Swoon by Nina Malkin

Swoon by Nina Malkin

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (May 19, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416974342
• ISBN-13: 978-1416974345

From Amazon:

Swoon, Connecticut, stands proudly on its heritage and the good behavior of its Lilly Pulitzer–clad inhabitants, so semi-psychic New York transplant Candice (Dice) sticks out like a sore thumb. On the autumnal equinox, Dice’s sweet and gentle cousin Penelope suddenly changes into a dangerous vixen, and only Dice is able to see that she has been possessed. Dice knows she must exorcise Sinclair, the ghost of a handsome young man from the colonial era, but she has fallen deeply in love with the appropriately nicknamed Sin. Finally, Dice follows Sin’s directions for an exorcism, which frees Penelope from his hold and releases Sin into his own physical form. The golem-like Sin finally reveals his goal: to exact revenge on the descendants of those who unjustly hung him for the murder of his fiancée. Since Sin awakens the quaint town’s denizens to all of their suppressed urges, this steamy and suspenseful romance with a psychic slant and time-travel twist will pull mature teens.

4 Stars

Definitely for mature YA/adults that enjoy a dark tale. I enjoyed this unique story about a different supernatural creature because books are overly saturated by vamps, shifters and fairies, et al. Sinclair Youngblood Powers is a Golem with a goal. He wants revenge for the murder of his true love and their unborn child.

An entertaining read with intelligent vocabulary interspersed with teenage vernacular. Nicely written, fast paced. Dark and engaging. Witty with a touch of cool. One scene made me raise an eyebrow (because it's YA) but overall, a good story. When you read it, drop your preconceived notions about this book and just let the author take you on a journey.

Reader beware: contains sex, drugs, and alcohol. Bravo to Malkin for writing a gritty story that isn't starry-eyed fluff. Once again, mature YA only. The book is about love, friendship, loss, revenge, suffering, redemption, peace. The focus is on Sinclair (Sin), whose soul has been tormented for centuries over the death of his beloved Hannah, so when he sees his chance for revenge-even if it is on the ancestors that commited the crimes (afterall, he did curse them with this fate)-his spirit takes the chance. This is not a warm and fuzzy, but delves into deep emotional crevices where dark painful things lay. Unfortunately, I think readers are missing the point and only focusing on the havoc Sin brings to Swoon, CT, forgetting about his tortured soul and all he had to endure when he was alive. That's a big thing to miss, like, the whole point?

I understand the psychic bond between Sin and Dice, their attraction for each other and I see how, in the end, Sinclair is redeemed. Dice is able to open up about her own loss and suffering-the reason for her move to Swoon, CT in the first place.