Glimmerglass (Faeriewalker, #1)

Jan 09, 2011 Scarlet rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: set-aside-for-now, i-own, faeries, romance, covers-i-love, review, insta-love

This book....really irritated me.
Not even just the plot, but the whole writing style in general. Her skill level was poor and I constantly kept rewriting her sentences in my head. It got to the point where i couldn't even finish the book.
From what I did read (About 9-10 chapters): Dana's mom is a total drunkard and cant take care of herself, so in desperation Dana decides the smartest thing to do is jet off to Avalon to meet her foreign daddy who, for all she knows, could be a mass murderer! o....more

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Dec 27, 2010 Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Glimmerglass is the first book I've read about faeries that I have not absolutely hated. Jenna Black did a marvelous job of intertwining the fascinating, enchanting world of Avalon with unique, compelling characters.

At the age of sixteen-years-old, Dana Hathaway decides she has had enough of her alcoholic mother. After one dreadful interruption at Dana's voice recital, she decides to run away to the magical city of Avalon. She is immediately caught within the intricate web of Fae politics. Despi...more

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Oct 14, 2010 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 0-faves, 05-literary-crush-worthy, 14-faeries, 25-hawt

Well, I couldn’t put off the inevitable any longer and had to finish this book. But don’t get me wrong, it was not like I had to force myself to continue reading because it was so bad. No, it was very much the opposite. I enjoyed this book so much that I actually tried to read more slowly than usual because I didn’t want the story to end. I tried to only read 5 pages a day like a certain heroine in one of the books I’m currently reading does, but I just couldn’t pull it off. I am an addict, afte...more

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Aug 08, 2010 Andrea added it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

"I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be . . . whelmed?"

Courtesy of 10 Things I Hate About You, my thoughts on Glimmerglass.

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Jul 19, 2010 Krista (One Love) (Critical) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book silly/juvenile.

First off, it is not unique or creative or new in any way (unless you count the fact that the fey can apparently lie in this one). It was full of dumb cliches. Boring. And the beginning of the book did NOT hook me in at all. In fact, it turned me off. And from there, things did not get much better.

Dana is supposedly sooo mature and worldly, but to me, she was THE most immature 16-year-old main character ever written. The second she sees Cute Guy #1, she's all: OOO, I'm...more This book silly/juvenile.

First off, it is not unique or creative or new in any way (unless you count the fact that the fey can apparently lie in this one). It was full of dumb cliches. Boring. And the beginning of the book did NOT hook me in at all. In fact, it turned me off. And from there, things did not get much better.

Dana is supposedly sooo mature and worldly, but to me, she was THE most immature 16-year-old main character ever written. The second she sees Cute Guy #1, she's all: OOO, I'm in love. OOOO he touched me! Oooo, he looked at me! Really? And then, hours later, when she finds out that, OMG!, he lied to her, she was oh so heartbroken, boohoohoo.

She is SHALLOW. All she sees in the opposite sex is a handsome face. Then boom! She wants a relationship with them. Uh-huh. When I was sixteen and interacted with "cute guys" I did not fall at their feet simply because they were attractive.

Honestly, her woebegone reaction to Ethan's lies was pathetic. She barely knew the guy! Get over it already. Wahwahwah, some cute guy never really liked me because I'm so plain looking boohoo.

She spends half the book obsessing over how cute Cute Guy #1 or Cute Guy #2 or Cute Guy #3 is, or how boohoo, they'll never like her because she's plain. Did I mention she was petty? No? Well, she is.

And then there's Jenna Black, who thinks teenagers are brainless idiots. It wasn't enough for Dana to tell us her stomach felt empty. No, she had to also clarify that what she meant when she complained of an empty stomach, was that she was, GASP, hungry!

And Dana's sudden, Oh, I must leave my mother and go find my father in Avalon beginning was RANDOM. Why, after all those years, did she suddenly make this decision? Sure...

It's not only Dana that's shallow, but the book itself. Dana spends a majority of the book mooning over Cute Guys #1-#3, more time feeling sorry for herself, more time shopping and wishing she had a BFF, and the rest screaming and wailing while various people are attacked.

Stupid.

Note: No matter what you do, do NOT listen to the audiobook. It's torture. Not only is her voice horribly grating and irritating, but half the BRITISH characters have Australian accents. Also, she screeches and wails like a banshee during the most mundane situtaions. She sounds like a tea kettle most of the time. Warning: your ears may bleed if you do decide to listen to it.

Such a waste of a gorgeous cover.(less)

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May 19, 2010 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews, young-adult

Avalon is a place where the modern world mingle and coexist with Fae. Dana is through with being the parent to her mother. So she runs away to Avalon to visit her fae father who she has never met. She strongly feels it's gotta be better than the way she's living now, but sadly she has no clue what she's walking into.

I thought this was a fantastic story. I really enjoy fae stories- always unique and a departure from vampire novels. Now I haven't liked every fae story I've read ... but this one re...more

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Jun 05, 2010 oliviasbooks rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Faerie-Story-Lovers, Romantasy-Fans and those who liked Hush Hush, which I didn't

Shelves: faeries-elves-pixies, urban-fantasy-paranormal, young-adult-fiction, read-2010, paranormal-humans, swapped-or-given-away, cliffhanger, high-expectations, sequel-no-thank-you, a-jerk-is-a-jerk

The slow-start story around sixteen-year-old Dana, who flees the move-around life with her alcoholic mom in the States to live with her fae father in Avalon, a neutral mountain state between the human world and Faerie, physically situated in Great Britain, picks up around the middle of the book, when Ethan, a panty-collecting member of the Unseelie Court, who tries to woo Dana in order to pull the Faeriewalker on the side of his house, temporaily disappears out of the picture. That Dana is somet...more The slow-start story around sixteen-year-old Dana, who flees the move-around life with her alcoholic mom in the States to live with her fae father in Avalon, a neutral mountain state between the human world and Faerie, physically situated in Great Britain, picks up around the middle of the book, when Ethan, a panty-collecting member of the Unseelie Court, who tries to woo Dana in order to pull the Faeriewalker on the side of his house, temporaily disappears out of the picture. That Dana is something special gets clear rather early. Why else would be everybody fae - both Seelie and Unseelie - be that interested in getting their paws on the naive, but self-reliant, boyish girl? As she is explained, is is quite rare, that offspring of a fae - who conceive only once in a while anyway - and a human develop traits of both races and are able to survive in both worlds. The possibilities of the faeriewalking-power - and some secret extra-stuff that Dana discovers on the way - are only hinted at during the plot and will be tried out in the second installment of the series, Shadowspell. Also introductions to the Queens Mab and Titania are still on forthcoming, which makes me - contrary to earlier assumptions - consider to put the sequel on my read-it-if-dropped-into-your-lap-wishlist. The plot is a not quite balanced mixture of problem-oriented YA, which focusses on a kid no longer able to cope with her mom's alcoholism on her own anymore, a kidnapping-thriller and urban romantasy, including a budding BFF-relationship and possible triangle-thing, which I glady would chop into something less-angled: Although some life-saving business lets see sexy-slimy Ethan in a less jerk-like light and helps setting off Dana's sexually inexperienced and self-concious personality, his "come-sit-in-my-lap-I'll-keep-you-warm"-methods burn away all brownie-points he might have tried to collect. Cry and grovel, when Dana's powers have surpassed your own, faerie-boy! I have the feeling you are only created to make other possible love interests not look so prominent.
The beginning of the book was rather 2-stars in my opinion, but one the whole I can say I did not mind reading the rest and liked it. So, 3 stars it is, which seems to be my usual fairy-story-rating with a few exceptions.(less)

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Jul 24, 2010 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own

A great start to a new series!

I'd never read anything by Jenna Black before although I've heard of her other titles. Wasn't exactly sure what to expect..... but I was impressed.

I enjoyed some aspects of the novel more than others, Dana for one had a great voice. She was easily likable and you could feel empathetic toward her without being annoyed. She knows when she's being stupid or whiny and she catches herself, but even though she sees herself making a stupid mistake, sometimes she just does...more

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Feb 25, 2011 Nan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairy-tale-retellings, family-fiction, fantasy, favorites, young-adult

This is the first Jenna Black novel I've read. While I don't know yet if I want to try her adult books yet, I will definitely pick up a copy of the next book in the Faeriewalker series.

Dana Hathaway is fed up with her mother. They've been moving frequently throughout her childhood and teen years in order to stay off Dana's father's radar, and the moves have made life extremely unpleasant for Dana. Whenever she becomes close to someone, it's time to move again. In addition to the moves, her mothe...more This is the first Jenna Black novel I've read. While I don't know yet if I want to try her adult books yet, I will definitely pick up a copy of the next book in the Faeriewalker series.

Dana Hathaway is fed up with her mother. They've been moving frequently throughout her childhood and teen years in order to stay off Dana's father's radar, and the moves have made life extremely unpleasant for Dana. Whenever she becomes close to someone, it's time to move again. In addition to the moves, her mother is an alcoholic, and Dana is ashamed of her. Since they move so often, Dana doesn't have a friend or support network to help her deal with the situation. When her mom drives herself to Dana's voice recital--falling down drunk--she's had enough.

Dana has always known that her father was Fae. Her mother (when sober) claimed that he was a bad, bad, man and she fled Avalon with Dana to keep them safe. When drunk, she admitted that he was a good guy but that being near him would turn Dana into a pawn in the politics of the Fae. Unable to bear her mother's drinking any longer, Dana contacts her father and arranges to run away to Avalon.

Avalon is a unique city, and one of the most interesting parts of Black's created world. Avalon is the one place that's both within the borders of Faerie and the mortal world. Both technology and magic work in Avalon. Upon her arrival there, Dana quickly becomes enmeshed in the power struggles between people and Fae that she never knew existed. She's kidnapped, and rescued by other kidnappers . . . Everyone wants her in their custody, as her very presence is enough to change the balance of power completely. As the cover copy explains, Dana is a Faeriewalker--the only living person that can cross between Faerie and the mortal realm at will. She can bring magic to the mortal realm and technology to Faerie. As one character explains, she's the equivalent of a nuclear missile.

Through all of this, one thing quickly becomes clear to Dana: she must become capable of securing her own safety. And she needs to learn who she can trust.

I read this novel in less than four hours. As soon as I picked it up, I did not want to put it down, and I'm sure that I read it again before the summer's out. Black has an excellent sense of pacing, and she constantly ratchets up the tension in the book. This book is not literature, but Black's prose is smooth and fits the narrative well. Dana doesn't always make good decisions in the course of the book, but Black does make those choices believable. The secondary characters are interesting, and while most of them want to use Dana for their own ends, their motives are often complicated.

I've been disappointed by many of the YA paranormals in recent years, and this book has many of the tropes that are so often overused (flirting with real social problems like alcohol, a willingness to discuss sex & sexuality, magic on the edges of everyday life, and the mysterious heritage of our otherwise desperate-to-be-normal heroine . . .). However, that said, Black's Avalon and Dana's character are both interesting enough to move beyond the realm of stereotype and into the realm of good storytelling.

I look forward to book two. (The Erl-King? How awesome will he be?!)

