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The Childe #1
The Childe
Cat Colvin
Average Teenager?
Or Something Else Entirely?
Cat Colvin is pretty much your typical run-of-the-mill teenager. Sure, she’s taller than most girls, has a mane of fiery red hair that’s impossible to tame, is left-handed, and her eyes are two different colors, but that’s where the differences end... unless you include the minor detail of her slow transformation into a Childe.
High school can definitely be challenging, and for Cat it’s no different. This is especially true when she’s faced with the daunting task of trying to hide her budding Childe traits as they begin to reveal themselves at the most inopportune times. To make matters worse, her family is oddly dead set against Ryan, the boy she grows to like. But everyone has their secrets: is Ryan really what he seems to be, and what is Cat’s family not telling her?
The Childe is the first book in this coming-of-age fantasy series which follows Cat's life through the twists and turns toward finding out whom and what she really is. Come and take the plunge with Cat into a world filled with mystery, biting humor, and the paranormal.
Average Teenager?
Or Something Else Entirely?
Cat Colvin is pretty much your typical run-of-the-mill teenager. Sure, she’s taller than most girls, has a mane of fiery red hair that’s impossible to tame, is left-handed, and her eyes are two different colors, but that’s where the differences end... unless you include the minor detail of her slow transformation into a Childe.
High school can definitely be challenging, and for Cat it’s no different. This is especially true when she’s faced with the daunting task of trying to hide her budding Childe traits as they begin to reveal themselves at the most inopportune times. To make matters worse, her family is oddly dead set against Ryan, the boy she grows to like. But everyone has their secrets: is Ryan really what he seems to be, and what is Cat’s family not telling her?
The Childe is the first book in this coming-of-age fantasy series which follows Cat's life through the twists and turns toward finding out whom and what she really is. Come and take the plunge with Cat into a world filled with mystery, biting humor, and the paranormal.
304 pages, Paperback
First published March 17, 2011
27 people are currently reading
2087 people want to read
About the author
C.A. Kunz
7 books309 followersA total love of story telling is what inspired this fifty-four year young mom and her twenty-six year old son to write together.
Carol Kunz was born in New Ferry, England. Her interest in the supernatural was first sparked upon meeting a ghost at the age of eight. As a teenager, she was always fascinated by the mythology behind vampires, werewolves and witches. Being an avid reader, Carol finds it easy to spend several hours wrapped up in a great fantasy novel.
Adam Kunz was born in Newport News, Virginia. Growing up, he was a huge fan of creature features and books about things that go bump in the night. When he is not busy writing, Adam enjoys his job at a certain theme park in Orlando, Florida as a décor consultant. This job brings him face to face with all sorts of nightmarish creatures, especially when he decorates the haunted houses for the park’s annual Halloween event.
Carol and Adam currently reside forty-five minutes away from each other in the sunny state of Florida.
Carol Kunz was born in New Ferry, England. Her interest in the supernatural was first sparked upon meeting a ghost at the age of eight. As a teenager, she was always fascinated by the mythology behind vampires, werewolves and witches. Being an avid reader, Carol finds it easy to spend several hours wrapped up in a great fantasy novel.
Adam Kunz was born in Newport News, Virginia. Growing up, he was a huge fan of creature features and books about things that go bump in the night. When he is not busy writing, Adam enjoys his job at a certain theme park in Orlando, Florida as a décor consultant. This job brings him face to face with all sorts of nightmarish creatures, especially when he decorates the haunted houses for the park’s annual Halloween event.
Carol and Adam currently reside forty-five minutes away from each other in the sunny state of Florida.
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July 9, 2012My absolute favorite thing about The Childe is how we get inside so many different character’s heads and see the storyline develop through several points of view. Cat Colvin is the main character in the book and she is anything but ordinary even if she is convinced that she is nothing special. Her relationship with Ryan also intrigued me and I hope we get to see this get more in-depth (hint hint Adam. Let Carol have her way please) I adore the colorful cast of friends and how incredibly in tune the the authors are with teenagers and the way they think.
I read A LOT and books rarely surprise me. I have them figured out way before the end but The Childe had one surprise after another thrown in to keep you on your toes. I adored it! Can’t wait to see what happens next.
I read A LOT and books rarely surprise me. I have them figured out way before the end but The Childe had one surprise after another thrown in to keep you on your toes. I adored it! Can’t wait to see what happens next.
January 20, 2012
The Childe is definitely a mix of everything one could want in a Ya Paranormal. A well written, story, with a smooth flowing storyline that will not only have you reader in a frenzy but have you friskily reading right till the very end. Why – because you will want to know what *The Childe * is and why – who – what – where and why !!! Your intrigued right !!
The descriptions put forth are well described, easily envisaged and even the emotions have left nothing but for our imagination to run forth, feel what the characters feel and see what they see. The storyline is filled with twists, and turns , evil – that dwells , mystery, a little bit of love and attraction and I’m sure this story will keep the reader guessing from page one till the very end.
While The authors have fed us bread crumbs along the way ;) filling us up little by little... a lot of the mystery of ** The Childe** is – put forth, we have gotten answers but still a lot still to come. Leaving me the reader, eager and willing to most certainly run out and grab the next book.
Characters have been created with spunk – depth and certainly definition, all having their own personalities, ones that you can laugh with, cry with and also want to kick there booties.
The normal high school antics that become about are added in this story – we always seem to have a high school bully, a popular girl the not so popular girl all very realistic in life... I really enjoyed that this was put forth , even though it was a paranormal storyline I’m sure most of our teenagers feel that they are slightly different from the others lol. ((Honestly I’ve always known I was a vampire – don’t sleep at night and what not else…)) if you get my point ** grins **
Carol and Adam Kunz have grasped their own concepts in this story - creating new ones and adding in their own mysteries into their paranormal world – definably stirring an interest with their novel, spinning a tale that both the adult and ya readers will certainly enjoy! Something different is always great!
The Childe does not revolve around this world completely but weaving a story that will certainly have readers talking way past the last words. Cat is the centre of the story – she is strong, kind, caring but also has spunk and is sassy! I completely enjoyed her; throughout the book she was very realistic. The story is told from different pov’s but mainly the story relates around Cat’s life adding in all the characters that all are well placed throughout this story !
I’m going to leave this review spoiler free, because I want you to wander ** what – is The Childe ;) Go grab your copy today… and be warned you will want book two to find out more!
Be warned this book will keep you guessing from the very first page, and leave questions unanswered - but lucky for us .. there are more books to come ;) If you enjoy a treasure hunt then this book is certainly for you !
The descriptions put forth are well described, easily envisaged and even the emotions have left nothing but for our imagination to run forth, feel what the characters feel and see what they see. The storyline is filled with twists, and turns , evil – that dwells , mystery, a little bit of love and attraction and I’m sure this story will keep the reader guessing from page one till the very end.
While The authors have fed us bread crumbs along the way ;) filling us up little by little... a lot of the mystery of ** The Childe** is – put forth, we have gotten answers but still a lot still to come. Leaving me the reader, eager and willing to most certainly run out and grab the next book.
Characters have been created with spunk – depth and certainly definition, all having their own personalities, ones that you can laugh with, cry with and also want to kick there booties.
The normal high school antics that become about are added in this story – we always seem to have a high school bully, a popular girl the not so popular girl all very realistic in life... I really enjoyed that this was put forth , even though it was a paranormal storyline I’m sure most of our teenagers feel that they are slightly different from the others lol. ((Honestly I’ve always known I was a vampire – don’t sleep at night and what not else…)) if you get my point ** grins **
Carol and Adam Kunz have grasped their own concepts in this story - creating new ones and adding in their own mysteries into their paranormal world – definably stirring an interest with their novel, spinning a tale that both the adult and ya readers will certainly enjoy! Something different is always great!
The Childe does not revolve around this world completely but weaving a story that will certainly have readers talking way past the last words. Cat is the centre of the story – she is strong, kind, caring but also has spunk and is sassy! I completely enjoyed her; throughout the book she was very realistic. The story is told from different pov’s but mainly the story relates around Cat’s life adding in all the characters that all are well placed throughout this story !
I’m going to leave this review spoiler free, because I want you to wander ** what – is The Childe ;) Go grab your copy today… and be warned you will want book two to find out more!
Be warned this book will keep you guessing from the very first page, and leave questions unanswered - but lucky for us .. there are more books to come ;) If you enjoy a treasure hunt then this book is certainly for you !
November 1, 2012
One of the more entertaining aspects of reading the free ebooks that come my way way thanks to my wife’s regular perusal of Pixels of Ink is that I get to read published authors whose writing, in many ways, is worse than my own.
Take, for example, the story of The Childe, by mother-son writing team C.A. Kunz. They try really hard in this book to play into the supernatural market as geared towards the younger set. Maybe they succeed, if their 5-star Amazon ratings are to be believed. But there is much in the world of young adult literature out there that is much better crafted than what they’re churning out.
No Klingons in this book, set in Astoria, Oregon, where in my mind the Goonies are the only kids good enough to have a book (or movie) about them. But there are apparently vampires. And werewolves. And witches. And one highly-strung high schooler who has to visit the potty on a put-near constant basis. She’s a minor character, friend of Cat Colvin, the book’s central cardboard cutout, but even Cat with the typical red hair and the typical color-mismatched eyes and penchant for finding every male who isn’t in the book as comic relief, as her father, as the foil, or as the boring, menacing school teacher is dreamy, a god, a massive hunk o’ hotness and whatever other adjectives or adverbs the authors can use gets upstaged by her friend’s overactive bladder. I almost expected a potty-related heroic end to this tale, but alas, in that realm as well the authors C.A. Kunz disappoint.
I have to agree with Nathan Bransford when he says ideas aren’t sacred. “Absolutely try to be yourself and put your own unique spin on whatever ide you have,” he says, “but don’t go for broke trying to think of something completely different than anything that has been done before. What’s most important is the reality of your execution.”
So the idea of vampires battling werewolves or witches or whatever (the authors are a bit hazy with the detail, hoping you’ll continue reading in the series of books they’ve written; I won’t be) is hackneyed, but, according to Bransford, a former literary agent and current author, the idea is to focus on the reality of your execution.
There’s no execution in The Childe. It’s all a derivative mish-mash of things I’ve read (like the Harry Potter series) and things I have not (the ever-present Twilight). When Cat’s at school, visiting the mysterious village of witches with favorite teacher Amaya or battling with the ugg-iest teacher Mr. Crawley, she’s at Hogwarts. A really boring Hogwarts where characters that all sound alike are either menacing or friendly or – if they were like me in high school – completely invisible. Cat’s a champ on the swim team, fights with the popular kids, gets involved in boring high-school hijinx and is otherwise one of the background Harry Potter characters because you don’t really care what happens to her, rather you sit waiting for another bladder attack. And when Cat is longing for Dr. Bane or Ryan Beckford, her dreamy tutor in Algebra who also happens to be buddies with the enemy, she’s all Twilighty as Cat ponders and ponders their dreaminess until they – ooh kiss – leaving the average reader actually hoping for the next bladder emergency.
