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Haven (Winterhaven #1)

by Kristi Cook (Goodreads Author)

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 5,468 ratings · 686 reviews

Violet McKenna thought she was crazy when she had a vivid vision of her dad’s murder—but when her premonition came true, her life fell apart. Then she found a new school: Winterhaven. There, Violet fits right in. All the students have special “gifts” like her own, and she quickly finds a close group of friends. But Violet’s attraction to an alluring boy becomes problematic...more

Hardcover, 401 pages

Published February 22nd 2011 by Simon Pulse

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2011 Debut Authors (Young Adult and Middle Grade Lit.)

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Feb 07, 2011 Morgan F rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Twilight & Hush. Hush fans

Shelves: young-adult, 2011, galleygrab, goodreads-author, new-school, boarding-school, fantasy, romance, its-a-girl, i-haz-powers, good-sized, read-2011, vampires, werewolves, e-book, debut

Transformer cat will eat you! RAWR

For some reason, My review keeps coming up twice because the "more" is right in the middle of the spoiler, so I'm adding extra characters to see if it helps.

"Eh." That pretty much sums up my assessment of HAVEN. Kristi Cook is a smart cookie (heh, unintentional pun!). She travels some pretty well-worn territory that is guaranteed to get her a solid YA audience. Her book really doesn't have anything original, but is rather something more like a composite of popul...more

53 likes · like · see review

Jun 06, 2011 kari rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya, books-i-choose-not-to-finish

Seriously? SERIOUSLY???
A new girl at a school (boarding school this time to try to make it unique and different so people won't notice the been there,read that factor), wanting to fit in meets the hottest boy in school whom all the girls want and who never gives his attention to any girl, but this boy is strangely drawn to the new girl. He is otherworldly handsome, IS COLD TO THE TOUCH and can read minds.
Where have I read this plot before?
Think, think, think.
Wait a minute.
Isn't there that on...more

35 likes · like · see review

Jan 08, 2011 ~Tina~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, read-2011, favorites, cover-crazz, own, young-adult, paranormal, e-book, netgalley-e-galley, re-read-challenge

Haven was one of my most anticipation reads for 2011 and I'm thrilled to say that it did not disappoint!
I LOVED it!!

Kristi Cook pens a fantastic debut! It's smoothly paced with a very natural flow to comprehend everything that is going on.
This book as everything I look for in a great read. Likable characters, boarding school setting, supernatural and paranormal elements, romance, mystery, suspense, no mean girls and finally, no love triangles (not that I mind them).

There is so much I want to s...more Haven was one of my most anticipation reads for 2011 and I'm thrilled to say that it did not disappoint!
I LOVED it!!

Kristi Cook pens a fantastic debut! It's smoothly paced with a very natural flow to comprehend everything that is going on.
This book as everything I look for in a great read. Likable characters, boarding school setting, supernatural and paranormal elements, romance, mystery, suspense, no mean girls and finally, no love triangles (not that I mind them).

There is so much I want to say, but I know I'll just end up spoiling and I can't do that. I want others to experience this at first hand, so I'll keep this short. Or try to anyways;)

I liked every single one of the characters, everyone felt mature and easy going.
The girls, Kate, Cece, Sophie and Marissa were all awesome with fun talents. I liked the instant friendship connection they shared with Violet, it never felt fake.
Violet is a strong MC that carried the story well. I thought her reactions through out the story was spot on. Her ability is a mystery in it shelf. Very creepy, but in a good way.
Then there's Aidan. He has a very sharp charisma, mysterious, alluring and extremely swoon-worthy. The relationship wasn't rushed in my opinion. In fact, the off-again on-again was frustrating and so were the secrets. Necessary, but still a bit frustrating. Never the less, Violet and Aidan shown great chemistry and spark and I really enjoyed there get to know moments and the complications that they are faced with. A very yummy couple!

The storyline was actually a real big surprise. I knew that it dealt with supernatural gifts and talents but I didn't realize there was a hidden element to the story. I could see it coming, gradually as I was reading, but still, it was a nice surprise and one I very much approve of.

