Poison Princess

Author: Kresley Cole
Goodreads Rating: 4.31
Pages: 384
Format: ARC from BEA12

She could save the world—or destroy it.
Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.
But she can’t do either alone.
With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?
Who can Evie trust?
As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side….

This book was not at all what I was expecting. When I picked it up, I was sort of expecting this quick read that really dragged you in from the start with this intense post-apocolyptic world. That was not what I got, at all. For me the start of the book was a little slow, but I really liked this concept, and so I stuck with it.

The first chapter really drags you in, which was great, but then it slowed down as we got to know Evie in the short week before the world ended. In that time, Evie had a number of halucinations that served to illustrate what was coming for the world, but for me I felt confused and disoriented. I didn't really understand what was going on and while you are supposed to feel as disoriented as Evie does, it really just confused me.

Even thought it was a little slow to start out, I really appreciate that it did give us such a glimpse at what life was like before and what Evie's relationship with Jack was like before she became so dependent on him. I loved that Jack was this complex guy that didn't show all his cards and wasn't this bad guy that he seemed to be in it for himself. I loved that he was so respectful of Evie's mom and of Evie as she quested to find her grandmother.

I really liked the relationship between Evie and Jack because they had so many misunderstandings and they didn't fall right into the arms of one another, but rather they argued and fought and were still so drawn together. I loved that their relationship wasn't rushed and how Jack took care of Evie. Their misunderstandings kept the book interesting. I liked Jack because he was dynamic but at the same time, his accent drove me a little crazy trying to figure out what he was saying. Although, I have to say, I loved every time that he said "Doan" for "Don't" I could clearly hear his voice.

There was a hint at a love triangle that I was decently okay with because it didn't happen until the end and it came to include a girl rather than a boy. It was really frustrating because it happened just as the relationship between Evie and Jack started to take off.

I wasn't really sure how to handle the tarot aspect of the book. I feel like it was sort of sprung on you at the end of the book, but maybe that will be resolved in the next book. I completely can't wait to check out the next book and see what else Cole has in charge for Evie and Jack.

The Courts Decision: