Book Review: Finding Sky by Joss Stirling.

Product details:
Publisher: Oxford University Press.
Paperback, 320 pages.
Release date: October 7th 2010.
Rating: 3½ out of 5
Ages: Young Adult.
Source: Received from publisher for review.

When Sky catches a glimpse of Zed for the first time, lounging against his motorbike at school, she is drawn to him just like every other girl in Wickenridge. But Zed sees something special in her that the other girls don't have. Zed tells her they are both Savants - people with special powers like telepathy and the ability to see into the future. Not only that, she is a Savant too, and his soulfinder - meant to be together.

When a soulfinder speaks telepathically to her partner, it's like all the lights coming on in a building. You lit me up like Vegas. But for Sky it's just not that easy - she's a mystery to herself, haunted by nightmares from her past before she was adopted, and riddled with doubt and insecurity. Just when Sky is slowly coming round to the idea of being with Zed she is kidnapped by a family of criminal Savants. In a chilling twist, Sky and Zed's relationship is put to the ultimate test and the fate of those she loves lie in Sky's hands. Will Sky have the strength to embrace her power and be brave enough to control her own destiny, or will the dark demons of her past prevent her from realising her true potential? 

Finding Sky is an exciting debut novel from UK author, Joss Stirling. In a market filled with paranormal fiction, Stirling offers something a little different with this book. I’m sure many of you have read lots of books involving vampires, werewolves, and angels, but have you ever read anything featuring savants and their soulfinders? If you have, let me know! Savants are a totally new one on me, and I enjoyed finding out more about Zed Benedict and his six hot savant brothers!

We meet our heroine Sky Bright as she lands in Colorado fresh from London. Sky is quite an enigma. We don’t know her real name, or much about her background, save that she was abandoned as a six year old and adopted by artists Simon and Sally Bright. There is an indication that her origins and early life were dark and shady, and she certainly has some secrets in her past. I liked Sky. She’s a sweet and quirky girl, if a little naïve and innocent at times. It’s no secret that I like girls in young adult fiction who are streetwise and sassy, but Sky’s background accounts for her lack of worldliness, and she will appeal to a lot of readers. While Finding Sky does focus on the paranormal, the story also deals with Sky’s coming of age, which was an element of the story that I really enjoyed. When Sky meets Zed Benedict he helps her discover who she really is.

Onto Zed. He’s the resident bad boy at Sky’s new school. Although he’s mean and moody, he’s also drop dead gorgeous, and Sky finds herself immediately drawn to him. It turns out that Zed is a savant and Sky his soulfinder. For soulfinder, read soul mate. The story here dictates that every savant has a soulfinder who they spend their whole lives searching for. The relationship between Zed and Sky progresses from there, although the story remains suitable for younger readers with the relationship staying in pretty safe territory.

My favourite aspect of the story was the savant angle, although I felt that the author could have given us more background information on the origins of savants and their world. I understand that there’s going to be a sequel to this one, so maybe we’ll find out then. The same goes for Sky’s story. Some of her background is revealed towards the end of the book, but I’d like to know more. I also found that while the pace of the story here worked well, the primary plot was a little predictable, although still enjoyable.

Overall, Finding Sky is a strong debut, and while it may be a little lacking in the crossover appeal that many young adult books have nowadays, it will certainly be enjoyed by it’s intended teenage audience. Everybody loves a moody bad boy with a sensitive side, and that description fits Zed Benedict to a ‘t’. I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next!