So, the goal here is not to trash C.A. Kunz, but to look at my own writing and make sure fewer people – I won’t say no one, because, hey, that won’t happen – trash it for the same reasons. With NaNoWriMo 2012 starting tomorrow, this is going to be in the forefront of my mind as I babble.
Take, for example, the story of The Childe, by mother-son writing team C.A. Kunz. They try really hard in this book to play into the supernatural market as geared towards the younger set. Maybe they succeed, if their 5-star Amazon ratings are to be believed. But there is much in the world of young adult literature out there that is much better crafted than what they’re churning out.
No Klingons in this book, set in Astoria, Oregon, where in my mind the Goonies are the only kids good enough to have a book (or movie) about them. But there are apparently vampires. And werewolves. And witches. And one highly-strung high schooler who has to visit the potty on a put-near constant basis. She’s a minor character, friend of Cat Colvin, the book’s central cardboard cutout, but even Cat with the typical red hair and the typical color-mismatched eyes and penchant for finding every male who isn’t in the book as comic relief, as her father, as the foil, or as the boring, menacing school teacher is dreamy, a god, a massive hunk o’ hotness and whatever other adjectives or adverbs the authors can use gets upstaged by her friend’s overactive bladder. I almost expected a potty-related heroic end to this tale, but alas, in that realm as well the authors C.A. Kunz disappoint.
I have to agree with Nathan Bransford when he says ideas aren’t sacred. “Absolutely try to be yourself and put your own unique spin on whatever ide you have,” he says, “but don’t go for broke trying to think of something completely different than anything that has been done before. What’s most important is the reality of your execution.”
So the idea of vampires battling werewolves or witches or whatever (the authors are a bit hazy with the detail, hoping you’ll continue reading in the series of books they’ve written; I won’t be) is hackneyed, but, according to Bransford, a former literary agent and current author, the idea is to focus on the reality of your execution.
There’s no execution in The Childe. It’s all a derivative mish-mash of things I’ve read (like the Harry Potter series) and things I have not (the ever-present Twilight). When Cat’s at school, visiting the mysterious village of witches with favorite teacher Amaya or battling with the ugg-iest teacher Mr. Crawley, she’s at Hogwarts. A really boring Hogwarts where characters that all sound alike are either menacing or friendly or – if they were like me in high school – completely invisible. Cat’s a champ on the swim team, fights with the popular kids, gets involved in boring high-school hijinx and is otherwise one of the background Harry Potter characters because you don’t really care what happens to her, rather you sit waiting for another bladder attack. And when Cat is longing for Dr. Bane or Ryan Beckford, her dreamy tutor in Algebra who also happens to be buddies with the enemy, she’s all Twilighty as Cat ponders and ponders their dreaminess until they – ooh kiss – leaving the average reader actually hoping for the next bladder emergency.
So, the goal here is not to trash C.A. Kunz, but to look at my own writing and make sure fewer people – I won’t say no one, because, hey, that won’t happen – trash it for the same reasons. With NaNoWriMo 2012 starting tomorrow, this is going to be in the forefront of my mind as I babble.
December 30, 2011
An incredible story that will keep you gasping for more, and more!!
The childe is hunted. They are not supposed to exist.
Cat is a typical teenager who is sheltered by her parents. After convincing her parents, she finally attends public school where she tries to fit in. On her first day, she has a run in with a group that gives her a hard time, and continues to torment her. Why? She’s new, and has not caused any problems.
Cat starts experiencing strange dreams that seem weird but real, and at random times, have unexplained experiences. She begins to wonder if she is losing it. Her parents and brother Tyler are very protective of her.
Ryan, a member of Isaac’s tormenting group, is drawn to Cat. He watches her from afar until he is assigned to tutor Cat for Math. He knows he shouldn’t have feelings for Cat, but can’t seem to control them.
Cat has an amazing group of friends that are always there to support each other…Matt, Amanda and Elle.
Girls are starting to disappear, which causes panic in the community, and curfews are enforced. Not only is the community gathering to protect, but also a secret group who is trying to figure out who is responsible.
The Childe is an insanely incredible story that will grab your attention for wanting more. I love the personalities of the characters, and at times found myself laughing aloud at the real life teenage experiences. The finale will definitely keep you in suspense!
The childe is hunted. They are not supposed to exist.
Cat is a typical teenager who is sheltered by her parents. After convincing her parents, she finally attends public school where she tries to fit in. On her first day, she has a run in with a group that gives her a hard time, and continues to torment her. Why? She’s new, and has not caused any problems.
Cat starts experiencing strange dreams that seem weird but real, and at random times, have unexplained experiences. She begins to wonder if she is losing it. Her parents and brother Tyler are very protective of her.
Ryan, a member of Isaac’s tormenting group, is drawn to Cat. He watches her from afar until he is assigned to tutor Cat for Math. He knows he shouldn’t have feelings for Cat, but can’t seem to control them.
Cat has an amazing group of friends that are always there to support each other…Matt, Amanda and Elle.
Girls are starting to disappear, which causes panic in the community, and curfews are enforced. Not only is the community gathering to protect, but also a secret group who is trying to figure out who is responsible.
The Childe is an insanely incredible story that will grab your attention for wanting more. I love the personalities of the characters, and at times found myself laughing aloud at the real life teenage experiences. The finale will definitely keep you in suspense!
September 1, 2013
I gave this book one star for two reasons: the authors have blatantly ignored the reviews that state how poorly edited this book is. No PROFESSIONAL author would ever do that. A PROFESSIONAL author would want to put out the best book possible for their readers. These authors don't seem to care in the slightest that their book is sloppy, random words like 'tote' pop up all throughout the manuscript, and much of the book is filler. The second reason is that obviously these authors have no idea what "head-hopping" is. A PROFESSIONAL author would know what that means and would avoid it. Where is the professionalism? Where is the pride in publishing a properly edited book? It doesn't take much, yet these authors couldn't care less. That tells me that they are only in this business for one thing and it sure as heck isn't to impress readers. I mean, with ALL the names on this book, you would think that someone would have had enough sense to say, "Hey, there are a lot of errors in this book! Why don't we FIX them?"
It is "authors" like THIS who give Indies a bad name.
It is "authors" like THIS who give Indies a bad name.
September 9, 2012
I finished it! barely...the writing style (juvenile), lack of editing, head hopping, and flat out lack of a plot made this book almost impossible to like. the characters are one dimentional, and it seems like the authors often forgot about characters (every time Julie was mentioned it took me several moments to remember who she was), only to have them abruptly show up.
the worst part of the book was the head hopping. it made the story choppy and hard to follow. you couldn't tell, almost from paragraph to paragraph who the "active" character was. the authors even put you in the head of minor characters like a nurse retrieving medicine from a basement vault.
don't waste your time on this book, it really isn't worth it.
the worst part of the book was the head hopping. it made the story choppy and hard to follow. you couldn't tell, almost from paragraph to paragraph who the "active" character was. the authors even put you in the head of minor characters like a nurse retrieving medicine from a basement vault.
don't waste your time on this book, it really isn't worth it.
January 19, 2012
My review:
I absolutely loved The Childe! It was well written; it caught my attention from the first pages. C.A. Kunz did something that only very good authors do – the book kept me behind it and I did not put it away until the last page was turned. And I wanted to read it again!
Regarding the plot:
The setting was wonderfully created. Even though it is about high school girl and about her coming to age, it has so many interesting and intriguing plots, so it does not seem as a usual high-school or usual teenage girl. And it’s not. When I started reading I was very curious to understand what does The Childe means, but it was revealed towards the end of the book and it still left so many questions open. Still, everything what was going on in the high school and around and with Cat was brilliantly written – there were interesting supportive characters who were fun to read about; there were fascinating friendships and secrets, secrets which have great influence on Cat’s life.
When Cat starts at the high school, everything seems to go fine – Cat has her friends, she gets to the swimming team, she finds a guy who she is interested about. And then strange things start to happen – people start to disappear, Cat meets a witch, she starts to feel awkwardly, she feels that someone is until her world breaks – she finds out a truth about her family.
At the same time there are parallel stories going on. Cat receives a book on a fair in a weird book store which seems to tell her a story, a story she still does not understand. Besides that, there is a coven of vampires who has special interest in Cat.
As the story develops, Cat is drawn to a young man Ryan, so the good start for a love story is not absent either!
I genuinely enjoyed The Childe.
Regarding the characters:
Cat was cool! She was in many ways described as a normal teenage girl, but she was strong, feisty, curious and friendly. C. A. Kunz created a very interesting protagonist in my opinion. She was my favorite character together with Ryan. Ryan was simply adorable! He is good looking, sweet, warmhearted and … a vampire! I loved everything about him and the scene where he gives his ring to Cat was so cute.
There were many supportive characters and C. A. Kunz did incredible work with them. Just to mention few of my favorites:
Cat’s cat Jewels who is making visits at Cat’s room. I have a feeling that Jewels is not just a cat, but my hunch was not confirmed in this book.
I loved Miss Amaya, Cat’s teacher who is also a witch. She introduces a different world to Cat by taking Cat under her interest and protection.
Cat’s friends were likeable and seemed very real. I am also curious about Julie – who is she and how will she guard Cat?
As you can understand there are many important supportive characters which role is not revealed in the first book and that made me very intrigued. I cannot wait to read the second book in the series! I simply need to know!
Generally:
I loved this book! If you like young adult books which has a great content, interesting characters and a very good plot, then The Childe by C. A. Kunz is a must read for you! Buy it!
5 stars.
I absolutely loved The Childe! It was well written; it caught my attention from the first pages. C.A. Kunz did something that only very good authors do – the book kept me behind it and I did not put it away until the last page was turned. And I wanted to read it again!
Regarding the plot:
The setting was wonderfully created. Even though it is about high school girl and about her coming to age, it has so many interesting and intriguing plots, so it does not seem as a usual high-school or usual teenage girl. And it’s not. When I started reading I was very curious to understand what does The Childe means, but it was revealed towards the end of the book and it still left so many questions open. Still, everything what was going on in the high school and around and with Cat was brilliantly written – there were interesting supportive characters who were fun to read about; there were fascinating friendships and secrets, secrets which have great influence on Cat’s life.
