Review: Oriana's Eyes (Great Oak Trilogy #1) by Celeste Simone

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Title: Oriana's Eyes (Great Oak Trilogy #1)
Author: Celeste Simone
Started: 26/12/11
Finished: 27/12/11
Medium: eBook
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Young Adult: Paranormal, Dystopian
Buy here: Amazon / The Book Depository / Barnes & Noble

Goodreads Synopsis: As a pure-blood Winglet, Oriana isn't supposed to look at a half-blood much less speak to one. Half-bloods are the lowest of all races at Odon's University, because they are half Winglet and half Finlet. But when a half-blood, Dorian, locks eyes with her in the hallway, Oriana can't help but be intrigued by his daring nature. After sneaking out to the garden in the middle of the night to talk to him, Oriana knows she can't let her feelings go. She fears not following Odon's rules, but the more she sees Dorian the more she wants to break them all. When Oriana's idea of perfection crumbles she seeks a way out of the imprisoning University that threatens not only her happiness, but her very life. Dorian promises he has a plan to take her far away, but Oriana doubts they can escape Odon's all-seeing eye. Oriana isn't sure what she fears more, being stuck in the University or finding out what lies beyond its walls.

Celeste Simone has created and written a wonderful alternate universe with new races based on the water and the air creatures. In literal sense, people who have wings and can fly and people who have fins and can swim. The worlds become chaotic when the Winglets (people who fly) and the Finlets (people who can swim?) mix and mate and produce the all powerful Half-Blood, who are the ones who let their emotions take over and have the power to rule thousands. Love the fantasy!

In this story, Oriana is attracted to a particular "part-blood" and escapes from the University (the place where they are brainwashed and stuff) when this part-blood smiles at her while passing her in the hall way. While, I was reading this book, I didn't have any feelings of "OH WOAH!" or "OH NO!!". Its more like "Okay, nice keep going". 

What I'm trying to say is that, Oriana Eyes is a good story with a nice plot and very well created scenario with a lot of new "races" as they called it in the book. But it lacked the WOW factor. Aside from that the ending had a sparkle or spec of the wow factor. It just needs to go beyond that a little. Also, the book was very realistic, to the point where people die, like they should when certain things happen. This gives the book a plus for me! I'd like to see (or read) where Celeste takes this story. Till then I give this a 3/5 stars.