Book Review: Outshine

Title: Outshine
Author: Nola Decker
Publisher: 7 Sparks Press
Release Date: 11/04/2014 
Pages: 327
Service: Netgalley 
Format: Ebook 
Download: Kindle
Buy: Book Depository
Author Twitter: @Nola_Decker

'When agoraphobic Gabe and his outgoing nemesis Jessa go on an adventure to locate Gabe's missing brother, the two teens discover they are both hiding unnatural abilities: Gabe is a living lie detector and Jessa is a kick-ass powerhouse pretending to be a delicate diva. 

Gabe's sole reason for Watts, his overbearing younger brother, is to clear his own name: he's been framed for Watts' alleged murder. Jessa is after Watt because she is, well, after him. 

They find with with Deacon, the twisted eugenicist responsible for their unusual powers. He encourages them to stay and join him "Family" where they'll be able to live openly as the genetically-modified freaks they are. When Jessa and Gabe discover the truth about Deacon's past - and what he wants for the future - they band together to stop him. Watts. however, might have other plans...'

I'll be honest, Outshine did take me a very long time to finish off and there were a few reasons for it. The plot itself was extremely interesting. After reading the blurb on Netgalley I was really looking forward to reading it. So, once they said I could have a copy and it was sent to my tablet, I started it straight away. Was I disappointed in this book? A little. 

Jessa was a character that I thought was going to bug me throughout the book and she did. I really didn't like her, it was part of her character because as I read on I learnt more about her ad it made sense why she was acting the way that she did but I still couldn't find it in me to look her. She wanted everything. The best of both worlds. And even after going through what she did in the book, I felt like she didn't really grow. Not as much as I thought she would. Gabe was someone that I just constantly felt bad for. Luck never seems to be on his side and he always seems to be second best. I loved the way that Decker played his character out and the way that he coped with being a 'human lie detector'.

There were parts of the book that really did want me to carry on reading. These little shots where something exciting would happen, or it would be left on a cliffhanger and I wanted to know what was going on. But these were few and far between. For me, I felt as though the plot just dragged a little to much for my liking. Normally I quite like it when I in the middle of a book and I think things are coming to an end until I realise I've still got a huge chunk left. It makes me wonder what else could be going on. This time around, I didn't really enjoy that. There were quite a few times when I thought that the book would have come to an end until I realised that there were still lose ends to tie up and that I was only about 60% of the way in. There was just no real love for me to want to pick up this book.. The idea of the plot was great but when written, it wasn't something that I really enjoyed and the writing style really wasn't for me. 

Jessa and Gabe, from the beginning, were a pair that I really hoped wouldn't end up together. I really hoped that they wouln't fall for each other for the fact that they hated each other from the beginning. I was expecting it though, and trying to prepare my self for it For me, the two of them falling for each other just came out of nowhere and I don't really understand how it happened. That was one thing that really did bug me. 

There is a sequel to 'Outshine' and I don't think that I'll be picking it up. This book really wasn't for me but there were a few parts that I did really enjoy.

Rating: ★★1/2

Netgalley and 7 Sparks Press sent me this book in return for an honest review.