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Concealed #1
Concealed
With the chaotic and unwanted gift of being an empath, Bijou Fitzroy has spent her entire life as a sheltered recluse, being homeschooled by her secretive overprotective grandmother, who never stays long enough in one location for Bijou to ever settle and make friends. Not only does she lack social skills, but her physical appearance is so ethereal that it beckons onlookers to look away before she has the chance to make eye contact. Oh, and things get even weirder. Besides the occasional tendency to see strange things that no one else seems to notice, sixteen-year-old Bijou has been plagued by semi-prophetic nightmares of strange creatures her entire life; yet she yearns for sleep, because it’s the only place she gets to see him…well sort of. No matter what Bijou dreams of, the faceless boy is always there like some sort of harbinger of danger, always watching, always waiting. And even though his coming always pre-empts chaos, she’s fallen in love with this boy without a face.
382 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2011
3 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
About the author
Sang Kromah
3 books65 followersSang Kromah is a Liberian-American author and digital storyteller who provides a digital space for women and girls to create their own narrative with Project GirlSpire. She has modeled in many international campaigns while in college and grad school. After receiving her Master's degree in Communication Arts from New York Institute of Technology, she's landed her skills to ambitious projects like Nick Kristof's "Half the Sky Documentary" and much more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 2, 2013
OHMYFREAKINGGOSH.
This book was ABSOLOUTLEY UNFATHOMABLY ABSOLOUTLEY AMAZINGLY BRILLIANT.
Wow. This book blew my mind. I ate up this story and it didn't fill me, I wanted seconds. It was just so damn good. Why oh why has this book been out for over a year and it isn't raved about? It is a story that is SO SO worth reading!! Expect recommendations for this book people!
Bijou Fitzroy, yes weird name I know but totally suited to this heroin who is very different, moves to a new town with her Gigi- her nickname for her bombshell of a grandmother. She just wants to fit in, be normal and have friends. Normalcy is something she's never had and soon she learns she never will.
There's so many twists and secrets revealed and endured in the book that its hard to outline in case I accidentally give something away.
Put it this way in French her name translates to Kings Jewel.
This book is so original and unlike anything I've ever read. I enjoyed it so much I just want to rave and rant about it to any readers who will listen.
I loved so many characters and this book keeps you on edge and not fully aware of what is going on until the final pages where all is shockingly revealed. It keeps you craving for the next book and keeps you asking the question "Why didn't I see it?"
At the moment I cannot pick between Sebastian or Nikolai for who I think she would be better suited to be with, and that and the ending of this book makes for a promising second instalment.
Guys if you are looking for something different to read look no further this book will literally have you eating out of the palms of its pages.
5 stars isn't enough! What a book!
This book was ABSOLOUTLEY UNFATHOMABLY ABSOLOUTLEY AMAZINGLY BRILLIANT.
Wow. This book blew my mind. I ate up this story and it didn't fill me, I wanted seconds. It was just so damn good. Why oh why has this book been out for over a year and it isn't raved about? It is a story that is SO SO worth reading!! Expect recommendations for this book people!
Bijou Fitzroy, yes weird name I know but totally suited to this heroin who is very different, moves to a new town with her Gigi- her nickname for her bombshell of a grandmother. She just wants to fit in, be normal and have friends. Normalcy is something she's never had and soon she learns she never will.
There's so many twists and secrets revealed and endured in the book that its hard to outline in case I accidentally give something away.
Put it this way in French her name translates to Kings Jewel.
This book is so original and unlike anything I've ever read. I enjoyed it so much I just want to rave and rant about it to any readers who will listen.
I loved so many characters and this book keeps you on edge and not fully aware of what is going on until the final pages where all is shockingly revealed. It keeps you craving for the next book and keeps you asking the question "Why didn't I see it?"
At the moment I cannot pick between Sebastian or Nikolai for who I think she would be better suited to be with, and that and the ending of this book makes for a promising second instalment.
Guys if you are looking for something different to read look no further this book will literally have you eating out of the palms of its pages.
5 stars isn't enough! What a book!
November 25, 2011
Wonderfully written!! I was absolutely blown away by the fact that this is Kromah's first novel! What a successful way to break into the world of writers! I found myself "under the spell" of Kromah's world by chapter 3. I couldn't wait to find out more about the mysterious Bijou and her odd obsession she quickly develops for Sebastian after getting a sneak preview back in July. Great job, Sang! Can't wait for book 2!!
December 16, 2011
Rating: 3 1/2
This is a very hard book to rate, I would have to place it somewhere between 3 1/2 and 4 stars.
Kromah's debut book is a very colorful and detailed novel that is unlike anything popping up on the young adult shelves today.
Bijou Fitzroy is odd, not only because she lacks social skills due to years of homeschooling and constant moving, but her appearances are also very off putting. When she meets Sebastian and his twin sister Amina, she realizes that there just may be a reason why her looks attract so much attention, a reason that her grandmother hid from her for years.
When Bijou moves to Eldersburg the questions start to come up. Why can she sense 'the others?' Who is this Austrailian kid that she can't stop thinking about? And what on Earth is her grandmother hiding from her? Kromah deals with these questions and their reveal very strategically. She gives just enough information to hint that an answer is near, but with the answer she creates a new and even bigger question that the reader is dying to find the answer to. Even with so many questions and answers popping up, the plot moves at a steady pace throughout with a slew of interesting characters to guide you on this journey.
One thing I really liked was the diversity among the characters and among the mythos. In YA the standard is white people having weird things happen to them in a white town, with white secondary characters. Luckily, Kromah decides to spice it up a bit by having a main character who doesn't even know what her nationality is. We are then introduced to a bunch of other secondary characters who each have a mind for themselves with motives that the reader would not guess until the very last chapter. Like I stated earlier these characters have a motive, there is a reason why they are doing what they are doing, and it just isn't because someone told them to follow orders which is very refreshing.
The love story was not very prominent but it was hinted at heavily, and there were even hints of introducing a love triangle which I am a bit weary about ( you know how I feel about the dreaded love triangle). Regardless of the love story, both the main characters, Sebastian and Bijou, have very distinct personalities and are very solid characters. They do not depend on each other and they are very capable of making their own decisions.
