| Title | : | Out of the Dark (Five, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1620072998 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781620072998 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 250 |
| Publication | : | Published August 20, 2013 |
Johnathan’s monthly transformation and daily personality roller coaster isn’t the only problem they have to deal with. The Five are also gearing up to face their toughest and most dangerous enemy yet—a powerful and ruthless Warlock who will go to any means, including high school, to build his Dark Army.
Out of the Dark (Five, #1) Reviews
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The book begins with Paige. She discovers she has some magical powers. Her preacher dad and mom decide to have her committed. She escapes and goes "underground". She then meets Jonathan..the handsome guy character and he brings in 3 other teenagers in a matter of a few pages in dialouge. Things are moving very quick at this point in the story. You don't really get a feel for the characters.
Enter INSTALOVE yuk.
The teenagers decide with all of them having powers that they are to fight the baddies aka demons, fae, orges, trolls and well you get the idea. Jonathan gets bit by a changeling during a group effort to keep a fae from changing it for a real child. Then he becomes something different.
Our dear heroes are unable to touch or kiss-kiss because the wolfies hormones go out of control if Paige is near.
There is some good dialog in parts of the book and I did finish it. There is a shit load of teenage angst though. I think this book would be sorta well recieved by the younger set. I just didn't get parts of it. Take up for your dang selves girls!!! Don't moon around for a boy child to do it. You won't get anywhere fast baby.
I am reading the second to this series right now and so far it's better than this one. We will see.
I recieved an ARC from the publisher Curiosity Quills..thank you -
3.5 stars
There is no specific genre that I will read, and no specific age range either. I enjoy a good middle grade or YA novel just as much as I do adult. I would describe Five as being an upper MG read, even though it is classified as YA. It does have its dark moments, but nothing a mature reader can’t handle. Parents: use your discretion.
The book starts off with Paige discovering that she has developed some new abilities. Her family doesn’t approve of this, and try to have her committed… or something (We aren’t really told about where she was being taken). This all happens in the first couple pages. I was sad that this scene, which could have been really dramatic and emotional, ends up being skimmed over. In fact, the whole first 10-15% of the book seems to be told in double speed. I admit that I almost gave up and passed on the book entirely. It was rushed, and a major info dump. I had a hard time getting to know the characters. There was too much tell, not enough show. Having said that, the book hit a point where I had caught up with everything I needed to know, and the story took off!
So now that the story had slowed down, the scenes developed at a more natural pace. The characters were given more dialogue and I had the chance to finally meet Paige. There was a good balance of dialogue and action, and the dialogue felt natural for kids that age. I loved when they took teasing jabs at each other!
As much as the characters improved after that turning point, I still feel as though I didn’t have enough chance to get to know anyone besides Paige. She easily stepped into centre stage, though did it with modesty. She is likable and genuine, and has a great voice as main protagonist. I’m hoping that the next book in the series will maybe have some scenes from the other characters’ POV. I would love to get a look into what they’re thinking, especially Jonathan! I mean… he gets bitten by a changeling and becomes a dangerous, violent beast! Who wouldn’t want to know what was going through his mind?!
I am very interested in seeing how this series progresses! It has built up some serious potential, in my mind.
A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. -
I read a few of the reviews and loved the cover and synopsis and thought I would give this book a try.....
This book had some good moments and some bad moments. I felt as if their were some dark scenes that makes this more for mature then YA but depends on the age group reading it. I felt the beginning was off and I didn't understand how these kids got there powers. I also felt this story was slightly boring, I do give for some of the scenes where the characters fight the demons and trolls, ect, but I think the author needed to make it more action pact and less falling in love scenes.
I will give this book another try down the road, because it could be I just wasn't feeling the book as of right now. I give it four books because the book did have its awesome moments. -
Five- Out of the Dark by Holli Anderson
Print Length: 267 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press (August 20, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00EII0VTA
My Review~~~
I received this book in exchange for a honest review.
First of this cover is awesome! I instantly had cover love for this ominous cover with the teens on the book. It has the dystopian feel to the cover, but once you get to reading it you discover there is more to it than that. How about we throw in some paranormal on top of the dysptopian!?? With that mix you can easily see how this will be a great thrilling read. I will have to say this is one of the best unique reads that I have read lately. The characters, world, and plot were great! I really love it and the uniqueness that the author has done with this world and with the story in general. Great Writing with a fast paced riveting read that you will be saying hurry up need the next book in this engaging series. I will warn you full of twists and turns and surprises around every corner! Are you up for it??
