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Abandon (Abandon Trilogy #1)

by Meg Cabot (Goodreads Author)

3.74 of 5 stars 3.74 · rating details · 16,545 ratings · 2,404 reviews

New from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a dark, fantastical story about this world . . . and the underworld.

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is...more

Hardcover, 304 pages

Published April 26th 2011 by Point

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Apr 28, 2011 Lamia rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: mythology, kindle, 2011

This can also be seen at The Book Eater .

WARNING: This review contains mentions of wanting to throttle, strangle and maim book characters, and includes potentially traumatizing pictures.

Just look at this summary. Go ahead, read it.
It's amazing, isn't it? And the cover. It's gorgeous. The premise is mysterious, intriguing and lovely. I was SO excited for this book, you don't even know. I think my entire twitter feed knew the instant it was out.

This is why I'm going to be a little hard on it. Beca...more

like 218 likes · see review

Jun 01, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: No one who can't stand heroines like Bella Swan, Luce Price, or Nora Grey

Shelves: 2011-reads, could-have-been-better, disappointing-books, reviewed

I am usually a reader who can honestly take anything if a good story and characters are presented to me. No matter the flaws, some books can be saved by likability factor alone in my eyes. Some books just resonate and can rise about their flaws and imperfections to be enjoyable and wonderful. Abandon, sadly, is not one of those books. While I may be able to take Greek retellings in various forms -- though, sorry, I will never be able to see the logic behind Hades being a virgin or Zeus condemnin...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Steph Sinclair rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: No one. Scratch that--Twihards

Recommended to Steph by: Myself *shame*

Shelves: young-adult, scholastics, greek-myths, 2012-reads, abusive-boyfriends, all-the-wrong-choices, ahhhhh-my-eyes, can-t-believe-i-finished, creepy-lover, didn-t-care-for-it, disappointment, door-stopper, glad-it-s-over, hated-it-with-a-firey-passion, heroines-i-want-to-shake, i-blame-twilight, kill-it-with-fire, le-sigh, lots-of-fail-going-on-here, no-stars-for-you, no-just-no, rubbish, serve-me-up-insta-love, where-s-my-chocolate, what-kind-of-ending-was-that, why-why-why-did-i-read-it, youve-got-to-be-kidding-me

NO STARS.

I've heard a lot about Meg Cabot's books. And it may surprise people to know that this was actually my first Meg Cabot novel. I'm not completely unfamiliar with her works. One of my favorite movies of all time was adapted from one of her novels-- The Princess Diaries. All that being said, I think I made a huge mistake in having Abandon pop my Cabot novel "cherry".

Insta... love.

Guys, this book has INSTA LOVE!

Deep breaths, Stephanie. Deep. Breaths.

It took me till page 300 to realize why I...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Scarlet rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, i-own, mythology, fantasy, paranormal, covers-i-love, favorites, re-telling, review

4.75 STARS

-Review-

"HOLY. CRAP."

Those are literally the words that came out of my mouth after reading just the first page of this book.

I mean WOW, what another amazing book by Meg Cabot! (She seems to write non-stop, doesnt she? Haha).

Abandon, to give you a brief summary, is the re-imagined tale of Hades and Persephone, starring main character Pierce Oliviera. She knows what it's like to die, because she's done it once before. But now death wants her back.

The Main Things I liked:

Pierce: I've been...more

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Jun 02, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-arc, books-i-own, signed-books

I love Meg Cabot. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE! (I am totally PSYCHED to finally meet her in person this month too!!) But that's beside the point! Now that I have that out of the way.... lets get to the review.

I love Meg's writing, her books are so easy to read and so entertaining. I never worry about picking up one of her books because I know that it's going to be wonderful and Abandon was no exception.

I will say that the story started out a little slow for me, but I really connected with Pierce as a c...more

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May 22, 2011 Bridget rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya

Oh man I hated this book. I only picked it up (well, downloaded it - audiobook) because when I was a little girl, my favorite character in Greek mythology was Persephone. I thought it would be fun to read a re-imagining of the old classic story.

NOT SO. Let me enumerate the ways I hated this book. There may be spoilers ahead.

1. All the present-tense narration happens over the span of about 36 hours. The rest of the book is chopped-up flashbacks sprinkled liberally and erratically throughout the s...more

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Jun 24, 2011 Melannie :) marked it as to-read

It looks awesome
and it IS gonna be AWESOME

I mean, Meg? Paranormal again?
that can only lead to awesomeness

CAN'T WAIT

*update February 22.
Just read chapter 1, and ohmygod,
it is so good, misterious and dark,
why aren't you coming faster April?!? oh why?!?

*I'm sooo buying like 2 more copies of this book!!!

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May 13, 2011 Ashleigh Paige rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazon-vine, the-decent-shelf-of-meh, wearing-my-nostalgia-glasses, arc

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker. I received my copy through Amazon Vine.

Pierce Oliviera drowned when she was fifteen and she hasn't been the same since. When she moved to Isla Huesos, Florida with her mother after her parents' divorce, she hopes to start over and forget about everything that happened in the wake of her temporary death. Too bad John isn't going to let that happen. She doesn't know quite who he is, but she knows that he's not human. Whatever he is, she will have to be caut...more Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker. I received my copy through Amazon Vine.

