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The Girl and the Raven #1
The Girl and The Raven
She just wants to fit in. But can a gifted teen find her place when she's caught between good and evil?
After the sudden death of her mother, Lucy Walker leaves her small town for a fresh start in the City of Chicago. Lucy hopes life with her uncles will be less dramatic than the one she left behind. But her hopes are quickly turned upside down.
Beginning with a disturbing encounter at the airport, Lucy steps into a world she never imagined. From the discovery that she's half-witch, half-demon, meeting the father she never knew, and run-ins with the mysterious boy who lives in the apartment upstairs, Lucy's new life is not what she expected. And her world becomes even more complicated when the family's treasured raven goes missing.
Persistent attacks from a dangerous stranger temporarily sideline Lucy's search for the beloved family pet. Despite her reluctance to embrace her new gifts, Lucy is forced to team up with her brooding, dark-eyed neighbor to hunt down the truth. But when she discovers the connections between her own history and the secretive boy's true nature, she's thrust headfirst into an ancient battle...where choosing the wrong side could prove fatal.
Will Lucy accept her destined role before the darkness destroys everything she loves?
After the sudden death of her mother, Lucy Walker leaves her small town for a fresh start in the City of Chicago. Lucy hopes life with her uncles will be less dramatic than the one she left behind. But her hopes are quickly turned upside down.
Beginning with a disturbing encounter at the airport, Lucy steps into a world she never imagined. From the discovery that she's half-witch, half-demon, meeting the father she never knew, and run-ins with the mysterious boy who lives in the apartment upstairs, Lucy's new life is not what she expected. And her world becomes even more complicated when the family's treasured raven goes missing.
Persistent attacks from a dangerous stranger temporarily sideline Lucy's search for the beloved family pet. Despite her reluctance to embrace her new gifts, Lucy is forced to team up with her brooding, dark-eyed neighbor to hunt down the truth. But when she discovers the connections between her own history and the secretive boy's true nature, she's thrust headfirst into an ancient battle...where choosing the wrong side could prove fatal.
Will Lucy accept her destined role before the darkness destroys everything she loves?
410 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2013
139 people are currently reading
1466 people want to read
About the author
Pauline Gruber
4 books116 followersPauline Gruber is a self-professed music junkie, cat wrangler, and travel nut. She went to Paris in the 90’s where she discovered a love of three things: croissants, old cathedrals, and gargoyles. Deciding that the paranormal world could use a new kind of hero, Pauline translated her fascination with the protective gargoyle into a suspenseful love story. She is the author of the young adult series, The Girl and the Raven, The Girl and the Gargoyle, and The Girl and the Demon. By day, Pauline is a legal assistant for a Chicago law firm where she borrows identities and incorporates them into her books. If you tell anyone, she’ll deny, deny, deny.
Pauline lives outside of Chicago with her precocious black cats.
Pauline lives outside of Chicago with her precocious black cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
January 26, 2014
(Although I received this for Review my review is still 100% honest)
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It really had some twist and turns within it. I almost didn't want to stop reading it because I wanted to see what would happen next.
This story takes place mostly in Chicago and it seems like I would get lost there a lot. Of course Chicago is a big city and you get explore quite a bit of it with this book.
Lucy our main character I enjoyed a lot. She had to be tough going up with mom basically taking care of herself which anyone can admire. I really liked the fact by how shocked she was by how high certain prices were or by how extravagant peoples houses were, she is just like anyone else. Well except the fact that she had the half witch and half demon thing going on. I found it unique that she wasn't born with her witch powers but they had to be granted to her by a certain age. I don't think that I have read a book in while were you weren't born with your witch powers. I really loved reading about her demonic powers and how she started to make them stronger.
Then of course their is Marcus her upstairs neighbor who is rather hot. Although his real name is Gabriel, as soon as I found this out I thought he was an angel. Well turns out I was wrong I was really surprised when you figure out what he really is. But besides that he is really sweet to Lucy and cares deeply about her.
The two of them together were kind of confusing though. I want them to be together but they also have their issues. I guess no relationship is perfect, but I felt like Marcus jumps to a lot of conclusions way to fast about what Lucy is doing a lot of the time. So this of course leads to quite a few fights within the book. Maybe it was because of everything that Marcus was hiding from Lucy that these fights seemed to happen so often.
Then in walks Dylan an athlete who all the girls fawn over. Of course hes cocky but he gets put in his place by Lucy a few times. At first I didn't really care for him but he turns out to be rather sweet. By the end of the book I'm liking him but not the same as Marcus. I am team Marcus for sure.
Oddly enough one of my favorite characters in this book was Jude. Jude is a demon who is evil! I think he really just want to love Lucy as his daughter. From the very beginning I believed he didn't want to hurt her but care for her. Although some of things he does in this book are rather creepy. I still enjoyed his character through out the book.
There are a lot of other characters in this book who add different vibes to it throughout. Each of them are rather semi important to what is going on in Lucy's world. There is some drama in this read but I rather enjoyed it because it wasn't to much. I also found myself having a few out loud laughs from this book.
All in all I think that this book was really good. I was impressed by its story although I found certain parts predictable. While other parts shocked or surprised me. I would say that this book is worth a read you won't be disappointed by it. If there were plans for a second book I would diffidently be waiting for that!
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It really had some twist and turns within it. I almost didn't want to stop reading it because I wanted to see what would happen next.
This story takes place mostly in Chicago and it seems like I would get lost there a lot. Of course Chicago is a big city and you get explore quite a bit of it with this book.
Lucy our main character I enjoyed a lot. She had to be tough going up with mom basically taking care of herself which anyone can admire. I really liked the fact by how shocked she was by how high certain prices were or by how extravagant peoples houses were, she is just like anyone else. Well except the fact that she had the half witch and half demon thing going on. I found it unique that she wasn't born with her witch powers but they had to be granted to her by a certain age. I don't think that I have read a book in while were you weren't born with your witch powers. I really loved reading about her demonic powers and how she started to make them stronger.
Then of course their is Marcus her upstairs neighbor who is rather hot. Although his real name is Gabriel, as soon as I found this out I thought he was an angel. Well turns out I was wrong I was really surprised when you figure out what he really is. But besides that he is really sweet to Lucy and cares deeply about her.
The two of them together were kind of confusing though. I want them to be together but they also have their issues. I guess no relationship is perfect, but I felt like Marcus jumps to a lot of conclusions way to fast about what Lucy is doing a lot of the time. So this of course leads to quite a few fights within the book. Maybe it was because of everything that Marcus was hiding from Lucy that these fights seemed to happen so often.
Then in walks Dylan an athlete who all the girls fawn over. Of course hes cocky but he gets put in his place by Lucy a few times. At first I didn't really care for him but he turns out to be rather sweet. By the end of the book I'm liking him but not the same as Marcus. I am team Marcus for sure.
Oddly enough one of my favorite characters in this book was Jude. Jude is a demon who is evil! I think he really just want to love Lucy as his daughter. From the very beginning I believed he didn't want to hurt her but care for her. Although some of things he does in this book are rather creepy. I still enjoyed his character through out the book.
There are a lot of other characters in this book who add different vibes to it throughout. Each of them are rather semi important to what is going on in Lucy's world. There is some drama in this read but I rather enjoyed it because it wasn't to much. I also found myself having a few out loud laughs from this book.
All in all I think that this book was really good. I was impressed by its story although I found certain parts predictable. While other parts shocked or surprised me. I would say that this book is worth a read you won't be disappointed by it. If there were plans for a second book I would diffidently be waiting for that!
January 22, 2014
I loved this book. I couldn't put it down. Ms. Gruber swept me up into the story with her opening line and kept me until the end. Lucy is a complex and strong heroine. Marcus is a unique and refreshing hero (I don't want to spoil what's so unusual about him).
The story unfolds in a delightful way, keeping you on the edge of your seat as you race towards the end wondering about everything. Will Lucy be able to choose to be good? Will she choose Dylan or Marcus? What do the people manipulating her life really want from her?
The characters are vivid, memorable and realistic. The writing is smooth and powerful. The story is evocative and intriguing. I highly recommend this novel!
The story unfolds in a delightful way, keeping you on the edge of your seat as you race towards the end wondering about everything. Will Lucy be able to choose to be good? Will she choose Dylan or Marcus? What do the people manipulating her life really want from her?
The characters are vivid, memorable and realistic. The writing is smooth and powerful. The story is evocative and intriguing. I highly recommend this novel!
January 26, 2014
A book about witches, demons and an ultimate choice between good and evil? Also, ravens? YES, PLEASE!
The Girl and the Raven is about a teenager named Lucy who lives with a heroin-addicted mother in rural Tennessee. One night her mother is dropped off (really, thrown out of the car) by one of her loser boyfriends and Lucy realizes that she's dead. She is sent to live in her grandmother's house in Chicago with her two uncles, Sheldon and Bernard, because her grandmother is dead as well. I thought Sheldon and Bernard were life partners up until almost the end, but it turns out they really are her uncles and just live together in their old age. On the second floor of the house, two brothers named Marcus and Aiden have an apartment whereas on the third floor, her grandmother's best friend (Persephone) rents space.
