Review: Apolonia

Rating: 3.5 stars

Title: Apolonia

Author: Jamie McGuire

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal Romance

Heat: 2 stars

Source: ARC provided by WordSmith Publicity

Cover: 3 stars

Characters: 5 stars

Plot: 4 stars

Heat: 2 stars

Freshness: 4 stars

Addictiveness: 3 stars

Total: 3.5 stars (15/24)

Out of this world! Fast-paced suspense! It's not what you imagine!

Apolonia is a well-written book. It has a pretty good plot with a cohesive structure, where most elements are relevant to the story and only a few loose points. It's a fast-paced read with good intensity build along the way. The suspense is really well constructed by the author and the romance is a bonus.

Ms. McGuire's strength on this book are her characters. Rory, as the narrator and main character, is a very unusual and strong woman. She has known tragedy, but doesn't let it defeat her. It has shaped her personality, but hasn't defined her as a whole.

"Then, I died and came back an angry shaven and pierced pale hermit who gasped for air after slowly jogging for two minutes."

All the other characters enhance a side of Rory's and help her through her journey.

"I'd never felt like a free spirit. More like someone who was weighed down by her horrific past. But Benji made me see something about myself that I hadn't seen before- the bright side. It was nice to think that maybe my parents were looking down on me, satisfied with my fortitude."

Benji is another amazing character. He is very mature for his age and he goes beyond the surface and  helps Rory emerges from her shell.

"I don't need you to love me to love you."

A few things didn't work so well for me in Apolonia. I still have some unanswered questions, and I'm not certain if there will be another book. I also think the beginning of the book was a little confusing and slow compared to the second part of the story. 

I believe Ms. McGuire has created a great world for a series, and personally I would like to know  more about the unknown and Apolonia.

I have enjoyed the author's writing style and I'm looking forward to reading more from her.

I would recommend this book to all enquiring minds that  enjoys a good suspense with a dash of romance added.

"I was afraid of no man, but Apolonia wasn't a man. She wasn't even a woman. She was death encapsulated in perfection-a frightening thing to behold."

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