Oleah Chronicles: Truth

Angel Seriki thought she was just another regular high school teen, until she discovered she was in fact an Oleah – part human, part lion. Her parents kept her heritage a secret to protect her against an evil witch who wants to steal her powers. While Angel has to come to terms with the reality of who and what she is, she also has to deal with her rising attraction toward Zander, while she’s still not sure if she can trust him or not. 

While the concept held a lot of promise, in particular with Angel being half human, half lion, which is quite unique and original, it didn’t really deliver. Angel finds out about who she is, then meets this mysterious guy – Zander – at school, and falls head over heels for him, which is a plot that’s been used over and over again in YA literature. 

The characters however, are quite another story. The young adults’ dialogue is too young for their age, and they act more like middle-graders than young adults. Their personalities are not developed enough for the reader to really connect to them, all except for the main character, who seemed almost like a genuine person. Zander, the love interest, on the other hand, is just another typical “bad boy” and their relationship seems forced.  

Good writing though, and fast-paced enough to keep the reader’s attention. 

Majanka Verstraete