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Taste
2nd Place JABBIC in the YA Category
259 pages, Paperback
First published April 29, 2012
About the author
Kate Evangelista
15 books882 followersKate Evangelista is a young adult writer, creative writing teacher, and a mother to six rambunctious cats. Born in the Philippines, she attended college in De La Salle University – Manila and holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Literature and a Master’s in Creative Writing. She got her start publishing with small presses like the now defunct Crescent Moon Press until she moved on to medium presses like Entangled Teen and eventually being selected as part of Swoon Reads’ third season of authors. Her debut novel, TASTE, even became an Amazon bestseller. Her latest novel, THE BOYFRIEND BRACKET (Swoon Reads, 2018), was well received by NPR and is now in the running for a movie adaptation with the A&E Network.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 319 reviews
June 22, 2016
Why did I want to read this? It is soooooo stupid!
Think Vampire Academy bad knock-off.Rose Phoenix is at an exclusive school for the super elite. She is also immature, reckless, a poor decision-maker, overly emotional, and every kind of ridiculous.
The school has a strict curfew rule. If you are on campus after curfew, you are expelled. No exceptions. (except when there is an exception)
Phoenix falls asleep in the library and breaks the rule. As she runs to leave campus, she finds out there are students at night. Scary, beautiful, flesh-eating students. And, of course they are dressed in Victorian-style clothing because... well, I'm not exactly sure why... Huh.
The most beautiful male of them all saves her life and gets her back to the dorms safely. His name is Dimitri. Yes, Dimitri.
Instead of being happy that she wasn't caught breaking curfew and escaping expulsion, she decides she needs to learn more about these night students and breaks curfew again the following night. It really is a good thing that the librarian has never thought of, I don't know, checking to make sure the library is empty of students since this curfew thing is such a big deal. You know, with the flesh-eating monsters showing up each evening. Ah well, the "honor system" always works out fine for teens and they never do things they aren't supposed to do.
On her second night, Phoenix is once again almost killed because a beautiful girl finds out she was saved by Dimitri the night before, so of course this girl wants to kill her for catching Dimitri's eye. Zombie-bitch be jelly.
Of course, she gets turned into one of them and is immediately transformed into a beautiful girl. A beautiful girl who now gets to dress in Victorian clothes and be kissed by Dimitri. Now they are in love. But wait, another beautiful guy also wants her. She's the belle of the Zombie Ball!
Just freaking shoot my eyes out instead of making me read this crap.
Think Vampire Academy bad knock-off.
The school has a strict curfew rule. If you are on campus after curfew, you are expelled. No exceptions. (except when there is an exception)
Phoenix falls asleep in the library and breaks the rule. As she runs to leave campus, she finds out there are students at night. Scary, beautiful, flesh-eating students. And, of course they are dressed in Victorian-style clothing because... well, I'm not exactly sure why... Huh.
The most beautiful male of them all saves her life and gets her back to the dorms safely. His name is Dimitri. Yes, Dimitri.
Instead of being happy that she wasn't caught breaking curfew and escaping expulsion, she decides she needs to learn more about these night students and breaks curfew again the following night. It really is a good thing that the librarian has never thought of, I don't know, checking to make sure the library is empty of students since this curfew thing is such a big deal. You know, with the flesh-eating monsters showing up each evening. Ah well, the "honor system" always works out fine for teens and they never do things they aren't supposed to do.
On her second night, Phoenix is once again almost killed because a beautiful girl finds out she was saved by Dimitri the night before, so of course this girl wants to kill her for catching Dimitri's eye. Zombie-bitch be jelly.
Of course, she gets turned into one of them and is immediately transformed into a beautiful girl. A beautiful girl who now gets to dress in Victorian clothes and be kissed by Dimitri. Now they are in love. But wait, another beautiful guy also wants her. She's the belle of the Zombie Ball!
Just freaking shoot my eyes out instead of making me read this crap.
September 6, 2012
Quick review:
Cover:Very Pretty
Rating: PG-13
Thumbs Up: 4.5
Overall: A story that made me say WoW!
Characters: Well done
Plot: Falling asleep and waking up in a rabbit hole you don’t want to get out of.
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? N/A
Recommend: Yes
Book Boyfriend: Demitri
SUMMARY (60 words or less)
When I saw the name Demitri followed by boarding school, I thought VA and I got nervous. Let’s just say, you won’t be thinking of that series for very long. My only complaint about this book is that it ends and there doesn’t appear to be a series to follow.
To see my full review and likeness of my book boyfriend, check out my blog post.
http://mybookboyfriend.blogspot.com/2...
Cover:Very Pretty
Rating: PG-13
Thumbs Up: 4.5
Overall: A story that made me say WoW!
Characters: Well done
Plot: Falling asleep and waking up in a rabbit hole you don’t want to get out of.
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? N/A
Recommend: Yes
Book Boyfriend: Demitri
SUMMARY (60 words or less)
When I saw the name Demitri followed by boarding school, I thought VA and I got nervous. Let’s just say, you won’t be thinking of that series for very long. My only complaint about this book is that it ends and there doesn’t appear to be a series to follow.
To see my full review and likeness of my book boyfriend, check out my blog post.
http://mybookboyfriend.blogspot.com/2...
July 17, 2016
From my blog Auntie Spinelli Reads
3.5/5
Before I read this, with the mention of Night and Day students I just couldn't help myself...I immediately thought of this:
So of course I was intrigued! It ended up being almost nothing like Vampire Knight, though, and I was pleasantly surprised at how unique the story was.
I usually despise love triangles, but this one wasn't bad at all. I gotta hand it to Phoenix, she stuck with her decision. It was never really a competition for her. And who wouldn't love being surrounded by two important and sexy men?
Demitri. Cold, distant, aloof. Sexy. A buttface most of the time, but has a protective streak for Phoenix. And did I mention he's sexy?
Luka. Arrogant yet playful and carefree. Tortured past. Sexy. I'm not a fan of blondes, but I must say I'm team Luka all the way!! His infatuation with Phoenix was rather sudden, but his commandeered kisses had my heart beating faster! I'd be his villyat any day ;D
So why isn't it 4 or 5 stars? Well, the problem I had with Taste was that I simply couldn't connect to the story. I felt a bit detached and emotionless as things were happening. Also, I didn't care much for Phoenix most of the time - she kind of annoyed me. It seemed like she overreacted a lot and she was a bit childish and whiny.
Favorite character: LUKA, DUDE.
ASSESSMENT
Plot: 3/5
Originality: 5/5
Writing style: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
All 3 starfish go to Luka ♥
World-building: 3/5
Pace: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
3.5/5
Before I read this, with the mention of Night and Day students I just couldn't help myself...I immediately thought of this:
So of course I was intrigued! It ended up being almost nothing like Vampire Knight, though, and I was pleasantly surprised at how unique the story was.
I usually despise love triangles, but this one wasn't bad at all. I gotta hand it to Phoenix, she stuck with her decision. It was never really a competition for her. And who wouldn't love being surrounded by two important and sexy men?
Demitri. Cold, distant, aloof. Sexy. A buttface most of the time, but has a protective streak for Phoenix. And did I mention he's sexy?
Luka. Arrogant yet playful and carefree. Tortured past. Sexy. I'm not a fan of blondes, but I must say I'm team Luka all the way!! His infatuation with Phoenix was rather sudden, but his commandeered kisses had my heart beating faster! I'd be his villyat any day ;D
So why isn't it 4 or 5 stars? Well, the problem I had with Taste was that I simply couldn't connect to the story. I felt a bit detached and emotionless as things were happening. Also, I didn't care much for Phoenix most of the time - she kind of annoyed me. It seemed like she overreacted a lot and she was a bit childish and whiny.
Favorite character: LUKA, DUDE.
ASSESSMENT
Plot: 3/5
Originality: 5/5
Writing style: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
All 3 starfish go to Luka ♥
World-building: 3/5
Pace: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Read
September 16, 2016LOOOOOL I'M ACTUALLY LAUGHING AT THIS SYNOPSIS!
I read this earlier this year, like January mainly because I WANTED TO SEE IF THE BOOK WAS GOING TO BE JUST LIKE THE SYNOPSIS. I HOPED IT WOULDN'T, I REALLY DID BUT IT WAS EVERY BIT THE SAME!
I read this earlier this year, like January mainly because I WANTED TO SEE IF THE BOOK WAS GOING TO BE JUST LIKE THE SYNOPSIS. I HOPED IT WOULDN'T, I REALLY DID BUT IT WAS EVERY BIT THE SAME!
July 11, 2012
Let me just start this review by saying THIS BOOK ROCKS!!!
I so love this one....to be totally honest I really liked its plot from the first time I saw it so I've been waiting for this ever since..but a little part of me is afraid cause that time all the books I've read is either the plot is too much it became boring or the plot is good but the book is not.... and I really really don't want to ruin my good views in this book.....but still I tried and I'm so glad I did. the story started from the very first page no more shenanigans just straight to the very point so it doesn't become boring and still left me wanting to turn the page faster and faster but still savor the happenings I love PHEONIX she's not like any other heroine cause even though she has two hot guys at her beck and call she doesn't drool over them both although she has some slight feelings for LUKA she still know whom she really truly love and sadly that's DEMETRI..(sorry guys but I'm team LUKA )(but hey I don't have an issue with the other guy...he's still hot you know)
and the two guys oh how can I even start with them...(sigh) they're just so damn irresistible and total opposite...the other is serious and gloomy (ok not that gloomy but a little) and of course my beloved LUKA the easy outgoing
mischievous type I thought when I first read about DEMETRI I will surely love him but oh I was very very wrong cause when LUKA was introduced I forgot all coherent thoughts and my mind went blank.....totally blank nothing else but the name LUKA etched in my mind and I started tearing pages where he's not there (okay not really but close) I just so love him.....and my heart ache for him everytime PHEONIX went into DEMETRI'S arms instead of his.....(sob)....
But nonetheless I was engrossed in every page of this book and I love how the author managed to add some Filipino touch in it just like the kikaron which is called chicharon in the Philippines and I presume its the same.
I just love authors like KATE ....and her idea of the book is unique...ZOMBIE that rots I would probably expect
but ZHAMVY that looks like Gods and Goddesses, no I will definitely not be able to think of that .... Actually when I read the plot I really thought It was about vampires but KATE wanted to have her very own creatures and it was brilliant....My only complaint in this book is that it isn't a series which I so so so wish it was.....cause really I'd love
to see more of them particularly LUKA....
but I'm sure you will truly love it guys this one book will surely rock your world!!!!!
I so love this one....to be totally honest I really liked its plot from the first time I saw it so I've been waiting for this ever since..but a little part of me is afraid cause that time all the books I've read is either the plot is too much it became boring or the plot is good but the book is not.... and I really really don't want to ruin my good views in this book.....but still I tried and I'm so glad I did. the story started from the very first page no more shenanigans just straight to the very point so it doesn't become boring and still left me wanting to turn the page faster and faster but still savor the happenings I love PHEONIX she's not like any other heroine cause even though she has two hot guys at her beck and call she doesn't drool over them both although she has some slight feelings for LUKA she still know whom she really truly love and sadly that's DEMETRI..(sorry guys but I'm team LUKA )(but hey I don't have an issue with the other guy...he's still hot you know)
and the two guys oh how can I even start with them...(sigh) they're just so damn irresistible and total opposite...the other is serious and gloomy (ok not that gloomy but a little) and of course my beloved LUKA the easy outgoing
mischievous type I thought when I first read about DEMETRI I will surely love him but oh I was very very wrong cause when LUKA was introduced I forgot all coherent thoughts and my mind went blank.....totally blank nothing else but the name LUKA etched in my mind and I started tearing pages where he's not there (okay not really but close) I just so love him.....and my heart ache for him everytime PHEONIX went into DEMETRI'S arms instead of his.....(sob)....
But nonetheless I was engrossed in every page of this book and I love how the author managed to add some Filipino touch in it just like the kikaron which is called chicharon in the Philippines and I presume its the same.
I just love authors like KATE ....and her idea of the book is unique...ZOMBIE that rots I would probably expect
but ZHAMVY that looks like Gods and Goddesses, no I will definitely not be able to think of that .... Actually when I read the plot I really thought It was about vampires but KATE wanted to have her very own creatures and it was brilliant....My only complaint in this book is that it isn't a series which I so so so wish it was.....cause really I'd love
to see more of them particularly LUKA....
but I'm sure you will truly love it guys this one book will surely rock your world!!!!!
June 23, 2012
***NOTE! Review & GIVEAWAY posted on blog Ja čitam, a ti?.
What we thought about it...
Storyline
{Glass} Interesting plot. I had my share of doubts first time I herad about this book. It reminded me too much of manga/anime The Vampire Knight with all that stuff about night and day students, but that's where all similarities ends. I liked paranormal elements of the story - zombie-like creatures living hidden in human society, secret kingdoms and two boys on the throne. My biggest problem with Taste was that it felt kind of rushed which left me wondering what did just happened.
{Tanychy} I haven't read that manga/anime therefore I had no idea about night and day students. I was surprised with this book. As some of you may know I rarely read blurbs so every book is a mystery. I also like this zombie-like creatures story, as it's new. I agree with this rushed, yes the story really goes fast and something is happening all the time.
Characters
{Glass} I seriously wanted to strangle Phoenix sometimes. She doesn't think at all or she thinks too much. Boys... Well i like those boys. Maybe Luka just a tiny bit more. But looking them generally, all characters are typical for paranormal young adult novel. Nothing suprising over there.
{Tanychy} Huh. Here I had some problems. Yes, the problem is Phoenix, or annoying-girl-strikes-again how I called her. There is huge difference between being bad-ass and annoying character. Phoenix is maybe curious and I would probably be but she is also so impatient and sometimes her actions were just stupid. About boys in this book, Demitri is typical kick-ass boy. I know that he will be like that from the beginning, but Luka was really interesting in whole story. I really like Demitri's brother Dray, he is really "normal" and great character.
Love story
{Glass}Love triangle... Duh, I so didn't see that coming.:) I understand that girl can be totally swept off her feet when she finds out that not just one but to boys are having hots for her. And they are drop dead gorgeous. But when it's pushed too much in the first plan of the story it could be annoying.
{Tanychy} What to say about love story. It was predictable. I expected love triangle from the beginning and I most certainly got one. You enjoyed in some moments between characters. Demitri is perfect gentleman and I like him for that. He cares about Phoenix, but also does Luka. I expected that the end will be like this and I'm happy for that.
What we liked
{Glass} Honestlly, I thought that I'll hate this book. But I don't. All the paranormal elements are original - combination of zombies and scientifical explenations was really good move. And that scene where Phoenix meets Luka for the first time... Dear God! Awesome.
{Tanychy} So all in all I like the concept of the story generally. I haven't read much stories about zombies, especially about hot zombies like those in the book. So that all was interesting and new for me. Beside Dray I also like Demitri and Luka. I must add the end, I like the ending. Call me lame, but this type of the end is my favourite. What can I say, hopeless romantic till the end.
What we didn't like
{Glass}Unlike my hoplessly romantic BFF Tanja, I did not liked the ending. If there's going to be second book, it should have ended differently. Other thing I didn't like - all those stuff about kingdom - too much medivalish for my taste.
{Tanychy} You're right, but I didn't know there should be book 2. I didn't like Phoenix for sure. I've seen worst than her, but still I can't get over with that. Another thing is that story was too rushed. There is still enough space to write about zombies and their future, but love story here is as far as I'm concerned completed. I wouldn't touch that.
{Dimitri, night students (but unlke Vampire Knight thy are not vampires - they are flesh eaters)...love triangle... annoying female character... Again???}
What we thought about it...
Storyline
{Glass} Interesting plot. I had my share of doubts first time I herad about this book. It reminded me too much of manga/anime The Vampire Knight with all that stuff about night and day students, but that's where all similarities ends. I liked paranormal elements of the story - zombie-like creatures living hidden in human society, secret kingdoms and two boys on the throne. My biggest problem with Taste was that it felt kind of rushed which left me wondering what did just happened.
{Tanychy} I haven't read that manga/anime therefore I had no idea about night and day students. I was surprised with this book. As some of you may know I rarely read blurbs so every book is a mystery. I also like this zombie-like creatures story, as it's new. I agree with this rushed, yes the story really goes fast and something is happening all the time.
Characters
{Glass} I seriously wanted to strangle Phoenix sometimes. She doesn't think at all or she thinks too much. Boys... Well i like those boys. Maybe Luka just a tiny bit more. But looking them generally, all characters are typical for paranormal young adult novel. Nothing suprising over there.
{Tanychy} Huh. Here I had some problems. Yes, the problem is Phoenix, or annoying-girl-strikes-again how I called her. There is huge difference between being bad-ass and annoying character. Phoenix is maybe curious and I would probably be but she is also so impatient and sometimes her actions were just stupid. About boys in this book, Demitri is typical kick-ass boy. I know that he will be like that from the beginning, but Luka was really interesting in whole story. I really like Demitri's brother Dray, he is really "normal" and great character.
Love story
{Glass}Love triangle... Duh, I so didn't see that coming.:) I understand that girl can be totally swept off her feet when she finds out that not just one but to boys are having hots for her. And they are drop dead gorgeous. But when it's pushed too much in the first plan of the story it could be annoying.
{Tanychy} What to say about love story. It was predictable. I expected love triangle from the beginning and I most certainly got one. You enjoyed in some moments between characters. Demitri is perfect gentleman and I like him for that. He cares about Phoenix, but also does Luka. I expected that the end will be like this and I'm happy for that.
What we liked
{Glass} Honestlly, I thought that I'll hate this book. But I don't. All the paranormal elements are original - combination of zombies and scientifical explenations was really good move. And that scene where Phoenix meets Luka for the first time... Dear God! Awesome.
{Tanychy} So all in all I like the concept of the story generally. I haven't read much stories about zombies, especially about hot zombies like those in the book. So that all was interesting and new for me. Beside Dray I also like Demitri and Luka. I must add the end, I like the ending. Call me lame, but this type of the end is my favourite. What can I say, hopeless romantic till the end.
What we didn't like
{Glass}Unlike my hoplessly romantic BFF Tanja, I did not liked the ending. If there's going to be second book, it should have ended differently. Other thing I didn't like - all those stuff about kingdom - too much medivalish for my taste.
{Tanychy} You're right, but I didn't know there should be book 2. I didn't like Phoenix for sure. I've seen worst than her, but still I can't get over with that. Another thing is that story was too rushed. There is still enough space to write about zombies and their future, but love story here is as far as I'm concerned completed. I wouldn't touch that.
{Dimitri, night students (but unlke Vampire Knight thy are not vampires - they are flesh eaters)...love triangle... annoying female character... Again???}
May 1, 2012
Phoenix McKay finds outs why curfew is at sunset at Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Here Phoenix finds a group of students walking the halls and finds herself in a predicament. They threaten to taste her flesh - - until along comes Demitri – he is handsome and alluring. Pale skinned, dark eyes and hair and Phoenix find that she not only is mesmerized by his aura but his irresistible demeanour. ** he is her knight in shining armour so to speak ** swoon -
However Luka has other plans for Phoenix, he is charming and sexy – and full of mischief. Luka takes Phoenix into a world that she never knew existed. Phoenix is caught between a deadly secret she wants to find out about, her attraction to these mysterious boys and an ancient civilisation living beneath Barinkoff Academy. She maybe the cure to their very existence.
Drays means well, asking Phoenix for her help but in the meantime , the reason for her being there may just be the fuel that Vladimir needs to fuel them into a centuries old feud.
My thoughts!!!
Wow!!! I devoured this story in almost one sitting. Kate has a winner with this Novel - certainly an intriguing and mysterious story filled with its own unique plot and storyline. Kate has created a world of her own - incomparable with any story currently shelved atm - and certainly unmatched by any other. A different spin off on a Flesh eating race. As gory as it sounds, it certainly is not put forth this way. Characters that will draw you into the pages and a read you will find you won’t be able to put down.
Kate has created her characters with depth and definition – loyalty and courage. Phoenix I found to be an enjoyable character, very likeable by all means.
The chemistry between Demitri and Phoenix will make your heart flutter - and have you sheepishly grinning at the same time. At times I wanted to sock him one - but other times wanted to just melt into his cotton shirt .. ** sigh -**
Luka is sinfully sexy in his own way - he is honest and straight forward .. I was certainly town between these two boys !
The hotties that Kate has thrown in to give us a love trio are smoking hot and definably hard to choose upon. All the characters that Kate has put forth are well defined and put forth in this story giving it depth and certainly character to the storyline. I must say even the evil was depicted exactly that!
A few twists and turns are thrown in giving the reader a wahhoooooooooooo!! Ending … that will not only have your heart aflutter but your eyes sparkling with **** An ending that is unpredictable where the reader is hoping there just maybe another continuous on from this one. Certainly not needed as Kate has wrapped the story up beautifully.
The storyline alone was certainly mesmerizing – who would think someone could turn flesh eating creatures into such an in-depth read that will keep you hooked till the last page has been turned. ** You must read to understand ** But this is certainly not your normal flesh eating blood and gore story you will be amazed at what Kate has created!! A world of the Zhamuy – an ancient feud – and possibly a secret that will cause all to cease to exist...
Smooth flowing dialogue and chapters that flow from one to the next and a read that will certainly have you in awe.
Action, adventure, suspense , romance, intrigue, fantasy, lies, friendships ,loyalty, secrets and even heart felt moments are all contained within this story ! A must read Ya story recommended to all.
Pst - dont you just love the cover !!!! I do !!
However Luka has other plans for Phoenix, he is charming and sexy – and full of mischief. Luka takes Phoenix into a world that she never knew existed. Phoenix is caught between a deadly secret she wants to find out about, her attraction to these mysterious boys and an ancient civilisation living beneath Barinkoff Academy. She maybe the cure to their very existence.
Drays means well, asking Phoenix for her help but in the meantime , the reason for her being there may just be the fuel that Vladimir needs to fuel them into a centuries old feud.
My thoughts!!!
Wow!!! I devoured this story in almost one sitting. Kate has a winner with this Novel - certainly an intriguing and mysterious story filled with its own unique plot and storyline. Kate has created a world of her own - incomparable with any story currently shelved atm - and certainly unmatched by any other. A different spin off on a Flesh eating race. As gory as it sounds, it certainly is not put forth this way. Characters that will draw you into the pages and a read you will find you won’t be able to put down.
Kate has created her characters with depth and definition – loyalty and courage. Phoenix I found to be an enjoyable character, very likeable by all means.
The chemistry between Demitri and Phoenix will make your heart flutter - and have you sheepishly grinning at the same time. At times I wanted to sock him one - but other times wanted to just melt into his cotton shirt .. ** sigh -**
Luka is sinfully sexy in his own way - he is honest and straight forward .. I was certainly town between these two boys !
The hotties that Kate has thrown in to give us a love trio are smoking hot and definably hard to choose upon. All the characters that Kate has put forth are well defined and put forth in this story giving it depth and certainly character to the storyline. I must say even the evil was depicted exactly that!
A few twists and turns are thrown in giving the reader a wahhoooooooooooo!! Ending … that will not only have your heart aflutter but your eyes sparkling with **** An ending that is unpredictable where the reader is hoping there just maybe another continuous on from this one. Certainly not needed as Kate has wrapped the story up beautifully.
The storyline alone was certainly mesmerizing – who would think someone could turn flesh eating creatures into such an in-depth read that will keep you hooked till the last page has been turned. ** You must read to understand ** But this is certainly not your normal flesh eating blood and gore story you will be amazed at what Kate has created!! A world of the Zhamuy – an ancient feud – and possibly a secret that will cause all to cease to exist...
Smooth flowing dialogue and chapters that flow from one to the next and a read that will certainly have you in awe.
Action, adventure, suspense , romance, intrigue, fantasy, lies, friendships ,loyalty, secrets and even heart felt moments are all contained within this story ! A must read Ya story recommended to all.
Pst - dont you just love the cover !!!! I do !!
February 15, 2014
OMG YES YES YESSSSS
Right now I am just a girl, a very happy girl.
I liked this book so much guys so much.
I didn't read the description of this book in much detail before I started reading it so for a good amount of time I thought I was reading a book about vampires (especially when they had characters named Vladimir and Dimitri which soo reminded me of Vampire Academy) and I was pretty much just as surprised as Phoenix when she found out the truth.
I think a huge part of the reason why I liked this book so much was because it incorporated a lot of things I like in one book: royalty, paranormal fantasy, Victorian clothing, academy/boarding school, angst, and charming boys :)
P.S. let me know if there are any books you guys would recommend that has royalty and is a paranormal fantasy, I love them and they're so hard to come by
July 31, 2013
I'm a sucker for love triangles, I love them but I hate them at the same time. Does it make sense? Maybe. Maybe not. The thing is, I hate to choose between a character or another and that's probably why I get attached to both. So at the end of the book I'll feel bad for the one who isn't 'chosen'..
But also good for the one who's gonna be happy with the girl.
Because yeah, that's often one girl with twohot guys. But I'm not complaining, because I like it that way! Anyway, I got lost into my explanation of my emotional problem when there are love triangles. And here, I loved Demitri but also Luka. (Me, predictable? Not at all..)
Taste is about zombies but not the 'obvious' one that you can identify easily..
No because these modern-zombies are all super-hot-sexy-perfect-and-flawless-good-looking like this.. (he's my Luka)
Anyway, I really liked this story. This is the first (or maybe second) book I've read about flesh eaters. I'm not usually a fan of it but I was hooked by this story! I wanted to know more about their history and why Dray (Demitri's brother) needed a human like Phoenix to help him and his people. She's doing lots of tests for him and put herself in danger because of it.
And there's also Calixta.. What can I say about her? She's a pain in the ass. Plain and simple. So just so you know Calixta..
I really enjoyed reading this book. I would have liked to know more at the end, though.
I recommend it and I hope you'll like it too! (I had a copy of this book from the author in exchange of a review) :).
But also good for the one who's gonna be happy with the girl.
Because yeah, that's often one girl with two
Taste is about zombies but not the 'obvious' one that you can identify easily..
No because these modern-zombies are all super-hot-sexy-perfect-and-flawless-good-looking like this.. (he's my Luka)
Anyway, I really liked this story. This is the first (or maybe second) book I've read about flesh eaters. I'm not usually a fan of it but I was hooked by this story! I wanted to know more about their history and why Dray (Demitri's brother) needed a human like Phoenix to help him and his people. She's doing lots of tests for him and put herself in danger because of it.