Lastly, the writing style was told from the first person perspective so the reader was just as confused by the events of the book as Bijou was. One thing I did notice about the writing style is that the author had a tendency to overuse the exclamation mark. Although it does not sound like something worth noting, there were many times where I had to reread a phrase because the excited tone that I was giving the characters did not seem appropriate. Other than that, the writing style was very solid and allowed the reader to really delve inside Bijou's curious and interesting head.
The reason why I am stuck in no man's land with this rating is because there were a few small things that when repeated, kind of got to me. For example, there were a few typos and grammatical errors all throughout the novel, and an occurring mistranslation. And given the amount of information and characters introduced into this single novel, I really believe that it could have been broken up into different books because there were so many characters and relationships between said characters that I almost felt the need to draw myself a map.
Overall, Kromah's novel is extremely original and well-crafted. She introduces us to a very interesting world filled with mythologies that and secrecy that will have you waiting for the second book!
I recommend this novel for those who loved the old mythos are and looking for something new.
This is a very hard book to rate, I would have to place it somewhere between 3 1/2 and 4 stars.
Kromah's debut book is a very colorful and detailed novel that is unlike anything popping up on the young adult shelves today.
Bijou Fitzroy is odd, not only because she lacks social skills due to years of homeschooling and constant moving, but her appearances are also very off putting. When she meets Sebastian and his twin sister Amina, she realizes that there just may be a reason why her looks attract so much attention, a reason that her grandmother hid from her for years.
When Bijou moves to Eldersburg the questions start to come up. Why can she sense 'the others?' Who is this Austrailian kid that she can't stop thinking about? And what on Earth is her grandmother hiding from her? Kromah deals with these questions and their reveal very strategically. She gives just enough information to hint that an answer is near, but with the answer she creates a new and even bigger question that the reader is dying to find the answer to. Even with so many questions and answers popping up, the plot moves at a steady pace throughout with a slew of interesting characters to guide you on this journey.
One thing I really liked was the diversity among the characters and among the mythos. In YA the standard is white people having weird things happen to them in a white town, with white secondary characters. Luckily, Kromah decides to spice it up a bit by having a main character who doesn't even know what her nationality is. We are then introduced to a bunch of other secondary characters who each have a mind for themselves with motives that the reader would not guess until the very last chapter. Like I stated earlier these characters have a motive, there is a reason why they are doing what they are doing, and it just isn't because someone told them to follow orders which is very refreshing.
The love story was not very prominent but it was hinted at heavily, and there were even hints of introducing a love triangle which I am a bit weary about ( you know how I feel about the dreaded love triangle). Regardless of the love story, both the main characters, Sebastian and Bijou, have very distinct personalities and are very solid characters. They do not depend on each other and they are very capable of making their own decisions.
Lastly, the writing style was told from the first person perspective so the reader was just as confused by the events of the book as Bijou was. One thing I did notice about the writing style is that the author had a tendency to overuse the exclamation mark. Although it does not sound like something worth noting, there were many times where I had to reread a phrase because the excited tone that I was giving the characters did not seem appropriate. Other than that, the writing style was very solid and allowed the reader to really delve inside Bijou's curious and interesting head.
The reason why I am stuck in no man's land with this rating is because there were a few small things that when repeated, kind of got to me. For example, there were a few typos and grammatical errors all throughout the novel, and an occurring mistranslation. And given the amount of information and characters introduced into this single novel, I really believe that it could have been broken up into different books because there were so many characters and relationships between said characters that I almost felt the need to draw myself a map.
Overall, Kromah's novel is extremely original and well-crafted. She introduces us to a very interesting world filled with mythologies that and secrecy that will have you waiting for the second book!
I recommend this novel for those who loved the old mythos are and looking for something new.
March 7, 2013
Normally I would write a shorter review for Goodreads, but I've decided to copy and paste my long review from http://bookeatingbeast.tumblr.com.
*************************************************
Could not for the life of me finish Concealed by Sang Kromah.
First of all, I was granted a e-book galley copy of Concealed by Smith Publicity on NetGalley. Out of respect for their generosity, I continued reading this book about a hundred pages or so longer than I felt like I could stand.
I gave this book an honest effort. I swear I did. I made it to page 121/449 (page numbers according to Aldiko, the app I used to read this book). Honestly, I wanted to trash it about 20 pages in. I think the only thing that helped me hang on even that long was that I was intrigued with where Ms. Kromah could possibly take the plotline.
With that said, let me fill you in on the basics. This story begins with Bijou Fitzroy’s transfer to a new high school following the most recent move with her grandmother to Sykesville, Maryland. After a ridiculous amount of personal description and shaky dialogue, Bijou begins school. Other than her instant attraction to Sebastian, whose beauty she goes on to describe for a page or two, school is kinda whatev’.
Time passes and Bijou’s mood ring eyes and funny feelings about people go unexplained. Things get weird when her Mythology teacher (Um, a public high school that devotes a whole course to mythology? Yeah, right!) begins teaching about supernatural beings and how they are all derived from the djinn. Basically, they’re all genies. Kind of. I’m still not too sure on a lot of that, but I can’t bring myself to care.
One day, the Mythology teacher has the town’s reclusive Boo Radley type character come in to tell her sob story about how a djinn came, seduced her, and then took their child away from her never to be heard from again. This is all in anticipation of a project where the teacher asks the students to each present their own mythological story. Lo and behold, Bijou’s story she tells the next week is eerily similar to the story the woman told and NO ONE REALIZES IT. NO ONE. EVERYONE IS JUST IN AWE ABOUT HOW THIS CRAPTASTIC STORY IS JUST SO EXCELLENT! Even her teacher simply needs to know where she heard it because he’s determined he knows it. Mayhaps because it’s plagiarized from that story you heard last week?
Anyway, aside from weird holes like that, the plot of the book suffers from poor, immature writing riddled with puerile details thrown in almost as an afterthought, the most immature dialogue I’ve ever seen in a piece of YA fiction, and a complete inability to develop characters.
I really, really wanted this to redeem itself at least as a cheesy supernatural romance, y’know? I’ve read books in the past that I knew were pretty terrible, but at least they were written well enough not to embarrass a publisher.
