Evading the Dark (The Cross Chronicles #1) by E.M. Rinaldi

Reviewer: The Curious Quill
Received: Ebook from Author
Quills: 4/5

Goodreads Summary:

High school sucks. It doesn’t matter who you ask; jock, cheerleader, computer nerd, or band geek, they will all say the same thing: It’s a nightmare. But Casey is still wondering how she got the short end of the stick. Just a Sophomore at the prestigious Luthos Academy for Magical Beings, Casey already knows more about heartache and fear than any almost-sixteen-year-old should. Orphaned and left to be raised by the Academy, she spends her days training to become a Guardian, but that dream is looking dimmer with every day that passes.Unlike the wand-waving heroines in all her favorite books, Witches in her world don’t cast spells, they are born wielding the power of nature: water, fire, earth, or air; powers Casey never developed. She’ll be lucky if they even allow her to take her final exams.

She is top of her training class, but that doesn’t keep her from being looked down upon by every other being at her school. All Casey wants is to be given a chance, instead she finds the only life she’s ever known targeted by an unfathomable evil. Thrust into the center of an age-old prophecy, a war is coming with Casey at the reins.

Will relying on her hard earned training be enough for her to make it out alive?

My Thoughts:

Okay, so I'm going to admit that I do have a slight problem reading ebooks. I don't know about anyone else out there, but for some reason, ebooks often detract from my reading experience. They take me a lot longer to read and I often get distracted. Reading a book on my laptop or iPad just doesn't feel the same as reading a physical book -- I especially miss the flipping of pages, the fresh smell of paper, and just holding the story in my hands.  Then again, it could just be my vehement disdain for constantly having to read articles, science journals, and many other electronic resources for college. It kind of sucks to feel this way, as digital books are such a great way for new authors to enter the writing scene and it provides a much more economic platform to distribute books to audiences.  Anyway, I often wonder if my preferment of actual books sometimes detracts from my enjoyment of ebooks. Nonetheless, I think I've finally found an ebook that has broken my recent string of digital book woes and holy sh*t, was this book good.

When I initially began to read Evading the Dark, I was definitely deep in my ebook reading slump, but after about 10 to 15 pages, I really began to enjoy it. As mentioned before, I don't usually feel this way with ebooks, but Rinaldi just has a certain jena se qua to her writing that made me want to read more.

First of all, the story follows Casey Cross, the descendant of a powerful Witch bloodline. However, the catch is that she hasn't displayed any signs of magical abilities. Thus, she's the social outcast of Luthos Academy and the student that everyone likes to screw with. I have to say that Rinaldi had a pretty accurate depiction of what my high school career was like -- tons of bullies and no individual in authority wanting to admit that sh*t was going down. Needless to say, I could identify with Casey and her situation and all the crap that can get thrown at someone just because they're not like every other sheep in the herd. Besides, I think that one of my favorite childhood witches sums up this situation pretty well:

Anywho, Casey also has a fabulous best friend named Cedric. And I must admit, this was the first thing that came to mind when this name was mentioned -- good ol' Cedric Diggory :

(Aahhh...the very beginning of Robert Pattinson's acting career. You'll be seeing more of him later.)

I just loved the banter between the two. It was witty and humorous. And you've all gotta know by now that I'm a true sucker for smart-ass character banter. This is just a little taste of what you can find in Evading the Dark:

He blew out a breath and walked over to the little window. He seemed focused, and I could tell that he was throwing everything that happened today around in his mind. After a few tense minutes he spoke, “I think you should listen to this feeling and pay attention to it if it gets stronger. Until we get to the bottom of this, it’s safer to listen to all of our instincts. And don’t go in the woods alone.”

“Okay.” I agreed, “that sounds smart.”

His infamous smirk slowly formed on his face. “I have nothing if not genius ideas.”

I also love the fact that Rinaldi makes some pop culture references. This book does involve vampires. And everyone knows by now that you can't involve vampires in a book in this day and age without bringing up Twilight -- it's just not possible. Plus, Rinaldi uses the killer scary kind:

"The Normal world has a very twisted view of these creatures, but we know the truth. They do not fall in love with human females and save them, like princes to some damsel in distress. They have no issue being in the sun, and they sure as hell don’t sparkle in it—I would love to know what they think of that— and they are not capable of love or gooey feelings they are portrayed with in the norm."

(Told you he'd be back.)

(It gets me every time.)

All jokes aside, Casey was just a character that I truly connected with. The book is told using a first person perspective and her inner monologue and thoughts were things that I really enjoyed reading. I also didn't mind how Rinaldi often when back and forth between the past and present to fill in or bring light to important details in Casey's past. I guess what I'm ultimately saying is that Casey was a believable teenage character and that's what drew me in. She also stole a special place in my heart with this:

"Due to the awkward shaping of the roof, my room supported a small, pushed out niche that was lined floor to ceiling with bookshelves that housed my mini library. These books were my gateway to another world when mine wasn’t being so nice." 

Aside from me gushing over Casey's love of books and great personality, she's a strong female protagonist who can stand her ground when facing odds that aren't exactly in her favor. Additionally, I felt that the pace of the plot was pretty solid and events didn't happen too quickly or at a snail's pace -- it was just right.

Also, just a heads-up....there is a cliffhanger.

Thus, I can't wait to read the next book! And, I will add that I hope to buy a physical copy of this book in the future. I shall save a spot on my shelf for one of my new favorite reads.