The Social Potato Reviews

Thanks NetGalley and Tor Teen for a copy of the book in exchange for a review. Seriously, thank you,  because this novel surprised me. I didn't expect to love it (given my lukewarm view to PnR in general), but I did! It was such a good and refreshing read!

I think one of the reasons why The Nightmare Affair felt so refreshing was that it incorporated paranormal elements in a whodunit story in a creative and stimulating way. I mean, I've read a lot of paranormal books and mystery stories, but the manner the author wrote it here, as well as other factors I'll disclose in a few, made the whole reading experience a fun ride. And also, it features a freaking dream eater. Dream eaters are awesome.

Worldbuilding? Awesomesauce. So, basically, magickinds roam and thrive alongside ordinary folks since time immemorial. There are a lot of them, so they are classified into three groups: naturekind like fairies and mermaids, witchkind like witches, and darkkind like nightmares and other entities that leech their powers from others. Trust me when I tell you the world Mindee Arnett created is much more diverse and colorful than described above. Imagine Rosario to Vampire except with less demons and monsters and with a lot more variety of magical creatures. Granted, this kind of setup is pretty overused now, given the vast amount of paranormal books out there, but Mindee Arnett has a huge imagination, and she puts this to good use. I'd love to be a student in this Academy myself!

A likeable heroine in a paranormal novel? Fo' real?! For real. Our heroine in this story is Nightmare Dusty - feisty, snarky, strong-willed, incredibly curious but amazingly brave. She's ostracized by her fellow Magickind because of her heritage, but she later finds out she's more than who she is (I totes saw that coming). She doesn't take this positively, though, because she's convinced herself her gift is more of a curse than a blessing. Despite her flaws and insecurities, she's very amiable and funny, making her a character very easy to relate to. Usually, the heroines in this genre of young adult fiction annoy me, because they're oftentimes stupid and impulsive, but not Dusty, nope. She may be curious, but she's calculating and cautious, which makes everything so much better since it's a whodunit story. Finally, someone who doesn't act before she thinks!

Romance is slow, but steady. No instalove! Yahoo! Yes, of course there will be romance. That's a given. But what made me appreciate this book a lot was the fact that despite there are relationships blossoming between characters, the story does not revolve around them and/or they don't take a huge chunk of the story. Trust me, there are a lot of heavy-romance paranormal books out there that are labeled as "mystery"in disguise to give me a huge headache, so the pace of the romance here was a breathe of fresh air. I loved how there was space for everyone to get to know each other better and bond with each other through teamwork and team building. It made the eventual romance more natural, real and definitely, swoon-worthy. *swoons*

Despite all these good points, I did think the plot was predictable. By the second half, I already knew who the bad guys were. Maybe the foreshadowing was too much, or some details gave it away too early, but no matter. Even though I could already taste the suspects in my tongue, I looked forward to how the author would disclose and reveal them. Is it going to end with a bang? Would it be anti-climactic? Needless to say, the escalation to the climax and finale was intense and gripping, and my already knowing of the "mystery" didn't change my overall view of the story. It left me breathless and very satisfied. <

Overall, this book was refreshing and fun. It's a better version of Hex Hall with a darker plot, interesting characters, and real romance. If you're looking for a PnR whodunit story that will leave you giggling and at the edge of your seat, this book is for you. As for me, I'm incredibly excited for the next book, and trust me, you'll feel the same way.

Read our other reviews over at The Social Potato!