Haven by Kristi Cook



Published: February 2011

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Pages: 401

Copy: Library

Summary: Goodreads

One month into her junior year, sixteen-year-old Violet McKenna transfers to the Winterhaven School in New York’s Hudson Valley, inexplicably drawn to the boarding school with high hopes. Leaving Atlanta behind, she’s looking forward to a fresh start--a new school, and new classmates who will not know her deepest, darkest secret, the one she’s tried to hide all her life: strange, foreboding visions of the future.

But Winterhaven has secrets of its own, secrets that run far deeper than Violet’s. Everyone there--every student, every teacher--has psychic abilities, 'gifts and talents,' they like to call them. Once the initial shock of discovery wears off, Violet realizes that the school is a safe haven for people like her. Soon, Violet has a new circle of friends, a new life, and maybe even a boyfriend--Aidan Gray, perhaps the smartest, hottest guy at Winterhaven.


Only there’s more to Aidan than meets the eye--much, much more. And once she learns the horrible truth, there’s no turning back from her destiny. Their destiny. Together, Violet and Aidan must face a common enemy--if only they can do so without destroying each other first

Review

I have to be honest, I not really sure how I felt about Haven.  I think OK is about the best I can come up with for me.  It was a nice little story, but somehow some of the oomph was missing.  Violet and Aiden were an interesting couple, but my feeling is I would pass them in the street and not recognise them, if you know what I mean.  For me there was nothing that made them stand out.  I sometimes felt as if it was a mix of Twilight and Buffy, but missing the best parts of both.

The setting for the story, Winterhaven, is just another prep/boarding school - altho' this one does have a cinema and cafe on campus.    The supporting characters have a host of different psychic abilities, which was different, but again, none of them stood out from the others.  

Ok, I think I'm beginning to sound a little negative, and I really don't mean to. Would I recommend it?  Yes, if you are a fan of vampire fiction, and you like boarding school stories, then this would be a good one to add to your summer reading list.  It was a quick read, and I did enjoy it, honestly. It just didn't stand out from the crowd.