Description:
Talisa Santiago has never truly fit in with the people around her, but she yearns for acceptance. She is of Native American descent and the granddaughter of a powerful shaman, but her family's history has been kept a tightly-bound secret by her overprotective mother who has been controlling their "nomadic" existence since she left the desert. After years of moving from place to place, Talisa finally begins to feel at home on the remote island of Silence, North Carolina where she meets people like her, and through their stories and friendships, she begins to discover her birthright. It is here that she meets Jag, the school bad boy, who she begins to fall for and eventually date; against the better judgement of her friends and mother. But everything isn't as it seems, and secrets from Talisa and Jag's pasts are finally coming into the light. Will a side of her she never know existed dictate how she lives the rest of her life? Or will she follow in her parent's footsteps and run away from it?
Review:
First-off, love the cover art - thumbs up to Greg Smallwood for his design. Secondly, I applaud Jamie Haden on an amazing debut novel that doesn't follow today's supernatural fiction trend. Much of the young adult fiction I read has to do with vampires, werewolves, witches, etcetera, but Jamie Haden brings the beauty and mystery of Native American mythology to light in Spirit Seeker. Not only is the reader immersed in the stories of Talisa's childhood, but they experience everything as she does: her realization and transformation into a spirit seeker, her connection to Jag as a human and a shape-shifter, and her bond with Miguel and Dakota. Her characters are unique and well-developed - I admit my favorite is Dakota - and the dialogue is very believable and enjoyable. However, I did find some small wording and grammatical errors, but they were easily overlooked and didn't distract from the flow of the storyline. I have always been interested in Native American mythology, so I very much appreciate how Jamie Haden wove the stories throughout the text. The only part that irked me was Talisa's whining, but after finishing the book, I attributed it to her past, and I cannot wait to see her mature further in future books. I hope that I have the opportunity to read and review the sequel Illuminate- Alive, she cried .
Rating: On the Run (4/5)
*** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
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