FULL REVIEW POSTED AT www.sarcasticcontemplation.blogspot.com
I received this book as an eARC free from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
The Girl and the Raven is about a teenager named Lucy who lives with a heroin-addicted mother in rural Tennessee. One night her mother is dropped off (really, thrown out of the car) by one of her loser boyfriends and Lucy realizes that she's dead. She is sent to live in her grandmother's house in Chicago with her two uncles, Sheldon and Bernard, because her grandmother is dead as well. I thought Sheldon and Bernard were life partners up until almost the end, but it turns out they really are her uncles and just live together in their old age. On the second floor of the house, two brothers named Marcus and Aiden have an apartment whereas on the third floor, her grandmother's best friend (Persephone) rents space.
FULL REVIEW POSTED AT www.sarcasticcontemplation.blogspot.com
I received this book as an eARC free from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
January 23, 2014
This story isn’t one of those cardboard demon stories. It has twists and turns I didn’t see coming.
I really connected with Lucy as a character and could feel her awkwardness in a new town and school. She had a lot thrown at her at once and she handled it pretty maturely but still carried off being a teenager.
Marcus is broody, handsome, and mysterious, all the goodies that go into a great love interest and doesn’t disappoint.
Dylan is not what you think, which is a great twist.
The secondary characters are colorful and interesting. Her uncles are sweet and the crazy witch upstairs adds to a great story.
I read this book in two days and couldn’t put it down. It’s dark but not nightmare dark or graphic. I highly recommend this book.
I really connected with Lucy as a character and could feel her awkwardness in a new town and school. She had a lot thrown at her at once and she handled it pretty maturely but still carried off being a teenager.
Marcus is broody, handsome, and mysterious, all the goodies that go into a great love interest and doesn’t disappoint.
Dylan is not what you think, which is a great twist.
The secondary characters are colorful and interesting. Her uncles are sweet and the crazy witch upstairs adds to a great story.
I read this book in two days and couldn’t put it down. It’s dark but not nightmare dark or graphic. I highly recommend this book.
January 6, 2014
This book kept me on the edge of my seat (and the edge of my roommate's nerves) til the end. The plot twists and turns keep the reader guessing and the characters are highly relatable. Looking forward to more from this talented author!
January 6, 2014
Absolutely loved this book! I really loved how there were different types of paranormal entities in this book as compared to other young adult books with similar paranormal content. Definitely a must read!
February 1, 2014
I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was just: So. Much. Fun.
Witches, demons, ravens, gargoyles, and an off-beat love triangle? Count me in! The thing about this book was that I didn’t know whether to expect a really spooky, dark tale – or, a fun, lighthearted PNR read.
I think this book was a mix of both. On one hand, Lucy’s past was so dark, and there were underlying issues/tension surrounding her relationship with her mother, her mother’s many exes, her mother’s addiction, and basically just her unstable home-life. All that turns around after Lucy moves to Chicago to live with her uncles after her mom passes away.
The POV shifts from Lucy to Persephone to Henry to Jude – but never to Lucy’s two love interests. That was both disappointing & exciting. The writing was straight forward, easy to follow, and full of humor – even at the most uncanny moments.
“Jude idolized only one man. Or should I say, demon. And you’re his namesake.”
“Jesus,” I whisper.
“Not quite.”
Lucy’s life had been anything but conventional. For as long as she could remember, she was an outcast – her taunting peers called her Trailer Park Trash, and sometimes, she couldn’t help but believe them. She had a tough – and very strange upbringing. When she finally moves in with her uncles, she meets a group of people that seem to already know her. She then gets tangled up in a not-so-messy love triangle.
Marcus was her hot next door neighbor “protector/guardian.” Their meet cute was a bit cheesy, predictable, and very instalove. BUT it wasn’t all shallow smiles and smoky stares; Marcus & Lucy ultimately end up falling in love. Surprise, surprise. That was kind of the only big issue I had with this story. I’m probably supposed to be swooning over Marcus, but I didn’t, and I’m not.
Their relationship started off so superficially, then it just progressed INSTANTLY into I’d-die-for-you status. Lucy’s relationship with Dylan was MUCH more believable, realistic, and actually sweet.
Some parts of the story, for some odd reason, reminded me of the film: The Devil’s Advocate, e.g., the “rooftop” scenes, the demonic “father,” the wealth, the lure of evil, the involvement of the lawyers – lol. I really enjoyed it! I couldn’t help but imagine Jude as Al Pacino.
The plot was very simple, straight-forward, and easy to follow. However, there were no surprises, over-the-top creepy villain, or deep/meaningful characterization. The story was consistently easy and exciting and slightly creepy, but mostly just plain fun.
This book was just: So. Much. Fun.
Witches, demons, ravens, gargoyles, and an off-beat love triangle? Count me in! The thing about this book was that I didn’t know whether to expect a really spooky, dark tale – or, a fun, lighthearted PNR read.
I think this book was a mix of both. On one hand, Lucy’s past was so dark, and there were underlying issues/tension surrounding her relationship with her mother, her mother’s many exes, her mother’s addiction, and basically just her unstable home-life. All that turns around after Lucy moves to Chicago to live with her uncles after her mom passes away.
The POV shifts from Lucy to Persephone to Henry to Jude – but never to Lucy’s two love interests. That was both disappointing & exciting. The writing was straight forward, easy to follow, and full of humor – even at the most uncanny moments.
“Jude idolized only one man. Or should I say, demon. And you’re his namesake.”
“Jesus,” I whisper.
“Not quite.”
Lucy’s life had been anything but conventional. For as long as she could remember, she was an outcast – her taunting peers called her Trailer Park Trash, and sometimes, she couldn’t help but believe them. She had a tough – and very strange upbringing. When she finally moves in with her uncles, she meets a group of people that seem to already know her. She then gets tangled up in a not-so-messy love triangle.
Marcus was her hot next door neighbor “protector/guardian.” Their meet cute was a bit cheesy, predictable, and very instalove. BUT it wasn’t all shallow smiles and smoky stares; Marcus & Lucy ultimately end up falling in love. Surprise, surprise. That was kind of the only big issue I had with this story. I’m probably supposed to be swooning over Marcus, but I didn’t, and I’m not.
Their relationship started off so superficially, then it just progressed INSTANTLY into I’d-die-for-you status. Lucy’s relationship with Dylan was MUCH more believable, realistic, and actually sweet.
Some parts of the story, for some odd reason, reminded me of the film: The Devil’s Advocate, e.g., the “rooftop” scenes, the demonic “father,” the wealth, the lure of evil, the involvement of the lawyers – lol. I really enjoyed it! I couldn’t help but imagine Jude as Al Pacino.
The plot was very simple, straight-forward, and easy to follow. However, there were no surprises, over-the-top creepy villain, or deep/meaningful characterization. The story was consistently easy and exciting and slightly creepy, but mostly just plain fun.
February 11, 2014
I received a copy from Netgalley.
Well this one was fantastic! A fast paced plot with an immensely likeable lead character. It does follow a little bit of YA cliche to start - death of a parent, sent off to new town, discovers new powers, and a potential romance.
Even so, that didn't really matter because it was such a good story. Lucy is sent to live with her uncles where she discovers some a family history she never knew about - as mentioned in the blurb - she's half witch half demon. Some really good world building, and what I particularly liked was the friendships built with some of the other girls she meets, (apart from one or two who were trashy and bitchy!) And some of the adult characters were fun too, family was actually present and a huge part of the plot instead of being absentee family so that was refreshing.
No insta-love as well! Lucy meets sexy neighbour Marcus and while there's insta-lust definitely, it takes time for their relationship to happen. So another plus.
Only thing I can note really is some inconsistency with the spelling of a minor character's name. One of Lucy's friends is called Suzy, and thorough out the story the spelling of the name changes from Suzy to Suzie. It's a little distracting.
Other than that, great story! While its sort of concluded, there is an option for a sequel or possible series to come. So definitely looking forward to more.
Well this one was fantastic! A fast paced plot with an immensely likeable lead character. It does follow a little bit of YA cliche to start - death of a parent, sent off to new town, discovers new powers, and a potential romance.
Even so, that didn't really matter because it was such a good story. Lucy is sent to live with her uncles where she discovers some a family history she never knew about - as mentioned in the blurb - she's half witch half demon. Some really good world building, and what I particularly liked was the friendships built with some of the other girls she meets, (apart from one or two who were trashy and bitchy!) And some of the adult characters were fun too, family was actually present and a huge part of the plot instead of being absentee family so that was refreshing.
No insta-love as well! Lucy meets sexy neighbour Marcus and while there's insta-lust definitely, it takes time for their relationship to happen. So another plus.
Only thing I can note really is some inconsistency with the spelling of a minor character's name. One of Lucy's friends is called Suzy, and thorough out the story the spelling of the name changes from Suzy to Suzie. It's a little distracting.
Other than that, great story! While its sort of concluded, there is an option for a sequel or possible series to come. So definitely looking forward to more.
January 6, 2014
This is a great read. The characters and plot kept me intrigued. The fight scenes were well done. I liked the shape shifters and the magic. And how cool is it that it takes place in Chicago! Now I have two books on my shelf featuring my home city.
February 1, 2014
Awesome!!!! Young love... and then toss in witches, demons and high school... fabulousness! Please tell me there will be more!!
February 26, 2014
Meet Lucy, our sixteen year old protagonist. She's had a pretty rough go, being raised by her junkie mom in a Tennessee trailer park. Mom dies and she's shipped off to Chicago to live with her darling uncles. Pause. I have a hard time with the logic that she was living with her mom for her own protection. How is it better to live with a crazy heroine addict when you've got people who are loving and stable? I didn't buy any of the 'keeping you ignorant for your own good' baloney. Anyway, she's got some interesting upstairs neighbors. A witch, who was buddies with Lucy's late Gram, and a pair of brothers who aren't what they seem.
Marcus + Lucy = insta love 4evah. At the beginning of the story, one of her uncles calls attention to the fact that Marcus' first name is Gabriel. Not so subtle nudge to make us think of angels when we discover he has wings. Hmmmm. There were quite few loose ends & meandering side plots. What was the purpose of Aiden's character? The ravens were obviously important, but the story was pretty vague on that point. It felt like ravens, crows, and gargoyles were tossed in because of their coolness factor, never mind explaining any of the lore behind familiars or gargoyles! I was also annoyed at the boyfriend & co. keeping info from Lucy because "she isn't ready." Really? She did just witness her dead junkie mother being dumped at her feet like a sack of garbage. Her demon daddy has discovered her. How is ignorance a good survival strategy?
Despite some of the peeves, this was a fun story. I felt that the author tried to tell too many stories, some of the stuff felt tacked on as an afterthought. Paring the story down & fleshing out the main themes would've shined this up a lot. The nanny gig and falling in love with the two kids she watches? I absolutely loved the bad guy! Jude Morgan was my kind of villain, conflicted and leaving you wanting to find something good in him. The conclusion was a huge mishmash, all over the place. 2 and a half stars because I was entertained.
Marcus + Lucy = insta love 4evah. At the beginning of the story, one of her uncles calls attention to the fact that Marcus' first name is Gabriel. Not so subtle nudge to make us think of angels when we discover he has wings. Hmmmm. There were quite few loose ends & meandering side plots. What was the purpose of Aiden's character? The ravens were obviously important, but the story was pretty vague on that point. It felt like ravens, crows, and gargoyles were tossed in because of their coolness factor, never mind explaining any of the lore behind familiars or gargoyles! I was also annoyed at the boyfriend & co. keeping info from Lucy because "she isn't ready." Really? She did just witness her dead junkie mother being dumped at her feet like a sack of garbage. Her demon daddy has discovered her. How is ignorance a good survival strategy?
Despite some of the peeves, this was a fun story. I felt that the author tried to tell too many stories, some of the stuff felt tacked on as an afterthought. Paring the story down & fleshing out the main themes would've shined this up a lot. The nanny gig and falling in love with the two kids she watches? I absolutely loved the bad guy! Jude Morgan was my kind of villain, conflicted and leaving you wanting to find something good in him. The conclusion was a huge mishmash, all over the place. 2 and a half stars because I was entertained.
January 4, 2014
Loved the book. It caught my attention on page 1 and kept it through out the book. The characters Lucy, Marcus, and Dylan kept me hooked throughout the story. I did not want to put it down. If you liked Twilight, Hunger Games, or Divergent, you will be a big fan of this book. I highly recommend it.
February 16, 2014
I received this book from the Good Reads First Read.
At first, I was cautious. Young Adult books have a tendency of reading like a high school diary. Thankfully, this book did not end up that way. I found the story to be an entertaining and creative read. Most paranormal books that I have read, have a plethora of vampires, demon, and angels...oh my! When Marcus revealed what he is, I was pleasantly surprised. I had never thought of gargoyles as potential characters. As I thought about it, the more pleased I was with the idea of it. I would have liked to see in more detail what his other abilities are. Also, the author touched here and there on some of the other characters being able to shape change into other animals. Unless this is the beginning of a series, I think there was too many different directions and abilities that weren't detailed as well as it could have. I also think she received her Witch Powers and started training in her Demon Powers too late into the book. The story has an ending that seems to be open for continuing books. If so, I look forward to reading them. This is definitely an author to keep tabs on.
At first, I was cautious. Young Adult books have a tendency of reading like a high school diary. Thankfully, this book did not end up that way. I found the story to be an entertaining and creative read. Most paranormal books that I have read, have a plethora of vampires, demon, and angels...oh my! When Marcus revealed what he is, I was pleasantly surprised. I had never thought of gargoyles as potential characters. As I thought about it, the more pleased I was with the idea of it. I would have liked to see in more detail what his other abilities are. Also, the author touched here and there on some of the other characters being able to shape change into other animals. Unless this is the beginning of a series, I think there was too many different directions and abilities that weren't detailed as well as it could have. I also think she received her Witch Powers and started training in her Demon Powers too late into the book. The story has an ending that seems to be open for continuing books. If so, I look forward to reading them. This is definitely an author to keep tabs on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2014
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Girl and the Raven has left me confused, both while reading it and now that I've finished and looking back at it. This is one of those stories that I loved the idea of - a girl finding out that her estranged family are witches and demons causing her to become involved in the fight between good and evil - but I didn't love the execution of it. To start with the story just didn't grip me like I expected it too and several times I considered putting this one down and trying something else instead. The problem I found is that Gruber has created a big universe in this book. There are witches, demons, shapeshifters who might be demons, ravens with the ability to store magical powers, an avenging warlock-type person, drug problems, a love triangle, a homecoming dance, high school dramas and babysitting. It's almost like there are too many ideas being thrown into this story and as a result it all feels very random when reading it. There are plot points mentioned throughout the story, about the ravens for example, that are almost neglected by the end, and there are plot shifts or familial relationships which are created out of nowhere right in the middle and even right at the end of the story, and which are presented as important but don't match up with the rest of the book that you've just read. It's all very confusing and left me with far more questions than answers. I did also find myself constantly frustrated by Lucy, the heroine, constantly telling random strangers who she is and not getting suspicious when they recognize her name or offer her jobs out of the blue despite her not knowing them at all. For someone supposedly tough and streetwise, she's amazingly trusting.
I'm sort of glad that I did continue reading though because the second half of the book is when Gruber really hits her stride. Lucy, who up to now has been bumbling from one random occasion to another, finally begins to take charge and as the majority of the story is in her POV, this makes the story pick up the pace a lot. I enjoyed her interactions with Dylan (which are more prevalent) in the second half compared to those with Marcus (because I'm not really a fan of instalove or perfect men), and I thought that he really grew as a character during that part of the story. The suspense and drama also ratcheted up in the latter half and I did speed through it to find out what was happening fairly quickly. I also kind of loved the ending despite the random important characters suddenly appearing out of nowhere. It did all feel like the good bits came a bit too late though especially given that I was struggling so much with the first half of the story.
All in all I think I would read a sequel if one was written because towards the end of this book I was starting to care about the characters and what was happening to them, however this part of the story was just a bit too inconsistent, random and confusing for me to really get into it. 2-2.5 stars.
The Girl and the Raven has left me confused, both while reading it and now that I've finished and looking back at it. This is one of those stories that I loved the idea of - a girl finding out that her estranged family are witches and demons causing her to become involved in the fight between good and evil - but I didn't love the execution of it. To start with the story just didn't grip me like I expected it too and several times I considered putting this one down and trying something else instead. The problem I found is that Gruber has created a big universe in this book. There are witches, demons, shapeshifters who might be demons, ravens with the ability to store magical powers, an avenging warlock-type person, drug problems, a love triangle, a homecoming dance, high school dramas and babysitting. It's almost like there are too many ideas being thrown into this story and as a result it all feels very random when reading it. There are plot points mentioned throughout the story, about the ravens for example, that are almost neglected by the end, and there are plot shifts or familial relationships which are created out of nowhere right in the middle and even right at the end of the story, and which are presented as important but don't match up with the rest of the book that you've just read. It's all very confusing and left me with far more questions than answers. I did also find myself constantly frustrated by Lucy, the heroine, constantly telling random strangers who she is and not getting suspicious when they recognize her name or offer her jobs out of the blue despite her not knowing them at all. For someone supposedly tough and streetwise, she's amazingly trusting.
I'm sort of glad that I did continue reading though because the second half of the book is when Gruber really hits her stride. Lucy, who up to now has been bumbling from one random occasion to another, finally begins to take charge and as the majority of the story is in her POV, this makes the story pick up the pace a lot. I enjoyed her interactions with Dylan (which are more prevalent) in the second half compared to those with Marcus (because I'm not really a fan of instalove or perfect men), and I thought that he really grew as a character during that part of the story. The suspense and drama also ratcheted up in the latter half and I did speed through it to find out what was happening fairly quickly. I also kind of loved the ending despite the random important characters suddenly appearing out of nowhere. It did all feel like the good bits came a bit too late though especially given that I was struggling so much with the first half of the story.
All in all I think I would read a sequel if one was written because towards the end of this book I was starting to care about the characters and what was happening to them, however this part of the story was just a bit too inconsistent, random and confusing for me to really get into it. 2-2.5 stars.
August 13, 2016
I was approached by author to review this book, so I took a look inside on amazon and when I had finished reading I had to know more, so I replied with a yes and quickly found myself in possession of this book.
The Girl and The Raven begins quickly with Lucy, the protagonist, finding her Mum dead and is sent to live with her Uncle Bernard, and Sheldon. Above them lives Persephone, Lucy's friend from when she visited her Grandmother, and the mysterious brothers, Aiden and Marcus.
The Girl and The Raven follows Lucy as she settles into a new home, a new school, and learns about her family history. At times I felt sorry for Lucy, having to deal with a whole new way of life is strange and takes a lot of getting used to, and at times she portrays the feeling of being lost and alone, even though she is surrounded by family and friends...however some of the girls from her new circle of friends are far too self centred and I wanted to slap some brain cells into them, some of the boys are just as bad.
