BOOK REVIEW: Kate Triumph by Shari Arnold

Kate Triumph

Author: Shari Arnold

Genre: YA Fantasy

Book Description:

Normal is so overrated. At least that's what seventeen-year-old Kate Triumph tells herself everyday. But the truth is she lives in constant fear that someone will discover how not normal she really is. With her startling speed and her unusual ability to heal, Kate believes she's something of a freak.

Then Andrew Shore arrives.

He claims he's her father, sticks around for a few days and leaves her a plane ticket. “Come to Mercer Island,” he says. “Give me a chance to get to know you.” Soon Kate is floundering in a world of new: new address, new car, new high school and, of course, new father. Not to mention Zack, her intriguing new neighbor, who makes her want to abandon her steadfast rule of never allowing anyone to get too close. But when she discovers someone is trying to kill her, life for Kate gets a bit more complicated. And a lot less normal.

Buy Links:

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MY REVIEW

After reading the blurb, I was very excited to delve into this story. Prior to this book, I had read two books with a similar theme surrounding human genetic engineering (I wasn't a fan of either one of those books) and I found the topic to be interesting, so I jumped at the chance to read this book. And I'm glad I did as the story is very intriguing. I loved the opening chapters. It took off with a bang and pulled me right in. What I especially liked was the fact that Kate was already accustomed to her abilities when she's introduced to us. We don't have to go through the process of having to watch her familiarise herself with her skills but rather experience her trying to adapt to her new environment, that being her relocating to live with her father, who she knows nothing about, after the death of her mother.

The book kept my full focus most of the time, but there were moments that dragged and my interest started to wane. Thankfully, that didn't last long. It ended with a good cliffhanger that definitely made me want to read more. Kate's growth was interesting to witness. She goes from a recluse who doesn't trust anyone to someone who lets her guard down in hopes of finding a balance in her new life. Personally, I didn't feel the chemistry between Kate and Zack. The reason for that, I feel, is because I didn't know much about Zack or his brother apart from what Kate's father revealed to her. Their characters didn't offer much in way of progressing the story forward, so I didn't connect with them. Another issue I had a problem with was the lack of information revealed in regards to Kate's amazing abilities. This is something she has possesed her whole life yet not much is explored. Kate doesn't utilise her abilities much. In fact, it didn't seem as though she was well informed about her own anatomy. I felt the fantasy element was greatly underplayed. Kate is used to being who she is, and although it is understandable that she wants to live a normal life, it felt as if her abilities were alien to her.

I liked the multiple POV the author introduced with the character of Jonah, who I found to be rather fascinating, and he should have had more exposure. I wanted to explore his world more than I wanted to explore Kate's world.

Kate Triumph felt like a coming-of-age story with a slight touch of fantasy. At times, it felt as though I was reading two stories as opposed to one. Having said all that, I found it to be an enjoyable read. This story has great potential and I hope the sequel has more depth and brings the secondary characters to live. I also hope the fantasy element plays a more important role than it did it this book as what makes Kate unique are her abilities. A good start to the series. I look forward to reading the sequel.

VERDICT:

SILVER

 

Award: Silver
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Source: Review copy via author