When Cat starts at the high school, everything seems to go fine – Cat has her friends, she gets to the swimming team, she finds a guy who she is interested about. And then strange things start to happen – people start to disappear, Cat meets a witch, she starts to feel awkwardly, she feels that someone is until her world breaks – she finds out a truth about her family.
At the same time there are parallel stories going on. Cat receives a book on a fair in a weird book store which seems to tell her a story, a story she still does not understand. Besides that, there is a coven of vampires who has special interest in Cat.
As the story develops, Cat is drawn to a young man Ryan, so the good start for a love story is not absent either!
I genuinely enjoyed The Childe.
Regarding the characters:
Cat was cool! She was in many ways described as a normal teenage girl, but she was strong, feisty, curious and friendly. C. A. Kunz created a very interesting protagonist in my opinion. She was my favorite character together with Ryan. Ryan was simply adorable! He is good looking, sweet, warmhearted and … a vampire! I loved everything about him and the scene where he gives his ring to Cat was so cute.
There were many supportive characters and C. A. Kunz did incredible work with them. Just to mention few of my favorites:
Cat’s cat Jewels who is making visits at Cat’s room. I have a feeling that Jewels is not just a cat, but my hunch was not confirmed in this book.
I loved Miss Amaya, Cat’s teacher who is also a witch. She introduces a different world to Cat by taking Cat under her interest and protection.
Cat’s friends were likeable and seemed very real. I am also curious about Julie – who is she and how will she guard Cat?
As you can understand there are many important supportive characters which role is not revealed in the first book and that made me very intrigued. I cannot wait to read the second book in the series! I simply need to know!
Generally:
I loved this book! If you like young adult books which has a great content, interesting characters and a very good plot, then The Childe by C. A. Kunz is a must read for you! Buy it!
5 stars.
October 25, 2011
Alright, so... what did I not like about the book? They go by the names of Kirsten, Isaac, and Amelia. Oh, and Mr. Crawley. Of course, I wasn't supposed to like them, so I'm not sure if that point counts. Other than that, nothing. This book was brilliant. Carol and Adam Kunz are a talented pair of writers that have a knack for descriptions and a way of getting into their charachters' heads. And they do. One of the things I loved about the book was the way we got to see how this story occured through many different points of view. We were able to see how certain situations affected more than one person. I found this let me appreciate these situations more and also seemed to place more importance on these occasions.
The Childe follows Cat, a very ordinary teenage girl (or so she thinks), trying to make it through highschool just like every other kid out there. The authors did a great job of getting into the highschool kids' heads, from the way they talked to how they would think to themselves. There is some great character development, the story line never lags, and when I was done reading, the first thing I did was send Carol a tweet that asked, 'when can I get the second one'. I highly recommend this book and give it five stars.
The Childe follows Cat, a very ordinary teenage girl (or so she thinks), trying to make it through highschool just like every other kid out there. The authors did a great job of getting into the highschool kids' heads, from the way they talked to how they would think to themselves. There is some great character development, the story line never lags, and when I was done reading, the first thing I did was send Carol a tweet that asked, 'when can I get the second one'. I highly recommend this book and give it five stars.
February 14, 2012
So I finished reading The Childe last week and I must say I'm impressed. I never though that two authors who write together, can write such an amazing book. I loved their style of writing, making a book so easy to read. Thanks for that.
So the novel tells the story of Cat Colvin, and her transformation into The Childe. I won't tell you what is THE CHILDE, read the book and you will find out. I don't want spoilers. So, she is pretty much a ordinary teenager with crazy friends. I must say that she is very good at socialising, and has a lot of friends. Of her friends I liked the character of Matt. He is very funny, and fun. Maybe not good at girls, but still amazing friend. Amanda was cool too, with all of her thinking.
View the rest of my review on my blog www.iloveteenbooks.blogspot.com
So the novel tells the story of Cat Colvin, and her transformation into The Childe. I won't tell you what is THE CHILDE, read the book and you will find out. I don't want spoilers. So, she is pretty much a ordinary teenager with crazy friends. I must say that she is very good at socialising, and has a lot of friends. Of her friends I liked the character of Matt. He is very funny, and fun. Maybe not good at girls, but still amazing friend. Amanda was cool too, with all of her thinking.
View the rest of my review on my blog www.iloveteenbooks.blogspot.com
November 27, 2011
AWESOME!!!!!!! if you really wanna know what i thought of it here is the review on my blog @ My Pathway to Books http://tessmw.blogspot.com/2011/11/re...
January 13, 2012
Cat Colvin started off her freshman year at Astoria High filled with excitement to finally be attending school with her lifelong friends and to no longer be forced into going to private school. But the thrill of starting over quickly fades.
Right from the start things go wrong.
Cat makes an enemy of the dangerous and hot-tempered Isaac, gets the attention of Kirsten, a girl looking only to befriend her to get closer to her brother, draws the animosity of Mr. Crawley, a math teacher with a chip on his shoulder, and ends up needing to be tutored by a boy who makes her pulse race.
All in all a less than stellar first year. And if that weren’t bad enough, she’s pretty sure she’ll have to add “going crazy” to the list, because seeing things and hearing voices can’t mean anything but that.
***
The Childe is the incredibly bewitching, exciting and original story of a girl with a dark past and uncertain future. A girl with unknown allies and enemies. A girl who knows nothing about who she is, where she comes from or what dangers await.
This twisty-turny, tension-filled story is a mystery that will keep readers guessing as to just what a Childe is and what it all means for the main character, Cat Colvin. While many questions are answered by the story’s end, not all mysteries are solved, leaving the door open for even more shocks and surprises in books to come.
Cat Colvin never thought of herself as different. Not too different, anyway. Aside from being taller than most girls her age, and paler, with a wild mane of red hair which earned her the nickname “Red Freak” by her brother Taylor and with eyes which once were the same color but now were mismatched. Aside from all that, she felt fairly normal.
Until she started having some pretty wild and unbelievably realistic dreams. Until she started seeing things. And reading minds. And fainting. Until then she had felt normal, at least, even if her outward appearance screamed otherwise.
But even if she didn’t feel normal, she didn’t need to let people in on her little secret. If she were going crazy, she’d much rather go crazy quietly.
Authors Carol and Adam Kunz have created a refreshingly different paranormal mystery with their debut novel, The Childe. Not your typical whodunit, the story these authors have written asks instead – who and what is a Childe? – and then proceeds to tease readers throughout with pieces to this puzzle that will be partially solved at the story’s end.
And The Childe is not your typical paranormal story either. The authors take a different approach by only giving short glimpses into the paranormal world they created throughout the book rather than having it be the focus of the story, making this as much a mystery as it is Cat’s story.
The authors have created a wonderfully diverse group of characters who each contribute something to the story and add yet another layer to the mystery.
The main character, Cat Colvin, is a fierce, brave and independent heroine. She is friendly and loyal and helpful, but is not so trusting as to be foolish. She is quick to stand up to a bully, but is not quite strong enough to reveal just what’s happening to her.
Her family is incredibly protective, including her brother Taylor. Her friends are clever and funny and supportive and understanding and even a little bit odd. And her enemies are wicked and cruel and pushy and obnoxious. And then there’s Ryan, who’s mysterious and handsome and just as fiercely independent as Cat.
The Childe is an enchanting first book in this series, told from multiple point’s of view – mainly Cat Colvin’s – that combines a mystery with the paranormal into story that will leave readers anxiously anticipating the sequel.
On a personal note:
I didn’t know what to expect when I started to read The Childe. I didn’t know what it meant to be a Childe. All I knew was that the description piqued my curiosity and Cat Colvin was someone I wanted to meet.
A tall girl, with fiery red hair and mismatched eyes who was transforming into some kind of being called a Childe definitely made me want to know more. About her. About the mystery behind being a Childe. And just what the paranormal element in this story was. It sounded pretty awesome.
What I discovered was a wonderful and engaging story with hints – teases really – at the paranormal and quite the mystery that only begins to come to light at the story’s end. An ending that made me want to pick up the next book in the series immediately so that I could find out just what was going to happen next.
I spent much of the book trying to figure out what was happening with Cat, who she really was and just what secrets were being kept from her. Everyone seemed to be hiding something.
Everyone seemed to be a mystery. Cat’s parents, Cat’s brother, her friend Julie, her super cute tutor Ryan, her enemy Isaac and even the obnoxious and full of herself Kirsten are all keeping secrets.
While I was able to guess at a few of these secrets before they were revealed, I am still completely in the dark on so many others. Especially the ones that remain unanswered at the end of this book.
The authors did a great job of teasing the mystery in their story. And I found myself captivated by the glimpses into the past that they revealed in bits and pieces throughout. I would have loved to find out more in this installment in the series, and I’m hoping to learn more in book two.
But while I loved the mystery and the paranormal, what I loved most about this book were the characters. And not just the good ones. The not so nice characters were just as interesting and the authors made me want to know more about them too.
I loved Cat Colvin and her friends. They were an eclectic group, but seemed to complement each other well. And it was nice reading a story where the main character didn’t have just one or two friends who got shoved to the sidelines when the cute boy entered the picture. Cat stuck with her friends from beginning to end.
I also loved that the story was told from multiple perspectives. I liked being able to see not just what Cat was seeing, thinking and feeling, but what a number of different characters were doing when Cat wasn’t in the picture. It helped to fill in some of the missing pieces to the puzzle. Though at times it was used to create even more of a mystery.
While many of the changes in point’s of view were easily identifiable, or separated by the three cat illustration equivalent of asterisks used in this book, there were a few where it wasn’t immediately recognizable, where the perspective switched to another character and back fairly abruptly. And so at times I was pulled out of the story in order to re-read those passages. And there were also a few grammatical mistakes that yanked me out. But they were fairly infrequent.
What I did enjoy getting pulled out of the story for were the illustrations. I absolutely loved all the amazing illustrations at the beginning of the chapters. Where I typically don’t even notice chapter titles or changes, I did find myself captivated by many of these drawings, especially those of the house. They did pull me out of the story because I found myself studying them instead of reading on. But I was happy to be pulled out to look at them.
The pace had its ups and downs. There were parts to the story where the pace was lightning fast and others where it slowed down a bit. But once the disappearances start happening the pace picked up until the end, which I can definitely say feels very much like a cliffhanger.
I loved this story and these characters and am super thrilled that I have the next book to read. I want to know more about Cat, who she is, just what she’s capable of and just how dangerous things really are for her. I also really want to find out more about the history and how that factors in.
Oh, and of course I want to know just what happens with Cat and Ryan, if Kirsten gets her way, if Isaac becomes even more of a jerk, what exactly is going on with one of Cat’s friends and just what is a Childe. Fortunately I don’t have long to wait, since I have the next book in the series, Dark Days, sitting on my shelf.
