli, and rooted for her that he would choose her over her archrival. Her fears and insecurities made her real to me.Sam's sister, Abby, is a great character too and very different from Sam. She's competitive and determined to succeed, but not at the cost of other people's happiness. Her transformation throughout the book was portrayed amazingly real, but I won't say whether it was in a positive or negative light.The story had a few amazing twists that kept the suspense at an all time high. I was astonished at how the story turned out and never saw it coming. This was such a fantastic read and so unexpected for this price. I can only recommend it to readers of fantasy and paranormal literature, both young and mature, who're looking for something different that hasn't been done before.