Natural Selection was a quick and refreshing paranormal book. Amelia, also known as Lia, is a delightful and seemingly normal teenager, who just wants to hang with her best friends and survive biology. All seems good and well, until shortly after starting high school she begins to run a bit of a fever. After overhearing her parents talk about sending her away for her own good and because she doesn't realize that "she isn't even human," Lia starts to ask a lot of questions. Questions that, for the most part, are dodged.

If I was put in Lia's place, I'd be furious at my mother for not telling me I was special or what to expect. Teen years are hard enough as a human, without the assistance of latent supernatural powers developing. All in all, however, Lia deals with her changing life and body fairly well- at any rate better than can be expected.

The humor in Natural Selection was very much "my type" of humor. I ended up laughing out loud at least once a chapter.

There's not much to complain about with this book- especially if you like young adult and paranormal books. You've got a succubus, a djinn demon, sprites, ghouls, and earth spirits all living and interacting with humans. You've got a cute love story that unfolds beautifully, and a blushing young lady growing into the woman she's meant to be. Lia deals with a lot, but only after everything she has considered her life gets taken away does she really lose it, and even then her brother and sister pull her back together fairly quickly. The story has a great pace, and I was easily able to finish it in a single day. I'm very excited to read the second book after reading this one.

Disclaimer:

This book was provided for me at no charge, nor was I given compensation
of any kind for this review. This review only reflects my personal opinion. ( )

Let me begin by saying how refreshing it was to read a young adult paranormal novel that WASN'T about vampires. I like supernatural stories, but reading about different kinds of otherworldly creatures was very refreshing. The descriptions of nature helped me feel even more connected just by reading.

Elizabeth Sharp has created some very interesting characters for this story. Amelia is someone that nearly any female can connect with, after all who doesn't remember the awkward stage right before high school? And just like every other family, Amelia thinks her family is strange. The only difference? Her family IS different, and this becomes apparent very quickly. For Amelia, the changes to her body come with huge revelations which quickly spiral into chaos.

I really enjoyed this novel. Though it took a while to get into, once the action starts there is no going back. One thing I enjoy about paranormal novels is to see the author's interpretation of how each creature would act, and Sharp did not let me down. It was a great read, but the best part is definitely the epilogue. ( )

Description:

Amelia Hoffman is not who, (or what), she thinks she is. Her parents and siblings have been keeping the truth from her for fifteen years, hoping to protect her. But now other-worlders are being murdered, and they are all connected to her. Can she accept her birthright and save the ones she loves before she's the next one on the chopping block?

Review:
I was relieved when I picked up Natural Selection and realized that vampires weren't involved; I am always looking for paranormal romance/fiction that doesn't fit "today's norm". Elizabeth Sharp does an amazing job with the mythology and development of her characters, particularly how she explains and details the Gaia, Djinn, Succubi, and witches. The characters are very realistic, and their attitudes and bonds with one another are one of my favorite aspects of the book. The story-line is slow at the beginning, but it picks up the pace once you get past the first couple chapters. The only part that irks me is the abruptness of the ending. I feel like there was a lot of build-up to the final confrontation, only to begin and end in a mere five page stretch. Loose ends were tied up, (very quickly), but I enjoyed the Epilogue and can't wait to read the next book in the Forces Of Nature series! I recommend this read to tweens, teens, and anyone who enjoys a quick and unique paranormal romance.

Rating: Bounty's Out (3.5/5)

*** I received this book from 4 Corners Press in exchange for honest and unbiased review. ( )