Author: Veronique Launier
Series: Book One in the Hearts of Stone Series
Published By: Flux (September 8, 2012)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Fantasy
My Rating: 3.5-4 Stars
Goodreads Description:
Guillaume: For five hundred years I've existed as a gargoyle. Perched atop an old Montreal church, I've watched idly as humanity wanders by. With the witch Marguerite gone, there is no one left to protect, nothing to care about. I never planned to feel again. But then a girl released me from my stone restraints, allowing me to return as a seventeen-year-old human boy. I must find out all I can about this girl's power . . .
Aude: Getting attacked twice in as many days is strange in itself, but even stranger is the intriguing guy I keep running into. There's something so familiar about him, like a primal drum rhythm from my dreams. But spending time together only raises more questions--about my heritage, a native Mohawk prophecy . . . and an unearthly magic threatening our city..
My Review:
The synopsis of this book piqued my
interest right away, I mean, gargoyles that come to life? Pretty darn
different and I am always looking for something different in the YA
genre. So of course I had to give this one a try to see what it was
all about.
It started off pretty well, we jump
right into the story and right away I could tell this was going to be
something fun and something definitely different.
I really enjoyed how the narrative
jumped back and forth between the two main characters, Aude (aka Odd)
and Guillaume. It doesn't always work in some books but it was
handled pretty nicely in this one and seemed to work. And strangely
enough, I found myself really liking reading from Guillaume's POV
more than Aude's. His character was pretty mysterious and charming
and I just wanted more of his story. I wanted to know why he was a
gargoyle and I knew he hadn't always been one and I just knew there
was a really great story behind it all.
I will admit though, that after those
first few pages, the story got a little slow for me but I kept
reading on hoping that it would pick back up again. Thankfully by
about chapter 16 things did start to pick up again. In fact, a lot of
the story started to finally really unfold.
We start to learn more about Guil,
about the curse, about Aude and her heritage, about the strange
drumming and chanting and very slowly Guil's past starts to be
revealed as well.
After learning more about Guil's past,
I have to say, I liked him even more. He was so tortured and broken
and yet, he learned to really care about someone and to even learn
what love really is. He was a great character.
I really love the take on witches and
essence in this and about how the gargoyles came about, I don't want
to give anything away but it really was a creative concept, very
original.
All of the brother were loveable, I
really enjoyed Garnier's character as well and I hope we get more of
him in the next book because I would really love to learn more about
him and to see him get a happily ever after too.
This really does promise to be a great
series. I can't wait to see what the author does with the next book.
Yeah, I need to learn to stop looking at Netgalley, I have too many books to read as it is without requesting more!
ReplyDeleteThanks Heidi and you too!
Okay, I've read stories that had gargoyles coming alive, and even talking, but I'm intrigued by the fact that it's a girl trapped as one. I don't think I've read a book with witches in quite awhile, maybe it's time. lol
ReplyDeleteThe girl isn't actually the gargoyle, the guys are. She is the witch but it is still a really interesting read. Very different.
ReplyDeleteHaha whoops... I was thinking the Guillaume character was female for some reason when I wrote that comment, even though it says human BOY. :D But still, boy or girl, it sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteLOL no worries, I just didn't want you to be disappointed if you decided to try it and the female was the gargoyle. ;)
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of this one yet and it sounds fantastic! If I had room on my TBR I'd be all over it. I'll have to remember it for the future though!
ReplyDeleteGreat review, I love the gargoyle aspect.
ReplyDelete