Half Bad by Sally Green

The Blurb On The Back:

You can’t read, can’t write, but you heal fast, even for a witch.

You get sick if you stay indoors after dark.

You hate White Witches but love Annalise, who is one.

You’ve been kept in a cage since you were fourteen.

All you’ve got to do is escape and find Mercury, the Black Witch who eats boys.

And do that before your seventeenth birthday.

Easy.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Sally Green’s debut YA fantasy (the first in a trilogy) is a book of two halves. Nathan is as an emotionally complicated character - aware of how he’s regarded by the Council and other White Witches and his powerlessness to stop it, he loves his grandmother and brother but fantasises about the father he’s never met. Unfortunately the world he exists in lacks sophistication – the White Witches are cruel and violent and the Black Witches cruel and self-serving. I wanted shades of grey or at least some hint that there are White Witches uncomfortable with their Council’s decisions. Many of the supporting characters lack depth with the villains defined by their willingness to use torture. Annalise is a love interest whose relationship with Nathan revolves around physical attraction but who lacks personality and I didn’t understand how she could rise above her family’s hatred of Black Witches while Gabriel is little more than a third point in the obligatory YA love triangle. I loved the way Green integrates Nathan’s backstory into the novel and Nathan’s connection with nature and his love of drawing is excellently conveyed but once he escapes little seems to happen other than that he runs around and asks questions without getting any answers. Ultimately, although I can see why this book’s got so much attention and I would check out the sequel, it wouldn’t be high on my priority list.

Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke

The Blurb On The Back:

You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand …

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town – until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate … when strange things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard.

Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy with a crooked smile, who likes coffee and kisses you in a cemetery ...

Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

April Genevieve Tucholke’s debut YA fantasy novel is a paranormal romance with an American gothic tone. It’s a slow burn story with Tucholke spending a lot of time setting up the family history of the Wests, the relationship between Violet, Luke and Violet’s best friend Sunshine before moving onto establish the growing relationship between River and Violet and then the creepy things that start happening within the town. Although I’m not a fan of instant love connections, there’s a good reason for it here and I found River an interesting character in that he’s essentially an addict driven to use his strange ability (his glow) by need. I also enjoyed the love/hate relationship between Luke and Violet and the impact that Sunshine has on their relationship. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take to Violet who I found far too passive. Although other characters complaining that she’s too direct, she never actually says what she thinks or asks what she wants and frequently allows herself to surrender to the control of others. That’s a particular problem when the story builds to a climax where I simply didn’t believe that she’d do what she does. Added to this is the fact that a big reveal at the end comes a little out of nowhere and I found the late introduction of a critical character to be unconvincing (particularly as they’re so generic in their characteristics). The book ends with a set-up for a sequel, which I’m not in a hurry to read although I would check out Tucholke’s other books.

BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA was released in the United Kingdom on 3rd April 2014. Thanks to Faber & Faber for the ARC of this book.