Right from the start things go wrong.
Cat makes an enemy of the dangerous and hot-tempered Isaac, gets the attention of Kirsten, a girl looking only to befriend her to get closer to her brother, draws the animosity of Mr. Crawley, a math teacher with a chip on his shoulder, and ends up needing to be tutored by a boy who makes her pulse race.
All in all a less than stellar first year. And if that weren’t bad enough, she’s pretty sure she’ll have to add “going crazy” to the list, because seeing things and hearing voices can’t mean anything but that.
***
The Childe is the incredibly bewitching, exciting and original story of a girl with a dark past and uncertain future. A girl with unknown allies and enemies. A girl who knows nothing about who she is, where she comes from or what dangers await.
This twisty-turny, tension-filled story is a mystery that will keep readers guessing as to just what a Childe is and what it all means for the main character, Cat Colvin. While many questions are answered by the story’s end, not all mysteries are solved, leaving the door open for even more shocks and surprises in books to come.
Cat Colvin never thought of herself as different. Not too different, anyway. Aside from being taller than most girls her age, and paler, with a wild mane of red hair which earned her the nickname “Red Freak” by her brother Taylor and with eyes which once were the same color but now were mismatched. Aside from all that, she felt fairly normal.
Until she started having some pretty wild and unbelievably realistic dreams. Until she started seeing things. And reading minds. And fainting. Until then she had felt normal, at least, even if her outward appearance screamed otherwise.
But even if she didn’t feel normal, she didn’t need to let people in on her little secret. If she were going crazy, she’d much rather go crazy quietly.
Authors Carol and Adam Kunz have created a refreshingly different paranormal mystery with their debut novel, The Childe. Not your typical whodunit, the story these authors have written asks instead – who and what is a Childe? – and then proceeds to tease readers throughout with pieces to this puzzle that will be partially solved at the story’s end.
And The Childe is not your typical paranormal story either. The authors take a different approach by only giving short glimpses into the paranormal world they created throughout the book rather than having it be the focus of the story, making this as much a mystery as it is Cat’s story.
The authors have created a wonderfully diverse group of characters who each contribute something to the story and add yet another layer to the mystery.
The main character, Cat Colvin, is a fierce, brave and independent heroine. She is friendly and loyal and helpful, but is not so trusting as to be foolish. She is quick to stand up to a bully, but is not quite strong enough to reveal just what’s happening to her.
Her family is incredibly protective, including her brother Taylor. Her friends are clever and funny and supportive and understanding and even a little bit odd. And her enemies are wicked and cruel and pushy and obnoxious. And then there’s Ryan, who’s mysterious and handsome and just as fiercely independent as Cat.
The Childe is an enchanting first book in this series, told from multiple point’s of view – mainly Cat Colvin’s – that combines a mystery with the paranormal into story that will leave readers anxiously anticipating the sequel.
On a personal note:
I didn’t know what to expect when I started to read The Childe. I didn’t know what it meant to be a Childe. All I knew was that the description piqued my curiosity and Cat Colvin was someone I wanted to meet.
A tall girl, with fiery red hair and mismatched eyes who was transforming into some kind of being called a Childe definitely made me want to know more. About her. About the mystery behind being a Childe. And just what the paranormal element in this story was. It sounded pretty awesome.
What I discovered was a wonderful and engaging story with hints – teases really – at the paranormal and quite the mystery that only begins to come to light at the story’s end. An ending that made me want to pick up the next book in the series immediately so that I could find out just what was going to happen next.
I spent much of the book trying to figure out what was happening with Cat, who she really was and just what secrets were being kept from her. Everyone seemed to be hiding something.
Everyone seemed to be a mystery. Cat’s parents, Cat’s brother, her friend Julie, her super cute tutor Ryan, her enemy Isaac and even the obnoxious and full of herself Kirsten are all keeping secrets.
While I was able to guess at a few of these secrets before they were revealed, I am still completely in the dark on so many others. Especially the ones that remain unanswered at the end of this book.
The authors did a great job of teasing the mystery in their story. And I found myself captivated by the glimpses into the past that they revealed in bits and pieces throughout. I would have loved to find out more in this installment in the series, and I’m hoping to learn more in book two.
But while I loved the mystery and the paranormal, what I loved most about this book were the characters. And not just the good ones. The not so nice characters were just as interesting and the authors made me want to know more about them too.
I loved Cat Colvin and her friends. They were an eclectic group, but seemed to complement each other well. And it was nice reading a story where the main character didn’t have just one or two friends who got shoved to the sidelines when the cute boy entered the picture. Cat stuck with her friends from beginning to end.
I also loved that the story was told from multiple perspectives. I liked being able to see not just what Cat was seeing, thinking and feeling, but what a number of different characters were doing when Cat wasn’t in the picture. It helped to fill in some of the missing pieces to the puzzle. Though at times it was used to create even more of a mystery.
While many of the changes in point’s of view were easily identifiable, or separated by the three cat illustration equivalent of asterisks used in this book, there were a few where it wasn’t immediately recognizable, where the perspective switched to another character and back fairly abruptly. And so at times I was pulled out of the story in order to re-read those passages. And there were also a few grammatical mistakes that yanked me out. But they were fairly infrequent.
What I did enjoy getting pulled out of the story for were the illustrations. I absolutely loved all the amazing illustrations at the beginning of the chapters. Where I typically don’t even notice chapter titles or changes, I did find myself captivated by many of these drawings, especially those of the house. They did pull me out of the story because I found myself studying them instead of reading on. But I was happy to be pulled out to look at them.
The pace had its ups and downs. There were parts to the story where the pace was lightning fast and others where it slowed down a bit. But once the disappearances start happening the pace picked up until the end, which I can definitely say feels very much like a cliffhanger.
I loved this story and these characters and am super thrilled that I have the next book to read. I want to know more about Cat, who she is, just what she’s capable of and just how dangerous things really are for her. I also really want to find out more about the history and how that factors in.
Oh, and of course I want to know just what happens with Cat and Ryan, if Kirsten gets her way, if Isaac becomes even more of a jerk, what exactly is going on with one of Cat’s friends and just what is a Childe. Fortunately I don’t have long to wait, since I have the next book in the series, Dark Days, sitting on my shelf.
June 22, 2011
3.5-4/5 stars
This was such a fun, interesting, new book! There were many great characters, a ton of mystery, and a hint of romance. Mix this all together and you get a lovely book known as The Childe.
At first I was really confused with where this book was going (in fact, I am still a bit confused by it but I will get to that part later!). The writing style definitely took some getting used to. I would get really lost when we would be following one character, learning about everything they do & everything they feel and then all of a sudden BOOM we are switching to another character learning of what they do & what they are feeling. I don’t know if there could have been pretty little symbols, a font change, just something added in there to break up the character switches to take the confusion away.
However, once I got used to this new style of writing, I was hooked! Not only did I really find that you could easily learn about ALL of the characters through this writing style but it also added a whole new level of mystery to this book!
The story mainly follows a young girl named Cat. A ton of weird things keep happening to her. She just passes it off as a weird dream, a silly hallucination, stress, anything! Due to the sneaky character switches though, we learn that there is something very different and special about Cat. Her mother, father, brother, and a few other relatives & neighbors are keeping secrets about Cat’s true identity but Cat (and readers) is clueless of this. As I said, the character switches added a lot of mystery. As soon as I thought I was close to figuring out something important about Cat, the scene would switch to another character. Those tricky authors! While I did get a bit frustrated (never finding out what the BIG SECERET is will do that to you), I appreciated that this aspect of the writing style really kept me turning pages. I was definitely interested in finding out what the mystery was behind Cat.
Speaking of this main character Cat, I feel that I should mention just how awesome she & all of her friends are! Cat is a unique person. She likes different things, has an upbeat personality, and a snarky attitude that I just adore! She really is a great, awesome friend and you can really see that in the way she treats all of her friends. Some of Cat’s friends were extremely well written. You got a feel for what their personality quirks were at the beginning of the book and they stayed true to their identity right through the very end. However, there were quite a few side characters so trying to keep them all straight (especially if the only played minor rolls) was quite difficult.
Ok, I did say there was cute romance in this story and I wasn’t lying! Ryan is definitely a unique character. I *think* he is a vampire in this story. Forgive me for not knowing for sure (I did mention I was a little confused by some parts!). Any who, Ryan is a totally sweet guy! Instead of listening to his friends and terrorizing Cat at all costs, he refuses. In fact, Ryan chooses to help her by being her tutor. Little does everyone know, Ryan is feeling some major stuff towards Cat; the butterflies in the stomach, sweaty palms, saying whatever dumb thought pops into your head type of stuff! It took quite a while for us to figure out if he would make a move on his feelings for Cat but when it did happen, it was so sweet! The romance between Cat & Ryan is so adorable but it didn’t play an overwhelming part in this story.
Ok I feel like I have listed quite a few AWESOME reasons to read this book. The next thing I will say is: COME ON!!! There better be a second book because I am still unsure of what Cat is. In fact, Cat is still unsure of what she is. The book kept building up this incredible sense of mystery for both Cat and the readers and in the end you are still left with a ton of questions.
Regardless of my overall sense of confusion with this book, I did truly enjoy it! There were so many great aspects to it. I loved the characters, the mystery, the lovey-dovey stuff, and I even came to enjoy the writing style. All in all it was a really great read and I can���t wait to see if there will be more to learn about Cat!
*A HUGE thank you goes out to both Carol and Adam! Not only did they send me a signed copy of their book but they also sent me a ton of swag all of which I love! THANK YOU both of you!*
This was such a fun, interesting, new book! There were many great characters, a ton of mystery, and a hint of romance. Mix this all together and you get a lovely book known as The Childe.
At first I was really confused with where this book was going (in fact, I am still a bit confused by it but I will get to that part later!). The writing style definitely took some getting used to. I would get really lost when we would be following one character, learning about everything they do & everything they feel and then all of a sudden BOOM we are switching to another character learning of what they do & what they are feeling. I don’t know if there could have been pretty little symbols, a font change, just something added in there to break up the character switches to take the confusion away.
However, once I got used to this new style of writing, I was hooked! Not only did I really find that you could easily learn about ALL of the characters through this writing style but it also added a whole new level of mystery to this book!
The story mainly follows a young girl named Cat. A ton of weird things keep happening to her. She just passes it off as a weird dream, a silly hallucination, stress, anything! Due to the sneaky character switches though, we learn that there is something very different and special about Cat. Her mother, father, brother, and a few other relatives & neighbors are keeping secrets about Cat’s true identity but Cat (and readers) is clueless of this. As I said, the character switches added a lot of mystery. As soon as I thought I was close to figuring out something important about Cat, the scene would switch to another character. Those tricky authors! While I did get a bit frustrated (never finding out what the BIG SECERET is will do that to you), I appreciated that this aspect of the writing style really kept me turning pages. I was definitely interested in finding out what the mystery was behind Cat.
