YA Book Review: The Veil

About the Book:

"Seventeen-year-old Addison Russell is in for a shock when she discovers that she can see the invisible world of the Annorasi. Suddenly, nothing is as it appears to be—the house she lives in, the woman who raised her, even the most beautiful boy in town all turn out to be more than what they seem. And when this strange new world forces Addy to answer for a crime that was committed long ago, by parents she has never known, she has no choice but to trust Luc, the mysterious Annorasi who has been sent to protect her.

Or so he says . . ."

Amber's Review:

For an engaging, enjoyable, and enigmatic Young Adult read, look no farther than Oakes' debut novel, The Veil! You can meet the Annorasi and see that beautiful, terrifying world behind the veil - all while commiserating with Addy who has to deal with some hilarious, awkward, and unique situations. Addy's love for her friends and "family" is admirable, and her humorous commentary on her quirky life following her 17th birthday makes this such a fun read that's easy to relate to for anyone who is experiencing (or remembers) the crazy drama of high school.

And if this book deals with high school angst, of course it must include a super good-looking young man who doesn't even know Addy exists...or so it would seem at first. But everything changes when Addy starts seeing elements of an alternate reality, and soon intense danger (and romance!) abound.

As far as the romance goes, I thought it was super sweet and exciting, but the couple does have extended kissing sessions and ends up in some compromising situations (nothing explicit, though). There are also a few swear words in this book, as well as a reference to homosexuality. Overall, this book is fairly "clean," but I would recommend it for older teens and adults. Parents should use discretion when deciding whether younger readers should pick this book up or not.

That being said, The Veil is quite an intriguing book that promotes sacrificial love for friends and tackles difficult questions regarding identity and prejudice. Not to mention it's also quite entertaining! The climax is resolved a bit too abruptly for my taste, but it certainly makes the reader curious about the sequel.

*With thanks to Susannah Greenberg (publicist) and the author for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Note: Since this was an advance copy, some changes might have been made to the final edition which would not be taken into consideration in this review.

About the Author:

"Cory Putman Oakes was born in Basel, Switzerland, but grew up in Novato, California and attended Marin Catholic High School. She then spent three fantastic years at the University of California at Los Angeles before graduating in 2001 with a B.A. in Psychology. In 2004, Cory graduated from Cornell Law School with a Juris Doctorate Degree and her husband, Mark (the first was the intended consequence of attending the school, the second was a bonus). Since then, she has been an associate at a big law firm, taught business law to undergraduates at Texas State University and written several books for young people.

Cory now lives in Austin, Texas with Mark and their beautiful daughter, Sophia. In addition to writing, Cory enjoys reading, cooking, running, and hanging out with her family and pets.

THE VEIL is Cory’s first published work."

You can learn more about Cory and her books at her website.

*This week's review doesn't include a giveaway, but you can pre-order a copy of The Veil at Amazon.com! The book releases November 1, 2011.*