Review: Almost to Die For by Tate Hallaway

Title: Almost to Die For
Author: Tate Hallaway
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 08/03/10
Summary:

On her sixteenth birthday, Anastasija Parker learns that her so-called deadbeat dad is actually a vampire king. And he wants Ana to assume her rightful position at his side, in spite of the fact that she has witch's blood running through her veins-from her mother's side.

Too bad witches and vampires are mortal enemies. And now Ana's parents are at each other's throats over her future. It's up to Ana to make a choice, but deciding your eternal destiny is a pretty big deal for a girl who just wants to get through high school.

Plot: 3 Stars
More often than not, if two paranormal creatures are going to be enemies, it tends to be vampires vs. werewolves. So I was really excited for a novel in which the rivalry was between vampires and witches. I just wish we could've gotten a little more information and history into the rivalry. I feel like some of the information was glossed over, and I hope it's covered in more detail in future books.

Pace: 4 Stars
I zoomed through this book in a little over a day, which is a record for me as of late. The novel was short and sweet, but definitely not in a bad way. There was no downtime for the reader to become restless or bored. The scenes blended together seamlessly and time passed in a logical and realistic manner. The events within the book took place over the course of a week or so, which felt natural, as compared to many books that fit way too many events into only a day or two.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
I really anjoyed the main character, Ana. I really related to how she was experiencing high school, from the loneliness of having only a few friends to the bullying by the popular kids. She was also very interesting and multi-dimensional, and I liked how her inner voice worked through the conflicts throughout the novel. That being said, I didn't feel like I learned enough about any other character to connect to them.

Cover: 3 Stars
The cover model's eyes, one being blue and one being brown, is both very striking and an accurate portrayal of the main character. The cover model in general was a great choice from the description we receive while reading. The blues used for the text and accent at the bottom is a very rich and eye-catching color. I just wish the background color wasn't so close to the cover model's skin tone. Her arm disappears into the background, and the white leaves a bit of dead space.

Overall: 3.5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.