novelheartbeat's review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5
My feelings for this one were very hit and miss. On one hand, the concept was cool and I liked the heist feel it had going for it. The narration was decent, too. On the other hand, the main character was quite annoying and the writing style was pretty sophomoric. I was also underwhelmed by the ending. And I'm going to be honest, I don't really remember much of this book because it didn't stick with me at all. It wasn't bad, it was interesting enough to keep me going - but it wasn't memorable.
This review was originally posted on Novel Heartbeat. To see a breakdown of my assessment, please visit the full review here.
missprint_'s review
3.0
Kayla had planned to spend her summer lazing about the beach in Santa Barbara with her best friend Selena and occasionally stealing things here and there to keep her mind sharp. After all, a sharp mind is very important when you can use it to move things.
Her plans for the summer are effectively derailed when a boy named Daniel appears out of nowhere. Literally. Because Daniel has a power of his own--the ability to teleport anywhere instantly. Threatened with blackmail, Kayla agrees to help Daniel steal a set of three ancient artifacts to help Daniel rescue his kidnapped mother.
As Daniel and Kayla travel around the world to collect the artifacts, Kayla soon realizes that the secrets she has been keeping, the kidnapping, and the artifacts may all connect back to each other--and to her own family--in a shocking act of betrayal that could change everything in Chasing Power (2014) by Sarah Beth Durst.
While Kayla is a willful and often impulsive character, she is also an honest one who is willing to own up to her mistakes. Kayla's own rash behavior is balanced well by best friend Selena who offers a down-to-earth foil to Kayla's magical powers. Kayla's mother is another a great addition to this story with her own charms--both magical and otherwise.
Chasing Power is a streamlined blend of magic, romance and page-turning action. This story is part urban fantasy and part treasure hunt in a satisfying blend of adventure and suspense.
Possible Pairings: White Cat by Holly Black, Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey, The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, Rampant by Diana Peterfreund, The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin, Companions of the Night by Vivian Vande Velde, The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
*A copy of this book was acquired for review consideration from the publisher at BEA 2014*
Her plans for the summer are effectively derailed when a boy named Daniel appears out of nowhere. Literally. Because Daniel has a power of his own--the ability to teleport anywhere instantly. Threatened with blackmail, Kayla agrees to help Daniel steal a set of three ancient artifacts to help Daniel rescue his kidnapped mother.
As Daniel and Kayla travel around the world to collect the artifacts, Kayla soon realizes that the secrets she has been keeping, the kidnapping, and the artifacts may all connect back to each other--and to her own family--in a shocking act of betrayal that could change everything in Chasing Power (2014) by Sarah Beth Durst.
While Kayla is a willful and often impulsive character, she is also an honest one who is willing to own up to her mistakes. Kayla's own rash behavior is balanced well by best friend Selena who offers a down-to-earth foil to Kayla's magical powers. Kayla's mother is another a great addition to this story with her own charms--both magical and otherwise.
Chasing Power is a streamlined blend of magic, romance and page-turning action. This story is part urban fantasy and part treasure hunt in a satisfying blend of adventure and suspense.
Possible Pairings: White Cat by Holly Black, Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey, The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, Rampant by Diana Peterfreund, The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin, Companions of the Night by Vivian Vande Velde, The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
*A copy of this book was acquired for review consideration from the publisher at BEA 2014*
mikkareads's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
What quickly captured my attention was the imaginative and charming writing style, which evokes vivid mental imagery without feeling cliché. The dialogue is natural and believable, and the clever, dry humor had me laughing out loud more than once.
»The sun spread into the horizon as if it were melting into the water, an act that, while poetic, would not have been appreciated by the fish.«
The characters are fantastic, the author brings their
quirks, strengths, and weaknesses to life with effortless wordsmithery. None of the important characters left me indifferent, I always felt emotionally invested in their lives.
Kayla herself is a wonderful heroine, using her telekinetic abilities to steal from the city's businesses like a master thief. I was constantly impressed by how creative and meticulous she went about her wily ways! However, what made me sympathize with her even more was her deep love for her mother and her determination to protect her small family.
»If he wasn't more careful, he could be caught by evil people with world-domination plans and forced to commit atrocious acts of atrocity.«
Daniel first appears in Kayla's life as an adversary, by blackmailing her. However, there is no malice behind it, but helpless desperation, because he loves his mother more than anything and wants to save her. Like Kayla, he is intelligent and resourceful.
»He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something profound, or at least difficult to pronounce.«
Both essentially live in a world turned upside down, where they try to protect and take care of their parents instead of the other way around. They quickly realize that they have a lot in common, and the romance that develops between them is sweet and touching.
»She wanted to fall into that smile. It made her want to frolic through fields with him, and Kayla had never frolicked through a field in her life.«
The story is a thrilling blend of urban fantasy and adventure, with intelligent heroes, a complex plot, and many original ideas. A real highlight in young adult fantasy!