Basically I just loved this book! It was such a fun read. A totally me read, and I loved every minute of this and never wanted it to end.
A brilliant and awesome start to what I'm hoping is the beginning of a series. A series I very much plan on devouring.

Amazing debut! More please!!!!

(Arc provided through S&S galley grab)(less)

27 likes · like · see review

Apr 10, 2011 Kristy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-think-you-should-read-this

Spoilers littered throughout.
“I’m happy to see the true spirit of friendship thrive here at Winterhaven,” Mrs G. continued. “Vampire, lycan, shape-shifter, Sabbat-all coming together as friends, despite their differences, despite their natural instincts. It’s a rare thing, isn’t it? If only the rest of the world could take notice.”

I’m glad I had no clue what this was going to be about before I read it. I would have just pushed it aside and really missed out. I thought I was tired of vampires, bu...more

11 likes · like · see review

Jan 17, 2011 Nic rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, debut-2011, arc, read-in-2011

Hmmmmmm, please excuse my review. I am not quite what to say about Haven. Have you ever read a book, while reading it enjoyed it but as soon as you finished completely forgotten about it? Well that is Haven for me. It was good but it just lack that something special, there is nothing really to make it stand out from all the other the young adult paranormal romance reads.

The things I enjoyed :

- The mystery and all the hidden secrets. I love trying to figure out every little secret and enjoyed be...more

13 likes · like · see review

Feb 26, 2011 Damaris (GoodChoiceReading) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, for-fun

WOW! I don’t even know where to begin…

I am one of those people that judges a book by its cover. The minute I saw the cover for Haven I was pulled right in and I just had to get my hands on a copy. When I was given the chance to read Haven by the author herself, I was ecstatic. It was simply one of those books that you just KNOW is going to be good.

Well, it was good alright, in fact it was more then good! It was AMAZING! I loved everything about it! From the first page to the very end, I was glue...more

8 likes · like · see review

Jan 14, 2011 Crystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

I really liked this one. I can't deny certain similarities between this and well you know the "book" that seems to be the trademark for paranormal these days but, there were enough surprises that I felt like it delivered a solid and unique story.
Violet finds herself in a new boarding school after the death of her father. She has always been different but little does she know that what makes her different will make her ordinary in her new school. Violet of course garners the attention of the mos...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 25, 2011 Isamlq rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Haven starts with a girl going to boarding school. Only she isn’t just a girl, and it isn’t just a boarding school. Violet has a secret, and everyone she’d told thought she was crazy (Soul Screamers? ) And the boarding school was no ordinary school either (Balthazar, are you there?) There she meets a hot aloof guy (Me, picturing that scene from that movie, in a science class where the female MC attempts to subtly catch a whiff of herself.) They fall in love only he’s all “I MUST not encourage th...more Haven starts with a girl going to boarding school. Only she isn’t just a girl, and it isn’t just a boarding school. Violet has a secret, and everyone she’d told thought she was crazy (Soul Screamers? ) And the boarding school was no ordinary school either (Balthazar, are you there?) There she meets a hot aloof guy (Me, picturing that scene from that movie, in a science class where the female MC attempts to subtly catch a whiff of herself.) They fall in love only he’s all “I MUST not encourage this foolish mortal's misguided/uniformed attachment of me only I love her so…” (JK!) Then half way through the novel, a group who would kill to have a prophecy come true pops out from his past. So Violet McKenna isn’t just a girl with her secret anymore she’s a girl with a role in said prophecy (Angel? Buffy? Is that you?) Missing was Giles, English accent, tweed coat and all. Oh wait, Dr. Blackwell could very well be the English professor type I’m looking for. Suffice to say, the book reminded me of a lot of things. Haven, on its own? Well, what can I say?

Did I hate it? NO. Did I love it? NO. So, let me settle for a “did I enjoy it?” It had its moments. I hated it because it read like Evernight and host of other books. I liked it because it didn’t take itself as seriously as some other vamp books tend to do. Now, would I recommend it to anyone else? It really depends on what one is after. Vampire lovers will probably get a kick out of it. It’s another of those star crossed teenage couples. One where, not one, but both of them are ‘special.’ People who like Hex hall might(?) like it; particularly, Violet McKenna’s sense of humor. That she mocked his teenage-angst convinced me that she wasn’t the total drip I had thought she was. The chapter titles if not obvious were pretty catchy too.

