Abandon (the Abandon Trilogy, Book 1)

I have mixed feelings about this book. The main character is only 17, and she's in over her head with a difficult situation. If she comes across as a whiner at times, it's understandable. She's trying to cope the best she can, making mistakes along the way. The story is written in the first person, and it's like we're listening to her mental chatter, with its insecurities and confusion. I can't say this is a great story. But it's a good story. If you're starving for a youth novel in the metaphysical genre that is an alternative to vampires and werewolves, this book might be worth a try. But it's not as polished as "Born at Midnight" or "Dark Frost." At times the writing style seems disjointed, bouncing back and forth between the not-too-distant past and the present. Although the writing style did not captivate me, the story was good enough for me to finish reading it.

If you like Meg Cabot, you'll probably like this book. If you don't, this won't change your mind. To me, Meg Cabot is a popcorn book writer—they're just fun books. You probably won't remember them a week after you read them, but they're entertaining, and light enough to read over an evening. POTENTIAL SPOILERS This one is a little silly, but it's hard to not be when the premise is a teenage death deity falling for a mortal girl. If you can get over that, most of the characters are charming, and it's a competent story, if a little trite.

Reread this series, as it was my favorite in my younger years, and was utterly surprised at how tragically written it is. Had the story been written better, tge book would no doubt be more interesting.