Review: A 'Twi-stopian' Vamp/Were story!
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 26, 2013
3.5 stars: Cherishing DestinyI received Cherishing Destiny by author Noelle Blakely for free from my Goodreads book club, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All thoughts and conclusions are mine, all mine.A new genre of books has emerged in the post-Twilight era, and in this humble reviewer's opinion it should be called `Twilightian'. Or maybe `Twi-stopian'. You decide.I can only assume that this is because Stephenie Meyers' Twilight saga had such a profound impact on women writers (and women in general), and the urge to try to emulate that genius has spawned this new genre. That's not a bad thing, because I enjoyed Twilight just like the rest of the masses. While this novel is definitely `Twi-stopian', there are several slight differences.One thing I really enjoyed was the depth of information regarding the Were clans. That was a fascinating little twist, and it helped to keep my attention throughout the story. This was definitely an extension of the wolf pack storyline, and the writer was able to paint more details around pack life and communal living for the different Were clans.Another difference is that this story had sex. No PG-rating here, folks. A little gratuitous at times, yes - and it definitely made this novel `New Adult'. While I am intrigued to see the role that Sara will play in book 2, at this point she seems to have no other use than to be a playtoy for the vamps.The story is told primarily in flashbacks through the main character's shared memories with her mother. Different, and has the potential to be a huge win if book 2 expands on it. I assume that the `main' character Destiny will be featured more prominently in book 2, and the writer leaves a strong desire at the end of book 1 to follow the characters' journeys into the rest of the series.This book is a solid 3.5 stars, and is an enjoyable read.  I think that there is a need for another pass at editing/revision, but it's not so much that it's distracting. Except for the commas. There, are, a, LOT, of, commas,.