Amazon Book Description~~
Five teenagers who’ve recently discovered they have magical powers and are living in the Seattle underground feel it’s their responsibility to protect unsuspecting humans from otherworldly foes.
Things are going well until Johnathan, their unofficial leader and the boy sixteen year old Paige is in love with, is bitten by a changeling – the venomous saliva causing him to metamorphose into a ravening beast with each full moon.
Paige vows that, no matter the cost, she will find a way to cure Johnathan of the evil that has embedded itself in his soul. But Johnathan’s monthly transformation and daily personality roller coaster aren’t the only problems they have to deal with.
The Five are also gearing up to face their toughest and most dangerous enemy yet—a powerful and ruthless Warlock who will go to any means, including high school, to build his Dark Army. -
Five Out of the Dark by Holli Anderson is a fast paced urban-fantasy thrill ride. Paige, a teenager realizes she has special abilities. When her parents witness these abilities they overreact and Paige is forced to run. She meets Johnathan who like her has the same abilities, then one by one three more teens with the same abilities enter the picture. The Five survive and grow, learning more about controlling their powers through the help of a couple of adults. Soon they find themselves patrolling, fighting evil, and infiltrating a high school that is experiencing a series of unexplainable suicides within the student body.
As a veteran teacher, I was most impressed by Holli Anderson's remarkable capacity for maintaining the book's content at a young adult level, while still making the reading enjoyable for adults. Her voice as the author is both relatable, and humorous with an ability to seize the realistic thoughts, and actions of teens. Chapter length and size of the novel also make it a sure win amongst the junior high and high school crowd. The plot is creative, and action packed as the teens move from one life threatening event to the next. With so many supernatural and urban fantasy books available on the market the plot she develops is unique, and interest peaking. She establishes characters that are loathsome, lovable, despicable, and downright gross (in some cases).
Not only did Five Out of the Dark hold my interest, but I found myself buried within the book until the last page was turned. I'm now anxiously waiting for an entire day I can devote, no interruptions, to reading the sequel Five Out of the Pit.
One of the finest, intriguing young adult novels I have ever read! -
I really wish this book had been able to decide what it wanted to be. It's really three separate, but related storylines, none of which are fully developed because they're all sharing space in a fairly short book.
I found myself reading in stops and starts because there would be something interesting going on, and then it would get too slow and devolve into a lot of skimming along the top of the story without really giving us any detail or depth and I'd get bored. Then something else would pop up and I'd start again and then it'd slow again. And it's a real shame because there are some good ideas here, but it just doesn't know what it wants to be.
In flavor this is a Harry Dresden light with magical teenagers. The author introduces all kinds of supernatural critters with a kind of reckless abandon and while we hear a lot of names, the readers don't know much about what makes one creature different from another or how these teenagers manage to learn enough to fight them from experimentation and a little white book.
The ending isn't particularly satisfying. The book hits one major climax, then kind of restarts with an extra 20 pages or so that it really there to introduce the next book and tie off a few ends way too quickly. I would really have loved to see this book with those last pages removed and more time given to the development of the characters and the pacing of the first part of the book.
Would I read the next one, which is one of the defining questions in this situation at the start of a new series? Maybe. If it was the right price and hit me on the right day, but I'm not rushing off to buy it. So a solid mid range, but I really wanted more. -
For me, this book started slow. It was choppy, too much telling was going on, and it was boring. So much so I considered stopping the book several times. But I pushed through and once the main plot started things picked up considerably. I found myself really enjoying the story and the characters, especially Paige and Jonathan. There were a few things near the end which kind of had me rolling my eyes, but mostly it was really good. I found my heart racing at several points and the nearer I came to the end, the more invested I became in the outcome.
I'm torn over whether or not to buy the sequel, considering the price. There are some things I'd like to see the resolution of, but there were so many things I didn't like about the book compared to what I did like, I'm hesitant. It's my own, personal opinion, that the author could have done both the book and potential fans a favor by starting the story after the kids met each other, instead of writing the dragging beginning which almost had me giving up on the book without finishing it.
In so many ways this was a great book, but in the end I have to give it three stars. I'll have to really think about whether or not I want to read the sequel. -
This book is like Harry Potter in the Seattle underground, so automatically cool. It's full of teenage angst and romance, but against a backdrop of werewolves and demons. The magic system is enigmatic and intriguing. The characters are fun, especially the main girl who is tough and strong willed. Anderson doesn't pull the punches, leading to a shocking and powerful climax. If you love Urban Fantasy, this book won't disappoint!
