Book Review: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

The Replacement is Yovannoff's debut novel. I decided to read it after falling in love with the American book cover - the pram with the knives mobile. Unfortunately, the British cover was a dude with Justin Bieber hair. That's what you get for being a cover tart. But moving on swiftly...

The plot is very interesting: in the little town of Gentry, human babies are being replaced by some other creature's offspring and Mackie, a 17 years-old boy, is one of the replacements. To make matters worse, he's in love with Tate, whose sister has just been taken, and he's the only one who can help get her back before it's too late. But to do that Mackie will have to own up to what he is, when all he wants to do is to fit in and date Tate.

BOOK SPECS:

Number of pages: 375

Format read: Paperback

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance, Romantic Suspense, Horror

Tropes: Identity Swap, Reluctant Hero, Fairies

SHORT REVIEW:

The Replacement is an easy, mysterious, action-packed good read. I really enjoyed it, would recommend it, and have read it more than once. Caveat, though, this novel gets quite gory towards the end, so walk away slowly if you don't like bloody scenes.

HEART RATE:

SMUT SCORE:

Buy it on Amazon

---

FULL REVIEW:

Plot & Characters

The characters are well developed and the plot is enticing. The story is actually so engrossing that although Yovanoff doesn't really explain anything in detail (is he a fairy, is he a demon, is he an alien?) you don't really care. All you want to know is if he and Tate will get together, and if he'll manage to rescue her sister. 

Tate is also far from being the damsel in distress. Or... You could call her that if your idea of a damsel is a kick-arse lady. It isn't Mackie that gets into fights, it's Tate. She also seems to understand that he's not human, even before that comes into frame. And I, for one, actually really enjoyed reading about a feisty love interest.

Smut and Romance Score

There is a hint of smut, coming from Tate, of course. But mostly, it's just kissing. Here is an edited version of one of my favourite scenes for your reading pleasure:

"There is something else I need to tell you." [Mackie]

"So, tell me." [Tate]

"I like you."

"You what?"

"I like you. A lot."

"This is a really inappropriate place to be having this conversation."

"I know. I like you anyway."

"Don't say it unless you mean it."

"I don't say anything I don't mean." I leaned closer, smelling the metallic smell again. "Take your necklace off."

"Why?"

"Because if you don't, I can't kiss you."

She stood looking up at me. Then she reached back and undid the clasp.

[...]

"I'm not normal, Tate."

"I know." Her hand was working its way under my shirt, then touching my skin, sliding over my chest and my stomach, down into my jeans. "Does this feel good?"

I closed my eyes and nodded.

"You're normal enough."

Writing

Written from Mackie's point of view, not a female lead, this was a nice change from the latest romance books I've read. And for me, Yovanoff managed to successfully pull off the workings of a male mind. There is nothing worse than a female writer pretending to be a bloke that then acts and talks like a woman. Unless of course, that it's intentional. 

If Mackie is fay, Yovanoff also introduces faeries from an angle I've never read before - menacing and macabre. No warrior fay folk or Tinker Bell.

In sort, a really good and interesting read.

Buy it on Amazon