dani_bugz's review against another edition
3.0
Pull started out strongly, with an intriguing premise realistic characters and realworld values, but then it got... messy.
It's not the fantasy aspect of it, I really enjoyed the idea of pulling, but it felt like Riley got a bit caught up in it all and lost track of where she was going. I also thought (despite the acknowledgements saying much had been removed) there was too much telling and not enough showing. This is a pretty common frustration of mine though so it may not bother people too much.
While it did end fairly weakly and messily, it was an interesting story that I was invested in. If you find it somewhere pretty cheap, give it a go, but don't feel too distraught if you miss out on this one.
I received this as an eARC for review purposes.
It's not the fantasy aspect of it, I really enjoyed the idea of pulling, but it felt like Riley got a bit caught up in it all and lost track of where she was going. I also thought (despite the acknowledgements saying much had been removed) there was too much telling and not enough showing. This is a pretty common frustration of mine though so it may not bother people too much.
While it did end fairly weakly and messily, it was an interesting story that I was invested in. If you find it somewhere pretty cheap, give it a go, but don't feel too distraught if you miss out on this one.
I received this as an eARC for review purposes.
thepaperreels's review against another edition
4.0
for more reviews, please visit Her Book Thoughts!
You know what PULL reminds me of? The Mortal Instruments with a mixture of Doctor Who. Now I don't know about you, but those two together are all kinds of amazing. And because we're being honest, I have to say that I didn't expect to love Pull so much. Although I am a big fan of all things time travel AND London, only few books can make me fall in love with them.
I was hooked from the first chapter because Rosie is such an excellent narrator. Her voice isn't cliché. She is one of those YA heroines that you will like so much because.. Well, because you can't help it. I like the fact that she uses her head and doesn't easily go into boy crazy mode. She's caring, kind and funny. Totally book bff material. Another thing that I appreciated about Pull is that although supernatural things are happening, THE PARENTS ARE ALIVE. Oh goodness, how I appreciate that much. Let's admit it, lots of author either makes their main characters orphans or kills their parents eventually. I like that Anne Riley didn't go with the easy way because the parents play such a huge role in every story. Every character of Pull have their own trait that makes them different and everyone have a part in the story. Each characters are written very well and I can't wait to get to know more of them if ever the author decides to make a continuation.
One word to describe Pull: EXCITING. The excitement never ends! There are a lot of questions that needs to be answered and everything leads to another mystery that needs to be solved. What is the power? Who are the people who can go back in time? How is it all possible? I did get all my answers and Anne Riley didn't left me hanging but I would really love it if there's a second story about all of this. I feel like Rosies world is just waiting to be explored, there's so much more to learn and to meet.
The romance is very sweet and real! No instalove or any annoying thing that usually annoys me when it comes to the romance area of every story. Unlike the story's pacing, it took time for the characters to get to together. They're perfect for each other and they make me swoon!!!
I sure can't get enough of Pull. The only thought I have right after I finished reading Pull is that I WANT MORE. Anne Rileys writing is so terrific that I feel like I was just right beside Rosie and discovering London with her. Thrilling and addictive, Pull have all the potential to be the next big thing!!
You know what PULL reminds me of? The Mortal Instruments with a mixture of Doctor Who. Now I don't know about you, but those two together are all kinds of amazing. And because we're being honest, I have to say that I didn't expect to love Pull so much. Although I am a big fan of all things time travel AND London, only few books can make me fall in love with them.
I was hooked from the first chapter because Rosie is such an excellent narrator. Her voice isn't cliché. She is one of those YA heroines that you will like so much because.. Well, because you can't help it. I like the fact that she uses her head and doesn't easily go into boy crazy mode. She's caring, kind and funny. Totally book bff material. Another thing that I appreciated about Pull is that although supernatural things are happening, THE PARENTS ARE ALIVE. Oh goodness, how I appreciate that much. Let's admit it, lots of author either makes their main characters orphans or kills their parents eventually. I like that Anne Riley didn't go with the easy way because the parents play such a huge role in every story. Every character of Pull have their own trait that makes them different and everyone have a part in the story. Each characters are written very well and I can't wait to get to know more of them if ever the author decides to make a continuation.