Edit: on my second read, I can say that I still really enjoy this book. This time through, I noticed just how much Dana's mother's addiction shapes Dana. Very well done. (less)

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Jun 10, 2010 Sabrina rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. One star. Ah, here I am, feeling disappointed again with what sounded like a promising series. Here's the thing, I know this is a young adult novel but kids aren't stupid. Dumbed down writing/plot/characters does nothing for anyone. Especially when there are such wonderful authors out there who do it right - Richelle Mead, Melissa Marr, to name a few.\\\The writing here is incredibly unsophisticated and the characters so one dimensional and just plain stupid that it was difficult to finish this...more One star. Ah, here I am, feeling disappointed again with what sounded like a promising series. Here's the thing, I know this is a young adult novel but kids aren't stupid. Dumbed down writing/plot/characters does nothing for anyone. Especially when there are such wonderful authors out there who do it right - Richelle Mead, Melissa Marr, to name a few.\\\The writing here is incredibly unsophisticated and the characters so one dimensional and just plain stupid that it was difficult to finish this book.

Dana isn't a bright girl. She flees her alcoholic mother in the States to to the human/fairie city of Avalon to meet her fairy father (for the first time ever) because she's *had enough*. All sorts of unbelievable drama ensues and when Dana's mother shows up she quickly decides that all she wants is her mother sober so she agrees to leave only if her mother agrees to check herself into rehab once they get back to the states. Hmmm. One would wonder why she never pulled the "you better go to rehab or else!" card before now. It apparently never occurred to her which is strange because Black likes to go on and on about how Dana has been an adult for years now, paying all the bills, covering for her mother, yada, yada. Unfortunately there isn't an ounce of real worldliness written into this character. Black just wants us to pretend.

Dana as I mentioned, is not a bright girl. She's instantly attracted to the only two boys that Black introduces her to. Apparently teenage girls are all boy crazy bags of hormones capable of forgiving anything, such as one of the boys almost getting you killed because he was trying to show off. If they don't go for the one with the big magical tricks, they go for the badboys (fairie version of them anyway). One might wonder if Dana has a discriminating bone in her body, but I digress.

The Big Bad turns out to be Dana's Aunt Grace - and whowouldhavethunkit given the icy reception and treatment she dished out to Dana when she arrived in Avalon. And what a big bad she turns out to be. Capable of a few zinger of lines and then, well not so much of anything other than a big "BOOGETYBOO!". But look out for her in book two because she just escaped to Fairie. Sigh.

Really, I am just going to stop here. I was monumentally disappointed in the writing, the character and plot development, and the lack of any substantive world building.

I am not a fan.

(less)

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Jun 03, 2012 Lexxie (un)Conventional Bookviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own, kindle, magic, faeries-and-stuff, read-in-2012

This and other reviews can be found in full on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews.

This was a really good introduction to a series. I really like Dana, she is young, but she is still strong and can take care of herself. I enjoyed both Kimber and Ethan as well, and I am quite sure Keane will turn out to be a good ally to have later too.

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Sep 08, 2012 Grace rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have to say this book wasnt as good as I wanted it to be, but it was still good. I guess is was okay. I hate to say it, but once again I am a victim of cover lust. I mean, look at it! It is one of the prettiest covers I have seen this summer (and mind you I have read 41 books this summer.) Now I will say the pros and cons of this book.
Pros:) Kimber! I just have to say that Kimber, Keane, and Finn were my favorite characters in this book, but Kimber was awesome!
The title! Glimmerglass! Need I s...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Karen Kaiser rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: summer-2011, one-star, fantasy, fiction, pile-of-crap

Disclaimer; I read a few negative reviews of this book before actually reading it myself. This might have colored my opinion, and I won't be making that mistake again.

That being said; I did NOT like this book. AT ALL.

Here are the things I liked about it; The idea of mixing faeries with something as normal as politics appealed to me. It was an interesting mix that, combined with the idea of someone who can walk between two worlds, I had hoped would produce a unique, enjoyable story. And the sett...more Disclaimer; I read a few negative reviews of this book before actually reading it myself. This might have colored my opinion, and I won't be making that mistake again.

That being said; I did NOT like this book. AT ALL.

Here are the things I liked about it; The idea of mixing faeries with something as normal as politics appealed to me. It was an interesting mix that, combined with the idea of someone who can walk between two worlds, I had hoped would produce a unique, enjoyable story. And the setting was cool. The whole city-on-a-mountain idea was kind of interesting to picture, and I enjoyed imagining the cobblestone streets and old-age buildings. The Water Witch was also written very well. It gave me the creeps, if only for a second. And there was an Emo Guy, which served to amuse me.

Here are the things I did NOT like about it (brace yourself); the characters. Dana is sick of her drunk mother causing problems for the both of them. I can sympathize with that. And I suppose I can understand her reluctance to talk to anyone who could've helped, like a police officer or a counselor. After all, who's to say they wouldn't have just thrown her into the foster system? Oh wait. She has a father. They probably would've called him, right? And then she wouldn't have been heading to Avalon quite so blindly. Maybe the book's events could have been watered down with someone helping her from the beginning. So that makes the foundation of the book a bit shaky. Also, Dana seemed to be attracted to every guy with a pulse. First Ethan. Then, when he made her mad and disappeared from the book for a while, she moved on to admiring Finn's impressive physique. And then along came Keane, Finn's son, and she immediately started thinking about HIS impressive physique. Apart from it being kind of gross that she admired both father and son, it was kind of air-headed. It would seem everything else going on was a bit more important than Keane or Finn's impressive chests.

