Stork

Stork #1

by Wendy Delsol

Moving from LA to nowhere Minnesota, sixteen-year-old Katla Leblanc expected the local fashion scene to be frozen in time. What she didn’t expect was induction into the Icelandic Stork Society, an ancient order of women charged with a unique mystical duty. Not only is Katla the youngest member, but Hulda, the society’s omen-guided leader, immediately bestows the coveted Second Chair on her―a decision that ruffles a few feathers. As if that weren’t enough, Katla also has to deal with her parents’ divorce and the social aftermath of a bad date with popular but creepy Wade. Katla, however, isn’t one to sit on her designer-jean-clad behind, and soon she’s assigned the fashion column for the school paper and making new friends. Things would be looking up if it weren’t for editor in chief Jack. Even though they argue every time they meet, Katla is inexplicably drawn to him. Juggling her home life, school, and Stork duties, will Katla be able to unravel the mystery surrounding Jack? More importantly, will she find a dress in time for Homecoming? Folktales collide with reality in Wendy Delsol’s debut novel, in which one girl finds herself tail-feathers deep in small-town life.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Mythology, Fiction, Magic

Audio CD

First published October 12, 2010

About the author

Wendy Delsol is the author of a young adult trilogy: STORK (2010), FROST (2011), and FLOCK (2012). The books are inspired by Norse mythology, adventure and Icelandic folklore. STORK was one of 25 titles out of over 1000 to receive a 2010 VOYA Perfect Ten and one of ten to win a 2011 Westchester Fiction Award. Delsol’s adult novel, THE McCLOUD HOME FOR WAYWARD GIRLS, was named an August 2011 Barnes and Noble Pick of the Week. The book is set in Iowa and tells the story of three generations of women and the secrets that bind them. Wendy has an undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and a graduate degree from California State University, Long Beach. She was born in Canada, grew up in Michigan, lived in Los Angeles for 20 years and now resides in Des Moines with her husband and two teen sons.

Reviews

[Wendy Darling · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars I'd love to hang out with Katla LeBlanc. She's just moved from LA to frozen Minnesota, where the fashion scene is non-existent and the weirdly wonderful ladies of the Icelandic Stork Society insist that she is destined to be part of their mysterious clan. I absolutely love Kat's voice, which is smart and funny and made me laugh out loud several times. It's such a nice change when there's humor in YA paranormal novels and I think the author shows a lot of promise in possibly becoming another Rachel Hawkins or Lish McBride.

I really enjoyed learning about Icelandic customs and the author makes the frozen midwest sound absolutely beautiful. What I did find a little confusing, however, are the paranormal aspects of the book. The beginning induction scene is very cool, but there's not much that's done with Katla's gift after that in this particular book. After a strong start, the story goes off the path and focuses primarily on how she's fitting in at her new school, which involves drama with her onetime hook-up Wade, as well as the confusing signals she's getting from the attractive but standoffish Jack.

The basis of this gift Katla has is also just plain weird. This story is loosely based on Norse mythology and inspired by some elements of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen, though the author really has created her own unique mythology. Kat has the responsibility of deciding who gets pregnant in her small town, and there are four possible candidates whose futures she touches in her dreams. It's such an intriguing but strange concept for a YA novel, and since that plot line doesn't really get tied up in this first book, I'm not really sure where the author is going with this idea.

I liked that Katla is a flawed but sympathetic protagonist, however. She's a good friend and has a great, though believably conflicted, relationship with both of her divorced parents. I also really liked Katla (I keep wanting to type Katsa here) and Jack together--they are adorably cute as a couple, which is a good thing since so much time is spent on them. I will say that it always makes me uneasy when there's such a "I'm meant to be with you forever" feel in teen relationships, but I'm willing to accept it here since it's part of the mythology of what's going on.

This is a pretty quick and entertaining read, despite the regrettably cartoony showdown at the end of the book that doesn't really seem to fit in with the rest of it. To make the series really great, however, the author will need to develop the paranormal parts more fully in the next installment Frost. I hope the brand name dropping is toned down a bit, too; I really hate this trend in YA, and while I was more okay with it here because of Katla's interest in fashion, after awhile it still grated on my nerves to read about her endless array of designer clothes and accessories. Some authors may need to rely on that to add texture and interest to their books, but this one doesn't.

Still, I like Katla quite a lot and I'm looking forward to seeing where the story will take her next.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS BOOK UNTIL NOW?!

Here we have a fresh, fun YA fantasy based on Icelandic mythology . . . and I just found out about it like a month ago! YOU HAVE LET ME DOWN, GOODREADS FRIENDS!

This book was so darling, I just wanted to cuddle it! I loved Kat, and her sense of fashion, and everything about this book. The characters were great, the Stork Council was awesome, it was so different from the endless string of YA supernatural books that I've seen lately!

[TheBookSmugglers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review originally posted on The Book Smugglers: HERE

In retrospect, I should have known.

I should have known that a book about storks and pregnancy and babies would drive me bananas but alas, the promise of the combination of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen with Norse/Icelandic Mythology plus the positive reviews Stork received all over the place made it too hard for me to pass this one up. So here I am ….ready to talk about the book but the more I think about it, the less I like it. In fact, I think I should issue a fair warning: there will be spoilers. There will be Caps Lock of DOOM. Above all, there will be ranting.

But before anything else, perhaps a summary is in order. After Katla LeBlanc’s parents divorce, she is dragged by her mom to a small town in Minnesota, a town with Icelandic roots. Coming from sunny, modern, fashionable LA, Katla feels like a complete outsider. But then she is told that she is a Stork and that she is to be a member of an ancient order of women tasked with a very important duty. In between trying to perform her surreal duties and finding new friends, Katla will also find herself attracted to Jack, a local boy with a secret …..yadda yadda yadda sparks will fly or something.

Right, first the good. I actually really liked the writing which is the sole reason why I managed to read Stork to the end. It was gripping and entertaining. I also appreciated how Katla was this really cool girl who is passionate about fashion (despite all the brand-name dropping which is something that will make this book dated in no time at all. Also, really hard for non-Americans to get all the local brands. But I digress) and plans to go to college in Paris. She is funny, smart, even if a bit dismissive of small towns with their lack of Starbucks and shopping malls – which is totally understandable if you ask me. She is also great in the way that she can take care of herself – in basically any situation and is no wilting flower waiting to be rescued. And to be honest, I hoped that the premise would be decently executed because really? A heroine who is a stork? In one word: UNIQUE.

Which brings me to the three things that didn’t work for me: the role the storks played; the world-building; the romance.

Let’s start with the premise. Do you know the old wives’ tale that says that storks deliver newborn babies to their mothers? Well, the storks here do a lot more than that. A stork will at some point, dream about an unborn baby who needs to find a potential family. After dreaming about the soul of this baby, the stork will then dream about 3 potential vessels. After that the stork needs to decide which of three she would like to recommend to the council of storks so that they can VOTE yes or no. Each dream will come full of symbolism which will help the storks deciding how best to combine the soul of each of the babies with the best prospective mothers.

Shall we start with… vessel? VESSEL???? As in the BLOOD VESSEL THAT IS ABOUT TO BURST IN MY BRAIN? It has to be because surely, we cannot be implying that those women are empty containers ready to be filled with a baby? Putting the poor choice of word (I can be so diplomatic when I want) aside, there is this idea of fate and destiny surrounding the premise and I felt that the mothers have little to no choice in the matter when it comes to being pregnant. This council of sage women decide on their behalf and they go through all the reasons why a woman should or should not “get” the soul of a baby. Here is an example of a stork society meeting: one of the storks has dreamed about the soul of a boy (who will be “gifted in music, but someone to whom words will come slowly”) and the prospective vessels:

“A thirty-year-old mother of three girls. Her husband pines for a boy. A twenty-nine-year-old single woman, who has lost herself in her career. A thirty-eitght-year-old who has, four times, endured artificial insemination. The husband has been incredibly patient.”

“And you have a recommendation for us?” asked Hulda.

