Glimmerglass: A Faeriewalker Novel

Written by Jenna Black

Narrated by Christina Delaine

It's all she's ever wanted to be, but it couldn't be further from her grasp…

Dana Hathaway doesn't know it yet, but she's in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, again, Dana decides she's had enough and runs away to find her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the captivating, magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and the only person who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.

Soon, Dana finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone seems to want something from her, from her newfound friends and family to Ethan, the hot Fae guy Dana figures she'll never have a chance with… until she does. Caught between two worlds, Dana isn't sure where she'll ever fit in and who can be trusted, not to mention if her world will ever be normal again…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Aug 3, 2010
• ISBN: 9781427211842

Jenna Black

Jenna Black is the author of Dark Descendant, Deadly Descendant, Pros and Cons, and Rogue Descendant, the first four works in her Immortal Huntress series. She is also the creator of the popular Morgan Kingsley urban fantasy series, the Guardians of the Night paranormal romance series, and the Faeriewalker young adult fantasy series. She once dreamed of being the next Jane Goodall, until she realized that primates spend 80 percent of their time not really doing anything. She moved on to such pastimes as grooming dogs and writing technical documentation before becoming a full-time writer of fiction. She lives in North Carolina. Visit her website at JennaBlack.com.

Reviews for Glimmerglass

[auroraceleste_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another fairy book, about another human girl who finds out that her father is a powerful fairy . . . I guess I had a theme this week. This book is good in a different way from Entice, though. It's less about killing fairies and more about fairies as real people, if not more powerful and political. Dana spends the book trying to get *to* her father while fairies, humans, and other mythical creatures try to prevent their reunion for various political reasons that Dana (and thus, the reader) can't really ever untangle for the absolute truth. The story is very well written, and easy to follow because the action is steady but not unrelenting. The bits of romance are plausible as well as entertaining. I am greatly looking forward to the next book in this series.

[snazz_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have absolutely no idea why this book does not have at least four stars. If you're like I was and and are hesitant to read it because of that... just read it. I really have no idea why it's rating is so low. I've just finished reading all three of the books and objectively, this book has to be at least four stars. The world building is fantastic. I loved the way Avalon is made to be a part of the world that all humans and faeries know about. It's a sovereign nation with it's own government, police force, customs, etc. I've heard Avalon mentioned in other faerie books, but it was always a place merely rumored to exist. Plus the idea of a faeriewalker is a new twist on faerie lore. The characters are all fully fleshed out and amazing. The storyline with Dana's alcoholic mother is very true to life and adds an element of the real world I haven't come across in any other faerie novels. Ultimately, I am very happy with all of these books and think they are wonderful.

[readerspeak_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really enjoyable urban fantasy, similar in style to Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series?

[whatsmacksaid · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wish I could give this three and a half stars, but I did enjoy Glimmerglass, so I thought I'd round the stars up.

Glimmerglass is enjoyable because it is written better than a great deal of other YA fantasy out there. The main character is a special, rare and highly sought after half-breed (faerie and human), but there is so much life in her--real life, like she could attend anyone's high school and fit right in--that such a premise is easier to swallow.

The main character's father was also particularly interesting. Parents tend to be shunted aside or hidden away for one reason or another in YA fiction--such as the main character's mother is--but her father is a fully-fleshed out character in his own right, and it was fascinating to read about his interactions with his daughter. The same goes for the main character's bodyguard, who is also an adult that isn't abandoned at two dimensions.

Overall, I enjoyed Glimmerglass quite a bit. I was relieved to find a YA fantasy that wasn't poorly written and I have already purchased the sequel. I'm going to start reading it asap.

[tldegray-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Like so many kids who live with one parent Dana imagines that life would be so much better with the other. So she defies her alcoholic mother and seeks out her mysterious father. Dad's thrilled to have her so he sends her plane tickets and Dana's off to Avalon, the city that straddles the worlds of man and faerie.

And that's about the last time anything is easy or good for Dana. It turns out she's just as special as most kids dream of being and that specialness puts her in high demand and high danger. She can't trust anyone, not her political father, her alcoholic mother, or any of her new friends.

