Early Review: Through the Veil by Christi Snow

Reviewed by Heather C

Title: Through the Veil
Author: Christi Snow
Series: Through the Veil #1
Hero/Heroine: Marcus/Lori
Genre: M/F Paranormal Romance
Length: 296 Pages
Publisher: Season Publishing
Release Date: September 25, 2014
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: 58 years ago a gorge opened up from Mobile, AL to Quebec City, Canada to split the United States into the Western States (WS) and the Eastern States (ES).

40 years later a fog rolled in on the WS that they called the Veil. Within twelve hours it formed an impenetrable wall between the two sides.

It’s been 18 years since anyone has known what’s happening on the other side of the Veil.

Now, Lori, an Other, in a desperate attempt at escape from the ES’s torture and experimentation, has crossed the Veil and found a world beyond belief.

Marcus is a Warrior, but when Lori collapses at his feet wounded and exhausted, he knows he has to protect her. But seeing that she’s the first person he’s seen in 18 years without wings, he’s worried about what her appearance means for his people and the world they’ve created since the Veil fell.

Two new societies: one built on a respect for the natural order of nature and the world, the other built on mistrust and corruption. Can they learn to co-exist once again?

Review:

WOW!!  What an awesome idea and a very interesting dystopian world the author has created here.  I understand that Through the Veil is the first book in an eight book series.  I’m not going to summarize the plot as the blurb does a wonderful job of setting up the story.

Things That Bothered Me: 

I’m going to start here first since these are the reasons I initially struggled with the story.  Honestly, I’m not usually a picky reader, but these things stood out enough for me to stop reading and note them down.  Once I got over these issues, I really got into the book and ultimately didn’t want it to end.

First: I had no idea where Quebec City, Canada was located (I’m in Louisiana), so I eventually gave in and did a Google search so I could imagine what the United States now looks like.  Some type of map, or even a rough sketch would have been very helpful to me at the start of the story.  Then I realized I would no longer be in existence because I would have disappeared into the ocean!  Gah!!  I’m very curious as to what the rest of the Earth looks like now and hopefully that will be revealed later in the series.

Second: The writing was a bit stiff and all the dialogue sounded the same.  People from the WS haven’t been in contact with anyone from the ES in eighteen years, and EVERYONE spoke the same!  No dialects, no accents, not many new words.  I believe this story is set somewhere in Appalachia and all the original cultures have been lost, as to be expected, but the language is very generic English on both sides of the Veil…where I would expect some diversity to have developed over the past two decades.

Third: The romance was a bit too sappy for me.  Marcus and Lori were totally sexy together, but it was too close to insta-love for me and not enough intensity…or even much sexual tension.  I suspect there is something going on that may be causing people to form unique bonds, and that’s fine…even a bit intriguing.  But this was too mushy-gushy.  Even their one argument didn’t last for very long.  I wanted more PASSION!

Fourth: For the first three quarters of the book, there didn’t seem to be any sense of urgency about it all.  Lori has crossed over into this unknown “world” after escaping from her torturers…a place where everyone flies around with wings and lives in tree houses.  She is determined to save her “Other” friends from captivity, and she said it was urgent, but it didn’t feel urgent to me.

Things I Loved:

The Characters:  Even though they all spoke and sounded the same, they all were unique in their abilities and demeanor and seemingly well developed.  So many characters were introduced throughout the story that I’m surprised I didn’t get a single one of them confused…as far I know.  I’m usually horrible at remembering names, but these people…I just wanted to know more about every single one of them.  Wanted their stories…wanted their happy ever afters.  I just wanted MORE!!!  I also want to know more about the Predators, although I have a theory about that.  And who are the Hidden Ones?  Hmm.  Thank goddess there are seven more books planned!

The Societies:  I loved seeing the differences between the WS and the ES.  Very unique idea, I think, and the world was very vivid and detailed without being overdone and confusing.  I can’t wait to learn more about their powers and what’s going on with the sudden changes on Earth.

The Ending: The last quarter of the book was the best part of the whole thing in my opinion.  Things started happening…things that were unique and surprising and I just wanted it to keep going and never end.

Overall, even though I struggled there for a bit in the beginning, this book will stick with me for while…in a good way.

Looks like the second book, Allied in Flight, will be out in the Fall of 2015.  A year from now!  That worries me a bit because if this series is already planned out for eight books…will it be that many years before I finally know EVERYTHING???!!

Overall Impression: I Liked It

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.*