Dylan was one of them and I never really felt like I could trust him 100%, and when Lucy was determined to help him I had to question her reasoning and judgement, even though she wants to do good for him as it's the type of person she is, I would not have gone to the lengths she did. As more about Dylan is revealed I did begin to warm to him as he slowly wormed his way into my good books by the way he acts..
One thing that kept me reading The Girl and The Raven were the twists and turns throughout the book. Just when I thought that everything had been revealed something new was added to the mix, adding a new twist and making me reconfigure my thoughts ans assumptions, adding in this new detail and trying to figure it out myself. The last few chapters of The Girl and The Raven did not hold back on anything, and not only were more secrets revealed but my opinions changed completely on what I thought of the characters. I could not finish the book fast enough, needing to know what was going to happen and worrying over what would happen to the characters involved.
The Girl and The Raven was a quick read, and while it doesn't reach my list of all time top favourite books, I definitly enjoyed it and would love to see more from this world and see what the characters get up to next.
The Girl and The Raven begins quickly with Lucy, the protagonist, finding her Mum dead and is sent to live with her Uncle Bernard, and Sheldon. Above them lives Persephone, Lucy's friend from when she visited her Grandmother, and the mysterious brothers, Aiden and Marcus.
The Girl and The Raven follows Lucy as she settles into a new home, a new school, and learns about her family history. At times I felt sorry for Lucy, having to deal with a whole new way of life is strange and takes a lot of getting used to, and at times she portrays the feeling of being lost and alone, even though she is surrounded by family and friends...however some of the girls from her new circle of friends are far too self centred and I wanted to slap some brain cells into them, some of the boys are just as bad.
Dylan was one of them and I never really felt like I could trust him 100%, and when Lucy was determined to help him I had to question her reasoning and judgement, even though she wants to do good for him as it's the type of person she is, I would not have gone to the lengths she did. As more about Dylan is revealed I did begin to warm to him as he slowly wormed his way into my good books by the way he acts..
One thing that kept me reading The Girl and The Raven were the twists and turns throughout the book. Just when I thought that everything had been revealed something new was added to the mix, adding a new twist and making me reconfigure my thoughts ans assumptions, adding in this new detail and trying to figure it out myself. The last few chapters of The Girl and The Raven did not hold back on anything, and not only were more secrets revealed but my opinions changed completely on what I thought of the characters. I could not finish the book fast enough, needing to know what was going to happen and worrying over what would happen to the characters involved.
The Girl and The Raven was a quick read, and while it doesn't reach my list of all time top favourite books, I definitly enjoyed it and would love to see more from this world and see what the characters get up to next.
February 4, 2014
I'm going to keep this short, since I didn't much like this book. This book had an interesting idea, but it wasn't executed well. I was intrigued enough that I finished the book, because I wanted to find out what happened but, I didn't end up liking it. It wasn't a bad book, but it just wasn't for me.
The characters were okay. Lucy was rather frustrating. I know she was supposed to be 15, but a lot of young heroines in YA act mature and rise to the situation. I didn't really get that from Lucy. She was a little too flighty and passive about her situation. Also, I didn't really liked how a love triangle was forced in, when the original romance would have done fine.
I think my biggest problem was that there wasn't built up. By that I mean that there wasn't any suspense, wondering what was going on, who was friend or enemy. I didn't really care what was going on because I wasn't drawn into the characters or the plot.
The part of the book the saved it a little was the ending. That last few chapters were intense, with action and secrets revealed. That was when I finally started to get hooked, but then it was over and it was too late to save the book for me.
The Girl and The Raven was an okay book. It just wasn't for me. I know others enjoyed it, but I didn't much like it.
*I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
The characters were okay. Lucy was rather frustrating. I know she was supposed to be 15, but a lot of young heroines in YA act mature and rise to the situation. I didn't really get that from Lucy. She was a little too flighty and passive about her situation. Also, I didn't really liked how a love triangle was forced in, when the original romance would have done fine.
I think my biggest problem was that there wasn't built up. By that I mean that there wasn't any suspense, wondering what was going on, who was friend or enemy. I didn't really care what was going on because I wasn't drawn into the characters or the plot.
The part of the book the saved it a little was the ending. That last few chapters were intense, with action and secrets revealed. That was when I finally started to get hooked, but then it was over and it was too late to save the book for me.
The Girl and The Raven was an okay book. It just wasn't for me. I know others enjoyed it, but I didn't much like it.
*I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
July 4, 2021
4 Stars
The Girl and the Raven is the first book in The Girl and the Raven series by Pauline Gruber. This is my first read from Ms. Gruber, so I really didn’t know what to expect going in. What I discovered is an original YA paranormal story- with witches, demons, ravens, magic, good vs evil, a bit of a love triangle, choices, discovery, and more.
Ms. Gruber had me at witches and demons- add in the ravens and other paranormal elements and I was hooked.
The story was a little slow at times, but that didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. Looking forward to reading Book #2!
Thank you, Pauline Gruber!
The Girl and the Raven is the first book in The Girl and the Raven series by Pauline Gruber. This is my first read from Ms. Gruber, so I really didn’t know what to expect going in. What I discovered is an original YA paranormal story- with witches, demons, ravens, magic, good vs evil, a bit of a love triangle, choices, discovery, and more.
Ms. Gruber had me at witches and demons- add in the ravens and other paranormal elements and I was hooked.
The story was a little slow at times, but that didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. Looking forward to reading Book #2!
Thank you, Pauline Gruber!
October 20, 2021
If you enjoy supernatural YA books, this one will be a perfect fit for you!
When Lucy Walker’s mother dies suddenly due to a drug overdose, she is moved from Tennessee to Chicago to live with her Uncles in her Grandmother's old home. Not only is she thrust into a new life in a new city, she must now navigate the fact that she is a half demon, half witch. Her life in Tennessee in the trailer park did not prepare Lucy for life in the fast lane in Chicago.
This book had some unexpected twists to it and kept me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed it!
When Lucy Walker’s mother dies suddenly due to a drug overdose, she is moved from Tennessee to Chicago to live with her Uncles in her Grandmother's old home. Not only is she thrust into a new life in a new city, she must now navigate the fact that she is a half demon, half witch. Her life in Tennessee in the trailer park did not prepare Lucy for life in the fast lane in Chicago.
This book had some unexpected twists to it and kept me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed it!
September 2, 2021
Interesting story of Soph. Transfer student that finds a life she thought she wished for with a twist.
Received this ebook in a giveaway from Goodreads. Story begins with Lucy at freshman years end. She's living in a trailer with her mom, a drunk, drug-addled woman who is more the child while Lucy cares for her. Lucy wishes to live with her Gram in Chicago but it isn't in the cards until momma gets dropped in the front yard and Lucy, thinking she's drunk again runs out to find her mom is dead. What comes next is a move to Chicago to live with her 2 uncle's in a 3 flat with Marcus, a dreamy high school boy and his older brother Aiden on 2nd floor and Persephone, Gram's best friend on the 3rd floor. To say it takes a village to raise a child is close to this case. This village involves demons, witches, familiars and shifters. Lucy will end up with the family and all she ever wished for but how close to "normal" can she achieve?
Great characters, nicely developed. Fun romp that moves fast with sweet teen romance and great action. Recommended!!!
Received this ebook in a giveaway from Goodreads. Story begins with Lucy at freshman years end. She's living in a trailer with her mom, a drunk, drug-addled woman who is more the child while Lucy cares for her. Lucy wishes to live with her Gram in Chicago but it isn't in the cards until momma gets dropped in the front yard and Lucy, thinking she's drunk again runs out to find her mom is dead. What comes next is a move to Chicago to live with her 2 uncle's in a 3 flat with Marcus, a dreamy high school boy and his older brother Aiden on 2nd floor and Persephone, Gram's best friend on the 3rd floor. To say it takes a village to raise a child is close to this case. This village involves demons, witches, familiars and shifters. Lucy will end up with the family and all she ever wished for but how close to "normal" can she achieve?
Great characters, nicely developed. Fun romp that moves fast with sweet teen romance and great action. Recommended!!!
August 24, 2021
This was my first book from this author, and all I can say is holy cow. I was so into this book! Lucy is an awesome character who is learning to overcome honestly a lot for someone of her age after her addict mother passed. Great read, I went right into the next book!
March 7, 2014
I won a copy of this book from one of the giveaways on the site.
I really enjoyed reading the book and it made a nice change for a paranormal book to have other characters/creatures like shape-shifters and gargoyles, than just witches and demons although these are present. It is well written for the most part, but some things seem to end suddenly. The book kept me interested and had some twists that I didn't see coming. It is mainly written from Lucy's POV, but the odd chapter does switch to other characters POV, but never Marcus or Dylan, which made me wonder why.
Lucy, the main character is good but has issues. Yes she is only 15 and has had a tough time growing up with a drug-addicted mother and no father. After her mother is "dumped home" one night by another waste of time boyfriend, Lucy realises she is dead, and ends up moving to her late grandmothers house to live with her uncles. It is here that so much happens so fast, she learns that she has witch powers via her late grandmothers friends Persephone and Henry (who are also witches). She makes new friends, even though some seem fake, she gets a boyfriend and much more.
As the story unfolds it turns out that her father is actually a demon, so Lucy has half witch and half demon powers. Towards the end of the story Lucy is training in her demon powers and her witch ones are left which I feel is a shame as they could have been developed quite well from early in the story after she found out about them, making her very powerful.