And there's also Calixta.. What can I say about her? She's a pain in the ass. Plain and simple. So just so you know Calixta..
I really enjoyed reading this book. I would have liked to know more at the end, though.
I recommend it and I hope you'll like it too! (I had a copy of this book from the author in exchange of a review) :).
June 30, 2012
Overall rating: 2.5 stars
Um. Hm. I'm at a loss for words (and it's not the good kind).
WHAT I LIKED:
Taste actually had a unique paranormal twist!
I come into this book expecting vampires galore, but I was completely wrong! (And so far off...) I love it when books surprise me like this, and this twist was pretty refreshing to read about than the usual angels, werewolves, etc.
The world building = original.
I can't go too into depth about the world building or else I'll spoil said paranormal twist, but I'm just going to say it was really cool. I loved reading about the world Evangelista created. It was addicting, and it made me crave for more!
I really also liked the terms in this book! It seemed Russian inspired, and just really awesome. (I might be wrong about the Russian inspiration part though.)
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Phoenix McKay, please put a sock in it.
If you don't get my saying, it's basically "shut up". Good Lord, this girl whined for days and days and days on end about her past. Half of her dialogue was filled with inane, stupid questions and much much sniffling.
And that whole "I need to put up an armor so no one can get close to me" kind of thing? Yeah, I've seen too much of that already. I understand that her past was heartbreaking (and it was a bit for me), but she needs to live her life and move on.
Oh joy, there's two dimensional characters! *sarcasm intended*
The cast of Taste completely fell flat for me. There was hardly any character development with the main cast and it just didn't work for me. They all were extremely simple and easy to figure out, which is not my cup of tea.
Show, don't tell!
Remember how I said Phoenix was just filled with all these questions? Yeah, a good majority of them was asking to explain this new world she was in, and lo and behold, the answer was... that's right, you guessed it: information dumping!
Instead of the information dumping, I really wished she showed more of the world instead of through words exchanged in conversation. I'm a huge fan of world building in books, and I just felt let down when I was reading this.
The writing was... okay.
I don't obsess over the writing like I do with world building, but the writing was mediocre at best. It was very simple, and the dialogue between characters didn't feel natural at times.
THE VERDICT:
Taste had a lot of potential but unfortunately, it just didn't live up to it for me.
Um. Hm. I'm at a loss for words (and it's not the good kind).
WHAT I LIKED:
Taste actually had a unique paranormal twist!
I come into this book expecting vampires galore, but I was completely wrong! (And so far off...) I love it when books surprise me like this, and this twist was pretty refreshing to read about than the usual angels, werewolves, etc.
The world building = original.
I can't go too into depth about the world building or else I'll spoil said paranormal twist, but I'm just going to say it was really cool. I loved reading about the world Evangelista created. It was addicting, and it made me crave for more!
I really also liked the terms in this book! It seemed Russian inspired, and just really awesome. (I might be wrong about the Russian inspiration part though.)
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Phoenix McKay, please put a sock in it.
If you don't get my saying, it's basically "shut up". Good Lord, this girl whined for days and days and days on end about her past. Half of her dialogue was filled with inane, stupid questions and much much sniffling.
And that whole "I need to put up an armor so no one can get close to me" kind of thing? Yeah, I've seen too much of that already. I understand that her past was heartbreaking (and it was a bit for me), but she needs to live her life and move on.
Oh joy, there's two dimensional characters! *sarcasm intended*
The cast of Taste completely fell flat for me. There was hardly any character development with the main cast and it just didn't work for me. They all were extremely simple and easy to figure out, which is not my cup of tea.
Show, don't tell!
Remember how I said Phoenix was just filled with all these questions? Yeah, a good majority of them was asking to explain this new world she was in, and lo and behold, the answer was... that's right, you guessed it: information dumping!
Instead of the information dumping, I really wished she showed more of the world instead of through words exchanged in conversation. I'm a huge fan of world building in books, and I just felt let down when I was reading this.
The writing was... okay.
I don't obsess over the writing like I do with world building, but the writing was mediocre at best. It was very simple, and the dialogue between characters didn't feel natural at times.
THE VERDICT:
Taste had a lot of potential but unfortunately, it just didn't live up to it for me.
September 20, 2012
An ecopy of Taste was given to me by Kate Evangelista for an honest review.
Well, I am not yet done reading, and that is a big, BIG sign for me. If I am very slow on reading a book it just means that it has not grabbed my attention. Why do I find Taste not interesting?
1.) Writing style. I am not a fan of the style used. It's way too flowery, too here and there, and just dull.
2.) Characters. Mary Sue-ish, cardboard-ish characters! Oh, they just make me want to stop reading Taste!
3.) Romance. Uh-huh, I don't have to be a psychic to know what's going to happen and who she is going to end up with. It's already on the first chapter!
4.) Info dump. The characters spill every little secret until no mystery is left. Great. Thanks for building the suspense and just end up telling us all in one conversation what the book is all about.
So if I do not finish reading Taste, then it just really means that I no longer have the time to waste reading it and that I would rather forget what I just read.
UPDATE
I have read it and I am still not happy with Taste. It was draggy and (to be honest) I had to skip some parts and had to FORCE myself to continue reading it, even though I knew there were other books I would rather want to read. There were funny moments but Phoenix was just annoying that I forgot to laugh. By the way, Phoenix isn't slightly annoying. She is very, VERY annoying and nosy and I would have punched her face!
I am disappointed with this novel >:(
I did not enjoy it one bit. Writing style, characters, and plot all rated as a 3/10.
Well, I am not yet done reading, and that is a big, BIG sign for me. If I am very slow on reading a book it just means that it has not grabbed my attention. Why do I find Taste not interesting?
1.) Writing style. I am not a fan of the style used. It's way too flowery, too here and there, and just dull.
2.) Characters. Mary Sue-ish, cardboard-ish characters! Oh, they just make me want to stop reading Taste!
3.) Romance. Uh-huh, I don't have to be a psychic to know what's going to happen and who she is going to end up with. It's already on the first chapter!
4.) Info dump. The characters spill every little secret until no mystery is left. Great. Thanks for building the suspense and just end up telling us all in one conversation what the book is all about.
So if I do not finish reading Taste, then it just really means that I no longer have the time to waste reading it and that I would rather forget what I just read.
UPDATE
I have read it and I am still not happy with Taste. It was draggy and (to be honest) I had to skip some parts and had to FORCE myself to continue reading it, even though I knew there were other books I would rather want to read. There were funny moments but Phoenix was just annoying that I forgot to laugh. By the way, Phoenix isn't slightly annoying. She is very, VERY annoying and nosy and I would have punched her face!
I am disappointed with this novel >:(
I did not enjoy it one bit. Writing style, characters, and plot all rated as a 3/10.
July 6, 2012
I accepted a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"Phoenix." Dray pinched my arm. "Ow!" I scowled at him. "What was that for?" "Stop ogling my brother and pay attention."
I absolutely fell in love with this book. Kate makes 'zombies' sexy. Gone are the decaying, mindless shufflers hell bent on eating brains.
The story Kate has spun kept me reading page after page without taking a break. I just had to know what would happen next. Phoenix is a likable main character who is smart and loyal and I was rooting for everything to work out for her in the end. I'll admit, Kate had me nervous but in the end I got my happily ever after... with the possibility of new troubles... which will hopefully be in a sequel? Please? Iwant NEED more of Dimitri and Luka. Speaking of..holy love triangle. Seriously, I could not choose between the two. Both were perfect in their own ways and I'm still not sure which I liked more.
If you like young adult paranormal novels then I highly recommend this one. Kate has left me craving more of her writing.
"Phoenix." Dray pinched my arm. "Ow!" I scowled at him. "What was that for?" "Stop ogling my brother and pay attention."
I absolutely fell in love with this book. Kate makes 'zombies' sexy. Gone are the decaying, mindless shufflers hell bent on eating brains.
The story Kate has spun kept me reading page after page without taking a break. I just had to know what would happen next. Phoenix is a likable main character who is smart and loyal and I was rooting for everything to work out for her in the end. I'll admit, Kate had me nervous but in the end I got my happily ever after... with the possibility of new troubles... which will hopefully be in a sequel? Please? I
If you like young adult paranormal novels then I highly recommend this one. Kate has left me craving more of her writing.
April 5, 2013
Who knew zombies could be...hot?!
And I certainly do not mean body temperature ;)
And I certainly do not mean body temperature ;)
October 29, 2012
3.75 stars
Well, this book was a pleasant surprise for me. I wasn't expecting that much on this one and to be honest I had some doubt I'd end up really enjoying it. But I'm pleased to report that this book is actually a very interesting one. It might not have instantly caught my interest during the first parts but as I went deeper to the story I realized that it had eventually intrigued me. The characters and the world Kat created were indeed a very unique and fantastic and I'm happy to say that I enjoyed reading this book.
I first thought this was a vampire book thus explaining my doubt. I was surprised when the world was finally described and explained that I realized how interesting and fascinating it was. It wasn't really a vampire world but a world of "Zhyamvys" or "zombies" as we humans, according to the book, bastartized it. It was rather a fascinating idea - good looking zombies, smart and civilized than just the brain eater we always thought of. It was quite captivating and absorbing to explore this unique world Kat created.
Phoenix, our main character discovered the existence of the Zhamvys when she accidentally overslept in the library of her school pass the curfew. Her curiosity still brought her to discover more of the world of Zhamvy and soon found herself helping some of them in this dangerous secret that might kill this ancient civilization that lived underneath her school.I didn't get well with Phoenix right away. I was actually pretty annoyed with her and some of her actions. Her curiosity I understand but she was impatient and reckless and although those could be appealing attributes on some characters, it felt quite annoying on her. Although as the story went on I saw parts of her that is good and kind and impressive, like when she agreed to help Dray to look for a cure for his people because she understood how it felt not to able to do anything to someone you love. She agreed even if it was dangerous and did extreme sacrifices. In the end, I think she did grow on me.
Now onto the other main character and the love interest, Demitri. Well, there's a reason why I still haven't read Vampire Academy, Wanderlove and why I didn't continue the Faeriewalker series.
Long-haired guys.
I know, I know. Shallow it is. Don't get angry at me but they were just never my type and it turns me off quite majorly whenever I encounter one. However, after reading this I realized that it wasn't really that hard to imagine them to be short-haired. Lol! Seriously, that's the only way I know how I'll be able to continue reading this and still really like it. So in the end, I was actually able to like Demitri genuinely. And yes, I also did think he was sexy.
Although I liked the overall, I was a little disappointed with the ending. It felt kinda rush, even some other parts of the book but it was the ending that I wish had been elaborated more. Nonetheless, I think this is a pretty great debut novel and really fantastic for a one-shot paranormal book albeit a little formulaic and predictable at times. I wouldn't mind if there will be a second book actually (or a companion book about Luca). I enjoyed this and I guess it's pretty safe to recommend this.
Thank you Kat Evangelista for providing me a copy of this book!
This review is also posted at Book Overdose
Well, this book was a pleasant surprise for me. I wasn't expecting that much on this one and to be honest I had some doubt I'd end up really enjoying it. But I'm pleased to report that this book is actually a very interesting one. It might not have instantly caught my interest during the first parts but as I went deeper to the story I realized that it had eventually intrigued me. The characters and the world Kat created were indeed a very unique and fantastic and I'm happy to say that I enjoyed reading this book.
I first thought this was a vampire book thus explaining my doubt. I was surprised when the world was finally described and explained that I realized how interesting and fascinating it was. It wasn't really a vampire world but a world of "Zhyamvys" or "zombies" as we humans, according to the book, bastartized it. It was rather a fascinating idea - good looking zombies, smart and civilized than just the brain eater we always thought of. It was quite captivating and absorbing to explore this unique world Kat created.
Phoenix, our main character discovered the existence of the Zhamvys when she accidentally overslept in the library of her school pass the curfew. Her curiosity still brought her to discover more of the world of Zhamvy and soon found herself helping some of them in this dangerous secret that might kill this ancient civilization that lived underneath her school.I didn't get well with Phoenix right away. I was actually pretty annoyed with her and some of her actions. Her curiosity I understand but she was impatient and reckless and although those could be appealing attributes on some characters, it felt quite annoying on her. Although as the story went on I saw parts of her that is good and kind and impressive, like when she agreed to help Dray to look for a cure for his people because she understood how it felt not to able to do anything to someone you love. She agreed even if it was dangerous and did extreme sacrifices. In the end, I think she did grow on me.
Now onto the other main character and the love interest, Demitri. Well, there's a reason why I still haven't read Vampire Academy, Wanderlove and why I didn't continue the Faeriewalker series.
Long-haired guys.
I know, I know. Shallow it is. Don't get angry at me but they were just never my type and it turns me off quite majorly whenever I encounter one. However, after reading this I realized that it wasn't really that hard to imagine them to be short-haired. Lol! Seriously, that's the only way I know how I'll be able to continue reading this and still really like it. So in the end, I was actually able to like Demitri genuinely. And yes, I also did think he was sexy.
Although I liked the overall, I was a little disappointed with the ending. It felt kinda rush, even some other parts of the book but it was the ending that I wish had been elaborated more. Nonetheless, I think this is a pretty great debut novel and really fantastic for a one-shot paranormal book albeit a little formulaic and predictable at times. I wouldn't mind if there will be a second book actually (or a companion book about Luca). I enjoyed this and I guess it's pretty safe to recommend this.
Thank you Kat Evangelista for providing me a copy of this book!
This review is also posted at Book Overdose
January 7, 2013
Actual rating: 4.5
(This review was originally posted at My Library in the Making.)
When I get curious about something, the saying "curiosity killed the cat" always pops into my head for some reason. But curiosity is a hunger that will demand to be sated until it is, and like what happens to me almost always, it leads to a fascinating discovery for the heroine in Taste, Phoenix.
At first, Phoenix seemed like a girl who didn't care about anything. She didn't know it, but I felt like she lived her days like she was without purpose—until she broke curfew, of course. That event kicked off the story and truly plunged Phoenix into the world of breathtakingly beautiful flesh eaters. She made a brave and selfless decision right at the start and gave her best to go through with everything that came with that decision, and I really admired her for that.
But Phoenix couldn't have guessed that getting her heart ripped in half by two very different but equally, um, pleasing-to-the-eye males would come with that decision. First was Demitri, Phoenix's constant savior who preferred to keep the truths about him hidden. Because of something—I'd never guessed this part, so I'll keep it that way for you all—his effort to avoid her became useless, and with Phoenix more than attracted to him, a hot romance ensued right off the bat. Insta-love came to mind, but I soon understood that it was far from that.
Which was much to the dismay of Luka, the third side of the triangle. So unlike Demitri, he answered as much of Phoenix's questions as he could. He was naughty and nice, but like our first guy, he had his own secrets and the most share of emotional baggage. And as was the case with love triangles in other books, I loved Luka more than our protagonist's chosen guy. Phoenix can keep her hands on Demitri, though, because Luka's mine *evil laugh*.
Although Phoenix's dive into these guys' world changed her for the better, it showed her true self in the process. Her attitude was often inconsistent: headstrong and bad-ass one minute, nothing but lovesick the next. That irritated me more than her bouts of acting like a spoiled kid that always put her—and worse, those around her—in undesirable situations.
But aside from my few problems with Phoenix, I had no other complaints throughout this book. Kate wrote a wonderful and creative world of flesh eaters, spun it with so much action and high stakes, and balanced everything with the right amount of butterfly-inducing romance that the ending brought me to tears, but you'd have to read Taste to find out if they were happy tears or not.
MY FAVORITE PART was the catfight. It was childish of Phoenix to start it, but it was really entertaining, lol.
(This review was originally posted at My Library in the Making.)
When I get curious about something, the saying "curiosity killed the cat" always pops into my head for some reason. But curiosity is a hunger that will demand to be sated until it is, and like what happens to me almost always, it leads to a fascinating discovery for the heroine in Taste, Phoenix.
At first, Phoenix seemed like a girl who didn't care about anything. She didn't know it, but I felt like she lived her days like she was without purpose—until she broke curfew, of course. That event kicked off the story and truly plunged Phoenix into the world of breathtakingly beautiful flesh eaters. She made a brave and selfless decision right at the start and gave her best to go through with everything that came with that decision, and I really admired her for that.
But Phoenix couldn't have guessed that getting her heart ripped in half by two very different but equally, um, pleasing-to-the-eye males would come with that decision. First was Demitri, Phoenix's constant savior who preferred to keep the truths about him hidden. Because of something—I'd never guessed this part, so I'll keep it that way for you all—his effort to avoid her became useless, and with Phoenix more than attracted to him, a hot romance ensued right off the bat. Insta-love came to mind, but I soon understood that it was far from that.
Which was much to the dismay of Luka, the third side of the triangle. So unlike Demitri, he answered as much of Phoenix's questions as he could. He was naughty and nice, but like our first guy, he had his own secrets and the most share of emotional baggage. And as was the case with love triangles in other books, I loved Luka more than our protagonist's chosen guy. Phoenix can keep her hands on Demitri, though, because Luka's mine *evil laugh*.
Although Phoenix's dive into these guys' world changed her for the better, it showed her true self in the process. Her attitude was often inconsistent: headstrong and bad-ass one minute, nothing but lovesick the next. That irritated me more than her bouts of acting like a spoiled kid that always put her—and worse, those around her—in undesirable situations.
But aside from my few problems with Phoenix, I had no other complaints throughout this book. Kate wrote a wonderful and creative world of flesh eaters, spun it with so much action and high stakes, and balanced everything with the right amount of butterfly-inducing romance that the ending brought me to tears, but you'd have to read Taste to find out if they were happy tears or not.
MY FAVORITE PART was the catfight. It was childish of Phoenix to start it, but it was really entertaining, lol.
June 2, 2012
Ok this isn't a vampire books. It's a "sexy men who eat flesh, crave flesh, desire flesh...blah blah flesh." I had a total creep factor come to life...in this book. I did enjoy it, and have no buyers regret. But eating flesh. (*Screams shrilly and pulls hair while running through the house turning all the lights on*) I hate things eating flesh.
What I enjoyed.
Demitri. How can you not love a man(albeit a flesh eating one) who is willing to always save you and has a uncompromising desire for you.(Not your flesh-^~^-) And he is the Crowned Prince: dark and daring.
Luka. The boy king who also likes our darling Phoenix. He's pale and charming, daring and caring! He's a leader in disguise. (Wow, I'm a poet.)
And the story was well written with all the characters pretty well thought out.
What I didn't like....
Flesh and flesh eating and flesh and blah blah blah. And I hate how all these races that have been around forever and now are dying out for some reason. Why are they suddenly dying out? Really? Whatever. And then there are the "Traditionalists" or whatever. People who oppose change. (Which happens of course but really!)
And that's it. This was a rant and rave review. My raves were the boys! Great men ;) my rants were simple plot mistakes I didn't like.
What I enjoyed.
Demitri. How can you not love a man(albeit a flesh eating one) who is willing to always save you and has a uncompromising desire for you.(Not your flesh-^~^-) And he is the Crowned Prince: dark and daring.
Luka. The boy king who also likes our darling Phoenix. He's pale and charming, daring and caring! He's a leader in disguise. (Wow, I'm a poet.)
And the story was well written with all the characters pretty well thought out.
What I didn't like....
Flesh and flesh eating and flesh and blah blah blah. And I hate how all these races that have been around forever and now are dying out for some reason. Why are they suddenly dying out? Really? Whatever. And then there are the "Traditionalists" or whatever. People who oppose change. (Which happens of course but really!)
And that's it. This was a rant and rave review. My raves were the boys! Great men ;) my rants were simple plot mistakes I didn't like.
August 4, 2014
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Taste by Kate Evangelista
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Publication Date: April 30, 2012
Rating: 5 stars
Source: Ecopy provided by the author
(Old review - original posted on June 20, 2012)
Summary (from Goodreads):
At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans. When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn't realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.
What I Liked:
The whole book! Truly, I loved this book. First, the characters. Phoenix is so likable. I can empathize and get in her head and understand exactly why she did things. She's reckless at times, but it's not that stupid reckless that leaves readers thinking "What?! Why would she do that?!". Phoenix rarely acts ignorantly. When she makes her decisions, she knows what she's doing, and she accepts the consequences of the decisions. She handled the change that Dray presented in her life pretty well. She's got a fiery temper that I love, because I've got a pretty bad one myself. I can understand this girl.
And Demitri. The hot-and-cold, responsible, duty-bound prince. He's not the flirty kind that leaves Phoenix wondering what's going on. He takes the job of being the crown prince seriously, and he doesn't want Phoenix to mess up anything. Luka is almost the opposite. He's playful, charming, and encourages Phoenix to explore the Zhamvy world. I liked both guys, but I think halfway through, the readers could tell which guy Phoenix would probably end up with. And in the end, both guys were still good characters. Neither one of them turned evil and wanted to kill everyone and take over the world. Neither one of them wanted to kill each other over Phoenix. I usually don't like love triangles, but in this case, it worked nicely.
The type of paranormal fiction that Ms. Evangelista drew upon was a breath of fresh air. I totally expected this book to be about vampires, because I saw that it was about "flesh-eaters". Don't be fooled. This is not a vampire book. Nor is it a zombie book. I like the type of creature that Ms. Evangelista has created. The Zhamvy are original, but has bits and piece of creatures that readers already know about, so it's not completely new and surprising. The setting of the Zhamvy palace is almost surreal. I wish it were a real place, because I'd love to see it.
Ms. Evangelista's writing style is amazing. I believe this is her first novel, which surprises me, because this book is so well-written. The story just seems to flow perfectly. I usually don't like first person points of view, but Ms. Evangelista wrote this book with such detail and precision that I didn't mind much about the first person perspective. Once I started this book, it was hard for me to put it down. I only did so in order to get a couple hours of sleep!
What I Did Not Like:
I think I would have liked to know more history behind the Zhamvy. Without giving too much away, I can say that readers learn about one king and his life, but I wish that I could have read more about other stories of the Zhamvy. It would made the race seem more real, to know about how they came about, how they've lived, and so on. But chances are, that's probably just me saying this.
I also didn't really feel must sympathy towards Phoenix when it came to her mother's death. I just didn't care enough. I know it drove her decision to help Dray and the Zhamvy, and that Phoenix talked about it with her roommate Preya, but I feel like the author didn't do the best job of making the readers care about this death. The same with Phoenix's father. I really didn't care about him. I completely forgot about him until the end of the book. And even Phoenix's situation with him wasn't truly resolved. But this did not detract from the overall plot of the story, which was good.
Would I Recommend It:
Yes! The pros of this book are too many to name. This is appropriate for young adults.
Rating:
5 stars. There are TWO companion books to this one, Savor and Fervor, and I cannot wait to read them!
Taste by Kate Evangelista
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Publication Date: April 30, 2012
Rating: 5 stars
Source: Ecopy provided by the author
(Old review - original posted on June 20, 2012)
Summary (from Goodreads):
At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans. When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn't realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.
What I Liked:
The whole book! Truly, I loved this book. First, the characters. Phoenix is so likable. I can empathize and get in her head and understand exactly why she did things. She's reckless at times, but it's not that stupid reckless that leaves readers thinking "What?! Why would she do that?!". Phoenix rarely acts ignorantly. When she makes her decisions, she knows what she's doing, and she accepts the consequences of the decisions. She handled the change that Dray presented in her life pretty well. She's got a fiery temper that I love, because I've got a pretty bad one myself. I can understand this girl.
And Demitri. The hot-and-cold, responsible, duty-bound prince. He's not the flirty kind that leaves Phoenix wondering what's going on. He takes the job of being the crown prince seriously, and he doesn't want Phoenix to mess up anything. Luka is almost the opposite. He's playful, charming, and encourages Phoenix to explore the Zhamvy world. I liked both guys, but I think halfway through, the readers could tell which guy Phoenix would probably end up with. And in the end, both guys were still good characters. Neither one of them turned evil and wanted to kill everyone and take over the world. Neither one of them wanted to kill each other over Phoenix. I usually don't like love triangles, but in this case, it worked nicely.
The type of paranormal fiction that Ms. Evangelista drew upon was a breath of fresh air. I totally expected this book to be about vampires, because I saw that it was about "flesh-eaters". Don't be fooled. This is not a vampire book. Nor is it a zombie book. I like the type of creature that Ms. Evangelista has created. The Zhamvy are original, but has bits and piece of creatures that readers already know about, so it's not completely new and surprising. The setting of the Zhamvy palace is almost surreal. I wish it were a real place, because I'd love to see it.
Ms. Evangelista's writing style is amazing. I believe this is her first novel, which surprises me, because this book is so well-written. The story just seems to flow perfectly. I usually don't like first person points of view, but Ms. Evangelista wrote this book with such detail and precision that I didn't mind much about the first person perspective. Once I started this book, it was hard for me to put it down. I only did so in order to get a couple hours of sleep!
What I Did Not Like:
I think I would have liked to know more history behind the Zhamvy. Without giving too much away, I can say that readers learn about one king and his life, but I wish that I could have read more about other stories of the Zhamvy. It would made the race seem more real, to know about how they came about, how they've lived, and so on. But chances are, that's probably just me saying this.
I also didn't really feel must sympathy towards Phoenix when it came to her mother's death. I just didn't care enough. I know it drove her decision to help Dray and the Zhamvy, and that Phoenix talked about it with her roommate Preya, but I feel like the author didn't do the best job of making the readers care about this death. The same with Phoenix's father. I really didn't care about him. I completely forgot about him until the end of the book. And even Phoenix's situation with him wasn't truly resolved. But this did not detract from the overall plot of the story, which was good.
Would I Recommend It:
Yes! The pros of this book are too many to name. This is appropriate for young adults.
Rating:
5 stars. There are TWO companion books to this one, Savor and Fervor, and I cannot wait to read them!
July 21, 2016
I Totally Loved It! Awesome-sauce. A delicious book to taste and devour. Full Review at: Books4Juliet
The moment I started reading Taste, I couldn't put it down. It was a total page-turner book that kept me awake until past 3 in the morning! It was engrossing and very captivating.
