Review: Cracked by Eliza Crewe

Cracked

Author: Eliza Crewe
Series: Soul Eater #1
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Genre: YA Paranormal
Format: Ebook
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Source: Received eARC from publisher via Netgalley
Rating: 5 Stars
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***I received a free copy of this book through the publisher. This has in no way changed my opinion of the book. The review below is my open and honest opinion.***

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Meet Meda. She eats people.

Well, technically, she eats their soul. But she totally promises to only go for people who deserve it. She’s special. It’s not her fault she enjoys it. She can’t help being a bad guy. Besides, what else can she do? Her mother was killed and it’s not like there are any other “soul-eaters” around to show her how to be different. That is, until the three men in suits show up.

They can do what she can do. They’re like her. Meda might finally have a chance to figure out what she is. The problem? They kind of want to kill her. Before they get the chance Meda is rescued by crusaders, members of an elite group dedicated to wiping out Meda’s kind. This is her chance! Play along with the “good guys” and she’ll finally figure out what, exactly, her ‘kind’ is.

Be careful what you wish for. Playing capture the flag with her mortal enemies, babysitting a teenage boy with a hero complex, and trying to keep one step ahead of a too-clever girl are bad enough. But the Hunger is gaining on her.

The more she learns, the worse it gets. And when Meda uncovers a shocking secret about her mother, her past, and her destiny… she may finally give into it.

My Review:

I was so surprised at how much I liked this. No, liked isn’t the right word. LOVED. I freaking loved this book. Meda is a demon. She must eat souls to survive. But her mother taught her to only eat the bad souls. Her mother is a constant companion to Meda, serving as her internal conscience.

Meda was by far the funniest character I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Her snarky internal dialogue had me laughing out loud every other sentence. I marked so many places in this book because the lines were too funny to just pass over. Meda really struggles with morality in this book. Her mother taught her to be good, but her primal instincts urge her to rip apart any human she comes across.

What Meda doesn’t know is that there are others out there just like her. When she meets them, she’s eager to learn more about exactly what she is. Her mother didn’t give her much information. Unfortunately, the other demons want to kill her. Lucky for her she meets another group who knows almost as much about her kind. Because they hunt and kill them. But they don’t know what Meda is, so she lies and tags along with them.

The book was packed with lots of intense action and some crazy twists and turns. So many things shocked me and I had to pick my jaw up off the floor several times. It got pretty gruesome at times so prepare yourself for some blood and gory scenes.

The secondary characters were just as awesome as Meda was. The only one I was kind of indifferent about was Chi. His character was just kind of meh for me. Jo is the one who really stole the show. She’s sarcastic, mean, and abrasive, but I instantly liked her. She's strong and logical despite her physical weaknesses. Jo deals with her own struggles along the way and it was interesting and fun to watch her grow right along with Meda.

Then there's Uri, a younger kid only 12 or 13 who has the heart of a lion. This kid was great. He practically worships the ground Chi walks on, but is surprisingly insightful for a kid his age. Uri plays a huge role in helping Meda develop and I loved every scene he was in. 

There was no romance for Meda which was unusual and I kept waiting for it to happen, but it never did. I decided that I was okay with it. I didn't miss it at all. Meda was a great character on her own and it was kind of refreshing to read a YA novel about a strong female character that didn't seem to need a man to complete her. There was a romance going on with the secondary characters though which I loved. 

The plot moves quickly and the world-building was pretty good. I didn't find myself questioning very many things and the information is weaved in effortlessly. I couldn't turn the pages of this one fast enough. There were a few things that I would like to know more about, but I'm sure that will come in subsequent books. The ending definitely tied up enough where it could be a standalone, but according to Goodreads it's the first in a series and for that I am eternally grateful. I can't wait to read more about Meda and hear her witty banter, both with herself and her friends. I wish this girl could be my best friend, you know, as long as she promises not to eat me. If you love paranormal books like The Mortal Instruments, you won't want to miss this awesome new series. Happy reading all!

Have you read this book? Heard of it? What did you think of Meda? Are there any other really funny main characters out there I should meet?