Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

 

Series: Paranormalcy Trilogy, Book One

Publisher: HarperCollinsChildrens’Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 6^th January 2011

Number of Pages: 352

Book: Bought

Genre: Paranormal, Dark Romance, Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Action-Adventure, YA

Recommended Age: 12+

Contains: Violence, Death

No Alcohol, Drug References

Author's Blog: Kiersten Writes

Vampires

Werewolves

Faeries

Shapeshifters

Evie’s always thought of herself as normal.  Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shapeshifter and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours, but still.  Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying and Evie’s dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies.  She begins to suspect there is a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths, and even worse, that she is the centre of a dark prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

Review:

Evie’s an IPCA agent and at the centre of a world-wide treaty.  Why?  Because she can see through paranormals’ glamours.  This is unique only to her.  And while she’s parentless, she does have a rhinestoned-pink Taser called Tasey and a mermaid best friend.  However, recently, she’s been having weird dreams with two lines of a poem, repeated over and over.  When she takes down a shapeshifter unlike anything anyone’s seen before, Evie finds out what her dreams mean.  They are a prophecy.  One about a grey-eyed girl who will kill, kill, kill.  And it seems to be all about Evie…

Now, I’ve read a lot of paranormal books in my time.  This one has got to be one of my favourites.  It was funny, scary, sad, sweet, action-packed and mysterious.  The world was just… wonderful and totally believable.  Ok, so it’s full of vampires and faeries and werewolves, but it all felt absolutely real to me.  As did the characters.  Myself, I love characters I can connect with, and from Evie’s very first line: bam!  Instant connection.  And – big bonus here – the supporting cast was just as fantastic.

Evelyn, or Evie as she prefers to be called, was the best.  Ever!  She was funny, bubbly, vibrant and kick-butt-awesome.  While she could be really strong with her job, she was also the most amazing girlie-girl, what with her pink Taser and addiction to soaps.  Plus her fixation on the ability to raise one eyebrow was hilarious.  And her habit of saying: “Oh, bleep!”  A habit I have now picked up and annoy my friends with.  And her obsession with the silliest, most mundane things was adorable.  A few on the list are lockers, dates and humans.  Though she did grow up in complete isolation from human teenagers and normal routines.  What more do you expect from a girl?

Lend was wonderful!  Adorable, sweet, loving, warm and strong, he was just absolutely loveable.  He was a shapeshifter – the one Evie’s crushing on, and I could really see why.  Plus, they made the cutest couple!  And a believable one: none of this love-at-first-sight business here.  Their relationship was slow, sweet and oh-so romantic.

Reth, Evie’s ex, was a psychotic faerie.  Manipulative and kinda creepy, I knew I should have hated him…  But there was just something there…  I can’t quite figure it out…  I’ll have to wait until the next book to decide about him.

I have to mention Evie’s best friend Alisha (Lish) who was a mermaid – who do not have sea-shell bras, thank you very much: they have scales and webbed fingers… so there.  Going back on track, while they may be completely different species, the two had a really special bond and it was plain to see that they loved one another.  As for Raquel, Evie’s boss, I had rather a soft spot for her and her sigh-speak.  So Raquel kept things from Evie: doesn’t everyone have to hide something?  At the end of the day, she loved Evie.

Finally, the ‘bad guy’, who was… unhinged.  And hilarious.  And lonely.  I felt sorry for her, as well as laughing at and with her.  I’m not sure if that was how it was meant to be, but that’s just what I thought.

And as I read, I just couldn’t help smiling, even as I was being terrified out of my mind.  There was an aspect to Paranormalcy, something I’m not sure how to describe.  It was almost… I don’t know, life affirming?  That sounds so strange, especially about a paranormal book.  But it just made me grateful for everything I have: a family, a home, a last name.  The ability to raise one eyebrow.  Plus, I will never be able to look at a locker the same way again.  They are very, very special.

So, we have action, romance, wonderful characters and an unbeatable plot.  I honestly couldn’t stop reading.  It was just so addictive!  Evie was amazing, and again, so addictive.  Her voice was wonderful, and it made me want to just read and read and read.  So…  I did.

I loved this book!  It has to be one of the freshest, funniest and most awesome book I’ve read this year.  And it left me with so many questions, wanting so much more.  I’m counting the days until Supernaturally is released now! 

Star Rating:
5 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

The Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

Happy Reading

Megan