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Original Post:
http://lilypondreads.blogspot.com/201...
Different!
When Paige first discovers her power, she doesn't realize how the world around her was going to change. Being a preacher's daughter, her father believed she was practicing Dark Arts and tried to have her taken away. Devastated she makes a run for it and is discovered by Johnathan. The two quickly learn that both are magic users and that there are three more of them like it out there. As the pace of the story quickens, we meet all Five within a few pages. The teens take on the task of learning their magic while living underground on limited food sources. Unfortunately when Johnathan their leader gets bitten by a changeling, it not only transforms his personality but also turns him into a beast with each full moon.
Ah okay. The story was cute. It took off very fast and I mean fast. It had my head in a spin for a first few pages. I was really glad that it finally did slow down and developed it's slowly much slower so we got to experience it a bit better.
Paige was an interesting character. Thought the book was from her POV, I had a really hard time connecting with her. She was a bit possessive over Johnathan right away and there is a bit of insta-love going on here, since the first half of the story happens so rapidly. I did enjoy seeing her character slowly grow by the end of the book, but I still had a hard time connecting with her. I think I would have liked a dual point of view, or maybe Johnathan telling the story because he was one of my favorite characters. I liked that despite his change, he still had a lot of heart and I thought at the beginning of the book with the way he took these kids in made him a great leader.
The story itself is filled with a lot of different paranormal creatures. Thought I enjoy paranormal and always love my creatures, it felt a little crammed. There was a lot of different ones mentioned at the beginning of the book that I think would have made other people feel kind of intimidated with the amount of information. The book itself is endearing but takes on a tone more for MG kids over Young Adults. I thought some monsters felt a bit silly to me. If taken the darker elements out of it, it would have been a better fit for the much younger crowd.
I did enjoy the story. It was a welcoming relief from the much intenser stuff and I did like the addition of the warlock and the darker side of magic. It be interesting to see if Paige continues to grow and of course I always want more of Johnathan!
* I got a copy of this book from the tour organizer in exchange of an honest review. -
A story about teenagers with special or magical powers wasn't new and original at all, but this book was definitely special. I loved the way Holli Anderson created a unique story about werewolves, instead of just a mere shapeshifting creature that exist because of being bitten by another werewolf, Johnathan, one of the five teenagers, was bitten by a changeling. It was a good new atmosphere.
I really adore Holli Anderson's writing. The story was written neatly and chronologically, from the time our heroine, Paige, found out about her powers until the main conflict was solved. The words used were also simple yet not cheap (I don't know how to explain 'cheap') and easy to understand. The scenes and everything was described well, perfect for peoples who use English-as-a-second-language like me. I simply can't drop this book.
Our heroine, Paige, was a regular teenager until the day she found out about her powers. She wasn't exactly bad-ass but absolutely not whiny at all. She fought and learn a lot through the story, the way they all grow (mentally) was another reason why this book felt alive. All of the characters are really fun, even the antagonists (I don't know why). I was kinda relieved to find out that Halli was years younger, when she came I was literally praying "Please don't let it be a triangle love" and thank God it wasn't. Wait, just because it doesn't have any triangle love it doesn't mean that the story's going to be plain and boring, because it wasn't. (This is my favorite point) The conflicts wasn't about romance. Paige and John's romance was so innocent that I found it really cute. And it wasn't cheesy at all.
But unfortunately, (my only negative point) this book doesn't really show me the main conflict. I think it was the conflict with 'the powerful Warlock' but I felt that the sub-conflicts like John's transformation was just as important and big.
Definitely looking forward for the next sequel!
P.S. I think John was the only guy among the five teenagers that has a brown hair, and John in the cover looks like a bear! (lol) Thanks for Curiosity Quills for giving me a copy of this book, it was a really fun adventure.
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Remember Enid Blyton's Famous Five books? Well say hello to the modern, magical and mythical version of those books!
This series may fit into the Young Adult genre, but I think it can be enjoyed by people young and old.
Step into the world of Paige, a 16 year old girl whose family disowns her when she discovers she has magical powers. Alone in the world, soon she meets Johnathan, who is just like her, and soon the two become the Five. Learning more about their powers as they try and make do in a new world full of Fairies, Imps, Ogres and much more. Battling to save the world from these demons, they soon learn that there is a reason the five of them came together, But things go wrong when Johnathan is bitten, and turns into a viscous form of werewolf once a month. As well as trying to save him, Paige and the others must save a high school full of teens who are being poisoned by a Warlock disguised as a head teacher who is trying to form a Dark Army.