To be fair, I read a galley edition of this book. It seemed to be almost completely unedited, and the text switched inexplicably between two different fonts. No, it definitely was not for effect. Clearly, there was some kind of formatting issue afoot here. I think the myriad punctuation and grammar issues really added to the fantastically horrible nature of this book. I mean, really — who the heck puts a comma between a subject and its verb? REGULARLY? I commend your devotion to your work, Ms. Kromah, but you may want to brush up on comma, semicolon, and dash usage. I know that fiction allows for a little forgiveness as far as these things are concerned, but it really hurts the readability of a work to have such errors as rampant as they are in this book.
I’m sorry, but I have to give this book 1 star out of 5. I can’t imagine finding a worse book out there.
*************************************************
Could not for the life of me finish Concealed by Sang Kromah.
First of all, I was granted a e-book galley copy of Concealed by Smith Publicity on NetGalley. Out of respect for their generosity, I continued reading this book about a hundred pages or so longer than I felt like I could stand.
I gave this book an honest effort. I swear I did. I made it to page 121/449 (page numbers according to Aldiko, the app I used to read this book). Honestly, I wanted to trash it about 20 pages in. I think the only thing that helped me hang on even that long was that I was intrigued with where Ms. Kromah could possibly take the plotline.
With that said, let me fill you in on the basics. This story begins with Bijou Fitzroy’s transfer to a new high school following the most recent move with her grandmother to Sykesville, Maryland. After a ridiculous amount of personal description and shaky dialogue, Bijou begins school. Other than her instant attraction to Sebastian, whose beauty she goes on to describe for a page or two, school is kinda whatev’.
Time passes and Bijou’s mood ring eyes and funny feelings about people go unexplained. Things get weird when her Mythology teacher (Um, a public high school that devotes a whole course to mythology? Yeah, right!) begins teaching about supernatural beings and how they are all derived from the djinn. Basically, they’re all genies. Kind of. I’m still not too sure on a lot of that, but I can’t bring myself to care.
One day, the Mythology teacher has the town’s reclusive Boo Radley type character come in to tell her sob story about how a djinn came, seduced her, and then took their child away from her never to be heard from again. This is all in anticipation of a project where the teacher asks the students to each present their own mythological story. Lo and behold, Bijou’s story she tells the next week is eerily similar to the story the woman told and NO ONE REALIZES IT. NO ONE. EVERYONE IS JUST IN AWE ABOUT HOW THIS CRAPTASTIC STORY IS JUST SO EXCELLENT! Even her teacher simply needs to know where she heard it because he’s determined he knows it. Mayhaps because it’s plagiarized from that story you heard last week?
Anyway, aside from weird holes like that, the plot of the book suffers from poor, immature writing riddled with puerile details thrown in almost as an afterthought, the most immature dialogue I’ve ever seen in a piece of YA fiction, and a complete inability to develop characters.
I really, really wanted this to redeem itself at least as a cheesy supernatural romance, y’know? I’ve read books in the past that I knew were pretty terrible, but at least they were written well enough not to embarrass a publisher.
To be fair, I read a galley edition of this book. It seemed to be almost completely unedited, and the text switched inexplicably between two different fonts. No, it definitely was not for effect. Clearly, there was some kind of formatting issue afoot here. I think the myriad punctuation and grammar issues really added to the fantastically horrible nature of this book. I mean, really — who the heck puts a comma between a subject and its verb? REGULARLY? I commend your devotion to your work, Ms. Kromah, but you may want to brush up on comma, semicolon, and dash usage. I know that fiction allows for a little forgiveness as far as these things are concerned, but it really hurts the readability of a work to have such errors as rampant as they are in this book.
I’m sorry, but I have to give this book 1 star out of 5. I can’t imagine finding a worse book out there.
December 12, 2011
First off, I'll start by saying that the synopsis on the back of the book does not do this story justice. My younger sister's high school book club was given Concealed to read, because apparently, the author went to her high school (Liberty High in Eldersburg, MD), where the book takes place.
I'm not one for social networking sites at all, but I finished reading Concealed about thirty minutes ago and I was so inspired to write. The book is told in first person narrative and as I read the story, I felt like these things were happening to me. I COULD NOT put Concealed down!
Concealed is the tale of a sheltered home-schooled sixteen year old, whose world is turned upside down when her grandmother abruptly moves them to this small Maryland town and enrolls her in high school for the first time. The MC, Bijou is like a walking train wreck, but very lovable and quite hilarious. She's funny without trying to be, making me laugh out loud and get embarrassed for her all at once.
Kromah weaves a magical tale that sets the stage for what seems to be an epic series. The book redefines many of the creatures and stories we think we know, giving birth to a story that is truly unique and frightful at times.
While there are a few typos, it still did not take away from this epic tale.
What I loved so much about Concealed is the fact that no character is completely good or evil. You find yourself sympathizing for the so-called bad guys in many instances.
And I am quite certain girls will have a hard time deciding whether they're "Team Sebastian" or "Team Niko". I'm Team Sebastian all the way!
This is the best book I've read since The Lovely Bones. Bijou Fitzroy is my kind of girl...the type that wants to save herself!
I'm not one for social networking sites at all, but I finished reading Concealed about thirty minutes ago and I was so inspired to write. The book is told in first person narrative and as I read the story, I felt like these things were happening to me. I COULD NOT put Concealed down!
Concealed is the tale of a sheltered home-schooled sixteen year old, whose world is turned upside down when her grandmother abruptly moves them to this small Maryland town and enrolls her in high school for the first time. The MC, Bijou is like a walking train wreck, but very lovable and quite hilarious. She's funny without trying to be, making me laugh out loud and get embarrassed for her all at once.
Kromah weaves a magical tale that sets the stage for what seems to be an epic series. The book redefines many of the creatures and stories we think we know, giving birth to a story that is truly unique and frightful at times.
While there are a few typos, it still did not take away from this epic tale.
What I loved so much about Concealed is the fact that no character is completely good or evil. You find yourself sympathizing for the so-called bad guys in many instances.
And I am quite certain girls will have a hard time deciding whether they're "Team Sebastian" or "Team Niko". I'm Team Sebastian all the way!
This is the best book I've read since The Lovely Bones. Bijou Fitzroy is my kind of girl...the type that wants to save herself!
September 13, 2013
This and my other reviews can be found at http://amethystbookwyrm.blogspot.co.uk/
Thanks to Netgalley and Smith Publicity for giving this book to review.
