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cari1268's review against another edition
2.0
I thought the concept of this book was interesting. But ridiculously evil villains (think cartoons), unlikeable main characters, wooden dialogue, and plot holes ruined a lot of my reading enjoyment. Oh, and standing up on my soapbox here to proclaim that stealing is WRONG. Still, there were parts in this book that weren't bad and I finished it. So there's that.
Two Stars
Spoiler
Obviously Moonbeam's stealing lesson didn't sink in. Kayla NEVER had any moral thoughts in regard to taking from others. Grr.Two Stars
everthereader's review
3.0
A girl with telekinesis who's a thief? Interesting. The plot? Pretty good overall. Kayla? An okay character, I would say. Cliche, but that was expected. Daniel was another cliche character. First of all, he was stalking her and then attempted to blackmail her ;/. I really didn't like the romance. It was really rushed and pretty confusing. Selena was definitely my favorite character. I really like her friendship with Kayla.
emilyrbedwell's review
3.0
note: I was given an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Chasing Power is not about electricity. Let’s get that out there first. The cover reminded me so much of City of Ember that I was a little confused for a bit. Once I got past the cover, though, I was quickly swept into a world of magic, travel, ancient mysteries and corrupted families. Kayla and her mom, now going by Moonbeam, have relocated to Santa Barbara to hide from her father, who has already killed one member of the family, Kayla’s sister, Amanda. Born with the gift of telekinesis, Kayla and her sister had a rare and special gift her father wanted to use for his own good.
Kayla spends her days using her gift (against her mother’s wishes) and hanging out with her best friend. And then Daniel enters his life. Also magical, Daniel is able to teleport and needs Kayla’s help finding his mother, who has been taken against her will. What follows is a series of world-hopping, life changing adventures for Kayla and Daniel. From mystic temples to ancient crypts to the deep South, Chasing Power is about the quest to keep powerful magic from falling into the wrong hands, and the decision to do what is right, even when it’s hard.
I enjoyed Chasing Power. It was a quick read, even though I had to go back a couple times and figure out who was talking and when. The story moves as quickly as Daniel, jumping from place to place and back again in just a matter of pages. Chasing power reminded me a lot of Natalie Whipple’s Transparent and the deep South voo-doo mojo in the Beautiful Creatures series. Chasing Power moves quickly and leaves the reader both exhausted and energized at the end. Kayla is easily the most developed character, and I found the differences between her character and the rest of the characters obvious sometimes. However, author Sarah Beth Durst does a great job of not complicating the story with too many extra characters. Each character has a specific purpose and plays into the story in a specific way. No words are wasted, that’s for sure!
Chasing Power is not about electricity. Let’s get that out there first. The cover reminded me so much of City of Ember that I was a little confused for a bit. Once I got past the cover, though, I was quickly swept into a world of magic, travel, ancient mysteries and corrupted families. Kayla and her mom, now going by Moonbeam, have relocated to Santa Barbara to hide from her father, who has already killed one member of the family, Kayla’s sister, Amanda. Born with the gift of telekinesis, Kayla and her sister had a rare and special gift her father wanted to use for his own good.
Kayla spends her days using her gift (against her mother’s wishes) and hanging out with her best friend. And then Daniel enters his life. Also magical, Daniel is able to teleport and needs Kayla’s help finding his mother, who has been taken against her will. What follows is a series of world-hopping, life changing adventures for Kayla and Daniel. From mystic temples to ancient crypts to the deep South, Chasing Power is about the quest to keep powerful magic from falling into the wrong hands, and the decision to do what is right, even when it’s hard.
I enjoyed Chasing Power. It was a quick read, even though I had to go back a couple times and figure out who was talking and when. The story moves as quickly as Daniel, jumping from place to place and back again in just a matter of pages. Chasing power reminded me a lot of Natalie Whipple’s Transparent and the deep South voo-doo mojo in the Beautiful Creatures series. Chasing Power moves quickly and leaves the reader both exhausted and energized at the end. Kayla is easily the most developed character, and I found the differences between her character and the rest of the characters obvious sometimes. However, author Sarah Beth Durst does a great job of not complicating the story with too many extra characters. Each character has a specific purpose and plays into the story in a specific way. No words are wasted, that’s for sure!
novelheartbeat's review
2.0
2.5/5
My feelings for this one were very hit and miss. On one hand, the concept was cool and I liked the heist feel it had going for it. The narration was decent, too. On the other hand, the main character was quite annoying and the writing style was pretty sophomoric. I was also underwhelmed by the ending. And I'm going to be honest, I don't really remember much of this book because it didn't stick with me at all. It wasn't bad, it was interesting enough to keep me going - but it wasn't memorable.
This review was originally posted on Novel Heartbeat. To see a breakdown of my assessment, please visit the full review here.
missprint_'s review against another edition
3.0
Kayla had planned to spend her summer lazing about the beach in Santa Barbara with her best friend Selena and occasionally stealing things here and there to keep her mind sharp. After all, a sharp mind is very important when you can use it to move things.
