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ambularnubular's review against another edition
5.0
While I do not usually read YA Paranormal books, I gave this one a shot because I really enjoyed DeWees' novel "Sea of Secrets" and I'm glad I did.
The humor is wonderful and I really enjoyed the pop culture references throughout this tale of mystery and enchantment. The setting for the story is the mountains of the Southern US and it makes a lovely backdrop for Ash Grove and the locale is certainly not something you see often in the contemporary paranormal genre. It was a pleasant surprise to see an author make use of such a beautiful part of the country in this type of book.
Joy is a perky and down-to-earth lead character with strong disposition, creating a nice variance among the other characters. You identify with Joy immediately and with every twist and turn of the story, you're left guessing if she will overcome the evil that dwells nearby. It's a difficult thing to find in YA books: a character you really, truly care about. DeWees creates a realistic environment and realistic people so it's very easy to become absorbed in the many mysteries surrounding Ash Grove.
I highly recommend this title to anyone who enjoys the YA Paranormal and even those who just enjoy Paranormal Romance or Gothic Romance, this story isn't just for tweeny-boppers who have an Edward Cullen fascination. Can't wait to start the next book. Good show, Amanda!
The humor is wonderful and I really enjoyed the pop culture references throughout this tale of mystery and enchantment. The setting for the story is the mountains of the Southern US and it makes a lovely backdrop for Ash Grove and the locale is certainly not something you see often in the contemporary paranormal genre. It was a pleasant surprise to see an author make use of such a beautiful part of the country in this type of book.
Joy is a perky and down-to-earth lead character with strong disposition, creating a nice variance among the other characters. You identify with Joy immediately and with every twist and turn of the story, you're left guessing if she will overcome the evil that dwells nearby. It's a difficult thing to find in YA books: a character you really, truly care about. DeWees creates a realistic environment and realistic people so it's very easy to become absorbed in the many mysteries surrounding Ash Grove.
I highly recommend this title to anyone who enjoys the YA Paranormal and even those who just enjoy Paranormal Romance or Gothic Romance, this story isn't just for tweeny-boppers who have an Edward Cullen fascination. Can't wait to start the next book. Good show, Amanda!
morsbookishbrew's review against another edition
5.0
This was definitely a fun one!
It’s definitely an interesting story.
With a fantasy twist, DeWees explores what real, modern society doesn’t acknowledge most of the time: men are victims of abuse and manipulation too.
It’s definitely an interesting story.
With a fantasy twist, DeWees explores what real, modern society doesn’t acknowledge most of the time: men are victims of abuse and manipulation too.
ajenkins979's review against another edition
5.0
Awesome read. Joy is a determined young girl and a special school. The school is for talented teens, talented in the arts of dance, music and theater. She has had to move into the dorms because her father has gone to Oklahoma for cancer treatments.
One night on a dare she visits the graveyard and meets Tanner. Later, she realizes he is Tristan a super model. He also used to be a student at Ash Grove.
Tanner visits Joy occasionally while he is in town with his agent/guardian Melisande. He has an attraction to Joy, but is subconsciously pulled to Melisande-something he can't understand.
Joy and Tanner enjoy their stolen time together, but Melisande up and takes off with Tanner/Tristan.
Joy experiences some supernatural things around the school. The "council" tells her of the supernatural beings/things surrounding the school. And they discussed that Melisande may not be human.
Joy does some investigating of her own, and tries to warn Tanner. But he just can't stop the pull to Melisande and get away. In the end though, Joy and Tanner together break the "spell" Melisande has over him.
Amanda DeWees, wrote a great YA book with this one! The characters are good, you even have the overprotective best friend. There is not alot of paranormal in this book, but its there. Mostly from the 60% spot to the end.
One night on a dare she visits the graveyard and meets Tanner. Later, she realizes he is Tristan a super model. He also used to be a student at Ash Grove.
Tanner visits Joy occasionally while he is in town with his agent/guardian Melisande. He has an attraction to Joy, but is subconsciously pulled to Melisande-something he can't understand.
Joy and Tanner enjoy their stolen time together, but Melisande up and takes off with Tanner/Tristan.
Joy experiences some supernatural things around the school. The "council" tells her of the supernatural beings/things surrounding the school. And they discussed that Melisande may not be human.
Joy does some investigating of her own, and tries to warn Tanner. But he just can't stop the pull to Melisande and get away. In the end though, Joy and Tanner together break the "spell" Melisande has over him.
