Disharmony

Review Time! Disharmony by Leah Giarratano is an Australian 2012 YA Debut. Released on the 23rd of May, the novel is available for purchase at Fishpond | The Nile |  Booktopia! If anyone is looking for an fantastic Aussie YA - definitely check out Disharmony! Thanks to Penguin for the review copy!

(Goodreads) A psychopath... an empath... a genius. 

Three siblings who will save the world – or destroy it.
They know nothing of each other. They know nothing of the Telling. 
But they’ll need to learn fast if they’re going to survive...

A gripping new series about a collision of worlds, the power of destiny, and the darkness in us all...

The Short Story? - A novel that will satisfy both male and female readers of all ages! Giarratano has brought back YA fiction without the heavy romance tag-a-long. A very appealing plot and a solid ending, I thoroughly enjoyed this "out of the ordinary" debut! Told from alternative perspectives, the novel gives a brilliant insight into two very different lifestyles and craftily intertwines the lives of two very different teenagers. If you're looking for a supernatural read with unique approach Disharmony will please!

The Long Story? - I went into the novel not known what to expect and I finished the novel feeling really satisfied with what I've read. Giarratano's YA debut is definitely something different and unique. The plot is quite complex and really weaves the supernatural with the ordinary. The whole story revolves around these three siblings the Psychopath, the Empath and the Genius. These sibling save the power to change the world for the better and the worse. The novel was quite slow moving, a little too much world-building and character-building I think. It's good that Giarratano's put so much effort into settling readers comfortably into this world of fiction she's created but the pace was just slightly too slow. There wasn't much action for the majority but it finished really strong. I loved the ending and especially the cliff hanger it kind of finished upon. Definitely one I can recommend to both male and female readers because romance is far from the storyline. I enjoyed it, there was room for improvement but overall a solid debut!

The characterisation was very well done. Maybe a little too well done with the slow pace but nevertheless the novel offered plenty of opportunities to connect with the characters. Disharmony is told from alternating perspectives of the Psychopath - Luke and the Empath - Samantha who are twins that were separated from birth. The twins knew nothing of each other until 3/4 of the way through the book and they lived very different lifestyles. I loved how Giarratano has built up this wonderful gypsy world for Sam to grow up in and this harsh, brutal Juvenile Detention centre upbringing for Luke. It really fits their whole Psychopath and Empath take. Luke doesn't seem like a Psychopath to me, he has high tolerance of bullying and pain but to me he seems like a slightly disturbed nice kid. I'm keen to see where Giarratano takes him in the sequel. Sam is lovely, very compassionate and she holds her family and friends close. We didn't meet the Genius until the very end and he still remains a mystery but from what I can see, Giarratano will undoubtedly develop his characters very well as well!

All in all, it was a very strong debut. There were aspects such as the pace that I didn't like but the majority of the novel was fantastic. I loved the world-building, I loved the unique plot and I love the characters. Giarratano has debuted into the YA market with a remarkable novel that's bother original and compelling. Even slow pace I found it very hard to put the novel down! One to put on your radar - Disharmony will appeal to readers of all ages and sexes.

What's it Worth? - Squeeze Into Your Budget/ Hand Over Your Paycheck


Badass Bookie xx