The other characters were not as well developed as I would have liked. They’re the backdrop against which the two MC’s are emphasized. I mean it. All we know is Cece is a brain; Marissa is kind of creepy/intimidating while Kate is totally in love with her beaux, Jack. They are the support... because against them, we see Aidan’s hotness/awesomeness/etc etc. And then we see just how ordinary (or special?) and out of the loop Violet is.

So (a) vampires (b) star crossed teenage angst love thing was OK.

The thing that had my eyes glazing over was when Aidan would turn scientific explaining this and that then comparing his kind to malaria caring mosquitoes. The first time he did that, I got it; he need not have beat the horse bloody! Then Propagators? Propagators? Seriously? I was hoping for a romp into paranormal romance in the same vein as Hex Hall or at least the Ghost and the Goth. But no, because midway through the book a bunch of anti-vampirism cure vampires pop out of nowhere.

(eARC thanks to Simon & Schuster's galley grab program.)(less)

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Jan 25, 2011 Danny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: november-2010, arc, 2011-debut, bea11, signed

I loved this book! I started Friday night and finished it Saturday morning and I really enjoyed every page!

Full Review at the Bewitched Bookworms

Ok, what do we need for a good story, a story you enjoy? First of all we need a good story and a nice plotline. Then we need ( which is even more important) characters you can fall in love with. A main character that doesn't annoy you and of course ... a swoon worthy mysterious guy! Oh and of course, the love! *le sigh*

Full Review will come! But put th...more

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Mar 06, 2011 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-100-book-challenge, 2011-release, books-i-own, mundie-moms-reviews

Haven has a great mix of paranormal characters, and I liked how they're all brought together to attend the private Winterhaven school for the "gifted". The secondary characters are fabulous! They're "real", supportive and just fun characters to read about it. I had a really hard time with Violet and Aidan's characters. I couldn't picture them in my mind, like I could for Joshua or Cece, Violet's roommate, and I felt more connected with the supporting characters than I did with main ones. I'm not...more Haven has a great mix of paranormal characters, and I liked how they're all brought together to attend the private Winterhaven school for the "gifted". The secondary characters are fabulous! They're "real", supportive and just fun characters to read about it. I had a really hard time with Violet and Aidan's characters. I couldn't picture them in my mind, like I could for Joshua or Cece, Violet's roommate, and I felt more connected with the supporting characters than I did with main ones. I'm not quite sure what is about Violet that I didn't enjoy. With Aidan, I liked getting to know his past history, but I couldn't get past my bias about him to really like him. The way he acts reminded me of another beloved YA character (leaving out spoilers), and had I been able to separate the two I think I would have enjoyed him more and possibly even felt the "Aidan effect", which sadly didn't happen for me. I was also annoyed with how hot and cold Violet and Aiden's relationship was through out the story. I think part of my problem was hearing all this hype about Aiden, and then not feeling it as I was reading about him.

I really enjoyed the setting, Winterhaven, a private school for truly unique and gifted students. Think X-Man, but for paranormals. I liked the mesh up of talent and the variety of characters there. It wasn't hard to picture the school or the beautiful school grounds in my head. I can't forget Aidan's house. I would love to see his house in person.

Kristi's writing flowed well for me and it did keep my interest. I liked that she threw in minor twists to keep the story exciting. Just as I thought I had something figured out with Aidan or Violet, I liked the other twists that were added to make each character's gifts truly unique. I was pleasantly surprised with the direction Kristi took her story. In the beginning I felt that there were too many similarities to some other YA books, which I felt took away from the book having a unique voice of it's own, but with the second half I felt the book grew into it's own and I was more engaged with the story. The only thing I wanted to see more of in the end was a longer fight scene. I felt it was too built up to have it end so quickly.