“The thirty-year-old,” replied Dorit. “She has waited so long”

(Can I take one moment to go over this? THE HUSBAND HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY PATIENT???? THE HUSBAND???? Like, it is her FAULT that she can’t get pregnant? Is HE the one enduring artificial insemination? Being poked and probed? I THINK NOT).

Still being diplomatic: I find this whole idea and its implications, slightly uncomfortable. I am firmly pro-choice and the whole idea behind the premise of this book just goes against everything I believe in.

Which brings me to the problems I had with the world-building. So, you have this council of wise women deciding which mother gets which baby. The decision seems to be guided from somewhere within each stork and according to Katla, it actually feels like being “guided by someone else” and afterward there is a feeling of “rightness”. My question is: how can there be any real decision when you are being guided by an unseen…additional force? To me, this automatically excludes any potential source of conflict stemming from making a wrong choice because there is no possibility of a wrong choice: it is DESTINY. And WHY do they need 3 potential vessels for??? Doesn’t that make the whole process slower considering the amount of people in the world?

Furthermore: this seems to be exclusively an Icelandic thing – so what happens to babies and women all over the world where there are no Icelandic connections? Are there councils everywhere, one in every town? How many storks are necessary to take care of the entire world? In all fairness at one point it is hinted that only the souls in need of guidance need the help of storks but…why exactly? How does one qualify a soul in need of guidance? What happens to all the other unborn babies, how do they find families?

Another question: What do the Norse mythos of Jack Frost and Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen have to do with…. storks and babies?

As far as I can see?? NOTHING. And they continue to have nothing in common even after a whole book is written that is supposed to combine all three. But this combination is so tenuous as to be almost non-existent. There is very, very little of The Snow Queen in this story to the point where I see no reason at all to even bring it up. The Norse mythology comes in the form of Jack Frost or its current incarnation and also with the manner in which the villain of this piece wants immortality and to open the Bifrost bridge between Midgard (our Earth) and Asgard (where the Gods inhabit). Fine, awesome, great idea (I am not being ironic). But do you know what angers me? The fact that the villains are ravens because ravens are evil! BUT this is supposed to be Norse Mythology: SO WHY ARE RAVENS EVIL when they are of utmost importance to Norse Mythology? Odin, one of the main Gods in this pantheon relies completely on the ravens Huginn and Muninn as his ears and eyes (or if you want to be metaphorical, they are the embodiments of thought and memory). See the importance?

I am not saying that things are set in stone and mythologies are holy and shouldn’t be changed or anything like that. But there is no explanation why ravens are evil within a context that is purposely using Norse mythology as inspiration. Want ravens to be evil? FINE. Then come up with something to explain why these ravens are evil. Like, for example, they got sick and tired of serving Odin and decided to create havoc between Midgard and Asgard or SOMETHING. I would be totally cool with this. Not…simply say that they are evil and that’s it.

Sometimes I feel I take things far too seriously. And I am sorry to be a downer, I am sorry to be so incisive but after reading so many badly done retellings or mythology-inspired stories lately it’s really starting to sound like authors are just randomly taking bits and pieces of random mythology and sticking them together like some kind of frankenmythos and it just doesn’t work. At least, obviously, it doesn’t work for me.

I’ve already written far too much but haven’t even touched on the subject of romance. I won’t dwell on it: suffice it to say that there is little development and a lot of “we are meant to be together.” Jack feels this connection to Katla and has felt it since the first time he laid eyes on her when they were 12. Now, Jack is a 16 year old boy who has never hooked up with anyone because he has been saving himself for her. Romantic? Some may say so. I think it is sad. As sad as I felt when it became clear that Katla started to lose some of the unique personality traits she had when the novel started, after falling in love with Jack. And who knows if she will ever really go to the Sorbonne now that she found the love of her life…at 16.

Maybe all these questions will be answered in the sequel. Maybe there will be some awesome conflict. Maybe it will be explained WHY is Katla’s youth so important to the council. Maybe, maybe, maybe. I will never know.

[Kogiopsis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every now and again I read a book under such circumstances that I really wonder what I would have thought of it at a different time. It's a nature vs. nurture thing - how much of my reactions are to the book itself, how much to the circumstances of my own life as I'm reading it? Stork is definitely one of those books. On the one hand, it probably benefited from my reading Halo at the same time, because nothing is that bad; on the other hand, since I spent last night reading the Evil Overlord List, the climax of this book had my eyebrows crawling upwards to my hairline unfortunately frequently. (The villain breaks major commandments of the EOL in quick succession, and it makes him look like an idiot.)


In the end, I can really see how this book would be one star above or below the rating I gave it, depending on when I'd read it. The concept is definitely something new, and discussing pregnancy in such a central manner is unusual for a YA novel, but it gets kind of pushed to the side so that the author can focus on the romance and a tacked-on BIG BAD EVULZ plotline. The pacing is just a wreck - I almost set the book down after the first chapter because it dropped me in with no warning and no exposition. I very rarely think a book needs a prologue, but this one does, and badly. The writing see-saws between amusing and overwrought, and frequent brand-name references mean it will be dated fairly quickly. Katla, the protagonist and narrator, is at times highly unlikeable, though she does get better over the course of the book. Jack, her love interest, is a lot more intriguing and sympathetic, even if his Great Big Secret is really easy to guess. The cover promises "lost memories", and I guess those are there, but really I felt that the memories weren't that important - certainly not central enough to rate a mention on the cover.

This could have been a fantastic and thought-provoking book. I would have been much more interested if the conflict had been something less stereotypical - say, Katla making the wrong recommendation to the Storks and having to deal with the guilt and consequences that came of it. She's the youngest of this group of women, and that's never really touched on, especially since their role requires a great deal of maturity which it's obvious she doesn't quite have.

The bottom line is: cool idea, but I'll not be reading the sequel.

[Imbob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though a lot of people would probably pass over this book, it caught my eye because of it's gorgeous cover and the unusual title.

Katla LeBlanc has just moved to a new town with her mother and her mother's boyfriend. Soon after she meets the Storks, an ancient Icelandic society with a mystical purpose run by Icelandic elders, and is accepted as its newest and by far the youngest member. Inducted into the society and chosen as the prestigous second chair, a whole heap of new responsibility is dropped onto Kat's shoulders, and it doesn't help that Jack, a gorgeous boy from school, seems angry at her for no reason at all.
As the book goes on Kat learns that a mysterious new evil is stalking those around her, and that something that happened years ago but she can't remember may hold the key to finding out what is happening now.

Kat is an amazing character, i wish i was as strong as her! She seems to take everything as it comes, never giving up hope and always trying to find the best of the situation. Her relationship with Jack is suprising real, it really makes you get behind them and empathise, letting you get more engrossed in the book and the storyline.

This interesting take on the shockingly underepresented Scandinavian mythology is a burst of fresh air compared to the gazillions of YA Paranormal twilight clones. If you're looking for something a little different but which still satisfies your supernatural appetites, this is the book for you.

Stork is one of my favourite reads this month, it has fantasy, romance, and mystery, a combination that can do no wrong in my eyes.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2...point 5 stars?

I don't know quite how to rate this book. On the one hand, it made me feel like this:



But at the same time, there were elements of this story that were really cool...



I like that this book twists mythology and fairy tales to create a new mythos: one where old women determine who gets what child. I felt this book offered an intriguing picture of babies pre-conception, waiting to be born. It was fun to think of their mission and the placement of children.
However, despite the creative setting and themes, the world-building suffers greatly. A lot isn't explained. Particularly with Katla, there always seems to be another force at work pushing her in a direction and removing any of the free-choice and consequences that would naturally come with the power she has. She has this whole "chosen one" vibe coming that allows random abilities that might just be her or might be the Storks...it is all sort of a muddle.



Katla herself is....annoying. Obnoxious. This is one of those books that survives despite the main character, rather than because of her. I'm not even talking about her weird romance/destined couple thing. That just has me like....



No, I'm talking more about how this annoying rich girl cannot shut up about how much she hates Minnesota and being away from Starbucks. I get that this is supposed to be part of her character change, but I still just kept picturing the heroine from Clueless...



I felt like she somewhat improved as the story went on, but that might just be because she becomes a mess of hormones and snapped back into the usual brand of teenage heroines, where I was able to ignore her nicely.

