Well then. I was supremely excited when I finally got a copy of this in my hand (I love BPL!) and I confess, I spent a couple of minutes running my hand reverently over the cover. Yes, I’m a sad creature but those were a blissful few minutes. Ahem. Vanessa is really, very far from the usual spunky heroine that everyone expects (and rightly so, wimps make for boring reading) but, and you have to commend the author, she is not presented as a sniveling cowardly mess. Her fear is handled in a manner that lets the reader understand it, accept it and move on. If anything, her fear makes her into a more real person than saucy bravado would. Because she’s dealing with some very scary creatures – er..people. When the sister is described in such glowing, loving terms, I knew for a fact that she was going to die soon. (Haha, there’s no way a sibling would otherwise be painted in such an affectionate manner.) And her death is the catalyst that sends the entire story rolling. There is food, new friends, smex, discovery (both internal and external) and terrifying deaths. There’s also insane weather. I love how the story crests like a wave, goes into a lull and then peaks again. And at the end, you’re pretty much skating on the tips. The characters are believable and the relationships are fun and dynamic. I could say (if I tried really hard and concentrated) that with Siren, Tricia Rayburn establishes herself as a YA author whom the readers should look out for. Her novel contains all the essentials necessary to take a story and elevate it into a sphere that leaves Twilight far behind in terms of its sophistication and mastery. I give it a pleased 5 stars.