Speaking of this main character Cat, I feel that I should mention just how awesome she & all of her friends are! Cat is a unique person. She likes different things, has an upbeat personality, and a snarky attitude that I just adore! She really is a great, awesome friend and you can really see that in the way she treats all of her friends. Some of Cat’s friends were extremely well written. You got a feel for what their personality quirks were at the beginning of the book and they stayed true to their identity right through the very end. However, there were quite a few side characters so trying to keep them all straight (especially if the only played minor rolls) was quite difficult.
Ok, I did say there was cute romance in this story and I wasn’t lying! Ryan is definitely a unique character. I *think* he is a vampire in this story. Forgive me for not knowing for sure (I did mention I was a little confused by some parts!). Any who, Ryan is a totally sweet guy! Instead of listening to his friends and terrorizing Cat at all costs, he refuses. In fact, Ryan chooses to help her by being her tutor. Little does everyone know, Ryan is feeling some major stuff towards Cat; the butterflies in the stomach, sweaty palms, saying whatever dumb thought pops into your head type of stuff! It took quite a while for us to figure out if he would make a move on his feelings for Cat but when it did happen, it was so sweet! The romance between Cat & Ryan is so adorable but it didn’t play an overwhelming part in this story.
Ok I feel like I have listed quite a few AWESOME reasons to read this book. The next thing I will say is: COME ON!!! There better be a second book because I am still unsure of what Cat is. In fact, Cat is still unsure of what she is. The book kept building up this incredible sense of mystery for both Cat and the readers and in the end you are still left with a ton of questions.
Regardless of my overall sense of confusion with this book, I did truly enjoy it! There were so many great aspects to it. I loved the characters, the mystery, the lovey-dovey stuff, and I even came to enjoy the writing style. All in all it was a really great read and I can���t wait to see if there will be more to learn about Cat!
*A HUGE thank you goes out to both Carol and Adam! Not only did they send me a signed copy of their book but they also sent me a ton of swag all of which I love! THANK YOU both of you!*
December 3, 2011
I gave this 5/5 stars on my blog http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com
The Childe is an amazing debut novel from mother & son writing duo, Carol & Adam Kunz (C.A.Kunz). Right from the start The Childe had me gripped, I couldn't put it down. I knew from the first time I read the description of the book that it was a book I would really enjoy!
Cat us your typical high school student with typical teenage issues. However the other slight issue is Cat (unknownly) is slowly mestamorphoing into The Childe. From the start I couldn't work out exactly what a Childe was, which intrigued me even more, I knew it involved vampires but didn't know just how. Was this a new take on the vampire, did everyone turn into a vampire when they turned sweet sixteen, was this C.A.Kunz take on vampires. I was half right but totally wrong on the other hand! LOL
I really enjoyed that even though there is vampires involved they are for most of the book an undercurrent of the story and you really got to know the character's and still had the mystery of what was happening with vampires in the backround.
I really loved all the character's! Cat is a great main character, you can tell that she is a strong individual but is still a little insecure like all teenagers! Her little gang of friends are just great. Amanda is just awesome, she is the loud, confident one of the group and in my opinion I think deep down has a soft spot for Matt. Matt is the only boy of the little gang. He kinda reminds me of a mix of Finn from Glee/ Xander from Buffy. Then there is quiet Elle, she is the nervous, unconfident one of the group but would stick up for her friends any time and finally there is Julie. Julie is Cat's friend who went to the posh high school with her and is now going with her the public school in Astoria. Julie is kind of a mystery to me, she is really protective of Cat, seems older than her years, and seems to know what is happening to Cat.
Of course there is a romanace in the book. I heart Ryan and Cat together, but I see more trouble heading there way. Ryan isn't all that he seems, don't get me wrong he is nice but he isn't lets put it this way, he's not human he he and he finds out in the end what is happening to Cat and says he will protect her at all costs, but I think there will be high costs for this relationship! But I just hope they survive it.
If you are looking for an awesome book, with mystery, fantasy, romance and just and all together awesome book, you must read The Childe. It is one of my favourite books I have read this year! I can't wait for the next book is the series, I really want to read it now! Thank you so much to Carol & Adam for this awesome debut, that will stick with me for ages!
The Childe is an amazing debut novel from mother & son writing duo, Carol & Adam Kunz (C.A.Kunz). Right from the start The Childe had me gripped, I couldn't put it down. I knew from the first time I read the description of the book that it was a book I would really enjoy!
Cat us your typical high school student with typical teenage issues. However the other slight issue is Cat (unknownly) is slowly mestamorphoing into The Childe. From the start I couldn't work out exactly what a Childe was, which intrigued me even more, I knew it involved vampires but didn't know just how. Was this a new take on the vampire, did everyone turn into a vampire when they turned sweet sixteen, was this C.A.Kunz take on vampires. I was half right but totally wrong on the other hand! LOL
I really enjoyed that even though there is vampires involved they are for most of the book an undercurrent of the story and you really got to know the character's and still had the mystery of what was happening with vampires in the backround.
I really loved all the character's! Cat is a great main character, you can tell that she is a strong individual but is still a little insecure like all teenagers! Her little gang of friends are just great. Amanda is just awesome, she is the loud, confident one of the group and in my opinion I think deep down has a soft spot for Matt. Matt is the only boy of the little gang. He kinda reminds me of a mix of Finn from Glee/ Xander from Buffy. Then there is quiet Elle, she is the nervous, unconfident one of the group but would stick up for her friends any time and finally there is Julie. Julie is Cat's friend who went to the posh high school with her and is now going with her the public school in Astoria. Julie is kind of a mystery to me, she is really protective of Cat, seems older than her years, and seems to know what is happening to Cat.
Of course there is a romanace in the book. I heart Ryan and Cat together, but I see more trouble heading there way. Ryan isn't all that he seems, don't get me wrong he is nice but he isn't lets put it this way, he's not human he he and he finds out in the end what is happening to Cat and says he will protect her at all costs, but I think there will be high costs for this relationship! But I just hope they survive it.
If you are looking for an awesome book, with mystery, fantasy, romance and just and all together awesome book, you must read The Childe. It is one of my favourite books I have read this year! I can't wait for the next book is the series, I really want to read it now! Thank you so much to Carol & Adam for this awesome debut, that will stick with me for ages!
March 9, 2012
Review on my blog:http://readinglittlebitofeverything.b...
Cat Colvin
Average Teenager?
Or Something Else Entirely?
I recieved this book from the author for review.
The Childe is a phenomenal read by mother and son duo Carol and Adam Kunz, it's exquisitely tasteful with just enough bite to satisfy your taste buds.
The Childe is told mainly through character Cat Colvin. A strong minded highly likable 16 year old teenager. After attending a private school with one of her besfriends who is Julie. The pair convince their parents to let them attend the public school in Astoria where Cats older brother attends.
Although Cat loves attending the public school she can't help but realise all her problems started occurring when she made the move....
Matt, Amanda, Julie, Elle and Cat are all best friends and I enjoyed reading about their antics so much. They forgive each other for their mistakes they make and are always there for each other when things get hard. The bond between them truly runs deep where it's unbreakable.
Taylor is just fantastic!! He's protective, caring and defo seems hot! Taylor is one of my favourite male characters which is quite surprising.... Hmm...
Ryan Beckford <3 <3<3
Do I need to say more?
Cat and him have a connection from the very start time they meet and even they realise that to. Ryan is so sweet and nice. He reminds me much of "that guy" you'd have the biggest crush on in High School. He's perfect! Undeniably Perfect!
One more character I have to write about is Miss Amaya! She intrigues me so much and it's her whole nature that makes her a remarkable woman. Whether it's my love for witches which stems deep or just her personality. She is one of the most extraordinary characters I have ever read about.
There's one thing I disliked about this novel and my reviews are 100% honest..... There are to many dang male characters to choose which one is my fave!! Ryan is mine hands down ladies!
Red hair
Fail Maths
Wears a duplicate necklace to Cats. (Although my aunt doesn't come when I play with it)
Cat defo has got some competition!
It is hard to choose an overall favourite character in The Childe as Carol and Adam have wrote each individually unique with a different personality to suit all. Each character plays apart big or small it's sure meaningful and forgettable.
From Cats parents Sam & Rachel to Hannah or Isaac they all play apart! Even the cat Jewels ;).
All in All: Carol and Adam have wrote such a paramount novel which is simply, irresistibly divine. I won't be able to keep my hands of their upcoming novels.
Cat Colvin
Average Teenager?
Or Something Else Entirely?
I recieved this book from the author for review.
The Childe is a phenomenal read by mother and son duo Carol and Adam Kunz, it's exquisitely tasteful with just enough bite to satisfy your taste buds.
The Childe is told mainly through character Cat Colvin. A strong minded highly likable 16 year old teenager. After attending a private school with one of her besfriends who is Julie. The pair convince their parents to let them attend the public school in Astoria where Cats older brother attends.
Although Cat loves attending the public school she can't help but realise all her problems started occurring when she made the move....
Matt, Amanda, Julie, Elle and Cat are all best friends and I enjoyed reading about their antics so much. They forgive each other for their mistakes they make and are always there for each other when things get hard. The bond between them truly runs deep where it's unbreakable.
Taylor is just fantastic!! He's protective, caring and defo seems hot! Taylor is one of my favourite male characters which is quite surprising.... Hmm...
Ryan Beckford <3 <3<3
Do I need to say more?
Cat and him have a connection from the very start time they meet and even they realise that to. Ryan is so sweet and nice. He reminds me much of "that guy" you'd have the biggest crush on in High School. He's perfect! Undeniably Perfect!
One more character I have to write about is Miss Amaya! She intrigues me so much and it's her whole nature that makes her a remarkable woman. Whether it's my love for witches which stems deep or just her personality. She is one of the most extraordinary characters I have ever read about.
There's one thing I disliked about this novel and my reviews are 100% honest..... There are to many dang male characters to choose which one is my fave!! Ryan is mine hands down ladies!
Red hair
Fail Maths
Wears a duplicate necklace to Cats. (Although my aunt doesn't come when I play with it)
Cat defo has got some competition!
It is hard to choose an overall favourite character in The Childe as Carol and Adam have wrote each individually unique with a different personality to suit all. Each character plays apart big or small it's sure meaningful and forgettable.
From Cats parents Sam & Rachel to Hannah or Isaac they all play apart! Even the cat Jewels ;).
