Ties to the Blood Moon
Book #1 of the Ties to the Blood Moon Series
Publisher: Self-Published (Nov. 2011)
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Pages: eBook
Source: Review Request from Author
Purchase at: Amazon
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 stars)
A teenage girl is forced from her home in sunny California shortly before her mother dies in a horrific fire. Now living with her aunt in Alaska, she begins hearing myths that could only exist in fairytales…or so she believes. What were once just scary nightmares now haunt Genevieve’s daily life. When it all becomes too much, she seeks comfort in the arms of her boyfriend, but something tells her he isn’t what she things he is.
Fate now rules Gen’s life. Can she complete her destiny and save the ones she cares about?
The Good
I am so happy I decided to read more young adult books. Ties to the Blood Moon was an adventure and a half that kept me enthralled from beginning to end. I just wish book two was already out because I can’t wait to see what Waldrop has in store for her characters.
After her mother’s death, Genevieve moves in with her aunt in Alaska. Everything may seem normal at first, but slowly Gen finds out that not all fairytales are myths. And as her world takes a turn for the weird, Gen finds out that her role in the chaos is vital to bringing peace amongst supernatural beings. And through all this, Gen falls in love with one guy while feelings for another start to surface.
This book was really fun. I read it in two days, staying up pretty late both nights. I couldn’t help but turn the page to see what happened next. It kind of starts out a little slow but picks up pretty quickly a few chapters in. Even when it was frustrating as hell, I loved the constant mystery throughout the whole book. It kept me guessing.
Gen was a very interesting character. For a seventeen year old she is slightly immature, but I thought it gave everything a little more humor. Even when you feel bad for Gen and her many humiliating moments, her reactions cracked me up. I’ve never seen someone cry so often. But it worked with the circumstances of the book since Gen is going through some very terrifying and emotional changes. But she manages to keep on going, no matter the obstacles and many secrets constantly surrounding her.
William was a very mysterious sort of character. You don’t know his true motives until the very end, which made it a little hard to really like him. Doesn’t mean I didn’t fall in love with him just as much as Gen did. There is something about him that makes me want to smile. I got all giggly every time he showed up and charmed Gen (and me, apparently) once again.
Gen’s best friend, Luna, was very hot and cold. At first she is like the best friend everyone wants, then she has major jealousy issues. But considering this is a young adult book, it’s to be expected that teens have their ups and downs and emotional dramas. I actually thought it was all very entertaining. Now Joseph, Luna’s twin brother, was my favorite character. When you get to know him, he is a really sweet guy and you only hope for his happiness. But his feelings for Gen have only brought him grief since she is obviously in love with William. It’s hard to watch Joseph’s pain, and I can only hope he has something to look forward to in the future.
The fighting scenes were very fast-paced and exciting. I liked that at first Gen couldn’t really take care of herself, but as she accepted her destiny, she became a better fighter and more skilled. I hate when books portray their main character being instantly strong for no reason. Gen is still growing into her new powers, which is how it should be. I still can’t believe how many twists and turns this book had. When I thought I had things figured out, Waldrop would find a way to surprise me with each chapter.
I can’t stress enough how much the mystery behind every action and dialogue between the characters really made Ties to the Blood Moon an intriguing read. If this is what I should expect from most young adult reads, then I am on the path to becoming a young adult junkie.
The Bad
There were some inconsistencies in this book that were a little annoying. Sometimes places or movements were described in an odd way and did not hold true the whole scene. Transitions were sometimes awkward and confusing, and I had to reread parts to understand what just happened.
I felt the ending was a little too convenient. Like Waldrop had to find a way to ensure a second book of the series, so she kind of threw things together to make everything fit. But it just felt forced to me. But it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book overall.
The Snuggly
The romance was a little more like an obsession at first, but eventually things begin to take a more loving turn. I, of course, like the love triangle in this book, even when I was sad when one guy gets left behind. There is a little sexual content which gets heavy near the end, but nothing over the top; it is a young adult book after all.
Overall
I can guarantee you that I will be reading the next book in this series one way or another. I loved the teen drama, the love triangle, and the unfinished business that will hopefully be solved in book two. The characters are interesting and I know they have the potential to grow into even stronger, mature characters. I recommend this book to all young adult book lovers. And be on the look out for a giveaway of this book, an author interview , and a guest post from Waldrop.
All during class I sat with my head propped on my hand and kept catching myself staring at William. You know, one of those open-mouthed stares. Then, the most embarrassing thing of my teenage life happened.
“Miss Labreck,” Mr. Donovan snapped at the same time as he slammed his pointer stick on someone’s desk in the front row.
I jerked and sat up straight. “Huh … uh, yeah?”
“You can worship your Romeo after class. Right now we are talking about Juliet’s Romeo.”
A burning flush flew over me when the entire class busted out in laughter. I pulled my hoodie further over my head and sunk down into my seat as far as I could go. I would have gotten under my desk if I could have fit.
~
A couple hours later I woke up, my head felt like lead, and I had an awful taste in my mouth. It was cold and the wind was blowing. I cracked my eyes open and glanced around. Everyone was still asleep, except the pilot. His seat was empty and the back door was wide open. It took longer than normal for everything to register. I even looked behind me, thinking he might be in the bathroom, before it finally hit me … we had been drugged.
Daydreaming_Star
I love that you’re liking young adult books! I totally have to agree! I haven’t really read them since I was younger until I started blogging and now I am only just beginning to realise what I’ve been missing!
This is such an awesome review and I’m glad that you liked this book so much! It certainly sounds like something that I would be into reading so I may have to get my hands on it at some point! 🙂
Thanks for posting this!
Faye
A Daydreamer’s Thoughts
Lovey Dovey Books
Awesome review! Sometimes teen drama makes me question why I love the YA genre so much, but if the story overshadows that I’ll definitely give Ties to the Blood Moon a chance 🙂
Candace @ Lovey Dovey Books