One word to describe Pull: EXCITING. The excitement never ends! There are a lot of questions that needs to be answered and everything leads to another mystery that needs to be solved. What is the power? Who are the people who can go back in time? How is it all possible? I did get all my answers and Anne Riley didn't left me hanging but I would really love it if there's a second story about all of this. I feel like Rosies world is just waiting to be explored, there's so much more to learn and to meet.
The romance is very sweet and real! No instalove or any annoying thing that usually annoys me when it comes to the romance area of every story. Unlike the story's pacing, it took time for the characters to get to together. They're perfect for each other and they make me swoon!!!
I sure can't get enough of Pull. The only thought I have right after I finished reading Pull is that I WANT MORE. Anne Rileys writing is so terrific that I feel like I was just right beside Rosie and discovering London with her. Thrilling and addictive, Pull have all the potential to be the next big thing!!
emilymorgand's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the beginning but the end was laggy for me. I like the idea of the book, and the author's writing style was very interesting.
the_cover_contessa's review against another edition
2.0
I want to thank Spencer Hill Press for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.
Sci-fi is always an intriguing genre for me. And the idea of this book, the ability to pull and pretty much turn back time so you can save lives, really hit the spot for me. After I read the blurb, I was looking forward to watching the story unfold.
I'll start by talking about the characters. I will say that at the beginning I really liked Rosie. I liked that she had a big focus on her family. The way she cared for her brother and how she responded to her parents. It was nice to see a teen who wasn't all about going against what the parents want. But this didn't last long. Rosie had a huge switch from being someone who seemed like she would be there for her family to someone who only thought about herself. Was it in the guise of trying to save someone she loved, sure, but the way she went about it was all wrong. I lost respect for her and my connection, which was there at the beginning of the book, fizzled out by about 30%. Albert was interesting, but way too mysterious, even after he wasn't supposed to be mysterious. I felt like I really didn't get to know him. Rosie hardly asked him the right questions and since the story is in first person it was the only way for us to see him. And their relationship, the attraction she almost desperately wants to feel just didn't seem genuine. She gets her heart broken and falls right into the arms of the first cute guy to come her way. Honestly, between these two they were both just boring and I didn't feel any empathy or "pull" towards them. I wasn't routing for them at all.
I rather liked the secondary characters. I thought the really leant a lot to the story. Isaac was determined to protect his friends and didn't trust Rosie. Why should he, she was an outsider after all. Casey, she was a bit off her rocker. Kind of a live bomb that was set to go off. And Dan, he seemed rather sweet and definitely had a soft spot for Rosie. Overall I actually think I saw more of their personalities than I did of Rosie and Albert who were the main characters. I didn't like Paul, her brother, at all. But I think that was the point. He was this nasty, brooding guy who had a lot of baggage that Rosie seems to want to take away from him. I appreciated that but even when it was supposed to work for the audience it failed to do so. And the parents, meh, I would have liked to see Rosie interact with them more. Plus, they were barely around and when they were they were always reprimanding her. Oh and even after she's punished or in trouble, it just gets dropped. If she sneaks out or goes against what they say, it's like it doesn't matter and there are no other consequences.
The plot was interesting, at first. I mean, who wouldn't want to change the course of things if they could. Especially when it would save lives. But there was really no world building with this story line. I didn't understand where the first Pull was performed or why or how it came about. Where was the history? Also, there are so few Servators (those who Pull) and yet they are able to be at the right place at the right time no matter what? Seemed too easy. I found certain scenes rather unrealistic. I know it's sci-fi, but there is a realism that comes with such a book. It's supposed to make us think things can actually happen the way they do. I didn't feel this. Add to that a bit of the paranormal and the author just lost me.
The romance, blech. I mean, Rosie is basically on the rebound. If the chapters with Roise and Albert together were supposed to show them getting to know each other, it missed the mark for me. And I didn't feel their connection at all. There was no building tension, no attraction that was spoken of for the most part. In the end, the way things play out, is totally unrealistic given how their relationship progresses (or doesn't progress as was the case).
