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Book Review: Revel – Maurissa Guibord

Revel
Author: Maurissa Guibord
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
My Rating:

Summary:

There’s an island off the coast of Maine that’s not on any modern map.
Shrouded in mist and protected by a deadly reef, Trespass Island is home to a community of people who guard the island and its secrets from outsiders. Seventeen-year-old Delia grew up in Kansas, but has come here in search of her family and answers to her questions: Why didn’t her mother ever talk about Trespass Island? Why did she fear the open water? But Delia’s not welcome and soon finds herself enmeshed in a frightening and supernatural world where ancient Greek symbols adorn the buildings and secret ceremonies take place on the beach at night.
Sean Gunn, a handsome young lobsterman, befriends Delia and seems willing to risk his life to protect her. But it’s Jax, the coldly elusive young man she meets at the water’s edge, who finally makes Delia understand the real dangers of life on the island. Delia is going to have to fight to survive. Because there are monsters here. And no one ever leaves Trespass alive.

 
First Sentence: Maybe I should have known from the beginning to stay away from Trespass Island.

My Review:

I was first interested in Revel because of the cover. It looked so blue and mythical, if that’s even a word that can be used to describe a book cover. I just knew I had to read Revel as soon as I saw it, but I wasn’t really expecting much because I have never heard of the author, Maurissa Guibord before (she has an awesome name by the way). I am so glad I gave Revel a chance in the end. Revel totally surprised me – in a very good way.

Revel was a pretty predictable book for me (did I mention that I have some awesome skills where I can predict what would happen in books 85% of the time and end up being right?), but the way Maurissa Guibord executed the story still managed to capture and keep my attention. Revel managed to give me my predicted answers, but at the same time, made me ask even more questions. If only other predicable books could do that…

You know all those books with insta-love or where the main characters suddenly falls head-over-heels crazy in love in such a short time with no realistic rational explanation why? (I mean, come on, they only knew the guy for like two days.) Well, in Revel, Delia knew her love interest for such a short time, but she realizes that the feelings she has for him is some kind of a random, crazy impulse, not true love forever and ever and ever unlike all the other main characters in other young adult books. Then later Delia and her love interest get to know each other and get to slowly fall in love for real. Huge thumbs up for Delia. This girl actually has a brain.

I also love that Maurissa Guibord never ended Revel with a happily ever after, but a bittersweet kind-of happily ever after that left me with a wistful smile on my face. In fact, I was shocked to the core when I turned the page and saw that that indeed was the last page in the book. The book left off in a way that left so many things to my imagination. (I’ll admit it, I want some more solid answers.)

The only reason Revel didn’t get a full five stars from me is that a certain event that happened near the end of the book seemed a little too good to be true. I felt like Maurissa Guibord took the easy way out with it, sort-of, and I was looking forward to see what could have happened if she haven’t taken the easy way out.

Overall, seriously, pick Revel up and read it. One of the good things about it is Revel is not a series, but a standalone. That means no major cliffhanger that you would have to wait a year for to find out what happens next. Hopefully Revel will remain a standalone, unlike Splintered.

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-Kelly

Posted by Kelly on 3-11-13 · 19 Comments
Categories: 2013 book, book review Tagged: 4.5 star

« Book Review: Third Grave Dead Ahead – Darynda Jones
Top Ten Books At The Top Of My Spring TBR List »

Speak Your Mind

  1. ohdamnbooks says

    3-11-13 at 8:14 AM

    Revel sounds amazing! Girls with brains are hot… and that’s from the perspective of a girly girl. Haha. Too good? Like dues ex machina too good? I hate those too. Those should only be in Disney movies. OLD ONES. Because we are on the brink of girl revolution, oh yeah. K. Totally got sidetracked.

    Great review, Kelly :D

    Reply
  2. ohdamnbooks says

    3-11-13 at 9:23 AM

    I have never read a book with insta-love where the characters realize that is isn’t love and I didn’t think they were real, but because of what you said this book instantly went up on my TBR list.
    I really like bittersweet endings in stand alone books, but if its the ending of a series I want the characters to have a happy ending darn it.
    Also I agree with you, I liked the ending of Splintered and I don’t think I like it turning into a series.
    great review :D

    Reply
  3. ohdamnbooks says

    3-11-13 at 11:11 AM

    Thank you Kimberly! :D
    Yeah, I was a bit surprised at the ending, but I loved what the author did with it. It leaves you thinking and keeps an imprint of the book with you for days after you read it.

