PJ Review: Need by Carrie Jones

AUDIO BOOK REVIEW

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
SciFi Element: Shape-Shifters, Pixies
Series: Need #1
Order Online:  Amazon.com
Stalk the Author: Web | Twitter
Audible.com purchase.

PJ's QUICKIE POV:
This is what I have to label as one of the sweetest young adult paranormal romance novels that I’ve ever read. (Well listened to). I wouldn’t say that it was the greatest PNR to ever be written, or even one of the best, but...I’m completely smitten with Zara and Nick and am dying for more. Through the whole novel I just wanted to sigh in contentment as Carrie Jones described normal feelings and events so well that I could almost taste them on my tongue. Between Carrie Jone’s words and the perfect narration by Julia Whelan I was in Young Adult bliss. The sweetness that was the blooming relationship between Zara and Nick and the intensity that was Zara’s passions for her beliefs and hurt over losing her father made the novel brilliant. I had certain expectations going into NEED and I can admit I was taken completely by surprise.

REVIEW:
Zara is a shell of herself. The death of her father has destroyed her. Vibrant and in love with life, Zara had always been a force to be reckoned with, but the light has left her eyes and her mother is worried. To combat Zara’s depression, Zara’s mother has decided to send her to live with her Gram in Bangor, Maine. Far away from warm Charleston, basically a whole other world...as far as Zara is concerned.

From the charming way that the characters interacted, like real teens, to the recitation of fears that was a constant litany in Zara’s inner-dialogue, I was hooked. I loved the characters, even the supporting characters -- even the evil characters! And there was just something in the way Jones described things. They meant something to me, it felt real. There was this one scene, where Nick sits down next to Zara and their thighs almost touch, it was so simple, such a nothing moment, but for Zara it was momentous and Jones description made it that way for me also.

Now, for the part I didn't like, because while I thoroughly enjoyed this book, there were a few things that didn’t sit well with me. I thought parts were skipped over and not explained as well as they should have been. I felt Zara’s reactions to certain revelations were real at some point (Nick’s reveal was the best) but the father’s reveal was just -- bleh. I was once again thinking after the reveal -- why are these people going to high school?? I think I might have missed something there. And then the big one...why did her mom send her in the first place? It was casually touched upon, but really Mom? Really? Epic fail on that one. As you can see I really had no problems with the writing or the plot, just character behaviors.

AUDIO BOOK REVIEW:
The book was narrated by Julia Whelan, who is absolutely amazing. I love narration that just breaths the main character and Whelan conveyed Zara perfectly and then switched into the other characters with ease. Her pronunciation was also seamless. She has narrated a lot of books, including ELIXIR which I also reviewed. (Didn't like that book though - but the writing not the narration). I'm almost templted to download The Magnolia League just so I can hear her again.


RECOMMENDATIONS:
For fans of paranormal romance of the young adult variety. If you like the Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater, you might just like this one.







Similar Novels

1. Shiver (wolves)
2. Strange Angels (vamps & wolves)
3. Unearthly (angels)
4. Iron King (Faeries)
5. The Summoning (wolves, witches, and much more)

The 411:

1. Book 4 will be released in January 2012
2. They have won a ton of Indie awards 
3. Teams are being formed on the Facebook page so I don’t want to stalk the site too much, since I haven’t read book two, and so far there was no one else to be on a team!!