So I don't know. An interesting premise that kept me engaged and reading on and yet disappointed me at the same time. I will probably find the sequel if I have time.

[The Feline Felon · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! I loved this book it was so sweet!! Also this books ending was prob my favorite book ending EVER!!

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by John Jacobson, aka "R.J. Jacobs" for TeensReadToo.com

Katla is a city girl. Fashion, Starbucks, it's all a part of her life. Well, it was. After the discovery of her parents' planned divorced, Katla and her mother return to their roots - a small town called Norse Falls up in the mountains of Minnesota. Pretty much everyone in town is a descendant of the Vikings, or Norsefolk, including Katla and her mother. But Katla's only half - her father's roots are French. Katla comes to town with some less than exciting prospects - a jerkwad named Wade tries to get in her pants after a not-so-brief drinking session, the apple-delivery boy (and secret flannel fetishist) named Jack has some weird connection to her, and the store across from her grandfather's - owned by a woman named Hulda - is showing some strange signs. But that's only the beginning...

Katla is actually a Stork. No, not the bird that parents use as a flimsy metaphor for sex, but a member of a local, ancient order of Nordic women who see the 'essences' of children. When a child comes to them in a dream, so does the child's possible vessel - usually three different women. Things are heating up in the chilly town of Norse Falls, and Katla's just beginning to uncover one of many Nordic secrets.

Wendy Delsol takes every little bit of my mythology and fairy tale buff's dreams and melds them into a book that is enjoyable to its core. The plot, even without all of the references, is cool; a look at pregnancy in all of its forms (and vessels) and its effects on people, and a job that actually relies on thoughtful decision making. I love how the very basis of this novel is about Katla learning to make intelligent choices that affect the people in her daily life. The other part, involving Jack and his possible connection to Katla, is also swoon-worthy. The ending, though, was not like I expected it to be. It was kind of out of the blue and I would have liked more build-up to it, even though in retrospect I should have seen SOME of it coming.

The characters in this novel are just as well done, in a lot of different ways. I love that Katla is a fashion-conscious girl who isn't entirely dumb, and how she's smart, but not extremely so. Aside from her talent for clothes (and that little Stork problem) she's normal, which was nice. Her assimilation to small town life was also refreshing - being a small town resident myself, that entire portion of the novel was comforting and fun to read. Jack was an even more refreshing male lead - I mean a guy who can wear all that flannel and John Deere apparel would normally get on my nerves, but it was cute on him. Hulda was a nice change of pace, as well - the wise woman figure done with some nice finesse. Everyone else was cute and small-towny, but not overly so. Like stepping into a Debbie Macomber book cover. Just pleasant and nice to be around.

Writing is just as great in STORK. Sentence one had me yearning to instantly to read on. I usually find YA writing to be good, but nothing that I'd seriously quote and point out and dissect on a regular basis, but Delsol uses some great metaphors and similes - and I respect that in a writer. They really made the experience stand out. The pacing was my only issue - the first few bits could have dealt with some more setting up, just because Katla is plunged into Stork society really early, and she seemed more adapted than I would have thought. And the ending, again. But the rest of the novel was so fluid and fast - every event felt, well, eventful, and that's something that I love in a YA book. I also enjoyed the use of heritage - the characters embrace their Nordic (and in Katla's case, some French, as well) heritage and use the language on occasion. It added some nice depth, and in a small town like this, it gave off another layer of realism to the tale.

STORK is going to be something that either really hits or really gets missed, which I hope doesn't happen. Out of all of the series going around right now, I can safely say this is one I am going to wait for. And wait for, literally, as the actual book won't even be out until October, let alone the next one. STORK is one of those paranormal books that has an absolutely creative and out-of-the box base, and that comes out extremely well. The characters, writing, and small town aura of it just fit so perfectly, and other than slight pacing issues, I had a wonderful reading experience. Delsol is definitely an author to watch.

[Carmaletta Hilton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to give it three stars, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I found myself disappointed too many times, and at others, I just didn't care. The idea of the Storks is what drew me to the book, and I was left very disappointed with their presence in the story. I expected to learn more about them, to have this whole new world of mythology opened up to me, and it never really happened. We saw them here and there, but they never really seemed important. I wanted to know more about what they do. What happens to a Stork if she places a child in the wrong person? I also didn't like the way that, instead of having to ever admit that she lied and made up part of her vision, it all just kind of worked out.

Though Katla's self-centered and shallow behavior started to change, by the time the change occurred, I just didn't like her very much, so I didn't care. I was tired of getting a rundown of what everyone was wearing every time they changed clothes. I tired of hearing how great her dad was when, once we met him, he was actually kind of a jerk. It was yet another thing that could have been delved into that wasn't. Katla was disappointed in her dad after dinner with Jack, but she never really internalized how much of a shallow jerk he could be. Also, her turnaround with Stanley just happened and she never even had to apologize for being so mean to him. This is someone who is supposed to be choosing where children go, but I saw nothing that showed me she really deserved it. She doesn't really know anything about, doesn't really care to learn, and nobody taught her anything. She doesn't have the maturity level where she comes off as someone who should be trusted with that kind of responsibility.

The whole Wade thing was odd. Considering the turn around of both him and Monique, I would have thought she was part of his plans, but she wasn't even there in the field. And Wade going from high school bully and almost date rapist to a killer and a Raven... That all just came up so quickly without any real build up just threw me. I didn't think he was a killer. I just thought he and Monique had come up with some way to truly embarrass Kat and Jack at the party. And what of Dorit talking? With Grim waiting to protect Kat at the barn, we get the idea that she and Hulda knew about Wade at some point, but it all just... went away. The book just ended without anything real happening after the portal was closed.

I was just left very unfulfilled and unsatisfied. If the purpose of Katla's characterization was to show that the heroine doesn't always have to be perfect and wonderful, then the author definitely succeeded, and I give the book more credit if that's the case. The idea was interesting and, while a little odd, the whole Jack Frost thing was an interesting surprise, I just couldn't bring myself to really enjoy this book. I think my biggest problem is that, while Delsol told a good story, it wasn't the story that I was expecting, and because of that, I was never fully invested in the story that was told.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the story. It’s definitely something new. No joke there. The story of STORKS and BABIES and The Snow Queen and other old Outlandic Antartic whatever stories combined and made into something modern where teens of today can really relate too. Well, except for the paranormal and urban fantasy part, because that, definitely is not happening in the real world, just in the movies and books. But this book can really take you into a journey of a teenager’s life to CHANGE. Katla (weird name I know, but suits her well) survived and went through a lot of change in her life. From LA to Minnesota, life of high fashion in the city to the suburbs (or maybe a town,haha). Through parent’s divorce and a LOT of environmental change. The story is fast-paced, just as how short the length of time the setting of the story takes place. Jack, that frosted young man! haha. (I was surprised his hair was brown not icy white like “The forbidden game’s Julian” hehe) I have never read any guy’s fictional character soooo suffered with soooo much vulnerability. At first he had a slow pace in opening himself, too uptight just like the cold. Soon enough however, I was in awe of his “soul-baring” confessions, later on I was kinda half raising my eyebrows in question with the overdose of vulnerability present, thought it was too much (what do you think? well if you’ve read this anyway,hehe). The characters. Hudla was weird, to the highest level. But, her loyalty and faithfulness to her club and members and her knowledge to her customs and unexpectedly business talks surprised and amazed me both. Grim, I mistook her for another character many times but finally stitched myself up after I felt around the story (it was funny really). Anyway, I honestly thought she planned something bad to the couple (good misleading Wendy Delsol!) and she used Wade in the process. Never knew he was in it on a solo flight. Never took him to be the kind of villain with all the brain and all the drill, and yeah just because he’s a player and a jock. (Sorry for the character stereotyping). The story. I love how progressive it went, from being a new girl (common), to being a loner (not really common), slowly having friends (kinda unique because almost always, the new girl finds her own group/BFF), discovering what she was in a super mysterious and slow manner (actually not, first chapter explained almost all of it), the starcrossed lovers drill (had it, w/all the unusual spark, only here it was literal :)), and lots you have to discover for yourself.
The story. The characters. The lessons. WE are all different but somehow opposite poles can merge together through compromise and THEN we can have that well deserved CHANGE. The story kept me up all night and I was in need to finish it. :) An all-nighter.