There is a ton of telling in this book, rather than showing. This explains the lack of world building. The story takes place in London, but I don't feel like I'm in London at all. Having spent a bit of time there (my parents lived there for three years), I am actually familiar with where Rosie's grandparent's house is. Yet, I could not picture it through the author's descriptions. The same went for how the characters look, no idea. The lack of showing causes the pacing to be much to slow for my taste.
Overall, I'm really disappointed in not liking this story. I really wanted to like it. I really wanted it to move and be full of action and twists, but that just wasn't there. It's really not a book I would recommend to sci-fi lovers, but that's just me. Perhaps you need to see for yourself?
Sci-fi is always an intriguing genre for me. And the idea of this book, the ability to pull and pretty much turn back time so you can save lives, really hit the spot for me. After I read the blurb, I was looking forward to watching the story unfold.
I'll start by talking about the characters. I will say that at the beginning I really liked Rosie. I liked that she had a big focus on her family. The way she cared for her brother and how she responded to her parents. It was nice to see a teen who wasn't all about going against what the parents want. But this didn't last long. Rosie had a huge switch from being someone who seemed like she would be there for her family to someone who only thought about herself. Was it in the guise of trying to save someone she loved, sure, but the way she went about it was all wrong. I lost respect for her and my connection, which was there at the beginning of the book, fizzled out by about 30%. Albert was interesting, but way too mysterious, even after he wasn't supposed to be mysterious. I felt like I really didn't get to know him. Rosie hardly asked him the right questions and since the story is in first person it was the only way for us to see him. And their relationship, the attraction she almost desperately wants to feel just didn't seem genuine. She gets her heart broken and falls right into the arms of the first cute guy to come her way. Honestly, between these two they were both just boring and I didn't feel any empathy or "pull" towards them. I wasn't routing for them at all.
I rather liked the secondary characters. I thought the really leant a lot to the story. Isaac was determined to protect his friends and didn't trust Rosie. Why should he, she was an outsider after all. Casey, she was a bit off her rocker. Kind of a live bomb that was set to go off. And Dan, he seemed rather sweet and definitely had a soft spot for Rosie. Overall I actually think I saw more of their personalities than I did of Rosie and Albert who were the main characters. I didn't like Paul, her brother, at all. But I think that was the point. He was this nasty, brooding guy who had a lot of baggage that Rosie seems to want to take away from him. I appreciated that but even when it was supposed to work for the audience it failed to do so. And the parents, meh, I would have liked to see Rosie interact with them more. Plus, they were barely around and when they were they were always reprimanding her. Oh and even after she's punished or in trouble, it just gets dropped. If she sneaks out or goes against what they say, it's like it doesn't matter and there are no other consequences.
The plot was interesting, at first. I mean, who wouldn't want to change the course of things if they could. Especially when it would save lives. But there was really no world building with this story line. I didn't understand where the first Pull was performed or why or how it came about. Where was the history? Also, there are so few Servators (those who Pull) and yet they are able to be at the right place at the right time no matter what? Seemed too easy. I found certain scenes rather unrealistic. I know it's sci-fi, but there is a realism that comes with such a book. It's supposed to make us think things can actually happen the way they do. I didn't feel this. Add to that a bit of the paranormal and the author just lost me.
The romance, blech. I mean, Rosie is basically on the rebound. If the chapters with Roise and Albert together were supposed to show them getting to know each other, it missed the mark for me. And I didn't feel their connection at all. There was no building tension, no attraction that was spoken of for the most part. In the end, the way things play out, is totally unrealistic given how their relationship progresses (or doesn't progress as was the case).
There is a ton of telling in this book, rather than showing. This explains the lack of world building. The story takes place in London, but I don't feel like I'm in London at all. Having spent a bit of time there (my parents lived there for three years), I am actually familiar with where Rosie's grandparent's house is. Yet, I could not picture it through the author's descriptions. The same went for how the characters look, no idea. The lack of showing causes the pacing to be much to slow for my taste.
