Taste
Author: Kate Evangelista
Publication Date: April 30th 2012
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Summary | Add to TBR
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.
After the initial melodic tolling of the school bells that announced the top of the hour, the counting began.
ONE. I reached the library's double doors and pulled the handles. The heavy doors protested. TWO. My fingers slipped. I wiped my sweat-slick hands on my skirt and tried again. The doors creaked and opened. THREE. I squeezed through the exit I'd made. I didn't know which hurt more, the burning of my lungs or my heart hammering a hole through my chest. I cursed my propensity to skip gym. FOUR. I raced down the west hall that ran alongside the Lunar Garden... I quickened my pace and reached the school's front doors by the sixth chime then stopped when an overwhelming sense of hopelessness flooded my insides. My hands trembled and my knees fought to keep me upright...
Damn. This couldn't be happening... This couldn't be happening! Not to me. Especially not to me! But the bell had stopped. It's silence sealed my fate. - p6
The moment I started reading
Taste, I couldn't put it down. It was a total page-turner book that kept me awake until past 3 in the morning! It was engrossing and very captivating.
The story started when Phoenix McKay accidentally broke the one and only rule at Barinkoff Academy: No students on campus after curfew. Falling asleep at the library isn't a good
thing after all. Now she must face her fate as the last bell chimed in and she was left trapped inside the campus with the Night Students. But it seems that all the luck in the world suddenly bestowed upon her! Who wouldn't want to be saved by a mysterious but oh-so-gorgeous, overall swoon-worthy and not to mention hot (as in literally hot!) guy Demitri? The guy who happens to appear out of nowhere every time she needs of saving. I wouldn't care being left at the academy with this drool-worthy-kind of guy (*giggling*). All of sudden, Phoenix's sad and hollow life was thrown into the magnificent yet strange world of the flesh-eaters--beautiful, almost cut to perfection--each of them exudes a deliciously unique smell--they called themselves "
zhamvys". And Phoenix might just be the one they need to survive.
"You can hit me," I said. "I know you want to."
"I refuse to hit a woman, Phoenix, no matter how annoying she gets. Violence solves nothing."
I cannot love a book with weak, not to mention annoying characters. For me to really enjoy the story, the characters should be likable at least. But in this case, I didn't have any issues at all. From the time Phoenix had spoken in my head when I started this book, I immediately liked her. She has the brain (since Barinkoff only accept students with exceptional intelligence) and she definitely has the gut to be called "heroine". She doesn't annoy me even the tiniest bit and that's totally a big deal to me. Her wit and humor always left me grinning like crazy and she didn't fail to amaze me. And then there's Demitri.
I cocked my head, raking my gaze over him. He seemed born to wear the uniform, like he was the pattern everyone else was cut from. My eyes wandered to long, layered, blue-black hair tied at the nape by a silk ribbon. Even in dim light, his hair possessed a shine akin to mercury.
He's strong
(and hot), dependable
(and hot), handsome
(and hot), and ever-devoted to his people
(and hot!). He's also a mysterious and frustrating kind of guy, but there was something deep within his cold persona--characteristics that only add to his hotness. Yeah, you really should meet this guy! But oh, there's Luka! It seems that Taste isn't contented on giving the readers one hot guy
(did I just say hot again?) and it gives us two! Just when I thought I want Demitri
for myself for Phoenix, Luka came into the picture.
He was strikingly beautiful. His tumble of blonde hair curled just above his sculpted cheekbones. His movements spoke of elegance and control. His touch cooler than Demitri's... He spoke of language I hadn't heard before, remaining calm yet firm. He had a voice like a familiar lullaby. It filled my heart to the brim with comfort...
The mystery that surrounds his character seems dark but who can't give a beautiful boy the benefit of the doubt? With his playful and carefree spirit, he tried to overshadow his true self--the depth of his soul and the goodness in his heart. Who's the guy to root for? I loved Demitri but I also loved Luka, and then *
confusion* but then Demitri won over in the end. It was hard to choose between two great guys.
"I understand," I said then slapped him...
"Is this something I can expect from you every time we see each other?" Dray rubbed his cheek and grumbled. "Just let me know so I can prepared myself for future abuse."
I have a heart for Dray, too. The guy who mean well for the
zhamvy people even if risking his life was one way to do it. Obviously, Kate Evangelista crafted not only one or two amazing characters but a lot more. There are people to hate but more people to love. I want to see them again in her future books. I let them in and I'm glad I did!
Readers who hate slow beginning will appreciate this book. The excitement I felt from the start lasted up to the time I closed the book. The pacing of the story was perfect. There was no boring parts but only heart-thumping ones. The author was never out of surprises. She had completely blown me away with her unexpected revelations. I was so curious about the story especially the secrets behind Demitri and Luka's characters, but the author never left my questions unanswered. Kudos to the author, she gave me lots of open-mouthed moments! Well, I guess my curiosity paid off
(*grins*).
The awesome characters, the beautiful setting, the unique and original story, the romance that will make your knees wobble, and the unexpected ending that will make you smile and dream and swoon... What's not to love? Let this book blow your mind away. Kate Evangelista has written an extraordinary story that is beautiful, engaging and totally delicious. I absolutely loved it! She nailed every aspect of this book. I tasted and devoured it. It left me satisfied... but then again, it made me hungry for more.
My Rating:
Without spoiling anything, here are some more quotes to tease you:
To taste meant to sample, but what? My flesh? They had to be joking because the alternative wasn't funny.
I'd fallen in love with a flesh-eating member of a superior race currently living beneath our feet. A guy who put his duty for his people above me. The jerk.
"Why am I finding it hard to believe that you will actually stay put?"
"Phoenix." ___ pinched my arm.
"Ow!" I scowled at him. "What was that for?"
"Stop ogling my brother and pay attention."
"Before you, I had no breath. No heart. No life."
You can buy the book here:
I'm still halfway through Shadow Kiss (at least I started it! LOL). INSURGENT by Veronica Roth came in so what choice do I have? I immediately grabbed the Kindle eBook (since my hardback copy will not be available until at least next week) and bought a copy of the Audible! :) I've finished Insurgent but haven't written my review yet. As expected, it was AMAZING! I loved Divergent among all the other books I've read (honestly) and that's why I can't resist Insurgent. I've waited long enough. Anyway, I'll give this book a 5+ rating. I can't tell you enough how much I love this series, and how much I love Tris and Four. Oh, Four.