[Elevetha · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, the setting.

No.

There is no such thing as "Minnesota-nice". And if there was, and there isn't, Minnesotans would not refer to it as "Minnesota-nice."

Yokels? Hicks? Alberta Clippers?

Something the Minnesota yokels referred to as an Alberta Clipper was bearing down from the north.

Wha..? I have never ever heard anything referred to as an "Alberta Clipper

No.

Uncultured hicks with poofy hair, hideous clothing, and a hate for all things "civilized"?

No. Please, we're not North Dakota.

But what I'm getting at is you may have lived in California, Kat, but you better stop bashing Minnesota.

I'll grant you that we do have beautiful state parks and that they were described eerily similar to what they actually look like and that it is quite cold here, though. But Kat warms up(Ha) to Minnesota at the end so I suppose it's all good.

What is up with the scratching? Couldn't they find a better way to alert the other Storks of a meeting? I don't understand! And why is there scabs and then no scabs? How do they heal? Why is it scratching!?!?

All I can say about the whole baby debacle is that, HOLY CRAP, STANLEY IS THE PERFECT PERSON. I mean, honestly. You're dating this woman who is finalizing her divorce and gets it on with her soon-to-be ex-husband, where she gets pregnant and you're are the sweetest most caring person towards her and really nice to the dad. I don't know. Either Stanley is perfect or he's planning something.

Jack and Kat were okay. I guess. The "fate/destiny/we're meant to be together forever and we're still in high school" was cliche and silly but I didn't hate Jack so it was okay.

Purely meh. I wouldn't ever re-read but I'm not angry at myself for reading it.

[Nafiza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have good things to say about Stork by Wendy Delsol. Wendy brings a fresh new take to the paranormal genre and lets the readers explore the idea of “Storks.” I doubt anyone would want to go around announcing that they were storks or that they believed in the stork long after the time they have had their birds and the bees talk. Katla is a fun character and engaging character. It is much easier to like a book if you like the main character, eh? And imagine having to spend a lot of time with a group of musty old women because they (and not leather clad blonde bombshells) form your cohort.

The love story is pretty steamy too. I really enjoyed the insertion of the history between the two. It gave a reason for the usual insta-romance. It was logical guys, LOGICAL. The thing that is missing in such copious amounts in Paranormal YA novels I so love. I wasn’t too sure about Jack at first but you know, the revelation at the end of the book totally won me over. I like it when both characters have a purpose and more meaning than just being arm candy and smooching partners to each other.

The only thing I was a bit unhappy with was the question why these two intelligent people would choose to believe in a person who so obviously means them harm and the way it remained unanswered. But I might be being picky, okay fine, I am being picky. I am looking forward to the next book because honestly, I enjoyed the novel.

[Larissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sun, the beach and the shops were all a thing of the past for Kat, and so too was a decent cup of coffee. The cold always was her enemy as was bad fashion sense and this small town with its cold climate and lack of style was looking more and more like a place Kat was to call home, whether she liked it or not.

Divorce, a new school and a persistent group of strange old women in even stranger hats make up Kat's experiences in this ancient small town. Then the dreams begin. But none of that has anything to do with the unknown boy Jack and his insistence that he and Kat know each other, nor dose it explain the bad mood he seems to adopt towards her and, as it turns out, only her.

Stork is a modern fairytale full of dreams, magic and Norse mythology. Although love comes quickly as an act of fate and some aspects are foreseeable, there is enough momentum to keep this tale flowing. This supernatural story may lack vampires, werewolves and angels but its original and fresh mystical beings along with its interesting and quirky characters are a refreshing change from the norm.

[Rachel B · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

The first half had me happy to read a fantasy that was more original than the standard witch/werewolf/vampire fare. By the end, however, the fantasy element took a turn that was decidedly less original.

The concept had so much potential, and could have been a great story about female friendships, but the focus ended up being on romance, which was disappointing enough - and then the execution of that was not great, either. I hated the insta-romance between Kat and Jack. Not to mention, Jack was weirdly possessive.

Several things were never properly developed or wrapped up. The whole Stork thing was definitely underdeveloped, and that idea was the whole reason I wanted to read the book. There was a part where the main character lied about having a vision, but then there were no consequences for her or "fate." The ending was abrupt and too easy.

The writing itself was just meh. Some parts I quite liked, others were cliche. There was a lot of telling instead of showing.

There were also a few instances of profanity, and one character kept kissing another on the neck. Regular kissing would have annoyed me enough, but this detail made me cringe.

[Emily Koelpien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3 ½ Stars

This book starts us off with a platinum-blonde Californian out of her element, caught in the bitter coldness that early fall brings. Katla LeBlanc, henceforth to be known as Kat, is newly relocated to a Minnesota town with an Icelandic heritage, along with her mother, following a recent divorce. Kat is working in her grandfather’s store, wearing a beret owned by Afi (her grandfather), seeing as Kat had a recently developed a bad rash atop her head. In addition to the odd new rash, the fabric store across from Afi’s was opened, which isn’t something that happens often. Kat, a lover of fashion, rushes over for just a few minutes to buy some fabric when she meets Hulda, who takes a peculiar interest in the rash atop Kat’s head. She quickly rushes Kat downstairs, just in time for the meeting of a secret society of women. They women, old in age, meet to discuss which spirits of future babies go to which future mothers. These women are Storks. She is now the youngest Stork known to date. Kat, feeling overwhelmed, convinces herself it was a dream and rushes back to Afi’s store where she first meets Jack Snjosson, a local boy who works on an apple farm who was running deliveries.
During the first few days at school, Kat is the new girl. One of the only people she knew prior was a boy named Wade who had tried to take advantage of her. Kat spends many lunches by her lonesome until she meets her future best-friend in her design class, who happens to work on the school’s newspaper. She immediately is put in charge of the fashion column, and Penny invites her to the Asking Fire. Every year before homecoming, the students gather and a giant bonfire is lit, girls write the names of the boys they want to ask them out, and the boys do just that. Kat, unmoved by this tradition, doesn’t participate, but is asked out anyways by Jack. Kat, Jack, Penny, and the rest of the group all make plans to go hiking around a lake during the weekend.
This is when the dreams start. Kat’s first dream, the local café owner, Jaelle, wears a cape of air, staring longingly at a child. The second is one of the mean girls at Kat’s school, Monique, girlfriend of Wade, who wears a cape of fire. The third dream, to Kat’s horror, is when her own mother, arrives from a dense forest with twigs in her hair. Air, fire, and earth are elements that reveal details about the potential mothers to the child. Kat is able to decide the fate of the child, seeing as she is now a member of the Storks, and to even to her own surprise, is moved by an omniscient force to choose her mother to be the carrier of the baby girl.
Katla is faced with the new responsibilities of being a Stork, as well as her new relationship with Jack, a new friendship with Penny, and trying to figure out what Wade’s obsession is with her. Not to mention, a big secret is revealed, and it completely changes the dynamic of Kat. All of this and more, including a surprising plot twist, is revealed by the end of the book, and is definitely worth a read.

The Good:
This book is captivating in more ways than one. Wendy Delsol manages to tastefully sprinkle in information about Icelandic traditions, explaining how children are named and what the nicknames for family members are. She also mentions Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, which is the play Kat’s high school is going to be putting on that year. The Snow Queen is also the basis for Disney’s Frozen, and is interesting for us, the readers, to see how this subplot unfolds (seeing as it is extremely minor in Stork, and will hopefully continue into the next book). Kat and Jack’s relationship is adorable, and it is truly the driving force behind this story.

The Bad:
My biggest gripe with Stork is its predictability. The character’s development is predictable, the so-called “plot twists” are predictable (and I’m pretty bad at seeing plot twists, so the fact that I was only surprised once throughout the entire book is saying something) (and even then, the one time I was surprised, it was pretty obvious and just didn’t cross my mind), and let’s just say “Jack” is the most uncreative name Delsol could’ve possibly come up with without outright saying he’s ____ _____.
Actually, that’s my only complaint. I read the book in a day (a school day, followed by a football game later that night), just to give you an idea of how quickly and just how much I enjoyed this book.

