Review: Fun YA paranormal story
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 23, 2013
I received my copy as part of a book tour in exchange for my honest review.I worried I wasn't going to like this book in the beginning; childbirth scene, the things the mother was saying about being pregnant and not wanting the baby, etc were just so offputting. It made me recoil. How could a mother say something like that and if she had felt that way, why didn't she end it?! I worried for the baby, growing up unwanted and unloved. But then my interest was caught with the blue girl in the maternity room, the green goo, etc. Spiritual beings? Ghosts? Aliens?! I liked Lya immediately as we're introduced to her as a 16 year old girl, smiling over the mystical marks her grandmother, Nee, put all over her room. You understand that she has had a hard life with her parents and older, bitchy sister. As the situation progresses and you meet the three "angels" as Nee calls them, more and more is revealed to you bits at a time. Not much to be said about Lobsang as he's not really focused upon other than as his role as a Lotvian. Of the three warriors, B is my favorite. She is loyal, mischievous, and loving. Lya, the main character, was harder for me to like, which in the end, I thought was appropriate. She is the titular character, she should be more complex in appealing to my emotions as a reader.I loved the concepts and the characters and the heavy eastern philosophy that the reader can see they were based upon. As you learn about Lya/Tsaen's history once on Ray (the planet they're from), you'll find yourself nodding along and saying, Ahhhhh, okay.I think my absolute favorite characteristic of Rayans are their eyes! How I wish that human beings had that kind of indicator!"...,the Rayan eyes act as an indicator of emotions. But unlike the birthmark, the eyes react in the moment. They are your nakedness. If you're lying, red will appear in your pupils. With anger, the pupils turn yellow. Concealing brings on green. true love, bright purple." -kindle loc 1871Despite being told clearly that the change is in the pupils, I kept thinking it was the irises and had to remind myself it wasn't as I read descriptions of several character's eyes - deep mysterious blue, bright green, muddy brown. I kept asking myself, "wait! what does blue mean?" before I remembered that the indicator is in the pupils.While it took me a little bit to become invested in the story, once I did the story rolled along at a very good pace. There is action, science fiction, emotion, and moments of frivolity that were just so appealing all together. A very good read, one I hope you pick up!