    Reply
  4. ohdamnbooks says

    3-11-13 at 11:12 AM

    Yes Gellie! Books should totally consist of girls with brains! We need more of them! :D

    Reply
  5. ohdamnbooks says

    3-11-13 at 2:55 PM

    You had me with the “this girl has brains” Finally someone who doesn’t confuses attraction with love! I also like the fact that it is a standalone, because sometimes it’s nice to have a wrapped-up story :) Great review!

    Mel@thedailyprophecy.

    Reply
  6. ohdamnbooks says

    3-11-13 at 6:03 PM

    So true – that even if a book is a bit predictable, you can still enjoy it if the writing is good and you like the characters. I like the sound of Delia, she sounds very self-aware!

    Reply
  7. ohdamnbooks says

    3-11-13 at 8:28 PM

    Mhm, too bad other authors couldn’t do that for their predictable books.
    And yes, so far everyone who saw my review loved Delia because of that trait! :D

    Reply
  8. ohdamnbooks says

    3-12-13 at 1:20 AM

    Love cliffhangers just not too cliffy hehehe I hate it when I gasp LOL so swear when I turn to the last page!
    Thanks for the review <3
    -Chyna

    Reply
  9. ohdamnbooks says

    3-12-13 at 7:23 PM

    LOL, no problem Chyna! ;D

    Reply
  10. ohdamnbooks says

    3-14-13 at 5:55 PM

    This is my first time hearing about this one but ti sounds really good! I tend to guess what’s going to happen in books too so it’s always nice to have a book that gives you much more than you guessed. I’ll have to check this one out.

    Reply
  11. ohdamnbooks says

    3-14-13 at 7:04 PM

    You should definitely check Revel out! (:

    Reply
  12. Jaime Lester says

    5-22-13 at 10:40 PM

    This one sounds so very good! I can’t wait to read it. I have heard nothing but good things about it, thankfully! SO I know going into it, I will be a happy camper! And that cover! My word, it is gorgeous!

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      5-23-13 at 1:59 PM

      Definitely check out Revel Jaime! If the cover can’t convince you, then just look at all the good reviews! ;D
      Kelly recently posted…YA Icons Tour Signing + Giveaway (INT)My Profile

      Reply
  13. Susan T. says

    10-17-13 at 4:09 PM

    This sounds really great! I’ve added it to my TBR list. I wonder what the monsters mentioned are?

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      10-20-13 at 10:54 AM

      I used to think the monsters as some kind of mermaids, but other people disagreed with me, so I’m still not sure. :P
      Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [54]My Profile

      Reply
  14. Lindsey V. says

    10-25-13 at 10:50 AM

    This is such a pretty cover! The cover alone would make me want to read it, but it also sounds interesting. I admit that the part in your review where you said the ending was bittersweet kind of worries me. Does that mean someone dies in the end or they don’t end up together? I really don’t like when that happens, but I guess I’m a hopeless romantic when it comes to books. :-)

    Thanks for the review!

    Reply
  15. Hillary R. says

    10-30-13 at 5:06 PM

    Revel not only has a pretty cover, but also has an intriguing blurb. This sounds like a really interesting story to read. I can’t believe I’ve never heard about it before. And the rating you gave it is one of the best I’ve seen yet. I also like that it sounds like there’s a love triangle which I’ve noticed authors are trying to avoid nowadays. I kind of miss those triangles :p Need to read this one asap :D

    Reply
  16. Cali W. says

    1-27-14 at 2:58 PM

    The cover to this book is beautiful. i must read it!!! <3 Great review.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Monthly Wrap Up: March 2013 says:
    4-10-13 at 5:16 PM

    […] by Elizabeth Hoyt (Rating: 3.5/5.0) 3. Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones (Rating: 3.5/5.0) 4. Revel by Maurissa Guibord (Rating: 4.5/5.0) 5. The Demon Trapper’s Daughter by Jana Oliver (Rating: […]

    Reply

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