I found the start of this book quite hard to get in to, and at one point almost gave up. Everything seemed very rushed - the Five all coming together, the moving around, learning their powers... - it was very quickly written and some things which seemed important were really skimmed over. Thankfully, once the story got going when Johnathan was bitten, the flow of the story seemed to kick in and the pace changed, and more detail was put into the writing.
Once I got past that first phase, I was so glad I did as I couldn't put the book down, and really ended up enjoying it. As I said at the start of my review, I couldn't help but see the Five as the new Famous Five - I really enjoyed the adventures in the Enid Blyton books as I grew up - and these were just like those books, but with magic, and mythical creatures. I loved the characters, and all of the Five are likeable characters that I couldn't get enough of, and the Ogres and Trolls are written in a way that is enjoyable to read even though you don't like them!
The joy of this book is that I have read it and loved it, and I can pass it on to my daughter to read and I know she will love it too. -
I received this book for a honest review and as a part of the tour! Thanks! Original post on
http://nervidetoamna.blogspot.ro/
I was expecting this book to be so good, action packed, suspense, complexe characters, because the synopsis sounds amazing and the cover is so promising. But it wasn't, for me is wasn't good and I was very dissapointed. And the beggining was so fast, everything happened in a few pages and after some time when the things went slower this two things didn't mixed.
Yes, the book had some good parts too, but... really, I kind of have a like/dislike with this one; I liked some parts, some characters, I hated so much other things. Sometimes I was so excited to know what was going to happen and other times I was so bored. And maybe it was too long? I don't know.
If it sounds good for you, then read it. Maybe you're gonna like it. Maybe after you'll finish it you won't be so confused like me, about how are you feeling. Maybe it wasn't my cup of tea, maybe I had too much expectations, maybe there were so many mixed things *magic, creatures, moving etc* and neither developed. I would read the sequel? No. I'm really, really sorry that I disliked than liked it. And yeah, I didn't talked about the action part, because the synopsis is giving away too much. -
I got this book from the auditor, free of cost, in exchange of an honest review from my side.
Firstly I would like to thank the author and the tour organizers fro giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this book.
Whoa!!! What an interesting read!!!
This was a whirlwind experience for me and I loved the way things played out in this story. From the very first I got hooked in because of the mesmerizing writing style of the author. The descriptions had all the details necessary and the author didn't dragged on each and every scene which was a great relief for me because now a days many of the books has this which is very irritating.
The characters were great too and I loved each and every one of them. /they went on developing as the story progressed and to my surprise they weren't cliche at all and not irritating as well and that's saying something because many of the recent books that I read had heroines whom I just couldn't stand!!!
There is action, adventure, suspense and mystery which will keep you on edge and wouldn't let you put down the book even for once. You know I put my study books down for reading this in one go!!! Yes, it's that awesome.
So don't wait and hop on the ride right now and have this wonderful experience. I bet you guys will love it!!! -
Paige is a normal teenage girl. Her father is a preacher and her mother a housewife. There was nothing that could prepare her for what she would discover. One day, some guys from school were being cruel to her dog. Paige went after them and unleashed something she never dreamed of.
After running away from home, Paige finds herself in the underground of Seattle. There she would meet one boy who would change her world forever. Together, they discover even more teens who have unleashed something.... special.
Amazing! Well written and characters you'd find in any high school. This book really took me by surprise. I have to say I wasn't really expecting it to sweep me up and carry me right through. It did though and I found an author I can't wait to hear more from. I love that the characters were normal teens. How they band together and become their own little family. I have already recommended this book to several teens and continue to shout it's praises.
I didn't find any issues.
I gave this one 5 cheers out of 5 because WOW did it deliver!
~Copy of book provided by author in exchange for a fair review~ -
**3.5 stars**
Thank you kindly to Curiosity Quills (
http://curiosityquills.com/ ) for the opportunity to read and review this series. I am very much looking forward to more. Well written and intriguing I was immediately drawn into the world of Paige, Johnathon et al.
I loved the set up of this – whilst there is nothing new to be found necessarily, the characters are all likeable and act with believability despite the paranormal aspects of the story. The bond developing between them is good to watch – and the writing is fast paced and adventurous, keeping you firmly in the moment. There are some interesting little twists on a tale often told and I could see this making a great tv show – which for me personally is always a good sign that younger readers will enjoy it.
