Haven (Winterhaven, #1) in Once Upon a Twilight blog

Oct 25, 2010 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it it was amazing

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

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

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Jan 10, 2011 Lani Woodland rated it it was amazing

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

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Dec 15, 2010 Once rated it it was amazing

Shelves: debut-author-2011

I think what made me love this book was that I found some similarities from other books that I love as well. When I say similarities, I mean more in the sense of what I read caused the same emotions in me as I did in the other books. I don't feel that the book copied others at all. The book flowed at such a great pace the whole time. I would have read this book in 24 hours if it not had been because my family being sick. Kristi debut was Amazing! I never felt lost or too busy reading throughout ...more

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Jan 13, 2011 Christin (Portrait of a Book) rated it really liked it

Shelves: dac2011, young-adult, btc-review, 100in2011, paranormal

With so many paranormal books on the market right now, it was very refreshing to see one in which almost all of the characters have a supernatural ability, not just the male or female lead. The premise of Haven sounded very promising, and it definitely did not disappoint.

Violet McKenna has always been plagued with visions of the future, usually visions of unfortunate or even tragic accidents occurring in the lives of those she cares about. To make matters worse, she can't even warn them - nobody With so many paranormal books on the market right now, it was very refreshing to see one in which almost all of the characters have a supernatural ability, not just the male or female lead. The premise of Haven sounded very promising, and it definitely did not disappoint.

Violet McKenna has always been plagued with visions of the future, usually visions of unfortunate or even tragic accidents occurring in the lives of those she cares about. To make matters worse, she can't even warn them - nobody would believe her, and so she hides her gift. But all that changes when she arrives at Winterhaven, a school that, for some inexplicable reason, she feels drawn to. She quickly learns that she is not alone in her psychic abilities, and she can even develop them further. Then there is Aidan Gray, the most irresistible guy at Winterhaven, and he seems drawn to her - an attraction that is definitely mutual. But a school like Winterhaven wouldn't be complete without its secrets, as as Violet's visions become increasingly intense, she realizes that she and Aidan may have more to learn about themselves after all...

Haven was a quick, enjoyable read. Cook's writing easily engages the reader, finding just the right balance of description and action and refined style and teen voice that brings the story to life. The characters were all very believable, and I enjoyed watching their development throughout the novel. Moreover, the relationship between Violet and Aidan found a convincing balance of tenderness, tension, and romance. Between character interactions and plot developments and revelations, Haven is an interesting read throughout.

I will say, however, that throughout the novel, there are a fair number of similarities to other comparable books. In addition, while some events come as a surprise, others are rather predictable. Despite this, however, Haven has enough individuality, as well as questions left unanswered, to make this book worth reading and to make me intrigued as to what will happen next.

Overall, this was a great debut novel for Cook. I will look forward to reading more from her in the future! ...more

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