Overall, I'm really disappointed in not liking this story. I really wanted to like it. I really wanted it to move and be full of action and twists, but that just wasn't there. It's really not a book I would recommend to sci-fi lovers, but that's just me. Perhaps you need to see for yourself?
eshults11's review against another edition
5.0
I purchased a copy of this book to keep in my classroom - I teach high school English. I'm glad I read it before I put it on my shelves because it is constantly being picked up by another one of my students to read. This book has something for everyone - Anglophiles will love the rich detail in the contemporary London setting, sci fi fans will love the time travel element, and even fans of horror will find something for them as well....but no spoilers :) Oh, and if you like a touch of romance in you definitely won't be disappointed.
PULL combines so many of my very favorite things about a book - relatable characters, fast moving plot, and sharp twists and turns. Definitely did not see the end coming. Definitely will be purchasing more copies - one for me, and one to share the love in my classroom :)
PULL combines so many of my very favorite things about a book - relatable characters, fast moving plot, and sharp twists and turns. Definitely did not see the end coming. Definitely will be purchasing more copies - one for me, and one to share the love in my classroom :)
elevetha's review against another edition
2.0
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
2.5 stars
This book wasn't quite what I expected - from the lack of time-travel as seen in popular fiction to the villains. I struggled through the first 100 pages or so (my copy didn't have page numbers, so I'm ballparking here), and I was pretty much ready to give up. There was little time-travel elements at that point, it was mainly focusing on Rosie's brother's myriad of problems, and the family dealing with the loss of their grandfather. Which, frankly, while not particularly bad, was getting depressing and wasn't something for which I had signed up. But I checked to see if this was a series and seeing that it is a standalone prompted me to keep going. That, and it might not have the best writing, but it read pretty fast and kept you interested, after the action picked up a bit. And in the end, it was a pretty decent read.
There are groups of Servatores in all the big cities, but there's very few Servatores worldwide. The Servatores that are around try their bestest to rewind and fix deaths/abductions and Mortiferi related actions, but there's only a few, so they what? Literally run around the whole of their city and pick something they deem important to rewind?? Because "Pulling" back time is so exhausting, they can only do it once every couple hours, and they can't rewind time more than a few minutes at a time. The furthest back any Servatore group was ever able to rewind - all working together - was three hours. It just seems like it would be awfully hard to actually make a difference, but these guys sure try.
Okay, so Rosie's Granddad was a Servatore, and a really famous one, and he passes his talent on to Rosie, who is pretty hecka confused about the whole situation and is dealing with her dumb-ass brother's decisions and also trying to deal emotionally with losing her grandpa (and her slimy boyfriend waaah) all in the same day. Thankfully she eventually gets the local London Servatores to believe her story and convince them she's the real deal and get them to let her into their closely knit group.
The reasoning behind the Mortiferi's deal with the very upset man from Rosie's Grandpa's past was a little ridiculous. I mean, I know grief can make people do some crazy things, but this one is up there on that list. But anyways, of course eventually the Mortiferi show up in a big way and really start to muck things up, causing Rosie to have to "Pull" her weight in the Servatores to save everyone else's butt. (PUN INTENDED)
As far as the romance went, it wasn't bad, or mushy, or a main focus, so that was nice. I would have liked to have seen the team aspect played up even more, but what we did get of the London Servatore group working together was good.
Nothing amazing or anything, but I did enjoy reading it.
2.5 stars
This book wasn't quite what I expected - from the lack of time-travel as seen in popular fiction to the villains. I struggled through the first 100 pages or so (my copy didn't have page numbers, so I'm ballparking here), and I was pretty much ready to give up. There was little time-travel elements at that point, it was mainly focusing on Rosie's brother's myriad of problems, and the family dealing with the loss of their grandfather. Which, frankly, while not particularly bad, was getting depressing and wasn't something for which I had signed up. But I checked to see if this was a series and seeing that it is a standalone prompted me to keep going. That, and it might not have the best writing, but it read pretty fast and kept you interested, after the action picked up a bit. And in the end, it was a pretty decent read.
