Author: Tonya KuperSeries: Schrodinger's Consortium, #1
Released: November 25th 2014
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Length: 301 pages
Source: Publisher for review
Buy: Amazon
Reality is only an illusion.Except for those who can control it…Worst. Birthday. Ever.My first boyfriend dumped me—happy birthday, Josie!—my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl’s tonsils. Oh, and I’m officially the same age as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah. But then weird things start happening…Like I make something materialize just by thinking about it.When hottily-hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everything. Who I am. My family. What really happened to my brother. Existence. I am Oculi, and I have the ability to change reality with my thoughts. Now Reid, in all his hotness, is charged with guiding and protecting me as I begin learning how to bend reality. And he’s the only thing standing between me and the secret organization that wants me dead…
The wonderful cover of this book, combined with the well-written blurb, does an excellent job of luring us in by promising a book both hilarious and filled with adventure and romance. However, Anomaly doesn’t quite live up to the promise. There is, admittedly, a decent amount of adventure, but romance is far from satisfactory, and the promised humor strangely absent.
Josie is having the worst day of her life, and who cares that it’s her 17th birthday? Certainly not her slimy boyfriend who decides to dump her on that very day, and neither does her overbearing, depressed mother or her absent father. But even with all that on her plate, Josie doesn’t get a reprieve. Instead, strange things start happening around her and instead of ending with a birthday party, her day ends with murder.
Anomaly follows the usual YA paranormal route, without a single detour to make it at least somewhat more memorable. Josie learns that she’s very powerful and that a group of people is trying to kill her because of it, a hot boy is there to protect her but he (naturally) can’t be in a relationship with her because she’s apparently too important to be kissed senseless, there’s a loyal best friend, a traitor in their midst, absent parents and just about everything else one would expect from a book such as this. Sometimes these combinations of tropes and stock characters end up working splendidly, but unfortunately, this is not one of those times.
Anomaly might be better suited for younger readers and those who haven’t read much paranormal YA. It’s cute and fairly well written, but not for people who have read many similar stories in the past. However, other series have started this way and ended up being original and entertaining. There is hope yet if Tonya Kuper decides to take things in an unexpected direction.
A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.
Oh boy. This book doesn't even try, does it? I think I'll give this one a pass.
ReplyDeleteOuch! Thanks for the heads up. That cover and the blurb would have gotten me for sure! Sounds like there was nothing that made it special. I listen to a lot books too, so I know how hard it is to get wowed anymore.
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
Aw, always sad to hear when a book doesn't live up to potential
ReplyDeleteAh yeah this one. I was so impatient to read it, the synopsis sounded really good and unique and in the end I was also disappointed about it. It's ok but not awesome or different and the romance annoyed me...
ReplyDeleteYeha, not feeling this now. I thought I would but, it would bother me
ReplyDeleteOh well, I was wondering about this one but wasn't feeling particularly drawn to it myself. I'm gonna be skipping it now for sure.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the very honest review as always, Maja!
Ack! I am so sad because you are right, that cover and blurb really does draw you in. Oh well, I don't think I will be wasting my time on this one.
ReplyDeleteWonderful honest, well written review Maja! Have a wonderful weekend.
"a hot boy is there to protect her but he (naturally) can’t be in a relationship with her because she’s apparently too important to be kissed senseless"
ReplyDelete*snort* I agree completely Maja, there are times that common paranormal YA tropes are executed in a really successful way, but other times they just come across as something that's been done before, and clearly that was the case here. Like you said, perhaps readers that don't consume this genre the way we bloggers do will have better luck:)
That cover is really pretty but I'm sad to hear that this is just the same old same old kind of book. *sigh* I'm really hoping we can get something refreshing in the YA paranormal genre, because it is slowly dying out.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame because this did seem to have a cool concept.
Thanks for the honest review, Maja!
Shucks, it's too bad this didn't have any wow factor. The description is done well but I would have been disappointed to not really find humor inside the book. Thanks for sharing your honest thoughts!
ReplyDeleteWell, I won't feel bad on skipping on this one. Hope your next read is much better, Maja!
ReplyDeleteSometimes those tropes really get to me, other times I can ignore them. I think it helps to know that this is just one like the others and might be nothing more than mindless entertainment. There is a place for that. LOL
ReplyDeleteAck this is one of the reason I've been wary of the paranormal books that I been picking up over the last few years, it really grates on my when they tend to follow the same route, I really don't think that this book will be for me, but you did a great job of giving it a go. I hope your next read is a lot more enjoyable!
ReplyDeleteMy associate blogger enjoyed this one way more than you which is why when I saw your rating I just had to read your full thoughts. The lack of humour, and so-so romance are definite fails. I already have a difficult time as it is with YA, so this'll be a no-go for me.
ReplyDeleteCarmel @ Rabid Reads
Hm, this book seems to samey with all the others for it to be something that I would pick up myself. I need books that are unique and different from all the others because I read so much, and I need it to be worth my time! It's a shame the romance isn't well done either :/ A miss for me...
ReplyDeleteCheck out my review: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2014/11/tortured-souls-review.html
I've never heard of this one until now and it honestly doesn't sound all that good so I'll give it a pass. There are so many YA paranormal books out there, and anoter generic one is not worth my time.
ReplyDeleteLovely helpful review, Maja <33
Hmm, the blurb of this one didn't really tempt me, but I figured it might be worth a try if you enjoyed it, Maja. Since you didn't, I'll be passing on this one.
ReplyDeleteSorry it didn't live up to your expectations! Thanks for giving me, a debut author, a try though.
ReplyDelete