Book Review: Lailah by Nikki Kelly

Lailah 

by Nikki Kelly

Series: The Styclar saga #1

Genre: YA, paranormal, romance

Published October 7th 2014 by Feiwel & Friends

Source: Publisher

Purchase: Amazon* Barnes and Noble * Book Depository

Local purchase/order: Fullybooked * National Bookstore

Blurb (Goodreads):

Over one million Wattpad readers have made Lailah a sensation!

The girl knows she’s different. She doesn’t age. She has no family. She has visions of a past life, but no clear clues as to what she is, or where she comes from. But there is a face in her dreams – a light that breaks through the darkness. She knows his name is Gabriel.

On her way home from work, the girl encounters an injured stranger whose name is Jonah. Soon, she will understand that Jonah belongs to a generation of Vampires that serve even darker forces. Jonah and the few like him, are fighting with help from an unlikely Allie – a rogue Angel, named Gabriel.

In the crossfire between good and evil, love and hate, and life and death, the girl learns her name: Lailah. But when the lines between black and white begin to blur, where in the spectrum will she find her place? And with whom?

Gabriel and Jonah both want to protect her. But Lailah will have to fight her own battle to find out who she truly is.

My Thoughts:

Yet another waste of potential. The idea of a natural (unborn) Angel infected by Pureblood Vampire = light and dark on the main character is interesting. It should create a lot of complications and layers of stories and mysteries that would make the readers beg for more. But it didn't turn out that way. It turned out to be a complicated story of love-sick immortal teenagers with a waste of paranormal stuff. Oh, and did I mention a love triangle? Man, this is going to be a rant-ful review.

I was really excited about Lailah. I can't remember what made me want to read it. It has a love triangle from what you can read on the blurb but I remember I really want to read it. Too bad it turned out to be another disappointment. Too bad it's my first read and first review in 2015. (Actually, this should be my second review but I want to write this first since I have more to say/rant here than the supposed to be first review.)

The prologue started okay. Exciting, even. It was a dark start and it scared me a little, which I considered a good thing. Chapter one was okay too. I'm pretty excited to find out about the mystery on Lailah's true identity (although it was already given on the prologue; I'm excited on the additional story to it). And then she meets Jonah, a Vampire on the run from his Master. Since she helped a total stranger--Vampire, mind you. And yes, she knows it--she's also on the run with him as her life's in danger. There she *finally* met Gabriel and other Vampires, and slowly uncovering her true identity. And where the annoying love triangle starts. From then on I'm on guard. This sounds exactly like the two series I knew..

Francesca/Lailah, not knowing her past, background, and true identity has so much problems to think of, including the Vampires and Angels searching to kill her. But she spent her time--98% of the book--obsessing about Gabriel and Jonah. And Gabriel and Hanorah (a gorgeous female Vampire she's "not" who have hots of Gabriel). And Brooke, another female Vampire attached to Jonah. At page 151, I didn't like where it was going. The mystery and the task was forgotten. I need something to happen. At page 211, I lost it. Lailah was so jealous about Gabriel and Hanorah. It was so annoying, I rolled my eyes exaggeratedly. I was even more pissed when she's already jealous with Gabriel and still get to kiss Jonah. Like I said, majority of the book was spent with stupid love triangle (that wasn't even justified). The only good thing about this book is the potential, but it was ruined.

I quite like Gabriel. I was even excited to know more about him in the beginning. The rest of the characters were nay for me. What's with their nicknames for Lailah, anyways? They either like or hate her. It was so annoying. Despite wishing not to turn out like it, this book turned out to be Twilight (Stephenie Meyer) meets Fallen (Lauren Kate). I guess that depends on the reader. For me, it's a bunch of Vampires and Angels + annoying love triangle, slow pace (with no action), and weak female protagonist. The near ending seems to increase the action and also my hopes, but died down eventually. The writing was another thing. I guess this wasn't really for me. I actually wanted to DNF this book but I didn't because, again, it's my first read in 2015 and I don't want another DNF in my life. However, if you really want to read this book and/or you knew it was for you, don't let this review stop you.

*Thanks to Ruth and Macmillan International for the review copy in exchange of an honest review!

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