Her plans for the summer are effectively derailed when a boy named Daniel appears out of nowhere. Literally. Because Daniel has a power of his own--the ability to teleport anywhere instantly. Threatened with blackmail, Kayla agrees to help Daniel steal a set of three ancient artifacts to help Daniel rescue his kidnapped mother.
As Daniel and Kayla travel around the world to collect the artifacts, Kayla soon realizes that the secrets she has been keeping, the kidnapping, and the artifacts may all connect back to each other--and to her own family--in a shocking act of betrayal that could change everything in Chasing Power (2014) by Sarah Beth Durst.
While Kayla is a willful and often impulsive character, she is also an honest one who is willing to own up to her mistakes. Kayla's own rash behavior is balanced well by best friend Selena who offers a down-to-earth foil to Kayla's magical powers. Kayla's mother is another a great addition to this story with her own charms--both magical and otherwise.
Chasing Power is a streamlined blend of magic, romance and page-turning action. This story is part urban fantasy and part treasure hunt in a satisfying blend of adventure and suspense.
Possible Pairings: White Cat by Holly Black, Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey, The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, Rampant by Diana Peterfreund, The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin, Companions of the Night by Vivian Vande Velde, The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
*A copy of this book was acquired for review consideration from the publisher at BEA 2014*
Her plans for the summer are effectively derailed when a boy named Daniel appears out of nowhere. Literally. Because Daniel has a power of his own--the ability to teleport anywhere instantly. Threatened with blackmail, Kayla agrees to help Daniel steal a set of three ancient artifacts to help Daniel rescue his kidnapped mother.
As Daniel and Kayla travel around the world to collect the artifacts, Kayla soon realizes that the secrets she has been keeping, the kidnapping, and the artifacts may all connect back to each other--and to her own family--in a shocking act of betrayal that could change everything in Chasing Power (2014) by Sarah Beth Durst.
While Kayla is a willful and often impulsive character, she is also an honest one who is willing to own up to her mistakes. Kayla's own rash behavior is balanced well by best friend Selena who offers a down-to-earth foil to Kayla's magical powers. Kayla's mother is another a great addition to this story with her own charms--both magical and otherwise.
Chasing Power is a streamlined blend of magic, romance and page-turning action. This story is part urban fantasy and part treasure hunt in a satisfying blend of adventure and suspense.
Possible Pairings: White Cat by Holly Black, Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey, The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, Rampant by Diana Peterfreund, The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin, Companions of the Night by Vivian Vande Velde, The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
*A copy of this book was acquired for review consideration from the publisher at BEA 2014*
mikkareads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
What quickly captured my attention was the imaginative and charming writing style, which evokes vivid mental imagery without feeling cliché. The dialogue is natural and believable, and the clever, dry humor had me laughing out loud more than once.
»The sun spread into the horizon as if it were melting into the water, an act that, while poetic, would not have been appreciated by the fish.«
The characters are fantastic, the author brings their
quirks, strengths, and weaknesses to life with effortless wordsmithery. None of the important characters left me indifferent, I always felt emotionally invested in their lives.
Kayla herself is a wonderful heroine, using her telekinetic abilities to steal from the city's businesses like a master thief. I was constantly impressed by how creative and meticulous she went about her wily ways! However, what made me sympathize with her even more was her deep love for her mother and her determination to protect her small family.
»If he wasn't more careful, he could be caught by evil people with world-domination plans and forced to commit atrocious acts of atrocity.«
Daniel first appears in Kayla's life as an adversary, by blackmailing her. However, there is no malice behind it, but helpless desperation, because he loves his mother more than anything and wants to save her. Like Kayla, he is intelligent and resourceful.
»He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something profound, or at least difficult to pronounce.«
Both essentially live in a world turned upside down, where they try to protect and take care of their parents instead of the other way around. They quickly realize that they have a lot in common, and the romance that develops between them is sweet and touching.
»She wanted to fall into that smile. It made her want to frolic through fields with him, and Kayla had never frolicked through a field in her life.«
The story is a thrilling blend of urban fantasy and adventure, with intelligent heroes, a complex plot, and many original ideas. A real highlight in young adult fantasy!
»The sun spread into the horizon as if it were melting into the water, an act that, while poetic, would not have been appreciated by the fish.«
The characters are fantastic, the author brings their
quirks, strengths, and weaknesses to life with effortless wordsmithery. None of the important characters left me indifferent, I always felt emotionally invested in their lives.
Kayla herself is a wonderful heroine, using her telekinetic abilities to steal from the city's businesses like a master thief. I was constantly impressed by how creative and meticulous she went about her wily ways! However, what made me sympathize with her even more was her deep love for her mother and her determination to protect her small family.
»If he wasn't more careful, he could be caught by evil people with world-domination plans and forced to commit atrocious acts of atrocity.«
Daniel first appears in Kayla's life as an adversary, by blackmailing her. However, there is no malice behind it, but helpless desperation, because he loves his mother more than anything and wants to save her. Like Kayla, he is intelligent and resourceful.