The story started when Phoenix McKay accidentally broke the one and only rule at Barinkoff Academy: No students on campus after curfew. Falling asleep at the library isn't a good thing after all. Now she must face her fate as the last bell chimed in and she was left trapped inside the campus with the Night Students. But it seems that all the luck in the world suddenly bestowed upon her! Who wouldn't want to be saved by a mysterious but oh-so-gorgeous, overall swoon-worthy and not to mention hot (as in literally hot!) guy Demitri? The guy who happens to appear out of nowhere every time she needs of saving. I wouldn't care being left at the academy with this drool-worthy-kind of guy (*giggling*). All of sudden, Phoenix's sad and hollow life was thrown into the magnificent yet strange world of the flesh-eaters--beautiful, almost cut to perfection--each of them exudes a deliciously unique smell--they called themselves "zhamvys". And Phoenix might just be the one they need to survive.
I cannot love a book with weak, not to mention annoying characters. For me to really enjoy the story, the characters should be likable at least. But in this case, I didn't have any issues at all. From the time Phoenix had spoken in my head when I started this book, I immediately liked her. She has the brain (since Barinkoff only accept students with exceptional intelligence) and she definitely has the gut to be called "heroine". She doesn't annoy me even the tiniest bit and that's totally a big deal to me. Her wit and humor always left me grinning like crazy and she didn't fail to amaze me. And then there's Demitri. He's strong (and hot), dependable (and hot), handsome (and hot), and ever-devoted to his people (and hot!). He's also a mysterious and frustrating kind of guy, but there was something deep within his cold persona--characteristics that only add to his hotness. Yeah, you really should meet this guy! But oh, there's Luka! It seems that Taste isn't contented on giving the readers one hot guy (did I just say hot again?) and it gives us two! Just when I thought I want Demitrifor myself for Phoenix, Luka came into the picture. The mystery that surrounds his character seems dark but who can't give a beautiful boy the benefit of the doubt? With his playful and carefree spirit, he tried to overshadow his true self--the depth of his soul and the goodness in his heart. Who's the guy to root for? I loved Demitri but I also loved Luka, and then *confusion* but then Demitri won over in the end. It was hard to choose between two great guys.
I have a heart for Dray, too. The guy who mean well for the zhamvy people even if risking his life was one way to do it. Obviously, Kate Evangelista crafted not only one or two amazing characters but a lot more. There are people to hate but more people to love. I want to see them again in her future books. I let them in and I'm glad I did!
Readers who hate slow beginning will appreciate this book. The excitement I felt from the start lasted up to the time I closed the book. The pacing of the story was perfect. There was no boring parts but only heart-thumping ones. The author was never out of surprises. She had completely blown me away with her unexpected revelations. I was so curious about the story especially the secrets behind Demitri and Luka's characters, but the author never left my questions unanswered. Kudos to the author, she gave me lots of open-mouthed moments! Well, I guess my curiosity paid off (*grins*).
The awesome characters, the beautiful setting, the unique and original story, the romance that will make your knees wobble, and the unexpected ending that will make you smile and dream and swoon--What's not to love? Let this book blow your mind away. Kate Evangelista has written an extraordinary story that is beautiful, engaging and totally delicious. I absolutely loved it! She nailed every aspect of this book. I tasted and devoured it. It left me satisfied, but then again, it made me hungry for more.
The moment I started reading Taste, I couldn't put it down. It was a total page-turner book that kept me awake until past 3 in the morning! It was engrossing and very captivating.
The story started when Phoenix McKay accidentally broke the one and only rule at Barinkoff Academy: No students on campus after curfew. Falling asleep at the library isn't a good thing after all. Now she must face her fate as the last bell chimed in and she was left trapped inside the campus with the Night Students. But it seems that all the luck in the world suddenly bestowed upon her! Who wouldn't want to be saved by a mysterious but oh-so-gorgeous, overall swoon-worthy and not to mention hot (as in literally hot!) guy Demitri? The guy who happens to appear out of nowhere every time she needs of saving. I wouldn't care being left at the academy with this drool-worthy-kind of guy (*giggling*). All of sudden, Phoenix's sad and hollow life was thrown into the magnificent yet strange world of the flesh-eaters--beautiful, almost cut to perfection--each of them exudes a deliciously unique smell--they called themselves "zhamvys". And Phoenix might just be the one they need to survive.
I cannot love a book with weak, not to mention annoying characters. For me to really enjoy the story, the characters should be likable at least. But in this case, I didn't have any issues at all. From the time Phoenix had spoken in my head when I started this book, I immediately liked her. She has the brain (since Barinkoff only accept students with exceptional intelligence) and she definitely has the gut to be called "heroine". She doesn't annoy me even the tiniest bit and that's totally a big deal to me. Her wit and humor always left me grinning like crazy and she didn't fail to amaze me. And then there's Demitri. He's strong (and hot), dependable (and hot), handsome (and hot), and ever-devoted to his people (and hot!). He's also a mysterious and frustrating kind of guy, but there was something deep within his cold persona--characteristics that only add to his hotness. Yeah, you really should meet this guy! But oh, there's Luka! It seems that Taste isn't contented on giving the readers one hot guy (did I just say hot again?) and it gives us two! Just when I thought I want Demitri
I have a heart for Dray, too. The guy who mean well for the zhamvy people even if risking his life was one way to do it. Obviously, Kate Evangelista crafted not only one or two amazing characters but a lot more. There are people to hate but more people to love. I want to see them again in her future books. I let them in and I'm glad I did!
Readers who hate slow beginning will appreciate this book. The excitement I felt from the start lasted up to the time I closed the book. The pacing of the story was perfect. There was no boring parts but only heart-thumping ones. The author was never out of surprises. She had completely blown me away with her unexpected revelations. I was so curious about the story especially the secrets behind Demitri and Luka's characters, but the author never left my questions unanswered. Kudos to the author, she gave me lots of open-mouthed moments! Well, I guess my curiosity paid off (*grins*).
The awesome characters, the beautiful setting, the unique and original story, the romance that will make your knees wobble, and the unexpected ending that will make you smile and dream and swoon--What's not to love? Let this book blow your mind away. Kate Evangelista has written an extraordinary story that is beautiful, engaging and totally delicious. I absolutely loved it! She nailed every aspect of this book. I tasted and devoured it. It left me satisfied, but then again, it made me hungry for more.
June 23, 2012
You can win an ebook at Ja čitam, a ti?
What we thought about it...
Storyline
{Glass} Interesting plot. I had my share of doubts first time I herad about this book. It reminded me too much of manga/anime The Vampire Knight with all that stuff about night and day students, but that's where all similarities ends. I liked paranormal elements of the story - zombie-like creatures living hidden in human society, secret kingdoms and two boys on the throne. My biggest problem with Taste was that it felt kind of rushed which left me wondering what did just happened.
{Tanychy} I haven't read that manga/anime therefore I had no idea about night and day students. I was surprised with this book. As some of you may know I rarely read blurbs so every book is a mystery. I also like this zombie-like creatures story, as it's new. I agree with this rushed, yes the story really goes fast and something is happening all the time.
Characters
{Glass} I seriously wanted to strangle Phoenix sometimes. She doesn't think at all or she thinks too much. Boys... Well i like those boys. Maybe Luka just a tiny bit more. But looking them generally, all characters are typical for paranormal young adult novel. Nothing suprising over there.
{Tanychy} Huh. Here I had some problems. Yes, the problem is Phoenix, or annoying-girl-strikes-again how I called her. There is huge difference between being bad-ass and annoying character. Phoenix is maybe curious and I would probably be but she is also so impatient and sometimes her actions were just stupid. About boys in this book, Demitri is typical kick-ass boy. I know that he will be like that from the beginning, but Luka was really interesting in whole story. I really like Demitri's brother Dray, he is really "normal" and great character.
Love story
{Glass}Love triangle... Duh, I so didn't see that coming.:) I understand that girl can be totally swept off her feet when she finds out that not just one but to boys are having hots for her. And they are drop dead gorgeous. But when it's pushed too much in the first plan of the story it could be annoying.
{Tanychy} What to say about love story. It was predictable. I expected love triangle from the beginning and I most certainly got one. You enjoyed in some moments between characters. Demitri is perfect gentleman and I like him for that. He cares about Phoenix, but also does Luka. I expected that the end will be like this and I'm happy for that.
What we liked
{Glass} Honestlly, I thought that I'll hate this book. But I don't. All the paranormal elements are original - combination of zombies and scientifical explenations was really good move. And that scene where Phoenix meets Luka for the first time... Dear God! Awesome.
{Tanychy} So all in all I like the concept of the story generally. I haven't read much stories about zombies, especially about hot zombies like those in the book. So that all was interesting and new for me. Beside Dray I also like Demitri and Luka. I must add the end, I like the ending. Call me lame, but this type of the end is my favourite. What can I say, hopeless romantic till the end.
What we didn't like
{Glass}Unlike my hoplessly romantic BFF Tanja, I did not liked the ending. If there's going to be second book, it should have ended differently. Other thing I didn't like - all those stuff about kingdom - too much medivalish for my taste.
{Tanychy} You're right, but I didn't know there should be book 2. I didn't like Phoenix for sure. I've seen worst than her, but still I can't get over with that. Another thing is that story was too rushed. There is still enough space to write about zombies and their future, but love story here is as far as I'm concerned completed. I wouldn't touch that.
*NOTE: Copy of the book is kindly provided by the author, Kate Evangelista. We're not paid for writing review - We do this for free as lovers of written word. All opinions in this review are personal.
What we thought about it...
Storyline
{Glass} Interesting plot. I had my share of doubts first time I herad about this book. It reminded me too much of manga/anime The Vampire Knight with all that stuff about night and day students, but that's where all similarities ends. I liked paranormal elements of the story - zombie-like creatures living hidden in human society, secret kingdoms and two boys on the throne. My biggest problem with Taste was that it felt kind of rushed which left me wondering what did just happened.
{Tanychy} I haven't read that manga/anime therefore I had no idea about night and day students. I was surprised with this book. As some of you may know I rarely read blurbs so every book is a mystery. I also like this zombie-like creatures story, as it's new. I agree with this rushed, yes the story really goes fast and something is happening all the time.
Characters
{Glass} I seriously wanted to strangle Phoenix sometimes. She doesn't think at all or she thinks too much. Boys... Well i like those boys. Maybe Luka just a tiny bit more. But looking them generally, all characters are typical for paranormal young adult novel. Nothing suprising over there.
{Tanychy} Huh. Here I had some problems. Yes, the problem is Phoenix, or annoying-girl-strikes-again how I called her. There is huge difference between being bad-ass and annoying character. Phoenix is maybe curious and I would probably be but she is also so impatient and sometimes her actions were just stupid. About boys in this book, Demitri is typical kick-ass boy. I know that he will be like that from the beginning, but Luka was really interesting in whole story. I really like Demitri's brother Dray, he is really "normal" and great character.
Love story
{Glass}Love triangle... Duh, I so didn't see that coming.:) I understand that girl can be totally swept off her feet when she finds out that not just one but to boys are having hots for her. And they are drop dead gorgeous. But when it's pushed too much in the first plan of the story it could be annoying.
{Tanychy} What to say about love story. It was predictable. I expected love triangle from the beginning and I most certainly got one. You enjoyed in some moments between characters. Demitri is perfect gentleman and I like him for that. He cares about Phoenix, but also does Luka. I expected that the end will be like this and I'm happy for that.
What we liked
{Glass} Honestlly, I thought that I'll hate this book. But I don't. All the paranormal elements are original - combination of zombies and scientifical explenations was really good move. And that scene where Phoenix meets Luka for the first time... Dear God! Awesome.
{Tanychy} So all in all I like the concept of the story generally. I haven't read much stories about zombies, especially about hot zombies like those in the book. So that all was interesting and new for me. Beside Dray I also like Demitri and Luka. I must add the end, I like the ending. Call me lame, but this type of the end is my favourite. What can I say, hopeless romantic till the end.
What we didn't like
{Glass}Unlike my hoplessly romantic BFF Tanja, I did not liked the ending. If there's going to be second book, it should have ended differently. Other thing I didn't like - all those stuff about kingdom - too much medivalish for my taste.
{Tanychy} You're right, but I didn't know there should be book 2. I didn't like Phoenix for sure. I've seen worst than her, but still I can't get over with that. Another thing is that story was too rushed. There is still enough space to write about zombies and their future, but love story here is as far as I'm concerned completed. I wouldn't touch that.
*NOTE: Copy of the book is kindly provided by the author, Kate Evangelista. We're not paid for writing review - We do this for free as lovers of written word. All opinions in this review are personal.
September 18, 2012
Opening Sentence
I jerked awake to the first note of the bell in the east tower. The metallic clang of the chorus of the school song reverberated in my gut, causing a burst of panic to explode in my chest. The tolls yanked me from my seated position to my feet like a pair of rough hands Great, Phoenix McKay! Only you would fall asleep in the library past curfew.
Review
I received Taste from the author in return for a honest review as part of a R2R from We <3 YA Books group on goodreads. Phoenix McKay is a student at Barinkoff Academy, the school has a rule no students on campus after curfew. One night Phoenix stays late researching in the library in her attempt to sneak out she encounters students who aren't like the ones she's used too. Instead these students want to eat her flesh, but she's saved by Demitri who delivers her back to her dorm with the threat that he won't tell the head master as long as she doesn't do it again. Phoenix is full of questions who are these students that attend the school at night, why do they want to eat her flesh.