I'm definitely coming back for more. In future books I'd like to learn more about Avalon itself, and maybe more about faerie.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tired of being the grown up in her relationship with her alcoholic mother, sixteen-year-old Dana decides it is time to spend some time with her powerful fae father in Avalon, the only human/fae city on Earth. That has to be better, right? Well, not so much.Dana finds herself mixed up in fae politics that she doesn't understand and that no one will explain to her when she reaches Avalon. She kidnapped by her Aunt Grace, rescued by teens Ethan and Kimber, and learns that she is a very rare faeriewalker who can travel between both worlds bringing magic to Earth and technology to Faerie. Everyone has a use for her and she doesn't know who she can trust.I liked Dana. She was forced by her family situation to be too old for her age. At the same time, because she had moved around so frequently with her alcoholic mother, she was younger than her age too. She didn't have any experience making friends and certainly knew nothing about having a boyfriend. Ethan seems more than willing to add to her boyfriend knowledge but she doesn't know if she can trust him.This was a fast-paced story with a bit of romance. I liked the whole concept of a city where humans and fae interact. I liked that she was getting to know her father. I liked that he was honest with her even when she didn't want to hear what he had to say. This is the first book in a trilogy. I'm eager to read the rest.

[krau0098 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have had this book on my TBR pile for quite a while to read. It ended up being an okay book, but wasn’t great. It’s the first book in the Faeriewalker trilogy. I listened to this on audiobook and, although the narrator did a great job creating different character voices, the voice she picked for the main heroine sounded somewhat gnomish...it was raspy, childish and unpleasant to listen to. I wouldn’t recommend listening to this on audiobook. I had a lot of issues with this book. Dana comes across as very childish and naive, which is completely at odds with the fact that she grew up taking care of her alcoholic mom. You would think she’d be a bit more wise and less silly about thinking that traveling to Avalon will solve all her problems. This book is very politics heavy; from the moment Dana steps foot into Avalon she is immersed in politics. This book was more about Dana’s issues with her mom and Avalon politics than anything else. Dana does have a love interest in this book, but I was not impressed with this either. Ethan basically coerces her with magic from the beginning and comes across as more slimy and creepy than swoon-worthy. I don’t plan on reading more of the series, but I sincerely hope that the author does not make Ethan and Dana a couple going forward. I hate the whole misunderstood stalker turned heroic guy thing in YA novels. Overall there just wasn’t anything I really liked about this book. It was okay but nothing special. The characters were childish and lackluster, the story was boring, and the world-building was only so-so. I personally wouldn’t recommend. There are too many really excellent paranorma YA books out there to waste your time reading something this mediocre.

[ishanella · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Dana Hathaway is a halfling - her mother is human, her father is fey. She lives in a world where humans and fey coexist in a city called Avalon. Avalon has its own political system consisting of human and fey rulers, the world and system are explained by the people that Dana meets when she runs away from her alcoholic mother to live with her father - one of the key players in the Avalon political scene. While I appreciated the world building, a lot was explained through dialogue and that becomes monotonous. It would have been great if Jenna Black showed us the world in other ways.

The moment Dana reaches London the reader is launched into a whirl-wind of activity, from her encounter with her Aunt Grace, her kidnapping, fights, flights and the discovery that she’s wanted as a pawn in the play for political power. The story itself moved quickly, but at the same time I felt as though it was dragging - there was a lot of conflict, but not a lot of answers, at least not until the very end.

At the end of the book I felt as though there was just something missing. I like the characters well enough, the story was interesting enough, the plot was ok, but there was just something that I felt was missing. I thought about this a bit and I think I’ve realized that I found myself more interested in the world than I was interested in what happened to Dana - the protagonist. I didn’t really care about her as much as I should, even Kimber was more interesting as a character and I cared more about Kimber than I did about Dana. I think there are many out there who would enjoy this series, but for me, while I liked it, I don’t really want to know anything else about Dana and what happens to her.

[filialibri-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Diese und weitere Rezensionen findet ihr auf meinem Blog Anima Libri - Buchseele

Eigentlich habe ich meine „Feen-Phase“ ja spätestens mit unserem gräulichen Abi-Motto hinter mich gebracht und mittlerweile wirklich keine Lust mehr auf diese Wesen, zumindest nicht in Romanen, in denen sie die alleinige Hauptrolle spielen. Deshalb habe ich mir auch nie „Glimmerglass“ (die Originalfassung von „Rosendorn“) zu Gemühte geführt, obwohl ich schon vor Ewigkeiten darüber gestolpert bin, und hätte mir auch „Rosendorn“ selbst niemals näher angeschaut, wenn es nicht eines Tages einfach in meinem Briefkasten gelegen hätte.

