Gimmerglass - Jenna Black

[goodreads]

Title: Glimmerglass
Author: Jenna Black
Genre: Paranormal
Rating: 3.5/5
# pages: 294
Date read: November 2010

Dana Hathaway doesn't know it yet, but she's in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, Dana decides she's had it with being her mother's keeper, so she packs her bags and heads to stay with her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl - she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.

Soon, she finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone wants something from her, even her newfound friends and family. Suddenly, life with her alcoholic mom doesn't sound half bad, and Dana would do anything to escape Avalon and get back home. Too bad both her friends and her enemies alike are determined not to let her go...

Good, but with reservations. I had issues with it and felt that it could have been a lot better of certain aspects had been handled differently.

It was a fast read, and I surprised myself by how quickly I got completely caught up into it. I loved the premise and the universe, where the magical world was well known, but kept apart from the human world, and the two only interacted in Avalon - and even more that Avalon wasn't reserved for those with magic, but that people actually went there as tourists on vacation! Fascinating idea! I love book placed in "our" world / time where magic plays a part.

I really liked Kimber and Finn, but hated Aunt Grace. She reminded me too much of Prof. Umbridge from Harry Potter - and that is NOT a good thing. Dana herself... well, I mostly liked her, but I did think some of her actions were hopelessly naive taking her rough childhood into consideration. She accepted things far too quickly and without any real questioning.

Most of all, however, I really disliked the ending. Dana's father's ruthlessness was appalling, and he has yet to prove to me that he cares more about Dana herself, than the power she'll give him. I hope the next book will prove me wrong.

Also, I didn't like the cover much :-/ That's very much a minor issue though ;)