Pierce Oliviera drowned when she was fifteen and she hasn't been the same since. When she moved to Isla Huesos, Florida with her mother after her parents' divorce, she hopes to start over and forget about everything that happened in the wake of her temporary death. Too bad John isn't going to let that happen. She doesn't know quite who he is, but she knows that he's not human. Whatever he is, she will have to be cautious of him. If she's not, he may just take her back to the Underworld and keep her there.

Cabot has a rare gift: the ability to keep the reader glued to her books through her writing. She knows just when to stop the chapters so that you've got to turn the page and find out WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON and every now and then, she'll throw hints out there to make the reader keep going so they'll find out what's going on. Even in the numerous moments where I was irritated with Abandon because thoughts weren't expanded on or flashbacks kept interrupting scenes, I didn't want to stop reading. The plot went like "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzOMGCLIMACTICSCENEover" for me as it unfolded over three days, but that never bothered me once. Who needs plot or character-driven stories when your style is enough to keep people reading?

Another gift of Cabot's is to write spirited, witty heroines you can't help but cheer for even when they get irritating. This time around, she tried for a more introverted heroine in Pierce. In heroines, I ask for them to be two simple things: flawed and interesting, in that they make me want to learn more about them. Pierce isn't short of her flaws (she's rather slow, selfish and selfless all at once, a little bit of a pushover, doesn't think before acting) and I like that she's not perfect, but she missed the boat on being interesting. She's the same plain heroine I've gotten used to seeing in young adult paranormals. Considering the author and what I know she can do, this makes me sad. I was never sold on John either, or the romance between the two; his mood swings and any lack of romantic development between the two kept me undecided.

Despite being a young adult paranormal and therefore entitled to be a little unbelievable, I had no trouble believing this could be real and happening in our world because of how the very minor characters act and the detailed setting. The nasty things humans will do to one another, like blame the victim of a crime for something that wasn't their fault and persecute each other for being in a program like New Pathways or being the child of someone who was in jail, are all too real. Not that I want to read about people blaming victims or persecuting each other because I think that's wrong and should be changed in real life, but it was exactly what many people would do and I respect that the decision was made to have the people be nasty instead of nice. If they'd been nice, I would have felt something was up and my suspension of disbelief would be broken just like that.

I'm sad it looks like the sequel will take place largely in the Underworld because considering all the little hints of things to come in Isla Huesos, I would prefer to read about that. What does Alex have planned? (Probably nothing good.) What about our minor characters like Alex and Uncle Chris and the mom, the people who showed some signs of three-dimensional potential? I want to read about them, not Pierce being trapped in the Underworld and most likely romanced by John! My hopes are the romance gets some emergency life injected into it, Pierce stops thinking "I have to help him" because no you don't, and there is more of Pierce's family.

AND IF I SEE THE PHRASE "CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOURSELF" ONE MORE TIME, I AM GOING TO SCREAM BLOODY MURDER.

While it's good to know that Cabot hasn't lost her gift for writing stories that captivate me and keep me reading whenever I have spare time, but the experiment of writing a heroine who is not spunky and witty and such didn't work out very well. I will take serious good word to make me pick up the second volume Underworld. And I mean trusted-reviewer-friends-give-glowing-reviews kind of good. If I may be so excused, I must read a little bit out of the Mediator books on my shelf to make myself feel better. I would prefer Suze over Pierce any day and if you've read the Mediator books, this really says something about Pierce.(less)

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May 26, 2011 ~Tina~ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, bookers-pick, young-adult, read-2011, retold, paranormal

(3.5stars)

I've always struggled with Cabot's books. Besides her Mediator series, the rest of the books I've read from her were just okay, so I'm really very surprised I enjoyed Abandon as much as I did.

Actually, the only thing that really bothered me about this book, is what bothers me with all of Cabot's books. Her writing style. I think it's that she can never.just.say.it. Even in her dialog, she has to have a running thought attached to it and it feels like she draws everything out in long, l...more (3.5stars)

I've always struggled with Cabot's books. Besides her Mediator series, the rest of the books I've read from her were just okay, so I'm really very surprised I enjoyed Abandon as much as I did.

Actually, the only thing that really bothered me about this book, is what bothers me with all of Cabot's books. Her writing style. I think it's that she can never.just.say.it. Even in her dialog, she has to have a running thought attached to it and it feels like she draws everything out in long, long long explanations, and while one would call it being mysterious and dramatic, I would call it making the reader (me) dizzy and impatient. So why do I keep going back to her books? Simple, cause she knows how to deliver a good paranormal plot and provoke intense and complex characters. Which mind you, is exactly what I found with this book.
So while I might not ever be a fan of the way Cabot writes, I have to admit, she knows what she's doing.

Okay, for starters, I'm going to push aside the whole re-telling of Persephone and Hades. Yes, this is a re-telling of sorts, but it was more of an idea around them that Cabot used. The twist she's created for John and Pierce's story is not exactly different, but it's also not the same. John works for the Underworld and fell for a girl who rattled feeling back into his very dark life, and as for Pierce, besides the whole being kidnapped bit, actually returns her feeling for him as well. The plot-twist was believable and intriguing and I really enjoyed the necklace and the Furies added into the mix.