Was für ein Glück! Wobei diese Begeisterung nicht sofort einsetzte, denn nachdem ich mir erstmal Klappentext und Inhaltsangabe durchgelesen hatte, war ich ehrlich gesagt noch skeptischer als eh schon. Die ersten Kapitel von „Rosendorn“ haben mich aber glücklicherweise schnell eines besseren belehrt:
Allein die Idee hinter Rosendorn ist toll. Natürlich ist „Avalon“ nichts neues, der Name wird wohl jedem ein Begriff sein, aber Jenna Blacks Avalon ist erfrischend anders. Die ganze Welt weiß, dass es Feen gibt. Doch Menschen und Feen können nur an einem einzigen Ort der Welt aufeinander treffen, nämlich in Avalon, dort wo sich die Welt der Menschen und die der Feen überschneiden. Jahrhundertelang war Avalon die heißumkämpfteste Stadt der Welt, mittlerweile hat sie sie sich zum unabhängigen Stadtstaat erklärt, der, aus Sicht der Menschen, irgendwo in Großbritannien liegt.

Ich muss zugeben, dass ich einige Sachen nicht sofort verstanden habe, zum Beispiel, dass Feen die Welt der Menschen nicht betreten können und umgekehrt, dass Magie in der Welt der Menschen nicht funktioniert, Technik dafür nicht in der der Feen, und solche Dinge. Insgesamt ist Blacks Weltenaufbau aber durch und durch schlüssig und sehr faszinierend.

Genauso ist auch Dana, die Protagonistin des Romans, aus deren Sicht „Rosendorn“ auch erzählt ist. Ich fand das Mädchen eigentlich sofort sympathisch. Sie ist leidgeprüft, mit ihrer alkohlsüchtigen Mutter, die sie immer wieder quer durch die USA geschleift hat, damit Danas Vater sie nicht finden kann und die Dana dazu gezwungen hat viel zu früh erwachsen zu werden, und trotzdem hat sie sich eine gewisse Naivität und Unsicherheit bewahrt, einfach weil sie in vielen Dingen (darunter auch Jungs) keinerlei Erfahrung hat. Dana ist keine dieser allwissenden/allmächtigen YA-Heldinnen, denen alles gelingt, was sie anfassen. Ebenso wenig ist sie allerdings eins dieser Mädchen, die sich voll und ganz auf ihren Prinzen in glänzender Rüstung verlassen. Sie ist eigentlich nur auf der Suche nach einem Stückchen Kindheit, gerät dabei aber sozusagen vom Regen in die Traufe und obwohl sie nicht wirklich weiß, wie ihr geschieht, kämpft sie tapfer darum, nicht zum wehrlosen Spielball skrupelloser Feen zu werden.

Ich fand Dana, genau wie auch die anderen Charaktere des Buchs, wunderbar beschrieben, sehr facettenreich und, zumindest teilweise, auf Anhieb sympathisch. Das zusammen mit dem außergewöhnlichen Setting und der fesselnden Handlung macht „Rosendorn“ meiner Ansicht nach zum Auftakt einer Serie mit Suchtpotential. Daher gibt es für „Rosendorn“, das mich zwar mit dem nicht ganz so starken Ende dann doch etwas enttäuscht hat, trotzdem volle 5 Punkte.

Auf der Seite des Verlags könnt ihr euch übrigens kostenlos die Vorgeschichte zu „Rosendorn“, eine Kurzgeschichte aus der Sicht von Kimber, durchlesen und runterladen.

Fazit:

„Rosendorn“ hat sich nach anfänglicher Skepsis ganz schnell einen sicheren Platz in meinem „Best Reads 2012“ Regal gesichert und ich will gar nicht wissen, wie lange es noch dauern wird, bis die nächsten Bände erscheinen…

Ich kann die Geschichte wirklich nur jedem Fan von YA Urban Fantasy empfehlen, mir hat sie super gefallen!

[camibrite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very promising beginning to the YA "faerie" genre. Not as dark as Wicked Lovely, but don't hold that against it!

[mlsimmons-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was not a bad book. It is a young adult with a slight hint of romance with mystry and magic around every turn. I am interested in reading the next book.

[kcarrigan-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review from finished copy from GoodReads (Yay! Thank you!)

Fairly enjoyable. A little predictable.

[capnrandm · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Read Abigail's review at All Things Urban Fantasy.

