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3.12 AVERAGE
3.12 AVERAGE
I am not quite sure if I enjoyed this book, or if it was just another book to read...
I gave this book a try for I did enjoy the authors previous novel "Impossible". However after reading this novel I realized that the character development was horrible and that it was undeniably skipping back and forth in an untimely manner. It's really just another novel about a young girl falling in love way too quickly and without thought. Yet in the end it's not a love story but a fairly confusing ending involving mystical creatures and the lingering idea of not being "extraordinary" and forced sacrifices.
I gave this book a try for I did enjoy the authors previous novel "Impossible". However after reading this novel I realized that the character development was horrible and that it was undeniably skipping back and forth in an untimely manner. It's really just another novel about a young girl falling in love way too quickly and without thought. Yet in the end it's not a love story but a fairly confusing ending involving mystical creatures and the lingering idea of not being "extraordinary" and forced sacrifices.
Walked into the library today and there it sat :) read it in one day and honestly it was pretty good but not the most amazing fairy story I've read.
Pros: the way Phoebe's family is portrayed. From what I've read, Werlin depicts family relationships really well.
Cons: The fairies' mission and the way they carry it out seems so petty. I know it isn't, but I think I was expecting Phoebe to have to do something a little more than what they're trying to get out of her.
Also, I just didn't like it as much as Impossible
Cons: The fairies' mission and the way they carry it out seems so petty. I know it isn't, but I think I was expecting Phoebe to have to do something a little more than what they're trying to get out of her.
Also, I just didn't like it as much as Impossible
The fey are mean little bastards. No, really. They are! Or so I learned while reading Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin. Phoebe is a member of an extraordinary family. You may have heard of them. The Rothchilds, is that ringing any bells? One of the richest families ever. So, Phoebe has a pretty great family, but she battles some personal inadequacy issues. Phoebe is also a kind-hearted individual, so she decides to make friends with the weird girl in class. What do you know, the weird girl is a FEY named, of course, Mallory, since that is totally a name you have when you are a fairy.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
Graded By: Jenny
BFF Charm: Yay...?
Swoonworthy Scale: -5 +1
Talky Talk: 4 Real
Bonus Factors: Real Girls, Boston
Relationship Status: I'm Going To Introduce This Book To a Girl I Know...
Read the full book report here.
BFF Charm: Yay...?
Swoonworthy Scale: -5 +1
Talky Talk: 4 Real
Bonus Factors: Real Girls, Boston
Relationship Status: I'm Going To Introduce This Book To a Girl I Know...
Read the full book report here.
http://www.theunreadreader.com/2010/09/extraordinary-arc-review.html
This has to be the oddest book I've read all year. Not only were the characters and setting strange, the writing style was also odd. What was with all the incomplete sentences and the repeating of words and phrases?! It was both not enough and too much at the same time, which as perplexing as it may sound, just left me unsure about my opinion regarding this book.
The story opens with Phoebe and Mallory in seventh grade. Mallory, the new girl, has worn a cheap fairy Halloween custom to school with nothing underneath, and her classmates make fun of her. Naturally, Phoebe, a girl from a very privileged background, examines Mallory and sees an opportunity to leave her superficial friends behind by befriending the strangely dressed new girl.
Four years later, the girls are inseparable. Phoebe and her parents have done a lot for Mallory and her mentally unstable mother. All seems to be going well until Mallory reveals that she has a brother, Ryland, who is coming to live with her and her mother. Phoebe is shocked. In all the time they have been friends, Mallory has never mentioned a brother. Soon after he arrives, Phoebe finds herself attracted to him and wanting to please him.
From there, the story takes a very expected turn when Phoebe discovers that Mallory and Ryland are faeries, and have been sent to convince Phoebe that she is not extraordinary in any way because the Faerie realm is dying, and they need a sacrifice. They want Phoebe to be that sacrifice. But can Phoebe give up her ordinary life to save a whole race?
I know the story was supposed to be about Phoebe and her finding her own way to be special, but that is not what kept me interested in the story. I was more interested in Mallory. She was an awkward character, but it worked in her favor because she was not human, but she was living as one. So I found myself feeling hopeful for her and wondering if she would find a place to fit in.
The story wasn't at all confusing, but I did feel like I was in a fog while reading it. The sections titled, Conversation with the Faerie Queen, which weren't exactly story chapters, but small exerts thrust into the story in between chapters, were completely annoying and totally unnecessary. They reveled the whole plot and left with nothing to guess at. Needless to say, it created an unstimulating reading experience.
Unfortunately, Extraordinary fails to be an extraordinary novel. Nothing you need to own, but probably an okay library find. I wish I could say more, but I'm at a loss.
This has to be the oddest book I've read all year. Not only were the characters and setting strange, the writing style was also odd. What was with all the incomplete sentences and the repeating of words and phrases?! It was both not enough and too much at the same time, which as perplexing as it may sound, just left me unsure about my opinion regarding this book.
The story opens with Phoebe and Mallory in seventh grade. Mallory, the new girl, has worn a cheap fairy Halloween custom to school with nothing underneath, and her classmates make fun of her. Naturally, Phoebe, a girl from a very privileged background, examines Mallory and sees an opportunity to leave her superficial friends behind by befriending the strangely dressed new girl.
Four years later, the girls are inseparable. Phoebe and her parents have done a lot for Mallory and her mentally unstable mother. All seems to be going well until Mallory reveals that she has a brother, Ryland, who is coming to live with her and her mother. Phoebe is shocked. In all the time they have been friends, Mallory has never mentioned a brother. Soon after he arrives, Phoebe finds herself attracted to him and wanting to please him.
From there, the story takes a very expected turn when Phoebe discovers that Mallory and Ryland are faeries, and have been sent to convince Phoebe that she is not extraordinary in any way because the Faerie realm is dying, and they need a sacrifice. They want Phoebe to be that sacrifice. But can Phoebe give up her ordinary life to save a whole race?
I know the story was supposed to be about Phoebe and her finding her own way to be special, but that is not what kept me interested in the story. I was more interested in Mallory. She was an awkward character, but it worked in her favor because she was not human, but she was living as one. So I found myself feeling hopeful for her and wondering if she would find a place to fit in.
The story wasn't at all confusing, but I did feel like I was in a fog while reading it. The sections titled, Conversation with the Faerie Queen, which weren't exactly story chapters, but small exerts thrust into the story in between chapters, were completely annoying and totally unnecessary. They reveled the whole plot and left with nothing to guess at. Needless to say, it created an unstimulating reading experience.
Unfortunately, Extraordinary fails to be an extraordinary novel. Nothing you need to own, but probably an okay library find. I wish I could say more, but I'm at a loss.
I wanted to love this, because I loved Impossible. And as one of other reviewers said, Nancy Werlin's plotting is fantastic. But I had this out as a library book and its due tomorrow, so I started it.... and then ended up doing some serious skimming until the last 1/8th of the book. Then I sat down and read. I loved the ending. I loved the idea and the plot. But I didn't fall in love with Phoebe. She was wishy washy and easily led, and it was a bit disappointing. Still, I enjoy Werlin's work and I'll definitely check out another.
But I'd recommend Impossible over this any day!
But I'd recommend Impossible over this any day!
Book #6 read in 2011
This book had an interesting start, but I didn't love the ending.
This book had an interesting start, but I didn't love the ending.
3.5 stars. This book was an ok read for me. I liked the paranormal element but it took to long for the paranromal aspects to be revealed. The book is written so that the reader knows more about what's going on than the characters do, which takes away the element of surprise. I was drawn in to the story from the beginning. I just wish it had played out faster. The last few chapters were good and I was happy with the way it ended. The characters were just ok. Pheobe was a good narrator but I didn't really think she was anything special. Mallory and Ryland were very intriguing characters and I enjoyed getting to know them. I also thought the way the title played into the story was cool. I like when book titles really mean something to the story. Overall, this is a good paranoraml story and fans of Nancy Werlin will enjoy this one.
origionally posted on my blog. taysbookshelf.blogspot.com
origionally posted on my blog. taysbookshelf.blogspot.com