Haven is a good read and I can see what the draw is about the book. Do not let the cover fool you, though I think I may have missed what it has to do with the book. I'm looking forward to reading more of Kristi's YA books, and the next ones in the series. I would recommend picking Haven up, as I think a lot of YA fans will really enjoy the story. There is some mild language and a reference to a non graphic sensual scene. I would recommend this to teens 14 & up.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

May 11, 2011 Wanda (Good Choice Reading) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-favorite-books, own

First of all let me begin by saying I love love love loved this book. I had problems putting this book down. It was that good. And once I finished reading it I couldn't wait to share my thoughts with Damaris. And we spent a good half hour just talking about it. We're such nerds. LOL.

So in this book you have Violet, a sweet teenager who moved to New York with hopes of leaving her secrets behind. But little did she know that everyone at Winter Haven had secrets of their own. As she settled in and...more

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 30, 2011 Kiki rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I am definitely a fan of Kristi Cook now! I have not touched a vampire novel since the Twilight Saga, and I happened to stumble upon this one by accident. However, no regrets! Every possible mainstream paranormal creature you could imagine finds its way into this cleverly written story of destined love caught in a twist of fate, karma…call it what you will. The theme of reincarnation has fascinated me once again!

Violet McKenna, a 17-year-old teenager, finds herself entering the halls of Winterh...more I am definitely a fan of Kristi Cook now! I have not touched a vampire novel since the Twilight Saga, and I happened to stumble upon this one by accident. However, no regrets! Every possible mainstream paranormal creature you could imagine finds its way into this cleverly written story of destined love caught in a twist of fate, karma…call it what you will. The theme of reincarnation has fascinated me once again!

Violet McKenna, a 17-year-old teenager, finds herself entering the halls of Winterhaven, a safe haven for teens with special gifts and talents. Having just lost her father, she moves to New York with her stepmom, Patsy, leaving her Gran and Lupe, her Gran’s maid, behind in Atlanta. Violet’s real mom passed away when she was just a baby.

Violet has had visions since she was a child. Visions foretelling the future, of things yet to come, and these visions are never a good thing—they always come to pass. Everyone whom she has warned has told her she was crazy, psychotic. Even her own father refused to listen to her.

Leaving her best friend Whitney behind, she finds herself quickly surrounded by new friends. Her roommate, Cece, and Cece’s friends, Sophie, Kate and Marissa. All of the girls have special gifts which Violet learns about very quickly on, and the girls soon become close friends of Violet.

Then there’s Aidan Gray—she senses something different about him from their very first encounter. He is handsome, hot and most definitely eye candy. Blonde and blue-gray eyes….pale and perfect. Violet is drawn to him without knowing why or understanding what her connection to him is…until they go on their first date. Slowly but surely, everything starts to fall into place. Violet’s tortured visions of Aidan start to come together as she discloses each detail to Aidan with each occurrence.

I have to say, Violet and Aidan are completely adorable. She’s got it bad for him, and he’s got it bad for her. But, his bloodlust and physical lust cause such tormented angst that he has to back off every time. It is heart wrenching, every single scene they have together, knowing what he is and what she will become. That’s what sucked me in, literally. And I couldn’t wait for more.

And so the plot thickens, and I’m turning each page without realizing the end of the book is drawing near. My my, when the Winterhaven warriors (i.e., precogs, empaths, vampires, lycans, shape-shifters, etc.--just awesome) come forth and battle, Violet’s most crucial vision will be tested. And what she is and has yet to become, will it be enough to destroy her love for Aidan? He is so willing to sacrifice himself for her…and yet, I wonder if she feels the same way.

Mortal enemies, ill-fated love and a destiny that will bind Violet and Aidan together, forever...I hope. Oh the tears…so sad, so sweet, and so tormented. These simple, yet very sentimental words, are what makes Haven’s characters so special to me, and what makes me want to keep reading long after I’ve finished the last page.
(less)

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Feb 10, 2011 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 5 of 5 stars

What I like most about this book was how easily it flowed. I enjoyed the writing, the plot, and most of all the characters. Violet is joining a new school in which she feel inexplicably drawn to. She also carries a deep secret she has been holding her whole life. With one day on campus, she meets Aiden who has seem to not only catch her eye but she has captured his heart as well.

