My rating: 4 of 5 stars
*I received a digital version of this book from the author in exchange of an honest review.*
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AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
Rising Tide, Dark Innocence is the first book of YA-Paranormal Maura DeLuca Trilogy. As the first installment on the series, I must say that this book is pretty impressive. Truthfully, I already put a halt to any vampire-related books since the last time (and the first time as well) I read that genre. It’s not that I dislike them; it’s just that I sometimes prefer non-fantasy books than fantasy ones. But I found myself picking up this book from my e-reader shelf that day only to discover how enjoyable this book was. And I didn’t hesitate to re-read it again this time.
16 year-old Maura thought that she might be entitled as the pariah of this life forever. Having a real unique feature –especially on skin department- and weird habit of violently feeling nausea from the heat of bright sun, she didn’t have any friends, both at school and at home. Well, not that she minded it anyway. But still, being a teenager living with only her mother made her more un-sociable in some ways. It’s not that her mother forbid her to go out with friends or something, it was just that she might be a bit of overprotective type of parent. Again, not that she minded it all. Her father left them three months before she came into this world, leaving Maura and her mother with a quilt of sadness that covered her ever since day one Maura was born.
Maura was a good girl. Being emotionally not close with her mother didn’t make her love her any less. She knew better than confront her mother about her father’s leaving though only God knew how curious she was every day. She was okay with that, anyway. She was fine with her life now and when her mother told her they’d move across the country, she was fine with that, too. But then there was always something happened in last minute in our life. Calm understanding Maura somehow didn’t feel fine with their moving soon.
It was Ronnie Stine. The senior who Maura met through rather embarrassing hit-and-soaking-milk-all-over-shirt accident on school cafeteria. Ever since that day, Ron seemed happen to be everywhere she was. He was tall, handsome, a bit strange, and surprisingly caring toward her. Well, it was only less than a day he knew her but Ron seemed to know whatever Maura needed every time. Mind-reader, once she thought, but that’s one stupid guess.
In her last few days in the city, Maura grew closer with Ron; something that never once she thought could ever happened in her non-existence romance life. It bothered her a bit why she could not just meet Ron after she moved out of the city. But apparently it was not the only thing that bothered her lately.
Weird things kept happening to Maura. Like, really weird that she thought she might be seriously sick or something. What was even weirder that her mother seemed indifferent about her panicky. And Ron was mysteriously so accepting toward this new found behavior of hers. Just what in the world was happening to her now? Could she find out the truth behind this entire strange situation? Could she leave Ron behind, the only one who fully understood her more than what her mother did? Could it be that moving out was really a good thing for her? Maura had no idea at all.
Claudette is a new author for me but I found that her writing style is quite a catch. It might not be poetic or something like that but the hilarious sense was there. I always prefer writing styles that tend to be funny than just poetic. I loved how she made Maura’s character to be a rather calm outside, silly inside, good person too, and easy to like. It’s rare, knowing that she is going to be inhuman soon and I just found it so intriguing how Maura would manage her inhumanity. And there was Ron who’s so mysteriously gorgeous. I really have no idea where Ms Claudette would lead Ron’s character into but I think I sense something here.
The story basically has a light climax. The conflict was still building up here but I sense something bigger will happen on the next installment. There are just so many things remained mysterious here: the story about Maura’s dad, Ron’s pure acceptance of her strange behaviors, Maura and Ron’s future ahead, how she’d handle the shocking fact about herself. This first book, I have to admit, is successfully gaining reader’s curiosity to maximum level. This is a light read and funny as hell. I loved Maura’s internal debate and how clumsy she was every time Ron was around. This thing between Ron and Maura was pretty sweet and I am hoping really (sincerely) that nothing will get in their way.
So, I’m settling with 4 stars for Rising Tide, Dark Innocence as the start! Hopefully things will all be revealed on the next book! :)
Love, read, and review,
Cynthia D.
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