Recommended for:
Anyone interested in magical powers and a secret society. *raises hand slowly*
I see this book being more so for the female demographic. Age-wise, this book is for mature teenagers and older. It does deal with the concept of pregnancy (obviously), so if potential readers aren’t comfortable with that, I wouldn’t recommend it. This is a romantic story, and a fairly sappy one at that, which is another aspect to keep in mind. This book isn’t for everyone, seeing as it deals with a unique subject, coupled with the fantasy and romance genera, but can definitely be enjoyed by a wide audience. If this review has peaked your interest, I definitely recommend reading it.

~Emily Koelpien

[Suna · Rating 5 out of 5]

*This review includes detailed spoilers of the book.

Katla Leblanc is a girl who has a ice-blond hair and outstanding fashion sense. Following her divorced mother, she moves to Iceland from California. When she is working at her grandfather's store, she finds a fabric store and go into there. Fru Hulda, the owner of the store, notices Kat is the sign of Stork and introduces other Stork members. Despite other Stork members' disagreements, Hulda lets Kat to sit on the second chair, the position of a potential leader when the first chair is absent. She tells Katla that Kat's grandmother was also a Stork. Katla doesn't believe there are still magics and fates in the modern world, but she is surprised that the time didn't goes on while she was in the Stork meeting. As soon as Katla comes back to her grandfather's store, she meets a fair-looking boy named Jack Snjosson, who delivers boxes of apple. He insists that Kat knows him, but soon he is disappointed that she doesn't remember who is him.

On the first few weeks of new school, Katla struggles with the matter of being a new kid in a small, traditional school; She feels desperate because of awkward relationships between her and both Wade and Jack. Fortunately, Kat makes a friend named Penny. The new friend is the sub-editor of the school magazine, Jack as the editor. Penny recommends Katla to join the school magazine club and take charge on fashion articles. Katla accepts the suggestion be a close friend with Penny and her friend, Tina.

At the Asking Fire, which is a traditional event in Minnesota, Katla is asked by Jack, to go to the dance party with him. At the end of the event, Katla, Penny and Tina are matched with Jack, Pedro, and Matthew, and they plan to climb a mountain together on the next day. They follow the trail smoothly when they are going up, but when they goes down, they meet a stream as the fastest way. Because Jack firmly refuse to across the stream, he and Katla decide to choose the other way. Walking along the path, Katla starts to stumble with her injured feet, and moreover, they meet a mother bear without her baby, which a very dangerous animal in that situation. However, the direction of the wind is suddenly changed, so Jack and Kat escape the sight of the bear safely. Going down, Katla's limping gets worse. Jack tries to massage her feet but when Jack touches Katla, she feels ice and become unconscious. Desperately, Jack runs as fast as he can carrying fainted Katla to the basement of the mountain. Katla regains her consciousness noticing she is in Jack's arm while Jack is running. After Kat is settled down, Jack tells her the accident on the lake that young Jack and Katla was almost died with drowning, under the thick ice.

Back to home, Jack holds Kat's hand at school attracting all the students' eyes on them; for Jack is known as a boy who had never made a girlfriend until then. Even though Jack gets angry towards Katla and leave her for two days, he comes back to his destined lover and promises he won't leave her side never again.
During that happenings, Katla makes the first decision as a Stork-who would be pregnant. She chooses her mother as the one who will be the mother of the newborn. After all that were finished, Katla and Jack have a wonderful dance party at school and go to the after-party that Wade prepared. All the students of the school had left to the Wade's barn, Katla and Jack can't find any of them when they arrived. Despite Kat senses a warning, they follow Wade and go to inside of the barn. Wade makes both Jack and Katla to be unconscious and ties them. Wade tries to burn Jack while Katla watching it to realize his plan about the mythical portal, however, Kat calls two powerful Stork members using her magical ability. Wade accidentally dies by a lightning bolt, and Jack is saved by the Stork members safely. After Hulda and Grim(the Stork members) handled all the situation and left, Jack confess Kat who he really is-the heir of Jack Frost. With Katla as the Robin of the Stork and as the symbol of spring, they are stronger together.

This is one of the most attractive novel I've ever read. The plot is surprisingly well-organized, and all the characters are graphically described. The main characters have their own distinguishable styles, features, and personalities as well as all the flat characters. I also like the fascinating mixture of myth and modern world. They are not perfectly mixed well in some parts, but the idea of including Icelandic myths in the story is appealing enough by itself.

[Alisha Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start out by saying that Stork has one of the most breathtaking covers that I have ever seen. For some reason, the young-adult genre seems to have the most kick-ass covers ever! Maybe it's because the marketing departments want a cover that draws readers in since a lot of people are under the misguided opinion that the young-adult genre is of lower caliber than the "adult" genres. That's what I love about YA. Not only are they better than a lot of "adult" genres, plot-wise, writing-wise, etc., but they also have the most amazing covers. Anyway, the cover of Stork is the main reason why I stopped and clicked the "read more" option of its First Reads giveaway entry. Awesome cover...check; Intriguing premise...double and triple check.

No. Seriously. Does it really get any more awesome than a storyline involving a teenage girl who becomes a stork? Because if there is, hit that great little comment button and tell me all about it. I need more amazing reads. But the whole stork premise really was amazing. Amazing in that whole "I'm going to need double the Stork-time in the sequel and there really isn't too much Stork-time" kind of way. Those were my favorite parts of this book. I loved finding out about the current vessels and what the numerous little things surrounding a soul meant about the kind of child it would become. I guess my only protest was that I really wanted more of it. I felt that there should have been a bit more included on that front (one of the reasons I detracted a star). But still, the norse mythology, was fantastic.

Now when it comes to Katla, I liked her overall. Sure, she was a bit bratty, but she is 16, so I'll give her a pass. I guess I should thank my lucky stars that I didn't have actual issues with her since I do seem to have them with a huge sum of young-adult heroines. Her affinity for fashion was a bit annoying, though. Well, not really her affinity for it, as much as her standoffish "I'm better than you because I have a better fashion sense" attitude. Don't get me wrong. I'm a chick and I love fashion (so much that while reading this book, I declared next week "I'm going to go shopping and buy those xx-hi sparkly, star Converse that I've been wanting for a while to hell what anyone else thinks" week), but Katla seemed to think that her fashion sense was the "right" one and that's a big no-no in my book. Just because someone chooses to take a clothing risk that you would never in a million years take yourself, doesn't mean that their fashion is the wrong one and that yours is automatically the "right" one. She did end up getting better towards the end, though.

Romance tends to be eye-rolling inducing for me (unless you're Sarah Dessen cause she's seriously the only author that does not make me roll my eyes at romance no matter how cheesy it is), but the romance between Katla and Jack wasn't. I didn't find it aww-worthy and squee-worthy, but very, very, very rarely does that happen to me. The best I can hope for is that a romance in the book doesn't make me want to grab the nearest item (be it a knife, a spoon, or a Twizzler) and have me try to dig my eyes out of my socket to stop the supreme cheesiness. As this one didn't, I can now say bearable romance...check. I am, however, extremely intrigued to learn more about what happens when Jack and Katla are together (magic-wise, I mean).

So, I thought that Stork was really great. Usually while I'm reading fantasy books, halfway through the plot starts to lose steam and it becomes more about the characters for me than the premise, but that didn't happen with this book. Sure, I liked all of the characters (I did not find one character boring or unnecessary, a rarity), but I absolutely loved the plot. I wanna be a Stork! I'm eagerly awaiting the actual release of Stork and am impatiently awaiting the sequel.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Rating* 3.0
*Genre* Young Adult Paranormal

*Review*

Stork is the first book in the series with the same name by Wendy Delsol. It is told in the POV of Katla Gudron LeBlanc who finds that she is living in the great white north of Minnesota and has a destiny and a past she had no prior knowledge of.

