It’s been a while since I’ve read anything by Meg Cabot – she’s well-known for her young adult fiction series (the most famous being The Princess Diaries). Those closely acquainted with her amusing, somewhat self-deprecating writing style will be pleasantly surprised by Cabot’s latest foray in adult paranormal fiction.
Insatiable is a fast-paced, entertaining read that puts readers in protagonist Meena Harper’s shoes. Meena has a odd “gift” – she knows when and how people are going to die. Her life’s thrown in chaos when she’s introduced to real-life Romanian prince Lucien Antonescu, a dark, brooding character that captures her interest. What she doesn’t know is that Lucien is… well, a lot more bite than bark. And to top it all off, the attraction’s mutual…
Throw in a vampire war, a love rival (Alaric Wulf, a very yummy demon-hunter charged with the extermination of all that is unholy), multiple kidnappings, plot twists galore, and you have a real page-turner. Cabot manages to blend her unique brand of humor into an action-packed romance that manages to avoid the terribad cliches we’re all too familiar with in adult paranormal fiction. Side characters were portrayed realistically, though there probably could have been more focus on the Lucien-Meena-Alaric love triangle.
Do be prepared, though – Insatiable is a far cry from Cabot’s other works, which have been largely geared towards children and teens. The story contains numerous sexual references, though there’s no flat-out smut involved.
All in all, an enjoyable read. Look out for its sequel, which will be hitting shelves in Summer 2011!
Plot/originality: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing style: 4/5
Total score: 11/15
malicecat
silentfairies
I have been curious to read Insatiable for awhile now – I’ll have to pick it up soon. Sounds like a fun one. Great review!