Funny enough, I didn't like a lot of the characters in this one. I did like our protag, Pierce, and thought she was very sweet. I liked how she cared for life and everything in it and that she can hold her own. For some reason her cousin, Alex, I liked in the beginning but then bothered me later on. Her parents weren't really in the story and I don't think she had any real friends. I did like Richard Smith though, and thought; finally an ally thrown into the mix! But if I'm being honest here, it was John who totally owned this book for me. I don't know why I find brooding characters so unbelievably sexy, but I do. Despite John's thunderous temper and the fact that he's frustrating and presumptuous, underneath it all it's not hard to recognize the tourtured soul and the potential for kindness. Call me a sucker, but he's the kind of character that will always have me swooning over. I wish the storyline was centered around him and the Underworld rather then the boring high school blah blah, but thankfully it didn't last to long and I have high hopes for the sequel. The flashback-chapters did a good job of letting the reader relive the past with Pierce and understand her dilemmas more, which also gives us a better understanding to where John fits into all of this.

The ending warped-up a bit to fast in my opinion, just when it was starting to get really interesting, so again, I have high hopes for the second book. Cabot really knows how to make her readers curious.
Basically, this book surprised me. I was all prepared to hate it and went in with zero expectations, but I ended up really enjoying myself and finally found a glitch when it comes to Cabot's books.
Skip her contemporary and stick with her paranormal.

Very much looking forward to seeing what she has planed next for Pierce and John in; Underworld!(less)

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Jan 06, 2013 Nina ♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-in-series, favorites, ridiculously-hot-guys

3.75 stars.

My second Meg Cabot book (I know, lame) and it did not disappoint!

Oh, my. I loved it! Mind you, I found some aspects of this novel completely ridiculous, but the good parts more than made up for it. I admit, at first I thought it would be a light, fluffy, quick read, with cute characters and plenty of laughs--this is written by Meg Cabot after all, and she's the queen of chick-lit--but this was so much more than that.

I love reading about modern retellings and myths in general, so it's...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Sandra Howard rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: cover-love, fantasy, first-on-series, mythology-inspired

We all wonder what it would be like in the afterlife.
Will be taken to heaven, hell or will we remain in the in between.
Pierce had a glimpse of what lies after we die.

Pierce died.
She caught a glimpse of what it was like in the Underworld.
She was supposed to stay there until she successfully escaped.
She thought everything would be back to normal.
But she was wrong.
She hasn’t been normal since.
Pierce and her mother moved to Isla Huesos where they thought they’d get a new start.
But the more Pierce tr...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Kristi-The Book Faery rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: one-sit-reads, ya-mythology, ya-pub-date-april-11, ya-series

Meg Cabot's Abandon was a gripping dark tale that had me at page one. As YA PNR Fictional Mythology is becoming more and more popular, it's becoming increasingly difficult to maintain originality. Being a lover of mythology, I am overjoyed with books that are imaginative and creative yet still stick to the original concept. Abandon was one of those books.

Abandon is not only extraordinary but extremely entertaining with a creative twist intertwining modern day times with age old mythology but th...more Meg Cabot's Abandon was a gripping dark tale that had me at page one. As YA PNR Fictional Mythology is becoming more and more popular, it's becoming increasingly difficult to maintain originality. Being a lover of mythology, I am overjoyed with books that are imaginative and creative yet still stick to the original concept. Abandon was one of those books.

Abandon is not only extraordinary but extremely entertaining with a creative twist intertwining modern day times with age old mythology but the thrills, chills and suspense factor is what kept me reading well into the night. There wasn’t as much outward romance as I was expecting but the undercurrent was there and it was powerful! I’m so thankful this is a trilogy because I think Ms. Cabot has only scratched the surface of her incredibly imaginative and creative version of the Underworld mythology. Personally, I can’t wait to read more about John and Pierce but I am also interested in the secondary characters, which played a critical part in the book. A One-Sit-Read for this reviewer!

Abandon tells the tale of Pierce, a teenager who is incredibly empathetic and born to privilege. Life was good for Pierce until she died. Pierce escapes the keeper of the Underworld, John, in what I can only describe as a truly fantastical mythical way. Afterwards, Pierce seems to be troubled and from others perspectives, violent as opposed to seeing this as a second chance at life or a miracle, as most think she should feel. But, they don’t know the truth; they don’t know about John, keeper of the Underworld and apparently, keeper of Pierce. When violence occurs every time Pierce is threatened she is blamed for the violence that occurs until finally her mother takes her to a small island off the Florida Keys where she grew up and where her family still resides. It’s there that Pierce starts to get answers to questions, questions about things she didn’t even know existed until she moved there. Things that just may land her in the last place she wants to go back to: The Underworld.

(less)

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Jun 04, 2011 Lilyxjames rated it 5 of 5 stars

"I might look like a honey-eyed schoolgirl on the outside, in my skirt with its regulation four-inches-above-the-knee hem. But I'll rip those tassels off your shoes, old man. Just try Googling me."

