Sundial (The Light Bringer Series, Book One) [Kindle Edition]

When I read the synopsis for Sundial, I was definitely curious. A girl with unique abilities who is involved with secret government agencies sounded like a good time. When you add in a good-looking, mysterious guy? Even better.

I'll start with what I liked about Sundial. I thought that the idea behind the story was very interesting and extremely intelligent. The fact that so much apparent thought and brain power went into writing this book is what appealed to me the most. I wasn't quite sure what was behind Whitney and Reid's extra abilities, but then, I like a mystery.

There were a few characters in Sundial that I really liked. Whitney was strong, capable, and definitely not a whiner. I also liked Reid. He seemed to be very much like Whitney, super smart, athletic, capable. Both Whitney and Reid really seem to have it all. Whitney's best friend Blair was undoubtedly the most fun character to read. She was funny, a little pushy and could be frivolous. Those aspects to Blair made her the perfect counterpart to Blair, who was ever practical.

So, here's the hard part, because I have to admit, there were a few things about Sundial that I had issues with. Starting with, the characters. I know I said I liked Whitney, Blair and Reid, and I did. But it seemed that every single character was rich, athletic, smart, just too perfect. There was a lot of clothing and accessory labels mentioned that I had never heard of. Maybe I'm lame, I dunno. That made it hard for me to identify or empathize with them. To be fair, maybe the area in which Sundial is set is exclusively wealthy. But still, hard to identify with.

Another issue I had was the transitioning between paragraphs. For example, several times Whitney would suddenly pass out at the end of the chapter. Then, in one instance, at the beginning of the next chapter, she and Reid are on a boat with friends and she's mad that another girl is coming on to him. That left me flipping back and forth, making sure the pages weren't stuck, or missing. I found that to be very disorienting and distracting.

So. I've been trying to sum up exactly how I felt about Sundial. I didn't dislike it, but I had issues. Issues I could just not overlook. I still think it was a very interesting idea with a lot of potential.

Favorite Quote:

" 'You are no ordinary girl but you are still a teenage girl,' Dr. West said with a twinkle in his eye. 'Love is
something no of us have any training for, but love and empathy are what make us uniquely human.' "

A truly fun, well-written and suspenseful book! The main character, Whitney, is a fiercely independent and strong willed heroine - a very likeable character. The authors not only do a fantastic job of capturing the tension of a budding romance between Whitney and Reid, but they also keep the reader intrigued with unexpected storyline plots of secret CIA operative missions and food allergy twists. I found myself cheering on Whitney and Reid as they bravely tackled each new obstacle. I look forward to the next book!

Hey girls! This relationship driven novel is amazing because a girl gets to play it RIGHT for once. What would you do if the guy everyone was crushing on tried to give you a ride home or threw a party just so you would come? Maybe not what you would expect if you were Whitney Forbes! If more of us were like Whitney we would figure out how to have a lot fewer broken hearts and how to be in control of our own destiny. At the very least, you have found lead characters you can respect and admire.

The powerful world these characters dwell is alluring. They have money, cars, boats and designer clothes at their fingertips and spin through a cinematic landscape. Yet Whitney is unimpressed. The genius of this book is that her focus is never blinded by the materialism (in fact she seems sickened by it and says as much) because she wants something real. The tiny details of the setting make it authentic and dazzling and teach you NOT to settle for the superficial box checks. What a great message for all who chase the most popular guy in school--there had better be more than just the image because if you settle for glamour you have settled for nothing at all!

The execution of Sundial is not typical of a YA start. The authors give quality relationship building and background upfront because it drives the plot and makes it believable when one character must risk it all for the other. It is unconventional in others ways as I felt it expected more from the reader than to blitz through it in search of a cheesy, spoon-fed rush because many aspects of the book are sophisticated and intellectual. If you race through it, you will miss clues and many of its unpredictable twists and turns. The foundation of this story is solid and the scientific bent made it plausible.

The slow burn and smoldering heat of the beginning blazes to a white-hot ending and this reminded me of a more literary approach to a clever and memorable adventure. This book is original and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a cultivated take on paranormal romance and suspense. Bonus that it dares to take on how sort out the difference between a fleeting crush and the real deal! Read it and learn something!