Kimber was nice, I guess, but she didn't seem consistent. First she's an ice-queen, cool and calm and knows how to keep emotional distance, and then she's suddenly the nicest girl ever who isn't above begging for Dana's forgiveness. I seriously doubt Dana had a compelling enough personality to inspire that much loyalty in Kimber after only a few days. So Kimber just felt kind of wishy-washy.

Ethan. So much to say about Ethan. He was kind of amusing at first, as the arrogant, talented player. Then I couldn't help but be mad at him when he used a calming spell on Dana. She overreacted, I thought (instead of running away, why didn't she just chew him out right then and there?), but that was kind of a dick move on his part. But he's a player; it wasn't too unexpected. But then he turned into Kimber. He was suddenly the most contrite guy ever, begging Dana for forgiveness after only knowing her for a few days. I myself didn't like Dana too much, so I was confused as to why Kimber and Ethan were so smitten.

The other characters weren't really note-worthy. Dana's mom was annoying. Her dad was kind of refreshing with his brutal honesty. His snobbiness didn't bother me too much, because we didn't know him too well. Finn was kind of funny, although I thought the situation where he let himself get beaten up for Dana was a bit dramatic and emotionally drawn-out. But that wasn't Finn's fault. Keane was amusing, if only because he was a curmudgeonly emo. So all in all, the characters were not too satisactory.

The plot was a bit lacking. It started with her being held prisoner by her aunt. Then she's whisked away to an underground cave by people she doesn't know. Then she's brought to an apartment. Then an underground safe house. Then her father's house. There wasn't much Dana did herself that ended well, except for a maybe a few phone calls. She ran away to Avalon by herself, but that didn't turn out so well. She ran away from Ethan in the underground tunnels, but that seemed a bit dramatic and not very well thought-out. And she attempted to run away from Avalon, but that almost got her and her mother killed. So everything she did herself turned out badly. And everything else, good or bad, was done for her as people fought over her. Not inspiring for a protagonist.

The ending wasn't good either. I liked how Ethan kind of redeemed himself in the reader's eyes (I couldn't care less if he was redeemed in Dana's eyes), but other than that it was too weak. Her mother sold her for a drink, and that sucks. Her father took advantage of her mother's alcoholism, and that sucks. But her new-found confidence made my eyes roll. It's only AFTER everything happens that she decides to take control of her own destiny? After an entire book of being carted off to different places by different people who may or may not be after her blood? It was a little bit of a delayed reaction, in my opinion. And she called herself smart, which also made my eyes roll. Once again, after everything that happened? She can still call herself smart? She didn't really accomplish anything herself. She just let things happen, although admittedly, there wasn't much she could do for herself. But still, there had to be something more inventive than just sitting and lusting after every guy that came near her.

This book was an ordeal for me. At first it was simply annoying, but by the end it I was almost begging for the pages to run out. (less)

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Sep 04, 2011 Jianne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: If you are looking for a new series to read

Shelves: fell-in-love-with, ibooks, fangirl-for

Glimmerglass is the first book in the new welcoming and profound series, Faeriewalker by Jenna Black. And is in fact, my first Faerie novel to read. Glimmerglass gave me a total insomia while I was reading it, not particularly because I couldn't stop reading but partly because I don't know what rating to give it. 4 or 5? Well, in the end (as you can see), I eventually settled with 5 stars.

“Sorry,” I muttered. “Just because you’re an asshole doesn’t mean I have to be a bitch.”

Dana Hathaway has be...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Seesen9 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: wish-list, fae, fantasy, read-in-english, spectacular-cover, young-adult

Faeriebooks are tricky. Urban faerie books are even trickier. Glimmerglass did a good job, it’s not close to being epic or a must-read, but given the rules and circumstances – I really liked it.

First 60 pages was like “hmmm, OK, not too bad, I just don’t see where it’s headed and what might be special abut it”. But around page 100 I was hooked. It took exactly 100 pages for the characters to stop being so boring stereotypes and for them to develop some depth so that I might enjoy reading about t...more

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May 21, 2011 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nook-books, young-adult-fiction, owned-copy, reviewed, tales-of-fae-and-faery-tales, series-ongoing, 2011-reviews, 2011-reads, coverlove, you-call-it-love-i-call-it-hormones

