Stork by Wendy Delsol - Review

Brilliance!

WOW what a powerful, beautiful story - so involved...the details and little eccentricities, make this one a story that once your pulled in, the story itself becomes like water.

Fully submerged, I felt no desire to come back to the world...

The thickness of Wendy Delsol's writing, well wow, it's intense, the weight of each word, each thought, and in turn each sentence, drew me back to the earth much like turning off the gas, while up in the air in a hot air balloon, hesitating, I did not want to come back!

Synopsis via goodreads:
Sixteen-year-old Katla has just moved from Los Angeles to the sticks of Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, she learns to her horror that she’s a member of an ancient order of women who decide to whom certain babies will be born. Add to that Wade, the arrogant football star whom Katla regrettably fooled around with, and Jack, a gorgeous farm boy who initially seems to hate her. Soon Katla is having freaky dreams about a crying infant and learns that, as children, she and Jack shared a near-fatal, possibly mystical experience. Can Katla survive this major life makeover and find a dress for the homecoming dance? Drawing from Norse mythology and inspired by The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, debut author Wendy Delsol conceives an irreverent, highly entertaining novel about embracing change and the (baby) bumps along the way. 

At first I will be honest I picked up this book with hesitation, I mean Icelandic mythology, and names like Hulda, Dorit ect. I was not at all sure I could handle it – I even commented on goodreads after the first 60 or so pages that I was not at all sure if I liked it...and now, after having allowed the details to immerse me I am giving it 5 mushrooms!

Stork is, and I know I have said it a lot lately, one of the most original books I have ever read...I mean, come on, how many books have you picked up recently that deal with a human “stork?” It's not the norm for the YA Paranormal genera, which made it all the more rich and almost deliciously daring!

The characters also added to the decadence of this carefully thought out, brilliant novel – like a rich cake that is so moist you nearly have to drink it, instead of chewing – Katla, wove her beautiful web around my heart; with her head strong ways, and opinions about everything – I laughed at her, understood her, and enjoyed watching her not take any crap from anyone!

I also loved Jack, Kat's faithful companion, but not in the way your thinking...yes there's a love story, but Wendy Delsol creates this story in such a way that, it's comfortable...like that old ratty sweatshirt you only pull out of the closet when you need a gentle hug, after a long day. Jack is Mr. dependable, warm, sensitive, not at all the bad boy we so love in YA Lit these days...he's got a heart that he wears on his sleeve, which sadly for him allows for it to get dirty from time to time – but never fear Jack is strong, in all the right ways!

I also loved the “ladies” of the Stork Society, though we don't know them all, that well – they defiantly, though totally different than my own grandmother's, reminded me of them greatly – with their sage “old world” advice, that Kat tends to shrug off, only to realize that maybe sage advice is advice that has been tested time and time again, and it might help her to listen to it, they brought such a light to this novel...especially Hulda, whom though she travels with many secrets, shares her light, power and grace with Kat!

Bottom Line – Wendy Delsol, you can tell did her research for this novel, it's not some crackerjack paranormal book with little to no imagination – this story wields with it, plot twists and turns, secrets and truths like none other...it's unique, an exceedingly rare pink diamond in a sea of somewhat ordinary white ones. Stork did not disappoint me, and though it took me a good 60+ pages to get good and buried in the story, I am so glad I did not give up, it was worth ever second I spent reading! I give Stork 5 mushrooms, and simply can not WAIT till we get to see more of Kat and Jack – not to mention my beloved Hulda!

Buy, Borrow or Steal? If original, well thought out paranormal love stories are your thing, this is one you should not over look! And honestly, I have to tell you – with all the new authors popping up in the YA world, competition is going to get even stiffer than it already is to get published! WOW...I don't envy the writers of today!

Stork
By: Wendy Delsol
355 Pages
Published: October 12, 2010
Publisher: Candlewick
Received via an ARC tour for my honest review.