Today I'm pleased to be back on the Blog tour for Emerald Isle, her sophomore novel. I was thrilled when Kate Hinderer asked me if I wanted to be a part of the blog tour. A month ago I posted a guest post by Kate that explained where she got inspiration for her idea. You can check out that post here.
Today I'm pleased to be reviewing her novel. But before I get into my review, here's the synopsis:
To escape a bad break-up and fighting parents Audyn takes a job as a lifeguard at Fascination Island. The posh five-star resort lives up to its name in every way, including the strange rules the owner has about entering the water at night. Despite declaring it a boy-free summer, it isn’t long before the shy, endearing Levi and the mysterious, tattooed Tristan begin vying for her attention. When Levi tries to push his advantage and Tristan comes to the rescue, Audyn realizes there is more to both these boys and the island they inhabit. Suddenly, she’s forced to acknowledge a reality she’d never considered and to pick a side in the conflict that has been waging for decades.
For more in formation about Kate or her novel, click this link.
And now for my review:
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I went into this novel with no expectations. I had read the synopsis which sounded good but other than that I really didn't know what to expect.
From the very first page, Kate Hinderer convinced me that accepting this novel for review was a great decision. Her characters were compelling and cast in a realistic light. Nothing annoys me more than characters who are perfect or are clearly molds of character types.
Her characters brought the story to life for me. I can't think of one character that I didn't adore. Levi and Tristan were both so intriguing. While I was rooting for Tristan from the beginning, I will not deny that Levi had his charm and proved to be a very complex character.
Then there was Audyn. Kate did a fantastic job at revealing the mind of a teenage girl who has been burned one too many times. She had trust issues and relationship problems, and yet she was a great protagonist to read about. I found myself sympathizing with her and rooting her on.
Then on top of that all the supporting characters were incredible. I loved hearing about each and every one of them. I could delve into a long paragraph about each of them but I don't think you would appreciate that. So let me just say one of my all-time favorite characters was Falcon, which really surprised me. I definitely hope we get to hear more of his story.
Now as for the writing, Kate had a simple yet eloquent writing style that I loved. It was perfect in its simplicity. When I say "simple," I do not mean unrefined or poorly written. I meant that the writing didn't draw undue attention to itself but provided the perfect backdrop to her novel. The dialog was realistic and engaging. It never felt forced which I know is a big deal to many readers.
In Summary:On the whole, Hinderer's novel will leave you shaking your head at the characters' stupidity, cheering when they triumph, and hurting when they hurt. A brilliantly written novel that I definitely recommend.
Warnings/Side-notes: This novel is actually really clean which I greatly appreciated. I love it when that happens. I'd have no qualms about recommending this to even the most sensitive reader.
The Wrap-up/Other Business: An intensely enjoyable read that I loved reading. I read this one in one sitting and felt very involved. Any book that makes me stop and talk to my roommate about it in the middle of reading it...automatically makes it a book I love.
If you love the young adult genre, read this one. It is a paranormal read (but there are no vampires, werewolves, witches, etc). It is a very refreshing read that is different than any I have read in awhile. That is always an extra bonus.
Basically, this novel is very enjoyable and if you get a chance to read it, you should.
Kate can be reached through her email kate.hinderer@gmail.com, her blog, or her twitter account. You can also find out more aobut her book by clicking this link. For more reviews of this book or guest posts, check out her blog tour schedule.
Love,
Danica Page