Thin Air by Lynn Seresin

Title: Thin Air
Series: Thin Air #1
Independently Published
August 7, 2011

Synopsis:

Alice Ayre is no ordinary teenager. She took her first name from a statue in Central Park, pulled her last name out of the air (literally), and she’s actually almost a thousand years old. In fact, the only “ordinary” thing about Alice is that she’s in love.

Alice was a sylphid—a winged air spirit—when she spotted Daniel Field camping in the Adirondacks and lost her heart to the handsome NYU student. Intangible to the human senses, her only hope of winning his heart resides in becoming mortal, even though transmutation is forbidden by Paralda, ruler of the air. Risking punishment, however, seems a small price to pay for a chance at true happiness.

Tracking down Daniel in New York City ends up being surprisingly easy. Getting noticed by him for all the right reasons is another story, especially when the human world keeps tossing challenges in Alice’s path. Just when she’s mastered zippers and buttons, she catches herself dropping a sugar packet into her coffee and mistaking a photo of John Lennon for one of Daniel’s relatives. Her eccentricities raise the occasional eyebrow with Daniel and his friends, but her quirky charm, sweetness, and sincerity win out. Before long, she lands a job, begins a relationship with Daniel, and starts settling into her new life—until her past comes after her.

Enraged over Alice’s departure, Paralda has sent transmuted assassins to pursue her into the human world. A near-fatal fire on a camping trip and the murder of a look-alike employee at the club where Alice works convince her they are closing in fast. Alone with her secret–who would believe her?—Alice must elude a nameless, faceless enemy sworn to destroy the happy, new life she’s risked so much to achieve.

Welcome back for day two of my participation in the Thin Air Virtual Book Tour. Today I bring you a review of an amazing and unique book. I hope you enjoy! You can find yesterday's interview with the author, Lynn Seresin, HERE...along with details about the giveaways. Tomorrow's stop will be...The Bursting Bookshelf. Don't forget to attend every stop so you can enter to win the grand prize.  

I cannot tell you how much I adored this book, especially Lynn’s characters. They are an amazing group of individuals that are bound by friendship and comradery.  As you know, I always like to tell you a little about the characters so you know who you are reading about, so here they are…

• Aeris – (AKA…Alice Ayre) is a sylphid who chooses to risk everything she has ever known for the one she loves. She is beautiful, talented, and…well, lonely as a sylphid. She must leave the only life, the only home, she knows to complete her life.
• Terra – is a good friend to Aeris; although, they have little interaction in this book, I truly enjoyed the small role he played in Thin Air and hope to see more of him in Friendly Fire. 
• Tempesta – is Aeris’s well-meaning sister who fears for her safety and happiness when it comes to love.
• Paralda – is the demanding and vengeful king of the Air Elementals.
• Gob – is the king of the Earth Elementals. He is the only one that can give Aeris what she needs to become human.
• Daniel – is a young man of the human breed that Aeris gives her heart to.
• Delilah – is, well, a bitch! I just can’t describe her in any other way. Even Daniel, her boyfriend, knows she is a terrible example of a human being.
• Rose Quartz – is a lovely woman who helps Aeris, now Alice, find her way into the human world.
• Ignid – is a great help to Alice – assisting her in finding her one true love, Daniel.
• Dante – is my favorite character ever. He is extraordinarily fabulous. He is charming, witty, funny, and a true friend to Alice. Actually, Dante is a true friend to everyone he cares about.
• Shane – is Dante’s other half. They appear to be inseparable. He is loving and supportive of Dante’s singing career and his studies. Shane also helps Alice with some much needed guidance in her new world.
• Wren – is a blind young woman – dating Nicki – who befriends Alice. Wren has a certain “sixth” sense about trouble and is quick to warn Alice when trouble arises.
• Nicki – is Wren’s boyfriend.
• Giovoni – owns the “palace” that is home to Daniel, Shane, Wren, Nicki, and eventually, Alice.
• Ray – is a friend of Dante and Daniel. Ray is the owner of a bar that the gang frequents. He has plenty of his own secrets to hide. Could he be friend or foe? One can only guess.

Now, here are a couple of my favorite passages:

“With Gob having narrowed their search to New York City, Paralda’s assassins will kill every woman who resembles you in the hopes that they’ll eventually find and destroy you. Humans have a special name for murderers of this sort – serial killers, they’re called.” – Ray

“I slid my leg over his and frowned at the rough feel of denim against my naked thigh. “I liked it better when you weren’t wearing any pants.”…Laughing softly, he kissed my forehead. “That can easily be arranged.” Without another word, her reached down and began to wriggle out of his jeans, thrashing against the confines of the sleeping bag as he did so…”

(Sorry, am a sap for a good love scene, and nope…I’m not telling you who said that quote! You will just have to read the book.)

So now that you know something about the characters, I suppose we should talk a little about the story.

I have read plenty of books about Fae and even a couple that mention Elementals; but, Thin Air is enticingly different from any other novel I have read. 

The beginning of the book felt more plot driven and seemed a little sluggish to me; however, by the time Aire meets Terra and starts her voyage to find Gob, I was completely consumed. At this point the book shifts to a character driven adventure and things really come to life. Alice begins to meet all these wonderful characters who create a loving and sometimes turbulent world.

Lynn does an excellent job of bringing her characters to life. I had premonitions of how I should feel about the characters, and for the most part, my feelings were dead on. However, the jury is still out on a few of these “well-meaning” or is it “menacing” works of art. 

Thin Air is filled with love, heart-ache, drama, and danger. The pace of the book was perfect to keep me flipping the pages well past bedtime. If you are a lover of mythology or tales of fae…I believe you will more than love this book – you will covet this book.

Recently, I have read several books that include characters that enjoy an alternative lifestyle and I truly appreciate authors who embrace this element. Lynn made Dante’s and Shane’s relationship seem so effortless and surrounded them with people who truly appreciate them as the wonderful people they are.

You can purchase your copy or find more information about Thin Air at any of these places...

Goodreads | Lulu | Barnes and Noble | Amazon | Facebook

*I was given a free e-book by the author of Thin Air in return for my honest review.