Review: Taste

Title: Taste
Author: Kate Evangelista

Book Summary:

“At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew.  Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset.  A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy.  With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable.  He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters.  Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy.  Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.”

Phoenix McKay has a problem.  When Phoenix accidentally falls asleep in the library, she awakens knowing that she will be expelled.  What she doesn’t know is that being expelled is the least of her mounting problems…  As Phoenix searches for a way to get back to her dorm, she discovers other students milling about.  In the conversation that follows, she realizes that these are not fellow classmates; these are the Night Students, and they are hiding a terrible secret…

When I first hear of Taste, I am instantly enchanted.  I absolutely fall in love with the cover, and the book summary grabs my attention and refuses to let go!  I start reading everything about the book that I can find: excerpts, the author’s blog, anything that might give me more information about this book.  The only thing that worries me about Taste is that the premise sounds like a love triangle set up, of which I am NOT a fan!  I am also excited because I have never read a book about "flesh eaters" before.

I love how I can instantly connect with Phoenix.  She is curious and takes orders from nobody, both traits that get her into some serious trouble!  She isn’t naïve, which is good, but she does take a while to catch on to events surrounding her.  Maybe it’s shock or denial, but either way I really like that she doesn’t just magically understand what’s happening.  People actually have to explain it to her, which means they also explain it to me.

Soon after I start reading Taste, it becomes clear that two guys are going to be at the center of this book: Demitri and Luka.  Dimitri is tall, dark, and brooding while Luka is straightforward, approachable, and genuine.  I completely understand the pull toward both of them… at least I’ll get one of them… right??

Taste is an intriguing tale that constantly surprises me.  Many of the twists and turns are unpredictable and enjoyable.  I definitely feel like Evangelista took the time to add depth to the characters; I get a real sense of who they are as people and why they act the way they do.  The only relationship that I really struggle with is between Phoenix and her best friend.  I can’t put my finger on it, but it seems unrealistic.  Luckily, most of the book doesn’t center on their relationship.

The Cover:

Overall this cover can be described in three words: alluring, dramatic, and mysterious.  The air of mystery comes into play when I take in the background and the ledge-looking-thing the girl is sitting against.  Instantly this inspires questions that I know I will have to read the book to answer.  The girl on the cover is the picture of drama.  The tilt of her head, the straightness in her spine, the thunderclouds in the background, and of course her look of devastation.  All these details add up to create a fantastic cover!

I give Taste 5 out of 5 hearts: I LOVED IT!

You can learn more about Kate Evangelista on her website here: http://www.kateevangelista.com/

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