Sam I Am

October Trilogy #1

by Heather Killough-Walden

Seventeen year-old Logan Wright has always turned to the make-believe world of her written words to escape the pain of her real life. Through her writing, she lives vicariously, creating gorgeous but dangerous male characters who hunt down, and fight for, their chosen mates. For a vice, it's a safe one. Normally.
However, this is October.
The moon is full, the cemetery is filled with mists, and the misspoken words of an ages-old spell have released an ancient force. It is shapeless - nameless. Until it happens upon the words of a beautiful young bard and takes the wickedly handsome form of one of her creations.
Now Logan finds herself the object of desire for a boy who appears to be everything she ever dreamed of. Sam Hain is tall, strong, and gorgeous. He wants her; there’s no denying that. So, what’s the problem?
Sam’s kisses come with sharp teeth – and a dark promise.
Logan, her friends, and her long-time crush must band together in order to save her from the force they unwittingly awakened. They have one month. And it’s going to be a long one.

Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult, Fantasy, Vampires, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

147 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2011

About the author

Heather Killough-Walden is a California native currently living in Texas with her husband and child. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Big Bad Wolf series. Heather’s educational background includes religious studies, archeology, and law. She has traveled all over the world but hopes to one day live in a town with a world-class hockey team. (Let’s Go Pens!) Visit Heather’s website at www.killough-walden.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter. Also, be sure to keep in touch with her and other fans through her Facebook fan page and through Twitter (killoughwalden)!

Reviews

[Alaina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sam I Am and I didn't get along very well. All I got was vampire diaries vibes and I wasn't a big fan of those books. I don't even think I finished any of the series yet either. Which, details, because I tried this book out anyways.

Throughout the book, I just didn't care for any of the characters. I tried to find something likable or something to connect to them and yet - nada. Then things were getting pretty predictable and very boring. Nothing was exciting me or leaving me on the edge of my seat.

I guess the only thing I liked about this was how short the book actually was. After finishing, I'm going to state that I wont dive into the next book. I am okay with ghosting this one (for now) and I don't have enough wine in this house to read the next one either.

[Tia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sam I Am by Heather Killough-Walden wasn't a very good novel in my opinion but it wasn't the worse I've ever read. The plot had holes in it, the story was scrambled together, not written well or planned out best.

In all honesty I wasn't expecting much because I had hear from other friends it wasn't that good but I wanted to read it for myself and draw on my own conclusions. This book is part of a trilogy, which I will not be reading. It's sad when a book turns out like this but all I can expect is the next novel is a better one than the last. It just wasn't up to par with my usual lists of authors.

Story line goes Logan is a writer and writes stories about vampires, werewolves, etc. She is talented apparently cause one of her stories comes to life. Samhain aka Sam is Death. Logan brings him to life and he wants her as a bride. It seems really cliche because I recognize some of this from Hades and Persephone. Her friend help her vanquish Sam but he isn't really vanquished due to it being a blue moon, so the series continues. God help us all.

Bottom line it was cheesy and not worth the time really spent on it. If you are looking for a decent novel to read, this one isn't it unfortunately but read it and draw your own opinions.

[E. C. Ecchor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also posted on my YA Book Blog.

I was pleasantly surprised by this!

This was a well written stor and despite some mistakes, I really enjoyed the read! The author managed to pull threads of my favorite holiday through to create an original, engrossing tale. I obviously loved the Halloween elements and enjoyed the idea of Sam altogether. I wish there had been a bit more on the magic witchcraft side of things, but I appreciate the fact that the story didn't drag because the author was trying to explain everything. There were a few plot holes or at least things that I felt needed more explaining, but the story was pretty well formed and mostly coherent.

The characters were decently developed. I think Logan was edging towards too perfect, but just barely. Dom was everything I want in a male lead and I liked that there was a useful adult in the mix - unusual in YA. I hope to see more of Meagan in book 2.

Overall, I am impressed. I hadn't been expecting much.l, but I got a great, fun, Halloween read out of it. I would recommend to fans of Halloween, mild romance, and some supernatural fun. Will definitely be reading book two!

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought Sam I Am a very long time ago, and that's how I discovered Heather Killough-Walden's books. While it isn't my favorite book, it is a good young adult book by Ms. Walden.

