Who: Kristi CookWhat: Haven
Where: Simon and Schuster
When: Feburary 22nd, 2011
Why: Debut
How: For Review
One month into her junior year, sixteen-year-old Violet
McKenna transfers to the Winterhaven School in New York’s Hudson Valley,
inexplicably drawn to the boarding school with high hopes. Leaving Atlanta
behind, she’s looking forward to a fresh start--a new school, and new classmates
who will not know her deepest, darkest secret, the one she’s tried to hide all
her life: strange, foreboding visions of the future.
But Winterhaven has
secrets of its own, secrets that run far deeper than Violet’s. Everyone
there--every student, every teacher--has psychic abilities, 'gifts and talents,'
they like to call them. Once the initial shock of discovery wears off, Violet
realizes that the school is a safe haven for people like her. Soon, Violet has a
new circle of friends, a new life, and maybe even a boyfriend--Aidan Gray,
perhaps the smartest, hottest guy at Winterhaven.
Only there’s more to
Aidan than meets the eye--much, much more. And once she learns the horrible
truth, there’s no turning back from her destiny. Their destiny. Together, Violet
and Aidan must face a common enemy--if only they can do so without destroying
each other first.
I'll tell you the truth, I didn't expect myself to like this. I started out with a skeptic mind, and I was surprised to find myself staying up until four in the morning reading it! I think my favorite part of the story was when I thought one thing was gonna happen, it totally didn't. I never wouldn't guessed some of the twists Kristi wove into Haven! Her writing is simple and easy to follow, but not to the point where you're left without description. It's the typical boarding school for "gifted" kids idea, but with a whole new take that I totally approve of!
Although Violet was a bit of a downer, she was relateable and overall a likable character. The people I really liked were her best friends throughout the novel, Cece, Kate, Sophie, and Marissa. All of them had unique abilities and were fun and different in their own way. I love that they were devoted to Violet in the way that when she confronted them about her problems, most of them (some took a while) were completely willing to help her out with what was going on. That's good friendship, people!
Finally, we have Aiden. I'm a bit hot and cold with this one, mostly because he's very hot and cold as well. You guys know I like slow, building romances and while Aiden and Violet's isn't (due to the whole Aiden Effect), I didn't find myself that annoyed by the fast that it didn't take that long for them to be love interests. He thought he was a bit detached (was that just me?) when it came to Violet, and overall, I'm not sure about their relationship at the moment. BUT I did love the fact that it wasn't a love triangle (I mean, those are awesome, but COME ON. It's nice to read some books where there's only ONE person) and the sexual tension between them was appropriate and romantic.
My rating? AHHHH-GREAT.
Happy Reading!
-Harmony B.