4/11/2011 - Read it for myself, I felt like this book was all about introductions: introducing Dana, her world, and the players in it. I use the word "players" deliberately, as Dana spends much of GLIMMERGLASS learning about people's motives and politics. Betrayal and unpleasant realities are leavened with new friends and cute boys, but Black does a great job of leaving some serious future consequences simmering at book's end. I loved that the Seelie boy in Dana's life is Goth, and can't wait to see how Dana grows out of her insecurities and into her posibilities in future books.

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Like many of the current teen sensations, Glimmerglass has a beautiful cover, which drew me to it. Honestly, when I checked the book out from my local library, I had no idea it was about the fae. The book is better written than many teen novels; Black is quite capable of constructing complex sentences. In fact, her writing style seems very similar to what I imagine mine to be like.

I enjoyed the book, but I did not love it. The characters lacked depth (yes, I know I'm complaining about this all the time). Dana, unlike most teen main characters, acts young for her age and I kept finding myself thinking she was 14. Despite her early independence because her mom was debilitated by alcohol, Dana seemed completely unable to take care of herself. Hopefully, the second book will be a coming of age story for her, where she will mature and learn to take advantage of her powers and stop being a pawn.

Ethan, the main love interest so far, does not appeal to me too much. If Black wants him to be the guy of the series, then she needs to do some convincing. I recommend this to fans of Kelley Armstrong's series that begins with The Summoning.

[angelafristoe · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Faeries aren't really my thing. I don't know what it is, but I just haven't been able to really get behind them. Although I am reading a piece right now that is being work shopped over at thenextbigwriter.com that is absolutely hilarious. What did draw me into Glimmerglass was the cover. I absolutely love it. Now, I've been sucked in by covers before, but here I really do think the cover suits the story, no matter if I was vaguely dissatisfied with the writing. The world building was actually really well done. I had no trouble visualizing Avalon and I love how it is developed as an actual place that has not only Faerie laws but also a human government element controlling the boarders. Things made sense there even if there was a touch of magic. It didn't feel like some fairy tale land, but rather an alternate world that exists with rules that are logical.Dana comes across as pretty selfish and annoying at first, but she did grow on me. I can remember being really frustrated with her instant attraction to Ethan and that she is quick to judge others despite being a horrible judge of character.Ethan seems like the extra slick guy, and he is, but halfway through the book he turns kind of creepy by using magic to calm Dana into submission during a make out session. The saving grace of the situation - Dana flips and actually starts to respond in a sensible, normal way. Ethan's a bit less appealing than that, but since he's introduced way before the two other attractive guys that pop up in Dana's new world. Ethan's sister Kimber was plain annoying at first, even more judgmental than Dana, but once we get some back story on her, she becomes very likable.There were a few nagging things for me. Like how Dana was constantly sleeping. It seemed like every time I turned the page she was just waking up or going back to bed. I wanted to tell the author that it's okay to imply that a day or even two had passed. And it was a bit bothersome how easily Dana's affections strayed. But that is typical of a teenage girl, particularly one who is completely surrounded by hot, HOT guys. I have to say that I loved the idea of a Faeriewalker. Being a non-Faerie reader I don't know how original that concept is, but I loved how Black described it and what Faeriewalkers can actually see that is different.I'm not sure if I ever realized that this was the first in a series. Maybe because I forgot to look, but it was actually the cover of the sequel that made me realize it. I am planning on reading the second book Shadowspell (now that I'm aware of it) and I hope that it sticks with me a bit better than Glimmerglass.

[nicoally · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

16 year-old Dana just wants to fit in, but she finds that difficult with an alcoholic mother and a powerful faerie father that she has never met. She runs away to Avalon to find her father, but as soon as she arrives her dangerous adventure of magic, self-discovery, political power struggle, and romance begins. Dana discovers that she has never been and will never be a normal teenager. Book 1 in the Faeriewalker series creates a suspenseful new world that readers will find hard to break away. The author develops the characters and the readers will develop their own feelings towards them. The plot is unique, but it can be slightly confusing because of the unfamiliar setting of the plot. The reader is dropped into the story without much background information and learns more about this Fae world as the story progresses, but by the end of the book the reader might have more questions than answers. Though the unfamiliar environment may present a problem, the book overall is intriguing. Recommended for readers 14 and up.

