Of Paranormals, Prophecies, & Death

Paranormalcy
by Kiersten White

Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, 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 shape-shifter, 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 soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures. So much for normal.

Hello lovelies! I have something very important for you to do. Are you ready? Quick put aside everything you're doing. Now go buy this book. What? You don't have money? Sure you do. You don't need money to eat, spend it on Paranormalcy instead. Go. Shoo. Don't worry I'll be here when you get back.



So the highest compliment I think anyone can give a book and an author is when you buy the book. It's your way of saying I think your book is so wonderful I want it in my possession. I want to see it when I wake up, sleep with it beneath my pillow, take it with me when I travel, and put fake moustaches on it to fool the other books. Paranormalcy made me want to walk to the nearest book store (which only requires defeating obstacles such as bridges, highways, going across Narnia, winding thru Hogwarts, and crazy drivers) and buy this book. Alas since I lack a vehicular machine I could not go from here to there. My library version of Paranormalcy was there to comfort me though. Lots of library love going on. Folks, take care of your library, and your library will take care of you, but I'm getting off topic.


So now that you've got a copy of Paranormalcy you can read it and discover how amazing it is. There! Review done.


Kidding.


Evie really makes this book. She's so...I don't know quirky? fun? hilarious? unique? wickedly awesome? All of the above? Either way she sticks out in the mass of heroines and first person narrators. Evie, for all her humor and quirks, has a lot of problems in her life. She had a pleasant life working for IPCA and then her world got turned upside down. Now she's questioning the agency she works for, who/what exactly she is, what her view on paranormals is, and if she's ready to handle everything she's about to find out. That's a lot to handle as a teenager. Especially a teenager who's literally lived underground her whole life. I mean all she really wants is to go on a real date, to get a driver's license, and to have a locker! Is that too much to ask for?
So I'm still trying to create an image of what Lend really looks like. No matter, he's such a great love interest for Evie. Together they're just this awkward, adorable, paranormal cuteness. Maybe the most wonderful thing about Lend is that he isn't tormented. He's not depressed about something or trying to stop himself from making the girl he loves undead or doing any of the other dark, tragic things other guys are doing. I love him just for that alone! I want to give him a hug because he's so refreshing. And he has a FAMILY! Woah. Take a deep breath, this may be too much all at once. I mean a guy who has a loving family, no tortured soul-ness, witty remarks, bravery, and feelings for the adorable main character? Now that seems like crazy talk - but it's the real deal!


Now, Evie's faerie ex-boyfriend Reth amused me in a you're-hilarious-yet-slightly-crazy way. For some reason whenever he popped up knowing that Evie was going to do whatever he said she would do but she swore she would never do I pictured him just lounging there. Lounging with that lazy, I-told-you-so smirk and a gleam of triumphant amusement in his eyes while Evie of course is stressed out and annoyed. In my mind it's quite the scene, whether or not that's how it was supposed to go down. Reth made me chuckle, but he also showed he had a more devious, dark side. He's a clever, sly, and gorgeous guy - better watch out for him in the next books. I don't know whether to like him or give him the skeptical face, I guess we'll have to wait and see where he goes in the next books.


So in a world of dark, angsty paranormal books, here's something different. Paranormalcy is hilarious, engaging, and filled with surprises. And hey, you've already bought the book (haven't you?...), so you might as well stop reading this and read it!

Rating:

-Gomez