Meridian

By Amber Kizer

Half-human, half-angel, Meridian Sozu has a dark responsibility.

Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow into her bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate’s tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home—and Meridian’s body explodes in pain.

Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. It’s there that she learns that she is a Fenestra—the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Aug 11, 2009
• ISBN: 9780375892639

Amber Kizer

Amber has toured nationally, speaking at writers' conferences, on television and radio, to educators, and to teenage readers. She was selected to present one of a few breakout sessions at the NCTE Assembly on Adolescent Literature at the Philadelphia 2009 Conference. Her official website is www.AmberKizer.com and more about MERIDIAN can be found at www.MeridianSozu.com. Gert can be found at www.OneButtCheek.com. She enjoys hearing from readers and can be reached at [e-mail].

Reviews for Meridian

[angelina0justice · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The writing was a little loose and crazy sometimes but it was still and interesting read and concept. Looking foward to somemore.

[noahsmae · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An interesting premise but the romantic relationship was very flat -- lacking emotion and chemistry.

[jinkay_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

i thought the plot was interesting but reading the book was pure torture. the main characters weren't likable, the villains weren't unlikable, the pacing was sloppy -- i had to will myself to finish the book just because barely halfway through, i didn't care to know how the story ended.

[brandileigh2003 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Meridian deals with a new breed of paranormal beings- Fenestras and Aternoctis- good and bad part angels that help guide souls to heaven or hell (not religion specific, it is said in the book there are many different names that religions and peoples give the places). The characters are easy to like, and Meridian has a genuine voice, I would love to read more from her. Tens is brooding and a protector, so he is good in my book. Auntie is easy to love yet easy to get frustrated with as she gives information little by little. There is a wolf that is a protector and semi-pet, and Custos is a great addition. My only gripes are minor- that I saw who was the bad guy way before they connected the dots, and that once again a church is mis-representing chrisians. Though, they are pretty transparent that the church and the religion is only a front, so its not a huge deal in the end. The story is paced well, and kept my attention the whole time. It didn't have as much action as it could have, but I am okay with that. The ending ties things up well, but leaves me wanting the sequel.

[racharolla · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I couldn't finish this novel. Poorly written with no sense of a story line that was developed by the 10th chapter or so. I felt no empathy for Meridian, in fact I found her quite distasteful. Not what you want in a young adult novel.

[deedee10_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this book because of the characters and the history we learn behind Meridian's hertiage. Her grandmother is awesome. I know in other reviews that I read some readers have made comments about the villian does not seem like a villain at all. I think that the villain is just fine he doesn't need to be some all powerful evil being because he uses his religion as a power tool against Meridian and her family. I say give it a try and if you don't want to buy it then see if your local library has it.

[elizajane_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Reason for Reading: I was attracted to the angel aspect of the story as I enjoy paranormals involving angels.When Meridian turns sixteen her family has planned for her to be whisked away to live with "Auntie" for an undermined amount of time. It is here that she learns that she is only half-human, the other half is angel. In fact she is a Fenestra, a window to the 'other side' that the dead seek out, if she is near, to make their passing easier. Auntie is also a Fenestra and Meridian has been brought here to learn how to open and close the window properly without getting sucked in herself. But time is short and their evil opponents, the Aternocti will do anything to destroy Auntie and Fenestra before the information can be passed on.The premise of this story is very exciting and I feel the book could have been so much more than it was. The only character I really connected with Meridian herself, even though there were plenty of times when her behaviour didn't quite ring true. I'm of two minds when it comes to this book. I feel as though my words will make the book sound worse than it was because I really did enjoy the story, became quite caught up in the plot and read the book quickly.Besides the lack of fully developed characters my main irritant with the book were the religious issues. The author went to great pains to repeatedly let Meridian know that in (the book's) world their is no Christianity. Meridian would ask questions about Heaven and would be given answers like religions have many names for it. She'd ask about God and be told "the Creators are known by many names". This type of thing is mentioned so much you are hit over the head with it. And yet, the bad guys are masquerading as Christians. We are told once at the beginning of the book, before we meet the bad guys, that they are a cult, after that they are simply referred to as Christians. However, throughout the entire book all the detailed descriptions of this group, their practices and church celebrations are all based on The Old Testament. The self-styled preacher quotes Biblical phrases often and their are notes for the reader to look them up (all Old Testament). There is no mention of Jesus or Christ, except once when someone mentions they voted to keep the Christ in Christmas. This just really irked me. The two issues together come across as being anti-Christian. This isn't the first I've run into this. If an author wants to make the bad guys a group of Christians, so be it, but at least have them follow the The New Testament where Christ is found i.e. the term "Christian". As far as I would say, 'Christians' who only follow the Old Testament would actually be Jewish.Back to the story, remember I did say that overall I did enjoy it. It has a very strong beginning and the Fenestra creation, with the other mythos created around it is unique and interesting. The book ends satisfactorily but the two main characters are ready to set off for their future, making a sequel more than obvious. I would read a sequel should one be written.

