Review - Unbelievable by Jennifer Pickup

Kindle: 320 pages
Publisher: Unbound
Publication date: 05 April 2012
ASIN: B00WDP9IP8

Neona White is rather extraordinary. The thing is, while she knows that she's very different from other teenagers, she doesn't know quite how different…yet.

A traumatic incident leaves Neona without the desire to keep living and a fear that she's not entirely human, and her mother is less than forthcoming. She is soon sent to live with her Grandmother where, after making some unusual new friends, she begins a dangerous quest to unravel the mysteries of her identity. Her supernatural identity.

Neona continues to face the eternal struggle between what people want her to be and who she actually is, as the world she thought she knew begins to disclose its unbelievable secrets.

I read this over a few days and my enjoyment of it rose and fell throughout. In the end I came down on the side of 'Really liked' because it was a good story, but there were a few times when I thought it was going to end badly for my rating.

My biggest problem with it was the secrets and lies and all the cloak and dagger stuff. It drove me mad. The story itself is a good one but I felt that a lot of the suspense and angst just didn't make sense. It felt forced and as the story progressed it became obvious that the withholding of information wasn't justified or explainable.

The whole tale revolves around Neona (the heroine) being different but not knowing why or how. She asks those closest to her if they know anything that will help her figure it out and they all say "NO, we know nothing". Something happens and they all say "Oh yeah, I knew that but didn't tell you when you asked because....Really? I'm not sure why I can't/won't tell you". I'm paraphrasing but that's about the size of it all the way through. 

She asks questions - she gets no answers or only half answers - something happens and she finds out a bit more herself - they tell her they knew that all the time but didn't tell her - she asks if they know more - they say "No" - something new happens and she finds out they knew about that too - and on and on and on. It became tiresome. 

Having said all that, I did like the story. I would want to find out what happens next but if there is any more to this story I'll hope the 'secrecy for secrecy's sake' is missing.

Review - Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Corgi childrens
ISBN: 978-0552546126

First Line - "Her laugh turned to a moan at the first ripple in her bones."

Vivian, at 16, is a beautiful young werewolf with all the young wolves in her pack howling for her. But then she falls in love with a human. If she reveals herself, will he be able to relish the magic of her dual nature? Then squabbles with her pack lead to a brutal murder.

I've bypassed this book quite a few times and it's been overlooked because of one thing....I didn't realise it was about werewolves. Had I known that, I'd have snapped it up long before now. How I missed this one I'll never know.

I was drawn into this within a few pages and the story just grabbed me. It's a story about teen angst and love and decisions and betrayal and loyalty and just generally growing up and coming of age.... but with werewolves. I very easily got caught up with the story of Vivian, who has as many problems, if not more, then your average teen.

This book may be geared towards a young adult audience, but it can definitely be enjoyed by those of us who are young at heart and can still remember their youth. Klause pulls off a sensual story about the supernatural without making it seem cheesy. The characters are believable, the shape shifter culture is well rounded and Vivian's world comes alive on the page.

I've got the film on DVD here too but I haven't watched it yet. I don't know the first thing about the film, I've avoided reading anything about it so I'll be going in blind :D