Expected release date: 22nd February, 2011
Published by Simon Pulse
Goodreads Description: - One month into her junior year, sixteen-year-old Violet McKenna transfers to the Winterhaven School in New York’s Hudson Valley, inexplicably drawn to the boarding school with high hopes. Leaving Atlanta behind, she’s looking forward to a fresh start--a new school, and new classmates who will not know her deepest, darkest secret, the one she’s tried to hide all her life: strange, foreboding visions of the future.
But Winterhaven has secrets of its own, secrets that run far deeper than Violet’s. Everyone there--every student, every teacher--has psychic abilities, 'gifts and talents,' they like to call them. Once the initial shock of discovery wears off, Violet realizes that the school is a safe haven for people like her. Soon, Violet has a new circle of friends, a new life, and maybe even a boyfriend--Aidan Gray, perhaps the smartest, hottest guy at Winterhaven.
Only there’s more to Aidan than meets the eye--much, much more. And once she learns the horrible truth, there’s no turning back from her destiny. Their destiny. Together, Violet and Aidan must face a common enemy--if only they can do so without destroying each other first.
My Review:-
Hmmmmmm, I am not quite sure what to say about Haven. Have you ever read a book, while reading it enjoyed it but as soon as you finished completely forgotten about it? Well that is Haven for me. It was good but it just lack that something special to make it stand out from all the other the young adult paranormal romance reads.
The things I enjoyed :
- The mystery and all the hidden secrets. I love trying to figure out every little secret and enjoyed being surprised when I was wrong.
- The writing is a style that reads easily and makes you want to keep turning the pages. I couldn't believe how quickly the 400+ pages flew by.
- Haven had some unique elements to it's story. Cook added some interesting twist to the paranormal element (which I won't say what it is, would hate to ruin the surprise).
- I love interesting chapter names and Haven had plenty with titles like 'Cue the creepy music' and 'Down the Rabbit Hole'. It set a nice tone for what to come.
The not so good for me:
- Some scenes for me were too much like other books I have read before. For example- being the new girl and walking into class where the mysterious guy that has ignored every other girl in school can't stop staring at you scene. Authors I think it is time for a different meeting place.
- The character while I liked them they were forgettable. They lacked something special.
- Aidan and Violet's romance was that instant, intense, deep can't live without you type of love. It didn't work with the characters going constantly going back and forth. One day they are together the next they are not. I didn't understand how they could love each other so deeply yet not want to be together.
Despite it's flaws I think Haven will have a lot of fans and I think this series has potential. I am certainly up for giving the second book in the series a go.
Overall Rating: 3/5
Writing: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 4/5
Romance: 3/5
Cover: 3/5
Recommend for fans of: The Pace, Twilight, Evernight
Thank you to Simon Pulse for providing me with a copy.
For More Info: Kristi Cook's website.
For More Reviews: Goodreads
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17 comments:
I completely understand! I've read a book, but than the next day I couldn't remember the characters names! Thanks for the review!
Oh! I have this for review too. I am sorry to see that it's not that great. I am tired of "mysterious guys" in YA novels.
I love the breakdown in your review. It seems lately alot of YA getting cranked out is lacking something.....could it be originality? LOL- I dont know but the Twilight craze has ended for me.....:)
LOL! Let me guess, what is a science class that she walked into?
Yeah, I don't think this one would be for me, first the cover bothers me, then I'm not sure I would want to spend time reading a story I'm likely to forget about. But I love your review. You made excellent points without spoiling anything. Thanks Nic.
I totally get that~! I hate that scene where the guy who has ignored every girl is suddenly in love with the new girl. GOD, that is old, and I'm not sure why editors haven't added it to thei 'Never Should Be Written Again' list. ;)
That has definitely happened to me. You sit down to write your review and can't recall a single thing about the book that stood out for you! The romance aspect sounds frustrating, I'm tired of the instant, I'd-die-without-you-around YA love. It's entertaining when it's well done, but it grows tiresome:) Great review Nic, I think I might hold off on this one!
I'll be reading this one soon. I like the sound of it - I love paranormals set at boarding schools - but I have seen some not so great reviews for this one. I have read a lot of books that I've enjoyed at the time, but then found that they were just instantly forgettable. Not good! I think it's getting harder and harder for these books to stand out since there's so many of the type around.
However, I'll still check this one out, as it's the kind of setting I like. And the guy sounds pretty hot! haha!
i know exactly what you mean. while reading you love it, but the moment you finish you sort of forget and wonder what you thought was so great, it feels like something major is missing, but you don't know what.
ashamed as i am to admit this, that was how i felt about the twilight series, i enjoyed it while reading, but once it was over i was more than happy to admit it sucked. maybe i just like to conform, but it wasn't quite right to me.
Hmm, honestly just reading the synopsis makes me kind of shy away, seems so... typical. And the whole infatuation thing would just drives me crazy (in a bad way). thanks for the great review! i'll probably stay away from this paranormal one.
I appreciate your honest review. I've been seeing this book on quite a few blogs and wasn't sure whether or not it was worth reading. I'm sure I'll read it eventually, but it'll be on the back burner.
Great honest review, Nic. I find so much of fiction is formulaic these days. Like the girl meets mysterious boy/boy falls for her but hates everyone else/endless love blah blah
I don't know if I'll read this, to be honest, because I'm looking for something that really raises the bar, and I'm not sure this does.
Loved the review though :)
This is a great review! Your pros make it sound like something I'd enjoy, but the cons give me pause. I am so sick of the insta-love, especially with a trite heaping of "he looked at no one but the MC" If they meet in science class I swear I'm going to start a protest. :P
Too bad. I was hoping this would be more Hex Hall than Twilight but, oh well, I'll probably still give it a try. At least now I know what to expect.
Hmm, I've read a lot of books like that recently. Books that you enjoy, but forget about immediately afterwards-- been there. :) Haven caught my eye a while back, so I'll probably still check it out sometime. (Great point about the mysterious-boy-meets-girl-in-classroom-and-immediately-falls-in-love-with-her cliche. Twilight started that one, I guess.) Anyway, great review. :)
Hmm, I don't think I'll be checking this one out tbh. It sounds a bit cliche and I like to read memorable books. The instant love thing is a big turn-off, as well. Great review though!
I know what ou mean about reading a book that's forgettable. Wow its 400+ pages, didnt realize that it was such a big book. Thanks for the review.
impossible by nancy werlin. i couldn't turn the pages fast enough whilst reading it (HAD to read it in one sitting) and then... the feeling evaporated as soon as i closed the book.
it happens :)
also: best. line. ever: 'authors it is time for a different meeting place.'
Oh man, I'm starting to get annoyed by that deep instantaneous love I keep reading about. Regardless, I'm going to check out Haven because it's one of the debuts I was looking forward to reading this year.
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