Oh dear, I loved this book so much. As a huge The Mediator fan, I have been looking forward to it since Meg Cabot announced she would be writing another paranormal series. And when she said it would be retelling of the myth of Persephone, I was counting days to the release day. As expected, she did it...more "I might look like a honey-eyed schoolgirl on the outside, in my skirt with its regulation four-inches-above-the-knee hem. But I'll rip those tassels off your shoes, old man. Just try Googling me."

Oh dear, I loved this book so much. As a huge The Mediator fan, I have been looking forward to it since Meg Cabot announced she would be writing another paranormal series. And when she said it would be retelling of the myth of Persephone, I was counting days to the release day. As expected, she did it again. She nailed it brilliantly.

I understand why some people didn't like this book. With its dark atmosphere, it's very different from everything Meg Cabot has written. In her books, we are usually introduced to a strong and likeable main heroine with typical girly problems who has always a sarcastic remark in hand and makes us laugh a lot. Pierce is definitely not one of them. You can tell from the very start that she's been through a lot, she is quite an outsider despite being beautiful, not really stupid and having a famous and rich dad. Since she...well, died, she lost the only friend she'd ever had and everyone thinks she's crazy. She looks at the world with these sad, tragic eyes and doesn't really enjoy her life, she hides from it. Then there's John, the hot and mysterious keeper of the Underworld she's trying to escape from. Too bad he keeps popping up when she most needs him and endangering everyone who lays a finger on her. That leaves her torn between feelings of fear and some kind of affection for him, and she might be starting to feel something more...

It's so hard to describe this book because so many things were happening there and yet, when I think about it, not really. The half of the book was told in flashbacks. I thought it would be focused on the love story but it wasn't. The first book in the series was about getting to know Pierce, finding out what actually happened to her that made her the way she was... about getting to know lots of interesting characters - Pierce'family, people from her previous life, people she encounters on Isla Huesos... Pierce's famous father was one of my favourite characters, I found him incredibly funny with all his yelling and "Do you know who I am?!" attitude. There may not have been many Pierce & John scenes but when these two were together, my heart beat so fast! Their chemistry was electrifying.

I was very surprised at the direction this book took. I consider Meg's books quite predictable - it was never particularly difficult to guess who the villain was going to be. Not in this case. I had no idea who the bad guy was until it was revealed in the penultimate chapter.

To sum things up, I NEED 2ND BOOK, LIKE, NOW!!! I am very glad that bad reviews didn't influence my decision to read this novel. I'd say it's one of the best books Meg's ever written.
(less)

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Aug 27, 2011 Chelesbells rated it 4 of 5 stars

17-year-old Pierce Olivieria is still struggling to get through the day, even though its been 2 years since she died and came back to life. Yeah, that’s right - died. Pierce didn’t see any “white light” though - she saw something entirely different, and that something haunts her every day. Someone is always watching - someone dark, dangerous and handsome. John Hayden is no guardian angel, but he has saved her life twice. Is John really there to protect her, or is he who she needs to be afraid of...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Annabelle Marie Veronica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-that-made-me-cry, favorites, gorgeous-cover, i-love-a-guy-in-this-book, i-own, fantasy, paranormal, romance

FINAL RATING: 3.25 STARS

Abandon was breathtaking and beautiful I was caught up in Pierce's life until I was unable to recognize hers from my own. I was pulled in and I couldn't let go without knowing what happened next. I felt everything that Pierce felt; I became her in more ways than one.

The plot was edgy, mythological and terribly modern. It was unique and original. Everything about it kept me on my toes as I read the book; there was not a single moment where I felt like putting the book down...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, mythology

Apparently, unbeknownst to me, this was a retelling of the story of Persephone, but I won't be able to really compare or critique on that point because I haven't read the classic story (I know I'm lame); I only know the very basic -queen of the underworld- myth and as I read a few of the reviews I've noticed those who have read the classic tale don't like it as much. Nevertheless, I thought it was fresh and original - a fun read with a hint of mystery and a few twists.

This is going to be a trilo...more Apparently, unbeknownst to me, this was a retelling of the story of Persephone, but I won't be able to really compare or critique on that point because I haven't read the classic story (I know I'm lame); I only know the very basic -queen of the underworld- myth and as I read a few of the reviews I've noticed those who have read the classic tale don't like it as much. Nevertheless, I thought it was fresh and original - a fun read with a hint of mystery and a few twists.

This is going to be a trilogy so the first book is mostly the setup to initiate us to her world and characters. It wasn't full of fluff, though. There is definite plot and interesting story line developments. Of course, there is also Greek mythology involved which is interesting in of itself.

Let's start with the characters. The protagonist, Pierce, is a bit skittish, but likable nonetheless. I could easily relate to her and understand her emotions. The secondary characters weren't especially developed but due to the advancement of the story, I imagine we will get to know them more in the following books. This one was primarily about Pierce and her relationship with John - which is very love/hate. John is… I haven't quite figured him out really. He's like a charming jerk - but that may simply be perception since his motives weren't all disclosed. So we'll see where it goes.