Summary: Seventeen year-old Logan Wright is creative. She's a writer, escaping the pain of her world into the world of words. She creates gorgeous, deadly male characters that find and protect their chosen mates. There should be nothing wrong with that. Right? Except that it is October. One of her creations, an ancient force, comes to life. He comes in the form of Sam Hain, a tall, handsome boy. He wants her, but he is not who he seems. Logan and her friends have a month to save her from this dangerous power that they have awakened,

What I Liked: This is one of the first HKW books that I've ever read, and one of the reasons why I now consistently read and review books by HKW. Sam I Am is based on high school students, which at the time, and still, I am. I really liked the high school setting that Ms. Walden has created. It's like she remembers exactly what high school was like, and put it into words. I liked the protagonist, Logan. I really felt for her. Her family issues, her escape into writing, her protectiveness over her siblings, it was very well explored. I liked that we as readers were able to see through the minds of Logan, Meagan, and Dom at different points in the story. As always, the descriptions of scenery, actions, and emotions were flawless. I love how Ms. Walden weaves her story and sucks a reader in with her prose. This was one of her first young adult books I believe, and she really wrote for that crowd. This book was very short (compared to some of her other books), but very enjoyable.

What I Did Not Like: I didn't understand the prologue. I read this book a really long time ago, and read it maybe one or two times since, but I remember thinking that the prologue was confusing. I also did not like Logan at times. Her character seemed weak, but then at other points in the story, immensely powerful. I liked her, but sometimes I didn't. But that seems to be the way it is for most of any books! So it's not really a dislike, because you can't always like everyone all the time.

Would I Recommend It: Yes. It's not my favorite HKW book, but it's definitely worth the read, especially since it is part of a series. Since it is set around high school students, I would recommend this book to any teenager and up.

Rating: 4 stars.

Great job, Ms. Walden! I can't wait for Secretly Sam!

[Amy Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Logan is a high school age girl with lots of problems on the home front but she still manages to hold the pieces of her life together. At school she performs well academically in spite of the fact that most of her peers find her odd. At home she manages to both maintain the peace and pick up the pieces after a big blow out. Logan's only escape is her writing. The clever girl creates imaginary worlds filled with supernatural beings who are even more frightening than her miserable reality. None the less she perseveres and attempts to live a seemingly normal life. Little does she know that her best friend is a witch. On the sacred eve of a blue moon a spell goes awry and Logan's stories come to life, literally. Now the characters in the stories she once escaped to are the very monsters she is running from.

This is a wonderful young adult paranormal romance story. I enjoyed how the author incorporated realistic teen situations into this work of fantasy fiction. I especially enjoyed the main character Logan. I enjoyed how the author portrayed her as strong, yet flawed. I think this is a read that teen minds can relate to and identify with. In the real world people are neither entirely perfect nor a complete hopeless cause. I think this book allows teens to realize that no matter how difficult and hopeless life may get we always have a choice about how we can respond to it. We may not be able to control our environments or the people within them but we can control ourselves and make our own decisions.

I would recommend this read for anyone who enjoys young adult paranormal romance.

I give Sam I Am 4 stars.

Amy Jones, author of Soul Quest
http://amyjonesyaff.blogspot.com
http://www.soulquesttrilogy.com

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I confess, this has been sitting on the "to-read" pile for about 8 months now. I grabbed it coz it was by HKW and then didn't read it because the back cover made it sound like a high school "chick flick" kinda book. It took my sister telling me "OMG" and an arvo of nothing better to do to pull it out....
Can I just say - Heather, I'm so sorry I doubted you
Wow! Yes high school and yes, a little teen angst, but OMG!! An absolute must read

[Michelle Mankin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story. Believable weaving of paranormal with reality. Fully fleshed out believable main characters as well as secondary. Characters motivations & relational development make sense. Reminiscent of buffy vampire slayer in a good way. Refreshing read.

[Megan Megan Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book.

I especially liked the observation that the main character, a writer made about her own writing and the impact it had on her life. There was a moment in the book where she was reflecting on her odds of beating the "misunderstood bad boy" and it occurs to her that in her own writing the heroine always succumbs to him. She asks the question; what chance do I really have when I know the bad guy always wins. It was a moment of self awareness about an idea that's rarely discussed in this genre.

I felt like it was almost an empowering moment for the heroine in that she realized she was buying into an idea that was taking something from her.

I like that the power struggle between her and Sam isn't about falling in love or even physical attraction. To me, it's about surrendering her own power to make things easier for her.