[peaceloveandpat_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

At this rate anything about Angels are intriguing to me. So I was really excited to read Meridian. So I was really sad that most parts of this book is not as exciting as I thought. The first chapters were catchy. It gives you this detailed picture that she was being surrounded by death. Like literally, she was never normal, never got the chance to be one. Everytime she wakes up in the morning there are death insect / animals around her. It was a little traumatic yet she came out as this kind hearted young girl and I love her for that. There's something about her makes her special. But I still could not put my finger on what it was. Then the day of her 16th birthday arrived. First her mother freaked when about some call they got that day. She got fierce hugs and just this weird feeling. the school day ended and she got off the bus, then all of a sudden this SUV headed out for her, killing a bunch of people in the process. She parents then told her that she needs to leave town and that they love them no matter what. It was all to fast and too discombobulating. It was a bunch of questions,a really good way to start a story. But it continued on to the next chapters. Somewhere along the way it became tedious and a bit boring.The history on what she is, which is a Fenestra - an angel who serves as a window to the souls getting to that next level on their path to heaven. The ancient malevolent creatures who seek to destroy them - which is called the Nocti, has a very very good concept. What really kept me going was this poser priest named Perimo, he made me so mad, I was so eager to find out what his fate will be at the end. And I like how he ended. Maybe the second series would have more action, surprises and less questions and more answers.

[jenson_aka_dl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Meridian has always known death. As a baby insects and rodents would die around her and as she got older the creatures got bigger. On her 16th birthday Meridian looks forward to nothing more than being away from school and the stresses of appearing normal. But, when a fatal accident takes place outside her home Meridian is rushed off to find her destiny with an aunt she never knew and a destiny she may not have a choice in accepting.Although this book seems to follow the standard outline of teen discovers unknown powers, a mentor, true love and a test of courage, this one makes it all seem fresh. Despite not being religious myself I've always been enamored of the angel mythology and so far as that goes, this tale is rather unique. This story could remain as a singular telling but it does leave us in a place to begin a quest based series which is interesting. I enjoyed all the characters, predictably especially Tens. As far as comparisons with the rest of my supernatural ya reading so far I'd place this somewhere between Twlight, a favorite and Shiver which I thought was pretty good but not heart-stoppingly wonderful.I certainly wouldn't hesitate to pick up the next one of the series should the author decide to keep on with it.

[jrlibrary · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Although she doesn't know it, Meridian is a Fenestra; a being who helps the dying soul with the passage to heaven. Aternoctis guide souls to hell. Meridian is helped by Tens, who is fairly uncommunicative but protects her, and Auntie who reveals very little even though she has information that Meridian needs. I'll definitely read book two to see how the story develops because I enjoyed the originality of the plot in book one.

[karenajeff · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

On her sixteenth birthday, Meridian is whisked off to her great-aunt's home in Revelation, Colorado, where she learns that she is a Fenestra, the half-human, half-angel link between the living and the dead, and must learn to help human souls to the afterlife before the dark forces reach them.

[storyteller1020 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Loved this dark fantasy. The sequel comes out this year!

