Review: Half Wild by Sally Green

Half Wild (#2) by Sally Green (March 2015)
400 pages
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Source: The library.
Purchase: Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Rating:

Warning: May contain spoilers of the first book in the trilogy.

Goodreads Summary: "You will have a powerful Gift, but it’s how you use it that will show you to be good or bad."

In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, seventeen-year-old Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most powerful and violent witch. Nathan is hunted from all sides: nowhere is safe and no one can be trusted. Now, Nathan has come into his own unique magical Gift, and he's on the run--but the Hunters are close behind, and they will stop at nothing until they have captured Nathan and destroyed his father.

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My Review

Reading Half Wild turned out to be a bumpy ride. Did I like it? Yes. Did I really love it? Not quite.

When I began reading Half Wild the format and the writing of the book was a little hard to grasp.  It didn't flow very well at first and seemed choppy to me. I really struggled getting used to it. It wasn't that it was bad, just different. It did grow on me and I came to appreciate how the unique formatting and writing style added to the story.

I enjoyed the first book in this trilogy a great deal and although the second installment was good, it wasn't as good. I was more than excited to get back to Nathan and Gabriel, and thankfully these two characters didn't disappoint. They were just how I remembered them. I'm glad I got to spend more time with them. Nathan deals with the aftermath of receiving his powerful gift while Gabriel stands ever as his best friend. I do wish Gabriel could break free from Nathan, but love is a powerful thing. I also enjoyed meeting new magical characters. Joining Nathan and the group on their journey to save one girl and start a rebellion against those that are supposed to be the good witches made for an interesting read.

Half Wild was intense and had some very graphic moments. It was a unique read and one that I am finding hard to categorize. I am not sure who exactly I would recommend it to. Someone who is open to trying new things I suppose. Even though the first part of the book dragged a little for me (plot wise and because I was getting used to the writing style) the last half of the book really picked up. I loved all the action. It was complex and had a great ending. I really look forward to reading the next book. In all honesty, the last part of this book is what jumped my rating from 3.5 to 4 stars.

My review of the first book, Half Bad, can be found here.

Waiting on Wednesday #11: Undead with Benefits, Keep Your Friends Close, & Half Wild

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted byBreaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Short Waits

Undead with Benefits by: Jeff Hart

Release Date: Aug. 26, 2014

Goodreads Summary: Jake and Amanda are in love, on the run—and undead. They've teamed up with Cass, who’s ditched her former job as shady government psychic zombie-tracker, and they're headed across the border into Iowa, where there’s rumored to be a zombie cure.
Armed with a trunk full of guinea pigs (aka zombie snacks), they're ready to take on the Midwest’s first undead warlord, the psycho psychic out for their blood, and their own super awkward love triangle. But the virus is spreading faster than you can say "zombie apocalypse," and Jake, Amanda, and Cass have to find the cure—if it even exists—before the whole state of Iowa goes up in flames.
With its heartwarming blend of guts, romance, and spot-on teen humor, this road trip–ready paperback original is perfect for fans of Isaac Marion's Warm Bodies and AMC’s The Walking Dead. Readers will devour Jeff Hart's fresh, funny, and irreverent take on love and life (well, unlife) in an eat-or-be-eaten world.

Why I'm Waiting: I enjoyed the comedic zombie novel Eat, Brains, Love a great deal, so why wouldn't I read its sequel?

Keep Your Friends Close by: Paula Daly
Release Date: Aug. 19, 2014

Goodreads Summary: From breakout thriller writer Paula Daly, Keep Your Friends Close is a riveting and electrifying story of a husband and wife and the devious best friend who comes between them.

Natty and Sean Wainwright have a rock-solid marriage—with two daughters, a successful business, and a beautiful house, they are a model family. When their younger daughter falls ill on an overseas school trip, Natty rushes to her side. Luckily, Natty’s best friend from college, Eve Dalladay, is visiting and offers to stay with Sean to lend a hand in the Wainwright household. But Natty returns home to find that Eve has taken to family life a little too well: Sean has fallen in love with her. With no choice but to put on a brave face, Natty attempts to start anew—yet no matter how hard she tries to set herself upright, Eve is there to knock her down again. Then Natty receives a mysterious note that says Eve has done this before—more than once—and the consequences were fatal. On a mission to reveal Eve as a vindictive serial mistress, Natty must navigate through a treacherous maze of secrets and lies that threatens her life and the safety of her loved ones.

Why I'm Waiting: There is just something about this book's creep factor that has piqued my interest.

The Long Wait

Half Wild (Half Life Trilogy #2) by: Sally Green

Release Date: March 24, 2015

Goodreads Summary: "You will have a powerful Gift, but it’s how you use it that will show you to be good or bad."
In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, seventeen-year-old Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most powerful and violent witch. Nathan is hunted from all sides: nowhere is safe and no one can be trusted. Now, Nathan has come into his own unique magical Gift, and he's on the run--but the Hunters are close behind, and they will stop at nothing until they have captured Nathan and destroyed his father.

Why I'm Waiting: Do you see the cover? Do you? I can't believe they released the cover so early just to drive me insane. I really liked the first book, Half Bad, and I can't wait to get my hands on this pretty.

What are you waiting on?

Review: Half Bad by: Sally Green

Half Bad (#1) by: Sally Green (March 2014)

394 Pages

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Genre: Young Adult/Witches

Source: The Library

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Half Bad by Sally Green is a breathtaking debut novel about one boy's struggle for survival in a hidden society of witches.

You can't read, can't write, but you heal fast, even for a witch.

You get sick if you stay indoors after dark.

You hate White Witches but love Annalise, who is one.

You've been kept in a cage since you were fourteen.

All you've got to do is escape and find Mercury, the Black Witch who eats boys. And do that before your seventeenth birthday.

Easy.

My Review

Half Bad rocked my world hard. I hope you read it and that it ends up rocking yours too. The following is my somewhat nonsensical (it jumps all over the place) but high praising review of the book that I won't soon forget.

Half Bad is unique, it really can’t be compared to any other book I’ve ever read. Those of you looking for something completely new, here is your book. But beware, it’s different, you have to be okay with trying something different to enjoy it. One of its quirks, it starts off in 2^nd person point of view. Now that doesn’t last that long if you are worried it will be too weird for you, but I actually kind of liked it.

Half Bad is more of a coming of age story than anything else. As readers we get Nathan’s story from when he is little until he is a teenager and getting ready to become an adult in the witch world. He is half white witch and half black witch, and the white witch’s council never lets him forget it. They treat him inhumanely... so much for being white witches. Every character in this novel is complex and has a hidden story and secrets. I love them all and I can’t wait to read more about them in the next installment. I want to learn more about Nathan’s infamous murderous dad and Nathan’s oh so charming best friend Gabriel among everyone else.

Half Bad made me feel so many different emotions. I can’t even begin to pinpoint them all. The writing is dark and excellent. The tidbits of second person point of view is interesting, nothing is black and white, and not to mention there are some good chilling and WTF moments. Although I am sad to say we don’t get a lot of magic in this first book and it could be a little slow at times. Luckily that was the only thing that really bothered me about Half Bad and it ending up not being a big deal. I still loved reading Nathan’s story and can’t wait for it to continue. I think book two will be even better.

This book isn't for everyone, but I think everyone should give it a try to find out if it is for them.