Norse Falls, Minnesota, is where half of the population is descended from Iceland or they have a past linked to Nordic mythology of Asgard and Midgard. They have names like Huldabron, Hilda, Fru Birta and Fru Grimilla. Her mother is originally from Minnesota, so the change isn’t all that difficult for her.

Katla, however, is a fashionista who is too stuck up on herself and the clothes she wears and the fact that she can’t stand the cold weather. She has to have the best shoes, clothes, jewelry, and I could go on forever. I don’t honestly hate Katla; it’s just that I roll my eyes when it comes to the writer’s determination to believe her character is better than anyone else in her new environment.

The story follows Katla as she assimilates to a new school and a new town after moving with her mother from California to Minnesota. Her mother and father have decided to divorce after he couldn’t keep his little man in his pants and cheated on his wife. For shame you louse! Of course, Mom finds the most boring fellow possible, and falls in love again.

This is yet another book where the mother drags said daughter across the country to a new town, and then says give it a chance, you might like it! Then, said daughter meets new friends, and a boy she can’t help going silly putty over. She realizes that if she works hard enough to fit in, she will finally make friends and enjoy living in winter weather land.

*See my last review of Through her Eyes and Witches of East End which have similar story lines and the Norse background that surrounds its characters.*

Soon though Katla finds that she is a part of a mythical sisterhood called the Icelandic Stork Society and is given the second in command seat. The Storks actually make the decision as to who the next woman to become pregnant is by seeing glimpses of who the essence has chosen as possible suitors.

Then, of course, you have the bad boy named Wade Iverson, who Katla nearly had a disastrous one night stand with and has been trying to make her life miserable ever since. Wade is not only a player of epic proportions, and treats woman as toys, but he also has a deep dark secret which comes to light in the final scene of the book. Anyone with two licks of a brain cell could tell that he was wrong and not to trust him with tying your shoes, let alone going to a party with him.

Then there is the relationship that is the background to this story. The fact that Jack and Katla nearly drowned together when Katla was 11 and Jack Snjosson was 12, was the means to bringing them closer. The fact that Katla was pretty much brainwashed into not remembering any of it until Jack unlocks her past was a bit disturbing that her parents would actually allow medical professionals to hide this away from her.

My absolute favorite character has to be Hulda who runs Hulda’s Fabric and Notions as well as the land and former factory that is no longer operational. Hulda made this story interesting for me. Katla did not. Hulda made me laugh because she is just so determined to guide Katla along her path and her destiny even going as far as luring her father into opening a new factory in town.

I currently own book number two; Frost (October 11, 2011), and will be reading and reviewing it prior to release date.

[usagi ☆ミ · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Rating: 4.5/5)

“The Snow Queen” has definitely always made my top ten list for tales from Hans Christian Andersen. It’s hard to find YA fiction that uses that as its base and expands upon it, but Wendy Delsol really brought it when she published “Stork” last fall. “Stork” is hilarious in the same vein as other recent awesome YA pregnancy-related book “Bumped” (though without the sinister dystopian future behind it), and I found myself literally unable to stop reading this book. Yes, it was that good. But not without its pitfalls.

I guess I should get my nitpicks out of the way first. What distracted me from getting further into the story was Katla’s repeated name dropping of brands whenever she put an outfit together. Yeah, Katla, I get that brands are important to you and fashion’s even more important to you, but it’s pretty distracting trying to imagine your outfit when you mash all of these designers together. I notice that this happens more in the beginning of the book rather than the end, and I guess you could say the lack of name-dropping (and complaining about how she’s in the middle of nowhere, though that complaint is pretty valid as I’d feel the exact same way) ebbs as she accepts her place both in Norse Falls as a resident and her role in life as a Stork.

I have to hand it to Delsol – coming up with a mythology based on “The Snow Queen” that doesn’t completely center around a boyfriend-snatching woman is very difficult, but she did it. And she did it well. This is Katla’s story, not Katla-and-Jack’s story, and Delsol makes that point repeatedly throughout the book, even at the end when the “Snow Queen” part of the mythology really starts to come into play the most.

It’s so nice seeing a flexible YA protagonist that’s a girl – so many of them are resistant to everything until the very end of the book, but you see Katla already starting to give ground as she realizes how very important her role is in life (and, by proxy, how the world isn’t centered around her and her whims) in the latter part of act 1 of 3 of the book (if we’re going to divide it into acts, I guess you could say). It’s refreshing to see this quality in anyone these days, fictional or real, with a lack of an entitlement complex that so many have developed. At first, it was hard for me to sit still and not want to shout at Katla for being selfish about things concerning her mother, the divorce, and the Storks (and I can relate to the whole divorce/single child/parent relationship thing, too). But Delsol crafted her character to be a real girl, and real girls aren’t always so selfish and filled with entitlement complexes (unlike so much of the female-targeted YA lit that’s not dystopian or “dark” would have us believe). For that, I give Delsol major props.

I’m now reading the second book in this series, “Frost”, and even though I’m only a few pages in, I already love it. If you want a new kind of mythology that still builds off of the old, that makes the protagonist a real girl, and that also has the perfect, palatable amount of romance thrown in, choose “Stork”. I think you’ll like what you find.

(crossposted to librarything, goodreads, shelfari, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)

[Erin (Bookish in a Box) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stork is one of those rare novels that left me feeling both satisfied and happy. Even though it's set in the cold Minnesota fall, Katla brings a lightness and warmth to the pages. Everything about Stork was perfectly chosen and blended together, from the writing to the plot to the characters.

Katla herself is wonderful. She's a pretty average teenager except for the whole Stork thing. I love that she's interested in fashion, but that doesn't make her a bimbo and it doesn't take the place of her having a real personality. She just happens to like fashion, and it just happens to be important to the story. (I'll admit; I cringed during the boot-beating scene...poor boots!) I thought the Stork society would be a bigger part of the story, but I'm glad that we get to know Katla as she's figuring out who she is as a Stork.

The love interest is not only sufficiently swoonworthy, but he also doesn't cause a lot of is-he-or-isn't-he ado about nothing, which I greatly appreciate. He's a complicated character, but not in a dark or melodramatic way. He perfectly complements Katla's sunshine.

There are quite a few little threads of plot running through Stork, but I was never confused. With my favorite thread, I was several chapters in before it dawned on me that maybe a recurring something was actually a thing. I love being teased like that by a plot. There were lots of obvious secrets (as in, it was obvious that they were secrets), and there were several more subtle things woven in for good measure.

In Stork, there's something going on with every turn of the page, whether it be Katla discovering something about her past or trying to avoid Wade or learning about the Stork society. Every sentence, every paragraph, has a purpose, making Stork a very satisfying 350+ pages. And Katla has great voice! I feel like I've read a lot of novels that just blend together, but everything in Stork had Katla's voice stamped on it. I'm not sure how to explain exactly why it stood out, but it's unique--smart, witty and a just a teensy bit self-deprecating.

My [last] favorite thing about Stork [that I'm going to mention] is the ending. Stork is the first in a series, but--thankfully!--it didn't end on a cliffhanger. It was a great ending, tying up loose ends in a logical manner and also filled with action and suspense, and there's plenty of room for a sequel (it's sitting on my shelf, yay!) while still providing closure. As I closed Stork, I actually felt kinda happy, so I guess it's a little bit of a feel-good novel too.

A little bit supernatural, a little bit romantic and a little contemporary, Stork is an enjoyable, satisfying addition to YA literature. I heartily recommend it!

[This book was received for review from the publisher.]

[Bailey (IB Book Blogging) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Stork. This is a completely new and original storyline to be introduced into YA and I really enjoyed it. Everything about this book was mysterious and mystifying and I couldn't put it down for even a minute. The characters are well-rounded and extremely likable. While there were a few things that some side-characters did that seemed out-of-character, it was easy to get past the minor flaws. I really hope this turns into a series!