Jenna Black is a prolific author and though many of her books have been listed in my t-b-r pile for a while, this was my first chance to read one. Big picture take on it: I thought Glimmerglass was a fun, involving and an overall fresh take on the Fae. A good interesting beginning to a new young-adult paranormal series.
Our heroine of half-human, half-Sidhe Fae proportions is Dana Hathaway, a very self-sufficient and capable sixteen year old living in the United States with her burden of a mother...more Jenna Black is a prolific author and though many of her books have been listed in my t-b-r pile for a while, this was my first chance to read one. Big picture take on it: I thought Glimmerglass was a fun, involving and an overall fresh take on the Fae. A good interesting beginning to a new young-adult paranormal series.
Our heroine of half-human, half-Sidhe Fae proportions is Dana Hathaway, a very self-sufficient and capable sixteen year old living in the United States with her burden of a mother, Cathy. Cathy's alcoholism, and the effects on Dana's life are major issues between the two. Dana's struggles to cope with her mother's serious problem and hiding that problem from the outside world was one of the best parts of the novel; Dana seems to have real problems in a life she's legitimately not happy in, thus making her sudden escape to live with her never-before-met-father in the half-Fae town Avalon plausible, rather than just a plot device to get her on her own.
Dana herself was a pleasure. She actually manages to keep her wits about her most of the time. She certainly doesn't ask enough questions when confronted with a clearly sketchy situations and nefarious-seeming people, but overall, she's a pretty genuinely self-aware gal. Another thing I liked was that Dana didn't meet a Fae boy and immediately "fall in love", as unfortunately happens so often in YA novels instead of, you know, actually building a relationship between two characters. When she does meet her gorgeous Fae interest, she is suspicious and keeps her distance, not buying into his "I'm mysterious and here to help you" routine. When he turns out to be kind of a major jerk, she calls him on it and rejects him vehemently, instead of making excuses or ascribing to good intentions at heart. Or, my least favorite stupid-girl cliche of all, assuming she'll figure out all this later on.
However, it was another character, not even the genuine Dana, that was my favorite. Kimber, the brilliant younger sister of the above-mentioned Fae love interest Ethan, was just what Dana needed. She's sharp, both her brain and her tongue, but is clearly a lost soul looking for a friend, much like the loner Dana. The friendship between the Fae and the half-fae American is unforced and a high point for both the girls.
Dana's tone through the book is more wry than filled with pity-me melodrama. She accepts that she's got limited choices and makes the best deals she can in all the dangerous situations she continually falls into during her escapades. For a YA novel, it was refreshingly free of a love-triangle, though the possibility is set up for later novels. I'm not too worried over it, however, because Black seems to actually work on causing genuine tension in the mood of her novels rather than relying on romantic angst and betrayal to do it for her.
Another thing going for this book is originality. The idea of incorporating the Fae into the story of Richard III, the Princes in the Tower, and the War of the Roses was an inspired idea. Pitting the Seelie and Unseelie courts as York and Lancaster gave more depth and interesting history to the series in just one novel. Additionally, the monsters of the book were creative and new. Spriggans were weird and creepily malevolent, as were the pretty-disgustingly-described Water Witches haunting the Moat of Avalon.
Very well done. I read the free novella set in this series a fer years before this book, Remedial Magic, and it had the same light, easy feel as the first book. I have high hopes for the rest of this series.
More of my reviews here: http://bibliophileanonymous.blogspot....(less)

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Mar 22, 2011 Janus Vielle (The Blair Book Project) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-paperback

I never pass up any opportunity to read a book about Faeries, so of course I was engrossed with Glimmerglass.

Since I’ve heard that this was mostly gyrating on Fae politics, I immediately thought this was more on the constitutional discussion, aka the boring stuff. Yes, I’m not a fan of politics. But I was glad that this wasn’t full of that, and I enjoyed reading this.

Dana’s personality was very likable. She marks out to be a convincing normal teenager. She knows every bit of quality that she ha...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Petra Sýkorová rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: faes, young-adult

Konečně jsem našla vílí knihu, která se mi líbila, která mi nepřišla padlá na hlavu a jejíž hrdinka mi nepila krev.

Dana žije celých šestnáct let se svou matkou, která svůj svět utápí v lahvích alkoholu, takže se Dana v podstatě stará nejen sama o sebe, ale i také o celou domácnost a i o samotnou matku. Jenže Dana nechce být dospělou, chce si užít dospívání, tak jak by měla... a proto se rozhodne matku opustit a vydat se za svým otcem do Avalonu. Do místa, které spojuje svět smrtelníků se světem...more Konečně jsem našla vílí knihu, která se mi líbila, která mi nepřišla padlá na hlavu a jejíž hrdinka mi nepila krev.

Dana žije celých šestnáct let se svou matkou, která svůj svět utápí v lahvích alkoholu, takže se Dana v podstatě stará nejen sama o sebe, ale i také o celou domácnost a i o samotnou matku. Jenže Dana nechce být dospělou, chce si užít dospívání, tak jak by měla... a proto se rozhodne matku opustit a vydat se za svým otcem do Avalonu. Do místa, které spojuje svět smrtelníků se světem vílí země.

Dana totiž nikdy svého otce nepoznala a ani v Avalonu nebyla, ale touží mít normální život a hlavně dospělého, který se o ni postará. Netuší ale, že jakmile překročí hranice Avalonu, stane se doslova štvanou zvěří. Je totiž jediným potomkem za dlouhou dobu, co dokáže libovolně přecházet z lidského světa do toho vílího. Někteří ji kvůli její schopnosti chtějí dostat na svou stranu, ale většina ji chce zabít nebo se jí zbavit.

Kniha se mi opravdu moc líbila. Určitě víte, že nejsem velikým fandou vílích příběhů moderní doby a že kdykoliv se v knize mluví o vílí podobě muže, mám tendenci dostávat záchvaty smíchu a představovat si chlapa v kamaších a kamizole, s pérem na klobouku a se špičatýma ušima. Anebo si představím, pokroucenou verzi Zvonilky. Nepteje se mě proč, prostě to tak je. Já a víláci prostě nejdeme dohromady.

Nejdřív jsem zkoušela číst velice oblíbenou sérii Iron Fey, ale tam mě neskutečně iritovala hlavní hrdinka. Už po pár stránkách jsem ji chtěla propleskat. I proto jsem k další vílí knize přistupovala s jistými obavami. Které se ale nevyplnily, protože tahle kniha mě chytla už po prvních stránkách.

Dana je normální hrdinka, která má jenom tu smůlu, že se narodila tomu, komu se narodila. Je to obyčejná šestnáctiletá holka, která se o sebe musela vždycky umět postarat a teď jenom chce, aby se konečně někdo postaral o ní. Vyobrazení vílího světa v téhle knize se mi moc líbilo, protože se o ní normálně ví. Tahle provázanost moderní doby a vílího světa mi přišla logická a naprosto normální.

