ARC Review: Haven by Mary Lindsey

Release Date: November 7, 2017
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Format: Kindle
Pages: 400pages
Genre: YA/Supernatural/Romance
Buy: Kindle | Hardcover 

Synopsis:

"We all hold a beast inside. The only difference is what form it takes when freed."

 Rain Ryland has never belonged anywhere. He’s used to people judging him for his rough background, his intimidating size, and now, his orphan status. He’s always been on the outside, looking in, and he’s fine with that. Until he moves to New Wurzburg and meets Friederike Burkhart.

Freddie isn’t like normal teen girls, though. And someone wants her dead for it. Freddie warns he’d better stay far away if he wants to stay alive, but Rain’s never been good at running from trouble. For the first time, Rain has something worth fighting for, worth living for. Worth dying for.

Review:

This book held an interesting twist to your typical supernatural story.  I love when authors create their own lore surrounding supernatural creatures.  It makes it all fresh and new again, like discovering them for the first time.

It was nice to read a supernatural romance from the male perspective. Rain Ryland has led a troubled life of living on the streets with his drug addicted mother until she OD's leaving him to discover her twin sister, the truth about his father and the origins of the small town his mother and sister are from.

With strong female characters and an interesting plot this ya book took on a played out topic and made it fresh.  I loved Fred, Rain's love interest who isn't afraid of her own desires and despite her youth and immature ways you can see she is a born leader.  Fred is struggling with the recent death of her father to mysterious circumstances and the pressure of a coming of age right that she isn't sure she wants. Rain and Fred really enhance each other without one needing to bow to the others strength.  It was refreshing.

There are a ton of supporting characters, most of whom you don't see their full strength or personality until the end of the book. The one that stood out the most was Petra who everyone refers to as the "freak". She is a brilliant, mysterious character who I would love to learn more about.  Her personality was so large it was barely contained by this story.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.