Posts Tagged: Kami Garcia

I received this book for free from Hachette Book Group in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

What a nail biter! Unbreakable has a creepy cover with an equally freaky story. For all of you supernatural thriller fans out there this one is not to be missed!

I made the mistake of starting this book at midnight; a book that has crazy happenings and intense goosebump-worthy scenes right from the beginning. Every page had me delving deeper and deeper under the covers just so I would stop imagining hellish demon ghosts at the foot of my bed! And by hellish demon ghosts I mean exactly that! You won’t find Casper in here. By page 32 my heart was already pounding from the horror of this unexplained supernatural evil that started to haunt Kennedy. Ok if I’m being honest, I kind of loved it. I’m a sucker for horrors and even though I freak myself out reading them I can’t stop myself! Kami vividly describes these vengeful spirits in the eeriest of ways. I could imagine them clear as day and feel their coldness seep into my skin. From evil ghosts children holding mangled dolls, to faces that flick from a child’s to an old woman’s, to bloated and bruised faces rising from wells; it’s all wonderfully horrific with a sense of anxiety that never lets up.

At first, Kennedy is not sure exactly what’s going on but she knows it’s nothing natural. Soon she meets twins Jared and Jack who explain that she’s part of a secret society of demon hunters. This is where we meet the intriguing cast who make up the Legion. The character development is not the book’s strongest component, however. Due to the action-packed nature of the plot, we get no backstories and few occasions to get to know them. In turn, the group dynamic is not dominant which could make a big difference in how much heart this series possesses. I still found the characters fun to journey with. I enjoyed Priest the most. He’s perceptive and intelligent; the one exuding the most personality. Seeing he’s the baby of the gang also evokes a sense of protectiveness towards him.

Another area that could have used work is the romance. Although it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book per se, I would have much preferred if it had been non existent. For one, it felt like it was added for no other reason than a perceived necessity in today’s YA market. Secondly, using my sub-par deduction skills, I concluded she falls for this guy simply because he’s hot. Lastly, there’s a bizarre maybe-triangle that forms between Kennedy and the twins. I say maybe because we’re never certain of where everyone’s feelings lay. It could be a love triangle, or it could be a single love interest with a “protective older brother”. Don’t let this romance deter you, however. Despite it surfacing regularly, I didn’t find it to be a very significant part of the plot. As such it’s hardly a nuisance, it simply didn’t strengthen the book.

Fans of Supernatural (the TV series) will find similarities in both story arcs and tone. To defeat this demon they need to find a certain weapon, which means a lot of visits to the most terrifying places – an abandoned prison and a home for children for instance. Like the ghosts themselves, the descriptions of these places are thoroughly chilling. The horror aspect is the book’s strong suit, and if you go into it wanting an entertaining, scary read you will be highly satisfied despite it’s flaws. It focuses and succeeds at being a fast paced thrill ride with plenty of terror, dread, and suspense!

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