Lucy's uncles seem very unaware that Lucy has witch/demon powers, despite them being related and their mother (Lucy's grandmother was a witch). Maybe it was done in this way to try and protect Lucy, I don't know. I did think that the "uncles" were male life partners until near the end when it appears that they are actually brothers just living together.
Next comes Marcus, the young hot guy that lives in the flat upstairs with his "brother". Both Marcus and his brother Aidan have special powers but are not witches or demons. These characters made me think they were one thing but actually turned out to be another, not that this was bad, it actually made a nice change. One thing that I did keep wondering was IF Marcus was actually the age he was portrayed as. He was made out to be a Senior at high school, but he had also been a good friend of Lucy's late grandmother, and knowing his special powers it all made me wonder if he was older. I liked the role he had in the story but would have liked him to have been developed a bit more. His and Lucy's relationship develops nicely through the story.
From the first meeting Lucy had with her father in the airport I didn't like the character of Jude, I felt that he was trouble and as the story progresses this feeling comes across more. It's not until near the end that it's not actually him causing the trouble but another demon who is trying to kill Lucy. Jude is actually trying to protect her and gets her to train her demon powers.
There are lots of other characters in the book (Persephone, Henry, Dylan, Katie etc) who at times seem to have a big part and then step back again, these could have had a more prominent role throughout the story and had their characters developed more.
I wasn't quite sure about the love triangle that seems to be happening with Lucy, Marcus and Dylan and think that it could have been avoided, it was written in a good way though. And then there is another twist which makes you glad that Lucy stayed loyal to Marcus. And stays as friends with Dylan.
The title is a bit of a let down in relation to the story, I honestly thought that the raven would be involved in the story a lot more than it was which is a shame. The part of the raven was very big in the short part it had. Also I feel quite let down by the ending, the few chapters before are full of action and happenings and then it goes really soft and girly in the end pages.
Overall I did enjoy the book as it was different to other paranormal romance books I have read. I would certainly read another if it was brought out as book two and I would read others by this author. It was an easy and pleasant read.
I really enjoyed reading the book and it made a nice change for a paranormal book to have other characters/creatures like shape-shifters and gargoyles, than just witches and demons although these are present. It is well written for the most part, but some things seem to end suddenly. The book kept me interested and had some twists that I didn't see coming. It is mainly written from Lucy's POV, but the odd chapter does switch to other characters POV, but never Marcus or Dylan, which made me wonder why.
Lucy, the main character is good but has issues. Yes she is only 15 and has had a tough time growing up with a drug-addicted mother and no father. After her mother is "dumped home" one night by another waste of time boyfriend, Lucy realises she is dead, and ends up moving to her late grandmothers house to live with her uncles. It is here that so much happens so fast, she learns that she has witch powers via her late grandmothers friends Persephone and Henry (who are also witches). She makes new friends, even though some seem fake, she gets a boyfriend and much more.
As the story unfolds it turns out that her father is actually a demon, so Lucy has half witch and half demon powers. Towards the end of the story Lucy is training in her demon powers and her witch ones are left which I feel is a shame as they could have been developed quite well from early in the story after she found out about them, making her very powerful.
Lucy's uncles seem very unaware that Lucy has witch/demon powers, despite them being related and their mother (Lucy's grandmother was a witch). Maybe it was done in this way to try and protect Lucy, I don't know. I did think that the "uncles" were male life partners until near the end when it appears that they are actually brothers just living together.
Next comes Marcus, the young hot guy that lives in the flat upstairs with his "brother". Both Marcus and his brother Aidan have special powers but are not witches or demons. These characters made me think they were one thing but actually turned out to be another, not that this was bad, it actually made a nice change. One thing that I did keep wondering was IF Marcus was actually the age he was portrayed as. He was made out to be a Senior at high school, but he had also been a good friend of Lucy's late grandmother, and knowing his special powers it all made me wonder if he was older. I liked the role he had in the story but would have liked him to have been developed a bit more. His and Lucy's relationship develops nicely through the story.
From the first meeting Lucy had with her father in the airport I didn't like the character of Jude, I felt that he was trouble and as the story progresses this feeling comes across more. It's not until near the end that it's not actually him causing the trouble but another demon who is trying to kill Lucy. Jude is actually trying to protect her and gets her to train her demon powers.
There are lots of other characters in the book (Persephone, Henry, Dylan, Katie etc) who at times seem to have a big part and then step back again, these could have had a more prominent role throughout the story and had their characters developed more.
I wasn't quite sure about the love triangle that seems to be happening with Lucy, Marcus and Dylan and think that it could have been avoided, it was written in a good way though. And then there is another twist which makes you glad that Lucy stayed loyal to Marcus. And stays as friends with Dylan.
The title is a bit of a let down in relation to the story, I honestly thought that the raven would be involved in the story a lot more than it was which is a shame. The part of the raven was very big in the short part it had. Also I feel quite let down by the ending, the few chapters before are full of action and happenings and then it goes really soft and girly in the end pages.
Overall I did enjoy the book as it was different to other paranormal romance books I have read. I would certainly read another if it was brought out as book two and I would read others by this author. It was an easy and pleasant read.
March 21, 2014
I would like to thank NetGalley and Dragonfly Ink, Ltd. for granting me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Though I received the e-book for free that in no way influenced this review.
This is an intriguing book that blends religious beliefs and pagan beliefs as the backdrop of a teenager's life. Lucy grew up with a mother that was beyond neglectful. An alcoholic, and a junkie, Donna appeared to never really care about her daughter - always spending their meager money on her next fix, or hawking Lucy's few precious gifts for a meager fix to help tide her over for a few more hours. All Lucy wants is to get out of the trailer park and go live with her beloved Grandmother. But then her grandmother dies and Lucy is trapped. Well, trapped until the fateful day the her mother is dropped off in front of the trailer, dead from an overdose.
Lucy moves in with her Uncles, Sheldon and Bernard, who live in her grandmother's house. Persephone, a dear friend, and powerful witch, also happens to live in the house. Lucy is thrilled to be living with people who care about her, but her world doesn't change the way she expected it to. Instead she is shooting lightening from her hands when she gets upset, and doing everything in her power to hide it from everyone around her.
She meets some girls at her new school, making friends right away, with all of them except for the uber bitch Ella and her faithful stooge Caroline. Ella gets totally bent out of shape when Marcus, Lucy's new upstairs neighbor ignores her in favor of Lucy. And then when the other local hottie, Dylan, becomes friends with Lucy Ella blows a gasket. What she doesn't know is that Lucy knows Dylan because she babysits for his stepbrother and sister Brandi & Ethan - both of whom adore Lucy.
What Lucy doesn't know is that she got the job through her father, a man she's never met, that she knows of. But in reality he has been watching her every move since she showed up at her grandmother's house. And it turns out he has also kidnapped Lola, her grandmother's raven. Lola is holding Lucy's powers of witchcraft for her until her 16th birthday, but until she can rescue Lola she won't receive her powers either. And without her powers she is defenseless against the demons in her life.
Lucy goes through all kinds of romantic tension with Marcus, some with Dylan, at least until they learn something from her Dad, the demon. Balancing between being a white witch and a demon is a tough act for Lucy, especially when another demon is trying to kill her. The question is, can she survive both halves of her heritage, as well as play peacemaker between the two halves of her family?
While I enjoyed the story, I was frustrated with the pacing at the end. Things moved along quite nicely for the bulk of the book, but once the major calamity has passed the story is ended quite abruptly in my opinion. With several unanswered issues just hanging out there, the questions posed and never answered. The end felt rushed and too much like a copout for my taste. However, it is still a fun read as long as you are willing to accept the easy-out ending.
Good versus evil just got complicated. Sixteen-year-old Lucy Walker just wants a normal life, until she learns she is half-witch, half-demon. Now she's got other problems, like keeping her demon dad from killing her boyfriend, keeping the witches in her life from killing her demon dad, and keeping her non-supernatural friends safe from both sides. All the while she's desperately searching for the family raven that carries her magical legacy. She's walking a tightrope between good and evil, drawn to both, uncertain which she will ultimately choose. Fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga, Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver series, and Meg Cabot's Abandon series will love The Girl and The Raven!
This is an intriguing book that blends religious beliefs and pagan beliefs as the backdrop of a teenager's life. Lucy grew up with a mother that was beyond neglectful. An alcoholic, and a junkie, Donna appeared to never really care about her daughter - always spending their meager money on her next fix, or hawking Lucy's few precious gifts for a meager fix to help tide her over for a few more hours. All Lucy wants is to get out of the trailer park and go live with her beloved Grandmother. But then her grandmother dies and Lucy is trapped. Well, trapped until the fateful day the her mother is dropped off in front of the trailer, dead from an overdose.
Lucy moves in with her Uncles, Sheldon and Bernard, who live in her grandmother's house. Persephone, a dear friend, and powerful witch, also happens to live in the house. Lucy is thrilled to be living with people who care about her, but her world doesn't change the way she expected it to. Instead she is shooting lightening from her hands when she gets upset, and doing everything in her power to hide it from everyone around her.
She meets some girls at her new school, making friends right away, with all of them except for the uber bitch Ella and her faithful stooge Caroline. Ella gets totally bent out of shape when Marcus, Lucy's new upstairs neighbor ignores her in favor of Lucy. And then when the other local hottie, Dylan, becomes friends with Lucy Ella blows a gasket. What she doesn't know is that Lucy knows Dylan because she babysits for his stepbrother and sister Brandi & Ethan - both of whom adore Lucy.