I loved Violet. She is a character who I can relate to right away. She is strong, beautiful, and took everything in a...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 09, 2011 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars

*4.5*

In today's YA world there's a lot of paranormal books out there, and while all of them have interesting ideas, very few have the ability to have me completely entranced in their worlds. Luckily enough, Kristi Cook's Haven is one of the few, because not only is it a refreshing and unique paranormal read but it's a book you can't help but read in one very long sitting; a good sign indeed.

Haven begins with Violet's very first day at Winterhaven, an elite boarding school. At Winterhaven, Violet...more *4.5*

In today's YA world there's a lot of paranormal books out there, and while all of them have interesting ideas, very few have the ability to have me completely entranced in their worlds. Luckily enough, Kristi Cook's Haven is one of the few, because not only is it a refreshing and unique paranormal read but it's a book you can't help but read in one very long sitting; a good sign indeed.

Haven begins with Violet's very first day at Winterhaven, an elite boarding school. At Winterhaven, Violet is hoping to officially start over. This time she won't be the girl who has startling and omniscient visions, instead she just be a normal teen girl leaving a normal life. And at first it is that way. She manages to make some great friends and finds her place, because as it turns out this is a school were everyone has "gifts" similar to hers. Though, everything changes the day Aidan walks into her. Aidan is different from all the other guys at her school. He's quiet yet brilliant and completely intriguing and he just may be the guy for Violet, but with his presence comes Violet's strongest visions yet, visions that could mean the end of Violet and Adrian. So, will Violet be able to take control of everything before it all goes awry? And is her relationship with Adrian nearly as great as it seems? Only time and more pages will tell in this amazing story of one girl's path to discovering herself as well as the secrets that lay on her path.

Violet was a character I loved from the start. Like most girls in today's YA, she's trying to find her place in this crazy world, and with that comes the development of the many friendships and relationships I loved reading about. Better yet, Violet's a strong girl; she's someone who while has her moments of weakness like us all, manages to stand up for herself and her friends time and time again. Furthermore, I really liked how her relationship with Adrian wasn't always perfect, because it made it much more real to me than having her in one that never has problems.

One of the first things that made me want to read this book was the premise. I love books about boarding schools, especially when the said boarding school involves students with "gifts." Luckily enough, the execution of that idea proved to be great! I adored all the plot lines and ideas Ms. Cook introduced in this, and how she constantly used the setting of Winterhaven in her favor. Better yet, when tying the plot together with her well-developed characters and writing, this story proved to be made of awesome.

If you're looking for a refreshing and unique paranormal read, well look no further because Haven is the book for you. Filled with interesting plot lines, well-developed, relatable characters, and a swoon-worthy romance, this a book that manages to have it all and more!

Grade: A(less)

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Mar 16, 2011 Caitlin rated it 2 of 5 stars

I haven't finished it yet. I shouldn't be giving it this rating (2.5) but here I am.

I got about 20% into the book and so far nothing amazing has happened nor nothing incredibly annoying. The prose is nice. The characters are...eh, normal. The book itself is a cliche--girl attends gothic, dark east coast boarding school. Something's weird about it...OH! Everyone has specialabilities? Really? Ohmygod! SO DOES THE MAIN CHARACTER!!!!!1@#$$## Oh? Did you just say there's a hot guy that just seems st...more

4 likes · like · see review

Mar 23, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-general, young-adult, read-2011, training-schools-supernaturals

Meh. This isn't a bad book by any means, but there's no new material covered in it. Boarding school, check. Mysterious boy, check. Girl adjusts to new powers, check. Rundown of kids with different psychic abilities, check. Etc, etc...so the relationships, the characters, the way everything gets done better be really pretty interesting. Unfortunately, aside from one lovely scene involving a moon and a first date, there's not much emotional depth or originality here--and the plotting/action isn't...more

13 likes · like · see review

Mar 28, 2011 Zemira Warner rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, boarding-school, stupid-characters

Ugh... finally done with this one. First of all I gotta say that I've been dying to read Haven since October last year. And now that I've read it I am disappointed.
It was all about Aidan and who he really was and nothing other where their (Violet and Aidan) relationship is going. Well,maybe something happens on the last 20 pages but other than that is the whole deal of this book.
And this girl-Violet she is like some kind of a freak. She would rather sit in her room alone than face her friends...more

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Aug 17, 2011 Pam Vlieg rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read the first half of Haven and admittedly thought the book was going nowhere. I disliked the main character and her decisions and her needy behavior. Then I had an epiphany. Pam you are thirty-one years old. How did you act around boys when you were sixteen? Immediately my outlook on this book changed.

