Jaycie Lerner. How can one summarize this young lady? Studious for certain. Dedicated to everything and everyone. Oh yes...I almost forgot...a little spitfire just waiting to explode upon the world. Okay, perhaps she's not going to explode but she can certainly unleash the wrath when necessary despite her outward appearance. At school and in life, she flies under the radar...almost successfully except for the taunts of some fellow students who just don't know when to quit, which leaves her as an outsider. As with most of us that have ever been in her position, looking in doesn't feel all that good and it saddened me to see her want to fit in so desperately given all her talents. Sad as that is, it does reflect the real world. We're not always that accepting of change or those that are "different". It's a shame too because we miss out on some stellar opportunities because of it. Anywho...


Jaycie is the girl with all the talent but there are several other formidable friends in her extended family that have powers of their own. From persuasion to mind control, super speed to super strength, it's a mixed bag of power just waiting to burst at the seams...or go up in flames as we discover two new characters that have a unique way of lighting up the night. Alison is her trainer, surrogate mother (hers is MIA), and friend, there when she needs her through thick and thin...even when it comes time to talk about self control in regards to relationships and growing up. Thank goodness she's there because is left unchecked, the chemistry between Jaycie and one particular fellow is enough to rock all our worlds...literally, or at least break a few windows. Her father is in a league of his own and certainly an example of what not to do if you're a parent with the ability to read your child's mind. *glares at character* Yep...a teenage mind is dangerous enough without them poking around in there too. But seriously, his character goes through growing pains as well and it's nice to see that relationship development and change throughout the story.

On the newcomer side, we have Haylee...who is much more than she appears and has suffered more than could be imagined. She's a strong girl despite initial outward appearances...think shrinking violet...and it's wonderful to see how she comes into her own eventually. It may not be the most peaceful path but its one that she has to travel and comes to terms with thanks to her new found "family". Continuing in the newbie vein, we meet and greet a few members of the Dey-Vah Guard as well as the more common Guardians. Let's just say though their intentions are for balance and keeping the peace, seeing one is not always a sign of good things to come. The Gray family has a brief stint towards the later half of the story but I sincerely hope we get to learn more about their family as they seem fierce and fascinating themselves. Add to this mix a love interest for Jaycie and well...you've got a wide variety of personalities to sort through, but you're sure to find one you can identify with. Kudos to the author on that accomplishment! A crowded cast can be hard to manage but she pulls it off well.

Story wise it holds its own and then some. It breaks free of the "book-one-in-a-series" syndrome early on leaving no doubt that you're in for quite a ride. There's highs and lows. Scenes of total control and total chaos but in the end, it's a well scripted plot that's carried out evenly throughout the pages and leaves you waiting for more...or at least it left me waiting for the next installment.


There are two points though that did rub me the wrong way, which I'll touch on briefly here if you please. The first one actually occurs near book's end. One particular character is trying to recover from something or other and there is this dramatic build up of how badly they're doing and then POOF...they'll back in action. I had a small case of reader whiplash from that turnaround. It just seemed like an odd turn of events due to the speed at which it happened. Does it affect the ending? No...just raised my eyebrow for a page or two.

Second item to mention...that (at times) was maddening for me personally was the emphasis placed on a person's ethnicity. For me, it doesn't really play a role for the most part. I mean, my brain conjures the story into a movie of sorts and I can see all the characters based off the descriptions and such but their actual detailed features when brought front and center, would in fact be merely shadows...place holders if you will. Sure I can tell you who the blue eyed blond girl was or that the strapping young lad with the dark hair was following so-and-so, but at the base of it all is a love of the story. The journey, triumphs, tribulations, loves gained and lost....all of the actual elements are what I embrace as a reader and though I certainly understand why the emphasis was placed, it doesn't truly make a difference for me one way or the other. In fact, it almost gets in the way of my reading experience...almost.

All in all, an exciting start to a series I know will remain on my wish list until we reach the very end....though when or where that might be is any ones guess. There is a world of characters and challenges left to explore in this literary creation...here's hoping the author takes her time showing us each and every one. I for one, can't wait! Recommended read for teens through adults as there are a few sensual situations, crimes of which shall not be named here scenes and retribution scenes that the kiddos could do without, but rest assured it's kept as clean as it can be considering what the one character lives through. ( )

Darwin’s Children by Natasha Larry

This is another great book that I recently was given to read and review by Natasha Larry, I was hooked right in the beginning, and the author did a terrific job describing Jaycie’s emotions and the life she leads on a daily basis. You automatically feel for Jaycie and it keeps you turning the pages as you want to know more.

Jaycie has been homeschooled all her life but this year for some unknown reason her father decides to enrol her in a private school. Jaycie’s school life is hard she can feel emotions off her classmates and she has to keep barriers up so she doesn’t go out of her mind. On Jaycie’s first day of school she ended up freaking out hearing and feeling everyone’s emotions. So know besides feeling like an outcast’s she knows the mean girls at school thinks she is a freak. The only happiness Jaycie gets out of school is her art class where people actually talk to her. We also find out about Jaycie’s best friend Matt who attends public high school, and Jaycie still trying to figure out if Matt is just a friend or if she is in love with him.