Bijou Fitzroy has always known that she is different but all she has wanted to be is normal even though she is loves the faceless boy from her dreams, after living all her life alone with only her grandmother, nicknamed Gigi, for company, she has convinced Gigi to be able to go to school instead of being home-schooled. At school she meets Sebastian who makes her rethink everything she has known, whether she can trust the people closest to her and is she able to be the saviour everyone expects her to be.
Concealed is an ok young adult paranormal book about Djinn, the book felt like there was too many plots going on at once so most of the time I felt lost about what was happening.
I just could not connect to Bijou or any of the other characters as they were not consistent in how they acted, however I did like how no character was either truly bad or good but somewhere in between.
Concealed is an ok story which I would recommend to people who like Smokeless Fire by Samantha Young or books about Djinn.
Thanks to Netgalley and Smith Publicity for giving this book to review.
Bijou Fitzroy has always known that she is different but all she has wanted to be is normal even though she is loves the faceless boy from her dreams, after living all her life alone with only her grandmother, nicknamed Gigi, for company, she has convinced Gigi to be able to go to school instead of being home-schooled. At school she meets Sebastian who makes her rethink everything she has known, whether she can trust the people closest to her and is she able to be the saviour everyone expects her to be.
Concealed is an ok young adult paranormal book about Djinn, the book felt like there was too many plots going on at once so most of the time I felt lost about what was happening.
I just could not connect to Bijou or any of the other characters as they were not consistent in how they acted, however I did like how no character was either truly bad or good but somewhere in between.
Concealed is an ok story which I would recommend to people who like Smokeless Fire by Samantha Young or books about Djinn.
March 8, 2013
To be honest I did not read much of this book as I was nearly drowning in my own puke. This story is not original AT ALL. And that is fair enough. Let’s face it, it has become hard to write an original YA story in our times. Yet one can limit the amount of clichés, one would think, eh? This, Concealed, is filled with clichés… so many that I just could not read it. However, I used the clichés to entertain my fellow students in our one hour break.. Especially the descriptions of Sebastian.. Check them out:
“He was beautiful. His facial features were masterfully defined, like he was carved out of some kind of stone that had yet to be discovered on this planet. He was so perfect. His lips were so full I could only pray that he had horrid teeth to make me feel worthy enough to breathe the same air as he. […] His skin was creamy, but somehow looked like it has been dipped in honey […]. It almost looked like he had swallowed a piece of the sun and its golden shine seeped through his pours.”
And that’s where I stopped. [insert a massive pile of puke right here]
“He was beautiful. His facial features were masterfully defined, like he was carved out of some kind of stone that had yet to be discovered on this planet. He was so perfect. His lips were so full I could only pray that he had horrid teeth to make me feel worthy enough to breathe the same air as he. […] His skin was creamy, but somehow looked like it has been dipped in honey […]. It almost looked like he had swallowed a piece of the sun and its golden shine seeped through his pours.”
And that’s where I stopped. [insert a massive pile of puke right here]
January 27, 2012
Review to come
April 9, 2012
This review is also up on My Ticket Elsewhere. Finally!
This is actually going to be a really easy review for me to write because I basically have the words I need to say MEMORIZED. I've read lots of reviews on Sang Kromah's debut novel, and several of them have summed up the novel in a single word like "unique," "magical," or I even saw in one, "brilliant."
Me? I don't think I have a word or phrase that can quite describe it. Reading CONCEALED often made me feel like I was being whispered to, and though there is definitely room for improvement as the series develops, it's those lingering whispers that make me happy to have picked up this book. I like hearing good stories, and I think you do, too.
I think a HUGE factor in what makes or breaks a book for any particular reader is the reading experience itself. If I'm in the right mood for a particular book, at the right time, and it's by the right author, I find myself extremely forgiving, and eerily enthusiastic about any and every thing about it.
Such was the case with CONCEALED. I stumbled across this bijou at a time when I really needed something... I don't know... adventurous. I'd been looking over something for a friend of mine, and I wanted to read something that was already in print, but similar to the concept of the manuscript we were tug-of-warring with... And lo and behold... CONCEALED. And I was excited! At first. But it was WEIRD because I could've SWORN that, the day before, there was nothing on the market like his story so I was spooked, but ready to roll.
That was the first time I read the book, but the second time was just over a week ago shortly after a package came from TLT Publishing. They'd sent over a copy of the book! I was ecstatic and freaking out about Finals and again--- perfect timing. I devoured this 370 something paged gem in three? Maybe four days if you count the amount of time I spent in the wee hours of the "fourth" morning...
So my experience with this story has always been pleasant and YES. This is why I was able to gloss over a lot of its misdemeanors. Truthfully, it could've gone through another round of edits not for content, but for technicalities. There were passages of dialogue I wish I could've altered. There were paragraphs that, if moved around, might've made a scene flow better and words that were made adverbs when they were meant to be adjectives... there were misprints and nuances that would be glimpsed over by careless readers, but caught by the close reader. And Elsewhere, you know I'm a close reader. I like to get the most out of every story I read--- consume every single character, even down to the punctuation...
And it wasn't clean. It wasn't MESSY, but chances are, some of the mistakes will jump out at you. But, Reader, don't let them deter you. I can say that the world in which the CONCEALED universe is set is actually pretty wonderful. It is reminiscent of the tales of old--- the ones you might imagine hearing around a fire in a tribal village, or over a hot cup of cocoa with an elderly storyteller as your sole source of entertainment on "a dark and stormy night..." It's not clean, but it's not messy. It is clear that Sang Kromah KNOWS what she wants from this series, from her characters, and that she wants to make a connection with her readers through the art that preserves the human race: the telling and exchanging of stories.
I'd like to think of CONCEALED as a gateway for Sang who is an obviously talented writer and a not-so-undercover romantic that thinks BIG. The ideas in this story... the characters she's crafted... the stories that work their way through the text in a skeletal manner, like bones... the relationships, both romantic, and unromantic... They're the things I'll be looking for again in the next installment of this series. But I also have hopes that the next story will be even BETTER both in form, in delivery, and of course, in terms of the stakes. Although wow. This book went from a fight for normalcy to a fight for--- Well, if I said for Narnia, would you believe me? Probably not. So I guess you'll have to read the book for yourself in order to know what for and to read the super cool ending that no... not even I saw coming. You can find it at your local Barnes and Nobles, now, so seriously, what are you waiting for? The sequel? Right... me too.