The writing was good. We're told Pierce's story with the past and present interwoven. So we get snippets of what happened in the past that helps keep the story intriguing and mysterious. It does take a while to get all the pieces into place, but I liked the slow pace. The author took time to build up the intensity and details in the story; It was never boring. The ending though seemed a bit abrupt; just when things started to get real interesting, it ends. But I will forgive this since it's the first in a trilogy, so it's obviously not really over.

Oh… and what's with all these men wearing tasseled shoes? Ick!

As a solitary book, since nothing much happened I would have felt underwhelmed, but I know it's only the beginning of a story and I still found the plot and characters very intriguing. It kept my interest and I really hope the sequel won't disappoint.(less)

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Apr 23, 2013 Katya rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, young-adult

You guys, I was so excited about this book. I generally really like Cabot's work, and a retelling of the Persephone myth? Sold! Not to mention that the heroine is (arguably) a WOC. I was like, no way can this book fail!

I was wrong.

It was going pretty well until I was about two-thirds through the book. I had been hooked by the 'mystery' and wondering how it was all going to come together. And then it started coming together. And then I started wanting to throw the book across the room because I...more

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Jun 01, 2011 Misha rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi-apocalyptic-myths

Writing this review actually make me sad and guilty because I hate writing anything negative about a Meg Cabot book. I first discovered Princess Diaries when I was 11 years old and fell instantly in love with Meg Cabot's books. I loved the Princess Diaries series and the Mediator series even more! I haven't a read a Meg Cabot book since I was around 16, but I have happy memories of her books. Now I just wish I had not read Abandon, just so I could preserve those memories.

Abandon is a new take on...more Writing this review actually make me sad and guilty because I hate writing anything negative about a Meg Cabot book. I first discovered Princess Diaries when I was 11 years old and fell instantly in love with Meg Cabot's books. I loved the Princess Diaries series and the Mediator series even more! I haven't a read a Meg Cabot book since I was around 16, but I have happy memories of her books. Now I just wish I had not read Abandon, just so I could preserve those memories.

Abandon is a new take on the Hades-Persephone myth. Pierce, the main protagonist, finds herself in the "Underworld" similar to that of Hades', after she nearly drowns. There she meets John, whom she had previously met at her grandfather's funeral when she was a little kid. She somehow manages to escape the Underworld, but John seems to appear everywhere she goes, especially when she's in trouble. She can't seem to escape from him. After an incident, she moves to an island where her mother's family lives. However, trouble seems to follow her there too..

When I first read the synopsis for the book, I nearly fainted from excitement. The premise seemed so enticing; and I was sure it was going to be as amazing as The Mediator series. The reality? The synopsis is actually hundred times more exciting than the book. I feel really deceived! Nothing actually happens throughout the book. Most of the book is about how Pierce landed in the Underworld and how she escaped from it; and her previous meetings with John. I kept waiting for something even remotely exciting to happen, but the book finished and nothing happened.

I would not have minded the lack of a plot, if the character development was well done. However, every character is one-dimensional. I cannot remember liking a single character. As for Pierce, I hated her! There is not one likable quality about her.The only words I can use for her is - Spoilt brat! She's selfish, shallow, hypocritical and appears to be lacking a brain. She is portrayed as being someone who is not materialistic, yet she does and says stuff which makes her exactly so. When she gets into trouble, she says things like "You want money? Fine! My father will give it to you" . (Please keep in mind that's not an actual quote from the book). Her father ends up with a seven figure lawsuit due to Pierce's actions, but her reaction to it is as if it's an amusing thing. As in - "Haha How funny that I caused my father to be sued for seven million!" Seriously! Througout the book, it's been repeated again and again how "caring" she is. I just don't see it! None of her actions make her look "caring".

I don't know what to say about John because I know nothing about him. He's just another one of those generic dark, "bad boy" love interests with a tragic past. I do not understand how Pierce falls for him, considering that she seems to hate him for the most part. John gets angry often, sometimes violently angry and aggressive. He even tries to keep Pierce in the underworld against her wishes. He creeped me out and frightened me, but didn't make me go weak at the knees (as I suppose I was expected to?)

I missed sweet, awkward Mia from Princess Diaries and snarky, kick-ass Susannah from The Mediator; I missed the humor that sets Meg Cabot's books apart; I missed Jesse (from The Mediator) and Michael (from Princess Diaries) who were truly swoon-worthy.

Overall:
It saddens me to say so about a Meg Cabot book, but it has every element that annoys me in a YA PNR novel:
- Annoying main protagonist who makes me want to inflict some kind of violence on her (and believe me I am not a violent person!)
- Dark dangerous love interest (I guess he was supposed to make me swoon, but he only made me yawn - he was that boring!)
- Actual Plot = Nil

I wanted to give this book one star. The extra star is because of how much I used to love the author's books.

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Jul 08, 2011 Hirondelle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

So Meg Cabot does the shivering beautiful troubled teen meets some dark mysterious dude with supernatural powers and Destiny involved. I was expecting more snark, and maybe something a little less literal.