[hobbitsies · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Initially, I had mixed feelings while reading Glimmerglass. I’ve never had a drunk as a mother before, so I can’t say that I’m entirely knowledgeable on the subject, but Dana’s decision to split for Avalon seemed too clean and neat. I realize that she explained her history with her mother and how much she’s been through because of it, but nonetheless, the decision to hop on a plane and travel to another country to see a father she’s never met seemed too easy. Dana, of course, regretted jetting off on a semi-whim to see her father, which made it more believable to me.There’s also the fact that she was so accepting of the fact that faeries and this whole other world existed, even though she’d never met anyone or anything to prove that fact (other than her drunk mother). There was not even a doubt in her mind that faeries were real, and that seemed a little strange.Other than that, I really enjoyed Glimmerglass. I thought the plot was really original. Dana’s abilities as a faeriewalker were really nifty and it was easy to understand why a bunch of powerhungry faeries and humans after her. I also really like the word “glimmerglass” and I think it fits really well with what Dana sees when she looks at Avalon.I was able to really identify with Dana and her frustrations because, despite the fact that we have totally different life experiences, she’s a really down-to-earth normal teenage girl. She’s certainly not perfect and she makes a lot of mistakes throughout the course of the book. I thought Ethan and his sister were the perfect characters for Dana to meet after she got kidnapped by aunt and they really helped to move the plot along. Still not sure how I feel about Ethan, though.I really liked the “Knight” class and I want to know more about why Keane didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps. The ending really threw me for a loop, and I’m so glad this is a series and not just a standalone book! I’m looking forward to the second book, Shadowspell, which releases January 2011.

[thost315 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was AWESOME! I really don't even know where to start with this one...First off, I liked the author's writing style. It seemed almost like the character was talking to a friend the whole time which helped make it easy to relate to a fictional situation. The fact that she wrote like this really worked because, even though it definitely could've dampened the story, it never sacrificed reading level or quality.... If that makes any sense...When it comes to characters, they too were well developed. The main character, Dana Hathaway, was pretty smart through all her perils and danger. Thank God she wasn't one of those all too familiar girls who always put themselves in life threatening danger for no real reason but to add action to the story. Even her new friends Kimber and Ethan had depth. It was easy to sympathize with Dana on her parents also because even if it's not a familiar situation to the reader she describes why it is she feels the way she does and how it affects her.I feel this book is more of a 4.5 and originally rated it 4 stars because as the 4 says I "really liked it" but it felt more deserving of that little extra because it was just captivating! I immediately bought the second in the series because Glimmerglass was a book that was pretty hard to put down for too long, and I found myself making up excuses to take time and read at least just a little more. I'd definitely recommend this to others!

[sealford_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Though I think that this book is meant to lean more towards teens and young adults, as a 26-year old I still found it to be fun to read. I haven't read many books about the Fae, but this one was actually pleasantly surprising. Just like any good book should, it made me feel as if I were IN the book instead of just reading it. By that, I mean that I imagined myself in Avalon alongside Dana, and it was definitely a wild ride. While reading this book, I was able to visit a different world...a different life than what we know here on earth. Also, I believe that this is Book 1 in a series, so I will definitely be checking the rest out.

[sszkutak_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have been seeing this book around for a while and it caught my eye as a Faerie related story so I finally picked it up. I was surprised at how fast paced this book moved and how the characters interacted with one another. I will definitely grab the next ones that go with this series to see how the plot plays through, the difficult part is not knowing which characters to trust in the story...gets a little frustrating.

[jessibelle_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have an obsession with the fey. I do not "love" vampires, werewolves, ghosts, or whatever other kind of supernatural thing there can be. But I do love the fey. Maybe it's because of their "beauty". Maybe it's because they are so upfront about everything. Maybe it's because they are uninhibited. I can't say for sure what it is that draws me to reading and loving the fey, but I do. That being said, let's get on with this review!!!Jenna Black starts us off in an auditorium where Dana is singing her heart out for her entire school to hear. She has been able to hide the fact that her mother is an alcoholic from her current school until this night. When her mother shows up drunk during the recital, Dana has had enough and decides to move to Avalon with her fey father. She ups and leaves with no knowledge of Avalon, nor how her father looks because her mother was constantly moving them so they wouldn't find her. Low and behold, there is a reason for that, Dana is the first faeriewalker to be born in a very long time. This means she can walk in both Avalon and the people world and she is the only person who can bring technology and magic into both. Other faeries cannot enter the Earth plane without losing their magic. They also cannot bring in man-made weapons (bomb and guns) into Avalon either because they break.From there, Dana is thrown into a world that wants her, but also wants to kill her. She must decide on who to trust and the consequences of each choice she makes. Action, romance, and thrilling, this book is a page turner with something happening around every corner.

[tillien_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

OK, I seriously thought I had bad luck, but apparently I am no where as unlucky as the heroine in this story, Dana.I approached this book with very little expectations since I typically don't read books about fairies, mainly because they are so far fetched I cannot relate. However, devoured this book quite quickly, the story is pretty fast pace and honestly I couldn't wait to see what happened to her next. I could feel her pain and distrust in not knowing who had her best intentions ...moreOK, I seriously thought I had bad luck, but apparently I am no where as unlucky as the heroine in this story, Dana.I approached this book with very little expectations since I typically don't read books about fairies, mainly because they are so far fetched I cannot relate. However, devoured this book quite quickly, the story is pretty fast pace and honestly I couldn't wait to see what happened to her next. I could feel her pain and distrust in not knowing who had her best intentions with her…everyone that was in her life seemed to have ulterior motives and by the end of the book I still don't think she had figured out who was on her side, I know I hadn't.This story had romance, a little action, suspense, hot fairies and a character you could identify with. This story has me wishing for a happy ending for Dana, but at the end of the book that still hadn't happened. I enjoyed this book so much that I immediately went and got the second book of the series (review for it is coming soon).Really, it's closer to 4.5 stars, but wasn't perfect enough to get the whole 5 stars

[dawnembers_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book had such great potential. Between the creative concept of the Faeriwalker (who is half human and half fae), the splitting between worlds where one has magic and the other has technology, and the different version of Avalon (located inland instead of as a mist shroud island) there was so many things I was hoping to see in this novel. Unfortunately, for me the book fell short.While the MC, Dana, has an interesting background as a halfling (half human, half fae), she was very hard for me to relate to throughout the whole book. Even when I tried to hone in on my past teenage hood (since I'm 26 it wasn't that far behind), but that didn't work. Towards the end she does get better but for a good part of the book minus the end and the first chapter, Dana is more of a pawn being moved from place to place. The few times she does act just get her in trouble and someone else has to save her.The locations was something that caught my attention. It was actually a different approach, having Avalon be the gateway between the human world and the Fae one to begin with. Plus, it is inland, somewhere in England near mountains, instead of an island shroud with mist. Very different than the usual approach to Avalon.Could have been great and others may still really enjoy this novel but it didn't work for me.

[bonbonsandreveries · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Glimmerglass was entertaining. Dana runs away from home to Avalon, where her faerie father lives. When she arrives, she is kidnapped by her aunt. Following is a whole string of kidnappings, attacks, and betrayals. They all have to do with the fact that Dana is a faeriewalker which means that she’s either wanted to be used or wanted dead. Ethan and Kimber, faerie siblings, befriend Dana. Well, Ethan wants to be more than just friends. Then there is also Keane, Dana’s “bad boy” self defense coach. I enjoyed reading this book. It’s not very long, but I was still absorbed in the world. There were a few things that bothered me. Although, none had to do with the writing-it was very well thought out. Many of them revolved around Ethan. I have such mixed feelings about him. I hated what he did to Dana (twice!) in the beginning. I wouldn’t trust him again. But then what he did at the end kind of made up for his actions earlier-but still. I like Keane so much better. I actually hope she ends up with him. Dana annoyed me with her stubbornness. First of all, her father is trying to help and protect her-she ran away so she didn’t have to act like the only adult in the family. So why is she just ignoring her father’s wishes? He wants her to stay put so she’s protected and what does she do? She runs away when there are faeries who want her dead...smart. I mean, her father definitely did some things that I (and Dana) didn’t like and has some opinions that I ( and Dana) seriously don’t agree with, but still he’s got her best interests at heart. I think Dana made a bunch of really dumb choices. But, she’s only 16, and making mistakes is all apart of being a teenager. Those mistakes will influence how she makes her future choices. Black did a great job writing the voice of a teenager who was forced to grow up too soon. I was drawn into Black’s world of faeries. There is no way I’m leaving-I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.

