Cyn Balog

Fairy Tale is Cyn Balog's debut novel. I must admit that I loved the original title Fairy Lust, but novel was fantastic no matter the title. I'm a huge fan on the fairy/fae genre, so I'm always on the lookout for fairy related literature. Fairy Tale is in the lighter side of the genre compared to say the darker content of Melissa Marr & Holly Black. I'd group Fairy Tale with Wondrous Strange by Lelsey Livingston and Lament by Maggie Stiefvater.This novel was addicting. I absolutely loved show more Balog's writing style.! It had a wonderful flow and was easy to read, plus it told an incredible story. There are always similarities amongst stories featuring fairies, but I thought Balog's attempt was notably unique. I also enjoyed that the story was told through the eyes of Morgan the human, rather than Cam who was experiencing the changes. Balog’s character’s were impressive. I loved Morgan’s character, she was a charming and relatable character. She totally underestimates herself, but her humbleness makes her even more appealing. And Cam and Pip, their stories of transformation were captivating. If I had to name a villain it would probably be Dawn, but Balog somehow makes even her conniving character worthy of empathy. Awesome debut novel, awesome fairy novel. show less

My first Balog work, but definitely not my last. A great little haunted house story with a wonderfully inventive twist of an ending. Now, for more meat to my review (and spoilers! - you've been warned!) - I loved how unreliable the main character was as a narrator. I was never quite sure if Seda was going to be the villain or the victim and I adored how Balog used the idea of three sets of twins to set up the family dynamics. Seda's twin may have been reabsorbed (or not?!) but he was show more definitely as much a part of the overall story as the other four siblings. And the dynamic between Seda and her mother was powerfully written. The mother may have been some famous horror film professor but her narcissism was hard to read at points, even if it was supposed to be part of the twisted ending. The mother chose an overgrown, monstrous house over her marriage. As in Stephen King's The Shining, the winter weather was itself a silent character that had a lot of impact on the main character's decisions. The only reason I gave this book four stars instead of five is that apart from Heath Hunter, the other teens felt like caricatures of prescribed formulaic types. However, I LOVED the introductions to each chapter being a part of the 1980s murder mystery hotel brochure. show less

I devoured this one. It is such a neat concept, and I was drawn into Julia's life. I could relate with her on some levels, and enjoyed the banter between her and Griffin. The writing is good, and it kept a good pace and my attention.
I did feel like Julia changed herself when she met Griffin but I don't know how much of that was self preservation against the spotlight because of what happened when she was younger (I was also curious about this because it doesn't tell much, just that she has show more scars). But I feel like she got tougher and more able to handle things because of him, so I don't mark that down. I don't like how she is with Bret, and was so glad when that plot thread was settled.
Eron is awesome. I loved that he kept his mannerisms and morals and how he watches out for Julia and even more so when he finds himself in her life in ways he never really imagined.
The ending felt rushed to me though, and I was a little confused as to what exactly happened.

Bottom Line: Great premise, well executed with compelling characters. show less

4.5 stars.

Unnatural Deeds by Cyn Balog is a spellbinding young adult mystery about secrets, obsession and murder.

Victoria "Vic" Zell is a sixteen year old student at St. Ann's who does not quite fit in with the rest of her classmates. Shy and suffering from severe anxiety, she keeps her head down and tries to stay out of the limelight. All of that changes with the arrival of new student Zachary "Z" Zimmerman who is charming, outgoing and well-liked. Before meeting Z, Vic spends all of her show more time outside of school with her childhood friend and boyfriend, Andrew Quinn, her agoraphobic next door neighbor. Vic is fascinated by Z and surprisingly, he seems just as enthralled by her. Her relationship with Andrew is soon tested when Z's interest in her turns romantic and this unlikely love triangle soon takes a deadly turn.

Vic is a somewhat naive and lonely teenager whose parents are rather overprotective. She is a highly intelligent young woman but she struggles to make friends or fit in due to her somewhat debilitating anxiety disorder. She is immediately captivated by Z and while Vic is a little intimated by his good looks and self-confidence, he easily persuades her to join him on his adventures. As she begins to step out of her comfort zone, she revels in the attention she garners from both Z and her fellow students. When Z expresses an interest in her beyond friendship, she feels guilty over betraying Andrew but she basks in her newfound status as Z's girlfriend. However, Vic's jealousy leads to a betrayal and her love for Z then turns to obsession. As her relationships with both Z and Andrew begin to fall apart, Vic's behavior becomes increasingly erratic leading up to the school play and the school dance.

Z is a charismatic yet quite enigmatic young man with a mysterious past. He seems to genuinely like his fellow students and he comes across as kind-hearted and compassionate. But as the story progresses, it becomes apparent that no one really knows much about him and some unsavory rumors begin to surface about him. Z can be a little manipulative when he needs something and it does not much effort on his part for Vic to fall completely under his spell. By the time she realizes Z is not the person she thought he was, Vic is completely obsessed with him.

Vic is the novel's sole narrator and her account of events is directed to Andrew, the one person who knows and understands her best. Readers know right from the start that something awful has happened but just what that is remains unclear until the story's shocking conclusion. Most of the chapters contain snippets of information from numerous sources including newspaper articles, police interviews, coroner's reports and news updates. The chapters themselves detail Vic's relationships with Z and Andrew but it soon becomes clear that Vic might not be the most reliable narrator. The slightly ominous overtones gradually become darker and stunning plot twists take the novel in a very unexpected direction.

Unnatural Deeds is an exceptionally riveting young adult mystery. Cyn Balog's writing style is quite engaging and she easily captures the readers' attention right from the very first chapter. Vic is a sympathetic character whose anxiety issues make it easy for her to fall under Z's spell. Z is an intriguing character who remains unfathomable even when all of the details about him are revealed. The storyline is refreshingly unique and the mystery about what happened to whom is quite perplexing. This absolutely outstanding mystery will keep readers guessing the truth right up until the novel's stunning conclusion. show less