»The sun spread into the horizon as if it were melting into the water, an act that, while poetic, would not have been appreciated by the fish.«
The characters are fantastic, the author brings their
quirks, strengths, and weaknesses to life with effortless wordsmithery. None of the important characters left me indifferent, I always felt emotionally invested in their lives.
Kayla herself is a wonderful heroine, using her telekinetic abilities to steal from the city's businesses like a master thief. I was constantly impressed by how creative and meticulous she went about her wily ways! However, what made me sympathize with her even more was her deep love for her mother and her determination to protect her small family.
»If he wasn't more careful, he could be caught by evil people with world-domination plans and forced to commit atrocious acts of atrocity.«
Daniel first appears in Kayla's life as an adversary, by blackmailing her. However, there is no malice behind it, but helpless desperation, because he loves his mother more than anything and wants to save her. Like Kayla, he is intelligent and resourceful.
»He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something profound, or at least difficult to pronounce.«
Both essentially live in a world turned upside down, where they try to protect and take care of their parents instead of the other way around. They quickly realize that they have a lot in common, and the romance that develops between them is sweet and touching.
»She wanted to fall into that smile. It made her want to frolic through fields with him, and Kayla had never frolicked through a field in her life.«
The story is a thrilling blend of urban fantasy and adventure, with intelligent heroes, a complex plot, and many original ideas. A real highlight in young adult fantasy!
misshappyreading's review against another edition
4.0
Review from my blog:
English version:
I bought the book because it is the Bookbusters Book of the Month. The summary was indeed interesting, but I probably wouldn’t have bought the book.
I slipped quicker into the story than I expected. Especially Kayla's girlfriend Selena was incredible. She's a great protagonists, with many lovely wordplays and charming qualities. Kayla took me longer and also Daniel was not easy at first to like. The more you understand about the story and the motives the more sympathetic are both.
A YA fantasy wouldn't be complete without the love story. A sweet young love is born and is a nice addition to the story of Daniel's kidnapped mother. Because Daniel can move easily between all parts of the world, the book takes you more or less through Latin America, North America and Europe. Although the book is written in a loose and easy language, it is not a book for beginners in English reading.
The whole story is very solid and has interesting twists in it. Except for the slightly cheesy end, I liked the book much. Classical YA fantasy story.
Deutsche Rezension:
Wie schon erwähnt, habe ich das Buch gekauft, weil es das Bookbusters Buch des Monats ist. Die Beschreibung fand ich zwar ganz interessant, hätte mir das Buch aber vermutlich nicht gekauft.
Ich rutschte schneller in die Story als ich erwartet hatte. Besonders Kaylas Freundin Selena war für mich ein unglaublicher Sympathieträger. Sie ist eine tolle Protagonisten, mit viel Wortwitz und charmanten Eigenschaften. Bei Kayla brauchte ich länger und auch Daniel war mir am Anfang nicht geheuer. Nach und nach, je mehr man von der Geschichte und den Beweggründen versteht, wurden die beiden sympathischer.
Bei YA Fantasy darf natürlich die Liebesgeschichte nicht fehlen. Eine süße Jugendliebe entsteht und ist eine schöne Erweiterung zur Story um Daniels entführte Mutter. Da sich Daniel problemlos zwischen allen Orten der Welt bewegen kann, führt einen das Buch mehr oder weniger durch Lateinamerika, Amerika und Europa. Auch wenn das Buch an sich sehr locker und leicht geschrieben ist, ist es kein Buch für Anfänger im Englisch lesen.
Die ganze Geschichte ist sehr solide und hat schöne Wendungen drin, die einen in neue Richtungen lenken. Bis auf das leicht schmachtvolle Ende, gefiel mir das Buch gut. Klassische YA Fantasy Story.
English version:
I bought the book because it is the Bookbusters Book of the Month. The summary was indeed interesting, but I probably wouldn’t have bought the book.
I slipped quicker into the story than I expected. Especially Kayla's girlfriend Selena was incredible. She's a great protagonists, with many lovely wordplays and charming qualities. Kayla took me longer and also Daniel was not easy at first to like. The more you understand about the story and the motives the more sympathetic are both.
A YA fantasy wouldn't be complete without the love story. A sweet young love is born and is a nice addition to the story of Daniel's kidnapped mother. Because Daniel can move easily between all parts of the world, the book takes you more or less through Latin America, North America and Europe. Although the book is written in a loose and easy language, it is not a book for beginners in English reading.
The whole story is very solid and has interesting twists in it. Except for the slightly cheesy end, I liked the book much. Classical YA fantasy story.
Deutsche Rezension:
Wie schon erwähnt, habe ich das Buch gekauft, weil es das Bookbusters Buch des Monats ist. Die Beschreibung fand ich zwar ganz interessant, hätte mir das Buch aber vermutlich nicht gekauft.
Ich rutschte schneller in die Story als ich erwartet hatte. Besonders Kaylas Freundin Selena war für mich ein unglaublicher Sympathieträger. Sie ist eine tolle Protagonisten, mit viel Wortwitz und charmanten Eigenschaften. Bei Kayla brauchte ich länger und auch Daniel war mir am Anfang nicht geheuer. Nach und nach, je mehr man von der Geschichte und den Beweggründen versteht, wurden die beiden sympathischer.
