I found a new awesome indie YA book series. (I think it’s a series. If it ended there, I’m pissed!) Lure is a nice twist on a the same old tired supernatural romance story. This time, there are sirens (yay!) and the girl gets to be supernatural instead of the boy. Very cool, in my opinion.
There are only two things to complain about with this book. One is that it’s DRM enabled (BOO!) so those of us who own e-readers that aren’t kindles are stuck with the hassle of cracking it just to read it on our devices. The other is that Jenkins subscribes to the (very silly in my opinion) idea that people who get become cool, supernatural, immortal beings will for some reason want to be human again and then try to fall in love with mortals to make that happen. I don’t get this at all! If I were a siren, I would so want to stay a siren. I mean, come on. You’re gorgeous, immortal, never gain a pound (since you don’t eat, just drink salt water), and you can lure nasty people to their deaths! Okay, well, maybe that’s not very nice, but still.
However, this is just a silly quibble. The book is simply fabulous. I was drawn in by the sample immediately. The voice is spot-on. The main character, Charlotte, is a hardass, but in a heart-breaking way. The boys are wicked hot and very believable. There’s a little bit of love triangle action going on, but it’s in a very understated way, so it seems quite plausible. Jenkins doesn’t shy away from “taboo” topics, like teen drug use or drinking. She shows consequences, but she’s not after-school-special about it. I really enjoyed the Greek mythology. It’s such a breath of fresh air. (I’m already getting tired of angels, to say nothing of weres and vamps!) The editing is flawless. The formatting is beautiful. You’d never know this was an indie book. (Wait. Is that a compliment?) Overall, the story is engrossing, the characters endearing, and tension palpable. I so can’t wait for the sequel.
You can find it here. At only $.99, it’s a steal.