Konečně jsem se dočkala taky pořádné vílí politiky, kdy nikdy nevíte, na čem jste. Nnevíte, kdo vám lže a kdo je na vaší straně, kdo se vám snaží pomoct a kdo jenom sleduje své vlastní cíle. Za tohle dávám velký palec nahoru, protože to bylo skvělé. Díky politikaření byly i postavy hodně zajímavé, protože i po dočtení knihy nevím, co si o všech mám myslet. Dana je jasná. Ta se mi líbí, to je pořádná hrdinka, která se snaží jenom najít své místo ve světě a musí se vypořádat se všemi klacky, co jí život hází pod nohy. Kromě toho má úplně obyčejné problémy, ať už rodičovské, nebo vztahové. Ale ten zbytek je stále záhadou...

A taková perlička. Jakmile jsem si přečetla, že má Ethan dlouhé blonďaté vlasy, měla jsem tendenci si představovat Legolase :D :D :D Já mám celkově problém s postavami, které mají dlouhé blond vlasy a jsou muži, nějak mi to prostě nesedí :D

Výborná vílí kniha. Už jdu na pokračování.(less)

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Jan 07, 2012 Hp Tan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Faerie fans, EVERYONE.

Shelves: series, ya

This FAR exceeded my expectations!!!!! I'd thought this was yet another gimmicky series, all about the faeries and all. Sounded really cliche: A half-human girl (her other half is always something exotic and cool) runs away from home, into the arms of danger or at least some new adventure, and everything begins from there (i.e. she meets the cute guys, kicks some bad guys' asses, and OBV discovers some cool stuff she can do herself). While the preface cannot be more cringe-worthy at first, I soo...more

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Feb 22, 2011 Michele (Reading Lark/CanadianTwiMom) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own-it, fey-faeries, mature-ya, softcover

4.5 stars as I enjoyed Glimmerglass even more on my reskim!

Glimmerglass is another fun YA story involving faeries.

Dana Hathaway, our main character, is a likeable and relatable 16 year old. She's SNARKY... I loved her inner dialogue! She's had to grow up fast and take on several adult responsibilities because her mother is an alcoholic. She's had enough after her mother shows up drunk at her latest singing recital. After that "last straw", she decides to look for her father, an aristocratic and...more 4.5 stars as I enjoyed Glimmerglass even more on my reskim!

Glimmerglass is another fun YA story involving faeries.

Dana Hathaway, our main character, is a likeable and relatable 16 year old. She's SNARKY... I loved her inner dialogue! She's had to grow up fast and take on several adult responsibilities because her mother is an alcoholic. She's had enough after her mother shows up drunk at her latest singing recital. After that "last straw", she decides to look for her father, an aristocratic and highly political and powerful fae residing in Avalon -- a sovereign land where Faerie and the human world overlaps -- which happens to be in England. Dana is hoping for a better life with her dad... she's looking for someone to take care of her for a change.

Unfortunately, the old proverb, be careful what you wish for, holds true in this story. There's a lot of interest in Dana when she enters Avalon as she soon discovers that she has some very unique and rare gifts that the powerful in both Avalon and Faerie want control over... abilities that they would literally kill for. Because of her gifts, she unwillingly gets caught up in faery politics. Her gifts make her a valuable asset to have on any side... so many different factions in both Avalon and the faerie rhelm are clammering for her... whether by attempting to win her trust or by force.

Dana meets some characters during this adventure that at first appear to be her friends and allies, until she discovers that there are often ulterior motives behind their help. She's left wondering who she can trust (and so are we left wondering the same thing). I felt real sympathy for her situation, even though she, being 16, still makes the odd error in judgement.

There is, of course, some hot romance involving Dana and super-hot fae guy, Ethan. Ethan is a young, highly magical fae, in that he has a strong ability to use magic very effectively. He and his sister Kimber befriend Dana and appear to help her escape imprisonment but she soon finds out that they did have other reasons behind their assistance. Ethan shows an immediate romantic interest in Dana... but she is left wondering if it was all a ploy to gain her trust and allegiance to his father's cause.

I loved Finn, even though he doesn't play any romantic interest... I just loved him!! For me!! ;)

Keane is introduced by again, that same proverb, be careful what you wish for... whereby she asks to be taught some combat training in order to help protect herself and not be the classic damsel in distress. Enter Keane, rebel son of Finn. Although her relationship with Keane is not as well developed in this first installment, we are left believing he will be back in the sequel and have more presence and possibly represent the ever present love triangle (which I don't mind in this story).

Glimmerglass delivers another interesting take on faerie lore. It flows well and it's not a deep/difficult read... it's what I call a page-turner. The ending was good but had me shaking my head at Dana... I mean, I could understand the decision she made as she was becoming very desperate... but I knew the minute she made it... all hell was going to break loose... and it did!

The ending paves the way for a promising sequel... Shadowspell. This story kept me interested and am dying to find out what happens to Dana and her friends (especially Ethan) and family in the next installment. A really good story!(less)

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Nov 24, 2010 A rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

GLIMMERGLASS delivers fast-paced faerie fun!

Dana gets hit with disaster after disaster from the moment she steps into Avalon. Life sucked with her mom but at least she knew what to expect and where people stood. In Avalon, very little is what it seems. Her dad’s in jail when she arrives and her aunt’s “hospitality” proves dangerous. She gets rescued by Ethan – gorgeous and charming – and his sister Kimber. But they have ulterior motives as well. Then Dad finally shows up and turns out his happin...more GLIMMERGLASS delivers fast-paced faerie fun!

