The Veil by Cory Putman Oakes


Seventeen-year-old Addison Russell is in for a shock when she discovers that she can see the invisible world of the Annorasi. Suddenly, nothing is as it appears to be -- the house she lives in, the woman who raised her, even the most beautiful boy in town all turn out to be more than what they seem. And when this strange new world forces Addy to answer for a crime that was committed long ago, by parents she has never known, she has no choice but to trust Luc, the mysterious Annorasi who has been sent to protect her. Or so he says . .

Yay! This one caught me off guard, I knew that the blurb sounded fantastic, but I was so worried that it would be set up like so many other books I have been reading lately. What I ended up really enjoying about this world is the originality of it. The combination of the world being just beyond the site of humans, but right in front of us..if that makes any sense at all. The line between the Annorasi and the human is a thin veil, only those with the knowledge that it's there and the ability to see beyond the veil can see it. The people and creatures of the Annorasi world are walking around in our everyday world, we just can't see them. One day Addy kind of comes into her "powers" and is able to see beyond the veil. She very quickly discovers that her Gran and Luc, and even her cats are not who she thought they were.
What really makes a story for me, besides the world building is the characters. I found the characters highly likeable and interesting. Gran was my favorite character, she is quirky, strong and protective. Luc, I had my ups and downs with as the story progressed, but overall enjoyed the scenes in which he and Addy really get to learn about who she is and what she means to the Annorasi people. Addy also has some really great friends and supporting cast of characters.
The love interest Luc is introduced early in the story, and although Addy has a crush and refers to him as the hottest guy in school, there is not "insta-love" happening here. It's a slow and unraveling relationship between the two with a major focus more on Addy adapting to who she is.
The story has a great pace and will have you interested in what is happening from the very beginning.

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