Review: BLACKWOOD by Gwenda Bond

I was privileged to be given the opportunity to read and review BLACKWOOD by Gwenda Bond from Strange Chemistry, the new YA imprint of Angry Robot books. BLACKWOOD is the debut book released by Strange Chemistry, and they are off to an AMAZING start.

From Goodreads:

BLACKWOOD on Goodreads

On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.

Miranda, a misfit girl from the island’s most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can’t dodge is each other.

Blackwood is a dark, witty coming of age story that combines America’s oldest mystery with a thoroughly contemporary romance.

To be honest, even before I opened BLACKWOOD, I was intrigued by the premise. It was so fresh, so unique that I HAD to get my hands on this book. 

And when I read the first sentence, then first paragraph, I was completely hooked. When I'm hooked, I tend to devour entire books in one sitting. This book was no different. The pace was perfect, keeping me turning the pages, anxious to see what happened next. 

The only thing, and it's minor, that jarred me, was the shift between Miranda and Phillips' point of view. I am unsure if it was just because I was reading on my Kindle, which sometimes creates funky formatting, but there didn't seem to be any indication that the point of view was shifting. The shift jarred me the first few times it happened, but then I got used to it and expected it. Like I said, not sure if it was my format and there IS an indication that I wasn't seeing on my Kindle, but just something to think about as you start reading so that you are prepared for the shifting POV's. 

With that said, I LOVED the dual point of views. I loved Miranda. Same with Phillips. I don't want to get spoilery, so I am not going to talk about plot, but I loved the characters and I love what Gwenda did with them. The pace was perfect and kept me turning the pages frantically from beginning to end. 

Five stars is not enough for this book. I would give it ten if I could. Seriously. It's a brilliant premise, and executed beautifully. (And, I mean, look at that cover, isn't it gorgeous???) When this book comes out in September, if you were intrigued by the book's description, you HAVE to pick it up.