Giovanni's Farewell
Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions
Morbid Romantica Challenge 2011By: Claudia Gray
Publisher: HarperCollins - Sept. 2011
Pages: 464 Softcover (ARC)
Read: Sept. 2011
Genre: Fantasy Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Anthologies, Supernatural
By the Mad Scientist
First Line: Before I was awake or aware, before my heart began to beat, Cairo was there.
Black Disaster Fairy's Take:
Anthologies do make me a bit weary. Some short stories are amazing and then lets face it... some are just so lacking after enjoying a pile of books with huge long plot twists and handfuls of characters. Let me just say that this story was a shocking start to this anthology.
Ravenna and Cairo are twins who just happen to be extremely close. They are on a class trip to the wondrous European city of Rome. Instead of enjoying a bowl of pasta or a Italian soda Cairo has a rather unusual freak out & flips over the hotel mattress.
Huh...
Being overseas is not the reason for Cairo's unsettling behavior. This duo is well traveled and they have a unique background that makes me extremely jealous of them. No worries it also made me love them even more!
The class is being entertained by a tour through one of the famous must see tourist spots, Catacombs of Saint Cecilia, when Ravenna meets a Italian boy, Giovanni.
Now Italy is romantic but the obvious location of them being in a ancient cemetery I was waiting for something to happen. I wasn't expecting for Ravenna to figure out she had a unique power.
I do kind of enjoy it when characters think themselves CRAZY!
This is the first time I have read anything by Claudia Gray. I enjoyed her small side note tidbits that gave the story something extra.
Overall, Giovanni's Farewell was short and cute. A small inky package that wrapped up nicely. However, I would love for her to turn this into a series. The well traveled background of these twins is just the sort of thing I would enjoy!
Anthologies do make me a bit weary. Some short stories are amazing and then lets face it... some are just so lacking after enjoying a pile of books with huge long plot twists and handfuls of characters. Let me just say that this story was a shocking start to this anthology.
Ravenna and Cairo are twins who just happen to be extremely close. They are on a class trip to the wondrous European city of Rome. Instead of enjoying a bowl of pasta or a Italian soda Cairo has a rather unusual freak out & flips over the hotel mattress.
Huh...
Being overseas is not the reason for Cairo's unsettling behavior. This duo is well traveled and they have a unique background that makes me extremely jealous of them. No worries it also made me love them even more!
The class is being entertained by a tour through one of the famous must see tourist spots, Catacombs of Saint Cecilia, when Ravenna meets a Italian boy, Giovanni.
Now Italy is romantic but the obvious location of them being in a ancient cemetery I was waiting for something to happen. I wasn't expecting for Ravenna to figure out she had a unique power.
I do kind of enjoy it when characters think themselves CRAZY!
I looked up into the dark chambers above us and felt a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold.
--- Page 15
Overall, Giovanni's Farewell was short and cute. A small inky package that wrapped up nicely. However, I would love for her to turn this into a series. The well traveled background of these twins is just the sort of thing I would enjoy!
*Received from BEA 2011. This in no way has hindered my weird but honest review.*