Katana by Cole Gibsen

First of all, guys, sorry for my absence. I sort of had a lot of things to get together, like reading book assigned for my AP English Lit class (I know, summer required reading?), but I will try to make up for it!

P.S. I'm not excactly sure if this book counts as a standalone because it's on the list, but on Goodreads it says "Katana #1', so, of course I hope there's more, but, I hope that I don't anticipate something that's not going to happen.


Well, anyway...


Katana


Author: Cole Gibsen

Release Date: March 8, 2012

Publisher: Flux

Summary (Goodreads):

Skater girl or supernatural samurai? Rileigh Martin wants to believe that adrenaline gave her the strength to fend off three muggers in the mall parking lot. But adrenaline doesn't explain the voice in her head giving her battle tips and warnings.

While worrying that she's going crazy (always a reputation ruiner), Rileigh gets a visit from Kim, a handsome martial arts instructor, who tells Rileigh she's harboring the spirit of a five-hundred-year-old samurai warrior.

Relentlessly attacked by ninjas, Rileigh has no choice but to master the katana--a deadly Japanese sword that's also the key to her past. As the spirit grows stronger and her feelings for Kim intensify, Rileigh is torn between continuing as the girl she's always been and embracing the warrior inside her.

My Thoughts:

This book first starts off with Rileigh (cool spelling for her name, am I right?) and her best friend (who just so happens to be gay), Quentin leaving the mall when they see an older woman getting her bag stolen from her. The next thing Rileigh knows, she's gotten the purse back and fought the muggers, all without remembering it. The Muggers end up attacking again, though Rileigh beats them off again, but she ends up in the hospital. The next morning, a strange guy knows who she is, and she's kind of creeped out by it.

He leaves her at the hospital, to avoid confrontation with others, but he does find her again, and he tells her--get this-- that she has the spirit of a great samurai warrior in her body. And there's others. Rileigh doesn't know what to believe, but certainly not what Kim (the guy) has told her. Eventually, through circumstances (some of her own making), she's finally convinced, and convinces herself to help Kim and the rest of the reincarnated warriors.

First of all, reincarnation in the novel. You can't do anything wrong with going in that direction, 'cause it is really awesome (makes me wish I was a reincarnated samurai warrior). Second of all... Pointy weapons! Loved it from the start, even when I first saw the cover of the book (though, I admit that the bright color really drew me, along with the summary).

So, from the start, you can feel the tension between Kim and Rileigh (you know what kind I'm talking about) and it makes you think 'ohh, I wonder what that's stemming from'. When I finally found out, I was like... Wow (nuh-uh-uh, you gotta read it).

So, I really like this book and all of the characters in it. I do wish that it were longer than how long it was. By the end I was like 'Was that all???' I think all of you would be like that, too, because it was, simply put a really good book that I absolutely enjoyed reading.

So, of course I have to give this book a five, don't I? So, that's what it got.