Review: Isle of Night by Veronica Wolff

The Isle of Night by Veronica Wolff

Published: September 6th, 2011
Age: YA Paranormal
Pages: 302
Acquired: Purchased from Barnes & Noble
Format: Paperback
Overall:

Summary: Is life offering fewer and fewer options? Then join the dead.
When Annelise meets dark and seductive Ronan, he promises her a new life-if she has the courage to chance the unknown. Now, she's whisked away to a mysterious island and pitted against other female recruits to become a Watcher-girls who are partnered with vampires and assist them in their missions. To survive and become a Watcher, Annelise has to beat out every other girl, but she's determined to do so, because to fail doesn't mean dishonor-it means death.

My thoughts:
When we're first introduced to Annelise, aka Drew, she's packing up, ready to leave for college. Ready to leave her abusive father and crazy step mother. She makes it to the school, expecting to be accepted immediately. Why not? She's a genius (we're told this over and over and over and over throughout), she's graduated early (top of her class), is fluent in multiple languages, and she needs this. Desperately. But when a mishap in the computers happens she's left to fend for herself. Until the handsome Ronan takes her hand and whisks her away to a far away island. Literally.
My first thought was, why the hell would anyone hop on a plane to go to a place they've never been with a guy they don't know with absolutely no details about where it is. But I guess no matter how smart you are, you still end up doing dumb things.
When Annelise, Ronan and the two other girls on the plane land on Eyja næturinnar--Isle of Night--they stand in a massive group of nothing but girls. Their they're told they will go through a severe training to be Watchers for vampires. Though Annelise is shocked, she takes it in stride and goes with the flow.
I've read that some compare this to the Vampire Academy series and The Hunger Games. I haven't read the VA series and I did not like THG. Though, I see the comparison. These girls are expected to be at the top of their game--no matter what they have to stay there; strength, knowledge, and avoid being killed.
There is little romance and a lot of cat fights and action in this, with the occasional cutie when the girls meet the boys there for vampire training. But mainly, just nasty and vicious girls. Like Annelise's psycho (read: pyromaniac) roommate, Lilac.
When the time comes to do a mock challenge, it proves to be very real when weapons come to play and death takes some of the girls.
With a world of [creepy but very good looking] vampires, draugs, girls out to get you, sexy and elusive Tracers, cure vampire boys in training and a possibility for anything to happen, Drew must stay on her toes to stay alive and keep the two friends she's managed to acquire on the Isle of Night.
(While reading this, I couldn't help but picture Amanda Seyfried as Annelise. Her character in Mean Girls meets her character in GONE.)

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Characters: ½
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Author Info:

Veronica Wolff is an award-winning, bestselling author with a soft spot for kilts, mountains, beaches, and vampires. Not necessarily at the same time. She lived everywhere from Texas, to Hawaii, to India, before finally settling in Northern California, where she lives with her husband, two kids, one insane rescue dog, one angelic rescue dog, the gentlest cat ever, and a snake whose days are numbered.

Find more on Veronica on her: website | twitter | facebook | goodreads