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A book blog dedicated to young adult and new adult novels

Blog Tour: One by Leigh Ann Kopans {Review, Character Interview,+Giveaway}

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Welcome to my stop on the One tour hosted by InkSlingerPR!
I am so excited to share my review, a character interview, and a giveaway with you today!

One (One #1)
   by: Leigh Ann Kopans


Publication Date: June 11, 2013
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC received from InkSlingerPR and the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 374 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars


When having two powers makes you a Super and having none makes you a Normal, having only one makes you a sad half-superpowered freak.

It makes you a One.

Sixteen-year-old Merrin Grey would love to be able to fly – too bad all she can do is hover.

If she could just land an internship at the Biotech Hub, she might finally figure out how to fix herself. She busts her butt in AP Chem and salivates over the Hub’s research on the manifestation of superpowers, all in hopes of boosting her chances.

Then she meets Elias VanDyne, another One, and all her carefully crafted plans fly out the window. Literally. When the two of them touch, their Ones combine to make them fly, and when they’re not soaring over the Nebraska cornfields, they’re busy falling for each other.

Merrin's mad chemistry skills land her a spot on the Hub's internship short list, but as she gets closer to the life she always wanted, she discovers that the Hub’s purpose is more sinister than it has always seemed. Now it’s up to her to decide if it's more important to fly solo, or to save everything - and everyone - she loves.


My Review:

I first saw this book on a Waiting on Wednesday post and after reading the synopsis, I knew I would have to read it also! When I saw the blog tour open up, I definitely had to jump on board! I am so glad I could be a part of it. I adored this book! The pacing was very well done- I couldn't stop reading once I started! Not to mention- I loved the characters. Merrin, Elias, Leni, Daniel- they were all so awesome. The storyline was also great- I absolutely love reading about characters with superpowers. It's the inner comic geek, I guess!

Let's start with Merrin, who is our main character. As you read from the synopsis above, she is a One.
All she dreams about is flying on her own. One of the things I absolutely loved about her is her unwillingness to give up. She doesn't accept that a One is all she'll ever be. She is determined to find answers and plans to do that by taking an internship at what's called The Hub. Merrin is a bit quirky and awkward. She is not at all happy about being transferred to the Normal school, Nelson High. Starting a new school is hard enough, but to be a One and starting at a normal school? Not a positive thing. Merrin wants to blend in. She doesn't want to be noticed as different. She wants to get her classes over with, so she can score that internship. She keeps her eye on the prize. Until she meets Elias, who turns her well-crafted plans upside down. Again, he is adorable. I don't know any other way of describing him! He made me smile like a lunatic and I loved how he got through to Merrin. He is patient and kind, but you see glimpses of a sadness that make you wonder- what does he know? Is he hiding something?

Merrin, however, is wary of Elias at the start. After an incident at her old school, she is left wondering what his motives and intentions are. He doesn't give up trying to get to know her and eventually she recognizes a kindred soul and slowly starts to let him in.

He introduces her to his friends Leni and Daniel, who are also Ones. Merrin's first reaction to Leni is hilarious. I love Merrin's voice throughout the novel. She's super snarky and fun. Eventually, she warms up to them as well and isn't afraid to ask them for help when she needs it.

All of them are so welcoming and accepting of her into their group of friends. None of them want to give up trying to obtain their Second. While the others have learned to somewhat adapt and accept,  Merrin doesn't feel whole without her Second.

"I'm just Merrin. And my only option is to get that Second. Because the only way I'll ever be worth anything is if I figure out how to fly". (p. 41, ARC copy)

I think this is where Elias and Merrin's relationship becomes a huge deal. Yes, they realize that together, their powers combined can make them fly. And they are ecstatic. She's falling for the boy who can make her dream of flying come true. But it's more than that. Elias shows her that although they both love flying, there's more to her than that. He cares about her and sees how special she really is and on more than one occasion proves to her how much.

Merrin's family also plays a big part in this story. Her younger twin brothers are Supers and even when they're driving her crazy- she loves them and would do anything for them. Merrin has a stronger relationship with her father, but we do find out some interesting developments about them later in the book.

I felt Leigh Ann gave us a perfect blend of plot and romance, which as you all know, is how I like my books!

There's not a whole lot more I can say because I definitely don't want to ruin this book- but trust me- it's awesome. Epic. I absolutely loved it to pieces. I cannot wait for the next book in the series, Two!


~Character Interview with Merrin and Elias!~
 
I'm so excited to have both Merrin and Elias on the blog with me today! They are adorable and super sweet!
 
Hey guys! Thanks for stopping by to talk to me today! I know things have been a bit crazy since we last saw you all at the end of the book.
 
Merrin: Yeah, crazy doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Elias: You don’t have to tell them. They’ll see in TWO.
1) Merrin- even after finding out you were a One- you didn’t stop trying to fly? Why not?
No, I never did. I guess I just couldn’t. When I thought about giving up, it just made me actually hurt. Even though I knew it was probably stupid, part of me felt like if I never gave up, eventually it would pay off.
 
2) We saw how difficult it was for you to transfer schools. What did you think of Elias that first day?
 
M: Honestly, I was a little stressed about how nice he was being to me.
 
E: Seriously. You ran away from me.
 
M: Well no one had ever been that nice to me before. Certainly not a guy.
 
E: I’m not just any guy.
 
3)  How would you describe him now?
 
M: He’s…awesome. We get along really well. He understands what I need from him, and he’s always right there for me. I never thought anyone would understand me like he does.
 
4)   Elias- what was your first impression of Merrin?  And now?
 
E: I could say I thought she was beautiful, because I did, but that’s not really all there was to it. I felt something when I was around her – this sort of energy to the air that I didn’t get with anyone else. It was almost addictive, like even if I could stay away from her, I didn’t really want to. I remember just being really happy that I got lucky enough to have my locker next to hers.
 
 Now, I just… I love her. She has this quiet, serious energy that just makes me want to stick around and see what she’ll be up to next. She’s brave, and I love that.
 
5) Did you know right away that she was different?
 
E: Right away. It was intuition.
 
M: Okay, but you also knew about me.
 
E: Don’t spoil  them. I knew about your existence. Kind of. Theoretically. But I didn’t know we’d get along so well. I  didn’t know you’d be so…you.
 
6)  Describe flying together in 5 words.
 
E: Lightness and speed – almost angelic.
 
M: Totally powerful and exhilarating – excitement.
 
7)  Leni and Daniel are good friends of yours. How would you guys describe them for us?
 
E: Yeah. Leni and I have been close since we were little kids – we’re the kind of close that she’s like a sister to me.  Daniel’s a good guy, and even though we’re mostly friends because Leni introduced us a couple years ago, I know I can trust him. He’s loyal.
 
M: It took me awhile to figure Leni out. Now that I have, I realize that it’s kind of nice to have a girlfriend, especially one who’s known my boyfriend as long as she has. Daniel is so cool – he’s not as awesome at the science stuff as I am, but he has a love for it, and I can tell he really loves having a Super, too. We get that about each other.
 
8)  Merrin- did you ever feel doubtful while working with Mr. Hoffman? That maybe not everything was as it seemed?
 
I feel kind of stupid for saying this, but…no. I think when you’ve known someone for a long time, and you’ve always thought they were this really good person, and they’re offering you a chance at something you want more than almost anything in the world…it’s really hard to see the whole picture. You know?
 
9) You’ve also changed a lot from when we first met you in the book. What was the defining moment where you decided to make that change, to not be afraid anymore?
 
M: I think it was really when I realized that my decisions weren’t only affecting me – they were affecting the people I loved, too.
 
E: For me, I think I always just thought of myself as useless, and I was sort of okay with that, even if I was a little sad. But Merrin helped me realize that not only am I not useless, but that I have a responsibility to try to be better.
 
10) What advice do you guys have for the other Ones out there?
M: If you want to do something with your ability, even if it is just a One, don’t give up hope. You never know what’s just around the corner.
E: And also, don’t buy into the hype that you’re defined by your special abilities. You’re worth a lot more than that – it’s not all of who you are.
 
11) Do you think that we’ll find out what happens next for you guys? J
E: Yeah! TWO, the followup to ONE, comes out in October, and I’ll be the one narrating it.
M: Thank you so much for having us over today! It’s been really nice getting the chance to talk with you.
 
 
About Leigh Ann Kopans:
 
Raised on comic books and classic novels, Leigh Ann developed an early love of science fiction and literature. As an adult, she rediscovered her love for not only reading, but also writing the types of fiction that enchanted her as a teen. Her debut novel, ONE, is about a girl with only half a superpower, the boy who makes her fly, and her struggle to make herself whole.

Leigh Ann, her husband, and four children live in Columbus, Ohio. When she’s not immersed in the world of fiction, you can find her obsessing over the latest superhero movie or using her kids as an excuse to go out for ice cream (again.)
 
 
Giveaway:
  
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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10 comments

  1. I love the interview! I've seen a little of the advance publicity for this book, and it looks really intriguing. And the cover is great!

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    1. Thanks Lark! Wasn't it a fun interview? I kept rereading it because I loved Leigh Ann's answers! Yes! I adore this cover!!

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  2. I first saw this book on a WoW post, too. It caught my eye because I've always wanted to paint my bedroom like that (with the blue skies and white clouds--so cool). I love books/movies/shows that deal with superpowers, too, so this sounded right up my alley. I'm glad you enjoyed this one. I'll have to track down a copy. Great review!

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    1. Thanks Natalie! This was such a cute read! Loved it! And I love the cover!

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  3. Great review and character interview! This was such a fun post!

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    1. Thanks Ashley! I had so much fun with this one!

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  4. Love the review and the character interview - character interviews are my favorites.

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  5. After such a flowing review I'm very curious to read this one. Sounds cute and fun, good combo :-)

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    1. Thanks Trish! Definitely a cute, fun read! Which is just what we need sometimes!

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