Amanda DeWees, wrote a great YA book with this one! The characters are good, you even have the overprotective best friend. There is not alot of paranormal in this book, but its there. Mostly from the 60% spot to the end.
girl_with_the_pearl_earring's review against another edition
4.0
It was very well written and very fast passed and exciting, but I hated the teen pregnancy aspect. It kind of glosses over it like being pregnant doesn't COMPLETELY CHANGE EVERYTHING. It's not something ANYONE should have to go through ALONE. I guess my point is that I would hate for a young girl to read this and think, "Hey! I could do that! Pregnancy sounds so easy. And once the baby is here, I'll just be a tutor and be able to provide for us." Um... no....
mantarose's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. I couldn't put it down until it was finished. I will get the other books in this series and look into reading anything by this author.
nelliebly1025's review against another edition
1.0
Um wow. Apparently I let myself get carried away with all the positive reviews on this book. While this book was not the worst book I have ever read, it was up there on the list. At first it was interesting; Joy seemed like a fun, reckless, energetic character.
But then a boy comes along. We are held in mystery of the "paranormal" part of what’s going on for more than 1/2 of the book. The addition of Tristan/Tanner to the mix was awful. What a horrible person he is. He changes who Joy is within a matter of days. All of a sudden, just weeks into "dating" she is in LOVE with him and tells him so. And, OH YEAH! Let’s just have sex with someone we hardly know, but love uncontrollably, that we have just met. Good idea 16 year old girl! So smart.
BUT WAIT! It gets even better. Tristan/Tanner disappears overnight to go off with his cougar mentor and leaves poor heartbroken Joy alone….OR IS SHE!?!!?!?
NOPE!!!! She is pregnant. And not only that but she is experiencing sudden paranormal anomalies that have never shown up before now. Great huh? Wow. Amazing!!!
In all honesty I hate giving books bad reviews. I know the authors work hard to write them. But after Joy learned she was pregnant I wanted to quit right there. But I held on hoping it would get better. Now the one thing that was good was the reveal of Melisande. That was kind of neat. But Tanner is a total waste of space and Joy is dumb.
People talk about how bad Twilight was with the “OH MY GOSH I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT HIM!” This book takes that aspect and multiplies it by 1,000. Plus add underage pregnancy and you got yourself a drama! I understand this is a "modern retelling" of Tam Lin but I have no desire to read about a love sick pregnant 16 year old with no real depth. It could have been written better.
But then a boy comes along. We are held in mystery of the "paranormal" part of what’s going on for more than 1/2 of the book. The addition of Tristan/Tanner to the mix was awful. What a horrible person he is. He changes who Joy is within a matter of days. All of a sudden, just weeks into "dating" she is in LOVE with him and tells him so. And, OH YEAH! Let’s just have sex with someone we hardly know, but love uncontrollably, that we have just met. Good idea 16 year old girl! So smart.
BUT WAIT! It gets even better. Tristan/Tanner disappears overnight to go off with his cougar mentor and leaves poor heartbroken Joy alone….OR IS SHE!?!!?!?
NOPE!!!! She is pregnant. And not only that but she is experiencing sudden paranormal anomalies that have never shown up before now. Great huh? Wow. Amazing!!!
In all honesty I hate giving books bad reviews. I know the authors work hard to write them. But after Joy learned she was pregnant I wanted to quit right there. But I held on hoping it would get better. Now the one thing that was good was the reveal of Melisande. That was kind of neat. But Tanner is a total waste of space and Joy is dumb.
People talk about how bad Twilight was with the “OH MY GOSH I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT HIM!” This book takes that aspect and multiplies it by 1,000. Plus add underage pregnancy and you got yourself a drama! I understand this is a "modern retelling" of Tam Lin but I have no desire to read about a love sick pregnant 16 year old with no real depth. It could have been written better.
ruqiyah's review
3.0
I'm going to read every adaptation of Tam Lin on goodreads, just watch me.
This one was pretty good - always appreciate it when a Tam Lin adaptation tells me straight up in the blurb that it's going to go whole-hog with the pregnancy side of the story, helps calibrate my expectations.
The "surprise! magic is real!" side of the story was pretty weak, but hey, it's Tam Lin, we're just here for the Feisty Girl Saves Beautiful Man In Distress plot.
This one was pretty good - always appreciate it when a Tam Lin adaptation tells me straight up in the blurb that it's going to go whole-hog with the pregnancy side of the story, helps calibrate my expectations.
The "surprise! magic is real!" side of the story was pretty weak, but hey, it's Tam Lin, we're just here for the Feisty Girl Saves Beautiful Man In Distress plot.
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