Honestly this book is a hot mess, a everything but the kitchen sink thing: Death and NDE, Persephone myth (not a spoiler), boarding school, deprived high school, bullying a mystery thrown in. With a mostly non linear, flashback sequence for the first half which was awfully confusing; and a uns...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Carolina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: super-awesome-cover

I think this book was too good for my own sanity!
John!!! I loooove you boy! You can kidnap me, 'kay? Day or night!
And Pierce? You scape that damn place again (which I know you will, and that's plain sad) and hurt Jonh, I myself will got after you with the fury of a mad person!(Even if I understand your reasons... but still!)
I'm living for the next book! And poor Jade... And Pierce's grandmother!! It never ocurred to me and that's just fascinating!!!

Four stars, and damned be hell if Meg Cabot is...more

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Aug 17, 2011 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really liked this book but now I'm totally frustrated! It's the first in the series which means I have to wait till the next one comes out to find out what happens! Arrrrrgh!

I love the retelling of Greek Myths, so it's no surprise that I would adore "Abandon". Pierce Oliveria, a rich man's daughter, is standing in for Persephone in this tale. John Hayden is a wrongfully murdered sailor playing the role of Hades. Oh, and he's totally hot.

Pierce had met him first as a 7 year old, then again at a...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Auntb rated it 4 of 5 stars

Abandon by Meg Cabot.
Reviewed at: http://ya-sisterhood.blogspot.com/201...
Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany
Release Date: April 26th, 2011 (Get your Pre-Order on, kids)
The Sisters say: Spooky, Swoon-worthy, and Scintillating
EDIT: Currently giving away an ARC on the blog. Contest ends 4.13.11

Abandon all hope ye who enter here?

Try abandon those attempts at sleep and read this book in one sitting!

It’s hard to remember the first Young Adult book I read that captured me all those years ago, but I do...more

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Jul 22, 2011 Laurel (The Book Garden) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, bought-from-second-hand-store

More of a 3.5....I couldn't stop flipping the pages, but I wish there was a little more development in this book. I wish a little more had happened, and you learned more about the mythology of the Underworld. (I do know the Persephone myth, I am a lover of Greek Mythology,) but I wish it had been twisted and more detailed.

Review to be up on blog soon!

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Apr 28, 2011 Sheri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Sheri by: ARC provided by publisher

~ A timeless Greek myth brought to modern times with a unique slant that titillates the heart. Cabot has masterfully cast Death as one of many (thought of) death deities, who's been hardened by his circumstances. The reader slowly watches his heart open wide as he, like Hades, finds what he's lacking in a human girl. And in this case, she's just a little tweaked-side of normal. ~

On the outside, the story itself has typical teen nuances as well as struggles: the girl who doesn't quite fit it, a f...more ~ A timeless Greek myth brought to modern times with a unique slant that titillates the heart. Cabot has masterfully cast Death as one of many (thought of) death deities, who's been hardened by his circumstances. The reader slowly watches his heart open wide as he, like Hades, finds what he's lacking in a human girl. And in this case, she's just a little tweaked-side of normal. ~

On the outside, the story itself has typical teen nuances as well as struggles: the girl who doesn't quite fit it, a family that is all but normal, a move of location, and a secret--the girl has a near-death experience only she's not just near Death; she chats with Him. What's even more unique is that Death is a main character--and he's hot. Eventually, the reader even discovers that he's sensitive and has a conscious.

There's a bit of a historical twist threaded within the plot, giving it depth and a natural verve. The story simply isn't a modern remake of Hades (the reigning king of the underworld) and Persephone (his love interest). It's so much more.

Cabot does a wonderful job of taking that story from Greek mythology and implanting it in today's teen society. The MC, Pierce, is authentic, as she's not only trying to normal--with a death deity longing for your loins, that's not all that easy--but fit into a new school with the typical high school cliques and head games.

The initial element I always notices about a book is its cover. The first words are so important in a story, but in reality the initial impression is in the dressing--the cover. Abandon's artwork is beautiful, simple, and elegant. I usually make a mental note of the cover while I'm reading, trying to find the relation between the coating of the book and the story itself. And within this cover...here lies a message.

After I'd finished reading, I realized that the title does have a more symbolic meaning them anything else. Many people have felt Abandoned in some form or another and at some point in their life. Many of Cabot's characters in ABANDON have experienced the lost of being abandoned or at least the feeling of such emotion.

I would recommend this book to any paranormal and/or romance enthusiast, as well as those interested in Greek mythology. (less)

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Jun 02, 2011 kari rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya

I'm giving this three star, but I wish I could give it more. Meg Cabot is one of my favorite authors. Her heroines are sarcastic and funny and loving and witty all at once and I've enjoyed her writing a lot.
This story is kind of all over the place and maybe for the beginning of a series, that's okay. The plot, from Pierce's voice, tends to jump from present to past and sometimes this confused me a bit, like when she is in high school thinking about an event that happened at another high school s...more I'm giving this three star, but I wish I could give it more. Meg Cabot is one of my favorite authors. Her heroines are sarcastic and funny and loving and witty all at once and I've enjoyed her writing a lot.
This story is kind of all over the place and maybe for the beginning of a series, that's okay. The plot, from Pierce's voice, tends to jump from present to past and sometimes this confused me a bit, like when she is in high school thinking about an event that happened at another high school she attended. It was a little distracting, but I felt that it actually reflected the way Pierce's brain is working since she had a near death experience (NDE) ending up in the underworld or an underworld.
While I like what I've seen of the character of John, their relationship doesn't seem quite there. They've seen each other only a handful of times and then suddenly he's declaring his love for her and I thought. What?!? When did this happen? Where is the foundation for this?
And speaking of that, I have a huge problem with a romance that begins with the hero/heroine meeting when he is an older teen and she is a child of six or seven. This doesn't work for me in any way. Does he fall in love with her when they re-meet when she's a teenager? Because if he fell in love with the child that is just simply eewww and not aawww.
As the first of a series, it does a good job of introducing all the elements and the mythology. I have hopes that it will get better with future books.
It does have a very unfinished feel to it, though. The book just seems to stop when it's finally starting to make sense and leaves nothing but questions. Why was Uncle Chris in jail? Why do Alex and Kayla dislike and avoid the popular kids? Who is the newly single person that Pierce' mother came back to see(this is only mentioned but I know it's going to play some part)? What powers does John have, is he controlling the weather and if so, why? There are others, but the most important is who exactly is John and what is his story? And lastly, why does he love Pierce? What kind of girl does he thing she is, when he says that he didn't expect to find a girl like her?
I'd have liked to have some of these questions answered, but still, I'll read the next one.(less)

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May 20, 2011 Kelly rated it 2 of 5 stars

For much of her life, Pierce has been haunted by a mysterious young man. She first met him when she was a little girl, but was told he was a figment of her imagination. When she was fifteen, she had a near-death experience and met him again in a strange landscape. Several times since, when she was threatened, the man appeared and put the threatening party in a world of hurt. Now, Pierce and her mother have moved to Isla Huesos, Florida — Mom’s hometown — for a fresh start. Thus begins Abandon, M...more For much of her life, Pierce has been haunted by a mysterious young man. She first met him when she was a little girl, but was told he was a figment of her imagination. When she was fifteen, she had a near-death experience and met him again in a strange landscape. Several times since, when she was threatened, the man appeared and put the threatening party in a world of hurt. Now, Pierce and her mother have moved to Isla Huesos, Florida — Mom’s hometown — for a fresh start. Thus begins Abandon, Meg Cabot’s adaptation of the Hades/Persephone myth and the first in a projected trilogy.

I love the Hades/Persephone myth, but unfortunately I found this retelling a disappointment. One major reason is the pacing. Pierce spends much of the narrative jumping back and forth between the present and the aforementioned events of her past. I’ve seen this technique work, but here it’s frustrating, perhaps because so very little is happening in the present-day storyline. I wanted fewer flashbacks and more going on in Pierce’s present — or else I wanted more material about her earlier life. I’d have relished a big, thick, meaty book that followed her closely for many years. An added bonus of that approach is that Cabot would have had to flesh Pierce out more so that she could carry a long saga of a book.

Which brings me to the other major problem with Abandon, which is Pierce herself. Note that the girl on the cover appears to be asleep. This is all too accurate. Pierce frequently compares herself to Snow White: she tells us she’s as rich and pretty and tender-hearted as a princess, and that after her near-death experience, she went into a metaphorical glass coffin and drifted aimlessly through her days. Trouble is, Pierce is still in that glass coffin. She has little in the way of initiative or curiosity. Much of the book consists of Pierce being maneuvered around town by various characters and having information unloaded upon her. About the only thing she does on her own initiative is try to push her cousin and her new friend into eating with some bullies (she doesn’t know they’re bullies yet, but she has reason to suspect). As for curiosity, I’d have been vastly happier with Abandon if Pierce had spent more time looking into mythology and Isla Huesos history for herself instead of having to be told everything in one long expository scene.

For me, the setting of Isla Huesos was the most interesting aspect of the story. Isla Huesos (“bone island”) is based on the real-life Key West, which the Spanish called Cayo Hueso (“bone key”). I enjoyed the bits of history, the way Cabot worked the Coffin Night tradition into the plot, and the way hurricanes and the recent Gulf oil spill are shown as integral parts of the island’s life. Abandon piqued my curiosity about Key West history, which I looked up on the internet after reading. (view spoiler)

Abandon ends on a cliffhanger but without much having happened (at least in the present timeline) to lead up to it. I don’t think I’ll continue on to the next book.(less)

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Apr 09, 2010 Mikayla_ marked it as to-read

Shelves: released

YAYYYYYY!!!!!
I CAN'T BELIEVE SHES DOING ANOTHER PARANORMAL SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

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Mar 17, 2013 Lauren Librarian rated it 5 of 5 stars

Read about this book and others like it in my article about "Empowering Female Fiction" on Bookkaholic.

We know that Pierce had a near death experience and that everyone is whispering that when she came back from death, she wasn't... quite right. Pierce tells us that her grades were slipping when she attended the all-girls school where she lived in Connecticut and that all the psychologists her father has had her see have tried to convince her that what happened to her didn't really happen. Every...more Read about this book and others like it in my article about "Empowering Female Fiction" on Bookkaholic.

