P. C. Cast: Hidden

I was browsing my bookshelves to grab something new when I came across a series I haven't finished. I didn't remember why so I ordered a couple of books I had left to read and started reading them. Now I know why  I haven't finished the series.

See, it's not that the books are bad. They are not. As far as the teenager romance/action goes they are pretty entertaining. The problem is me growing up. There are 12 books in the series. I discovered them when I was in the target group and read them throughout my high school. Then  I went to university and stopped reading it because the teenager problems were no longer my concern and I couldn't identify with the characters anymore. I mean, sure it takes a lot of time to write a book but if you are planning to write series for young target group make it shorter so that your readers don't abandon you. See, that doesn't happen in adult fiction. Once adult, you are one for a loooong time and thus the readers stay with the author. But not in teenager fiction.

Anyway, I wanted my series complete so as I've already said, I bought the remaining parts and set myself a goal - to finish them, that's what's all about (and on that note I bought a couple of more books from the series I need to finish, too). And it got me angry once again because the covers changed - sure the format is still the same but from pretty matte black covers with intricate shiny lacing and a decent touch of color it changed into this shitty colorful ugliness. I really think publishing houses act contradictory to their purpose - they should try to keep their readers not to make them furious.

So, the start was rough because it took me some time adjusting - not having seen the books in a while took its toll on my memory - I just couldn't recall some characters and I had no idea what they were supposed to do. But I soon got accustomed to it and the story (roughly) came back to me. And really if  I were a teenager again I would still like it.

It has cheesy clumsy romance in it, it has know-it-all teenagers, it has the battle of good and evil, it has changing characters (yup, you never know who's gonna change teams) so it really is good fiction for youngsters. 

GENRE: teenage action/ romance

FANGS OUT: well-written, well-developed
FANGS RETRACTING: time is of the essence
TOTAL SCORE: