Title: Cracked (Soul Eater #1)
Author: Eliza Crewe
Genre/s: Young Adult, Paranormal Fantasy, Horror,
Released Date: November 5, 2013
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Synopsis:
Meet Meda. She eats people.Well, technically, she eats their soul. But she totally promises to only go for people who deserve it. She’s special. It’s not her fault she enjoys it. She can’t help being a bad guy. Besides, what else can she do? Her mother was killed and it’s not like there are any other “soul-eaters” around to show her how to be different. That is, until the three men in suits show up.They can do what she can do. They’re like her. Meda might finally have a chance to figure out what she is. The problem? They kind of want to kill her. Before they get the chance Meda is rescued by crusaders, members of an elite group dedicated to wiping out Meda’s kind. This is her chance! Play along with the “good guys” and she’ll finally figure out what, exactly, her ‘kind’ is.Be careful what you wish for. Playing capture the flag with her mortal enemies, babysitting a teenage boy with a hero complex, and trying to keep one step ahead of a too-clever girl are bad enough. But the Hunger is gaining on her.The more she learns, the worse it gets. And when Meda uncovers a shocking secret about her mother, her past, and her destiny… she may finally give into it.
My Thoughts:
Disclaimer: All quotes in this review are based on an ARC copy and are subject to change in the finished copy of the book.
"I eat what leaves with the soul at the kill. The life. The demons get it from Hell; I get it from assholes."
Meda Melange’s mother always told her that she was special. Maybe it’s because of her special diet…she eat souls. But she soon found out that her mother was wrong, she was not the only one with that kind of diet. After killing a nurse in an asylum, Meda came face-to-face with others like her. She made the wrong move of underestimating them and attacking because their faster and stronger than her. But with a bit of luck, she was saved by Chi (rhymes with “die”), a student Crusader who seem to have a lot of answers about Meda's kind. He also thought that she’s a Beacon, a person who is particularly good and has the ability to change the world, who needed protection. So, in search for answers about herself, Meda went with him and his two other companions, Jo and Uri to the Crusader school/Templars headquarters. There she will find out a lot of information not only about herself and the Templars but also about her mother.
"The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles lied to me. The sewer is emphatically not somewhere you want to live, let alone eat pizza in."
I have never read such an amazing and hilarious internal dialogue in my entire reading life. Every page of this book oozes out Meda’s personality and I can’t help not to love her, no matter how evil she thinks she is. Meda is so true to herself, well, internally. Externally, she’s always acting, her tactical strategy in order to survive. She’s very clever, sarcastic and often times, manipulative. She’s the most entertaining narrator/character I’ve ever read. EVER! And I LOVE HER!!!
"Death is my art form – when I fight, I’m a ballerina. Graceful. Chi lacks my grace, but makes up for it in energy and enthusiasm. His fighting style is like breakdancing – strong and frenetic with some really sweet moves. Jo’s is… the Macarena. Ugly, but it gets the job done."
My love for Meda is tantamount with my love for her supporting characters. They all complemented each other’s personality. Malachi Dupayness (Chi, for short) is bad-ass in fighting demons and overall, great at being a hero but he's clueless to people's motives and intentions. He’s also always cheerful, friendly and just welcoming to everyone. His fatal flaw, which Jo always points out, was that he trusts people easily. He doesn’t have a single suspicious bone in him. But to his defense, he says, he’d rather wrongly trust someone and die than wrongly distrust someone who needed help. He can be sometimes perceived as brave or stupid. But for me, he’s stupidly brave and adorable.
"I’m pretty sure Jo couldn’t talk about the weather without somehow including a threat. Forecast today: cloudy with a chance I’ll kick your ass."
On the other hand, Jo is the yin to Chi’s yang. She’s always suspicious and grumpy. She is Chi’s best friend and used to be one of the best students in Crusader school but after her accident that resulted in her leg braces, she became different. She’s acting tough and indifferent all the time, pushing everyone away including those who care for her. When I found out why she was acting this way, I sympathize with her and I ache for her. Aside from that, I also find it entertaining whenever I see Jo and Chi bicker. They sound like an old married couple when they argue.
“I don’t regret anything. Better to die for something I believe in, than live for nothing at all.”
Uri or Uriel, was Chi’s loyal sidekick. He was a very shy kid who idolizes Chi, almost to the point of worship. At first, I thought he was just an errand boy in the story, someone who get the needed stuff and stall the enemies. But after a while, I can see his character developed into something more than just being a sidekick. He showed me that bravery comes in all sizes and all ages. He was a very admirable kid who will always be remembered.
Overall, Cracked by Eliza Crewe is a hands-down amazing read. It has everything that I wanted in an urban fantasy; great characters, epic fight scenes, laugh-out-loud dialogues and shocking revelations. You'll never find a book quite like this. I'm so excited to see what will happen in the next book. A must-read book for everyone!
My Rating
