Book Review: Crossroads - Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

Media Type: Ebook
Title: Crossroads
*Series: Crossroads Academy #1
Author: J.J. Bonds
Publisher: Self-published
Pages: Paperback; 310
Release Date: November 2011
Source: Author
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Intended Reading Group: Young Adult
Content Screening: Mild Violence
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HDB Rating: 3 Keys to My Heart
Recommended to: Readers who are fans of the Vampire Academy series.

Add it: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N

When Katia enrolled at Crossroads Academy she knew things weren’t exactly going to be easy. The sole heir to the worlds’ most powerful vampire, her presence was bound to cause a stir. But nothing could have prepared her for this. Whispers follow everywhere she goes. So does trouble.

Bodies start turning up in nearby Rutland and Katia is sucked into a twisted web of danger and deceit. Haunted by nightmares she can’t explain and a thirst for blood that is never sated, Katia will do whatever it takes to keep her past buried.

Nothing at Crossroads is what it seems and Katia’s secrets may be the darkest of them all.

I’m not going to deny that I’m a fan of vampire stories, especially when said stories take place in a boarding school. Lucky for me, there are plenty to choose from! When J.J. Bonds approached me to review Crossroads I couldn’t wait to see what new perspective she would put on this idea.

Katia is enrolled at Crossroads Academy upon her Uncle Aldo’s insistence. Crossroads is a premiere facility that caters to the vampire “pure bloods” mostly, and Katia’s Uncle thinks it is the best place for her. I was a little confused at first as to why it was so important she go to this remote school. However the reader soon discovers that Katia has a secret. Something so dark, that she won’t share it with anyone. No, dear reader, not even with you.

Which brings me to the biggest problem that I had with Crossroads, and that was not getting the opportunity to really dive into Katia’s persona. She’s the narrator. We are inside her head, and yet so little about her actually comes through. I’ll admit that I did like that J.J. Bonds essentially lays a trail of breadcrumbs leading up to what Katia’s big secret is. However it was such a slow buildup that I soon found myself rather bored of her lack of emotional depth. I understood the tactic, I just didn’t feel like it drew me in.

On the flip side, the descriptive writing regarding other people and places in the story really shines. Crossroads itself is shown in gorgeous details, and the supporting characters actually get more love in the depth department than Katia does. Also, the plot was refreshing. Although it falls into a genre saturated with books, Bonds still manages to put her own spin on the way that things work in the vampire world. It’s honestly what kept me reading, and what I know will bring me back for more. Now that Katia’s secret is out, things can only get more interesting.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.

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