At the start of the story, Katla is an unhappy teenager who was yanked from her sunny life in L.A. to be moved into a cold, seemingly boring town in the middle of Minnesota. She resents the fact that her parents are getting a divorce and that she has to leave all her friends to move with her mom to Minnesota. While her situation is at first undesirable, her life takes an unexpected turn when she has an explosive encounter with Jack. Katla can not understand why she and Jack clash so much, but soon she finds out the reason for his broodyness, and with this reveation her life is thrown out of whack. Before this mess with Jack, Katla also finds out that she is a member of the Stork Society, in which each of the women inducted into the society have the ability to connect children with the desirable mother.

Katla is a very sweet girl who doesn't see the potential inside herself. She doesn't understand why she gets to be a part of this mystical society and why the Stork Society thinks her special. On top of her new duties as a Stork, Katla is trying to fit in at her new school. She is confused as to why Jack acts weird around her. In Stork, Katla takes a wild journey and she comes out to be a much stronger person at the end of the story. Katla makes many discoveries along the way and comes to accept her role as a Stork.

Jack is a torn, broody hunk who is so obviously smitten by Katla, though he acts opposite of his feelings at first. He is such a darling when the reader finally gets to know more about him and his motives. I loved his and Katla's interactions with each other. There was definitely loads of chemistry between them. Jack also has a secret that the author tortures us with! I kept on trying to guess what was so mysterious about him and why he acted the way he acted, but I never could. Delsol threw me for a loop when she finally revealed his secret and I would have never guessed it. Thumbs up to Delsol for surprising me!

Stork was a wonderful read that I will be adding to my favorite reads. The plot is so unique and exciting and I am praying for a sequel. I am recommending this to anyone who has not read it yet and wants to be taken on a magical ride!

[Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I love this cover as it's the perfect portrayal for Stork's main character, Kat (Katla). If the cover isn't captivating enough, wait till you get into the page's of Stork. Wendy Delsol has done a beautiful job at bringing a unique, paranormal story with the right amount of romance to the YA scene.

Stork follows the story of Katla (Kat), who's recently left LA behind and moved to Minnesota with her mom. This beautiful, hip chic, with a stellar sense of fashion misses the warmer weather of CA and her father, and at first isn't warmly welcomed by her fellow classmates. She finds herself unexpectedly drawn to the high school quarter back who may or may not like her, as they didn't start off on the best foot. There's more to Jack, and this "sleepy, little, in the middle of no where" Minnesota town than frigid weather. Fate may have had a hand in bringing Kat here.

This is what makes Stork so unique- Kat is soon thrust into a magical world she had a hard time believing at first- The Icelandic Stork Society. Not only is Kat the youngest member to ever be welcomed into the society, but she has powers unlike anyone they've ever seen before. It's her ability to place an unborn child with the right mother and that's not as easy as it sounds. Kat and the council decide, but only after deciphering the dreams that Kat has. I was lured right into Kat's vivid dreams, which are full of hidden meanings and give Kat small glimpses of what's to come.

I was completely entranced by Wendy's beautifully detailed folklore, and history with the ancient Icelandic Society, which was told through Hulda, the society's wise leader. Hulda and the society's members have an air of mystery around them, which I liked, as Wendy throws in some wonderful twists with a few of her characters. Stork has a wonderful cast of real, believable characters. Kat is a strong, intelligent protagonist who's snarky comments had me laughing out loud at times. I was totally drawn to Jack. There's an air of mystery that surrounds him at first, but once I got to know him, I fell in love with his character. I really liked Kat and Jack's relationship. They don't hit it off at first, but both are so drawn to one another, that it made it that much more believable for me. They both have fiercely guarded secrets, but slowly open up to one another about.

I really enjoyed Stork. It's rich in history, detail, lore, romance and a very fulfilling paranormal read. I'm eagerly awaiting next year's release of Frost, Stork's sequel.

[Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of why I probably like this book so much is I didn't have any expectations of it. The flap was vague and the first 90 pages seem okay but nothing to get all excited over, yet the last 150 pages make up for all that and really deliver in a good solid way. If you are looking for a book that keeps the wows coming then this isn't for you. Katla and Jack are just two good kids who are very different from one another nevertheless they develop feelings for one another.

One of the best things about the book is how well rounded Katla's life was. We got story to do with both her mom and dad, plus making new friends, the induction into this Stork group as well as development from bad decisions on her part when she first arrived as well as her love interest. We had story to do with her past as well as the community. While none of it was fleshed out in any deep way it was all well balanced and presented in natural ways that made us understand Katla more. I can appreciate story that feels so true to life even if it is fiction. We don't live in vacuums today, we all have full lives and it's great to read about a girl who has one too. She learns to adjust to her new environment and love what there is to love.

The whole Stork idea was pointless to me. I don't know of that's because I believe in a God or what but there didn't seem to be a good reason or even a need for the society. I liked the bird aspect and Hulda and all the events that happened but the base idea doesn't make sense to me. Even the dreams were well written and made sense. In the end I just overlooked that.

I enjoyed Jack's side of the story in particular, I guessed pretty early on what was what but I still loved the reveal and the twist ending. I'd have liked to meet his father/family and see them fleshed out some. Also I'm not sure why he stayed away so long from school knowing the consequences but I did enjoy the outcome of the consequences with Pedro being the hero and actually being shown that Jack really is a good guy.

I particularly liked how Katla started to see her dad for what he is and Stanley for what he is. I'm not sure it would happen that easily or that smoothly but the writing is really what helps you to buy into the story arc. It's well done and I can appreciate that this isn't meant to be a deep, personally motivating story so much as a well rounded presentation of a portion of a girl's life. Really a must read for anyone who wants to know what young adult fiction should be.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stork by Wendy Delsol

Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.

Family secrets. Lost memories. And the arrival of an ancient magical ability that will reveal everything. Sixteen-year-old Katla LeBlanc has just moved from Los Angeles to Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, Katla soon finds out that she’s a Stork, a member of a mysterious order of women tasked with a very unique duty. But Katla’s biggest challenge may be finding her flock at a new school. Between being ignored by Wade, the arrogant jock she stupidly fooled around with, and constantly arguing with gorgeous farm boy and editor-in-chief Jack, Katla is relieved when her assignment as the school paper’s fashion columnist brings with it some much-needed friendship. But as Homecoming approaches, Katla uncovers a shocking secret about her past — a secret that binds her fate to Jack’s in a way neither could have ever anticipated. With a nod to Hans Christian Andersen and inspired by Norse lore, Wendy Delsol’s debut novel introduces a hip and witty heroine who finds herself tail-feathers deep in small-town life
(Synopsis provided by goodreads.com)

Stork is a debut novel. I really loved the idea of this novel with Katla being a Stork. No, not the bird, but close. She is in charge of picking a vessel (parent) for babies, so in other words she picks who gets pregnant.
I really liked how Delsol shows Katla growing as a person during the whole novel. I can’t help but feel like her duties as a Stork has a lot to do with how she develops as a character.
The other characters in this small town are just as loveable as she is. It should be said that this is most likely one of those books that falls in the love it or hate it pile. I happened to love it!
Delsol, shows real promise as an author and I really enjoyed seeing how she wove Norse tales into her story, but at the same time she made it all her own. The dialogue was great! All of the situations felt real to me and nothing felt forced or like Delsol was “grasping”. I loved this book and wished it was longer. Needless to say Delsol is an author I will be watching!

Overall rating:
***** 5 out of 5 stars!

Cover art:
I love the cover art it’s beautiful and makes me think “Snow Queen”

Obtained:
Thank you to Heather from Candlewick press for sending me a copy for review.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stork has a very interesting concept, which is what initially enticed me to pick up a copy. Katla is a California girl through and through, but after her parents divorce her mother uproots her and she now finds herself stuck in Minnesota working at her grandfather’s store. Shortly before school starts she makes the drunken mistake of fooling around with football player Wade who decides he won’t leave her alone. She also manages to offend Jack who she’s seems to have mysterious connection with. If all of this wasn’t bad enough Katla soon finds herself unwittingly inducted into a secret society of Stork ladies and is charged with the task of guiding souls to the right mother. Stork is filled with high school drama, cryptic old ladies, myth, and magic.
Overall Stork is fairly entertaining and has an original concept. Katla is somewhat judgmental and stuck up at the beginning of the story, but becomes more likable as the story progresses. At times the story seems rushed and disconnected, but manages to pull itself together in the end. Certain aspects of Stork are unnecessary. I wish there would’ve been more focus on Katla’s role as a Stork and her discovering the mystical elements surrounding her and less on the high school parts of her life. The friendship between her and Penny (and Tina who is a bit of a throw away character), don’t particularly serve the plot and so I was a bit disappointed it took up so much time. I would say that this book has lots of great elements to it, even if some of them were slightly pushed to the wayside.

