**REVIEW** Destiny Gift byJuliana Haygert

Thirty years in the future, a sinister New York City exists in permanent darkness. 

A student at the secured NYU, nineteen-year-old Nadine has visions of Victor Gianni, an imaginary guy she has real feelings for. Afraid of being truly insane, she explains the visions away as simple daydreams, but she can no longer deny them when she bumps into Victor in real life. But this Victor doesn’t know her, and turns her away. After the encounter, Nadine’s visions change to those of eerie fates, gods she’s never heard of, demons with sharp claws they are not too timid to use … and instructions.

To discover if she’s losing her mind, Nadine follows the vague directions—with the real, rude and reluctant Victor—leading to a man who knows it all: Nadine can restore an ancient creed by unveiling the clues on her visions, and bring sunlight and peace to the world again. But that’s only if the demons and the other evil forces behind the darkness don’t stop her first.

Release Date: April 1, 2013

Review Copy: Mobi

**Provided by Author for Honest Review

Review

Intriguing and fresh, Destiny Gift was something enjoyable from the start.  Despite my expectations from the description I was surprised to find many things I did not expect.  It's a different type of mythology, set in a post apocalyptic world and I was drawn in almost immediately.  Everything was so clearly written it was easy to see the terrifying wasteland the world had become and the struggle of the characters that lived in it.   The only thing I found this book light on was the New Adult side of it but I think that, that's because it is a paranormal New Adult novel.  They normally seem to be lighter on the NA and focus on the paranormal aspect and seeing this had an apocalyptic edge to it, I can't say I was let down by it either.

  Though I had never heard of the Mythology that was in this book I personally think that it gave it an edge.  It took its own twist and turns and did explain what it was, though you don't get it right off the bat you find out and experience the gods as the book goes.  This also presents its own unique story line as the characters gradually find out what is going on and aren't just dumped into the thick of it.  Seeing I am the type of person that wants to know the reason why I loved that the Gods/Goddesses are described and their motives are put on the table.  Also the reason for the worlds distress and condition are explained later on but I kind of caught on early. 

  Nadine is doing what she has to instead of what she wants to.  I understood her reasoning for it but I think that she really cut herself short by making that choice.  There was so much potential with this girl and that this novel really only scratched the surface of it.  When it came to Victor I think she sold herself a little short and held her breath a little too much.  Though I understood her attachment to the guy in her visions, the one she meets is nothing even comparable.  Though I liked Nadine I failed to love her because of this.  I must say though near the end she was starting to shape up a little and it seems that she may be pulling together and starting to consider other things, like her future and what part she plays in this game of Gods and Fates.

  There was some serious potential for a love triangle to develop as well.  It was handled with the utmost delicacy though and never fully formed.  As mentioned Nadine's heart belonged to the Victor of her visions.  Naturally this affection transfers into the real life Victor even though he is the polar opposite of the guy she dreamed about.  Micah is my pick and rather than his looks doesn't really register with Nadine.  He isn't quite what he seems but I really hope that despite Nadine's good heart and who he is that something between them works out.

  There is so much more to know with this one and was happy to find out that the next novel should be released around October.  Though you are not left completely hanging I did feel that there were questions I wanted answered and things I need to know.  Haygert has created something new and has a writing style that is easy to fall into.  So much to look forward to in the next novel and seeing what kind of growth occurs in both the characters and the story itself!

Quotes

I was reluctant to call my visions hallucinations.  Yet now, at a psychiatrist's office, I guess I should.  Hallucinations can be stopped with medication, right?  That was why I was here-to ask the doctor to put an end to them.

Perhaps I should have been used to the disasters, but I wasn't.  I was born in this world, this cruel, dangerous, dark world-the world of chaos, as my mother called it-and yet, I was always shocked by tragic events.

Once he was gone, I threw myself on one of the bed, hugged the pillow, and forced myself to think about ponies and cute puppies so I wouldn't cry.  God, these three men- two real and one fictitious-would kill me.

"Hey, pretty boy and vision girl," Micah shouted from above the rise, interrupting the words I was now dying to hear.  "Pause the melodrama and drag your butts over here.  We don't have much time."