I still am not enamored by the first half of the book, the school at Winterhaven is interesting enough but I wanted to hear more about Violet’s friends and her life at Winterhaven. I felt that...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 26, 2011 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-abigail

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

I hate this cover. And not because it’s dull, plain, and uninspiring (I still have no idea why there’s a giant butterfly on the front). I hate it because it completely turned me off of this book so that I almost didn’t read it. And then I would have missed out on a story that is deeply romantic and tragic in a way that pierces your heart and makes you long for the impossible.

HAVEN doesn’t really break new grown with it’s plot, in fact it borrows heavily...more

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Feb 01, 2011 Serena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, read-in-2011, urban-fantasy, favorites, vampire, werewolf

Plot: *warning, may be a little fan girlish* I was DYING to read this book. I had heard a little bit of a hype surronding this book (and got to chat with Kristi Cook a little bit at the Book Blogger Chat) so I just had had had to read it. I LOVE boarding schools, I don’t know why but whenever a book is based at a boarding school I just absolutely want to read it. So.. Kristi has given me a book with a boarding school.. throws in a little Twilight (which I think is a GOOD THING) and a little bit...more

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Jan 07, 2011 Jaime (Two Chicks on Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Haven was a refreshing read I really enjoyed this book! Debut author Kristi Cook has created a world where having an ability isn't a bad thing.
Violet is a stong heroine dealing with scary visions of the future. At first she thinks she's crazy, but when she enrolls at the Winterhaven boarding school in New York she come's to realize that she isn't. Every other student at the school has an ability of some kind. She soon fits in and forms close friendships with her roommate Cece and her group of...more

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Feb 26, 2011 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book wasn't what I was expecting but it turned out to be pretty good. I am looking forward to the next book to see what is going to happen.

This book is about the main character, Violet, who is attending a boarding school for kids with special "gifts", although she doesn't realize it at first.

The beginning of the book Violet gets to know some of the girls and guys at the school and she learns the ropes of the place, so to speak...Not awhole lot of action takes place, but there is definitely...more

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Jan 10, 2011 Lani Woodland rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. I liked the whole concept of the book. I also liked the reaction Violet had to her boyfriends secret. She actually was scared/worried/upset. I didn't know Aidan's secret when I started reading so I only figured it out a short while before Violet did.Lots of twists, turns, action and romance. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. :)

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 05, 2013 Courtney rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, ya-fantasy

I wasn't too impressed with Haven.
There were obvious rip offs-
Mysterious Aidan Gray helping Violet on her first day of class....he doesn't talk to girls, but he talked to her. And he's got a secret...
So clearly stolen from Twilight.
Then there is the photo of the girl who looks like Violet, only her name is Isabel.
Vampire Diaries.
And the last part which wasn't a huge deal but is still not original was the boarding school for supernatural people.... X-Men.

The characters were original and the...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 19, 2011 Tabitha Swoonk rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-be-burnt, all-stephanie-meyer-s-fault-shelf

It has come to my attention that all YA books are practically the same thing just with different covers and titles. You know that cliche plot where the new school girl arrives school, does not fit in at first, then falls in love with the hottest guy who keeps secret because he wants to protect her. Yeah that one.....

If I could not tell what disaster this book was going to be after looking at this book, then I'm probably also a cliche dumb girl as well. Honestly, look at the cover, I have the sam...more

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Jul 20, 2011 Pricky rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, vampires, werewolves, i-want-to-be-twilight

It seems to me that the latest (view spoiler)genre just seem to repeat itself over and over again:
1. New girl at school
2. Meets mysterious cold-blooded boy
3. Girl and Boy have some cosmic connection to each other
4. Girl and Boy must resolve some relationship conflict to why they "can't" be together.

Sound familiar?

