Book Review: Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

Goodreads Summary:

Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns...

Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. Fortunately, they've been extinct for a hundred and fifty years.

Or not.

Astrid had always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend—thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom—Astrid finds herself headed to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries.

However, at the cloisters all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from the crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to—perhaps most dangerously of all—her growing attraction to a handsome art student ... an attraction that could jeopardize everything.

My take:  

Rampant is an excellent first book in an amazing new series featuring killer unicorns. Yes, killer unicorns. Popular belief on the nice and sweet creatures, is changes in this story and it's done very well. The story starts right off explaining about them through the narration of the very spunky Astrid. I LOVED her character, it was very believable from the way she explained things straight to the point. It has enough heart to it though, that you could actually feel what she was going through; and boy was she going through some pretty rough stuff.

Without giving anything away, I will say, that I loved Diana Peterfreund's description of the different races of unicorns. She did a great job in making them realistic enough that they were beautiful yet extremely dangerous. Then their are the boys, aren't their always boy? Astrid has this whole destiny thing going for her, and then she meets someone that makes her want to throw it all away. The way their interactions are written, it's easy to really want them to be together and at the same time not. 

The other characters in the book are the many different personalities of the other hunters like Astrid. Then their is the bad guy, because there is always a nemesis in a story like this. That storyline was a little light, and could have been done a little better, but it did work for the plot. The lore and history is well paced and done in a way that makes you understand things along with Astrid. I liked putting all the pieces together like a puzzle, and then screaming OMG didn't see that coming! I definitely recommended this book, and I can't wait to read it's sequel Ascend.

Check out Rampant by Diana Peterfreund here  on Goodreads to give a read! :)

Currently I'm still in the middle of writing the outline for the third book in my Staying Alive series, and while it's going great, I'm taking a break today. A not a bummer summer break to be in fact! I'm actually leaving the house, and going outside in the sun, and might even go swimming. It's shocking I know! I may have forgotten their is EVEN an outside lately, but it'll be nice to get away from the computer for a bit. Chances are I may come home with a sunburn, and since I am a redhead, chances are very high.

Lastly, don't forget to sign up for my Retro Summer Blogfest that is coming up next month. Remember to search for some mixed cd's, the more variety the better! I can't wait to hear how everyone's tastes vary, and mine are VERY mixed. Off to get ready for some sun, and remake another pot of coffee, can't fall asleep in the pool! ;)

Blog back soon and happy first day of summer!