Sam represents giving in because she's tired of fighting the problems in her life.

It was a very honest story.

I plan to read the sequel.

[maegan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one wasn't for me. It follows a very similar structure to L.J Smith's "The Vampire Diaries", as in everything happens throughout a week, too fast, and the main character only seems to go back and forth, having epiphanies every two pages and it left me genuinely wondering how was it possible for her to be so so clever. I guess she's just a very special snowflake *shrugs*

I won't be following up with "Secretly Sam."

[Bookswithbenefits · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heather Killough-Walden is one of many independent writers you can find in the Amazon Kindle Store. She's written a plethora of titles, most of which are a part of one series or another. In this particular book, Killough-Walden takes on the formidable spirit of Halloween. That's right. You heard me. The hero of this particular book...well, we'll get to that later...happens to be Samhain himself. Of course, when he manifests in the world of the heroine, 17-year old Logan Wright, we know him as Sam Hain. Logan escapes the reality of her life by writing stories in her notebook about Alpha-male heroes. Problem? He comes to life from her pages and comes to claim Logan. He seems like the perfect hero for her, but Sam wants something from Sam that she is not prepared to give. Her friends (and crush) have a month to save her from Sam. But does she want to be saved?

This book has a lot of great elements. Logan is an incredibly sympathetic character when introduced. When she scribbles her hero fantasies into her notebook, we look on and enjoy them with her. Admittedly, that affection is forced on the reader a bit quick, but not enough to make you stop reading. The most intriguing idea of the story is also the most frustrating. Though there is a great potential for a commentary on the romance hero's nature as an aggressive, demanding, and violent guy, there's not enough of a connection between Logan and her crush to pull us in the direction of the "right" guy. He's a kind of flimsy foil for Sam Hain. The only problem with this is that, so far in the series, Sam doesn't look like he's going to be anything like a hero to Logan. He is horrific and does some pretty unforgivable things.

The romance genre (yes, even for YA romance fiction) demands that there be some kind of H.E.A. and that the hero, no matter his faults, ultimately be redeemable. Rape, murder, misogyny that is never revised...these are things that can't take place in the romance genre.

The characters are fascinating. The story is compelling. The series is full of possibility. But when I finished reading this particular book...I found it more trick than treat. I wanted my romance ending, not a horror cliff hanger. So if you're looking for a quick Halloween romp that will scare or charm you into love, this might not be up your alley. Still, I keep hoping the next book will settle things with Sam and Logan appropriately. I believe in the Great Pumpkin.

Grade: C

Cover Me:

Though this cover is actually fairly decent, it plays one one my least favorite cover tropes of late (at least for YA)--the prom dress in nature. In some contexts, it might make sense. But I've seen girls in prom dresses running through forests, beaches, rocky cliffs, oceans, rivers, boats, grassy fields, and zombie filled hallways...not to mention the colored fabric draped ambiguous backgrounds. I get it...girls love big pretty dresses, but not when they're running for their lives, being chased by demons, or trying to fight nature. Tulle does not do well in a fight with branches. Silk would rather die than fight off moisture. Armpit stains on a prom dress are not romantic. Just say no to the prom dress.

As posted on http://bookswithbenefits.com

[moonlightfairyprincess · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay. I didn't really expect much from a book I only paid a couple dollars for. It was fairly predictable and moved a little too quickly so there was no real puzzle or mystery...it was all laid out. The plot wasn't all that origianl either, magical powers, a door that opens releasing the Lord fo the Dead, how to put him back etc. The only origianl and intriguing piece was how Logan's writing affected the transformation of The Lord of the Dead which actually needed a little more explaination. There were actually several errors in the story: plot gaps, mistakes and contradictions. For instance, the Halloween dance is said to occur on a Sunday but later is mentioned as having taken place on a Saturday--seemingly small and insignificant but shows aq lack of attention to detail.
I actually found the sub-story of Logans life elicited the most response from me and it is only mentioned a few times in the book and doesn't really help the plot. Logan's home life is supposed to be a defining characteristic of her strength or weakness depending on how you look at it but it feels as if the troubled family life is just thrown in there because the author couldn't come up with a better distraction. I was pissed at the author's portrayal of child abuse and the off-handed manner in which it was regarded. IT IS NEVER OKAY FOR ANYONE TO BEAT A CHILD!!! Yet, the author doesn't punish, chastise, or even condemn the behavior of one of the antagonists who is nineteen and beats his ten year old brother so much that he ends up at the hospital, frequently. I get that the older brother, Taylor, is mentally ill but why in the hell doesn't someone help the entire family by having him removed from the home and placed in jail or a psych ward?!?!?!!? The entire family, at least those old enough to speak up for their younger siblings, are enablers and complicit in the abuse because of their complacent attitude.
All in all, I might, if I was EXTREMELY bored, buy the next book to see what happens but I won't actively await the next book or follow the author. The story just isn't that good.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Heather is an amazing author. I found it back at the end of summer going into my senior year of high school and I've read it so many times since then, I probably have it all memorized! I was looking through Heather's books when I stumbled upon this. I was hesitant at first because it didn't seem like something I'd normally read, but I'm SO glad I bought it- or should I say Dad bought it! I was hooked and couldn't put it down. I love the rest of the series as well, so if you love this one, check out the others! You won't regret it!