While I really enjoyed Cook's writing style, there were too many similarities (view spoiler)(yes,...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 29, 2011 Jenna Christy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm gonna make this quick.
t'was a fun read.

what I like: boarding school! (i'm a fan, really!), + cool school! (movie house inside? crazy! plus cafe, bookstores,etc. was it a mall or something? haha)

what made me think/confused: I have to say the book's story was like TWILIGHT+VAMPIRE DIARIES+FIRESPELL+IMMORTALS+HARRY POTTER (mix it all together) = (and VOILA! you have) HAVEN!
EXPLANATION: (to be fair)
twilight- similarities: vampire thing, reading thoughts, the repulsion/drawn thing going on, someh...more I'm gonna make this quick.
t'was a fun read.

what I like: boarding school! (i'm a fan, really!), + cool school! (movie house inside? crazy! plus cafe, bookstores,etc. was it a mall or something? haha)

what made me think/confused: I have to say the book's story was like TWILIGHT+VAMPIRE DIARIES+FIRESPELL+IMMORTALS+HARRY POTTER (mix it all together) = (and VOILA! you have) HAVEN!
EXPLANATION: (to be fair)
twilight- similarities: vampire thing, reading thoughts, the repulsion/drawn thing going on, somehow Violet is unique for Aidan-the FIRST look+ going to the CLINIC!+SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD! (I mean, what's up with that age anyway?)+ vampire agility and abilities- coldness,etc.
vampire diaries= how to kill a vampire (stake through the heart)+girl looks alike w/the EX+ other abilities (manipulating,etc)
firespell= gifted children on boarding schools
immortals= the elixirs, cure, etc
harry potter= okay, it's only because the ENDING reminded me of HP. how the climax entered, injured people, then talking with HEADMASTER+GOING TO THE INFIRMARY. JUST weird,lol

btw, hated the parts when some conversation repeatedly used the same expression such as "oh my God!" (i forgot the other ones, it irritated me that's why maybe i forgot them,heeh) some scenes were useless like vision of Patsy (i don't get the significance of that one)+ the love the have for each other didn't seem strong. cuz Violet can stand not being with Aidan, I mean even if she was angry,still. and Aidan, he didn't really pursue her when they "broke up". hmm, i just thought..but it's not bad that they CAN still have their pride and independence on.

TO BE FAIR, again. some quite unique stuff
1. he's a vampire. she's a vampire slayer (at least the girl&boy reason why they're OPPOSITES is knda diff)
2. there's Violet's relationship with stepmom Patsy, kinda appreciated that she still is a parent to her despite you know, she's not her real daughter...
3. she has visions
4. if you notice, Violet's appearance was not described in detail,lol
5. i love it when guys call their girls "love", it's the sweetest most serious term of endearment for me. (:
6. THE vamps have heartbeats.

a fun read, indeed. (less)

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Apr 25, 2011 Micaela rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Maybe

Recommended to Micaela by: No one

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really enjoyed the beginning of this book, however, as the book went on I became more and more infuriated with debut author Kristi Cook's choices.

When Violet Mckenna's stepmom takes a new job in New York City she is exiled to the elite preparatory school Winterhaven. Though the school first appears normal Violet soon realizes that is not the case because every student at The Winterhaven school is a psychic, including her and finally violet is able to find peace with the disastrous visions of...more I really enjoyed the beginning of this book, however, as the book went on I became more and more infuriated with debut author Kristi Cook's choices.

When Violet Mckenna's stepmom takes a new job in New York City she is exiled to the elite preparatory school Winterhaven. Though the school first appears normal Violet soon realizes that is not the case because every student at The Winterhaven school is a psychic, including her and finally violet is able to find peace with the disastrous visions of the future that have terrorized her her entire life. Just as Violet is settling into the life Winterhaven has laid out forher she somehow can't help but feel something isn't right, and it doesn't help that the hottest boy in school Aiden Grey is always eyeing her and sending her obscure mixed signals. Violet is in for a lot if she thinks this is just going to be a normal school year, but at least she will have her friends Cece, Kate, Sophie, Marissa, and Jack to help her figure it out.