We know that Pierce had a near death experience and that everyone is whispering that when she came back from death, she wasn't... quite right. Pierce tells us that her grades were slipping when she attended the all-girls school where she lived in Connecticut and that all the psychologists her father has had her see have tried to convince her that what happened to her didn't really happen. Everything else is revealed slowly and carefully by Cabot throughout the plot and it's skillfully done.

From the poor reviews I'm seeing on Goodreads, I think many teens rated this as a romance only story, which it really isn't. The romance doesn't really get started until the very last chapter of the book which makes it perfect for a trilogy. However, there is plenty of plot to keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering what Pierce isn't telling us about her past.

The Persephone/Hades allusion is interesting and adds flavor to the story, but in the end it's not quite a parallel and remains only a vague suggestion of a similarity. I found the technique similar to Cabot's use of Saint George and Joan of Arc in her vampire novel, Insatiable.

The setting of the novel is in Isla Hueso which is in Key West. Surprisingly, Spanish speakers actually refer to Key West as Cayo Hueso, which means Bone Key, a nice touch on Cabot's part. And the setting really is fun, interesting, and adds quite a bit to the storyline. There are some local legends, rituals, and crazy weather that provides the perfect tumultuous setting for the god of death and a girl who just happened to have gotten involved with him.

I found the main character, Pierce, scatter-brained, compassionate, and charmingly forgetful at times, but altogether appealing as a main character.

Other reviewers have made a comment about consistency issues, most markedly that Pierce seems to have her necklace even when she no longer has it: I examined the passages of the book in question, and, while the author may be guilty of using a plot vehicle over and over again, she is indeed consistent. Even when Pierce no longer has the necklace in her possession, she remembers a person and recalls the necklace reacting to that person, applying it to her current situation. It's a little confusing, but if you read carefully, Pierce is clearly recalling a memory where she had her necklace and isn't actually looking at it.

A side note: I often find Meg Cabot's work to be laugh out loud funny and I did not find that with this novel. While it was upbeat at times, Cabot seemed to stick with the somber tone of her narrator and kept everything dark most of the time. It was an interesting choice for her as an author and one I respect, but I definitely missed those funny moments that I enjoyed from Insatiable and the Princess Diaries series. (less)

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Apr 03, 2013 Hera rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who liked twilight maybe

Shelves: mistakes

I can summarize the book in three word: Oh.god.why.

The characterization is awful (assuming there is) And the depiction of the death deity as just a leather-clad-black-skinny-jeans-angsty-teenager is not acceptable. What happened to creating an aura that matches the ruler of the Underworld?

I picked this book because of and I quote "She knows what it's like to die and now death wants her back" The line promises a series of larger than life events which I had mentally prepared to dive in. But what...more

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May 13, 2012 E rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-sure-how-to-feel, old-school-fantasy

Also Found On: A Book and A Record

Abandon was…difficult. I LOVE Meg Cabot books, seriously. She is one of the authors that I actually follow blog-wise. I think she is hilarious, I usually count down the days until her books are released, so I was pretty disappointed with Abandon. Abandon doesn’t sound like Meg to me (see, I call her Meg, that is how much of an affinity I have with this woman). Abandon sounds…older. I wanted to like this book, I wanted to like this book so much that I read it twi...more

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Is this a good book?	32	168	Mar 09, 2013 05:24am
release date	1	8	Feb 06, 2013 03:37am
who thinks peirce should be queen	17	64	Jan 23, 2013 10:22am
What's The Name o...: YA Book...involves Persephone/Hades myth. Has a girl on the cover. [s]	9	158	Jan 11, 2013 02:28pm
Reading Is Life YA: Abandon Book Discussions October	1	9	Oct 01, 2012 06:13pm

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About Meg Cabot

Librarian note: AKA Jenny Carroll (1-800-Where-R-You series), AKA Patricia Cabot (historical romance novels).

Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flun...more Librarian note: AKA Jenny Carroll (1-800-Where-R-You series), AKA Patricia Cabot (historical romance novels).

Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.

She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.

Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.

Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him.

Series:
* Airhead
* The Princess Diaries
* Mediator
(less)

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The Princess Diaries (The Princess Diaries, #1)

All-American Girl (All-American Girl, #1)

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Quotes from Abandon

“Don't cry."
"How can I not?" I asked him. "You just said you loved me."
"Well, why else did you think all of this was happening?" He set the book aside to wrap his arms around me. "The Furies wouldn't be trying to kill you if I didn't love you."
"I didn't know," I said. Tears were trickling down my cheeks, but I did nothing to try to stop them. His shirt was absorving most of them. "You never said anything about it. Every time I saw you, you just acted so... wild."
"How was I supposed to act?" he asked. "You kept doing things like throwing tea in my face.” — 145 people liked it

“But really, the term “forgive and forget” doesn’t make sense to me. Forgiving does allow us to stop dwelling on an issue, which isn’t always healthy. But if we forget, we don’t learn from our mistakes. And that can be deadly.” — 129 people liked it

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