Bei YA Fantasy darf natürlich die Liebesgeschichte nicht fehlen. Eine süße Jugendliebe entsteht und ist eine schöne Erweiterung zur Story um Daniels entführte Mutter. Da sich Daniel problemlos zwischen allen Orten der Welt bewegen kann, führt einen das Buch mehr oder weniger durch Lateinamerika, Amerika und Europa. Auch wenn das Buch an sich sehr locker und leicht geschrieben ist, ist es kein Buch für Anfänger im Englisch lesen.
Die ganze Geschichte ist sehr solide und hat schöne Wendungen drin, die einen in neue Richtungen lenken. Bis auf das leicht schmachtvolle Ende, gefiel mir das Buch gut. Klassische YA Fantasy Story.
p0laris's review against another edition
3.0
It took me a chapter or two to get into this book, but it was a great adventure afterward. I really enjoyed the main character, Kayla's, relationship with her mother, and getting to see how it changed over the course of the book. It was great to see Kayla herself change throughout the book as well, and really come into a sense of confidence. She was great at feigning confidence in the beginning, but seemed to grow into her own skin (and power) as the story goes on. There are also some great parallel happenings going on with those around her, which I thought were cool. The characters around the main character aren't stagnant beings in the book--they learn and grow along with her.
Though there is a romance in the story--and yes, it happens a bit too quickly for my taste--it isn't based solely on the romance alone. In fact, a lot of the book has to do with family matters. And the rest is about an adventure that takes Kayla and Daniel to many cool places. Side note: The homeschooler in me was excited at all the history you can pick up from reading this book. :D
I think the biggest thing I didn't like about the story is how seemingly easily things are resolved towards the end. Yet there are two big reasons I still appreciate the ending:
1.) I didn't see it coming, as I was expecting something much different and thrilling. This is, I suppose, the result of being used to reading things with thrills for the sake of thrills. After contemplating the ending, I appreciate the subtle way in which things unfold.
2.) It didn't end there. The conflict gets resolved, yes, but because of certain events there is still much the characters have to do before returning to their lives--and even then, their lives won't be the same. I appreciate Durst showing the 'after' of things. The cleanup, if you will.
In all, this is a fun book with very cool magic, and characters who change and grow as the story progresses. It is also another great Sarah Beth Durst novel! This is the third standalone of hers that I have read, and while each of them have been as different as night and day, I have enjoyed them all!
Read this if:
...you like family drama, and adventure with a touch of history.
Content Warning
*This section may contain some spoilers about content!*
*I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This review was originally published on my blog: The Reading Fever.
Though there is a romance in the story--and yes, it happens a bit too quickly for my taste--it isn't based solely on the romance alone. In fact, a lot of the book has to do with family matters. And the rest is about an adventure that takes Kayla and Daniel to many cool places. Side note: The homeschooler in me was excited at all the history you can pick up from reading this book. :D
I think the biggest thing I didn't like about the story is how seemingly easily things are resolved towards the end. Yet there are two big reasons I still appreciate the ending:
1.) I didn't see it coming, as I was expecting something much different and thrilling. This is, I suppose, the result of being used to reading things with thrills for the sake of thrills. After contemplating the ending, I appreciate the subtle way in which things unfold.
2.) It didn't end there. The conflict gets resolved, yes, but because of certain events there is still much the characters have to do before returning to their lives--and even then, their lives won't be the same. I appreciate Durst showing the 'after' of things. The cleanup, if you will.
In all, this is a fun book with very cool magic, and characters who change and grow as the story progresses. It is also another great Sarah Beth Durst novel! This is the third standalone of hers that I have read, and while each of them have been as different as night and day, I have enjoyed them all!
Read this if:
...you like family drama, and adventure with a touch of history.
Content Warning
*This section may contain some spoilers about content!*
Spoiler
Other than a few kissing scenes, and a few swear words, the book is pretty clean! There is also one possibly scary scene in an ancient crypt, but it's only scary if--like me--you don't like bones!*I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This review was originally published on my blog: The Reading Fever.
gingergothicc's review against another edition
5.0
This was a fantastic book. The plot had splendid twists and turns, one big one I didn't see coming. I will definitely be recommending this book to anyone who will listen.
sxl04260's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
A great story with lots of unpredictable plot twists. The whole premise is that the main character Kayla is forced to be involved in a sort of quest – the mystery and anticipation drives along the plot, where no one really knows what’s gonna happen next.
ekkihugsa's review
1.0
Chronique en français sur Sous ma Couverture
The beginning was good, but then ... it stagnates, it's repetitive, the romance seems forced, appears from nowhere...
90% of details, 10% of actions, I feel like 10 pages would have been enough.
The beginning was good, but then ... it stagnates, it's repetitive, the romance seems forced, appears from nowhere...
90% of details, 10% of actions, I feel like 10 pages would have been enough.