Dana gets hit with disaster after disaster from the moment she steps into Avalon. Life sucked with her mom but at least she knew what to expect and where people stood. In Avalon, very little is what it seems. Her dad’s in jail when she arrives and her aunt’s “hospitality” proves dangerous. She gets rescued by Ethan – gorgeous and charming – and his sister Kimber. But they have ulterior motives as well. Then Dad finally shows up and turns out his happiness at her arrival may not be simple paternal love. And because of her powers as a Faeriewalker, people want to kidnap or kill her.

I loved Dana’s voice – sassy, tough, witty - yet she's often lost and vulnerable. She didn’t always make the best decisions. Her behavior could change from mature and smart to juvenile and silly but she was always sympathetic and seemed to be doing the best she could in her new-found crazy situation.

Her initial ga-ga reaction to Ethan was annoying but then he proves less than honest, and she makes some smart decisions on how to deal with him. Kimber turns out to be a sweetheart and they develop a nice friendship. Dana gets this terrific bodyguard, Finn – you know, the dangerous dude with a soft side. His son, Keane, is initiated to help train her how to fight. He’s the brooding bad boy – who’s really not so bad, and one of the only people who’s honest with her. There’s a potential love triangle here and so far, I’m leaning toward Keane…but Ethan is adorable.

There’s so much action going on in GLIMMERGLASS that I didn’t mind that Dana’s powers aren’t developed. Actually, she hardly uses them or even understands them. Yeah, it’s a set-up book but one of the better ones with exploding action and dangerous intrigue dragging you into dazzling drama - what a good time!

The romance stays on the reserved side. While things initially burn hot with Ethan, his deceit cools that fire. And Dana only has a potential spark with Keane. He’s not even around much - it's great when he is and look forward to more. But the action, combined with interesting characters and trying to figure out who’s doing what and why – lots of twists - kept me riveted.

The ending is exciting and satisfying, and while hopeful in some ways, it’s also rather sad because Dana keeps getting hit with disappointment. I’m looking forward to seeing her develop into an even stronger character who masters her powerful potential, and her destiny!

SEXUAL CONTENT: Mild. Doesn’t go beyond a hot kissing make-out session.

COVER: Love it – beautiful and magical!

BOTTOM LINE: Little light on romance, or development of Dana’s powers but packed with action! Spunky protagonist, engaging secondary characters, intrigue and danger peppered with plenty of twists. Love faeries? Grab it! Highly recommended for older and younger teens.(less)

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Jun 11, 2010 Laura rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: goodreads-first-reads, ya-uf-pr

Never has it taken me so long to finish a 300 page novel… I won this book through goodreads free book giveaways, and despite the fact that I knew within the first three chapters that I wouldn’t like Glimmerglass, I made it my mission to finish it, regardless. The main character, Dana is the daughter of a human mother and fae father. When her drunken mother proves to be too much to handle, this 16 year old girl runs away to London to find her father in Avalon (a city where both humans and fae can...more

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Jul 06, 2010 Nic rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, paranormal-supernatural-world, young-adult, fae

Loved it! I was eagerly anticipating this book and it did not disappoint. Glimmerglass had it all. Interesting characters, fast paced and gripping plot and fantastic writing.

I liked Jenna Black's take on Avalon and Fairy. It was just effortless to read. I also loved the characters. Dana is a strong character that I instantly liked. Her possible love interest, Ethan, was my favourite character, he was witty and gorgeous. He makes some mistakes along the way but I think him not being so perfect is...more

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May 23, 2011 Krys rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: medium-length-book, young-adult, fairy-pixie-themed, first-person-narrative, english-setting, read-in-2010, need-to-finish-did-not-finish, urban-dark-fantasy-paranormal, series

Well, that's the third book this week that didn't stick. I picked up Glimmerglass by Jenna Black...and, suffice it to say, it was not a win. This may be due to the fact that this week I had some personal crises going on that didn't allow me to focus, but you know.. the books might not have been that stunning to begin with.

Anywho, Glimmerglass...right. Dana's Mother is an ex-denizen of a mystical place called Avalon. Dana has never met her Father, a Fae man who has always been after them. Dana's...more

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Aug 02, 2010 Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own, covers-to-die-for

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, intrigue, teen

Dana is half fairy and half human, but she has lived with her human mother all her life. Her mother is an alcoholic so she runs away to her father. Not an unusual a plot. In Avalon Dana learns she is a rare faeriewalker. That means she can bring magic into the human world or technology into the fairy realm. This makes her a tool that all the various factions want to use. [return][return]This should have been more interesting than it actually was. Most of the book Dana is under the control of var...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Kate rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I didn't like this book, for two reasons.

The main character, Dana, spends most of the book being a victim. She isn't allowed to be active. Yes, she runs away from home at the beginning of the book, looking for her Fae father, but then she only reacts. She (view spoiler)...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dana hatte es bisher wirklich nicht leicht in ihrem Leben. Eine Mutter mit Alkoholproblem und ein ständiger Wohnungswechsel machen es nicht gerade leicht Freundschaften zu schließen. Ihren Vater, eine Fee, hat sie nie kennen gelernt, was unter anderem daran liegt, dass dieser in Avalon lebt. Die Stadt, die das Tor zwischen der Menschen- und der Feenwelt ist. Als Dana es nicht mehr aushalten kann mit ihrer Mutter zusammen zu leben, beschließt sie zu ihrem Vater zu fliehen und dort ein neues und...more Dana hatte es bisher wirklich nicht leicht in ihrem Leben. Eine Mutter mit Alkoholproblem und ein ständiger Wohnungswechsel machen es nicht gerade leicht Freundschaften zu schließen. Ihren Vater, eine Fee, hat sie nie kennen gelernt, was unter anderem daran liegt, dass dieser in Avalon lebt. Die Stadt, die das Tor zwischen der Menschen- und der Feenwelt ist. Als Dana es nicht mehr aushalten kann mit ihrer Mutter zusammen zu leben, beschließt sie zu ihrem Vater zu fliehen und dort ein neues und sorgenfreies Leben zu beginnen. Nur leider entwickelt es sich alles andere als Sorgenfrei.
Kaum in Avalon angekommen geht der Ärger erst richtig los. Was soll man auch machen, wenn man von der eigenen Tante entführt wird, um gleich darauf von einem unverschämt gutaussehenden Feenjungen gerettet zu werden, der jedoch nicht der ist, der er zu sein scheint. Immer mehr gerät Dana in die Welt von Avalon und der Feen und weiß bald nicht mehr, wem sie noch trauen kann.