I read a lot in this genre, comparatively speaking this is at the higher end of the scale quality wise in its readability, plot development and construct. There are no dull moments and overall I would have no problem recommending it to teenagers (especially younger teenagers) and those of us who will always be teenagers at heart! -
My fav part was the part where the kids lived in the underground of Seattle away from modern convinces and electricity. I had an off the grid childhood myself, so I really related to these kids here. The fact that they also had supper powers was an absolute urban fantasy readers BONUS indeed.
The characters and descriptions where top notch & I learned a lot about fantasy.
Oh, I won't fail to mention the love twist which wove it's way through the story & into your heart. It slathered the icing on the cake. This book really had a little piece of it all to keep you on the edge & flipping page to page.
My most complete CONGRATULATIONS are in order for the author. And a little extra HUZAH!! on the side because I know her. I have fond memories of babysitting her beautiful boys (whom are depicted as characters in the book) when I was a teen growing up.
Love love loved the book Holli, can't wait for Two... -
Loved the book it kept me on the edge very good read if you are into the unknown powers so to speak !! Can't wait until the next book comes out.. So happy a NEW author can Write such an amazing book and keep it dear to her heart and add real life characters into it and also brought her family and close ones into the story !!!! AWESOME job is all I can say!!!
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I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next one
and continue the story. I'm not young and have teenagers and a 29 year old but it really drew me in and I found myself reading when I should have been doing my housework :) My teens are going to take turns reading it now.Thank you Holly Anderson. -
Five kids brought together by magic learn to survive on their own while coming into their powers. This was a very fast paced book, easy to follow and full of adventure. You follow the Five as they fight against the evil that is trying to destroy their world. I really enjoyed this one. It is perfect for the 12-16 yr old fantasy reader. Great job Holli Anderson!
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omg omg omg i love love love this book
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An engaging, fast-paced YA urban fantasy adventure with echoes of MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. Just the thing for a slow afternoon.
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I picked this book from my kindle library collection and I’m glad I did!!!
As I started reading this book I got hooked. At times it was hard to stop reading and I often found my kindle app still on a page when I woke up in the morning- oops..
What I liked about this book:
The characters each had their own personality and it was just a joy to read. Twists and turns that I just didn’t know what was next and I am immediately starting the next book and will probably be reading the 3rd as well!!!
I don’t think there was anything in this book that I didn’t like -
I'd like to thank Curiosity Quills Press for the copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review. The fact that this was free in no way impacts the integrity of my review. I give this book 3.5 stars, but for sites that only accept whole numbers I will give it 4 stars, as I would round up rather than down in this instance.
Five teenagers who’ve recently discovered they have magical powers and are living in the Seattle underground feel it’s their responsibility to protect unsuspecting humans from otherworldly foes. Things are going well until Johnathan, their unofficial leader and the boy sixteen year old Paige is in love with, is bitten by a changeling – the venomous saliva causing him to metamorphose into a ravening beast with each full moon. Paige vows that, no matter the cost, she will find a way to cure Johnathan of the evil that has embedded itself in his soul.
Johnathan’s monthly transformation and daily personality roller coaster isn’t the only problem they have to deal with. The Five are also gearing up to face their toughest and most dangerous enemy yet—a powerful and ruthless Warlock who will go to any means, including high school, to build his Dark Army.
When I agreed to review this book I wasn't entirely sure what I was signing up for, as the description is rather brief, and while it has some specifics, it leaves a lot unsaid. All of which ending up making for a surprisingly enjoyable read.
These five unrelated teenagers all find each other one by one in the Seattle underground. First Paige and Johnathan meet, discovering that they both share the same mystifying 'powers.' Or at least similar powers, which is a huge relief for both, as they'd never met anyone else like themselves. As time goes by Alex, then Seth, and finally Halli join Paige and Johnathan, bringing the group to a total of five teenagers - two girls and three boys. Johnathan discovered Halli curled up in a corner on the streets, and all she can remember is her name and age. Halli, the youngest and smallest, looks more like she is nine or ten rather than thirteen. Regardless of her lost memory, her body memory is great, as she is an excellent martial artist.
The group begin training together, Halli teaching them martial arts, and all of them practicing their magical skills, learning by trial and error, as well as whatever they can discover through public library books. They agree their goal is to protect humans from the Fae and Demons that walk the earth. Early on they spot a Fae trying to exchange a Changling with a human child. They manage to stop the trade, and send the two back to the Netherworld. Plus they help a local shop keeper named Joe in getting rid of some Goblins creating problems for him. He makes a point of sending them on their way with a sack of non-perishable food each, as his way of saying thanks.