Spoiler
So basically there's this group of super-special folks who can "Pull" time back to correct a recent event called Servatores, and they formed from a group of these meta-humanesque types back in Nero's day. Enter some Biblical referencing, in which the fallen angels most likely paired up with some humans to create half demon spawn, and eventually one of their descendants gave birth to...Nero. Yup. That Nero. Now Nero, being roughly 1/500(or whatever) demon, decides that messing with black magic is the way to go. And these humans that he infects with this black sorcery are these creepy zombie/human/beasties things called Mortiferi. The Servatores formed from the meta-humanesque group in order to combat these Mortiferi, and they've been going at it ever since. Why exactly the Servatores can rewind time is never really explained. And yeah, the above is a trip down crazy lane, but when you're reading it in the book, it doesn't come across as quite so crazy?There are groups of Servatores in all the big cities, but there's very few Servatores worldwide. The Servatores that are around try their bestest to rewind and fix deaths/abductions and Mortiferi related actions, but there's only a few, so they what? Literally run around the whole of their city and pick something they deem important to rewind?? Because "Pulling" back time is so exhausting, they can only do it once every couple hours, and they can't rewind time more than a few minutes at a time. The furthest back any Servatore group was ever able to rewind - all working together - was three hours. It just seems like it would be awfully hard to actually make a difference, but these guys sure try.
Okay, so Rosie's Granddad was a Servatore, and a really famous one, and he passes his talent on to Rosie, who is pretty hecka confused about the whole situation and is dealing with her dumb-ass brother's decisions and also trying to deal emotionally with losing her grandpa (and her slimy boyfriend waaah) all in the same day. Thankfully she eventually gets the local London Servatores to believe her story and convince them she's the real deal and get them to let her into their closely knit group.
The reasoning behind the Mortiferi's deal with the very upset man from Rosie's Grandpa's past was a little ridiculous. I mean, I know grief can make people do some crazy things, but this one is up there on that list. But anyways, of course eventually the Mortiferi show up in a big way and really start to muck things up, causing Rosie to have to "Pull" her weight in the Servatores to save everyone else's butt. (PUN INTENDED)
As far as the romance went, it wasn't bad, or mushy, or a main focus, so that was nice. I would have liked to have seen the team aspect played up even more, but what we did get of the London Servatore group working together was good.
Nothing amazing or anything, but I did enjoy reading it.
spencerhillpress's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
nicolemhewitt's review
4.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Pull was an intriguing paranormal time travel tale. The book had me hooked right from the very start when I wanted to learn all of Rosie’s grandpa’s secrets!
What Fed My Addiction:
Family.
This book had a really strong focus on family that you don’t see often in YA. Not everything was picture perfect (especially with Rosie’s relationship with her brother Paul), but the family dynamics did ring true. Rosie had a strong bond with her grandparents – I think that was probably the healthiest of the relationships. Her relationships with her parents was somewhat strained, partially due to the issues that her brother was having and everyone’s various ways of dealing with those. But, even though the relationships weren’t perfect. Rosie does lie to her parents (as teenagers often do), but the book never feels cut off from the family and those relationships and the guilt she feels over lying to them still feel central to the story.
Pulling.
I loved the concept of being able to go back in time just a few minutes to fix something. Who wouldn’t want to do that every now and again! Of course, Rosie and the mysterious people she meets can’t just pull for the fun of it or because they don’t like the outcome of that conversation they just had. Pulling takes a huge amount of energy, so it has to be reserved for true emergencies. And since there are some big bads out to get Rosie, there are plenty of opportunities to use it!
Albert.
When Rosie meets the mysterious Albert she knows that something is different about him. She also knows that something went haywire in her mind when her grandfather died – she just can’t believe what she thinks is happening! Albert ends up being her lifeline – the person who helps her make sense of it all and eventually becomes more. I LOVED that the romance in this book was nothing close to instalove. It felt real – like a couple truly starting out.
What Left Me Wanting More:
Bit slow in the middle.
Not sure if it was just me, but the pacing felt a little bit off in the middle of the book. There was a period of time where Rosie was mostly trying to learn more about her ability and understand the people she was up against, and I started to feel like the book got a bit slow there. It picked WAY up at the end, though and gave us a spectacular finish!
