Reviews

Unnatural Selection by Mel Odom

fruitkate's review

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

impybelle's review

3.0

Another review compares this to a filler episode of Buffy and I think that's pretty accurate. I'd also agree that perhaps the fight scenes don't necessarily translate all that well to the page but you can't really have Buffy without a fight or thirteen so it is what it is.

I really liked Cordelia and wish we'd gotten more of her and I also liked the baddies, but overall it just didn't quite scratch the Buffy itch for me. Not bad but not terrific either, I suppose.

alexampersand's review

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I enjoyed the middle part of this book - the opening felt a little too slow, and then the ending felt like a massive exposition dump from Giles's friend, and I feel like maybe there were a few too many elements all thrown in together. 

wyrmbergmalcolm's review

3.0

Monster of the week: Fairies.
Having read a bunch of episode novelisations, it was refreshing to read an original story. Okay, this did read like a standard episode, but then it's supposed it. It fitted right in with the novelisations so well that I had to check and conform this really wasn't an episode I'd seen.
Nothing particularly special, but nothing going against it either.

reannapipes's review

adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

It was a great read to distract from family holiday drama! (light spoilers ahead). Picked this up on Christmas Day and got started. 

Spoiler

I won’t lie, as soon as I read about babies being stolen, my friend and I were making Glee show related jokes about Terri Schuester being the thief! But I’ll take eco-terrorist faeries instead.

The Willow parts and Xander + Hutch sections were definitely the highlights of the book, and also loved the Cordy moments, but I’m always biased towards her. 

It was nice, short, and would’ve been great as an actual episode!

kingbeanreads's review

adventurous dark emotional sad tense

4.5

luxuryofsorrow's review

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

carbinara's review

3.0

It was a quick and easy read, although I did find that there wasn’t much character development. This isn’t a huge issue since it’s based on a TV show where characters are already established, but it did make reading a bit less enjoyable. Despite this, I did like some of Cordelia’s characterisation and the set up of her rivalry with Willow (especially since, despite a bit of competition, they were still friends and Cordelia was willing to help her out). I wasn’t a massive fan of the fighting scenes, although I don’t read much action packed stuff so thats more personal preference than a critique of the writing. Overall, it was a fun story and fast-paced, which is what I’d been looking for when I picked it up.

ceruleanjen's review

3.0

This was just a book I wanted to read one more time for old-times sake since I am giving it away. I remember not liking this one too well, but I was actually a little surprised re-reading it. I loved the first part of the book. It really kept my attention. Mel Odom did a great job at keeping the characters in-character. However, the second part of the book just didn't keep my attention as much. Still, it was enjoyable none-the-less.