But their biggest project by far is to infiltrate an area school that has had a recent rash of suicides. Upon investigation they discover something at the school is seriously wrong. While Seth, Alec, Johnathan, and Paige attend the school as new students, Halli hits on research mode, as she simply can't pass as a high school student.
During all this confusion and chaos the relationships between these five grow and deepen. The bonds of friendship tying them ever closer together. Of course fighting side by side against Fae and Demons doesn't hurt as far as drawing them into a tightly knit group. But there are some problems as well. Aside from figuring out exactly what is happening at the school Johnathan is undergoing a very hard time from the changeling bite he suffered earlier. Paige makes her personal mission to fix Johnathan, though she doesn't tell the others, at least not right away. And when least expected, help comes from a completely surprising source.
Throughout their individual and group trials each of the characters grows. And though the story is told mostly from Paige's point of view, we still get a strong sense of what each of the other characters is going through at any given time. The action and suspense is well paced, and blends well with the individual character's growth. And the ending is both sweet and sad, but still leaves the door wide open for the sequel. Though there are a few comments about drugs, and some extremely tame romance (first kiss kind of romance) I consider this to be a good read for middle-grade and up. -
3.5/5 Stars
This review and many others can be found on my blog -
Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Five - Out of the Dark was difficult for me to review because it started out very shaky for me and then got better and better as the book progressed. Here's why:
The negatives:
Beginning moves way too fast.
Honestly, I was very worried at the beginning of this book. I was starting to wonder if I was even going to be able to give it three stars because the beginning of the book had some major issues. The biggest of these was the pacing - everything moved at breakneck speed. In the first 25 pages or so of the book, Paige discovers that she has powers, experiments with her powers, is discovered, almost gets locked up, runs away, meets up with with Johnathan, finds a psychic who tells them about their powers, discovers there is such a thing as demons and fae and such, finds and joins with three more kids with magical powers, learns (from a book) just about everything she needs to know about magic and magical creatures, fights many battles against those magical creatures (it is during one of these that Johnathan is bitten) and FALLS IN LOVE. 25 pages! Is your head spinning yet? Because mine was. It honestly bordered on ridiculous. There was obviously no real character development or really even plot development during all of this - it all just happened, as quickly as possible. It was as if Anderson really wanted to get to the real book and just needed to get these pesky details out of the way. The book needed 50-100 more pages at the beginning to flesh out everything that was happening! Now, I'm happy to say that once I got past the beginning of the book, things got much better. It took me a little while to get past the feeling of frustration I was having at the beginning and there were still some times when I wished there was a bit more development, but the book easily turned into a four star book somewhere around a third of the way through.
What I loved:
Paige.
I enjoyed Paige as a main character. She was strong, but broke down sometimes when things got too crazy (which happened pretty often), she was smart and didn't let fear or anything else stop her from doing what she knew she had to do. I was rooting for her!
Johnathan's transformation.
Johnathan's transformation into a werewolf was handled really well. Not just his actual physical transformation (which was pretty harrowing), but the way that his personality changed even when he wasn't a beast. He had an incredibly difficult time controlling himself - both his anger and his lust for Paige. There were times when he would lose control completely - and everyone needed to stay out of his way when that happened!! Not only was this a struggle for Johnathan, but it created dramatic tension for the rest of the group (especially Paige). Johnathan, of course, didn't want to hurt anyone and Paige felt like she was racing the clock to save him before he either took off or went off the deep end. Paige was willing to do anything to save him - even if it meant facing the worst kind of evil.
The school storyline.
I also really enjoyed the storyline at the school - kids were mysteriously committing suicide in droves and those who hadn't killed themselves were turning into lifeless versions of themselves. Paige and her friends knew that there was something demonic behind it all, but they didn't know what or how to help, so they went into the school, undercover. I especially loved when Paige is exposed to the substance that was affecting the other kids in the school - the results were terrifying!!
Get past the first third or so of this book and you will find an engaging, intriguing paranormal mystery with real bite. If you're a fan of this type of book, read it, knowing it improves immensely as it goes on. I struggled a bit with rating this one, but in the end decided on 3.5/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own*** -
**I received this book free in exchange for an unbiased and honest review**
Book Description: Five teenagers who’ve recently discovered they have magical powers and are living in the Seattle underground feel it’s their responsibility to protect unsuspecting humans from otherworldly foes. Things are going well until Johnathan, their unofficial leader and the boy sixteen year old Paige is in love with, is bitten by a changeling – the venomous saliva causing him to metamorphose into a ravening beast with each full moon. Paige vows that, no matter the cost, she will find a way to cure Johnathan of the evil that has embedded itself in his soul. Johnathan’s monthly transformation and daily personality roller coaster isn’t the only problem they have to deal with. The Five are also gearing up to face their toughest and most dangerous enemy yet-a powerful and ruthless Warlock who will go to any means, including high school, to build his Dark Army.