Summary: Sam I Am by Heather Killough-Walden follows seventeen year old Logan Wright. Logan is an aspiring writer, filling notebook after notebook with short stories, with characters ranging from werewolves and vampires to angels and demons. For Logan, writing is an escape from the problems plaguing her family life. As far as escapes go, writing is a pretty safe one. However, it is October.
Meagan Stone, Logan’s best friend, is a witch. She’s chosen by her grove- this author’s term for coven- to perform the yearly October ritual to keep the door between the realm of the dead and the realm of the living closed. But Meagan messes up and the Lord of the Dead finds himself among the living.
Free from his realm, Samhain’s spirit floats aimlessly and formlessly throughout the night sky, until he stumbles upon a car with a notebook inside. That car, and notebook, just happen to belong to Logan Wright. Her words magically give the Celtic god of the dead something he’s never had before: life. Thanks to her words, Samhain- now known as Sam Hain- has the looks of the god he is and the powers of the creatures Logan writes so passionately about. The god of the dead could do many things to this helpless world, but he only wants one thing: Logan Wright.
Her words brought him to life. It’s only fitting that she become his bride. Logan, her friends, and her long-time crush have to team up to fight the Lord of the Dead before he succeeds in making Logan his. And they only have one month to do so.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’ve visited before you already know that I am a fan of Heather Killough-Walden. I’ve read all of her Big Bad Wolf Series (more than once actually *blush*.) I was more than excited when I found out she was starting The Kings Series as a spin-off to my beloved wolves. When she announced her Lost Angels Series, I didn’t hesitate to grab them as soon as they were released. Why then has it taken me so long to pick up The October Trilogy? I honestly have no idea, I’m just glad that I finally did.

The premise of Sam I Am was pretty interesting. Beyond the fact that Sam Hain is the Lord of Death the fact that a character that Logan created in her fictional writings more or less came to life is quite a concept. (A scary concept if you look at it from a creative standpoint – Yikes!) Throw vampires, werewolves and teen drama into the mix and what’s not to love?

Logan was a strong character, despite her low self esteem and life circumstances that could have made it easy for her to give into Sam and his temptation of escape. She didn’t have a lot of friends, but the ones that she had were true. There were a few moments that I would have liked to have locked Dom and Logan in a room and made them talk to each other about their feelings, but I seem to have that reaction a lot when I read YA books, so I won’t even go there.

Basically, Sam I Am was a perfect October read. It had just enough ‘edge of your seat’ scariness to turn it into a page turner and the right amount of teen drama and crush moments to keep everyone happy. The next book in The October Trilogy, Secretly Sam is available now and given the fact that Sam I Am ended with a ‘what the heck?’ moment, I’m kinda glad I waited a while before picking the first book up. Luckily, I have Secretly Sam waiting patiently on my Kindle.

[Kandise · Rating 2 out of 5]

"He opened her up and drank her in, relentlessly demanding more, bruising her lips as he forced the kiss deeper and deeper. She went weak in the knees beneath his erotic assault, her hands fisting in the sleeves of his shirt for balance..."

Why I read this one still escapes me. Maybe it was because the synopsis was better then the entire read? I really dont know, but it lost me after Logan admitted to writing female characters that couldn't resist the temptation of manly wiles. Really?