All in All: Carol and Adam have wrote such a paramount novel which is simply, irresistibly divine. I won't be able to keep my hands of their upcoming novels.
January 13, 2012
An intriguing paranormal debut that meshes together mystery, romance, and adds a unique spin to a the vampire world.
I really enjoyed getting to meet Cat, and her good group of friends. They were just fun characters to meet, and I liked that many of them came across as genuine, though I'm sure a few of them may surprise me in the sequel. I liked that each of the characters introduced into the story, good or bad, seem to have a purpose in the story. A few of them added to the story's over all mystery, and I wanted to figure out how they were tied to the tiny town's hidden secrets. I of course loved meeting Ryan, and the chemistry between he and Cat. I liked that Ryan always managed to keep his cool in any sort of situation, especially around Isaac when it was obvious that he was holding back when they were around each other. Even though I wanted to despise Isaac, I found hard to do so, because I felt like I some what understood why he acted the way he did.
While I enjoyed the entertaining plot, getting to know the various characters and the paranormal elements that make up this debut book, I felt the story's pacing hindered my ability to like the book more than I excepted to. The pacing was great for the first and last part of the book, but I sadly lost my excitement with the story line through out the middle part of the book. For me I start to lose interest if there's a lot of build up and then nothing happens for awhile and I felt that's what happened in the middle of The Childe's story line. Luckily the characters kept me engaged with the story during this time and I was pleasantly surprised with how the story picks up more at the end.
This is a clean cut book with a lot of interesting paranormal elements, myths and a fascinating history. I love the story's setting and the interesting web of characters that are introduced through out the course of the book. I'm looking forward to finding out how all these character's connect and what their rules will be in Cat's life as the series continues. This book is targeted more to younger YA readers, and it's one I would even recommend to tweens who enjoy reading YA paranormal books. I can't wait to read the sequel. I have a feeling that book will be a lot more action packed and pick up right where The Childe ended. I want to add that there is a big difference between reading the first copy of the book that C.A. Kunz sent me compared to the second copy, which is much more polished and cleaned up editing wise.
I really enjoyed getting to meet Cat, and her good group of friends. They were just fun characters to meet, and I liked that many of them came across as genuine, though I'm sure a few of them may surprise me in the sequel. I liked that each of the characters introduced into the story, good or bad, seem to have a purpose in the story. A few of them added to the story's over all mystery, and I wanted to figure out how they were tied to the tiny town's hidden secrets. I of course loved meeting Ryan, and the chemistry between he and Cat. I liked that Ryan always managed to keep his cool in any sort of situation, especially around Isaac when it was obvious that he was holding back when they were around each other. Even though I wanted to despise Isaac, I found hard to do so, because I felt like I some what understood why he acted the way he did.
While I enjoyed the entertaining plot, getting to know the various characters and the paranormal elements that make up this debut book, I felt the story's pacing hindered my ability to like the book more than I excepted to. The pacing was great for the first and last part of the book, but I sadly lost my excitement with the story line through out the middle part of the book. For me I start to lose interest if there's a lot of build up and then nothing happens for awhile and I felt that's what happened in the middle of The Childe's story line. Luckily the characters kept me engaged with the story during this time and I was pleasantly surprised with how the story picks up more at the end.
This is a clean cut book with a lot of interesting paranormal elements, myths and a fascinating history. I love the story's setting and the interesting web of characters that are introduced through out the course of the book. I'm looking forward to finding out how all these character's connect and what their rules will be in Cat's life as the series continues. This book is targeted more to younger YA readers, and it's one I would even recommend to tweens who enjoy reading YA paranormal books. I can't wait to read the sequel. I have a feeling that book will be a lot more action packed and pick up right where The Childe ended. I want to add that there is a big difference between reading the first copy of the book that C.A. Kunz sent me compared to the second copy, which is much more polished and cleaned up editing wise.
August 16, 2016
my thoughts
cover : i love the cover. think its pretty unique. i like how the full moon is in the background and Cat's silhouette in front of it [i have a thing for redheads/gingers fictional and non fictional]the cover depicts a scene of the book i think.also like the font and the placement of the title.
book: i was happy when i got a email in which it was announced that i won it at a booktour.after 2 months of shipping it arrived
we get thrown in the prologue. its in a medieval setting and has very Gothic feel to it.
the story really begins at the start of a new school year. strange occurrences and incidents are taking place in astoria. secrets are being kept by loved ones{ cat's]
the story felt very mysterious. there's a unknown danger. we don't know what a CHILDE is. this book had snared me from page 1 till the end.
the romance between cat and ryan beckford [our romantic intrest and a paranormal being i think he's a vampire don't really know what he is. was the romance was enjoyable. a love between to not really humans. this is completely fre from insta-love and love triangles. the romance is not the main focus more the mystery, solving and finding out. i would not say that the ''sparks n butterflies'' were on the backburner more likely the medium burner[made that up] the romance begins to appear in the middle towards the end. i found the perfect song for them at least in my opinion.
Is there a sue ann in this novel? NO there is not .Cat is snarky, caring for her friends and family and a good friend.
loved julie, matt and amanda ; they felt real. friends for life.
cat and taylor behaved liked siblings should be. getting on each others nerves a bit. lol
there are real parents and parental figures present. a couple of ya books miss those.
What the heck is a Childe? you get to know nearly at the end of it.
Really want to know what a Childe is?? ok its a ..... HA fooled you won't tell. read and check out for yourself.
if you're looking for mystery, finding things out, paranormal,romance that's not irritating. Try The Childe. hope you'll like it as well.
October 12, 2012
The Childe follows the live of Cat Colvin as she enters high school and goes through all those normal, teenaged problems - problems with teachers, boys, friends, and of course the occasional parental grounding. But as Cat gets closer and closer to turning sixteen, strange things start happening and she can't figure out what's going on with herself. Worse, everyone around her seems to be in on it but her.
There is definitely mystery and intrigue throughout the novel. We know from the back cover that Cat is turning into a Childe. Several other YA novels have gone this route, a teenage girl turning into something paranormal, but what was unique and awesome about The Childe was that even though we know Cat is turning into one from the get-go, we don't learn what a Childe is until practically the end of the novel. Naturally, I had my suspicions as I read, but the suspense of not knowing really kept the novel interesting and kept me turning the pages. You're sure to have your own guesses as you read, but I know you won't be one hundred percent right.
Quite frankly, I think the book got better the farther I got into it. The plot started out a bit slow, but by the end of the novel I was almost breathless for more. We learn what Cat is, but what of it? How will it play out in the sequel, Dark Days? Will her parents every stop lying to her? And what's the deal with her feline friend (there's got to be something more there)? I think The Childe is the start of something great.
The only thing I didn't like about The Childe was the point of view - or rather the lack of a consistent point of view. Much of the story is told from Cat's, but we often get a glimpse of what other characters are thinking, sometimes one right after another. This didn't stop me from enjoying the novel a great deal, however. It's been my novel of choice while I've been sick and out-of-commission these past few days.
Four stars! Please give it a look - this is one independently published novel that won't disappoint.
There is definitely mystery and intrigue throughout the novel. We know from the back cover that Cat is turning into a Childe. Several other YA novels have gone this route, a teenage girl turning into something paranormal, but what was unique and awesome about The Childe was that even though we know Cat is turning into one from the get-go, we don't learn what a Childe is until practically the end of the novel. Naturally, I had my suspicions as I read, but the suspense of not knowing really kept the novel interesting and kept me turning the pages. You're sure to have your own guesses as you read, but I know you won't be one hundred percent right.
Quite frankly, I think the book got better the farther I got into it. The plot started out a bit slow, but by the end of the novel I was almost breathless for more. We learn what Cat is, but what of it? How will it play out in the sequel, Dark Days? Will her parents every stop lying to her? And what's the deal with her feline friend (there's got to be something more there)? I think The Childe is the start of something great.
The only thing I didn't like about The Childe was the point of view - or rather the lack of a consistent point of view. Much of the story is told from Cat's, but we often get a glimpse of what other characters are thinking, sometimes one right after another. This didn't stop me from enjoying the novel a great deal, however. It's been my novel of choice while I've been sick and out-of-commission these past few days.
Four stars! Please give it a look - this is one independently published novel that won't disappoint.
May 25, 2012
I'm a big fan of the paranormal, and especially of supposedly "mythical" creatures (I say supposedly because I believe in them all although others rarely do). So knowing what I did going into "The Childe," I was excited for another dose of magic and mystery.
One thing I really liked about this book is that the major plot points (who/what Cat is, etc) are not completely obvious from the beginning. You have to keep reading to figure out what happens, and the events that take place make you want to find out what's going to happen next. Getting a look inside Cat's head with her inner dialogue throughout the novel puts you right in her shoes, making you just as confused as she is during these episodes, just as frustrated when no one will give her answers, just as scared of what may be lurking around the corner.
Another aspect I enjoyed is the fact that Cat's parents don't act like your typical overbearing, "you just don't understand me" parentals typically found in YA novels. They are fun, loving, youthful in their love for one another. I know that's a relatively minor part of the book, but it's one that I felt stood out. I was a little frustrated with them for not being honest with Cat, but I think that's how the reader is supposed to feel.
If I had to give a critique (which I always try to do), I'd say the plot could have moved forward a bit faster. But this is a reading/writing style more than anything else. The narrative is far more "telling" compared to "showing" than I'm used to (anyone who knows me knows that I'm super wordy, so I'm not as accustomed to shorter sentences and scenes that bounce back and forth).
This is not to say it's overly distracting though, as each page keeps you hooked on Cat's self-discovery and leaves you wanting more by the final word.
One thing I really liked about this book is that the major plot points (who/what Cat is, etc) are not completely obvious from the beginning. You have to keep reading to figure out what happens, and the events that take place make you want to find out what's going to happen next. Getting a look inside Cat's head with her inner dialogue throughout the novel puts you right in her shoes, making you just as confused as she is during these episodes, just as frustrated when no one will give her answers, just as scared of what may be lurking around the corner.
Another aspect I enjoyed is the fact that Cat's parents don't act like your typical overbearing, "you just don't understand me" parentals typically found in YA novels. They are fun, loving, youthful in their love for one another. I know that's a relatively minor part of the book, but it's one that I felt stood out. I was a little frustrated with them for not being honest with Cat, but I think that's how the reader is supposed to feel.
If I had to give a critique (which I always try to do), I'd say the plot could have moved forward a bit faster. But this is a reading/writing style more than anything else. The narrative is far more "telling" compared to "showing" than I'm used to (anyone who knows me knows that I'm super wordy, so I'm not as accustomed to shorter sentences and scenes that bounce back and forth).
