'Reckless Magic' (Star-Crossed, #1) by Rachel Higginson

I finished this book sometime last week and have put off writing the review. This was mainly due to a procrastination of epic proportions and I just "couldn't find the time". Between being sick (true story), watching Star Trek Voyager like it was going out of style (well, I guess it did... like 10 years ago, but whatever, you get my point...), work and a couple of gym visits the blog got shuffled down on my list of priorities. But I did manage to get the contest wrapped up (congrats to our grand prize winner and all the runner-up winners - enjoy your titles!!) so it's not like I abandoned you guys entirely.

But I have to say, it was good to get some distance before I jumped head first into the review for 'Reckless Magic' by Rachel Higginson. If I had reviewed it the night I actually finished then what I might have written would be something like:

"Total waste of time - cookie cutter and unoriginal garbage!"

Having the chance to give my original thoughts some time to breathe has softened them up a bit, however, and before I go any further let me tell you that I've downloaded book two, 'Hopeless Magic', because I'm holding out hope (regardless of the title) that this series will improve. 

I can see your faces now, all scrunched up, confused, wanting to know why I'd go from a trash bin review to buying the second book. Well, if you've been around these parts long enough you know that I'll continue reading about any series just because I can. I hate not knowing the ending of a story - even if it's a poorly written pile of steaming sh - heh, well you get the point. The good news for the Star-Crossed series is that it isn't so much a cow pattie as it is a stale cookie: A stale cookie made from the crumbs of every other cookie that lives on the same shelf in the same super market. 

So I'm going to trek on into this series, even though Higginson's use of the word Immortal is so wrong she felt the need to explain how the aging thing works for this group of people like five times - instead of using a word like Epoch or Aeon that at least has a sense of aging... but you know.... over a long stretch of time. Whatever - I'm over it*. I'm going to continue reading even though book one was uninspiring unoriginal. But more importantly, I'm going to read on because I honestly feel like now that Higginson's scene has been set it will get better and more unique as the series continues. 

The Bottom Line: It can only go up from here! Higginson draws on elements popular to every single other YA romance/paranormal/fantasy book in creating book one of the Star Crossed series. I can't help but feel that if you've read any other YA novel than this one isn't going to bring anything new to the table. That said, if you're looking for a new series because you're currently out of other options - well... don't say I didn't warn you. And who knows? Maybe book two will be amazing.

*Not really... but I'll pretend.