My hope is that you'll fall in love with Sykesville, Maryland and the mythology Sang has crafted around the Concealed. I recommend this to those of you looking for a mystery with a romantic and paranormal emphasis. Because, at its core, CONCEALED challenges us to ask the question who is Bijou? Who can she trust? And it also asks us to wonder if knowing where you come from can compensate for or give value to knowing who you are. Yes. This book has hidden gems, mon amies! Do yourselves a favor; go dig them out.
This is actually going to be a really easy review for me to write because I basically have the words I need to say MEMORIZED. I've read lots of reviews on Sang Kromah's debut novel, and several of them have summed up the novel in a single word like "unique," "magical," or I even saw in one, "brilliant."
Me? I don't think I have a word or phrase that can quite describe it. Reading CONCEALED often made me feel like I was being whispered to, and though there is definitely room for improvement as the series develops, it's those lingering whispers that make me happy to have picked up this book. I like hearing good stories, and I think you do, too.
I think a HUGE factor in what makes or breaks a book for any particular reader is the reading experience itself. If I'm in the right mood for a particular book, at the right time, and it's by the right author, I find myself extremely forgiving, and eerily enthusiastic about any and every thing about it.
Such was the case with CONCEALED. I stumbled across this bijou at a time when I really needed something... I don't know... adventurous. I'd been looking over something for a friend of mine, and I wanted to read something that was already in print, but similar to the concept of the manuscript we were tug-of-warring with... And lo and behold... CONCEALED. And I was excited! At first. But it was WEIRD because I could've SWORN that, the day before, there was nothing on the market like his story so I was spooked, but ready to roll.
That was the first time I read the book, but the second time was just over a week ago shortly after a package came from TLT Publishing. They'd sent over a copy of the book! I was ecstatic and freaking out about Finals and again--- perfect timing. I devoured this 370 something paged gem in three? Maybe four days if you count the amount of time I spent in the wee hours of the "fourth" morning...
So my experience with this story has always been pleasant and YES. This is why I was able to gloss over a lot of its misdemeanors. Truthfully, it could've gone through another round of edits not for content, but for technicalities. There were passages of dialogue I wish I could've altered. There were paragraphs that, if moved around, might've made a scene flow better and words that were made adverbs when they were meant to be adjectives... there were misprints and nuances that would be glimpsed over by careless readers, but caught by the close reader. And Elsewhere, you know I'm a close reader. I like to get the most out of every story I read--- consume every single character, even down to the punctuation...
And it wasn't clean. It wasn't MESSY, but chances are, some of the mistakes will jump out at you. But, Reader, don't let them deter you. I can say that the world in which the CONCEALED universe is set is actually pretty wonderful. It is reminiscent of the tales of old--- the ones you might imagine hearing around a fire in a tribal village, or over a hot cup of cocoa with an elderly storyteller as your sole source of entertainment on "a dark and stormy night..." It's not clean, but it's not messy. It is clear that Sang Kromah KNOWS what she wants from this series, from her characters, and that she wants to make a connection with her readers through the art that preserves the human race: the telling and exchanging of stories.
I'd like to think of CONCEALED as a gateway for Sang who is an obviously talented writer and a not-so-undercover romantic that thinks BIG. The ideas in this story... the characters she's crafted... the stories that work their way through the text in a skeletal manner, like bones... the relationships, both romantic, and unromantic... They're the things I'll be looking for again in the next installment of this series. But I also have hopes that the next story will be even BETTER both in form, in delivery, and of course, in terms of the stakes. Although wow. This book went from a fight for normalcy to a fight for--- Well, if I said for Narnia, would you believe me? Probably not. So I guess you'll have to read the book for yourself in order to know what for and to read the super cool ending that no... not even I saw coming. You can find it at your local Barnes and Nobles, now, so seriously, what are you waiting for? The sequel? Right... me too.
My hope is that you'll fall in love with Sykesville, Maryland and the mythology Sang has crafted around the Concealed. I recommend this to those of you looking for a mystery with a romantic and paranormal emphasis. Because, at its core, CONCEALED challenges us to ask the question who is Bijou? Who can she trust? And it also asks us to wonder if knowing where you come from can compensate for or give value to knowing who you are. Yes. This book has hidden gems, mon amies! Do yourselves a favor; go dig them out.
never-finished
February 19, 2013I tried. I really did. But this book was so all over the place that as much as I wanted to get into it, it was just not possible. Not only were there jumps in setting and people being in and out of a room but the characters were all hateful. Not only hateful but with multiple personalities as well.
I would be reading one part and then suddenly the mood changes and they are doing/talking about something else entirely and I'm left wondering what the hell just happened. I would find myself reading and re-reading paragraphs just to make sure I hadn't missed anything. It was exhausting and annoying.
Then we have the characters themselves. They mention how Sebastian runs hot and cold, but that is a HUGE understatement. The guy has a freaking split personality. I could not keep up with all the mood swings. One second he'd be pissed at her, the next he would kiss her and then just randomly leave the room only to come back and start acting like they were best friends. I didn't get it.
Gigi was one b**ch of a 'grandmother'. She would slap Bijou for the silliest things and kept ordering the girl around like she was a dog on a leash and not a girl. Then Bijou would try to assert some kind of independence and stand up for herself, while all the time thinking she was sorry for being so mean to Gigi. Needless to say, it was a very unhealthy relationship.
Then there is Bijou herself. She was another with multiple personalities. She would act as if her 'going crazy' was something she could handle and try to figure out, but when someone starts pointing it out to her she goes into full on denial. Not only denial, but hysterical. Crying and sobbing, yet apparently she has an inability to let people see her cry. Then what the hell is up with the constant crying? She was also so freaking rude it was astounding. The responses she gives to people genuinely trying to help her were beyond messed up, and she would interrupt with her little sarcastic remarks, which in this case were anything but witty or amusing.
And to top it all off there is a love triangle. Seeing as how I just couldn't like Sebastian what with his hot and cold, Niko looked like the better choice only because he at least knew what he was. One of the bad guys. He was consistent if anything else.
This all leaves me incredibly disappointed. The book had so much promise. The lore of the djinn and how it incorporates with all the other supernatural creatures was such a breath of fresh air. This was the only thing that kept me reading all the way till the halfway point. Unfortunately it just wasn't enough to outweigh all the horrible characters and the constant jumping around.