Jaycie is a mind reader, empathy and telekinetic with enough strength to throw you across the room. Besides dealing with school she has to come home and train with her trainer/nanny Allison who is fast has super speed and strength. Her father is also a mind reader and the strongest one around, he can and does read Jaycie mind whenever he wants. Being a teenager is hard enough imagine what it would feel like knowing your father can hear what you are thinking. Especially when she spends so much of her time thinking of Matt and trying to figure out if he feels something towards her. On top of all Jaycie’s issues she knows that her powers are going to surge soon and she doesn’t know how this will affect her.

One day Jaycie is approached by a beautiful woman who later she finds out is a guardian, the guardian suggest to Jaycie that she should apply for a job at the Christians Book Store and befriend the young woman who works there named Haylee. Haylee is a sad withdrawn young woman who is dealing with an alcoholic mother who won’t find a job and she has some of her own deep dark secrets that she struggles with internally. Haylee has no idea that she has power inside of her.
As Jaycie and Haylee become friends and learn to trust each other, and help each other out they become like sisters. The two of them will then encounter evil, bad fairies and then go to the vampires for help.

This story intrigued me so much I didn’t stop reading it till I was at the end, the author created a story which leads us into a series called Darwin’s Children, which then of course I wanted to start the next book right away.

There is twist and turns and you cheer for Jaycie, Matt and Haylee, and hoping they all get their happy ending.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves YA paranormal. Now I will have to go read Unnatural Law, (Darwin’s Children book 2).
( )

Very nicely done. I have to admit, at first I had my doubts. I had a difficult time getting into the story at the beginning. Since I was only one fourth of the way through, I decided to keep plugging and I'm glad I did. It turned out to be pretty entertaining.

The characters are easily likable, especially the compassionate Jaycie. The actual plot shows up somewhere between page thirty and forty. By page sixty, the story hooks the reader. It should appeal to anyone. There's romance, family, friendship, some action, and some really cool super powers. Think X-men with evolutionary theory. Speaking of, Larry makes some nice references to philosophy, and the book really embodies those philosophies. I was particularly drawn to the relationship between Jaycie and Matt and the friendship between Jaycie and Haylee. If it sounds like it might be up your ally, than go for it. I'm recommending it.

Prude Filter: There's not much to worry about. Some violence and a few references to sex. It's totally suitable for a teen.

This book was provided by the author for review. I did not receive any payment in exchange for the review nor was I obligated to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. ( )

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.

I think that my problems with this book are probably pretty juvenile, but I'll start with this one: I don't believe in evolution. I'm a southern baptist kind of girl, so evolution just does not sit well for me. But for the sake of this review, I won't focus on that part. I'll focus on my other problems.

The writing and dialogue were very choppy in the beginning. Towards the end it started to get better and was a lot less choppy, but it was really hard not to correct all of the "choppiness". Also, every one of the characters refer to themselves in the third person. Points of view changed in the MIDDLE of paragraphs, and that honestly confused the HECK out of me...

All of the adults treat Jaycie like she's a little kid. Like her every problem and every want should be attended to immediately. And I honestly don't like that. She behaves like a little kid sometimes, so it is understandable, but still.

Matt and Jaycie's relationship seemed really...I don't know. Forced, maybe? In the beginning, Matt seemed like a total sweetheart, but after he and Jaycie get together they're off picking stupid fights over silly stuff (i.e., Jaycie's not going to college), and then they make up way too quickly. Also, I don't know where I picked this up, but when a guy calls a girl "baby" all the time, it makes me think that he doesn't want to slip up and call her the wrong name. Call me crazy, y'all, but that's what I think when I hear "baby".

I did like Allison, but her being the only real bright spot in the story doesn't bode well for me. Also, for argument's sake, you could say that another issue I had was the philosophy. I love philosophy, in a weird kind of way. But I couldn't help but argue with all the philosophy presented by this book. Just couldn't help it, because that's the way I am.

All in all, I didn't enjoy Darwin's Children. It simply wasn't for me, but you never know what you might enjoy! ( )

Reviewed by Valerie
Review copy provided by author
Warning: Sexual abuse and violence.
My Cover Thoughts: I liked the cover.

Review: When I first started this book, I enjoyed getting to know the main character, Jaycie, as she discovers her special powers. Her interactions with her personal “trainer” and her father were especially entertaining. There was some light romance involving a best friend, Matt, turning into her boyfriend.

The story took a different twist when a guardian popped up and told Jaycie to get a job and that’s where she meets another character, Haylee, leading a very hard life with an alcoholic mother. As the story continued, I enjoyed the developing friendship between the girls as Jaycie continues to try to figure out her relationship with her best friend/boyfriend. Without Haylee realizing it, Jaycie finds out she also has special powers and isn’t sure how to let her friend know without scaring her off.

Haylee begins spending more and more time with Jaycie, including more time at her house since her mom isn’t around much. The two develop a trusting relationship and Jaycie finally tells Haylee the truth. At this point, the story took on a very disturbing twist when Jaycie finds out that Haylee was sexually abused by strangers with her father’s permission. Jaycie takes on her friend’s pain and devises a way to get revenge.

I did not finish this book. The scene where Haylee was being abused was sickening and not necessary for this book to make its point. When Jaycie began plotting revenge for her friend and kidnaps the dad, I simply stopped reading it from lack of interest in where the story was going.

Advice: As a young adult librarian, I do not recommend this book for young adults. ( )