Ich bin wirklich sehr positiv überrascht von dem Buch. Ich habe die Geschichte um Dana und Avalon sehr gerne gelesen und habe Dana richtig ins Herz geschlossen. Sie ist ein sehr sympathischer Charakter, den man gerne auf ihrer Reise begleitet. Durch die Ich-Perspektive konnte man die Handlungsweise und die Gefühlswelt von ihr wunderbar nach vollziehen. Der lockere und humorvolle Schreibstil hat sein Übriges getan und ich war vollauf begeistert.
Aber auch die anderen Figuren in dem Buch haben viel zu bieten. Jeder einzelne Charakter hatte etwas Besonderes und es gab einige Überraschungen. Die Geschichte wurde zu keiner Zeit langatmig, im Gegenteil. Ich wollte unbedingt wissen, wie es Dana nun weiter ergehen wird und welche Entdeckungen und Erfahrungen sie noch machen wird.
Auch die kleine Liebesgeschichte zwischen Dana und Ethan fand ich sehr gelungen und hoffe, dass man im zweiten Teil noch einiges über sie lesen wird. Aber vielleicht gibt es ja auch da eine kleine Überraschung?!

Fazit:
Wer auf der Suche einer leichten und lockeren Geschichte mit humorvollem Schreibstil ist, ist bei diesem Buch genau richtig. Von mir gibt es ganz klar eine Leseempfehlung!(less)

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Nov 25, 2012 Nakita McDonagh rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dana is half-Fae, living in the human world with her alcoholic mother. When her mother pushes it too far, Dana hops on a plane to Avalon, England, the only place where the Fae and humans can walk together--it's also where her Dad lives. However, Dana is about to be hurled head first into a political power struggle that may end up with her life being put on the line. She's a Faeriewalker, the only known being that can walk in both the human world and the Fae world--and everyone wants a piece of h...more Dana is half-Fae, living in the human world with her alcoholic mother. When her mother pushes it too far, Dana hops on a plane to Avalon, England, the only place where the Fae and humans can walk together--it's also where her Dad lives. However, Dana is about to be hurled head first into a political power struggle that may end up with her life being put on the line. She's a Faeriewalker, the only known being that can walk in both the human world and the Fae world--and everyone wants a piece of her.

I had a huge problem with Glimmerglass. After reading the reviews for the next two books in the series and discovering that a certain character I dispise will not be, err, killed off, I am struggling to click the purchase button on Amazon. Ethan is a powerful fae who can wield magic better than almost anyone--and he likes everyone to know that, especially his less talented sister, Kimber. Strike one: he's egotistical and that is so unattractive. Unfortunately, Ethan is mega-hot and he knows how to flatter the ladies, so Dana falls for him. After using a bit of magic on Dana to help her "loosen up" for their make-out session, Dana swears to never trust him again. And even though he later redeems himself somewhat, I still can't stand him, or the fact that Dana acts like an idiot around him because he's good-looking.

The romantic plot is a sub-plot. It isn't the main focus of the story, but I know that in the next book Dana and Ethan will date, and two other boys will be involved into a horrible love-triangle scenario, and that bothers me...a lot. Dana also seems to be attracted to pretty much every male she comes itno cotnact too. Finn, then his son Keane...it's hard to get a grip on what's going on, because I know the next book will also introduce a new male character who also catches Dana's eye............

Dana is strong, mentally. She has morals and sees the Fae world for what it is--cruel and unfair. Unfortunately, that's just how it is. I like her fresh prospective of things, and I like that she's learning about the Fae world along side the reader. She has a wicked sense of humour (the whole Victoria's Secret scene was hilarious). Despite her father's cold, distant way fo dealing with Dana, I like him. I also like Finn and Keane (I prefer his surlyness and attitude to Ethan's sneaky ways) and Kimber is, once you get past her ice queen exterior, a nice girl.

There's action, comedy, romance (I think I've already stated my opinion on that aspect) and mystery. I love fantasy woven in, and I love that Jenna Black has created a whole new world right in our backyard and has made it seem like a place I'd love to visit.

I just can't get over Ethan. *Sigh*. I won't hold out for long because Jenna Black writes amazing stories that will intrigue anyone, but I sincerely hope either Dana wises up, the whole love-triangle thing doesn't get too out of hand, or Ethan is killed off.

No joke.(less)

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Nov 10, 2012 Zoe rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: No one I liked.

Shelves: faeries, magic, fantasy, romance, childrens, teen, supernatural

If I could give it zero stars and make it affect the overall rating, I would. I shall not recommend this book to anyone I like, or anyone that wants a decent novel to read.

I read the first chapter and deduced it was one of the crappiest chapters I had read in a while, yet I still persisted giving the author the benefit of the doubt. Yet another female protagonist running away from home, this time to the home of the faeries Avalon, escaping the drunken charade that is her mother. The girl appears...more

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Glimmerglass (Faeriewalker #1)

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