Review: Chasing Power

Chasing Power by Sarah Beth Durst
Grade: D
Release date: October 14, 2014
This e-galley was provided by Bloomsbury and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Kayla was born with the ability to move things with her mind—things like credit cards and buttons on cash registers—and she has become a master shoplifter. She steals to build up enough money for her and her mom to be able to flee if her dad finds them again . . . which would mean grave danger for them both. 

When she’s caught stealing by a boy named Daniel—a boy with the ability to teleport—he needs her help and is willing to blackmail her to get it. Together, they embark on a quest to find and steal an ancient incantation, written on three indestructible stones and hidden millennia ago, all to rescue Daniel’s kidnapped mother. But Kayla has no idea that this rescue mission will lead back to her own family—and to betrayals that she may not be able to forgive . . . or survive.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: I'm not really sure what I expected when I started reading Chasing Power. But let me tell you, that cover is 100% inaccurate. It's nice for the title and all, but there is nothing about electricity or light bulbs in this book. Also, overall, the book was filled with too much mysticism and magic along those lines for my taste. There was a legit voodoo queen, and I was not okay with that.
The plot moved very quickly, which was great. There was a big twist I wasn't expecting. Selena was a supportive friend. Kayla had a great sense of humor, and she genuinely cared about her mom. However, her mom was extremely overprotective (although, given the circumstances, I could see why), and I didn't like that Kayla referred to her by her first name.
Also, the romance moved way too fast, and like I said, I couldn't stand the mysticism. If I had known about it before, I likely wouldn't have picked up Chasing Power.

The Verdict: I felt pretty meh about this book by the end of it. I could see fans of The 39 Clues enjoying it, though.

Buy: Read Between the Lynes  Barnes & Noble