I was quite excited for this novel as the blurb had seemed to be something a bit darker and more intense than the standard paranormal YA read. Indeed when I was idly flipping through it the random passages what I came upon seemed to support this notion. The problems however became apparent when I began to actually read the book.

Annaliese is...it's hard to say she's tough or timid without going into a drawn out explanation of her history. She's lived through a lot and probably a lesser person would have crumbled completely. We're told, frequently, that Annaliese is brilliant, courageous--a real cut above the rest of her peers. The book doesn't support this though. If Annaliese was so brilliant, why didn't she check with her school to make sure everything went through okay? Or ask to talk to someone in the admissions office--a counselor or supervisor maybe instead of sulking and panicking that her life was over. Why was she so alone and isolated back home in school, but on the Isle she's suddenly sociable?

There is also the added fact that the utter misery that Annaliese lived in seemed so contrived. I'm not naive in thinking every abused child gets help, but I found it hard to swallow that someone as brilliant as Annaliese, as gifted and ambitious as she portrays herself, would not have caught the attention of someone at the school. She didn't make it sound like she had 'dumbed' herself down and tried to hide her intelligence so how did she fly so low?

The fact she goes off with Ronan without so much as an 'I want proof you aren't some sort of sicko' was a bit disturbing as well. Common sense doesn't always go hand in hand with genius, but Annaliese proclaimed herself 'street smart' as well. It does not seem 'street smart' to run off with the first hot, accented, Proust spouting guy you meet.

I will give Wolfe credit however--the book is dark. It gets very intense at times and the stakes seem justifiably high. While I wasn't under the illusion that Annaliese would die (this is only book 1) I wasn't as certain about some of the companions she made and connections. These people were hardcore and didn't seem to care so much about sentiment.

It's my hope that the series improves with book 2. It's also my hope that we find out some of the coincidences that landed Annaliese at the Isle are revealed to be machinations by the Watchers....but I won't hold my breath for that.

Review originally published at Night Owl Reviews ( )

I liked it. I want to read more. ( )

This is not one I would normally pick up but it was part of my #cupidgoespostal gift so I gave it a go and I am so glad I did. I was enthralled from the first chapter and couldn't put it down. Lucky I am at home recovering from surgery so I had all day to read it. ( )

3.5/5
I had love/hate relationship with this book. I loved the dark and very atmospheric feel of it. I could see the island of Night, taste the salt in the air, shiver in its chilly wind... On the other hand the characters are incomplete. There are glimpses of greatness in Alcantara, the vampire mathematician, potential in Emma, Annelise's friend, but here goes nothing. They all remain props, necessary to move the plot, but devoid of any depth.

This is a mash up of Morganville Vampires and Hunger Games, but Annelise despite claiming that she is a genius, doesn't use her brain like Claire or feels the terrible weight of taking human lives like Katniss... She is empty, selfish and annoying.

The book is full of gratuitous violence and terrible cliches like an uber mean girl bent on destroying Annelise.

In order to survive, you shed your humanity and betray everyone to become a Watcher. I just don't get it, peeps. What is the point? You have these male vamps who need to have female Watchers (sexist much?) so they get them among 10% of survivors - the toughest, strongest, meanest, potentially the most psychotic b*tches on the island.

The reasonable question is why not breed human servants who respect and love you in exchange for the care of their families and comfortable life, why not indoctrinate people from birth? That will ensure devotion and dedication, without a very real possibility for one of these Watchers going on the rampage and offing the vamp as soon as they are off the island.

So the whole idea either incomplete or doesn't make much sense.

The other thing that made me go bonkers is that Annelise has her ipod and listens to her favourite music for a month until she is caught with it. There is no mention of her charging it and I sure as hell want to know what's so special about its battery if it can hold charge for more than 3 weeks! When I had one I was lucky to get 10 hours of listening to the music, and even if she does have a charger (let's be anal about it) US and UK sockets are very different, so she probably won't be able to use it anyway... Am I the only one who thought it was bizarre?!

Overall, I found the book very interesting and enjoyed it despite its flaws, and I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series. There must be light in the end of the tunnel. Surely. ( )

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A very different spin on a vampire tale where a young woman trains to survive.

Opening Sentence: I looked around my room for the last time.

The Review:

There are many paranormal stories for young adults that are based on vampires. What sets Isle of Night, by Veronica Wolff, apart from other stories is the basis of the story. It isn’t every day that you have a world where males are categorized as the vampires and females are The Watchers. It intrigued me, that’s for sure.

Isle of Night is set on an island where females survive to be the best of the best. To become a Watcher, chosen females must train, learn, and defeat their opponents. Annelise was on a road to start fresh from a not-so-happy childhood. She finally has what she wanted, until a dark and mysterious man promises her a brand new life worth taking a chance on. Annelise quickly learns that it will be a long road to victory, and in order to do so, she must beat every other recruit. If she doesn’t, failure would only mean death.

Annelise was an interesting heroine to get to know. She is a very opinionated main character. Annelise is described as brilliant, bordering on genius. I feel that Annelise’s actions don’t always reflect that trait. She is quick to react, with a wit to match, but doesn’t always think about the consequence. Annelise is a little reckless, and definitely filled with bravado. Wolff writes her in a way that a reader relates. In this insanely competitive world, actions have to come first and Annelise definitely proves that point time and time again.

I didn’t particularly love or hate any of the supporting characters. A few I liked over others, but there wasn’t one specific thing that made them stand out. There were obvious villains, the good guys, and a couple characters that I just didn’t know what side they were on. I think my expectations of this book were high, demanding something that my reading preferences and I unfairly needed.

Isle of Night has its own world set within a contemporary setting. Most of the story takes place in this mysterious island, not fully explored within this book. There are many variables, including the weather, strange creatures, and even unique locations.

Isle of Night is promising. I want to know more about the Watchers, this mysterious island, and the about the people who inhabit it.

Notable Scene:

A whistle blew.

I’d lost.

I lay there trying to catch my breath. I heard eager stomps rushing out. Suddenly the air seemed more open. I was vaguely aware that the stinging spray of the shower had stopped.

Rough hands gripped under my arms, pulling me to standing. What was my punishment? I braced myself. Whatever it was couldn’t be worse than the steam.

But then I heard Masha speak. “Need some fresh air, Acari?”

I forced myself to look at her. I knew I should nod, but wasn’t sure if I managed more than a twitch of my head.

“Oh, poor little Acari,” someone crooned. Initiates surrounded me. “Let’s get these hot clothes off you.” Hands pulled off my kit bag, unzipped my parka, removed my hat, my gloves.

The hands grew rougher, tugging the wool sweater over my head. It caught on my chin, tore over my ears. “It’s time for your cooldown.”

FTC Advisory: NAL Trade/Penguin provided me with a copy of Isle of Night. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )