Review: Charming
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 11, 2011
I have to admit, I am a little bit in love with this series.  When I read the first book I bought it because it was $0.99 and I didn't have anything else to read at the time.  Honestly, I groaned when I realized the book was written in the first person, though that is a personal preference.  There are a few grammatical and spelling errors within the book but there aren't many and for the reasonable price of the book and great story, they're not worth a downgrade in rating.*SPOILER ALERT*I started this series with very low expectations, especially considering it is a teenage paranormal.  I fully expected it to be more akin to the P.C. Cast House of Night series, which I do like but get annoyed with all of the kid language.  The main character, Xandra, has been home schooled by her ghostly parents, one of which was a doctor.  The author has written Xandra to speak as educated young lady and to actively use her brain.  She is mature and charming and I appreciate that.  However, she makes youthful mistakes and is not written in a way that is too adult for 17 years old.I was really happy to see at the end of this book, Xandra was "left hand fasted." Which meant she and Kellan had made a two year commitment to each other without jumping into full marriage at such a young age.  I also like that the series isn't filled with graphic sex scenes and Xandra wasn't pushing the lines of how far you can take it without actually doing the deed.  I also enjoy that Xandra has not fully mastered her powers and struggles in certain areas.  It is very nice to see her develop and grow.  I find it tedious that in a lot of books, the main character gets new powers and within a couple of chapters has them mastered perfectly.The moral message of the book appeals to me.  Xandra is not a mean spirited girl and is also not a perfect one.  She owns her flaws, for the most part, has a few snarky thoughts and comments, but is never mean and hateful just to be so.  She stands up for what she believes in while being tolerant of others and despite having moments of stubbornness, she is willing to reconsider opinions she has already formed and gives people the opportunity to redeem themself.  A great example of that was with her father.  She was (understandably) completely disenchanted with her biological father and as time passed and they were forced into spending time together, he reconsidered his actions and is taking steps to become a positive part of her life.  Xandra hasn't spent the book being unreasonably hateful, nor has she completely shut down the possibility of having a relationship with him.I think it is good she is not off killing those who have wronged her in the name of "justice."  She works to find solutions that, even though not always easy, are moral and somehow more real (most of us don't go around killing our enemies, either).The supporting characters have depth and an individuality that lacks in a lot of other books. None of them are confined to their personality type so much that they never step out of that mindset.  The shy one is shy without being reclusive, the flirty one is flirty until it becomes a problem, then he stops and is remorseful for acting inappropriately.  Finally, even the "bad guys" aren't all pure evil.Overall, I would say Bonnie Lamer has spun a wonderful story and the series is progressing quite well.  Her story telling is improving through the series and I have found the more I read the series, the more I want to.  I read books two and three within 24 hours.  I am anxiously awaiting the fourth installment and will purchase it as soon as it becomes available.