Book Review: Haven by Kristi Cook

 AUTHOR: Kristi Cook

PUBLISHER: Simon Pulse
PAGES: 416
SERIES/STAND ALONE: Series
SOURCE: Bought on Amazon
CHALLENGES:  DAC
OUTLINE: A 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.

THOUGHTS:

Overview:

Violet is special, and she doesn't realize how she's special or why she's drawn to her new boarding school. When she gets there she notices things are different, not quite normal. Who defines what's normal though? She learns soon after her arrival from room-mates that all the students (and teachers) have special abilities, and maybe even more.


I was excited to read this book because I love anything to do with powers/special abilities/supernatural and even the whole boarding school set up. I read somewhere where they compared it to X-men. I love the xmen movies so I was ready. I was ready to get inside the school learn what it hid, learn about the students and just all around enjoy the book. Truth be told I was sadly let down. I don't know if it was to much hype around the book, or my expectations were to high I didn't love it like I had hoped.

The first half of the book kept my attention. It was definitely how I pictured it to be. Then it took that dreaded paranormal turn where alot of paranormals tend to go. (I know that may not have sounded right, but just stay with me here.) Don't get me wrong I LOVE paranormals, but I guess I was hoping this wouldn't be that type. (whatever that may be) I can't say much without giving away the twist (at least to me it was a twist) Although it didn't turn out like I had originally thought it would it really wasn't a bad read at all, and I'm going to stick with the series because I want to see what happens with the characters. I want to see them grow.

One thing I did like is that I don't remember there being a love triangle in the book. To me this is always a plus because in so many YA's that seems to be a major point in the book. It's nice not to have to see the girl character (usually) try and juggle two potential loves, and then have to see her complain about it, be whiny and all that. Let's face it choosing one side is sometimes hard on us (okay and maybe also the character) We want them to have that happy ending, and not one where someone is going to get hurt.

All in all for a debut author it was good, and I look forward to reading more from her to see where she takes the story.

QUOTES:

I'll add some quotes once I can find my notebook that has them in it. :)

MY VIDEO REVIEW AS WELL: