The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar

"They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. They lie.
For 21 days she held on. But on Day 22, she would have given anything for the sweet slumber of death.
Because on Day 22, she realizes that her only way out means certain death for one of the two men she loves."

"You can either choose love or you can choose hate, because where one lives, the other will die"

The Paper Swan I think so far this year has one of my favorite covers and titles. Then I read the synopsis and I knew I had to have it. It took me forever to find but at least it is mine...

This book messed with my mind yall. We start off with our main character leaning on the ground after getting kidnapped and about to have her head blown off. After reading that I was a little set back and confused. From the full synopsis on goodreads I thought this was going to be a book about a girl who dies and then has to choose between two guys and I assumed that one would be from when she was alive and one would be when she was dead. You know what they say about people who assume... Well that's what happened to me. It is not at all what I thought it was going to be... This is both a good and bad thing. The story bounces back and forth between present and past. It also switches POVs throughout the story. I thought all these things would turn me off, and the first half of the story it kind of did. 

We start with Skye's point of view and with her having been just kidnapped. Skye is this full of herself-snarky-rich brat. The first half I hated her!! No that's an understatement, I loathed her on a whole new level. Every time she spoke I wanted to peel my skin off. However by the end of the book I was completely on her side. Why the dramatic change? Because later on the Pov switches to her childhood and we get to see her and how she grew up as a child. Seeing these beautiful scenes with her, her nanny, and childhood friend Esteban living in Mexico are heartbreaking and so sweet. It slowly over the course of the book made me see her in a new light. Also the entire last half of this book had me loving her. She goes from this vile nasty human to this touching sweet realistic one. Then we have the kidnappers POV, Damian. He was beyond creepy when we first met him. So SO creepy. Then we get his backstory and a light shined on why he is the way he is, and it will floor you. I want to go so deep into his story and what got him to this dark place, but I wont be able to. He was another character that went from one that I wasn't easily relating to, to this amazing character with an extreme amount of character development. 

The best part of this novel was it's setting. I've never (at least I can't recall) have read a book set in Mexico. This automatically set the story apart from others I've read. Loved this. As far as the books pace it was constantly go go go. Again, another plus. It is a constant stream of action and thrilling moments. But the things I found flawed weren't just with characters in the first half. It was a lot of the scenes in the first half. Things would happen and I would seriously just think... 

Then something predictable would happen and I would just get annoyed all over again! Thankfully Attar made a huge comeback with the last half of the story. You start to realize how important those moments that might not have been your favorites at first really are. Things start tying together and all these little moments you didn't realize were bread-crumbed through out the book are revealed and it will just shatter you. The last half of this book is a complete five star read.  It makes up for so many things I thought were lacking in the first. Plus the twist are a 100 times stronger in the second half as well. The Paper Swan made me angry, then happy, then killed me, then had me crying, then had me falling in love with the story all over again. 

The Paper Swan was thrilling and gripping story about love and revenge. This story is bold and not one I will easily forget. 
 
8.5 Stars 
-Angela