Book Review: Meridian by Amber Kizer

Meridian’s 16th birthday doesn’t go as planned. Instead of celebrating with her family, she’s forced to flee them and set off for her great aunt’s home across the country. All because she’s a special kind of human-angel hybrid that’s being hunted to extinction.


There’s a very entertaining story in these pages, but it is sometimes muddled by uneven pacing, a few choppy transitions and a come-out-of-nowhere romance. I really enjoyed the mythology Author Kizer set up here. We learn little by little about the Fenestra (windows that dying souls use to access the afterlife) and their opponents the Aternochti. Meridian’s great aunt Merry is a spunky character who helps Meridian realize her potential and shares her history as well as the history of the Fenestra that came before.

Mr “big bad” is a reverend with movie-star looks who is taking over Merry’s town, blaming tragedies on Merry and taking credit for successes. The scenes where Merry and Meridian go to a pizza parlor and attend a church service are chilling, but overall, he doesn’t come off as that smart.

The book starts off in a whirlwind – we barely get time to meet Meridian’s family before she’s forced on the run. Then we a get a mix of “danger” scenes, at times frustratingly vague conversations, and a brooding “protector” love interest called Tens who is rude to Meridian nearly the whole book.

Despite not loving this 100%, I am still looking forward to the sequel, WILDCAT FIREFLIES that comes out this summer. Find out more about the novel at the author’s website.