Phoenix isn't good with being told not to do something, so she sneaks into Drays lab a second night to find out who these students are and what they really are. She's caught by Demitri again and this time he leaves he passed out on the table in the library for all as a lesson, the head master also threatens to kick her out if it happens again. Dray approaches Phoenix to ask for her help in saving his people, she takes it catching a rare glimpse into the world of the Zhamvy but life isn't wonderful they are dying and Phoenix might be there only chance.
I Loved everything about this book. Phoenix reminds me of myself during my teenage days, she's headstrong and not afraid to do what she wants. She is totally a kick ass heroine in my book. The guys she's dealing with are all yummy even though they eat flesh. They characters are just so well written you can almost see them as if a movie in your mind. This book sucked me in and I didn't put it down till I was done staying up all night because I just had to know what was going to happen next. I liked that their were a few twists I didn't see coming it creates a little mystery. The zombie aspect is very unique to any other zombie book I've read it makes you look at them in a whole new light. I can that Taste is now one of my favorite books, I just love everything about it.
Teaser about who the Zhamvy are.
“Don’t tempt me.” I crossed my arms. “So, are you going to tell me what you are? You’re certainly not human.”
“Maybe a step up from being human. We’re an ancient race called Zhamvy… we’re akin to what you humans call zombies. Just not ugly and mindless. Humans have bastardized who and what we are, but if you’ve ever wondered where the mythology of eating humans came from…well, that’s us.”
“Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait!” I held my hands up as if to brace myself. “You mean to say you’re like, eat-my-brains zombies? You’ve got to be kidding me!”
A silent moment passed between Dray and Demitri.
“A bastardized way of describing us. We merely consume flesh, not brain matter or any other organs,” Demitri explained.
“But, you’re not dead. Or at least you’re not the walking dead, right?”
His expression returned to its emotionless state. “What part of bastardized escapes your understanding?”
I pouted. “So, all those things about zombies—”
“Pure Hollywood, my dear.” Dray tsked. “You humans are queer creatures. You get the names right, but you get the mythology wrong. Zhamvy actually means supreme deity when translated from our language to yours.”
“You’re gods?” My jaw popped from having been dropped to many times in the span of a few minutes.
“Only when we used to rule your lot. Some of us like to think of ourselves as being at the top of the food chain, that’s all. Apex predators if you will.”
I jerked awake to the first note of the bell in the east tower. The metallic clang of the chorus of the school song reverberated in my gut, causing a burst of panic to explode in my chest. The tolls yanked me from my seated position to my feet like a pair of rough hands Great, Phoenix McKay! Only you would fall asleep in the library past curfew.
Review
I received Taste from the author in return for a honest review as part of a R2R from We <3 YA Books group on goodreads. Phoenix McKay is a student at Barinkoff Academy, the school has a rule no students on campus after curfew. One night Phoenix stays late researching in the library in her attempt to sneak out she encounters students who aren't like the ones she's used too. Instead these students want to eat her flesh, but she's saved by Demitri who delivers her back to her dorm with the threat that he won't tell the head master as long as she doesn't do it again. Phoenix is full of questions who are these students that attend the school at night, why do they want to eat her flesh.
Phoenix isn't good with being told not to do something, so she sneaks into Drays lab a second night to find out who these students are and what they really are. She's caught by Demitri again and this time he leaves he passed out on the table in the library for all as a lesson, the head master also threatens to kick her out if it happens again. Dray approaches Phoenix to ask for her help in saving his people, she takes it catching a rare glimpse into the world of the Zhamvy but life isn't wonderful they are dying and Phoenix might be there only chance.
I Loved everything about this book. Phoenix reminds me of myself during my teenage days, she's headstrong and not afraid to do what she wants. She is totally a kick ass heroine in my book. The guys she's dealing with are all yummy even though they eat flesh. They characters are just so well written you can almost see them as if a movie in your mind. This book sucked me in and I didn't put it down till I was done staying up all night because I just had to know what was going to happen next. I liked that their were a few twists I didn't see coming it creates a little mystery. The zombie aspect is very unique to any other zombie book I've read it makes you look at them in a whole new light. I can that Taste is now one of my favorite books, I just love everything about it.
Teaser about who the Zhamvy are.
“Don’t tempt me.” I crossed my arms. “So, are you going to tell me what you are? You’re certainly not human.”
“Maybe a step up from being human. We’re an ancient race called Zhamvy… we’re akin to what you humans call zombies. Just not ugly and mindless. Humans have bastardized who and what we are, but if you’ve ever wondered where the mythology of eating humans came from…well, that’s us.”
“Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait!” I held my hands up as if to brace myself. “You mean to say you’re like, eat-my-brains zombies? You’ve got to be kidding me!”
A silent moment passed between Dray and Demitri.
“A bastardized way of describing us. We merely consume flesh, not brain matter or any other organs,” Demitri explained.
“But, you’re not dead. Or at least you’re not the walking dead, right?”
His expression returned to its emotionless state. “What part of bastardized escapes your understanding?”
I pouted. “So, all those things about zombies—”
“Pure Hollywood, my dear.” Dray tsked. “You humans are queer creatures. You get the names right, but you get the mythology wrong. Zhamvy actually means supreme deity when translated from our language to yours.”
“You’re gods?” My jaw popped from having been dropped to many times in the span of a few minutes.
“Only when we used to rule your lot. Some of us like to think of ourselves as being at the top of the food chain, that’s all. Apex predators if you will.”
August 24, 2012
(Book provided by the author through ARR #32 in the We ♥ YA Books! group, in exchange for an honest review.)
Alright, first, I appreciated that there weren't any vampires in this book. This might not ring a bell to every reader, far from it, but the "prestigious academy with day students and night students" is something I had already read about in a manga (Vampire Knight); it would've been too bad if "Taste" had been about 'mere' vampires in that regard, and I much preferred the flesh-eating approach than the bloodsucking one. One good point for Kate Evangelista here.
This book was a nice read, compelling and well-paced enough for me to read it in a breeze. I especially liked its take on 'zombies': not undead, brain-eating monsters, but a civilisation of flesh-consuming human-looking beings, with thoughts and feelings of their own, but who had to turn away from their natural food sources due to specific reasons, and whose survival is quite the conundrum now. Their laws and way of living had a tight, enclosed feeling that mirrored the abstinence they had to inflict upon themselves, and of course it made sense that sooner or later, all of this would rot and fester, and lead to conflict. The scientific twist brought in all that was also a nice add-on: not too complex for a non-scientific to understand, but believable.
I liked the male cast overall. Demitri's and Luka's classical archetypes opposition worked well, and their hidden pains gave them depth; Dray was touching in his own ways, with his mad scientist antics walking hand in hand with deep love and caring for his people, and a genuine desire to help; and Darius's personality seriously made me grin, especially after a certain description Phoenix made of him. What I appreciated less was the love triangle: the two boys seemed to have equal chances at getting the girl, but Luka's interest felt somewhat forced—he gave more vibes of 'naturally a good friend' than 'love interest'.
On the other hand, I really, really didn't like Phoenix. At all. I found her tremendously annoying, whiny, bitchy, and not so clever for someone supposed to have a high IQ/study at a prestigious academy for talented youth. Granted, she was brave... although I often wondered if this was bravery or sheer stupidity on her part. Her childish reactions spelled 'catastrophe in the making' from beginning to end; it's a wonder she managed to stay alive at all (poor Demitri and Luka, such a piece of hard work keeping her safe must have been for you two!). This is too bad, because if not for her character, I'd likely have rated this book higher (for now, it's more of a 3.5/5 for me).
Alright, first, I appreciated that there weren't any vampires in this book. This might not ring a bell to every reader, far from it, but the "prestigious academy with day students and night students" is something I had already read about in a manga (Vampire Knight); it would've been too bad if "Taste" had been about 'mere' vampires in that regard, and I much preferred the flesh-eating approach than the bloodsucking one. One good point for Kate Evangelista here.
This book was a nice read, compelling and well-paced enough for me to read it in a breeze. I especially liked its take on 'zombies': not undead, brain-eating monsters, but a civilisation of flesh-consuming human-looking beings, with thoughts and feelings of their own, but who had to turn away from their natural food sources due to specific reasons, and whose survival is quite the conundrum now. Their laws and way of living had a tight, enclosed feeling that mirrored the abstinence they had to inflict upon themselves, and of course it made sense that sooner or later, all of this would rot and fester, and lead to conflict. The scientific twist brought in all that was also a nice add-on: not too complex for a non-scientific to understand, but believable.
I liked the male cast overall. Demitri's and Luka's classical archetypes opposition worked well, and their hidden pains gave them depth; Dray was touching in his own ways, with his mad scientist antics walking hand in hand with deep love and caring for his people, and a genuine desire to help; and Darius's personality seriously made me grin, especially after a certain description Phoenix made of him. What I appreciated less was the love triangle: the two boys seemed to have equal chances at getting the girl, but Luka's interest felt somewhat forced—he gave more vibes of 'naturally a good friend' than 'love interest'.
On the other hand, I really, really didn't like Phoenix. At all. I found her tremendously annoying, whiny, bitchy, and not so clever for someone supposed to have a high IQ/study at a prestigious academy for talented youth. Granted, she was brave... although I often wondered if this was bravery or sheer stupidity on her part. Her childish reactions spelled 'catastrophe in the making' from beginning to end; it's a wonder she managed to stay alive at all (poor Demitri and Luka, such a piece of hard work keeping her safe must have been for you two!). This is too bad, because if not for her character, I'd likely have rated this book higher (for now, it's more of a 3.5/5 for me).
November 18, 2012
Taste is a refreshing new take on Zombies. I have to say that I read quite a few Zombie books but this one is so different. Kate Evangelista has done a great job at putting Zombies and humans together where they coexist but neither one knows about the other until one regular day student finds herself at the mercy of the night students.
Phoenix McKay is a day student at Barinkoff Academy where she studies and hangs out with her only friend. One day she is in the library studying when she falls asleep. When she wakes up she realizes she has missed the bus and it at the school when she is not supposed to be. Never ever is a day student supposed to be at the school during the night. As Phoenix is looking for a way out she encounters students she has never seen before. They are beautiful and she is drawn to them not sure what is going on.
Then a boy is taunting her and Phoenix is a little scared when a gorgeous boy comes out and saves her. The boy tells her she should not be there and that he will take her home. As he does this Phoenix is curious about him and asks him questions about himself and the night students. The boy who she finds out is named Demitri tells her to stay away from the night students because she could get hurt. Needless to say that Phoenix does not heed his warnings and she goes back the next night and what she finds is amazing.
There is a whole new world at night at The Barinkoff Academy and she wants to no needs to see it. But this time instead of seeing Demitri she sees a new boy Luka who is just as gorgeous and just as dangerous as Demitri. She stops to talk to him and Demitri comes to bring her back to her dorms. But Luka likes Phoenix and decides he wants to see her again and he does. He tracks her down in the library and they talk.
Phoenix is then given the opportunity to become a night student and she takes it. It is for research and for her to spend more time with Demitri. But everything is not what it seems and soon she will be in danger because a war is brewing and she is at the center of the war. To make matters worse she will have to choose who she will love between Demitri and Luka. Who will she choose? Who will love her unconditionally? Will the war get started and how will it end? Kate Evangelista is such a great story teller that this book will grab you and keep you at the edge of your seat until the end.
Phoenix McKay is a day student at Barinkoff Academy where she studies and hangs out with her only friend. One day she is in the library studying when she falls asleep. When she wakes up she realizes she has missed the bus and it at the school when she is not supposed to be. Never ever is a day student supposed to be at the school during the night. As Phoenix is looking for a way out she encounters students she has never seen before. They are beautiful and she is drawn to them not sure what is going on.
Then a boy is taunting her and Phoenix is a little scared when a gorgeous boy comes out and saves her. The boy tells her she should not be there and that he will take her home. As he does this Phoenix is curious about him and asks him questions about himself and the night students. The boy who she finds out is named Demitri tells her to stay away from the night students because she could get hurt. Needless to say that Phoenix does not heed his warnings and she goes back the next night and what she finds is amazing.
There is a whole new world at night at The Barinkoff Academy and she wants to no needs to see it. But this time instead of seeing Demitri she sees a new boy Luka who is just as gorgeous and just as dangerous as Demitri. She stops to talk to him and Demitri comes to bring her back to her dorms. But Luka likes Phoenix and decides he wants to see her again and he does. He tracks her down in the library and they talk.
Phoenix is then given the opportunity to become a night student and she takes it. It is for research and for her to spend more time with Demitri. But everything is not what it seems and soon she will be in danger because a war is brewing and she is at the center of the war. To make matters worse she will have to choose who she will love between Demitri and Luka. Who will she choose? Who will love her unconditionally? Will the war get started and how will it end? Kate Evangelista is such a great story teller that this book will grab you and keep you at the edge of your seat until the end.
July 6, 2012
Phoenix McKay has become one of my favorite YA heroines. She is everything you expect a YA Heroine to be-tough, independent & doesn't take crap from anyone. At the same time though, she has a lot of things that make her vulnerable. She's still getting over the fact that her mom died & there wasn't anything anyone could do to save her and that her dad pretty much ignores her. The only way she get his attention is by getting into trouble.
