Review: Ink by Amanda Sun

Title: Ink
Author: Amanda Sun

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen
Publishing Date: June  25th 2013

Pages: 326
Genre:  YA Modern Fantasy/Mythology

Series: Paper Gods #1
Source:  Audio

 

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.
Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.
Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

I was very excited to read this book. It sounded different, exciting, imaginative. I was dying to get to it on my audio. Unfortunately I was left very disappointed after reading this book. The writing wasn't bad, the story had great potential, but I felt even with a great idea for a story... it was so cliche to what has been out there in YA right now. I was looking for something new and exciting and didn't get it. 

Katie lost her mother and moved to Japan to live with her aunt, an English teacher in a Japanese school. While Katie is at school she finds some drawing from what seems like a very bad boy with huge attitude, Tomohiro The drawings moved on the paper. Katie felt very intrigued... so would I... so she follows him around and finds that he has a pretty big secret. He is a paper god and his drawings come to life. Of course he says he is dangerous and to keep away, Katie doesn't listen... they fall in love and then they find themselves in deep trouble with a pretty vicious gang because of the paper god ability that Tomohiro has. 

I really felt jipped after reading this book. It had such promise. I loved the idea behind the story, the paper gods, the drawings, the Japanese mob. It was a great beginning but it fell into the trap of all the YA cliches out there. 

There was insta love, and even though I am not one to be bothered by this much... when its done right and its goes from insta attraction to insta crush to insta love and its taken in stride. OK this may not be the same thing as insta love... but the characters in this book go into the "my world will shatter without you, I just will n not survive" kind of insta love. This kind bothers me. They are 16... and I promise your world will not shatter and you will survive. Not only insta love but we also have the I want you, but I shouldn't, Stay away, oh but I must have you... kind of thing. I hate that. In fact it was on my top ten list this week. 

The characters are quite cliche too. Katie is the new girl has a few good friends but really an outcast. She meets a good looking boy everyone tells her to stay away from. She feels the pull to him even though her brain says no. Tomohiro is the known bad boy can be quite sweet but comes off most of the time as real jerk. He is hiding a big secret, his life is dangerous for anyone else involved.  Yup that about covers it. 

So I had a very hard time enjoying the good parts about the book. There were some good parts. The idea of paper gods and what they can do was pretty cool. I loved the Japanese mob being a part of the story.. I love a good mob story. I also loved the secondary characters that I didn't get to spend a bunch of time with. The action in the end was pretty good too. I also loved the learning and reading about the Japanese culture. So there were some good things about the book. They just didn't out weight the bad. 

I was able to finish the book. I wanted to know what would happen but I am not sure if I will finish the series. Possibly just to see what happens and maybe since the insta love and cliche characters are out of they way it will get better. 

Not what I was hoping for. 

I’m a YA author and proud Nerdfighter. I was born in Deep River, Canada, a very small town without traffic lights or buses, and where stranger safety is comprised of what to do if you see a bear—or skunk. I started reading fantasy novels at 4 and writing as soon as I could hold a pencil. Hopefully my work’s improved since then.

​In university I took English, Linguistics, and Asian History, before settling into Archaeology, because I loved learning about the cultures and stories of ancient people. Of course, I didn’t actually become an archaeologist—I have an intense fear of spiders. I prefer unearthing fascinating stories in the safety of my living room.

​The Paper Gods is inspired by my time living in Osaka and travelling throughout Japan. That and watching far too many J-Dramas. I currently live in Toronto with my husband and daughter. When I’m not writing, I’m devouring YA books, knitting nerdy things like Companion Cubes and Triforce mitts, and making elaborate cosplays for anime cons.