If you’re a fan of paranormal tales, then you should definitely give this one a read! I loved that it was something different and that the character relationships took center stage. I give this book 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Pull was an intriguing paranormal time travel tale. The book had me hooked right from the very start when I wanted to learn all of Rosie’s grandpa’s secrets!
What Fed My Addiction:
Family.
This book had a really strong focus on family that you don’t see often in YA. Not everything was picture perfect (especially with Rosie’s relationship with her brother Paul), but the family dynamics did ring true. Rosie had a strong bond with her grandparents – I think that was probably the healthiest of the relationships. Her relationships with her parents was somewhat strained, partially due to the issues that her brother was having and everyone’s various ways of dealing with those. But, even though the relationships weren’t perfect. Rosie does lie to her parents (as teenagers often do), but the book never feels cut off from the family and those relationships and the guilt she feels over lying to them still feel central to the story.
Pulling.
I loved the concept of being able to go back in time just a few minutes to fix something. Who wouldn’t want to do that every now and again! Of course, Rosie and the mysterious people she meets can’t just pull for the fun of it or because they don’t like the outcome of that conversation they just had. Pulling takes a huge amount of energy, so it has to be reserved for true emergencies. And since there are some big bads out to get Rosie, there are plenty of opportunities to use it!
Albert.
When Rosie meets the mysterious Albert she knows that something is different about him. She also knows that something went haywire in her mind when her grandfather died – she just can’t believe what she thinks is happening! Albert ends up being her lifeline – the person who helps her make sense of it all and eventually becomes more. I LOVED that the romance in this book was nothing close to instalove. It felt real – like a couple truly starting out.
What Left Me Wanting More:
Bit slow in the middle.
Not sure if it was just me, but the pacing felt a little bit off in the middle of the book. There was a period of time where Rosie was mostly trying to learn more about her ability and understand the people she was up against, and I started to feel like the book got a bit slow there. It picked WAY up at the end, though and gave us a spectacular finish!
If you’re a fan of paranormal tales, then you should definitely give this one a read! I loved that it was something different and that the character relationships took center stage. I give this book 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
fianaigecht's review
4.0
I requested this book from NetGalley literally months ago (like, February or something?), and forgot all about it until I was working through all my ARCs while on a WiFi-less holiday in Yorkshire and decided to give it a go. Unlike a lot of the others I’d abandoned unfinished, it wasn’t because I’d started this one and got bored, but that I’d never got around to tackling it at all. As soon as I did, I was sorry I hadn’t got around to it sooner.
PULL may fall into a few YA tropes, because it features a mysteriously gifted group of people who save the protagonist shortly before revealing that she’s one of them, and by the way the main guy is really hot. However, it manages to subvert a few by avoiding instalust altogether (thank you) and making all and any romance gradual, as well as having the character’s prime motivation be her family. Moreover, the mysterious gift isn’t something I’ve come across before, because it’s the ability to manipulate time in order to save people by changing events.
It’s set in London, specifically Blackheath, which is an area I know reasonably well. The main character is American, but passingly familiar with the city having spent every summer there, so while it still comes across as a slightly touristy version of London, it’s not as annoying as it could be. I appreciate it when characters acknowledge that the everyday life of Londoners doesn't generally involve the Tower of London, for example. For the most part, the British characters are fairly convincing as Brits, although there were a few language things that bugged me.
(Example: “paid my tuition through graduation” This phrasing just didn’t sound British. “until” or even “through to” would be more natural; there were a couple of others that were similar. And at one point someone travelling from Blackheath to London Bridge had to change at Charing Cross, even though there's a train that goes directly and Charing Cross is actually further away... These are minor things, I know, but it’s a pet peeve.)
