Magic. Power. Secrets. Everybody has something to hide. Zan is a boy with a strange power: the ability to see all of your secrets, past, present, and future … if you’re a girl. Oh, and if you put your finger in his belly button.
With that specific, intimate touch, Zan is able to visit the Secret Town of any girl. There’s just one problem. He never likes what he finds.
When Zan meets Austin, a mysterious girl with long hair and a contagious enthusiasm for life, it doesn’t take long for her curiosity to get the better of her. Zan braces himself to see the worst, but then the unexpected happens.
In his vision, he doesn’t see anything.
How can he be in love with a girl who has no future?
Zan (previously titled 'Poke') by Dalya Moon is a 50,000 word novella, which made it a very quick and fun read for me, I don't usually read novellas but I have enjoyed two of Moon's books and really wanted to try this one. And I did enjoy it, really, I just don't think that me and novellas really get along because I loved the storyline in this book and it started well and ended well with few holes to be patched up but I know that I would have enjoyed it much more if it had been stretch out a little more.
What I really liked about Zan is (aside from the awesome name of the main character) that it was a paranormal book that doesn't take itself too seriously, it's a funny book whereas most paranormal romances these days are pretty dark and this was such a welcome change for me because I barely ever get to read these light-hearted reads unless they are contemporary. As well as the funny side of things, a few issues are tackled but these don't get too serious. However as I said above, the book could have been stretched out a little more, though I am looking forward to reading the sequel, eventually.
The pacing was pretty great overall though there were a few parts where it seemed to slow a little bit and for a while I was wondering where the plot was before this novella found it's feet, so stick it out a while before you make up your mind whether you're into this book or not.
Finally, the romance aspect of the book was good. I was never completely invested in the romance but that's because this book isn't overly romance heavy, I mean it is there and does play a big part but it isn't too 'serious' about it. I liked the way that the romance developed as it was unconventional for a YA novel because of the one night stand start and the older woman aspect.
Overall, a pretty fun book that I finished pretty quickly, I liked the genre and how quirky this book but it didn't grab me really.
Overall Topic: C+
Released 23rd January 2012
Book received from the author in exchange for an honest review
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