Logan comes from some kind of dysfunctional family, but the storyline doesn't address it too much or at all really, which is weird. It's like "yeah 10 year old Jimmy was bleeding from the eyes and nose again because 18 year old Timmy beat the shit out of him again...oh my god, I think Dom made eye contact with me", just weird.

Logan is a weakling that developed all of these violent male characters in a book but because she is a bard and whatever she writes has the power of coming true. Then some spirit escapes the underworld because of a young witches mistake and he become all of her male characters in one...the synopsis says that "he is everything she ever dreamed of" Hmmm She must have a thing for BDSM because this guy is just violent, he doesn't have not one attractive attribute going for him and interesting enough, she isn't all that into him from start to finish.

I couldn't get into the characters because they weren't developed well, everyone was kind of shallow and then the reference to Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Giles, then proceeding to write a character just like that bugged me. Throughout the book I couldn't get over Logan being so weak, she couldn't do anything, she was helpless and her bestie witch friend didn't know jack...the whole thing wasn't worth it.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is young adult, so there will not be any explicit "love" scenes.
However, I was immensely entertained.
Book 1 was well written, full of suspense, plot twists and a hint of young romance and a great build up for book 2.


**** Spoilers ****I do not recommend reading the trilogy
After reading all three books, I wanted to post a review for all three books.


I wanted to rate this Trilogy higher but I did not like the ending.
Sam was a pain in the A$Z! for all three books.
He was Mean and Evil and Condescending.
He threatened Logan, did awful things, and harmed her classmates as well as her friends.
Sam had no redeeming qualities, NONE.
I could not believe at the end of book 3,
Logan says to herself that she was in love with Sam,
Really?
How?
Why?
WTF?
I do not like that she had to make a deal with the devil to save her friends at the end of book 3.
So, she is kissing Dom during the day and
willingly dream sharing with Sam at night???
That seems like cheating to me..


I do not like how the witch, Ciara, did not have free will.
She went through alot to escape Sam and in the end she ended up with him anyway.
She cast a spell to avoid him, that.. should.. say.. something.
I do not want to hear about FATE, that is BS!

There is nothing romantic about forced relationships and a stalker.
This was not a romance story, it was a horror story...
The author should have written a better ending.

- Totally Disappointed.
J

[Fallon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am familiar with Heather Killough-Walden's Big Bad Wolf Series but those are much more adult than this one. Sam I Am did have a lot of sexual tension for a young adult book and more cursing than a typical. There was a lot of repetitiveness and some very obvious plot turns. I liked Sam, I liked that he was a sort of likable villain, sort of, he was still pretty bad, but I don't think it's his fault it's just his nature. The beginning of the book, the prologue, gave this book a more magically druid, dangerous feel than what it was. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as this author has done in her other works. It ended on a cliffhanger, and I hate cliffhangers usually, but this didn't really make me want to rush out and buy the next one. Which is good because it's not out yet. It had a pretty good closing for a non-series, then they added the cliffhanger. I will probably pick up the next one when it comes out, the story did have some good moments, it was intense in areas that made me want to keep reading, but I felt annoyed in other parts. What is wrong with Logan's brother? I don't know, I'd like to know exactly what is causing his tantrums, and why her parents allow their other kids to be injured by him, that was annoying. It is a good read for Halloween, it takes place in October and has a Halloween theme so it fits right in to this months mindset. Overall I'm pretty neutral on this one.

[Winifred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all teenagers Logan has her own personal drama. Yet she manages to find a way to escape her problems. However her escape landed her in much more trouble than she ever dreamed of.

Logan is a high school cutie with lodes of problems at home, but she still try to hold the pieces of her life together. She also has a secret. Logan is what you can call a "bard". Whatever she pens, comes to life. Just imagine… you have the power to bring all you fantasies to life by writing them down… fun write? Until one of your dream become fixated and goes all psycho on you… well shit!

As the story unfolds, you begin to see Logan’s hidden strength and flaws and Heather killough Walden does know how to create layers in her stories and the intensity of Killough Walden’s writing are almost too much to bear… I manage!