I’ve read a few books recently where, despite being interested in the events I couldn’t engage with the characters because they didn’t have clear enough motivations or personalities. That wasn’t the case here – I actually felt more invested in Rosie and the others around her than I have in any characters for a while. Rosie (Rosemary is her full name) was very clearly motivated by her family, including a younger brother struggling with trauma-triggered addiction, and a recent bereavement. While part of her behaviour can be explained by curiosity about this mysterious world, she’s not the risk-taking illogical heroine that you find in a lot of books. She’s not timid, but she’s pretty sensible, which means when things went wrong the reader didn’t automatically think it was her fault. (You know those characters you just shout at? Yeah.)
I also enjoyed the writing because, while lacking the poetic descriptions that sometimes catch my attention, it felt natural and didn’t feel like a barrier between me and the story. There’s a fair bit of banter, but it’s not over the top or unrealistically hilarious, and feels like a genuine conversation. Here and there, Riley even manages to soften some of the more melodramatically fantastical statements by couching them in reality, which is always a feat with YA fantasy.
I guess mostly I just liked that it felt fresh, without being particularly unconventional. It proved that the YA urban fantasy genre isn’t oversaturated, because it’s still possible to write books that feel engaging and original without having to subvert every trope ever. This book turned just enough clichés on their head to be new, but stayed within conventional boundaries to produce an enjoyable, engaging read. And sometimes that’s what I want, you know? A standard YA fantasy that I can enjoy without being constantly irritated by love triangles, instalust, and foolish protagonists.
I’m embarrassed to have left it so many months to review this, but I’m also a little sad that I didn’t get around to supporting it when it was newer, because it deserves it. While I don’t think Pull breaks any major moulds, it’s a damn decent book nonetheless.
Also, an observation: I think it has the longest acknowledgements I've ever read.
This review will also be posted to my blog at some point in the near future.
PULL may fall into a few YA tropes, because it features a mysteriously gifted group of people who save the protagonist shortly before revealing that she’s one of them, and by the way the main guy is really hot. However, it manages to subvert a few by avoiding instalust altogether (thank you) and making all and any romance gradual, as well as having the character’s prime motivation be her family. Moreover, the mysterious gift isn’t something I’ve come across before, because it’s the ability to manipulate time in order to save people by changing events.
It’s set in London, specifically Blackheath, which is an area I know reasonably well. The main character is American, but passingly familiar with the city having spent every summer there, so while it still comes across as a slightly touristy version of London, it’s not as annoying as it could be. I appreciate it when characters acknowledge that the everyday life of Londoners doesn't generally involve the Tower of London, for example. For the most part, the British characters are fairly convincing as Brits, although there were a few language things that bugged me.
(Example: “paid my tuition through graduation” This phrasing just didn’t sound British. “until” or even “through to” would be more natural; there were a couple of others that were similar. And at one point someone travelling from Blackheath to London Bridge had to change at Charing Cross, even though there's a train that goes directly and Charing Cross is actually further away... These are minor things, I know, but it’s a pet peeve.)
I’ve read a few books recently where, despite being interested in the events I couldn’t engage with the characters because they didn’t have clear enough motivations or personalities. That wasn’t the case here – I actually felt more invested in Rosie and the others around her than I have in any characters for a while. Rosie (Rosemary is her full name) was very clearly motivated by her family, including a younger brother struggling with trauma-triggered addiction, and a recent bereavement. While part of her behaviour can be explained by curiosity about this mysterious world, she’s not the risk-taking illogical heroine that you find in a lot of books. She’s not timid, but she’s pretty sensible, which means when things went wrong the reader didn’t automatically think it was her fault. (You know those characters you just shout at? Yeah.)
I also enjoyed the writing because, while lacking the poetic descriptions that sometimes catch my attention, it felt natural and didn’t feel like a barrier between me and the story. There’s a fair bit of banter, but it’s not over the top or unrealistically hilarious, and feels like a genuine conversation. Here and there, Riley even manages to soften some of the more melodramatically fantastical statements by couching them in reality, which is always a feat with YA fantasy.
I guess mostly I just liked that it felt fresh, without being particularly unconventional. It proved that the YA urban fantasy genre isn’t oversaturated, because it’s still possible to write books that feel engaging and original without having to subvert every trope ever. This book turned just enough clichés on their head to be new, but stayed within conventional boundaries to produce an enjoyable, engaging read. And sometimes that’s what I want, you know? A standard YA fantasy that I can enjoy without being constantly irritated by love triangles, instalust, and foolish protagonists.