»He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something profound, or at least difficult to pronounce.«
Both essentially live in a world turned upside down, where they try to protect and take care of their parents instead of the other way around. They quickly realize that they have a lot in common, and the romance that develops between them is sweet and touching.
»She wanted to fall into that smile. It made her want to frolic through fields with him, and Kayla had never frolicked through a field in her life.«
The story is a thrilling blend of urban fantasy and adventure, with intelligent heroes, a complex plot, and many original ideas. A real highlight in young adult fantasy!
misshappyreading's review
4.0
Review from my blog:
English version:
I bought the book because it is the Bookbusters Book of the Month. The summary was indeed interesting, but I probably wouldn’t have bought the book.
I slipped quicker into the story than I expected. Especially Kayla's girlfriend Selena was incredible. She's a great protagonists, with many lovely wordplays and charming qualities. Kayla took me longer and also Daniel was not easy at first to like. The more you understand about the story and the motives the more sympathetic are both.
A YA fantasy wouldn't be complete without the love story. A sweet young love is born and is a nice addition to the story of Daniel's kidnapped mother. Because Daniel can move easily between all parts of the world, the book takes you more or less through Latin America, North America and Europe. Although the book is written in a loose and easy language, it is not a book for beginners in English reading.
The whole story is very solid and has interesting twists in it. Except for the slightly cheesy end, I liked the book much. Classical YA fantasy story.
Deutsche Rezension:
Wie schon erwähnt, habe ich das Buch gekauft, weil es das Bookbusters Buch des Monats ist. Die Beschreibung fand ich zwar ganz interessant, hätte mir das Buch aber vermutlich nicht gekauft.
Ich rutschte schneller in die Story als ich erwartet hatte. Besonders Kaylas Freundin Selena war für mich ein unglaublicher Sympathieträger. Sie ist eine tolle Protagonisten, mit viel Wortwitz und charmanten Eigenschaften. Bei Kayla brauchte ich länger und auch Daniel war mir am Anfang nicht geheuer. Nach und nach, je mehr man von der Geschichte und den Beweggründen versteht, wurden die beiden sympathischer.
Bei YA Fantasy darf natürlich die Liebesgeschichte nicht fehlen. Eine süße Jugendliebe entsteht und ist eine schöne Erweiterung zur Story um Daniels entführte Mutter. Da sich Daniel problemlos zwischen allen Orten der Welt bewegen kann, führt einen das Buch mehr oder weniger durch Lateinamerika, Amerika und Europa. Auch wenn das Buch an sich sehr locker und leicht geschrieben ist, ist es kein Buch für Anfänger im Englisch lesen.
Die ganze Geschichte ist sehr solide und hat schöne Wendungen drin, die einen in neue Richtungen lenken. Bis auf das leicht schmachtvolle Ende, gefiel mir das Buch gut. Klassische YA Fantasy Story.
English version:
I bought the book because it is the Bookbusters Book of the Month. The summary was indeed interesting, but I probably wouldn’t have bought the book.
I slipped quicker into the story than I expected. Especially Kayla's girlfriend Selena was incredible. She's a great protagonists, with many lovely wordplays and charming qualities. Kayla took me longer and also Daniel was not easy at first to like. The more you understand about the story and the motives the more sympathetic are both.
A YA fantasy wouldn't be complete without the love story. A sweet young love is born and is a nice addition to the story of Daniel's kidnapped mother. Because Daniel can move easily between all parts of the world, the book takes you more or less through Latin America, North America and Europe. Although the book is written in a loose and easy language, it is not a book for beginners in English reading.
The whole story is very solid and has interesting twists in it. Except for the slightly cheesy end, I liked the book much. Classical YA fantasy story.
Deutsche Rezension:
Wie schon erwähnt, habe ich das Buch gekauft, weil es das Bookbusters Buch des Monats ist. Die Beschreibung fand ich zwar ganz interessant, hätte mir das Buch aber vermutlich nicht gekauft.
Ich rutschte schneller in die Story als ich erwartet hatte. Besonders Kaylas Freundin Selena war für mich ein unglaublicher Sympathieträger. Sie ist eine tolle Protagonisten, mit viel Wortwitz und charmanten Eigenschaften. Bei Kayla brauchte ich länger und auch Daniel war mir am Anfang nicht geheuer. Nach und nach, je mehr man von der Geschichte und den Beweggründen versteht, wurden die beiden sympathischer.
Bei YA Fantasy darf natürlich die Liebesgeschichte nicht fehlen. Eine süße Jugendliebe entsteht und ist eine schöne Erweiterung zur Story um Daniels entführte Mutter. Da sich Daniel problemlos zwischen allen Orten der Welt bewegen kann, führt einen das Buch mehr oder weniger durch Lateinamerika, Amerika und Europa. Auch wenn das Buch an sich sehr locker und leicht geschrieben ist, ist es kein Buch für Anfänger im Englisch lesen.
Die ganze Geschichte ist sehr solide und hat schöne Wendungen drin, die einen in neue Richtungen lenken. Bis auf das leicht schmachtvolle Ende, gefiel mir das Buch gut. Klassische YA Fantasy Story.