[bookaddictdiary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

At first glance, Glimmerglass can be deceiving. In fact, when I first saw the cover and heard that title, I was expecting it would just be another Twilight-style rip-off dripping with romance and flat characters. I really wasn't expecting much from it and, in fact, was convinced that I probably wouldn't finish it. But then, I started reading Glimmerglass and found something that far more than what I expected. Dare I say that I was completely and absolutely wrong about my first impressions of this book? Really, it seems like the actual book itself doesn't mirror the cover and title at all (okay, I didn't read the blurb before reading it, so I can't say anything about that). I wouldn't be surprised if the marketing folks took over the look of Glimmerglass to make it more "friendly" to current market trends. Now, there's still romance and other common teen paranormal themes/elements, but Glimmerglass manages to be more than that.Dana has always lived a tough life. Not only is she a half-Fae girl living in a mortal world, but her mother is a terrible drunk, which has forced Dana to grow up fast -I mean, most sixteen year-olds don't pay bills and balance the checkbook. Dana finally gets fed up and decides to run away to Avalon to meet her Fae father, whom she has never met. But upon arriving in Avalon, Dana instantly get caught up in a political conflict between different Fae factions, where the consequences run high and Dana's death could be the next move in the game.Glimmerglass starts out with a bang. The reader is immediately introduced to a character that they sympathize with and want to follow. Without even getting the opportunity to figure out what's going on, Dana is whirled through the dizzying world of Fae politics, where she doesn't know who to trust or what to believe. Once the story starts to settle down a little, the pacing does get a little uneven, but author Jenna Black throws in some romance and paranormal aspects that keep the story going. I really liked the highly political natural of this book, since it always felt like someone else was trying to pull the strings and throw unexpected twists and turns in Dana's way.I couldn't put this book down. Really, I finished this in about a day and a half and ran out to the library to pick up the sequel. Glimmerglass ended up being so much more than I expected, and it a quickly-paced novel filled with fascinating Fae politics, and just that hint of romance to bring in the paranormal romance crowd. This one really surprised me, but in a good way. Recommended.

[pacey1927 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So, I have to admit, I totally judged this book by its cover. I think the cover is BEAUTIFUL and so I went ahead and bought this book....even though starting yet another YA series about the fae was something I probably should have avoided. I didn't expect a lot when I started the book. But it didn't take more than two chapters and I was hooked. I couldn't stop reading this book. I had to find out more, and more, and more. "Glimmerglass" is the story of Dana, a half human/half Fae. Her father left long before Dana could meet him and her mother is now an alcoholic. Dana has had to be the head of her household for far to long. Fun? Nope. Friends? Nope. Super dysfunctional family? Check. When her mother shows up super drunk to her voice recital, Dana has had enough. She packs her things and runs away to Avalon, the home of her father. Avalon is a place between the mortal (human) realm and the Fae world. Its the only place where human and fae can exist side by side. In the Fae World there are two courts...the Seelie and the UnSeelie. Yet in Avalon, both Seelie and UnSeelie have supposedly let go of those labels and live together semi-peacefully. The first part of the book, is intense action as Dana is immediately kidnapped, maybe more than once, upon her arrival in Avalon. We never really know who to trust and this is a strength to the book, in a way. We never know more than Dana does. It seems that Dana's father is a very powerful Fae who is vying for a spot on the Cousel. There are many fae, or groups of fae, that would like Dana for various reasons. There is a lovely scene or two of friendship that touched me. Dana had to move so often due to her mother (being drunk, and always hiding from Dana's father) that she never had a friend before. There may also be the start of a little love triangle (I know, if you are an avid reader of YA fantasy, you are probably over the love triangle too) but its not so much of one just yet. There is also no clear forerunner for Dana's heart. Ethan is an UnSeelie fae and that goes against the Seelie ties of Dana's father. We don't ever really know if we can trust Ethan. Then there is Keane, a young man brought in to tutor Dana in self-defense. The story has enough action and posts enough little mysteries that it made for a very pleasant read. The resolution is good, but we are still left with some questions. It is very hard to not want the next book right now. This is my first Jenna Black book but I have no intention of making it my last. I have to read the next book Shadowspell and also her adult urban fantasy stories.

[sath0921 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Glimmerglass, by Jenna Black, is about a girl named Dana Hathaway who runs away to Avalon, England, where the line between the mortal and Faerie world is at its thinnest. She finds out that she is a Faeriewalker, the only person who can walk between the worlds freely. She goes on a huge adventure where she finds love and her purpose.

