A review by jasmyn9
Catalyst by Jennifer Snyder

4.0

Catalyst is a fantastic start to a new series. Addison, given up for adoption to protect her, has no knowledge of her past and the part she could play in the bigger picture. This first book covers more than just her discovering more about her birth family, it also shows how she discovers herself and a world of magic she never knew existed. She discovers that not only is there magic, but there are several kinds, and she is not sure if she really wants to have any part of it at all. Addison drew me in from page one. She is a blend of mystery and openness. I enjoyed watching her relate to her old friend, her adoptive mom (very touching), and all the new people she meets in Soul Harbor. The people of Soul Harbor are diverse. With a cliffhanger for an ending, I was left not sure of who were the good guys and who were the bad guys. While that may sound like a bad thing, it was done brilliantly and only made the characters even more intriguing. There were a few times while Addison was learning about magic and the town history that dragged just a little, but never enough to make me want to put the book down. These less exciting areas were always followed by a new revelation - about a character, about the past, or about magic. There are even a few characters that seem to be minor but show a lot of potential for expanding their standing in future books. I think this is a great start to a series that has me hooked. It is different enough to stand out, but still feels comfortable. The characters are what makes or breaks a good series, and these guys definitely make it! - See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2013/08/book-tour-and-review-catalyst-by.html#sthash.sisAwDhh.dpuf