Phoenix lands herself at Barinkoff Academy, at finds it different from other boarding schools she's been to. It only has one rule: no students on campus after curfew. If you are caught it's an automatic dismissal from the school. By falling asleep in the library, Phoenix becomes the first student to break curfew. Upon finding that she has missed the bus back to the dorms, she quickly learns why no students are allowed on campus after curfew. There's a whole other set of students who take classes there. They aren't normal students though. They are super beautiful, have super strength and as she finds out want to take a bit out of her flesh. She is rescued by Demitri who wastes no time in telling Phoenix what an idiot she is for breaking curfew. Phoenix though has other questions, and wants to know why and what these students are. While being rescued she has a run in with Luka, whom she is told she should just stay away from. Phoenix though, isn't good at following orders. Throughout the next day she can't stop thinking about the other group of students that attend the academy. She breaks curfew again and discovers that everything is not how it seems.
She finds herself agreeing to help the students that are there, and finds that Dimitri and Luka have problems that are greater then her own. Their race is dying, and she can help them. I loved this part of the book. Dimitri and Luka were great love interests, and Phoenix didn't let them boss her around. Both the boys stole my heart and I loved how this book had lots of action and emotion. The only fault I had with Taste was that it was never really explained why the school allowed day students, and there were a few characters introduced in the beginning that kind of disappeared only to appear at the end of the book when I had almost forgotten about them. All in all though Taste is a new twist on zombies and I have to say I liked it a lot. :)
Phoenix lands herself at Barinkoff Academy, at finds it different from other boarding schools she's been to. It only has one rule: no students on campus after curfew. If you are caught it's an automatic dismissal from the school. By falling asleep in the library, Phoenix becomes the first student to break curfew. Upon finding that she has missed the bus back to the dorms, she quickly learns why no students are allowed on campus after curfew. There's a whole other set of students who take classes there. They aren't normal students though. They are super beautiful, have super strength and as she finds out want to take a bit out of her flesh. She is rescued by Demitri who wastes no time in telling Phoenix what an idiot she is for breaking curfew. Phoenix though has other questions, and wants to know why and what these students are. While being rescued she has a run in with Luka, whom she is told she should just stay away from. Phoenix though, isn't good at following orders. Throughout the next day she can't stop thinking about the other group of students that attend the academy. She breaks curfew again and discovers that everything is not how it seems.
She finds herself agreeing to help the students that are there, and finds that Dimitri and Luka have problems that are greater then her own. Their race is dying, and she can help them. I loved this part of the book. Dimitri and Luka were great love interests, and Phoenix didn't let them boss her around. Both the boys stole my heart and I loved how this book had lots of action and emotion. The only fault I had with Taste was that it was never really explained why the school allowed day students, and there were a few characters introduced in the beginning that kind of disappeared only to appear at the end of the book when I had almost forgotten about them. All in all though Taste is a new twist on zombies and I have to say I liked it a lot. :)
December 27, 2012
3 stars is a very kind rating.
Brief Summary:
Phoenix is a student at the Barinkoff Academy. One night, while accidentally breaking curfew, she learns that there are Night Students at the academy and they aren't human. Soon she's in the underground world of the Zamvi. They are a flesh eating species.Soon she's helping them in a medical experiment that might help them from dying out. She's been temporarily transformed into one of them and she has formed an unsanctioned bond with Prince Demitri. The Kingdom is in political turmoil, and Phoenix is caught in the middle. By the end, she returns to her own world and it's happily ever after for she and her Prince.
Review:
This book had so much potential. Despite the main character having several traits that I don't really admire in a protagonist, I fell into the story pretty quickly. She was impulsive, reckless, and didn't display the intelligence she was supposed to possess. I was intrigued when she landed in the Zambvi world. There was one scene, in particular, when Pheonix bites Demitri, that was absolutely riveting! It thought I was in for some awesome romantic tension between those two. Umm.. it turned out to be more like a bad soap opera.
Even with the character of Luca disappointed me. When he was first introduced, I thought he would turn out to be a powerful character. He actually turned out to be a bit ridiculous. His attraction to Phoenix was just mind boggling. All the potential in this story was just ruined in the last third of the book. There was action, but it was unbelievably melodramatic and I felt like the author was just throwing plot devices in left and right in order to conclude the story.
Recommendation:
Despite all of this, I still read the story in one night! I'm not sure why.
It was sort of like junk food. I kept eating it, even though it didn't nourish or satisfy me.
If there is nothing better around, read this book.
Brief Summary:
Phoenix is a student at the Barinkoff Academy. One night, while accidentally breaking curfew, she learns that there are Night Students at the academy and they aren't human. Soon she's in the underground world of the Zamvi. They are a flesh eating species.Soon she's helping them in a medical experiment that might help them from dying out. She's been temporarily transformed into one of them and she has formed an unsanctioned bond with Prince Demitri. The Kingdom is in political turmoil, and Phoenix is caught in the middle. By the end, she returns to her own world and it's happily ever after for she and her Prince.
Review:
This book had so much potential. Despite the main character having several traits that I don't really admire in a protagonist, I fell into the story pretty quickly. She was impulsive, reckless, and didn't display the intelligence she was supposed to possess. I was intrigued when she landed in the Zambvi world. There was one scene, in particular, when Pheonix bites Demitri, that was absolutely riveting! It thought I was in for some awesome romantic tension between those two. Umm.. it turned out to be more like a bad soap opera.
Even with the character of Luca disappointed me. When he was first introduced, I thought he would turn out to be a powerful character. He actually turned out to be a bit ridiculous. His attraction to Phoenix was just mind boggling. All the potential in this story was just ruined in the last third of the book. There was action, but it was unbelievably melodramatic and I felt like the author was just throwing plot devices in left and right in order to conclude the story.
Recommendation:
Despite all of this, I still read the story in one night! I'm not sure why.
It was sort of like junk food. I kept eating it, even though it didn't nourish or satisfy me.
If there is nothing better around, read this book.
January 8, 2013
The synopsis was something that did not make me long to read Taste, instead it just made me shrug and think, “Eh.” But I sat down and started reading and within the a few pages I had to reassess my “Eh” into an “Oh! This is going to be good.”
And it was! I really enjoyed the fantasy ride Evangelista took me on. Never would I have thought that Demetri’s race is a zombie. Not what we would consider a zombie but a race that is almost as old as the gods. The “Zhamvy” (or zombie) race is deeply hidden within the confined area of Barinkoff Academy and leave it to our heroine Phoenix to fall right into their world. Yet these Zhamvys do not eat flesh for it is forbidden. A king rules them; they have a society and an order to life. They do not run around, moaning and trying to eat brains. Zhamvys are a civilized race. This fresh plot line makes me want to applaud Evangelista for thinking up something that is so original.
Another reason why this plot line is so fantastic is because it is so chaotic. I mean this in a good way. This book will not confuse you; it is easy to grasp. However, the chaos comes from Phoenix POV. One day she is in the library and falls asleep. The next thing she knows, she has encountered the Night Students. She is completely confused at to what is happening around her but a point to her character, she is curious (as Luka calls her “little cat”) and searches for the answers to all of her questions.
I hope that Evangelista will continue this book and give me some more to feed my appetite. Also, for some reason, I would love for this to be turned into a movie. That would be awesome.
~BookWhisperer Reviewer MC~
And it was! I really enjoyed the fantasy ride Evangelista took me on. Never would I have thought that Demetri’s race is a zombie. Not what we would consider a zombie but a race that is almost as old as the gods. The “Zhamvy” (or zombie) race is deeply hidden within the confined area of Barinkoff Academy and leave it to our heroine Phoenix to fall right into their world. Yet these Zhamvys do not eat flesh for it is forbidden. A king rules them; they have a society and an order to life. They do not run around, moaning and trying to eat brains. Zhamvys are a civilized race. This fresh plot line makes me want to applaud Evangelista for thinking up something that is so original.
Another reason why this plot line is so fantastic is because it is so chaotic. I mean this in a good way. This book will not confuse you; it is easy to grasp. However, the chaos comes from Phoenix POV. One day she is in the library and falls asleep. The next thing she knows, she has encountered the Night Students. She is completely confused at to what is happening around her but a point to her character, she is curious (as Luka calls her “little cat”) and searches for the answers to all of her questions.
I hope that Evangelista will continue this book and give me some more to feed my appetite. Also, for some reason, I would love for this to be turned into a movie. That would be awesome.
~BookWhisperer Reviewer MC~
June 20, 2012
Kate Evangelista blew me away with this book. If you know me, you now I am a huge zombie fan. But after a while you sort of feel like you’ve seen it all when it comes to the walking dead. That was not the case with this book. This was such a fresh take on zombies that I am still jumping up and down over how much I adored this book.
Phoenix is thrown into a situation that would leave most human’s terrified. She stumbles into a world of flesh eaters. I was so pleased Phoenix as a female lead. She was strong, brave, witty, and just fun. The guys in this book might be hot, but she was a great character all on her own. While in this civilization, trying to blend in as one of their own, she finds herself drawn to and torn between Demitri and Luka. Two incredibly different but equally hot characters. And I loved them both so much! This book had action, mystery, and the romance was HOT! So my recommendation? Read this book! If you are a fan of paranormal romance you’ll want to pick this one up asap. I can’t wait to see what Kate has in store for us next.
Phoenix is thrown into a situation that would leave most human’s terrified. She stumbles into a world of flesh eaters. I was so pleased Phoenix as a female lead. She was strong, brave, witty, and just fun. The guys in this book might be hot, but she was a great character all on her own. While in this civilization, trying to blend in as one of their own, she finds herself drawn to and torn between Demitri and Luka. Two incredibly different but equally hot characters. And I loved them both so much! This book had action, mystery, and the romance was HOT! So my recommendation? Read this book! If you are a fan of paranormal romance you’ll want to pick this one up asap. I can’t wait to see what Kate has in store for us next.
May 8, 2012
WOW!!! Great book. Intense. Such a unique take on Zombies, really. Absolutely loved it. I did get lost in some of the politics of the world--but that's just me, I get lost pretty easily with that stuff--the thing is, it didn't detour me at all. I just LOVED this story. So descriptive, intriguing, addicting....
The writing is crisp and engaging. I could picture everything around me. I kept thinking I needed to get to bed or get some chores done, but I just couldn't stop reading. I LOVE that in a book! Oh, and yeah, I CRIED! When a book makes me cry with the characters...you know it's a good book!!!
Nicely done, Kate Evangelista.
The writing is crisp and engaging. I could picture everything around me. I kept thinking I needed to get to bed or get some chores done, but I just couldn't stop reading. I LOVE that in a book! Oh, and yeah, I CRIED! When a book makes me cry with the characters...you know it's a good book!!!
Nicely done, Kate Evangelista.
August 20, 2012
Creative, winning and desirable, I loved TASTE! Phoenix McKay is a girl who is unusual, sensitive and a definite sleeper with her witty comebacks and fighter moments, she's a girl who can't be trifled with. TASTE was completely original to the brim with 'flesh eaters' down to the toll of no vampires and werewolves. Entertaining and refreshing, Kate Evangelista has written a fantastic storyline for her very first book!
November 25, 2014
Hi everyone,
Taste was an unexpected surprise for me. Meaning, I expected a whole different thing. Lucky me, what I found didn't disappoint me. However, there are a few things to be said.
But let's don't rush things.
First. The cover.
It is actually really cool, isn't it? At first, it reminded me a little too much of the "Fallen" series and had me wrinkling my nose, but it turned out this story was nothing like the sappy, cheesy one starring cardboars Luce and Daniel.
No, here the main character is a very curious, indipendent, hot-tempered (and by this I mean the "no one puts Baby in the corner" kind of hot-tempered)girl called Pheonix. When I started reading it, I expected vampires, maybe ghosts, or you know, the basic supernatural creatures.
But there's nothing ordinary about this book. Evangelista managed to create a brand new world so original and characteristic it baffled me. Because usually we see this kind of thing in serioes, where the author has pages and pages to explain all the rules and laws of his/her creation. To actually build it, brick after brick.
In "Taste", instead, I dived right inside the story. Or, more properly, I was dragged into it. The plot was captivating and I found the style colorful and enjoyble. Nothing epic, but good nonetheles.
After the fast-paced start, we have a relatively long period of calm and that was a bit hard to get through. It was like Evangelista had thrown a bomb (the beginning) and than it was all about counting the corpses on the ground and speculating. Anyway, once you get past the first obstacle, the game is on.
Now, let's analyse the main characters more carefully. Shall we? We shall.
Pheonix:
a warning, the girl can be annoying. This I'm not going to deny, 'cause it's true. Especially concerning certain choises she makes throughout the book. I've been seriously tempted to throw it against the wall just to see if it changed something. The bad news was that she still made crappy decisions, but I like it when characters make mistakes along the way,It makes them more human, so I resisted the urge. My wall and my book are intact after all.
Demitri:
What to say about him? The black/blue hair starled me and his hero stunt at the beginning of the book was a little too telling. I mean, from the first pages you could tell Pheonix was going to end up with him, which is a shame, because the love triangle was there and still you already knew how it was going to end. While it had all the ingredients to be one of those good love triangles, with the whole angts and sweet moments it requires. But nope. So unfain . Demitri was not my favorite character. His brooding, moody personality reminded me of other tons of heros/anti-heros but then a certain scene literally got me on my knees. So touching and original. I mean, I don't think I've ever read anything even close to it. And when he mouths "DON'T WATCH". I swear I was this close to crying.