[hrose2931 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I just finished this book and loved it! I was talking to my husband last night and was on page 45 or so and I tried to explain the book to him. So far I hadn't been impressed. Then I turned a few pages and I was hooked. So, before you put it down because the beginning is slow, give it a few chapters like I did. Needless to say, I stopped talking to my husband for the night and stuck my nose in a book.Dana is a girl with a very complicated life. She's got an alcoholic mother who she ran away from to a father she found in Avalon who didn't even know she existed. She and her mother have been moving for sixteen years "hiding" from him because her mother at times says he's horrible and at other times says he's wonderful. So off she goes to see him in Avalon hoping for a "normal" life in a city where magic coexists with humans. That makes Avalon a huge tourist attraction so it has a border patrol/immigration station for people entering from the human world. And from then on, Dana's life gets more complicated than if she'd stayed with her mother. She is held prisoner, kidnapped, attacked, finds her father is in jail, taken in by strangers, taken in by her father, followed by a bodyguard, attacked again and you get the picture. Through it all she is rather tough and controls her emotions much better than most sixteen year olds I know. But then she's been the responsible one for so long now that she handles certain things as maturely as an adult would. That's not to say she doesn't break down and sometimes gets taken advantage of, but she learns quickly. The boys, that's another story. There's seductive Ethan, sullen Keane and even Finn, though he's a little old for her. She hasn't had much experience with boys and doesn't know what flirting is versus seducing versus just another conquest. And I loved the point of view -first person- I knew exactly what Dana was thinking and feeling, but just like her had to speculate on what everyone else's motives and feelings and actions were. It made me feel like I was really there and part of the story.The Glimmerglass was explained a little more and the reason that Dana being a fariewalker was so important was explained even more. There is a lot left open and dangling at the end and as Dana, I still wouldn't know who to trust. Everyone has there own agenda. And, in the next book there is the promise of a "Smoldering and deadly Erlking has his sights set on Dana". I'm not going to quote anymore because I'm afraid it might give away some of the plot in this book. I'd definitely read this one again!

[leperdbunny · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Title: GlimmerlgassAuthor: Jenna BlackGenre: YA, Romance, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy# of pages: 304Start date:End date:Borrowed/bought: boughtMy rating of the book, F- [worst] to A [best]: ADescription of the book: From the outset of the novel, we are introduced to Dana, whom we assume to be a normal teenager who has normal growing pains. She and her mom move constantly to the point where she can't make friends. Another thing is that her mom is a real drunk, making it impossible to form normal relationships if she gets to stay anywhere long enough to do it. After an embarrassing scene at her school choir concert Dana's decided she's had enough. She sneaks around contacts her father which her Mom has told her since she was a little girl that he was a bad idea to get involved with.Review: There were a lot of fun Characters in this novel and the world and politics that Black describes are my favorite part of the book. The story was a bit predictable but I think the author has a lot of promising characters and story line to work with so I will be continuing with the series.

[pollywannabook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyGLIMMERGLASS is the only paranormal YA book that I can think of that has an open world system involving faeries. Both the human and Fae sides know about each other, but physically cannot exist in the other’s world. Avalon, however, is the one place where they live together. It’s also the place where Dana was conceived and the reason she is a Faeriewalker, an uber rare human/faerie hybrid able to live in both worlds.There are a number of interesting and well drawn relationships going on in GLIMMERGLASS beyond just the obligatory romances (and yes that’s romances plural). Dana has two very different relationships with her parents. With her alcoholic human mother we see Dana as the adult who would give anything not to have to be, and the reverse with her strict fey father. Then there is the sibling rivalry/jealousy between Kimber and her brother Ethan (the golden boy fey and one of Dana’s romantic interests). And an additional father son pairing that I won’t spoil. These character dynamics never overshadow the main plot with Dana and her struggle to survive caught between two frightening worlds, but they did add a layer of realism that allowed me to become equally invested in the supporting cast as I was with the main characters.The romance in GLIMMERGLASS is a little steamier than usual for YA, not ever graphic, but super steamy. And surprising in a lot of ways too. Dana is in a position where everyone wants something from her and it’s impossible to know who to trust. Her heart and her head are constantly leading her in opposite directions and I have to give her props for recognizing that it’s dangerous to blindly trust her feelings.Overall, GLIMMERGLASS is the start of a mesmerizing new series. Fey feuds, risky romances, and charismatic characters abound. I can’t wait for more Faeriewalker books and thankfully I don’t have to. Remedial Magic is a free short story that is available now and the next full novel called SHADOWSPELL will be published on January 4, 2011.Sexual Content: Kissing and mild sensuality.