One thing I really like about Heather’s books is her signature AKA her love scenes. Yes this is a YA book but the reality is, it does have intense passionate encounter and if you are one of Heather's fans, you also know that this love... ahh… encounter is also PG… (Wink, Wink…) For Heather Killough Walden I mean. Great story, engaging, and super fun! In any case I liked Sam I am and I want to read book two.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first came across the October Trilogy series by Heahter Killough Walden I was a little hesitant on reading it. I though since it was for young adults it would fail to capture my attention and would be something more slanted towards my teenage children. I am happy to say I couldn't have been more wrong. I had been a fan of HKW's work for a while and when I picked up the first book, I am Sam, in the October Trilogy. I put aside my hesitation and gave it a fair shot. I found my self pleasantly surprised as I continued to turn the pages and get lost in this world she weaved of magic and wonder that brings Halloween to life. I found myself not only unable to put down the first book till the last page but also hurrying to get the second the moment it was released. I have now shared this series with my teenage sons and they shared it with their friends. If your a parent that wants to share the magic of reading with your teenage this is a series for you or if your just looking for a series of magic and wonder that will keep you spellbound from the first page then this series is what your looking for.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Couldn't find the book I was reading, so I read this one instead. The story was alright, I suppose. It has all the trendy neopagan elements--witches, wicca, druid, vampire, or werewolves. Mix it all together and you'd have a book that caters to everyone with an interest in the paranormal, which means almost everyone. The villain fleshed out well. He was the epitome of all the author's fantasies, it seems. Unfortunately, because of his larger than life energy, everyone else pales in comparison. I couldn't care less about any of the other characters, and I ended up rooting for the villain, minus his encompassing, irrational obsession with the heroine (reminiscent of Bella and Cullen?). So his motivation suddenly falls flat. It's the first book in a trilogy. Usually, the first book merely lays the foundation of a series and can't be expected to be mind blowing. However, I'm not sure I'm going to stick around for the rest of them. Maybe if I didn't have anything better to read. I didn't not like the book, but I wasn't really caught by it.

Maybe I'm just getting old :).

[Imogen Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seventeen-year-old Logan Wright uses writing as an escape from her troubled family life into a make-believe world where her heroes are always perfect. On paper at least. When the Prince of Death is presented with a portal into Logan’s world, he, through her stories, takes on a persona created by her imagination. And, of course, this creation, Sam Hain, is besotted with her and wants to make her his bride and carry her back with him to his world.

Heather Killough-Walden takes on a captivating and exciting ride. Her characters are well fleshed and likable. My only issue with the story was toward the end. SPOILER ALERT: After the Halloween dance, Sam Hain is apparently sent back through the portal and everything is back to normal again. Logan’s bite marks disappear. All the people Sam murdered come to life again etc. However, we then find out that he is not been sent through after all. He has, in fact, possessed another student. So I wondered how everything got back to “normal” in that case? I am hoping that will be explained in book two, which I look forward to reading.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

In short this was not a spectacular book, but the idea behind it was creative and different. Looking back on the book I find myself displeased with it, but I was hooked while I read it. It's a short book and I bought it for one dollar on amazon. For that amount of money the book was worth it. I just wish the author had spent more time figuring out a plot deeper than the one the book possesses, which to me seems like a pointless plot akin to the plot of Twilight, and developing characters. But despite all the negativities of the book I am in love with the idea behind it. This book defies the teen paranormal romance norm, and I am glad that an author has made the step outside the outline that seems to be apparent in every teen paranormal romance I read. Don't get me wrong, I love paranormal romance with a passion, but sometimes I get extremely bored with it. In conclusion my feelings about this book are extremely mixed, but I say this book is worth it for anyone who likes paranormal romance.

[Billie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was initially drawn to this book because of the "October Trilogy" and the Halloween theme. I am a HUGE fan of Halloween, and so I figured I would give it a chance. I am really glad I did!

I read some of the reviews about the books, saying it had swearing and "subtle sexual encounters" but it really doesn't matter to me. Honestly, it has only a few times of swearing, kids hear more when watching TV. The sexual parts weren't too bad, I think it tied into the story and what was going on.

Overall I was very impressed with the story line. It really had me engrossed and wanting to finish the page I was on so I could get to the next! A few things that bothered me was the author didn't go into the main characters past. Why was her family like that? How close was she with her friends? Also, I would have liked to see more of Meghan.

But I did really enjoy it and I can't wait for the continuation of the series! 4 out of 5 stars.

[Amber · Rating 1 out of 5]

My biggest complaint about this book is that it read like an erotica author was forced to write a YA paranormal romance book with no sex. To many "taut" body parts, too many references to tight/lean muscles, too many shirts pulled tight across girls breasts, etc. I think you get the point. It was nauseating and annoying. I would not allow my kids to read this.