I would be reading one part and then suddenly the mood changes and they are doing/talking about something else entirely and I'm left wondering what the hell just happened. I would find myself reading and re-reading paragraphs just to make sure I hadn't missed anything. It was exhausting and annoying.
Then we have the characters themselves. They mention how Sebastian runs hot and cold, but that is a HUGE understatement. The guy has a freaking split personality. I could not keep up with all the mood swings. One second he'd be pissed at her, the next he would kiss her and then just randomly leave the room only to come back and start acting like they were best friends. I didn't get it.
Gigi was one b**ch of a 'grandmother'. She would slap Bijou for the silliest things and kept ordering the girl around like she was a dog on a leash and not a girl. Then Bijou would try to assert some kind of independence and stand up for herself, while all the time thinking she was sorry for being so mean to Gigi. Needless to say, it was a very unhealthy relationship.
Then there is Bijou herself. She was another with multiple personalities. She would act as if her 'going crazy' was something she could handle and try to figure out, but when someone starts pointing it out to her she goes into full on denial. Not only denial, but hysterical. Crying and sobbing, yet apparently she has an inability to let people see her cry. Then what the hell is up with the constant crying? She was also so freaking rude it was astounding. The responses she gives to people genuinely trying to help her were beyond messed up, and she would interrupt with her little sarcastic remarks, which in this case were anything but witty or amusing.
And to top it all off there is a love triangle. Seeing as how I just couldn't like Sebastian what with his hot and cold, Niko looked like the better choice only because he at least knew what he was. One of the bad guys. He was consistent if anything else.
This all leaves me incredibly disappointed. The book had so much promise. The lore of the djinn and how it incorporates with all the other supernatural creatures was such a breath of fresh air. This was the only thing that kept me reading all the way till the halfway point. Unfortunately it just wasn't enough to outweigh all the horrible characters and the constant jumping around.
January 15, 2012
Sang Kromah has promised that her debut novel Concealed is not like other paranormal romances or remixes on old time lore; it's a story never done before. That is a big statement that in many cases could lead to failure. But other novels do not have Bijou Fitzroy or Sebastian and Amina Sinjin. And no other mind could manage to spin a tale quite the way Sang Kromah does. Concealed is an amazing novel filled with an unbelievable supernatural tale, told in a way I have never seen before.
Concealed immediately starts off with excitement and intrigue. It's a long but fast-paced novel that caught my attention from the very first page. While reading, there was a ever present sense of mystery that lingered around me, and it compelled me to read more and more. Concealed tells the story of Bijou Fitzroy, a sixteen year old girl who has led a life sheltered by her grandmother. After moving to a sleepy little town in Maryland, Bijou, who spent all of her life traveling from place to place finally feels like she can lead a normal life. But with this new sense of stability in her surroundings at home comes a whole new set of problems. These problems, however, reveal a life that Bijou never knew existed, a life that silently hovered over her for the whole of her life.
The characters in Concealed are unlike any I've seen. They aren't the generic, perfect characters many novels possess. Sebastian is handsome and popular, but afflicted by his destiny. Amina is happy and bubbly on the outside, but serious and protective on the inside. And Bijou, Bijou is complex. She is beautiful and smart, but anxious and unaware of the beauty of herself. The complex personalities in the Concealed show that Sang understands that there is more than one side to a person. No one is just one thing. No one is purely good, or purely evil. Sang has managed to convey a world that isn't all black and white, isn't filled with only rainbows and butterflies, and that shows that you can't expect everyone to be as they seem.
The world of Concealed is one that is fascinating in itself. The old lore, African mythology, and interpretation of old myths that aren't being used much frequently such as the djinn, and the spin on creatures that frequent YA paranormal novels make for an interesting book in itself. Concealed is a book I would urge everyone to read.
It's no secret that I am strict about my ratings. That is why Concealed gets a rating of 4.5/5, the highest rating I have given in a while. And well deserving of such an innovative and amazing book!
Concealed immediately starts off with excitement and intrigue. It's a long but fast-paced novel that caught my attention from the very first page. While reading, there was a ever present sense of mystery that lingered around me, and it compelled me to read more and more. Concealed tells the story of Bijou Fitzroy, a sixteen year old girl who has led a life sheltered by her grandmother. After moving to a sleepy little town in Maryland, Bijou, who spent all of her life traveling from place to place finally feels like she can lead a normal life. But with this new sense of stability in her surroundings at home comes a whole new set of problems. These problems, however, reveal a life that Bijou never knew existed, a life that silently hovered over her for the whole of her life.
The characters in Concealed are unlike any I've seen. They aren't the generic, perfect characters many novels possess. Sebastian is handsome and popular, but afflicted by his destiny. Amina is happy and bubbly on the outside, but serious and protective on the inside. And Bijou, Bijou is complex. She is beautiful and smart, but anxious and unaware of the beauty of herself. The complex personalities in the Concealed show that Sang understands that there is more than one side to a person. No one is just one thing. No one is purely good, or purely evil. Sang has managed to convey a world that isn't all black and white, isn't filled with only rainbows and butterflies, and that shows that you can't expect everyone to be as they seem.
The world of Concealed is one that is fascinating in itself. The old lore, African mythology, and interpretation of old myths that aren't being used much frequently such as the djinn, and the spin on creatures that frequent YA paranormal novels make for an interesting book in itself. Concealed is a book I would urge everyone to read.
It's no secret that I am strict about my ratings. That is why Concealed gets a rating of 4.5/5, the highest rating I have given in a while. And well deserving of such an innovative and amazing book!
January 31, 2012
Concealed by Sang Kromah is the story of Bijou Fitzroy and her adventure into the world of the “Concealed.” Bijou has always been different for everyone else, and not just because her eyes like to change colors. She also has the ability to feel the emotions of everyone around her. Since Bijou has always been on the move with her grandmother, she has been always been homeschooled. When her grandmother decided to make a more permanent move, Bijou gets to go to school for the first time. The only problem is she is going to have to learn to control her ability to read emotions so she does not become overwhelmed.
Her first day there, she meets Sebastian Sijinn who immediately captures her attention. The problem is he seems like he is not interested in her, but then acts differently seconds later. When her Mythology teacher starts to discuss the secret supernatural world of the djinn, Bijou starts to realize it may not just be a story.