[amberfib · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Meridian was okay. Kizer came up with an interesting idea, but her execution was a bit shaky. The prologue is amazingly written, and I was immediately drawn into Meridian's story. I felt a connection with her right away, but as the novel continued, my connection seemed to deteriorate. Kizer did a lot of telling and not much showing. Furthermore, Meridian's relationship with Tens seemed forced. One minute he was being an abrasive jerk and the next, Meridian is in love with him. No transition at all. I didn't feel that their relationship grew to the point of a deep like, much less love. Meridian is a good character. She's not the most interesting character I've ever read, but she's a decent person and wants to do well. Tens is the typical Byronic hero, but without a tortured past as far as I can tell. He seems to just be a jerk for no reason. He becomes nicer as the story goes on though. However, I just didn't feel the connection with them at all. Auntie was a sweet old lady, but I don't get why the whole town called her Auntie. She is Meridian's aunt, not the aunt of the entire town. I don't know if she introduced herself as Auntie or what, but whatever. I didn't feel any emotions as I read the book. I didn't really care what happened to the characters. The plot was interesting enough that I finished the novel, but when bad things would happen to a character that I knew I should care about, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I have a feeling that if Kizer had done more showing and less telling of emotions and circumstances, then I would have been much more attached to the characters. The novel didn't lack description, however. Kizer overly described many things. I skimmed over half of the descriptions because it was just too much. Add that to every ounce of information being given in dialogue, and the story goes from exciting to blase almost immediately. If Kizer had kept up the style of writing she used in the prologue, then the novel would have been much better. The ending of the book sets the story up for a sequel, and I'm going to read it simply because the story drew me in. I'll check it out from the library, though.Over all, I'd recommend this book if you're bored and have nothing else to read. I'd check it out from the library. The idea is new. A half-angel, half-human conduit for the dead is a different take on the paranormal, for sure, but the writing is a bit lackluster.

[kyze0422 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I thought this book was okay. It either dragged on or hurried through an event in the book.

[alliebeth927 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Meridian started off strong and interesting, but took a wrong turn somewhere along the way. Learning about Meridians childhood of being surrounded by dying animals, and the quick way her parents packed her up and shipped her off to a distant aunt was intriguing, but after that things got confusing and unclear. The characters are all likable in a shallow way (with the exception of Auntie, who was the standout character in my mind), and the romance developed so quickly that it was unnatural. This was a good premise that was just poorly executed, and it left me with no desire to pick up a sequel should there be one.

[bookwormygirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

16 year-old Meridian Sozu is a Fenestra. She has always known she was different from the rest of the girls her age - for one, she has always been sickly, feeling ill and tired.. then there's her main problem, ever since she can remember - tiny animals (rodents, insects, etc.) have made their way around her... to die. Her parents and her younger brother have always gone out of their way to make her feel normal - but all that quickly changes when she witnesses a terrbile accident and unexplicably her body is wracked with pain.Her parents quickly pack her up and send her off to live with her 106 year-old Auntie, in Revelation, CO, while they pick up all their belongings and try to make new lives for themselves. Leaving Meridian with instructions to never look back, that Auntie will explain everything and only the hope that one day they will meet again.With the help of Auntie and her protector, Tens, Meridian discovers that she is a Fenestra - part-human, part-angel, who are born to assist souls into heaven. Yet she has very little time to learn exactly what she is, for Auntie, the town residents, and even Meridian herself, are all threatened by the presence of a sinister pastor who has transformed the idyllic town into a place of mistrust, intolerance and fanaticism.I truly enjoyed this. I loved Meridian's innocence. She was such a likeable character. You felt for her and wanted to be there for her. Auntie, Tens and even their wolf friend, Custos - are all well developed and you quickly feel like part of their makeshift family. Tens has this dry sense of humor that I immediately felt drawn to and quickly brought a smile to my face. His witty banter back and forth with Meridian was a treat to read. This was a very unique story. It is dark and, it mostly revolves around death, but I thought Ms. Kizer did a fantastic job with it.I will forewarn that it did start a bit slow for me, but about 50 or so pages in I became hooked and had a hard time putting it down. I thought it was well-written, evenly-paced and with a protagonist that you quickly fall for. Although I think Meridian could be a stand-alone novel, it seems a series might be in the works, not to mention the ending gives you the feel that there is more to come. I will definitely be on the lookout for the next installment.

[francescadefreitas · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

(spoilers)I loved the beginning of this, it had an amazing moody set-up, teenage Meridian is surrounded by dead things - literally. Insects crawl up to her and die. On her birthday her dad hands her a bus ticket, a weak explanation, and tells her never to contact her family again. Sent to her elderly aunt, Meridian is in unknown danger until she can find out what's going on. The story is really tense, wonderufll ntil she gets to her aunts house, and then iit loses steam. Too much explanation, not enough character, adn then, the worst possible divine intervention of an ending I have read in a long time. Three stars for the good start, but it tapers off significantly. I'd give this to teen urban fantasy fans, especially poeple looking for darker stories, if I don't have something better to hand.

[flamingo1325 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The pace at the beginning and end of this book were fast and interesting but I did feel like the middle lagged. I started to feel like it was a bit repetitious although I do realize and respect that a good part of the book was the relationship between Meridian and Tens did need time to evolve which is something more mental than action. The action type events were for the most part inserted at good intervals to keep the reader interested because it seemed like whenever I started to feel like it was dragging, shortly after something else would happen.The world created in this book is a very original one and a nice take on what happens after death. The metaphor of the window was easy yet clear and gave the reader a very good way to relate and understand what was happening. This was a creative take on a well discussed topic.My personal favorite character was definitely Tens. There were times Meridian rubbed me the wrong way but I quickly grew to love Tens. It was hard at first to believe how quickly they fell for each other but that was with a human mindset rather than something that considered the world they were actually in. Once I took that into consideration, it felt right and their progression for the most part was logical.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I got this as an ARC (advanced reading copy) through the Amazon vine program. I was really excited when this was offered to me because I had it on my wish list already. Overall it was a very good book. It seems to be more of an opening to a series than a stand alone book, but all in all it was creative and a good read.All her life Meridian has been surrounded by dead things; they seem drawn to her. After being involved in a fatal car crash she is sent off by her parents to her Aunt's house. It is there that she learns she is a Fenestra; basically she is a doorway that souls pass through on their way to heaven. She finds that she is being hunted both by a religious cult and the Aternocti; it is up to her, her dying Aunt, and Tens (her Protector) to figure out what is going on and either try to stop it or avoid being killed by it.This was a very creative book and started out really interesting. You really feel for Meridian; in general all of the characters are likable and engaging. I enjoyed reading the book and learning about Meridian, Tens, and Fenestra in general.This book lagged some in the middle; I found some of the scenes where Meridian is in her aunt's house waiting for something to happen to be a bit boring, but it picked up again at the end. My largest complaint is that overall not much happens in the end; mostly the story sets you up for a new series. I can only assume that we will hear about Meridian and Tens adventures in future novels by Kizer.Overall I enjoyed the book; it was a well-written, creative and quick read. I was kind of disappointed that more didn't happen before the end of the book but I am guessing future books will give us more action and adventures.

[librarymeg · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Meridian Sozu has spent her entire life surrounded by death. Insects and small animals seem to search her out before dying in her presence, and on top of that she always seems to feel achy and ill. Her parents and brother treat her as if she were (nearly) normal her entire life, until suddenly on her 16th birthday she is nearly killed in a hit-and-run. Her parents seem strangely unsurprised by this turn of events, and have actually planned an elaborate route to ship her to a mysterious aunt in small-town Colorado. It is here that Meridian discovers that she is one of a race of angels, called the Fenestra, who were born to assist souls into heaven. She has very little time to learn how to handle her newly discovered nature, and is threatened by the presence of a sinister pastor who has transformed the idyllic town into a place of mistrust and intolerance.This is a clever twist on angel stories and was a fast and furious read. I grew to truly care for the main characters, and the book left me with enough questions that I'm hoping for a sequel. It seems to me that the trend in publishing is moving from vampires toward zombies and angels, and this is an ideal title to recommend to teens looking for new books in the paranormal fantasy genre. The book is somewhat critical toward strict Christianity, however, so teens with a strong Christian affiliation may find something else more appealing. Overall a very satisfying read!

[spurts-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Well written, interesting character you rooted for, world-building not same-old-same-old, no inexplicable love triangles or endless teenage angst despite main character's age (16) at start of this series. Angels and religion get to be angels and religion versus an almost unrecognizable paranormal race or mythology--except afterlife disturbingly left to chance so that if main character and her people are around when you die you go to heaven but if bad guys around you get taken to hell. The only reason I'm not rating higher is that there are areas of plot/action where both good guy rescues and bad guy threats are rather out of nowhere (can we all chant deus ex machina?). Not the best writing/plot to just have people popup as you need them. Looking forward to reading next book in series and have high hopes for series overall (could get really good if author does a good story arc; could suck if just degenerates into mysterious aid always appearing or adventure after adventure of characters on a quest for others with her powers just going from place to place -- but we'll see)

[sensitivemuse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Meridian Sozu is different. Very different. She’s a Fenestra, a half human, half angel whose job is to guide people over to the ‘other side’ once they pass on. Since she was a young girl, she’s had animals come to her and die. Meridian has always been surrounded by death. When a large car crash happens outside her home, she is sent to live with her Aunt and a mysterious boy named Tens. Meridian finds out who she is and learns she has to battle the Aternocti a group where they capture souls to cause chaos.It took me a while to get into this book, however I liked the concept of the plot - which kept me going. I found as I kept reading, the more suspenseful and intriguing it got. I really did enjoy the storyline of a little town gone awry with the help of an over the top zealous religious leader who managed to get a strong grip on the town. It made the perfect background for the development of the story.My favorite character was Meridian’s Aunt (also named Meridian) she was filled with strength (despite her age) and she was a typical Grandma. She was lovable and everything about her was likable and endearing. Meridian, I noticed started developing personality characteristics like her Aunt, which I enjoyed reading. I didn’t know what to think of her at first. It was more of a take it or leave it attitude towards her, but then she started to grow on me later.What I also liked about this book is it has a lot to do with spirituality and most of the subject matter is what happens when you die. It goes into detail about it but I’m glad it does’nt add any religious aspect. It stays neutral and its’ explanation of life after death is interesting. I’d have to say I did enjoy reading the book once the plot caught my attention. It was certainly different from other paranormal books I have read (at the moment) and there’s a lot more I’d like to know. There is a lot of room for a sequel (or a series) so I’m definitely going to be picking this one up for sure. Overall do pick this one up! it’s certainly a different type of paranormal YA fiction and perfect if you want to take a break from the vampire and werewolf books that are in abundance out there.

[ericajsc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Following a brief Prologue, which gives readers an idea of Meridian’s frame of mind at the start of Chapter One, this book plunges into the action quickly. I think I prefer this type of beginning for a book in this genre rather than a slow climb followed by a deep plunge into the conflict of the story, as I like being hooked in from the start. I felt this book had a balance of informational/instructional scenes and action scenes that created a well-paced story.The three main characters – Meridian, Auntie, and Tens – are brought together quickly, which allows for the majority of the book to focus on how they interact as Meridian is learning about who she is and what that means. Meridian and Auntie bonded almost immediately, and although Meridian was hesitant about learning about being a Fenestra, she quickly trusted Auntie to teach her. The interactions between Meridian and Tens, however, were incredibly strained from the beginning, and even as they began opening up to each other, there still seemed to be awkwardness in the way they acted toward each other. Something that really bothered me in the story was that at one point in the story Meridian comes across letters relating to Tens. When she mentions these, he gets upset and she promises to give them to him so he can see them, but then nothing more is mentioned of them. Now this may be something that comes up in the next book, but it seemed to me like it was a forgotten thread. (If anyone reading this has read this book and I just missed when she went back to this, please let me know, because it does bother me that nothing came of this.)Probably the strongest aspect of the story is Reverend Perimo. He’s an archetypal villain: easily capable of manipulating the masses, but so repulsively evil toward the hero of the story that there’s no choice but to absolutely despise him. His speeches to his congregants made me so mad that I literally slammed the book shut and had to take a break from reading because I wanted to strangle him, which is hard to do to a fictional character. I was actually a bit surprised at the way his storyline played out, but I won’t say anything more in order to avoid giving away too much of the ending.What drew me to this book in the first place was the idea of the Fenestra. There are a lot of aspects of what they do and who they are that I don’t understand yet. Hopefully more answers will come in the subsequent book(s), because I think the story will be even more interesting with more knowledge of the Fenestra.

[thewannabeknight · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have been hauling home tons of books from the library just because of interesting covers or premises, putting them in my summer to-read pile. For some time now, I’ve gotten into the habit of reading the first few lines or even the first page of each book before putting it down to do more pressing things. Even though most of those first glimpses are interesting, when I opened Meridian, I couldn’t put it down until the library closed hours later.The narration and story are engaging. I am usually resistant when things happen too quickly at the beginning of a story to get the plot going, but I didn’t feel that resistance so much with this book. Perhaps because the premise is so different. I wanted to know more about Meridian’s associations with the dead, and I also cared that these associations brought her so much physical suffering.Something I admire about this story is the handling of agency. Agency has been a major issue for me in my writing in the past couple of projects, so I’ve been trying to keep an eye out for how it is handled. The role of the Fenestra is fairly passive. I won’t spoil it with details, but they are not angels of death. Their mere presence is the key to helping the dying. And Kizer has managed to give Meridian enough need for struggle against certain happenings related to this role that keeps the Fenestra nature from falling into dangerous writing craft territory. There are external and internal and spiritual issues to be dealt with, which is a very good balance to have.For how much I enjoyed this book, there are a couple of issues that struck me as well. The romance, though not heavy-handed (thank goodness), doesn’t really feel organic to the story. Meridian does not ruminate on specific physical characteristics to which she is attracted to, which is not bad in itself, but she doesn’t seem attracted to the guy's personality either. It feels like the relationship blossoms out of the fact that the two are closer in age and together a lot and in danger (a lot). I think this is one level in which more agency might have been helpful.Another issue is the ending. It feels a little too rushed. I suspected early on the nature of the threat, which may have been purposeful, but there is also little page space devoted to dramatic tension during the pivotal scenes. What happens, happens, and I’m glad it goes down that way, but I don’t really feel invested in those scenes. As a result I’m missing the emotional turns that are being presented to the reader.Still, despite the issues, I’m leaning toward buying this one, and the sequel (which is due out in mid-July). I’m a huge fan of mythologies and the supernatural and the laws of thermodynamics (you’ll get it if you read the book), and Kizer has done a great job with building a mythology for my mind to play with.

[stephxsu · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Meridian Sozu has always been surrounded by death. Insects and animals tend to die around her, and she has few friends as a result. On her sixteenth birthday, Meridian witnesses a car accident, and her body explodes in pain. Immediately she is rushed away from her family and placed in her great-aunt’s home, where she learns the truth about herself. Meridian, like her Auntie and countless other female ancestors in their family, is a Fenestra, a half-human with the ability to guide dying souls to a restful afterlife.In between learning to use her newfound powers, however, Meridian, Auntie, and a boy named Tens are anxiously awaiting the descent of the Aternocti, a group of malevolent beings intent on killing Fenestras. Meanwhile, the religious townspeople, led by the deceptively innocent Reverend Perimo, are making threats toward the three.When all hell breaks lose, can love and belief save the day?MERIDIAN is puts an interesting paranormal spin on a tried-and-true storytelling style. I enjoyed learning about the Fenestras and the way they helped souls reach eternal peace, but unfortunately poor execution and choppy writing hampered the story for me.Meridian is a character with whom she can sympathize. She has been wrenched suddenly from the only life she has known (even though it has been a terribly lonely one), only to find herself with the burden of ancient responsibilities, with hundreds of people bent on intending her harm. The way she reacts to her situation is consistent and plausible, and yet she is able to work that female power in a very heroine-saves-the-day way.Unfortunately, I felt for the most part disconnected from the story, due to its choppy narration. The concept of Fenestras was a big one to tackle in a couple hundred pages, and I would’ve liked more flow and time spent on clearer explanations, instead of forced, mysterious, and confusing conversations. In the end, I felt like I didn’t connect to any of the characters, and was unimpressed with the development of Meridian and Tens’ romance.Overall, MERIDIAN is a unique story that will appeal to readers who are not too concerned with the quality of writing.

[glitzandshadows · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I honestly don't know what to say about this book.
Ever read those books that weren't bad, and you were able to finish, but really had nothing good going for it?
Yeah that was this...
I mean, there was nothing truly bad about it. It wasn't badly written.. the characters weren't that bad. The story was relatively original...
It just fell very flat.
I mean, it has this story about angels and protecters and lost souls and i was expecting it to be epic and exciting... but what i got was a girl with no personality in the beginning and only little personality by the end, an admittedly attractive sounding guy but with no spark to make him likeable, and an obnoxious preacher-type bad guy that spouted Bible verses and was rather not scary and not intimidating...
It just wasn't there. I had potential, i mean, i could see the potential for an amazing story about a girl who helped souls travel to the other side and had to get around the fanatical doom-spouting preacher who was really an Arnocti (an anti-Fenestra, the one's who take the souls to hell) in disguise.
Do you see the potential awesomeness in that? Because i did.
But what i got was anything but that...
Meridian could have been an amazing character, and i admit i did see some growth by the end of the book. But, her personality was so listless that i could never grow to like her.
I couldn't like Tens either because his mood swings never made sense... i mean... at least give him a reason to be angsty for goodness sake!
So, i dunno, this was just disappointing... It was left way way open for another one and who knows, maybe the story will grow and we'll see that potential tapped into... but it's not looking very likely at this point...

[theyodamom · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The epilogue was fantastic. I was really looking forward to a great story, This just was not it. Not enough character/world building, it was choppy. I think it was worth reading, it was interesting and new in concept. Perhaps a second book will build it more ? A super fasst read.