The Graces Review

Title: The Graces
Author: Laure Eve
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

Everyone said that the Graces were witches. Wherever they go people either love them or fear them. They had friends but River thinks they are waiting for someone. Maybe her? River does everything she can to be a part of the Graces world. But what will it cost?

The promotion for this book was all over YALC and I was seriously hyped for it. So think about how surprised I was when I saw this was one of the two books in this month’s Illumicrate. I mean I was seriously ecstatic! I am a huge fan of books containing witches, especially elemental witches. However, this book wasn’t what I expected. At YALC you could read what each elemental witch represented and choose which one you were. This left me thinking the book contained witches who could control the elements. This wasn’t the case. Instead the Graces seemed more like Wiccans to me and there wasn’t anyone who could control the elements. But that was fine, I made an assumption and I was wrong. It happens.

The characters themselves were interesting. I enjoyed reading the dynamics between the Graces siblings. Since I am close to my own brother and sister I thought reading about siblings who actually got along for once was quite refreshing. However, the main protagonist River didn’t grab my attention. She was quite dull and spent too long trying to be who she thought others wanted her to be.

The book dragged a little for me but I powered on and I’m glad I did. Although the beginning and middle didn’t really engross me the ending was definitely worth the read. I was surprised when the story took an unexpected turn and made me want to keep reading. The ending is the reason I will read the next book. However, I won’t be as hyped up as I was for the first book.

I am slightly disappointed I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I thought I would. Especially since everyone seemed to really enjoy this book and found it engrossing, dark and magical. I wish I had felt that way. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give the book a try. Like I said everyone else seems to have loved it, so maybe I thought it was going to be something else and was disappointed when it wasn’t. My perception of the book was wrong not the story itself. In fact the writing and plot were sound. I just didn’t feel that Wow feeling when I read it.

What did you think? Did you enjoy it or was the oompf factor not there for you either?