When I first heard this book was about the djinn, and it was not your typical magic lamp story, I thought maybe it would be something like the Djinn featured on Supernatural. This is one instance where I am more than happy I was wrong. The story weaved by Sang Kromah is amazing while feature many things that are currently popular in books, but in a way far different from expected. I love Bijou, because she is that girl who goes from obscurity to hero.
The mythology built into this story is deep and complicated, but Sang Kromah makes it easy to understand and enjoy. I really do like how so many elements come together in the end to make a breathtaking story. The story is so addicting, I could not put the story down! Fans of fairies, mermaid, or just general mythology need to but this on their to read list. Concealed is just one of those stories, that captures your attention and holds it captive until the end. I seriously cannot wait to see what Sang Kromah has up her sleeve for the next book.
**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book from the author for an honest review**
Her first day there, she meets Sebastian Sijinn who immediately captures her attention. The problem is he seems like he is not interested in her, but then acts differently seconds later. When her Mythology teacher starts to discuss the secret supernatural world of the djinn, Bijou starts to realize it may not just be a story.
When I first heard this book was about the djinn, and it was not your typical magic lamp story, I thought maybe it would be something like the Djinn featured on Supernatural. This is one instance where I am more than happy I was wrong. The story weaved by Sang Kromah is amazing while feature many things that are currently popular in books, but in a way far different from expected. I love Bijou, because she is that girl who goes from obscurity to hero.
The mythology built into this story is deep and complicated, but Sang Kromah makes it easy to understand and enjoy. I really do like how so many elements come together in the end to make a breathtaking story. The story is so addicting, I could not put the story down! Fans of fairies, mermaid, or just general mythology need to but this on their to read list. Concealed is just one of those stories, that captures your attention and holds it captive until the end. I seriously cannot wait to see what Sang Kromah has up her sleeve for the next book.
**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book from the author for an honest review**
March 16, 2013
I received a free copy from Smith Publicity via NetGalley.
This book has so much potential. I, for one, am a fan of good stories. So when I read the synopsis on NetGalley, I didn’t hesitate to request for a copy. This is actually the first book I requested and I got it, too, so I was very excited. Unfortunately, said excitement was short-lived.
I’ll keep this short. The synopsis was a little misleading. I was expecting there to be really scary creatures and a lot of action. But half the book was spent Bijou pining over Sebastian and getting hurt and frustrated whenever Bastian push her away and deny his feelings for her. And it was also frustrating how whenever I think there’d finally be some action, it would be cut abruptly and Bijou will end up learning nothing new and leaving her more confused than ever (and me, in turn). That went on for about... 80% of the book. Yep. For a stand-alone book, the pacing was slower than a first book on a series. There’s also the case of repetitive words in paragraphs which could have been omitted and misplaced punctuation marks but that I can ignore.
Lastly, and this was the thing that frustrated me the most, the ending was so… anticlimactic. After all the hype of Bijou being the Chosen One, we never really found out what it was she’s actually meant to do. Maybe I missed it (to be honest, I wasn’t paying too much attention to the last half of the book) but the only thing I gathered was that she can give everyone their powers back. Besides that, I have no idea what she could do. *frustrated sigh*
I almost, almost marked this book as dnf but alas, I was able to finish it (albeit half-mindedly) and my dnf record is clean. *wink*
This review also appeared on Amazon.
This book has so much potential. I, for one, am a fan of good stories. So when I read the synopsis on NetGalley, I didn’t hesitate to request for a copy. This is actually the first book I requested and I got it, too, so I was very excited. Unfortunately, said excitement was short-lived.
I’ll keep this short. The synopsis was a little misleading. I was expecting there to be really scary creatures and a lot of action. But half the book was spent Bijou pining over Sebastian and getting hurt and frustrated whenever Bastian push her away and deny his feelings for her. And it was also frustrating how whenever I think there’d finally be some action, it would be cut abruptly and Bijou will end up learning nothing new and leaving her more confused than ever (and me, in turn). That went on for about... 80% of the book. Yep. For a stand-alone book, the pacing was slower than a first book on a series. There’s also the case of repetitive words in paragraphs which could have been omitted and misplaced punctuation marks but that I can ignore.
Lastly, and this was the thing that frustrated me the most, the ending was so… anticlimactic. After all the hype of Bijou being the Chosen One, we never really found out what it was she’s actually meant to do. Maybe I missed it (to be honest, I wasn’t paying too much attention to the last half of the book) but the only thing I gathered was that she can give everyone their powers back. Besides that, I have no idea what she could do. *frustrated sigh*
I almost, almost marked this book as dnf but alas, I was able to finish it (albeit half-mindedly) and my dnf record is clean. *wink*
This review also appeared on Amazon.
March 9, 2013
Sang Kromah wanted to tell a story that hasn't been told. I say, Congratulations, you did it! "Concealed" is the story of sixteen year old Bijou Fitzroy, a girl whose true identity and her impact on the world has been 'concealed' from her. Told in Bijou's voice, the story takes us on her first days going to a real school, because for her entire life she has been sheltered from the world, home-schooled, and is constantly uprooted by her reclusive author-grandmother, GiGi. Bijou is not prepared for the realities of school life, the cattiness, the guys, none of it. Add to that, she can 'sense' things from others, has mysterious dreams of a faceless boy and she just 'knows' he is one of her classmates and we have the makings of a very entertaining read! When Bijou's seventeenth birthday draws near, her life is suddenly the center of everyone's attention! Her house is now full of family she never knew she had. Bijou finds her life has been a lie, she is crushing on Sebastian, who is like hot and cold running water with her and just maybe her grandmother is NOT who she says she is! All along, Bijou just wanted to be a normal girl, and chances of that happening are looking pretty slim! Chances of her making past her birthday aren't looking too good, either. Who can she trust? Who are these people who claim to be family? What do they want from her?
I have to say, Bijou is a riot! Being in her head with her, listening to her thoughts, is priceless! She has guts, snark, attitude and can be surprisingly mature for her age. The world-building, the twist and turns, and the pace of the book all add up to a great escape into a book!
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Smith Publicity in exchange for my honest review.
I have to say, Bijou is a riot! Being in her head with her, listening to her thoughts, is priceless! She has guts, snark, attitude and can be surprisingly mature for her age. The world-building, the twist and turns, and the pace of the book all add up to a great escape into a book!
