by Jenna Kay
Book: The Gracen Chronicles#1
Publisher: Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing
Pub Date: March 2, 2013
Genre: Young Adult
Format: eBook
Source: Author Request
Book Links: Goodreads Amazon
There is a world invisible to Untouched eyes, where demons rule the shadows and prey on the innocents. Gracen Potts lives in this world. Her job is to serve and protect those who are oblivious to the monsters hiding from the light.
As a Silver Mortal Gracen has the power to send these demons back to Hell. With the Silver Eagle's blood running through her veins she feels like nothing can take her down. That is, until she meets a group of Night Vipers who have escaped the Viper clan.
Can Gracen keep doing her job of demon slaying and protect the rebel Vipers
Review: Gracen Potts is considered a Silver Mortal, a sixteen year old touched with the Silver Eagle, and lives to protect untouched mortals after dark each night. She protects humans from the multitude of demons that live among them. Specifically, she works to protect unsuspecting humans from Night Vipers. She is strong, witty, and tough- a perfect female protagonist.
Gracen is considered a “freak” among her typical peers. She has abnormally light skin and silver hair. Although not readily accepted by her classmates, she does maintain a close friendship with Bets, a typical teenage girl who is a bit too promiscuous for Gracen’s liking. Gracen’s feelings for her best friend are relatable, as is her love for Phoenix, a Night Viper that escaped his dark existence.
Gracen’s relationship with Pheonix is unexpected. Not only is he a Night Viper, he brings several other escapees with him that keep Gracen on edge. Gracen’s uncertainty and mistrust is understandable. Throughout the story, these emotions transform into love and protectiveness. Gracen learns important details about her past, keeping the reader engaged in the story. The relationship between her past and the cliffhanger at the end of this book will surely have the reader itching for the next book in the series.
My favorite parts of the story are when Gracen connects to others in her dreams. Once I made the connection between her dreams and the unfolding of the story, I often thought about the upcoming events and wanted to keep reading. I especially liked her premonition about Botis Island, an awful place where her friends and family are held captive. The author’s description of this dismal land is spot on, as is her descriptions of its native demons. This distinct struggle between good and evil had me rooting for Gracen as I devoured the last few chapters.
Overall, this YA novel is ideal for its target audience. There is action, mild gore, teenage drama, love, and a plot that takes unexpected twists and turns. As an adult reader, I found the dialogue a bit immature and the love affair a bit contrived. However, these annoyances did not detract from the enjoyment that I had while reading this story. I look forward to checking out the sequel.
My Rating:
✪✪✪✪✪
