Review: Stork (Stork, #1) by Wendy Delsol

Family secrets. Lost memories. And the arrival of an ancient magical ability that will reveal everything.

Sixteen-year-old Katla LeBlanc has just moved from Los Angeles to Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, Katla soon finds out that she’s a Stork, a member of a mysterious order of women tasked with a very unique duty. But Katla’s biggest challenge may be finding her flock at a new school. Between being ignored by Wade, the arrogant jock she stupidly fooled around with, and constantly arguing with gorgeous farm boy and editor-in-chief Jack, Katla is relieved when her assignment as the school paper’s fashion columnist brings with it some much-needed friendship. But as Homecoming approaches, Katla uncovers a shocking secret about her past — a secret that binds her fate to Jack’s in a way neither could have ever anticipated.

With a nod to Hans Christian Andersen and inspired by Norse lore, Wendy Delsol’s debut novel introduces a hip and witty heroine who finds herself tail-feathers deep in small-town life.

While I find the fantasy genre to always be a place a good book can be easy to find, originality is not always as easy to find. There are tons of unique spins on similar topics, but when I heard about Delsol's story I couldn't resist. Throw in the gorgeous cover they worked with and I was itching to get my hands on a copy of my own. I had no prior knowledge of the Norse lore associated with the story and referenced throughout, but that made it more of a page turner for me, more of the unknown and new to discover.

Katla suffers from being uprooted as a high school student from California to Minnesota, and if that wasn't bad enough in her opinion she discovers she's a Stork. Without revealing too much, Katla's realized she's meant to be a member of an elite and very ancient secret order. Let's just say it was understandable that it took her some time to come to terms with the discovery and her new place in all that was revealed.

Slowly but surely she begins to make head way in the friends department and can I just say... you'll have a lot of fun trying to figure her and Jack out. Secrets are revealed, hardships are weathered, and a lot of tough decisions need to be made, and Katla's caught in the middle of it all.

If you're looking to step out of the normal fantasy material, this might be a good change of pace for you, but without completely turning you upside down. I'm looking forward to see where the rest of this series will go, with the second installment, Frost (Stork, #2) set to hit shelves October, 11, 2011.

I gave Stork (Stork, #1) 3 shamrocks!!!