That being said, I did not particularly care for the story. The premise was a little interesting, but not developed at all. I had no idea whether I was reading something actually based on Celtic lore or something the author made up. And the YA paranormal romances I enjoy, they usually feel somewhat real. A little believable, though I know they aren't. This one felt fake all the way through.

I just did not enjoy this book and won't be recommending it. And I won't be continuing the series.

[Samantha Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam I am is a thoroughly enjoyable fast-paced paranormal read. I loved the premise - that Samhain, the celtic lord of the dead passes through the doorway between worlds and takes human form through the magic of Logan's (a teen girl in her senior year, who writes paranormal fiction)writing and decides he wants to kill her and take her back to the underworld as his bride. Sound familiar? There is even a reference to Persephone and Hades in the book, which made me smile. I thought the characters were good, with really good back stories giving their decisions depth and understanding, and I loved the wicked Sam Hain. He was the perfect villain. I was gripped from page one and can't wait to read the second novel in the October series.

Great stuff.

[Merriwether · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just ok. After reading all of Amanda Hockings series and Jason Letts "Paranormal Romance" series, I think I was expecting more. What really did it in for me and made me put this book down was I was truly confused because of the characters names: Katelyn, Logan (usually a boys name around here), Meagan... all the main girls and lots of others in the school scenes have very similar trendy names and it bored me to death. I shelved this book on the gave-up-on shelf for now. I will probably go back and finish it one day as I don't like not completing books, even if they are not so great. A good effort by the author, and I am enjoying "Hell Bent" byMs. Killough Walden now, so I am wondering if this book was a new writer piece?

[Jenn Doyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Giving a 3.8 star rating. Loved the characters in this book. Thought the mythology behind it was intriguing and original. The only gripe I had with the book was Logan's older brother Taylor. In the book Taylor is described as going into mad fits and attacking his younger brother. The only thing in the book used to describe this behavior is Obsessive-Compulsive disorder....which according to the big bad book of Psychology does not include mad fits of beating up your younger brother. If the author wanted to create a character with a mental disorder, it would have been nice if she'd done the proper research on what he actually had.

Will be checking out the second book of the series to see where the story goes.

[Daneka Summers · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I admit it has taken me a while to get around to reading Sam I Am, but once I had started I was immediately thinking "I can't believe I have waited this long"

Just like all of Heather's books it was full of action, friendships that know no end, writing that leaps you onto the pages and makes you think you are there and did I mention a delicious bad guy and an equally gorgeous good guy, my only problem I didn't know who to root for, because I have always liked my bad guys, but the fact that Sam has killed and shows no remorse didn't sit well with me, but the again what can I expect from The Lord of the dead?

There was a huge cliff hanger at then end of this book, so be prepared to download Secretly Sam straight after.

[Liz Cabrejos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished Sam I Am, and what can I say, can't believe I hadn't purchased it sooner! Loved the writing, loved the storyline and loved the characters. The story is written from several perspectives, which I always find to be a plus. I got so into this story, I swear I dreamt about it all night. Of course Sam was in there, I'm pretty sure I was Logan, and all I can say is I was frightened yet drawn and loving Sam in the same breathe! I will say I loved Dominic's character very much and can't wait to read what happens in Secretly Sam, already on my kindle and looking forward to it. If you enjoy romance, paranormal, mystery, action & suspense, you will definitely enjoy this book.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the October trilogy, a young adult paranormal romance book and boy... what a great start to a new Trilogy. I love that the timeline and atmosphere is Fall and October and everything great and spectactular about holloween. Heather gives fear and darkness a new meaning with the lovely and spontanious characters and otherworldly figures like witches, gorgeous vampires, clever grove leaders and deadly death lords. Heather's characters are realistic and relatable, pulling you into the plotline and devouring you until you're asking for more. You will not be dissapointed in this book.

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Logan is a young girl who's life is anything but ordinary. At home, her family is chaotic and narcotic as her brother deals with OCD and Bipolar disorder that steams into violence, and a mother who turns to alcohol to coap. At school, Sam escapes into her world where she write stories to fulfill the darkness of her life, but it's her gift of writing that story telling that brings to life a sinister character when a Wiccan's spell goes wrong on the first full moon in October.

A well written novel that deserves notice. I look forward to more in this trilogy.