Review: 3.5 stars
General: Holli Andersons writes a distinctly unique YA novel with a coven to rival that of any other YA magic circle. While the plot is fantastic there are some things that made it a difficult read for me. I loved the layering of problems, making it about more than a “werewolf” or another evil villain bent on world domination. The duality mixed with the drastically different characters made it an entertaining read.
The world building was well done when coming up with terminology and uniqueness but it lacked a little in overall representation as sometimes I was questioning the logistics of everything happening the way it did. The characters, a group of seemingly misfit teens (Page, Jonathan, Alec, Seth and Hallie) are thrown together by some unknown force when their powers present- some out of fear and some out of wandering down their homebase- underground Seattle. They stagger upon the idea of magic when the two main protagonists seek out a psychic who passes them a book.
The coven is loosely formed, practicing their magic by hunting down the things that go bump in the night in the less savory areas. Until one night when something goes wrong and Jonathan is bitten by a changeling and his world turns upside down, taking the other teens with him. The novel is lighthearted until about a 1/4 of the way in when the real antagonist, a warlock bent on suicide to build an army to take over, enters the book. From there the book grew for me in terms of complexity as each character had a layer of their own to handle and a really enjoyable read.
So what was I hung up on then? I like to read a novel that helps me see everything. A large portion of the novel took most events and explained them in a sentence of two and then and showed the scene- for me I would much rather see the scene unfold, not be told what is happening and then read about it. While a little redundant the main thing was it took me out of the novel because I was checking to see if it would continue by skimming ahead. While I thought the plot was fantastic and a perfect read for any YA paranormal lover this element drew me to a stall at some points.
Characters: Paige- Paige is the protagonist, at least of this book. She is 16, and just discovered her magic, the wrong way. For the most part she was a delightfully teenage character filled with the right amount of angst, hormones, jealousy and humor. But to that end she also came across as very young for a 16 year old and I feel some adults may have trouble identifying with her as the lead.
Jonathan: Jonathan’s character is a little more difficult to describe, not because he wasn’t a great character, but because of the bite and not wishing to ruin spoilers it is hard to draw any generalizations about what was the real him and what was accidental bite him. He is a great protagonist- heroic and intelligent he was likable from the get go and while he seemed much older than 17 it was not hard to believe given what we do learn about his life. -
This book starts out by introducing Paige she accidentally discovers her magic when she happens upon some bullies abusing her dog. Her father (a Pastor) discovers her practising her magic and freaks out and tries to send her away to an institution; Paige escapes and runs away where she meets Johnathan, with whom she feels an instant connection to. Johnathan eventually one by one brings in the other three, Alec, Seth and Halli.
This book started out with a ton of information being presented very early in the book, the five come together fairly quickly without much mention of anyone's back story, and they set to work immediately to practise their craft and hone their skills. They immediately set out to fight the evil that plagues the human world unseen and send them back to the Netherworld. They find themselves fighting a variety of evil and vile creatures; its while rescuing a human child from being kidnaped by a Faery that Johnathan is bitten by a changeling. Now the group must protect Johnathan and the unsuspecting humans from the change that now plagues him on the full moon each month. Paige vows to find a cure for his curse.
From there the book takes on a more comfortable pace as it slows down and focuses on the main part of the story. Upon learning of a high school plagued by an abnormally high suicide rate the five begin to investigate the school. After their initial investigation it is decided that four of the five will enroll in the high school and find out what is going on. What they find at the school is a student body mostly comprised of students in a catatonic or zombie like state. Students are hallucinating and freaking out and nobody seems to know what to do or can be bothered to do anything.
It is later that the five discover that the principal is behind the whole thing and that he is really a very powerful warlock by the name of Brone who has been using a potion to turn the students into members of his dark army.
I felt bad for Halli being left out of going to school with the others, and really kind of annoyed that Joe left it so long to tell them who they really were "Quinaie Praesidia.” and why they were so connected together. He could have been training them all along and they would have been better prepared for what they were up against.
At the back story of all this is the budding romance of Johnathan and Paige who are clearly attracted to one another but circumstances and unlucky events keep pulling them apart. Insert Angst here.
Over all I have to say I really enjoyed the story, I felt the story was a little rushed in the beginning trying to get all the characters introduced and acquainted with one another, but soon leveled out and began to flow quite nicely. They are not perfect heroes, they have flaws and at the heart of it the are really just normal teenagers trying to cope with the life they have been dealt, and doing the best they can for five kids that are virtually homeless living in Seatle's underground.
The interaction between the five is familiar they treat each other like family, they tease, taunt, love and protect one another. I think those who love YA/ Urban Fantasy/Paranormal will really enjoy this book.
I gave this book a 3.5 out of 5 star rating
I was gifted a reviewers copy of this book by Curiosity Quills Press in exchange for an unbiased review -
First and Foremost, Full Disclosure: The Author is a good friend of mine and as such I want to give an honest review without the reader assuming any sort of bias because of this friendship. I only gave it a 4-Star rating based on the paragraph that follows.
I'm going to have to admit, this was a hard book for me to dive into, mostly because of the size of the book. I've gotten rather accustomed to reading much larger novels that allow a lot of character development, and that is not the case here. I would have really liked the opportunity to get to know each of the principle characters and why they are who they are, perhaps with the exception of "Halli" who has a mental block in place (I'm sure that's coming in future volumes.) The first chapter does give a little back-story about "Paige" but, again I'm being picky, I would have loved a couple of chapters.
With that in place, I did like the characters, the interactions between them seemed to have just enough to bring their relationships into believability. Because I didn't have enough time to really get to know each of the characters involved it was a bit of a challenge for me to really just fall into the story-line.
Taking into account the character development issue I've already mentioned, I did enjoy reading this book. My first thoughts when I started this book were "What the heck is going on in the Pacific NorthWest? First Vampires and Werewolves, and Now Magical Teenagers!" I must admit that I like the city of Seattle, and Holli does a fantastic job of painting a picture of a Seattle that I didn't have a clue about.
The story itself (I won't rehash the story-line, it's in the GoodReads description) was actually pretty well thought out. I did struggle with the fact that too many things seemed to just fall into place like, well, magic. I will have to again attribute that to the fact that this is a teen fantasy novel, not an epic series, and as such there isn't enough space in the book size to allow several chapters of buildup to an event. Holli managed to implement a very believable magical structure with a rather original and remarkable way to inject "Dark Magic" into the world we live in.
I especially grew to like the secondary characters Brendon and Chari, their contribution to the story was wonderfully written and believable. I had flashbacks to my own high school days, and pictured the layout of my school, without the magical drama, as the story unfolded.
Because Holli and I have shared books and authors with each other over the years, I was able to identify several fantasy author influences in her writings, yet I will also compliment her for not simply copying another's styling and being herself.
This is a very quick and fun read if you don't try too hard to over-think the story-line. I will admit I did not SEE the ending coming and am LOOKING forward to the followup novel. -
My Stars : 3.7 / 5
-I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review. -
Let’s start with than this book has me divided, on one side I found points that certainly make than the story have potential, has a nice mix of paranormal with a bit of a story out of a comic in some parts. On the other hand, had me a little pensive and somewhat confused.
The story begins with one of the characters: Paige, who discovers that he has unusual powers than ever imagined. She will explore the gift that has hidden from all but his only exception than is his little sidekick, his dog. But not everything can be hidden forever, Paige’s parents discover it and decide they have to do something about it because for them is to play with dark arts. It is at this precise moment in which Paige decides to run away and is also the beginning of a avenua and knowledge they never imagined than existed .. She will not be alone, discover that there are more people like her, and form a team: Jonathan, Alec, Seth and Hallie, along with Paige try to fight evil forces that attempt to corrupt mankind.
The other protagonist who you will know is Jonathan, to whom Paige found after running away from home, and who will have a love interest, which will be between the events that will happen in their lives.
All is well, we have a story and the characters, the villain, and a magical atmosphere, teenagers and yarns can lead to many paths of history. This very well focused on what you want to discover and enjoy it, but sometimes felt I was on a roller coaster in some places much excitement and in others waned, making me feel that I was missing something.
Paige is a good character, a good start and a good choice, my favorite was Johnathan of the two, but wanted to explore the world of the five! I hope in the other books out over them also, as it is assumed they are a team. And I would like to see more emotions of each, all have great potential.
Like I said I’m divided on the one hand I feel it has so much potential, so many choices, many ways and could give us many surprises, but on the other hand there are details to take care and would like to keep this record of emotion. Overall, the book is worth reading, something that is fresh and teenagers can enjoy, has an easy writing and characters are easy for you to choose a favorite.
Enjoy it with popcorn and a soda of your choice.
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