There were a few saving graces in this book, the first being the group of friends Violet surrounded herself with, I believed the friendship for every second. Cece, Sophie, Kate, Jack, and Marissa were amazing supporting characters and I liked the connection they shared with the protagonist of the novel. Another was the clear cast system at the Winterhaven School. How the group of popular kids picked on the shapeshifters for no reason. It was very reminiscent of actual high school.

I was very excited for this book because I was really into a novel about psychics, however I was sorely disappointed since the novel actually turned out to be about vampires. For a long time I have been trying to avoid novels about vampirism (especially since the Twilight fiasco of 2008), howver the is barring the Evernight series by Claudia grey which I encourage everyone to read. So, when about halfway through the book Aiden revealed he was a vampire I was very upset. Upset because I had gotten attached to characters that turned out to not be what I perceived them to be. Whcich was a huge letdown.

Overall this was a good debut for Kristi Cook, but it did not necessarily live up to my expectations. However, since I stayed up till three am last night to finish I can't really say it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat. (less)

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Jun 13, 2012 Linda rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-release, urban-fantasy, romance, vampires, young-adult, psychics, reviewed

Previously published on my blog: http://fictionfervor.wordpress.com/20...

I was so incredibly disappointed with this book.

When I first heard about this book, I immediately put it on my to-read list. After all, a few of my book blogger friends had recommended it, and it was published by Simon & Schuster! I mean, what could go wrong with that?

I was so, so wrong. Haven was the epitome of a Twilight wannabe. Here’s an outline for you:

1. Girl goes to new school in new city/town.
2. Girl gets new fr...more

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Mar 27, 2011 Naomi rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Alright, I'm going to start out with this: I neither liked nor disliked this book. It was just...there. I think this book failed to do much of anything. And I would say it's main problem: it tried too hard to be original so it added too many ideas to try accomplish this.
I think that it should have gone with the psychic idea minus the vampires and werewolves. Winterhaven is so well discribed, so well planned out, and I think she should have gone with that. But it honestly felt like (yeah, you kno...more Alright, I'm going to start out with this: I neither liked nor disliked this book. It was just...there. I think this book failed to do much of anything. And I would say it's main problem: it tried too hard to be original so it added too many ideas to try accomplish this.
I think that it should have gone with the psychic idea minus the vampires and werewolves. Winterhaven is so well discribed, so well planned out, and I think she should have gone with that. But it honestly felt like (yeah, you know what I'm going to say) a rip-off of twilight.
This book had such a good beginning though. An honors student that fences with precognition powers. It was so unique and I started to say, "I'm going to really like this." Then unfortunately, here comes Aidan and they instantly have a connection. This was the point where I screamed, "NO!" Aiden was, of course, the guy that never dated anyone other than her former self (like Fallen by Lauren Kate). Aidan is off and on, cold and hot (like Fallen's Daniel). Girl is fine with this (like Luce from Fallen). Aiden believes Violet is his curse, being reborn again to make him suffer, (like Evermore by Alyson Noel or Fallen by Lauren Kate).
The only thing that saved me from hating this book, like I hated Evermore and Fallen, was the psychic school, the fact that she had friends who also had gifts, and some new ideas to the whole vampire thing. I also liked the fact that she changed up the vampire thing and made it a cureable disease and that the guy is trying to find a cure. I think I would have hated this book if not for those things. But then now I'm just at a stand still. I'm not hating or liking this book. It's somewhere in between. I think this is a good example of trying to follow the crowd (i.e. Vampire Theme) and then trying too hard to make it your own (only causing you to add in too many ideas that didn't simply work out). I will not be reading the next book, it's a trilogy for those who don't know. I know it left a lot of unanswered question, but frankly, I'm happy with never knowing some of the answers. Tad bit interested in knowing if he finds a cure, but I have a feeling that he will. And I'm going with that feeling. I'm not recommending this, but mainly because I'm left with neither hating or liking this. It's kind of sad....(less)

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Did anyone else think aiden and Blackwell were vampires	11	29	Oct 29, 2012 06:06pm
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“Call me old-fashioned, but I wanted to be persued, not the persuer.” — 52 people liked it

“The true freaks are the ones who don't believe, the narrow-minded people who have no faith, who can't see what's right in front of their eyes.” — 47 people liked it

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Haven (Winterhaven #1)

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