In the end this book feels like the set up to a more interesting story now that all the exposition is out of the way. I think if you like mythology and fairy tale adaptations then Stork is a good book for you. It’s entertaining and a quick read to boot.

Personal Pet Peeve Note: My only other issue with Stork is some of Katla’s dialogue which has the tendency to sound a little bit like an adult trying to write teenage lingo, though this seems to fade as the story progresses. This also ties into the use of real world designers, businesses, and bands. While not necessarily a negative aspect I feel that it takes the reader out of the story world and also limits a books shelf life since it’s clearly set at a specific point in time and isn’t a historical fiction.

[Katie Joiner · Rating 3 out of 5]

For what it was, this book was very good. The charecters were sincere and dynamic; the plot was engaging and different; the prose was well-done and interesting. It held my intrest.
But.
While I liked Kat, I didn't love her. I wasn't invested in her the way I was while reading, say The Perks of Being a Wallflower , ]The Handmaid's Tale or even Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
And the relationship between Jack and her seemed too gooey. Too sudden, and intense, and completely cliche. The idea that she was stronger with him struck me as somewhat anti-feminist. This coming from an open-minded girl. I just like to see stronger females who are strong enough on their own (see: Divergent or The Hunger Games)
Penny, while she started out promising, wasn't as main of a charecter as I'd have liked her.
And, okay, the "mystery". Three words: There. Was. None. Everything that happened I saw coming a mile away. About three seconds after a "mystery" was proposed, I was like..."OH, I bet THIS is what's happening!"
Lo and behold, five pages later I was proven right, time and time again.
One mystery I did like in the novel was the casually proposed misprint of Kat's name in an old newspaper cliping. I don't think this was an accident. I hope more is done with the concept.

Overall, three and a half stars. It was good. Points for being different and well written (it was a debut novel for Delsol!). I'll definately be reading the next book in the series.

**side note: What a cool name the author has. In Spanish, "del sol" means the sun. Read-Wendy (Windy) Delsol (The Sun). Sweet(:

[nightlyreadingheather · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading this book, the premise seemed very strange to me. Storks?? As in the bird that delivers babies? Well, yes, sort of. I just had to keep reading and I am so glad that I did. Throughout the book, there were actually two different storylines going and it was fun seeing how it would all play out.

Kat's parents had divorced, her Dad cheated on her Mom. Her mother had decided that she wanted to come back to her old stomping grounds in Minnesota. Kat fills in at her grandfather's store sometimes, so that he can get his daily nap. It is while she is watching the store that she notices the fabric store accross the street opened. She has not seen the lights on in that store since she had moved there and wanted to go check it out. She had a few minutes before the apples were to be delivered. She is greeted by the owner, an elderly woman named Hulga and Hulga is not happy to see Kat. Until Kat's hat falls off and Hulga notices the rash on her head. Earlier in the day, Kat had gotten some sort of crazy rash. Her scalp itched so bad and then the boils came. She had no idea what that was all about, but Hulga knew....and soon Kat was being wisked off to the basement to meet the others.

As Kat arrives back to the store after her visit with Hulga, the guy delivering the apples is waiting for her. He is a young guy, Kat's age and is insistent that Kat should remember him. Kat has no idea of who this guy is and wanders what is his problem?

I enjoyed the relationship between Kat and her friend Penny. Even after some of the awkward situations, Penny still stayed a true friend. I liked the love/hate relationship between Jack and Kat in the beginning, although, I think they fell for each other too fast. It seemed like one day they hated each other and just like that...they were in love? The ending of the book seemed a bit rushed, but I was VERY happy with the outcome. I'm looking forward to the second book, Frost.

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5.0 Stars

Katla has been forced to relocate from sunny California to frigid Minnesota after her parent’s divorce. The adjustment to the rural setting and freezing temperatures is proving to be difficult. Blown off by Wade, the guy she made out with after a serious lapse in judgement, Katla finds herself on the bad side of both him and his catty on again off again girlfriend. She has also managed to become the focus of farm boy Jack’s irritation after a heated conversation involving what Katla thinks must be a case of mistaken identity. Even though she claims to dislike him, he is occupying her thoughts almost constantly. On top of all that she is also the newest member, much to her dismay, of a secret society of women who help choose mom’s for the spirits of unborn babies. She is now responsible for this enormous task while trying to fit in with the locals. All this stress and not a Starbucks in sight!


I was thrilled to pick up another 2010 debut novel, and be blown away yet again. I absolutely loved this book. I was desperately in need of something unique, and Stork fit the bill perfectly. Katla was a fabulous protagonist. I loved her sarcasm whether it be via her inner voice, or dialogue between her and other characters. I adored the quirky residents, and small town setting. The legends and folklore weaved into the plot were fascinating. The country boy meets city girl romance was delightful. Jack is too sweet, and I loved how he helped Katla find balance between her California persona, and her new Midwest life. The eccentric group of old ladies that made up the Icelandic Stork Society, Local 414 in their wild and crazy hats were so much fun. Stork is an amazingly good combination of fantasy and romance. Sequel pretty please!

[Joy (joyous reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have had this book fermenting in my currently reading shelf - a week? a week and a half? Maybe even two. It's one of those books that I couldn't really fault for its inability to whet my reading appetite. During those sporadic moments when I was finally able to give it my undivided attention, I found Stork to be just mildly interesting.

To be honest, I was a little reluctant to read this book because the MC seemed like someone I'd avoid reading. I'm not at all interested in fashion so the synopsis put me off a little bit. To my surprise, Katla turned out to be a refreshing character. She's quirky and funny with a voice that was genuine to her character. Having just relocated from sunny California to wintry Minnesota, you could say that she's like a fish out of water; completely out of her elements. I liked how this girl didn't sound like a complete wuss while she whined about how cold it was. I was also prepared to read someone so vain but was glad to find out that she really wasn't.

Her romance with Jack - though destined, didn't feel like it was one of those be-all, end-all type of relationship. It wasn't as far-fetched, so the eye-rolling took a break the entire time I was reading this book.

Forgive me when I say that the fundamental retelling of the legends in the book bored me - and it wasn't anyone's fault but mine. It's just something that I wasn't at all interested in. The majority of the book dealt with this retelling so for the most part, I was just forcing myself to read. I'd bought a hardback copy of this book previously then Candlewick had sent me another copy for review. I never liked giving tepid reviews, because to me, it feels like I never really gave the book a chance. I just wish I enjoyed this a bit more than I did.

[Larissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

{Previously Published on my blog: Welcome to Larissa's Bookish Life"

The Good:

I have been in such an YA funk that i thought I was going to hate this book when I received from the International Book Tours. I am so glad to say that I was wrong in my prediction and very surprised by how much i enjoyed this story.

Getting out of the Vamp, Were and Zombie box, Wendy gives us a story about a girl with the power to decided to whom certain unborn babies, should go to. She is part of the Stork Society, the youngest they have ever had.

The originality of this story is definitely a the plot held me captive for hours straight. I could not put this book down until I finished the last page and I wanted more.

Great Characters, original storyline, young romance and adventure… What more can you want?

The Bad:

Hmmm I can’t really think of anything negative to say about this novel… =P

The Young Hearts:

The romance between our heroine, Katla and Jack, was such a sweet and well written one. Katla is a strong character and doesn’t fawn over the hero right away like in other YA novels LOL. She has also made some mistakes that she has to deal with and that just makes her more human and lovable in my opinion.

Jack is a great hero and the perfect match for our girl Katla. I just loved reading about them!

If you like Paranormal Y.A. and are into checking out something original that strays from the beaten path, but also has all the elements we love in YA stories, Stork is definitely the book for you!