I’m embarrassed to have left it so many months to review this, but I’m also a little sad that I didn’t get around to supporting it when it was newer, because it deserves it. While I don’t think Pull breaks any major moulds, it’s a damn decent book nonetheless.
Also, an observation: I think it has the longest acknowledgements I've ever read.
This review will also be posted to my blog at some point in the near future.
singerofstories's review
4.0
I feel this one is 3.5 strong stars that I will round up to 4. Here are the details:
Rosie is a normal girl with a normal family. Then a few things go wrong. Rosie's brother, Paul, is acting out because his best friend was in a car accident and suffers with his recovery. Then on their annual family trip across the pond, Rosie's grandfather passes away. But not before he speaks directly to Rosie's mind (telepathically, if you will) and passes on to her a "gift." She has no idea what he was talking about, or if the event even really happened. The family is in mourning, spending time together at Nana's flat. Paul continues to sneak out to drink, and ends up "befriending" two hoodlums who, coincidentally, Rosie witnessed committing a mugging in the park. But that's when the weirdness happened. Because she saw the mugging, and all of a sudden, she sees the same scenario except the ending changes. Enter: Albert. Albert can "pull" time back into itself, thus causing a rewind so to speak. Albert and his friends can all pull and they pull to save those who are in trouble. Of course, love blossoms between Albert and Rosie. Paul doesn't believe that his new friends are hoodlums. Nana reveals that Rosie's Papa was a local celebrity for saving lives, and he could pull also. A plot emerges to kill/turn dark Rosie and Paul. la dee da, that's basically the story. So here's the opinions:
I mostly liked Rosie. She cared for her family, wasn't too concerned about lying to them about where she was going and who she was going with, and blamed herself to the extreme when something went wrong. Albert wasn't as mysterious as the book synopsis made him out to be. He always answers her questions, he just tries to pace how much he puts on Rosie, which I think is reasonable. Paul is a bit of a snot, but he's a teenage boy. And everyone else....yeah, fine. I expected a bit more depth to the servator/mortiferi plot line. We got a little bit, but not much. Overall, the writing was really great, I just wasn't swept off my feet like I hoped. It was a book I could put down and come back to, not one that I never wanted to end.
Rosie is a normal girl with a normal family. Then a few things go wrong. Rosie's brother, Paul, is acting out because his best friend was in a car accident and suffers with his recovery. Then on their annual family trip across the pond, Rosie's grandfather passes away. But not before he speaks directly to Rosie's mind (telepathically, if you will) and passes on to her a "gift." She has no idea what he was talking about, or if the event even really happened. The family is in mourning, spending time together at Nana's flat. Paul continues to sneak out to drink, and ends up "befriending" two hoodlums who, coincidentally, Rosie witnessed committing a mugging in the park. But that's when the weirdness happened. Because she saw the mugging, and all of a sudden, she sees the same scenario except the ending changes. Enter: Albert. Albert can "pull" time back into itself, thus causing a rewind so to speak. Albert and his friends can all pull and they pull to save those who are in trouble. Of course, love blossoms between Albert and Rosie. Paul doesn't believe that his new friends are hoodlums. Nana reveals that Rosie's Papa was a local celebrity for saving lives, and he could pull also. A plot emerges to kill/turn dark Rosie and Paul. la dee da, that's basically the story. So here's the opinions:
I mostly liked Rosie. She cared for her family, wasn't too concerned about lying to them about where she was going and who she was going with, and blamed herself to the extreme when something went wrong. Albert wasn't as mysterious as the book synopsis made him out to be. He always answers her questions, he just tries to pace how much he puts on Rosie, which I think is reasonable. Paul is a bit of a snot, but he's a teenage boy. And everyone else....yeah, fine. I expected a bit more depth to the servator/mortiferi plot line. We got a little bit, but not much. Overall, the writing was really great, I just wasn't swept off my feet like I hoped. It was a book I could put down and come back to, not one that I never wanted to end.
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