This just didn't work for me. It sounded intriguing from the synopsis I read (although my library had classed it as sci-fi, which was interesting) but from the start there was a lot I found irritating about it.

I don't understand why the prologue includes words along the lines of 'don't start this book unless you intend to finish it' ... why else would you start a book? Besides I couldn't finish it, I had about three chapters to go and I abandoned it.

I didn't think the book was particularly well written. The protagonist was annoying. I understand it must be incredibly sad for a husband to die, but pages and pages of grief don't make for good reading. And I don't think I've ever read a book with so many adverbs in it. The imagery had good gothic tones to it but me it had very little substance, something was missing that stopped me from feeling anything. The plot twist was good though. There was a good story here but it got a little lost for me. ( )

When Jasmyn's husband dies it's bad enough but that's only the beginning of the strangeness that starts up, black swans fall dead into his grave to start with. Jasmyn is an albino, though without some of the light problems some albinos have. She then learns that he has secrets and things spiral out of control. As the story develops there begins to be magic and things happen that can't be explained by rational science. In order to defeat evil this magic has to be embraced and it has costs.

It's an interesting story of swans, fairytales, castles, a magic token and a broken violin. My biggest problem with it was a lack of depth, it didn't quite feel like the characters really felt about what was going on. ( )

Not bad at all, actually; though I was able to guess various of the plot points throughout I didn't guess the big one or the ending. Nice quick fun read. ( )

A strange book with a haunting feeling.
Jasmyn is an alybino (though it only seeems to affect her appearance not the other problems I have seen on television) and the book begins with her attanding the funeral of her Husband. He was into myths and legends, especially that of the swans that turn into women (hence why he thought her so beautiful).
Through the twists and turns of the story we find out about her husbands brother, whom she iitially hates, and what her husband has been doing.
I dont normally like books that do the mythical creatures or books about relationships. But this book is both but manages to trancend the elements to be a very readable book that draws you into it.

Jasmyn is about a young woman, named Jasmyn, who has recently lost her husband Liam. She is completely devastated by the his death, so devastated that she can barely cope. On top of this, for some reason, her mother-in-law can't seem to stand Jasmyn, and her brother-in-law (Ben) doesn't seem to like her much either. Everytime she speaks with him he treats her like...doodoo. Jasmyn is already self-concious because of her looks (she looks different than other people), so this is especially hard for her to handle.

Very odd things begin to happen - black swans fall out of the sky, dead, at her husbands funeral. Someone breaks into her house and trashes it. She sees an odd person at her grandparents house. There's more, but they would be spoilers. She slowly begins to come out of her grief a bit and starts to wonder what's going on. Jasmyn ends up having to team up with Ben to try to find something. She begins hearing things about Liam that she can't believe. Ben continues to treat her like she's dirt. Jasmyn begins to fight back. This is good.

The book begins with a slow build up - as you read you get a very good feel for Jasmyn's all emcompassing grief, and then you see her begin to come out of it. In fact, throughout the book, from beginning to end, you will find complete devastation about the death, to disbelief to rage and anger about why she was left with no husband.

As the build up of the story continues, every once in a while you get hit with a spooky happening, or something occurs that frightens Jasmyn. Until finally in the last section of the book all hell breaks loose.

I liked reading this book. I usually like more action in the novels I read, but I liked the way things were laid out here. I found a few times that things felt a bit repetitive, but those were examples of Jasmyn questioning what was happening. I tend to get impatient while reading lots of internal "thinking". Jasmyn is going about her business, thinking - thinking, wondering what is going on, then WHAM! something happens. Towards the end there is a pretty big reveal. Very dramatic. Very good ending - In fact I thought that the last section of the book totally kicked ass. Enough that I stayed up until 5 a.m. reading, and then as soon as I completely woke up this morning, I had to finish the book. ( )