What Lucy doesn't know is that she got the job through her father, a man she's never met, that she knows of. But in reality he has been watching her every move since she showed up at her grandmother's house. And it turns out he has also kidnapped Lola, her grandmother's raven. Lola is holding Lucy's powers of witchcraft for her until her 16th birthday, but until she can rescue Lola she won't receive her powers either. And without her powers she is defenseless against the demons in her life.
Lucy goes through all kinds of romantic tension with Marcus, some with Dylan, at least until they learn something from her Dad, the demon. Balancing between being a white witch and a demon is a tough act for Lucy, especially when another demon is trying to kill her. The question is, can she survive both halves of her heritage, as well as play peacemaker between the two halves of her family?
While I enjoyed the story, I was frustrated with the pacing at the end. Things moved along quite nicely for the bulk of the book, but once the major calamity has passed the story is ended quite abruptly in my opinion. With several unanswered issues just hanging out there, the questions posed and never answered. The end felt rushed and too much like a copout for my taste. However, it is still a fun read as long as you are willing to accept the easy-out ending.
March 17, 2014
Soon-to-be-sixteen year old Lucy Walker is an orphan. Her mother just OD'ed on heroin and she never knew her daddy. Lucy also harbors a strange power--the ability to shoot fire from her hands when she gets angry. Now she's leaving the trailer park in Tennessee to live with her uncles in Chicago.
She is befriended by the neighbors, a broody yet handsome boy named Marcus and her late grandmother's BFF Persephone. Learning that her grandmother had been a witch and Lucy is supposed to inherit her powers is quite the curveball. And, what is up with Marcus? Boys never gave her the time of day back in Tennessee, yet he seems almost fixated on Lucy, and her safety.
It soon becomes clear that Lucy's father isn't as anonymous as she had believed. In fact, her father has known about her from the start, but he walked away from her pregnant mother and Lucy paid the price of her scorned heart. Of course, that's probably standard operating procedure when you are a demon... Lucy's frustrated that she was abandoned to a nightmare life due to his callousness, and refuses all Daddy's overtures to make amends.
Demons seem to be in abundance in the big city, because there are two who regularly invade Lucy's room, seeking what? She has no idea. But it can't be good, right?
As the new girl in town, Lucy expects to struggle. But, not this much. She strives to make choices that will keep her safe and help her to feel normal--so she takes on a summer job babysitting the younger half-brother and sister of her school's most eligible football player, Dylan. He's the typical rich kid girls fall all over, and her friends are no exception. Except Dylan starts having crazed dreams and visions--just like Lucy's mother had--followed by seizures.
Lucy's sure her demon dad is behind the whole mess, so she takes him head-on, offering to accept his persistent attempts at a relationship, if he'll release his destructive influence on Dylan. Naturally, Demon Dad has seven aces up his sleeve and Lucy's so outmatched she can't see the danger until it's in her face. Good thing Marcus is more than just a friend--or a boy. His own supernatural powers come in handy when Lucy's poisoned. And flung off a roof and nearly killed. Twice.
Man, that Marcus has his work cut out for him, keeping Lucy from a pine box fate!
The action in this story is pretty intense. There are so many characters--and the point-of-view switches between characters in several chapters--I had the teeniest trouble keeping up. Particularly with all the shapeshifting. Lucy is a strong character. Almost too strong. She's so determined to take care of herself, that she jumps into problems she would have avoided--by simply asking for help. I wished she would have been less stubborn, though she takes her bizarre heritage in without even a qualm, which surprised me. I'd have been more than freaked learning that I was half-witch, half-demon. For all the witchiness in her lineage, Lucy doesn't actually learn any witchcraft, or practice it, in this book. We do see a good deal of her demon-side however. I suppose the rest waits for Book Two. The story ends in a quiet place--no cliffhanger--but sets the stage for further books. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.
She is befriended by the neighbors, a broody yet handsome boy named Marcus and her late grandmother's BFF Persephone. Learning that her grandmother had been a witch and Lucy is supposed to inherit her powers is quite the curveball. And, what is up with Marcus? Boys never gave her the time of day back in Tennessee, yet he seems almost fixated on Lucy, and her safety.
It soon becomes clear that Lucy's father isn't as anonymous as she had believed. In fact, her father has known about her from the start, but he walked away from her pregnant mother and Lucy paid the price of her scorned heart. Of course, that's probably standard operating procedure when you are a demon... Lucy's frustrated that she was abandoned to a nightmare life due to his callousness, and refuses all Daddy's overtures to make amends.
Demons seem to be in abundance in the big city, because there are two who regularly invade Lucy's room, seeking what? She has no idea. But it can't be good, right?
As the new girl in town, Lucy expects to struggle. But, not this much. She strives to make choices that will keep her safe and help her to feel normal--so she takes on a summer job babysitting the younger half-brother and sister of her school's most eligible football player, Dylan. He's the typical rich kid girls fall all over, and her friends are no exception. Except Dylan starts having crazed dreams and visions--just like Lucy's mother had--followed by seizures.
Lucy's sure her demon dad is behind the whole mess, so she takes him head-on, offering to accept his persistent attempts at a relationship, if he'll release his destructive influence on Dylan. Naturally, Demon Dad has seven aces up his sleeve and Lucy's so outmatched she can't see the danger until it's in her face. Good thing Marcus is more than just a friend--or a boy. His own supernatural powers come in handy when Lucy's poisoned. And flung off a roof and nearly killed. Twice.
Man, that Marcus has his work cut out for him, keeping Lucy from a pine box fate!
The action in this story is pretty intense. There are so many characters--and the point-of-view switches between characters in several chapters--I had the teeniest trouble keeping up. Particularly with all the shapeshifting. Lucy is a strong character. Almost too strong. She's so determined to take care of herself, that she jumps into problems she would have avoided--by simply asking for help. I wished she would have been less stubborn, though she takes her bizarre heritage in without even a qualm, which surprised me. I'd have been more than freaked learning that I was half-witch, half-demon. For all the witchiness in her lineage, Lucy doesn't actually learn any witchcraft, or practice it, in this book. We do see a good deal of her demon-side however. I suppose the rest waits for Book Two. The story ends in a quiet place--no cliffhanger--but sets the stage for further books. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.
May 7, 2014
This book had some great things going for it: a likeable and complex heroine, an interesting (if not very well-explained) take on the supernatural, a refreshingly conscious use of tropes, good relationship building for both friendships and romances, as well as family connections. I loved Lucy's uncles and would have liked to see her spend even more time with them. I liked the build-up of her relationships with both of the potential love interests (I have a preference that I will defend 'til the end, but I can see both sides, which means that this is a well-executed love triangle :) Plotwise, this was a page turner; I read it pretty quickly, especially considering its length.
There were also a few things that I did not like, most of which could probably have been fixed with another round of editing, or just with a different editor. For example, the majority of the book is in 1st person, from Lucy Walker's point-of-view, but there are random sections, also in 1st person but from the points-of-view of various minor characters. These passages revealed information or set up events apart from anything that Lucy could know, so I see why they were included, but they were almost entirely confined to the beginning of the book so the balance was strange. More importantly, I think they should have been in 3rd person. Having everything be "I" all the time was confusing, even with the speakers' names as chapter headings. Or perhaps there should have been only one additional POV voice to cover all of that information. Maybe even Lola, the "Raven" of the title, who we actually barely see or hear anything about through most of the book, leaving us to wonder why the title isn't just... "Birthright" or something like that.
There were also some pacing problems, which resulted in lack of suspense and subsequently in behavior and reactions that seemed overwrought or inexplicable. Along similar lines, there are three separate occasions where Lucy learns more about why her mother was the way she was, and each time, Lucy acts as if her world is coming down around her... even though the three occasions reveal nearly identical information each time.
Ultimately, this read like a good Book One in a series. The titular question, so to speak, of "The Girl and the Raven" is solved, but so many other things were left hanging. A big one: What does it mean for Lucy to embrace her powers? We just don't know. Since I was under the impression that this was a standalone novel, I'm feeling rather ambivalent about that.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.
There were also a few things that I did not like, most of which could probably have been fixed with another round of editing, or just with a different editor. For example, the majority of the book is in 1st person, from Lucy Walker's point-of-view, but there are random sections, also in 1st person but from the points-of-view of various minor characters. These passages revealed information or set up events apart from anything that Lucy could know, so I see why they were included, but they were almost entirely confined to the beginning of the book so the balance was strange. More importantly, I think they should have been in 3rd person. Having everything be "I" all the time was confusing, even with the speakers' names as chapter headings. Or perhaps there should have been only one additional POV voice to cover all of that information. Maybe even Lola, the "Raven" of the title, who we actually barely see or hear anything about through most of the book, leaving us to wonder why the title isn't just... "Birthright" or something like that.
There were also some pacing problems, which resulted in lack of suspense and subsequently in behavior and reactions that seemed overwrought or inexplicable. Along similar lines, there are three separate occasions where Lucy learns more about why her mother was the way she was, and each time, Lucy acts as if her world is coming down around her... even though the three occasions reveal nearly identical information each time.
Ultimately, this read like a good Book One in a series. The titular question, so to speak, of "The Girl and the Raven" is solved, but so many other things were left hanging. A big one: What does it mean for Lucy to embrace her powers? We just don't know. Since I was under the impression that this was a standalone novel, I'm feeling rather ambivalent about that.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.
June 18, 2016
Originally posted to A Bookworm's Confessions
I received this book for free from NetGalley for an honest review. I want to thank NetGalley and their awesomeness.