This is not to say it's overly distracting though, as each page keeps you hooked on Cat's self-discovery and leaves you wanting more by the final word.
June 13, 2011
The Childe is the first book in a fantasy series with a very promising future. The premise of the book is fantastic, filled with mystery in every chapter. The storyline flows so easily that I didn’t even notice when I was halfway through the book in just a couple of hours.
There were many characters, all of whom were very likeable. I love how each one of them had different personalities and I found myself laughing with Cat and her friends at some of the moments they share. The story unfolds through their high school experience and it was very believable: mean teacher, popular girl, sports, homecoming dance, etc.
Of course there is a handsome boy, Ryan, who unfortunately hangs out with the bully and villain of the school. Cat melts when he is around, but she tries to deny it at all costs. Especially because of her overprotective brother Taylor, who is always sarcastic but really cares for Cat.
I think Ryan and Taylor were my favorite characters.
There is a lot going on that the reader doesn’t know about – everything is a question – but the story unfolds a little bit every chapter and the reader will be able to figure some things out.
The only problem I had was at the end there were more questions than answers. I wished they would have revealed a little more and given closure to this part of the story.
I also hope we see more of the villains in the next book, with a little less of the high school experience, because what little we see of them shows that they are pure evil.
I can’t wait to find out more about Cat and her past and how all the answers to the questions will determine her future.
There were many characters, all of whom were very likeable. I love how each one of them had different personalities and I found myself laughing with Cat and her friends at some of the moments they share. The story unfolds through their high school experience and it was very believable: mean teacher, popular girl, sports, homecoming dance, etc.
Of course there is a handsome boy, Ryan, who unfortunately hangs out with the bully and villain of the school. Cat melts when he is around, but she tries to deny it at all costs. Especially because of her overprotective brother Taylor, who is always sarcastic but really cares for Cat.
I think Ryan and Taylor were my favorite characters.
There is a lot going on that the reader doesn’t know about – everything is a question – but the story unfolds a little bit every chapter and the reader will be able to figure some things out.
The only problem I had was at the end there were more questions than answers. I wished they would have revealed a little more and given closure to this part of the story.
I also hope we see more of the villains in the next book, with a little less of the high school experience, because what little we see of them shows that they are pure evil.
I can’t wait to find out more about Cat and her past and how all the answers to the questions will determine her future.
May 7, 2012
Cat Colvin, a typical teen who loves to spend time with her friends and is excited about starting a new school, but one thing sets her apart from the rest and she doesn't even know it.
Cat has lived a sheltered life and has attended a private school until this year when her parents relented to her wishes and enrolled her into a public school. New beginnings from every direction are about to take hold of Cat and some are from a dark place. She discovers strange happenings occurring in her life before her sixteenth birthday and the experiences begin to affect her body and mind at a steadier rate.
The fantasy world of vampires and werewolves has always been in Cat's life, through her love of reading, but soon she learns not everything is a fairytale and some things that go 'bump' in the night are actually real! Secrets will be revealed and lives will be changed. One thing is for certain, she will never be the same again!
The fantastic author duo of C.A. Kunz has created a wonderful character in Cat Colvin. She is spunky and courageous, spirited and interesting, naive and innocent. They have a knack for throwing the reader a bone and then dangling it in front of you so you are guessing what is going to happen next. If you don't like cliffhangers... this book isn't for you because it ends with an amazing teaser and has you scrambling to pick up their sequel, Dark Days.
I recommend this series to those who like suspense, intrigue, and the love of supernatural beings.
Cat has lived a sheltered life and has attended a private school until this year when her parents relented to her wishes and enrolled her into a public school. New beginnings from every direction are about to take hold of Cat and some are from a dark place. She discovers strange happenings occurring in her life before her sixteenth birthday and the experiences begin to affect her body and mind at a steadier rate.
The fantasy world of vampires and werewolves has always been in Cat's life, through her love of reading, but soon she learns not everything is a fairytale and some things that go 'bump' in the night are actually real! Secrets will be revealed and lives will be changed. One thing is for certain, she will never be the same again!
The fantastic author duo of C.A. Kunz has created a wonderful character in Cat Colvin. She is spunky and courageous, spirited and interesting, naive and innocent. They have a knack for throwing the reader a bone and then dangling it in front of you so you are guessing what is going to happen next. If you don't like cliffhangers... this book isn't for you because it ends with an amazing teaser and has you scrambling to pick up their sequel, Dark Days.
I recommend this series to those who like suspense, intrigue, and the love of supernatural beings.
March 26, 2012
There are very few books I read were I adore the main character but this is what happened when I met Cat Colvin. She is strong, yet caring and very quirky with an awesome set of friends.
Straight away we find out that there is a secret when it comes to Cat that must be protected.
We also learn of another group that's not to be messed with, Isaac and his friends have there own secret which is some how tied to Cat and there instant dislike to her.
Isaac is the perfect villain with the bad attitude and huge ego he was written perfectly and very wicked, You loved to hate him. .
This book is the mystery of Cat discovering herself and we the reader are along for the ride, The authors definitely kept you guessing. The Childe has everything! Mystery, Fantasy, Vampires, Teenage angst and love...Did I mention Ryan, Dreamy Ryan who goes against his friends and all he knows because of his love for Cat!
I was also very impressed with the parents in this book, YES we have parental units! Y/A books tend to have parents who disappear in the 1st chapter and are never seen again..Well not Rachel and Sam who bring so much humor to the mix with there forever young at heart mentalities
The Childe is extremely well written and a perfectly balanced Young adult book. I was left wanting so much more and was very sad when the book ended. I could go on but I feel I would ramble Can you gush about a book? I am gushing with positivity about this unique book! I need more!!!!
Melissa @ just one opinion
Straight away we find out that there is a secret when it comes to Cat that must be protected.
We also learn of another group that's not to be messed with, Isaac and his friends have there own secret which is some how tied to Cat and there instant dislike to her.
Isaac is the perfect villain with the bad attitude and huge ego he was written perfectly and very wicked, You loved to hate him. .
This book is the mystery of Cat discovering herself and we the reader are along for the ride, The authors definitely kept you guessing. The Childe has everything! Mystery, Fantasy, Vampires, Teenage angst and love...Did I mention Ryan, Dreamy Ryan who goes against his friends and all he knows because of his love for Cat!
I was also very impressed with the parents in this book, YES we have parental units! Y/A books tend to have parents who disappear in the 1st chapter and are never seen again..Well not Rachel and Sam who bring so much humor to the mix with there forever young at heart mentalities
The Childe is extremely well written and a perfectly balanced Young adult book. I was left wanting so much more and was very sad when the book ended. I could go on but I feel I would ramble Can you gush about a book? I am gushing with positivity about this unique book! I need more!!!!
Melissa @ just one opinion
June 29, 2011
This book would have been a solid '3' with the surprisingly addicting writing, the entertaining but glacier slow storyline...like many average PNRs, it's basically an extremely long prologue wrapped up in a first book package. I would be so much more excited about it if all of the formatting errors weren't present. The book reads like a first draft that was immediately set to press. On every page there were probably five plus commas missing. Not to mention at least two extremely obvious inconsistencies, a complete lack of separation or transition between many scenes, a major overuse of exclamation points, and a dreadful abundance of every word in the dictionary but 'said.'
I don't mean to put anybody off, because the authors were super kind to send me the book and swag, and I really appreciated it. I enjoyed the story, and it did entertain me. The problem is that I don't see any signs that somebody edited this book in the slightest. If they had hired an editor - even just a copy-editor for the technical stuff - this would have flowed so much better and been at least a three book. If they had hired a full-on editor to tackle it flow and character wise, it might have even made a higher rating.
It really bummed me out. Kind writers, a fun premise, and a main character that I didn't hate...but I just couldn't get past the problems with this one. If an edited version becomes available, I may revise my review, but until then it must stay.
I don't mean to put anybody off, because the authors were super kind to send me the book and swag, and I really appreciated it. I enjoyed the story, and it did entertain me. The problem is that I don't see any signs that somebody edited this book in the slightest. If they had hired an editor - even just a copy-editor for the technical stuff - this would have flowed so much better and been at least a three book. If they had hired a full-on editor to tackle it flow and character wise, it might have even made a higher rating.
It really bummed me out. Kind writers, a fun premise, and a main character that I didn't hate...but I just couldn't get past the problems with this one. If an edited version becomes available, I may revise my review, but until then it must stay.
January 9, 2012
HOLY COW!!! This book is EPIC! I could not put this book down because I was so caught up in Cat's World that it was hard to put down. I also really LOVE the fact that this book was written by a mother and son is Incredible!
So without further ado here is my review.......
We all know what it is like to start high school. Well Cat and her friends are beginning their Freshman year at high school and are nervous. They are not really sure what to expect but they are ready to start a new era and conquer the fears of being a Freshman.
What I really enjoyed was the way the story went as things started to unfold and secrets were uncovered the characters learned how to hold their own. This story grips you and you can not put this books down. If you like Paranormal and bad boy and bad girl books this is THE BOOK FOR YOU! There is so much action going on that you feel like you are in the story.
The descriptions in this book are so vivid and well done as you are reading you get a sense for everything that is going on. The art work in this book is kick butt as well. As I was reading and looking at the pictures I could see myself in this world that Carol and Adam have created.
I am Patiently waiting for book two and when it comes out I will be there waiting for my copy! Want a great read and a FANTASTIC paranormal world? Well what are you waiting for come along on the best Paranormal ride of your life!
So without further ado here is my review.......
We all know what it is like to start high school. Well Cat and her friends are beginning their Freshman year at high school and are nervous. They are not really sure what to expect but they are ready to start a new era and conquer the fears of being a Freshman.
What I really enjoyed was the way the story went as things started to unfold and secrets were uncovered the characters learned how to hold their own. This story grips you and you can not put this books down. If you like Paranormal and bad boy and bad girl books this is THE BOOK FOR YOU! There is so much action going on that you feel like you are in the story.
The descriptions in this book are so vivid and well done as you are reading you get a sense for everything that is going on. The art work in this book is kick butt as well. As I was reading and looking at the pictures I could see myself in this world that Carol and Adam have created.
I am Patiently waiting for book two and when it comes out I will be there waiting for my copy! Want a great read and a FANTASTIC paranormal world? Well what are you waiting for come along on the best Paranormal ride of your life!
June 10, 2011
I purchased The Childe on a whim. The premise of the book sounded intriguing. A coming of age story with a supernatural element.
