Book Review: Instrinsical by Lani Woodland

Instrinsical (The Yara Silva, #1) by Lani Woodland

Reading Level: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Pendrell Publishing
Pages: 298
Source: Received from publicist for honest review

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Yara Silva has always known that ghosts walk alongside the living. Her grandma, like the other females in her family, is a Waker, someone who can see and communicate with ghosts. Yara grew up watching her grandmother taunted and scorned for this unusual ability and doesn't want that to be her future. She has been dreading the day when she too would see ghosts, and is relieved that the usually dominant Waker gene seems to have skipped her, letting her live a normal teenage life. However, all that changes for Yara on her first day at her elite boarding school when she discovers the gene was only lying dormant. She witnesses a dark mist attack Brent, a handsome fellow student, and rushes to his rescue. Her act of heroism draws the mist's attention, and the dark spirit begins stalking her. Yara finds herself entrenched in a sixty-year-old curse that haunts the school, threatening not only her life, but the lives of her closest friends as well. Yara soon realizes that the past she was trying to put behind her isn't going to go quietly.

My Review: From beginning to end, Intrinsical swayed me with its poetic quality and satisfied my supernatural appetite. Lani's debut is truly a diamond in the rough. I love when an imagined world comes to life in my mind, especially when it's a book that flies under the radar waiting for us to seize it. Authors like Lani and many others, shine through there writing ability. They definitely break the mold of some people's skepticism behind small published writers. Moving on, the ghost love story presented in Intrinsical was captivating and original. The whole idea behind Yara's boarding school paranormal curse was perfectly executed. It had just the right amount of spooky scenes and mystery to move along the story with great anticipation.

Yara, is a spunky protagonist who later awakens her inner abilities to communicate with ghosts. Her likability factor was strong which helped me connect with her on an emotional level. While attending school at Pendrell with her best friend Cherie (which I loved by the way too), she meets Brent. What an awesome guy! I absolutely adored the character definition behind Yara and Brent. The romantic chemistry between the two unquestionably grabbed my heart, even during their unfortunate predicament. Brent's observant and intuitive personality made him realistic. The natural vibe throughout their blooming relationship was a breath of fresh air. All in all, I simply cannot wait to see what happens in the sequel! I am eager to continue on this journey with Yara. Lani, is not only a phenomenal artist (she photographed the model for her cover!) but, a great storyteller as well.

My Rating:

Author's Info:

Lani Woodland has been an avid reader since elementary school when she first discovered the Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley Twins series. In sixth grade she began writing plays and recruiting (with force when necessary) her friends to act them out. Most of these early works were inspired by She-Ra, the epitome of girl power to her young self. She graduated from BYU with a BS in Family Science. Lani has always loved scary stories, and has a hard time enjoying any book without at least a little romance in it. She lives in Southern California with her husband, their two children and a large collection of board games. She has worked as a spot-welder, babysitter, janitor, photographer, gymnastics coach, and movie extra. She enjoys bonfires at the beach, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, speed talking, chocolate as a cure-all, and the word "precisely".

For more info on Lani, visit her sites:

-Website

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