I really enjoyed this book. I'm very disappointed that I have to wait until December to read The Girl and The Gargoyle which I only found out about by checking out Gruber's website. The best part of this book is the uniqueness of it. Witches, demons, gargoyles, and the struggle between good and evil. It's so much fun. It's not something I've read before so I like the change.
Lucy is our main character and the book is told from her point of view with some chapters being told from other characters. These chapters tell us a little bit more of the world and about some of the things Lucy doesn't know about. It also sheds a little more mystery into the story and grabs your attention. I like Lucy. She's had it rough growing up. Her mother is an addict and that addiction eventually leads to her death. Because she died, Lucy is sent to live with her uncles in her grandmother's house. This house has to be huge or something because other people live upstairs in apartments. Persephone, Henry, Marcus, and Aiden all live up their. Marcus and Aiden in one apartment, Persephone and Henry in another. Persephone, Henry, and Aiden aren't really in the book much. It focuses more on Lucy, Marcus, and Dylan.
I don't know which team I am on. I really like Dylan and I can tell Lucy cares about him. Marcus is also a great character and he loves Lucy. This isn't really a typical love triangle and I found that refreshing. Most love triangles can be taxing. We have a little bit of a plot twist with Dylan which ended up surprising me.
I was extremely curious about Jude, Lucy's father. Jude is a demon and is responsible for making her half demon, half witch. He teaches her to use her demon powers and pushes her. But he does truly love her despite his being evil. This is something that really scares her. I like that little conflict and I'm looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops.
There is another demon who is after Lucy and tries to kill her multiple times. It's a bit of a mystery but not a major plot point until the end. I understand the need of this demon but I also found it out of place with the story. I think it could have been good if it was integrated better.
Overall this is a great book and an easy read. I enjoyed it and I do recommend it for those who wish to get a unique book that doesn't follow the usual cliches.
I received this book for free from NetGalley for an honest review. I want to thank NetGalley and their awesomeness.
I really enjoyed this book. I'm very disappointed that I have to wait until December to read The Girl and The Gargoyle which I only found out about by checking out Gruber's website. The best part of this book is the uniqueness of it. Witches, demons, gargoyles, and the struggle between good and evil. It's so much fun. It's not something I've read before so I like the change.
Lucy is our main character and the book is told from her point of view with some chapters being told from other characters. These chapters tell us a little bit more of the world and about some of the things Lucy doesn't know about. It also sheds a little more mystery into the story and grabs your attention. I like Lucy. She's had it rough growing up. Her mother is an addict and that addiction eventually leads to her death. Because she died, Lucy is sent to live with her uncles in her grandmother's house. This house has to be huge or something because other people live upstairs in apartments. Persephone, Henry, Marcus, and Aiden all live up their. Marcus and Aiden in one apartment, Persephone and Henry in another. Persephone, Henry, and Aiden aren't really in the book much. It focuses more on Lucy, Marcus, and Dylan.
I don't know which team I am on. I really like Dylan and I can tell Lucy cares about him. Marcus is also a great character and he loves Lucy. This isn't really a typical love triangle and I found that refreshing. Most love triangles can be taxing. We have a little bit of a plot twist with Dylan which ended up surprising me.
I was extremely curious about Jude, Lucy's father. Jude is a demon and is responsible for making her half demon, half witch. He teaches her to use her demon powers and pushes her. But he does truly love her despite his being evil. This is something that really scares her. I like that little conflict and I'm looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops.
There is another demon who is after Lucy and tries to kill her multiple times. It's a bit of a mystery but not a major plot point until the end. I understand the need of this demon but I also found it out of place with the story. I think it could have been good if it was integrated better.
Overall this is a great book and an easy read. I enjoyed it and I do recommend it for those who wish to get a unique book that doesn't follow the usual cliches.
May 7, 2014
To defend this novel against some critics, let me point out that this story has the typical elements found in a young adult novel: appropriately aged main protagonist, cheesy love triangle where the main character is unsure of whom she is supposed to be with, a bad childhood, and a need to try to live a normal life. Although, Lucy Walker could never lead a normal life due to the fact that she is not entirely 100% human. After her mother dies tragically, Lucy is sent to live with her uncles in her late grandmother's house. What happens after the move is basically a whole Titanic array of problems and situations that come up to make sure that Lucy remembers her unusual genetics. The supernatural elements in the story and the appropriate formula of young adult fiction will surely draw in readers between the ages of 12-19.
However, I wouldn't be a reader if I didn't point out things I disliked about the story. First off, the main character, Lucy, angered me so much during the story. At one point I even called her stupid because she is just so oblivious at times and makes rash, dumb choices. Marcus is the typical overprotective "I have been charged to look after you" kind of guy. There were moments where he seemed pretty cool, but it would've helped Lucy and the story better if he would just tell her things. Dylan...yeah I really have no opinion of him so I'm moving on. What kept me mostly going through this story were the secondary characters. I kind of wish they were more center stage. Obviously this is Lucy's story but since I didn't like her at all, I enjoyed the parts where it wasn't from her perspective.
Also, the ending...I hated it so much. It ended too nicely. And that's why I didn't like it. There weren't enough problems and it reminded me of Twilight. I wanted a more dramatic, conflicting ending so I was disappointed when it wasn't there. Now, this is only my opinion of the story and it shouldn't hold sway over others that are interested in reading the book.
The story is written pretty good and there's some definite elements that are good and powerful. I hear there is a sequel to this story, so maybe if I read that I will like Lucy better.
As a first novel, I give my sincerest applause.
However, I wouldn't be a reader if I didn't point out things I disliked about the story. First off, the main character, Lucy, angered me so much during the story. At one point I even called her stupid because she is just so oblivious at times and makes rash, dumb choices. Marcus is the typical overprotective "I have been charged to look after you" kind of guy. There were moments where he seemed pretty cool, but it would've helped Lucy and the story better if he would just tell her things. Dylan...yeah I really have no opinion of him so I'm moving on. What kept me mostly going through this story were the secondary characters. I kind of wish they were more center stage. Obviously this is Lucy's story but since I didn't like her at all, I enjoyed the parts where it wasn't from her perspective.
Also, the ending...I hated it so much. It ended too nicely. And that's why I didn't like it. There weren't enough problems and it reminded me of Twilight. I wanted a more dramatic, conflicting ending so I was disappointed when it wasn't there. Now, this is only my opinion of the story and it shouldn't hold sway over others that are interested in reading the book.
The story is written pretty good and there's some definite elements that are good and powerful. I hear there is a sequel to this story, so maybe if I read that I will like Lucy better.
As a first novel, I give my sincerest applause.
March 17, 2014
Review Courtesy of April Hollingworth
Though at times I found this book a bit slow I still wanted to find out what happened next. My attention was kept during the whole of the book and I’m looking forward to reading more in this series. The only thing is the pace does need to be picked up some.
Opening Scene:
This is how life as I know it ends.
The Review:
After the death of her mum, Lucy is brought back to her grandmother’s home to live with her uncles. After meeting a strange man in the airport, the hot guy from the apartment upstairs and the jock from school, Lucy’s life goes from boring to strange in no time at all. Then she finds out she’s a witch and has to get her grandmother’s missing Raven back from the man who took her the same man she met in the airport! As she delves into the supernatural Lucy finds herself in danger of being killed. With the life of her new friend at steak Lucy needs to find a balance between good and evil and stay true to herself while finding out exactly who and what she is!
Notable Scene:
He stops in front of me and nods. “Hey.”
I study the bits of sawdust on his jeans before allowing my gaze to climb to his face. Super hot guy with a cocky attitude. My cheeks flush hot, bracing myself for the insult that’s sure to come my way. My stomach churns and I pray I won’t throw up on his shoes.
“Hey yourself.” The words feel wrong rolling off my tongue, sarcastic, and I want to gather them back and start again.
The corners of his mouth twitch. “I’m Marcus Turner. Who’re you?”
I struggle to find my voice as I force myself to maintain eye contact. “Lucy…..Lucy Walker.”
Shock flashes across his face and then disappears, leaving me to wonder if I’d imagined it.
“I live in the two-bedroom upstairs with my brother Aiden.” His voice is soft as he stares over my shoulder.
Inhaling sharply, I try to keep the shock from my face. He lives here?
FTC Advisory: Dragonfly Ink LTD provided me with a copy of The Girl and The Raven by Pauline Gruber. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Though at times I found this book a bit slow I still wanted to find out what happened next. My attention was kept during the whole of the book and I’m looking forward to reading more in this series. The only thing is the pace does need to be picked up some.
Opening Scene:
This is how life as I know it ends.
The Review:
After the death of her mum, Lucy is brought back to her grandmother’s home to live with her uncles. After meeting a strange man in the airport, the hot guy from the apartment upstairs and the jock from school, Lucy’s life goes from boring to strange in no time at all. Then she finds out she’s a witch and has to get her grandmother’s missing Raven back from the man who took her the same man she met in the airport! As she delves into the supernatural Lucy finds herself in danger of being killed. With the life of her new friend at steak Lucy needs to find a balance between good and evil and stay true to herself while finding out exactly who and what she is!
Notable Scene:
He stops in front of me and nods. “Hey.”
I study the bits of sawdust on his jeans before allowing my gaze to climb to his face. Super hot guy with a cocky attitude. My cheeks flush hot, bracing myself for the insult that’s sure to come my way. My stomach churns and I pray I won’t throw up on his shoes.
“Hey yourself.” The words feel wrong rolling off my tongue, sarcastic, and I want to gather them back and start again.
The corners of his mouth twitch. “I’m Marcus Turner. Who’re you?”
I struggle to find my voice as I force myself to maintain eye contact. “Lucy…..Lucy Walker.”
Shock flashes across his face and then disappears, leaving me to wonder if I’d imagined it.
“I live in the two-bedroom upstairs with my brother Aiden.” His voice is soft as he stares over my shoulder.
Inhaling sharply, I try to keep the shock from my face. He lives here?
FTC Advisory: Dragonfly Ink LTD provided me with a copy of The Girl and The Raven by Pauline Gruber. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
April 30, 2014
My copy was provided by Netgalley.
Lucy is a girl who is living a normal life. There's nothing supernatural going on in her life. She's just a normal human. That is, before she learns that she is half-witch and half-demon. Three worlds collide as Lucy tries to balance her demon dad, the witches that want to kill her dad, and her human friends with too many questions.
To help answer questions that refuse to be ignored, Lucy must find the lost raven that holds her magical legacy. Lucy has to learn if she's good or evil or somewhere in-between.
This book turned out to be a pleasant surprise. There are so many books out where the girl learns she has these awesome powers and has to learn how to control them. I thought this would be a typical YA book, but this one took me by surprise in a good way. The twists and turns throughout the book were unexpected and I wanted to keep reading. The story captivated me so much I couldn't put it down.
Lucy was a strong, stubborn girl. She went through so much in her past like losing her mom and moving away. Yet she never gave up and was always strong. She took care of herself without allowing anyone to help her which I can admire in a girl.
Her romance was a bit cliché. The moment she met Marcus, I could definitely feel the insta-love. They seemed to fall in love so fast that I felt as if I was missing a couple of pages involving their relationship developing. They instantly became the couple that would die for each other. I wanted some cute development with them going on some awkward teenage dates.
The plot was simple and easy to follow. The language and the story weren't confusing or weird. I could actually comprehend what was happening and even though I still have questions about the witches and demons, these questions didn't make the book hard to understand. There weren't any confusing points for me and I really did enjoy this book.
I definitely want to read more from this author, especially books like this one.
Lucy is a girl who is living a normal life. There's nothing supernatural going on in her life. She's just a normal human. That is, before she learns that she is half-witch and half-demon. Three worlds collide as Lucy tries to balance her demon dad, the witches that want to kill her dad, and her human friends with too many questions.
To help answer questions that refuse to be ignored, Lucy must find the lost raven that holds her magical legacy. Lucy has to learn if she's good or evil or somewhere in-between.
This book turned out to be a pleasant surprise. There are so many books out where the girl learns she has these awesome powers and has to learn how to control them. I thought this would be a typical YA book, but this one took me by surprise in a good way. The twists and turns throughout the book were unexpected and I wanted to keep reading. The story captivated me so much I couldn't put it down.
Lucy was a strong, stubborn girl. She went through so much in her past like losing her mom and moving away. Yet she never gave up and was always strong. She took care of herself without allowing anyone to help her which I can admire in a girl.
Her romance was a bit cliché. The moment she met Marcus, I could definitely feel the insta-love. They seemed to fall in love so fast that I felt as if I was missing a couple of pages involving their relationship developing. They instantly became the couple that would die for each other. I wanted some cute development with them going on some awkward teenage dates.
The plot was simple and easy to follow. The language and the story weren't confusing or weird. I could actually comprehend what was happening and even though I still have questions about the witches and demons, these questions didn't make the book hard to understand. There weren't any confusing points for me and I really did enjoy this book.
I definitely want to read more from this author, especially books like this one.
March 7, 2014
I received a copy of this book courtesy of the Publisher from NetGalley for an honest review.
WARNING THERE MIGHT BE SPOILERS AHEAD
I loved the plot of the story, it was different. The beginning started out well, then it slowly went down hill that in the last few chapters it started getting good again. The plot twists weren't really plot twists, I guessed a few of the things from the beginning, so I wasn't really surprised when it came out.
I think I'm might be the only person who likes Jude as a character, I felt like he got a good character development and I felt bad that Lucy wanted nothing to do with him after he changed. I didn't like Lucy at all as a character, she was annoying and I couldn't stand her. Neither did I enjoy Marcus as well, I don't know, he seemed a little to jealous for me. The fact that Lucy and Marcus was instalove kind of put me off and I rolled my eyes a couple of times. Despite not liking Lucy, I didn't want her to be with Marcus, even though they 'loved' each other.
I did like Dylan and Katie though, along with Sheldon and Bernard... oh and Jude. I love how Dylan is really cares for Ethan and Brandi, and I found myself saying aww quite a few times.
Seamus (I think I spelled his name wrong), to me wasn't a really good villain nor was Jude. I sympathized with both and I kind of see why they did it. For a villain, I want to dislike and not care for why they did/do the things the did/do.
Overall I give it 3 and 1/2 stars, because I think the plot is original, but wasn't executed quite like I hoped it would be. If there's another book to this, I would definitely read it, because I was hooked and couldn't put it down. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I still wanted to see what was going to happen if that makes any sense.
WARNING THERE MIGHT BE SPOILERS AHEAD
I loved the plot of the story, it was different. The beginning started out well, then it slowly went down hill that in the last few chapters it started getting good again. The plot twists weren't really plot twists, I guessed a few of the things from the beginning, so I wasn't really surprised when it came out.
I think I'm might be the only person who likes Jude as a character, I felt like he got a good character development and I felt bad that Lucy wanted nothing to do with him after he changed. I didn't like Lucy at all as a character, she was annoying and I couldn't stand her. Neither did I enjoy Marcus as well, I don't know, he seemed a little to jealous for me. The fact that Lucy and Marcus was instalove kind of put me off and I rolled my eyes a couple of times. Despite not liking Lucy, I didn't want her to be with Marcus, even though they 'loved' each other.
I did like Dylan and Katie though, along with Sheldon and Bernard... oh and Jude. I love how Dylan is really cares for Ethan and Brandi, and I found myself saying aww quite a few times.
Seamus (I think I spelled his name wrong), to me wasn't a really good villain nor was Jude. I sympathized with both and I kind of see why they did it. For a villain, I want to dislike and not care for why they did/do the things the did/do.
Overall I give it 3 and 1/2 stars, because I think the plot is original, but wasn't executed quite like I hoped it would be. If there's another book to this, I would definitely read it, because I was hooked and couldn't put it down. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I still wanted to see what was going to happen if that makes any sense.
March 9, 2014
Disclosure: I received this book for free for review, but all opinions are 100% honest and opinions are not swayed by getting it free.
The Girl and the Raven, by Pauline Gruber
Sixteen year old Lucy Walker is a poor trailer park girl from Tennessee, who's life abruptly changes when her addict mother finally takes the party too far and dies. Lucy is sent to live with her uncles Bernard and Sheldon in Chicago and to a new life, a normal life or so she thinks. After arriving in Chicago her life begins to change things start looking up she lives with uncles that love her, no longer shops at the goodwill, she makes a best friend name Katie and she meets a cute boy named Marcus, but for every good there is always a bad and his name is Jude Morgan. A world that Lucy didn't even know existed opens up to her and she finds her role in it to be much greater than she could ever have anticipated. From Demons to witches this story, leaves all the supernatural spidey sense tingling and gives you a great opener for a new world.
I really enjoyed this book, Lucy's character is one of the more complex and yet wholesome I have read in quite a while. Her sixteen is still naive and innocent and yet jaded by all that she has experienced being the crutch for a drug addict mother. Her strength and bravery is something that sets her apart and creates a nice contrast to her innocent young girl demeanor. In this story, each character is set up with a unique attribute that Lucy takes in stride, and the entire world is painted in a way that sets it up and brings the reader in. From the school she attends to the group of friends she interacts with the story builds a depth and world and relationships that rivals that of Twilight, Harry Potter and other classic young adults. I look forward to continuing into the a world of witches, demons and gargoles with Pauline Gruber.
The Girl and the Raven, by Pauline Gruber
Sixteen year old Lucy Walker is a poor trailer park girl from Tennessee, who's life abruptly changes when her addict mother finally takes the party too far and dies. Lucy is sent to live with her uncles Bernard and Sheldon in Chicago and to a new life, a normal life or so she thinks. After arriving in Chicago her life begins to change things start looking up she lives with uncles that love her, no longer shops at the goodwill, she makes a best friend name Katie and she meets a cute boy named Marcus, but for every good there is always a bad and his name is Jude Morgan. A world that Lucy didn't even know existed opens up to her and she finds her role in it to be much greater than she could ever have anticipated. From Demons to witches this story, leaves all the supernatural spidey sense tingling and gives you a great opener for a new world.
I really enjoyed this book, Lucy's character is one of the more complex and yet wholesome I have read in quite a while. Her sixteen is still naive and innocent and yet jaded by all that she has experienced being the crutch for a drug addict mother. Her strength and bravery is something that sets her apart and creates a nice contrast to her innocent young girl demeanor. In this story, each character is set up with a unique attribute that Lucy takes in stride, and the entire world is painted in a way that sets it up and brings the reader in. From the school she attends to the group of friends she interacts with the story builds a depth and world and relationships that rivals that of Twilight, Harry Potter and other classic young adults. I look forward to continuing into the a world of witches, demons and gargoles with Pauline Gruber.
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