I really felt that Cat (the main character) and her friends were very believable. The whole high school aspect of the story felt very real to me. From pre-school jitters, to dances and sporting events, slumber parties that ended in sugar comas, the school bully, clichés, butterflies for the cute boy in school, to the teacher you swear has it in for you. All of it brought me right back there. I thought that Cat's parents were a bit over-the-top at times but how can you not find their love endearing. Cat's brother Taylor is of course the typical older brother, a pain in the butt but would do anything for his sister if she truly needed him.
I thought the pacing was good and it kept me turning the pages. There were a lot of mysterious things happening that I just couldn't wait to find out about.
The problem I had with the book was once I finished it I had more questions than answers. I was left feeling like "Did I miss something? Was I suppose to have figured that out? Was it implied?" I understand there is going to be another book to follow and I'm sure it will answer some of my burning questions but I felt like I deserved some answers in this one. I was dying to know the secrets of this town and I felt like I was left in the dark.
I really felt that Cat (the main character) and her friends were very believable. The whole high school aspect of the story felt very real to me. From pre-school jitters, to dances and sporting events, slumber parties that ended in sugar comas, the school bully, clichés, butterflies for the cute boy in school, to the teacher you swear has it in for you. All of it brought me right back there. I thought that Cat's parents were a bit over-the-top at times but how can you not find their love endearing. Cat's brother Taylor is of course the typical older brother, a pain in the butt but would do anything for his sister if she truly needed him.
I thought the pacing was good and it kept me turning the pages. There were a lot of mysterious things happening that I just couldn't wait to find out about.
The problem I had with the book was once I finished it I had more questions than answers. I was left feeling like "Did I miss something? Was I suppose to have figured that out? Was it implied?" I understand there is going to be another book to follow and I'm sure it will answer some of my burning questions but I felt like I deserved some answers in this one. I was dying to know the secrets of this town and I felt like I was left in the dark.
July 10, 2011
My review: I will never get tired of paranormal books. EVER. Especially the newest ones that are mixing vampires, werewolves, witches, wizards and ghosts into their books. The Childe included at least 2 of these (spoiler free ya know) that is all I will say! I loved this book. It was such a page turner. I loved living in Cat's world. I really felt like I was too. The characters were so easy to relate to (even the one's your not supposed to)!
The description of all the places in the book was so vivid in my mind. I love paranormal. I love the high school settings. I love the mystery, the bad boys/girls. I love the forbidden love/like/friendships of the main and not main characters. I love SECRETS and the revealing. I love the coming to power(s)! GUESS WHAT? This book had all that for me. Really enjoyed it. I can't WAIT for the next books in this series.
Carol and Adam have written a WONDERFUL story. I can't wait to see how it further evolves and how the characters come into their own. I have so many questions for the future books. I LOVE THAT!!
Note: in this book there is a cool feature that Cat has that I can relate to and there is a character named MINDY in the book. This made me feel SUPER close to the book too. hehe....pure coincidence though!
Looking for a great paranormal book? I suggest this one! It was a lot of fun to read!!!
The description of all the places in the book was so vivid in my mind. I love paranormal. I love the high school settings. I love the mystery, the bad boys/girls. I love the forbidden love/like/friendships of the main and not main characters. I love SECRETS and the revealing. I love the coming to power(s)! GUESS WHAT? This book had all that for me. Really enjoyed it. I can't WAIT for the next books in this series.
Carol and Adam have written a WONDERFUL story. I can't wait to see how it further evolves and how the characters come into their own. I have so many questions for the future books. I LOVE THAT!!
Note: in this book there is a cool feature that Cat has that I can relate to and there is a character named MINDY in the book. This made me feel SUPER close to the book too. hehe....pure coincidence though!
Looking for a great paranormal book? I suggest this one! It was a lot of fun to read!!!
July 3, 2011
Thanks SO much to Carol and Adam Kunz for sending me a signed print copy of this book and a bunch of awesome swag (look for the giveaway soon!). Now here is my honest review:
This book is definitely for a younger set. Cat is fifteen and just starting freshman year at a new high school. She already has a bunch of friends, but her parents are pretty protective (and for good reason). Cat is special, but she doesn't know it yet. This book is about the manifestation of her abilities as a Childe. She meets lots of new people who will be a part of this new life as well.
As for the writing.. again, this is intended for the younger YA readers. Like I said, I received a final print copy. I was disappointed in the amount of editing errors this book has. Some sentences didn't start with capital letters, and even though I normally whine about too many commas, this one was missing quite a few. Those are technical problems, I know.. but when young readers see those, they emulate it, no? I don't know.. just saying.
The story was fun and different, and the writing style is simple to follow. I wonder how the combined efforts of mother and son blended on this one. What was whose idea, and so forth.
Check back on my blog for a giveaway and guest post of some kind with the authors!
This book is definitely for a younger set. Cat is fifteen and just starting freshman year at a new high school. She already has a bunch of friends, but her parents are pretty protective (and for good reason). Cat is special, but she doesn't know it yet. This book is about the manifestation of her abilities as a Childe. She meets lots of new people who will be a part of this new life as well.
As for the writing.. again, this is intended for the younger YA readers. Like I said, I received a final print copy. I was disappointed in the amount of editing errors this book has. Some sentences didn't start with capital letters, and even though I normally whine about too many commas, this one was missing quite a few. Those are technical problems, I know.. but when young readers see those, they emulate it, no? I don't know.. just saying.
The story was fun and different, and the writing style is simple to follow. I wonder how the combined efforts of mother and son blended on this one. What was whose idea, and so forth.
Check back on my blog for a giveaway and guest post of some kind with the authors!
January 1, 2012
Ooh I loved this, I was constantly kept guessing. But oh the ending, so many unanswered questions! I need the next one like now! But I found the premise of the book so cool and that fact that I didn't have everything figured out right away was fun. It really was a great paranormal and the mythology was really interesting to me. I can't wait to see where it will go in the next book and what will happen. Like I said I still have a lot of questions and I hope the next installment will answer them.
Cat was a great MC and I loved her friends too. They were a great group and made me laugh. I always love when there are great secondary characters and friends, they add so much more to the story. I love that even though Cat's young she doesn't shy away from what is happening even if she doesn't really know what is going on. I liked Ryan and I think that his relationship with Cat is intriguing. I still don't what exactly is going on, but I can't wait to find out and see where their relationship goes. Isaac and his group were great villains, they annoyed the heck out of me, but I am glad that Cat didn't back down.
Like I said I really enjoyed this books and can't wait for the next one. I highly recommend it!
Cat was a great MC and I loved her friends too. They were a great group and made me laugh. I always love when there are great secondary characters and friends, they add so much more to the story. I love that even though Cat's young she doesn't shy away from what is happening even if she doesn't really know what is going on. I liked Ryan and I think that his relationship with Cat is intriguing. I still don't what exactly is going on, but I can't wait to find out and see where their relationship goes. Isaac and his group were great villains, they annoyed the heck out of me, but I am glad that Cat didn't back down.
Like I said I really enjoyed this books and can't wait for the next one. I highly recommend it!
December 31, 2012
Despite minor editing errors (spacing and quotation marks), I was addicted to this book. It has a lot of mystery, some romance, a ton of different relationships (parents/children, brother/sister, friends, etc), and hints of the supernatural - I'm thinking werewolves or vampires at this point!
There are many, many characters, and you get to know some of them better than others. What you don't know about them will keep you guessing! I especially loved the main character's name; I can't emphasize this enough ;D haha. Seriously though, I think this book is relatable and enjoyable even though I'm probably a bit older than the intended audience.
I only have two concerns about this book. 1) The story is told from a mostly omniscient 3rd person POV which is great for finding things out, but confusing when it jumps without warning. This lead to some confusion about what was going on/who was talking. 2) Most of the characters in the book are just a bit TOO perfect. Loving parents and older brother (though he does complain about Cat and act all huffy most of the time - again, realistic and relatable!)...everyone in the town being incredibly good looking...etc.
So, overall this is a fantastic book that I would definitely recommend! I'm excited to see where the next book leads :).
There are many, many characters, and you get to know some of them better than others. What you don't know about them will keep you guessing! I especially loved the main character's name; I can't emphasize this enough ;D haha. Seriously though, I think this book is relatable and enjoyable even though I'm probably a bit older than the intended audience.
I only have two concerns about this book. 1) The story is told from a mostly omniscient 3rd person POV which is great for finding things out, but confusing when it jumps without warning. This lead to some confusion about what was going on/who was talking. 2) Most of the characters in the book are just a bit TOO perfect. Loving parents and older brother (though he does complain about Cat and act all huffy most of the time - again, realistic and relatable!)...everyone in the town being incredibly good looking...etc.
So, overall this is a fantastic book that I would definitely recommend! I'm excited to see where the next book leads :).
August 30, 2011
I won this book in a contest in July and was so excited. This book was very fun and exciting. Cat goes to high school and catches the eye of one of the hottest guys there, Ryan Beckford. It becomes a huge problem knowing that he is part of a group of the most feared kids in school lead by Isaac. Ryan however, is not as rebellious or mean as they are which is part of the pull that Cat feels toward him. Trying to distinguish why he hangs out with such hateful people is beyond her.
Cat is trying to figure out what is wrong with her when she starts showing signs of illness. All the while, her family is keeping something from her. Even her brother Taylor becomes very protective of her.
The only part that I didn’t enjoy was it took so long for me to figure out what each individual was and the definition of a Childe. That was the only frustrating part because I was on the edge of my seat the entire time trying to figure it all out. I look forward to reading more from this mother/son duo in the future and finding out how Cat’s story ends.
Recommended to YA lovers of the Paranormal.
Cat is trying to figure out what is wrong with her when she starts showing signs of illness. All the while, her family is keeping something from her. Even her brother Taylor becomes very protective of her.
The only part that I didn’t enjoy was it took so long for me to figure out what each individual was and the definition of a Childe. That was the only frustrating part because I was on the edge of my seat the entire time trying to figure it all out. I look forward to reading more from this mother/son duo in the future and finding out how Cat’s story ends.
Recommended to YA lovers of the Paranormal.
April 29, 2012
This book left me guessing until the very end. I know that sounds really cheesey and from a blurb on the back of a book, but it is the truth. The story is very interesting with the choice of subjects and how smoothly the story came together and flowed in the story telling. I think that the author is smart to make Kat's birth parents unknown to her as well her blood line. Although the characters did step on the ends of my nerves a few times, I purely enjoyed the complexity of the characters and how the main character knows the least amount of information. I found myself rooting for her and yelling at her for not drawing to conclusions as fast as I did. Kat is a kick-*ss female lead that leaves nothing more to be desired in her, except for the people around her to stop telling lies so she can become a more knowledgeable main role. I really like the unscary vampire tale, or at least it isn't scary yet. I hope for a little more action in the next one, but a great start to the series. Bravo!
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