Luka:
My beloved Luka I liked him so much. He's not just gorgeous and caring and witty and smart. He's determined and knows what he wants. More to the point, he's got something that Demitri is lacking. He's got a past! Like, yeah, Demitri has this "wanna be (not so much, though) king" going on, but once you know about Luka's past, about his scars... I was so hoping he would turn out like a Damon from TVD. Alas, we'll never know since this book is a stand alone.
That's one thing that really disappointed me, and the reason I gave it three stars, while the originality would have deserved a little shining star more. The ending was unsatisfactory. We have this huge black hole, as I call it, in which the heroine is back in her world.
Hopeless. Desperate. Heartbroken. Half of it is fuzzy because she's not feeling well, and then she gets better and trying to get back to where she was
And while I was reading it I was thinking: "Well, we're what, twenty pages to the end? Shouldn't there be the Knight in Shining Armor coming right about now, or even better, fifty pages ago?" The ending felt like an unnecessary appendix. If Evangelista had wrapped it all up a little earlier, changing some things here and there I wouldn't have minded one bit.
What I believe was the strongest suit of this story was the new world Evangelista managed to mould, the freshness and the originaly of it. The Zhamvy society, the armies, the factions, the food, even the strange dresses. And then there's the whole scientific part that felt kinda weird, but at the same time was appealing.
In conclusion, I believe some aspects could have been more polished and trimmed and the end was too slow and sad compared to the witty, tasty rest of the book. But it was worth my time.
I think I'll give Evangelista a few more shots to impress me with her amazing fantasy.
Taste was an unexpected surprise for me. Meaning, I expected a whole different thing. Lucky me, what I found didn't disappoint me. However, there are a few things to be said.
But let's don't rush things.
First. The cover.
It is actually really cool, isn't it? At first, it reminded me a little too much of the "Fallen" series and had me wrinkling my nose, but it turned out this story was nothing like the sappy, cheesy one starring cardboars Luce and Daniel.
No, here the main character is a very curious, indipendent, hot-tempered (and by this I mean the "no one puts Baby in the corner" kind of hot-tempered)girl called Pheonix. When I started reading it, I expected vampires, maybe ghosts, or you know, the basic supernatural creatures.
But there's nothing ordinary about this book. Evangelista managed to create a brand new world so original and characteristic it baffled me. Because usually we see this kind of thing in serioes, where the author has pages and pages to explain all the rules and laws of his/her creation. To actually build it, brick after brick.
In "Taste", instead, I dived right inside the story. Or, more properly, I was dragged into it. The plot was captivating and I found the style colorful and enjoyble. Nothing epic, but good nonetheles.
After the fast-paced start, we have a relatively long period of calm and that was a bit hard to get through. It was like Evangelista had thrown a bomb (the beginning) and than it was all about counting the corpses on the ground and speculating. Anyway, once you get past the first obstacle, the game is on.
Now, let's analyse the main characters more carefully. Shall we? We shall.
Pheonix:
a warning, the girl can be annoying. This I'm not going to deny, 'cause it's true. Especially concerning certain choises she makes throughout the book. I've been seriously tempted to throw it against the wall just to see if it changed something. The bad news was that she still made crappy decisions, but I like it when characters make mistakes along the way,It makes them more human, so I resisted the urge. My wall and my book are intact after all.
Demitri:
What to say about him? The black/blue hair starled me and his hero stunt at the beginning of the book was a little too telling. I mean, from the first pages you could tell Pheonix was going to end up with him, which is a shame, because the love triangle was there and still you already knew how it was going to end. While it had all the ingredients to be one of those good love triangles, with the whole angts and sweet moments it requires. But nope. So unfain . Demitri was not my favorite character. His brooding, moody personality reminded me of other tons of heros/anti-heros but then a certain scene literally got me on my knees. So touching and original. I mean, I don't think I've ever read anything even close to it. And when he mouths "DON'T WATCH". I swear I was this close to crying.
Luka:
My beloved Luka I liked him so much. He's not just gorgeous and caring and witty and smart. He's determined and knows what he wants. More to the point, he's got something that Demitri is lacking. He's got a past! Like, yeah, Demitri has this "wanna be (not so much, though) king" going on, but once you know about Luka's past, about his scars... I was so hoping he would turn out like a Damon from TVD. Alas, we'll never know since this book is a stand alone.
That's one thing that really disappointed me, and the reason I gave it three stars, while the originality would have deserved a little shining star more. The ending was unsatisfactory. We have this huge black hole, as I call it, in which the heroine is back in her world.
Hopeless. Desperate. Heartbroken. Half of it is fuzzy because she's not feeling well, and then she gets better and trying to get back to where she was
And while I was reading it I was thinking: "Well, we're what, twenty pages to the end? Shouldn't there be the Knight in Shining Armor coming right about now, or even better, fifty pages ago?" The ending felt like an unnecessary appendix. If Evangelista had wrapped it all up a little earlier, changing some things here and there I wouldn't have minded one bit.
What I believe was the strongest suit of this story was the new world Evangelista managed to mould, the freshness and the originaly of it. The Zhamvy society, the armies, the factions, the food, even the strange dresses. And then there's the whole scientific part that felt kinda weird, but at the same time was appealing.
In conclusion, I believe some aspects could have been more polished and trimmed and the end was too slow and sad compared to the witty, tasty rest of the book. But it was worth my time.
I think I'll give Evangelista a few more shots to impress me with her amazing fantasy.
July 21, 2012
I just finished reading Taste and I’m in this state of bliss I get after I finish a good book. It’s the best part of reading. Ah!
Anyway. First of all, I’d like to thank Kate Evangelista for providing me with an e-copy of this amazing book. I truly enjoyed it, Kate, so thank you.
Now to the actual review…
The subject of matter in Taste was a first for me. For starters I had no idea it was about these amazing creatures (I realize I didn’t read the description quite so thoroughly), and granted I was hesitant after I found out, you would be too when you hear the words flesh eaters, but as it turns out it was rather fascinating as the story progressed.
All the magic takes place at the Barinkoff Academy –and beneath it (wink) –where only one rule is not to be broken: no students are allowed after sunset. A rule not broken in the hundreds of years of the Academy’s existence, a rule not broken until a girl fell asleep in the library.
Meet Phoenix McKay. The girl that fell asleep in the library, a rebel in body and soul. Phoenix is a tough girl, she’s strong, witty, and extremely curious. Curiosity being her best friend and worse enemy at the same time. She can be pretty reckless because of said curiosity, but breaking the one rule the Academy imposed wasn’t on her plans, rebel or not.
Despite her I-don’t-have-a-care-in-the-world attitude, she didn’t want to get expelled from Barinkoff (expulsion being the consequence to breaking the rule). But what’s done is done, and now she needs to find a way back to the dorms and face her future. Only someone gets in the way. That someone being a group of student with weird clothing (aka the Night Students) threaten to taste her flesh.
What now?
Meet Demitri. The swoon-worthy, black hair, black eyes, pale skin boy that saves her. Demitri is strong, rather sexy, mysterious and cold. Cold to the point that Phoenix refers to him as being a robot. But there are reasons behind the distance he puts between himself and Phoenix, one of them being he’s a prince, he’s the prince of the Zhamvy people, the flesh eaters.
No reason he warns her to stay away, right? But do not despair. They don’t actually eat flesh, or at least, they don’t do now, as it is forbidden.
While Demitri does everything in his power to save and protect Phoenix from herself and keep her away from his dangerous world, Luka is willing to reveal their every secret to her. Being the curious person that she is, Phoenix grabs every chance she has of find out more about them.
The Zhamvys are dying. And when offered the chance to help save them, along with getting a first-hand glimpse into their lives Phoenix can’t help but say yes. Only by doing so she doesn’t realize what she’s getting herself into. Demitri is determined to keep her at arm’s length, ignoring the strong bond that now ties them, and Luka in set on winning her over.
Needless to say, I fell head-over-heels for Demitri. He was mysterious and dark. He was sexy and he had the power to leave Phoenixand me weak on the knees with one kiss. One smoldering kiss at that, but still. But despite his cold exterior Demitri couldn’t hide the burden on his shoulders from Phoenix. He had a lot to look after, and having her distracting him wasn’t really helping, but the bond between them was stronger, no matter how hard he tried to push it away.
Phoenix was pretty hilarious. She had me giggling several times, but there was a particular conversation between her and Luka that had me laughing out loud. So funny!
And Luka, well… I learned to like him. Why yes, I admit I didn’t like him at first. Not one bit (hence the constant “I do not like him” in my status updates). He was Demitri’s “competition” therefore he was the bad guy in my eyes. But as it turns out he wasn’t so much of a bad guy after all. Even though he did try to take Phoenix away from Demitri.
Taste was full of twists and interesting tales. It had me on edge a good part of the book. And when things went south I was miserable. I longed for a happy ending and when it didn’t come fast enough I was getting a little desperate. I wanted everything to be okay, and to be okay soon. Plus Demitri's constant secrecy and changing moods were killing me, I couldn't for the life of me gather how this book would end. And it killed me. I was suffering, alright? I even considered reading the end right away, but –thankfully –I resisted.
There’s not much left to say. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read Taste. I only wish we had a little bit of a longer view of what the future would hold for them. I long to know more, and who knows, maybe I’ll get it? What do you say, Kate? Wink.
Anyway. First of all, I’d like to thank Kate Evangelista for providing me with an e-copy of this amazing book. I truly enjoyed it, Kate, so thank you.
Now to the actual review…
The subject of matter in Taste was a first for me. For starters I had no idea it was about these amazing creatures (I realize I didn’t read the description quite so thoroughly), and granted I was hesitant after I found out, you would be too when you hear the words flesh eaters, but as it turns out it was rather fascinating as the story progressed.
All the magic takes place at the Barinkoff Academy –and beneath it (wink) –where only one rule is not to be broken: no students are allowed after sunset. A rule not broken in the hundreds of years of the Academy’s existence, a rule not broken until a girl fell asleep in the library.
Meet Phoenix McKay. The girl that fell asleep in the library, a rebel in body and soul. Phoenix is a tough girl, she’s strong, witty, and extremely curious. Curiosity being her best friend and worse enemy at the same time. She can be pretty reckless because of said curiosity, but breaking the one rule the Academy imposed wasn’t on her plans, rebel or not.
Despite her I-don’t-have-a-care-in-the-world attitude, she didn’t want to get expelled from Barinkoff (expulsion being the consequence to breaking the rule). But what’s done is done, and now she needs to find a way back to the dorms and face her future. Only someone gets in the way. That someone being a group of student with weird clothing (aka the Night Students) threaten to taste her flesh.
What now?
Meet Demitri. The swoon-worthy, black hair, black eyes, pale skin boy that saves her. Demitri is strong, rather sexy, mysterious and cold. Cold to the point that Phoenix refers to him as being a robot. But there are reasons behind the distance he puts between himself and Phoenix, one of them being he’s a prince, he’s the prince of the Zhamvy people, the flesh eaters.
No reason he warns her to stay away, right? But do not despair. They don’t actually eat flesh, or at least, they don’t do now, as it is forbidden.
While Demitri does everything in his power to save and protect Phoenix from herself and keep her away from his dangerous world, Luka is willing to reveal their every secret to her. Being the curious person that she is, Phoenix grabs every chance she has of find out more about them.
The Zhamvys are dying. And when offered the chance to help save them, along with getting a first-hand glimpse into their lives Phoenix can’t help but say yes. Only by doing so she doesn’t realize what she’s getting herself into. Demitri is determined to keep her at arm’s length, ignoring the strong bond that now ties them, and Luka in set on winning her over.
Needless to say, I fell head-over-heels for Demitri. He was mysterious and dark. He was sexy and he had the power to leave Phoenix
Phoenix was pretty hilarious. She had me giggling several times, but there was a particular conversation between her and Luka that had me laughing out loud. So funny!
"Luka, the king-"
"Hail the king!" he playfully interrupted.
"Why does everyone say 'hail the king' every time I mention Darius?"
"Tradition." He winked at me from over his shoulder. A grin stretched my lips.
"So, if I say king-"
"Hail the king!"
I tried again, "King?"
"Hail the king!"
"King."
"Hail the king!"
"K-"
"Stop it!"
And Luka, well… I learned to like him. Why yes, I admit I didn’t like him at first. Not one bit (hence the constant “I do not like him” in my status updates). He was Demitri’s “competition” therefore he was the bad guy in my eyes. But as it turns out he wasn’t so much of a bad guy after all. Even though he did try to take Phoenix away from Demitri.
Taste was full of twists and interesting tales. It had me on edge a good part of the book. And when things went south I was miserable. I longed for a happy ending and when it didn’t come fast enough I was getting a little desperate. I wanted everything to be okay, and to be okay soon. Plus Demitri's constant secrecy and changing moods were killing me, I couldn't for the life of me gather how this book would end. And it killed me. I was suffering, alright? I even considered reading the end right away, but –thankfully –I resisted.
There’s not much left to say. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read Taste. I only wish we had a little bit of a longer view of what the future would hold for them. I long to know more, and who knows, maybe I’ll get it? What do you say, Kate? Wink.
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