Morning lovely readers 🙂
Well, I have to say, like most people that discovered the wonderful World of Kindle I had been merely downloading the books I already knew I liked. Just recently however I began exploring different types of books (usually the ones suggested by the Kindle) and I have to say I’ve found some good ones. Now I don’t mean to sound like a broken record but I have to say the vast majority of them belonged to the Fantasy genre (what can I say, you like what you like lol) but even then they were books I would never have thought to pick for myself. These include The Soul’s Mark series by Ashley Stoyanoff (review to follow), the Eternal Guardian series by Elisabeth Naughton (again review to follow) but this particular review will be focusing on the Pinehurst series by Nicole Grane. Please don’t groan, I know it’s a young adult novel but as the story went along I found myself lost in it for a particular reason which I will later divulge.
The Pinehurst series follows the life of Evie Hollyander, a sixteen year old left at the Pinehurst school for mageia kids with magical talent. She is having abandonment issues as she believes her father left her there for no reason. She is surrounded by magical beings with typical teenage attitudes and an overabundance of confidence. The story begins where she’s experiencing usual teenage aspects of life; crushes, dances and boys; but she soon discovers things aren’t quite as they seem even in a World surrounded by fantasy and magic. Why does she feel so close to Antonio? All of a sudden she learns that her father has been taken to Hell and they embark on a journey that will test even her ‘exceptional’ potential.
One point that may confuse some is in the title of the series it mentions that it is a young Olympian novel. Within the first book it doesn’t really mention an Olympian link but we are treated to that in the second. Evie must now search for a way to cure her father of the disease which is killing him. Evie wants to focus solely on this but she gets constantly distracted by life; why won’t Antonio love her? Why is she still plagued by the kids at school? And how dare Satan be Hades (major spoiler) after she bargained her soul?? Would she find a way to have the ending she seeks?
My frustration comes into play with the aforementioned Hades. I picked this novel up as a distraction and had kept it light hearted until Hades was revealed. Within this series so far he seems to be the most well developed character, revealing a soft and sensual side beneath the undertones of evil. Could he fall in love? Did he want to? His relationship with Evie seems to present two different aspects; he needs her, as the child of light, to release a demon from Hell every night. He also seems to need her to soothe his damaged, maybe evil, soul. He seems so alone that it pulls on your heart and you almost find yourself wishing they could be together. I am now frustrated as dammit I need to know what happens between Evie and Hades next. Will she choose the bad boy over the angelic Antonio? Will she get a choice.
The books are well written in a good strong female voice and description can at points in the novels be used to its greatest advantage. The beginning of the first novel can be a little slow and scream of teenage angst at you but my suggestion is persevere through it. You are treat to intrigue, seduction, love, lust and a heck of a dose of fantasy if you do. You are eventually drawn into a universe where you have to know what happens next, as in my case. You won’t be disappointed if you read this series I promise 🙂
Thank you 🙂