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Smith Publicity in exchange for my honest review.
February 18, 2013
I know there are a quite a few readers who are not thrilled with first person narrative, but let me tell you, that in this case it works brilliantly.
This book starts out with a bang and has a pretty even and exciting pace throughout. I was at first very skeptical, this being a first novel, that the author would be able to pull off what the book lays claim to. Would this be a completely original novel that I had never seen before? The answer is a resounding yes.
I was impressed for a couple of main reasons. First of all, the characters are well planned and don't seem to be simple repeats of other popular characters from previous books or movies.
Secondly, and in my opinion more importantly, although this is a YA type novel, the romance is mature and has the kind of development that you want to see between the characters. Not everyone is blushing and winking and ugghhh...you know, that stuff that YA romances tend to feature. The characters are intelligent enough to make decisions and stand by them, and that is important to me as a reader.
The element of mystery in this book does not soon relent and it actually took me until the very end to figure everything out. Concealed was the perfect title for this novel.
There were some spots where I felt the passages were a bit wordy and could have been simplified, but overall I was happy with this book from a new author who is clearly very talented.
I would recommend this book to anyone, adult or teen. I thought it was an enjoyable read that I think others would like.
This review is based on a digital review copy from Netgalley.
This book starts out with a bang and has a pretty even and exciting pace throughout. I was at first very skeptical, this being a first novel, that the author would be able to pull off what the book lays claim to. Would this be a completely original novel that I had never seen before? The answer is a resounding yes.
I was impressed for a couple of main reasons. First of all, the characters are well planned and don't seem to be simple repeats of other popular characters from previous books or movies.
Secondly, and in my opinion more importantly, although this is a YA type novel, the romance is mature and has the kind of development that you want to see between the characters. Not everyone is blushing and winking and ugghhh...you know, that stuff that YA romances tend to feature. The characters are intelligent enough to make decisions and stand by them, and that is important to me as a reader.
The element of mystery in this book does not soon relent and it actually took me until the very end to figure everything out. Concealed was the perfect title for this novel.
There were some spots where I felt the passages were a bit wordy and could have been simplified, but overall I was happy with this book from a new author who is clearly very talented.
I would recommend this book to anyone, adult or teen. I thought it was an enjoyable read that I think others would like.
This review is based on a digital review copy from Netgalley.
March 7, 2013
YA supernatural with a lot of creativity and a plot that develops faster than you can read. Although that might also be the Achilles heel. It might be a tad too fast and choppy for some and just perfect for others.
I found the way the author split the Djinn into sub-species very interesting. The Fey being one of those sub-species, which was a completely different take on the whole supernatural being.
The relationship between Gigi and the main character Bijou was well thought out. There were elements of teenage rebellion vs grandmothers rules or the odd moment of nurture like a mother towards her child and then to top it all off the selfish cold personality of Gigi would rear its head.
The character of Sebastian is probably in the running for most bipolar and unpopular romantic interest of the year, but all is not what it seems when it comes to his mood swings.
Overall I thought this had great potential. The author just needs to make the changes from scene to scene a little smoother and instead of rushing give herself the chance to expand the characters and storylines.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.
I found the way the author split the Djinn into sub-species very interesting. The Fey being one of those sub-species, which was a completely different take on the whole supernatural being.
The relationship between Gigi and the main character Bijou was well thought out. There were elements of teenage rebellion vs grandmothers rules or the odd moment of nurture like a mother towards her child and then to top it all off the selfish cold personality of Gigi would rear its head.
The character of Sebastian is probably in the running for most bipolar and unpopular romantic interest of the year, but all is not what it seems when it comes to his mood swings.
Overall I thought this had great potential. The author just needs to make the changes from scene to scene a little smoother and instead of rushing give herself the chance to expand the characters and storylines.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.
November 20, 2011
Concealed is a GREAT book! I found myself falling in love with every character. At times, I found it hard to hate the evil charcters, because the author paints a realistic picture of no one being completely good or bad. It's almost like she finds a way to make you have sympathy for the devil. Definitely a must read for all ages.
March 6, 2013
Bijou is a strange young girl trying to find her niche in life. She has strange dreams and is constantly plagued by other peoples emotions. She suddenly finds herself flung into high school drama with ‘mean girls’ and boys to boot!
For full review please visit my blog:
http://whyicantstopreading.wordpress....
For full review please visit my blog:
http://whyicantstopreading.wordpress....
April 27, 2013
Concealed by Sang Kromah. I loved this book. The main character must determine who she can and cannot trust. While reading this story I found I sometimes agreed with her decisions and I sometimes did not agree with the decisions made. The characters are memorable and easy to relate to even though they are not simply human. I cannot wait for more from Sang Kromah.
Want to read
July 3, 2011Jul 4th
August 13, 2017
Loved.
April 14, 2013
Bijou has always known she was different, with abilities and insights no-one else shared. Her nights were disturbed by weird and surreal dreams. Many times she thought she was losing her mind and she did her best to develop ways to cope with the impressions and senses that bombarded her
Her eccentric and dramatic grandmother seemed determined to shelter her and keep her from the world, but Bijou wishes a normal life and after a long battle, succeeds in being enrolled in school for the first time.
While it’s overwhelming, it’s not school that derails Bijou’s life – but the revelations of the people in it. As she increasingly sees the Others and her dreams become more vivid, more strange and clearer, her own nature is becoming known to those around her – and the secrets of her past, her family and her very nature are finally being revealed.
This book began with a slow, but intriguing start. We had a lot of foreshadowing, a lot of build up for this huge and powerful world and a slow gradual indication that Bijou was something well and truly special. It wasn’t a great start – it did drag, but the world setting seemed fascinatingly broad with a new slant – especially since we had an emphasis on Djinns rather than the usual stalwarts of western mythology.
Except then we hit the half way mark and the story knotted itself up, “djinn” was just used as “generic supernatural” in the same way other authors have used “fae” and then there were the characters.
The characters derailed this book for me. Or rather, character – because while there are a lot of other cast members we never really see them be developed, we know some things they’ve done, but no real sense of who they are as people. I think Bijou was the only realised character in this large cast.
And I didn’t like her.
She is, like so many Urban Fantasy protagonists, very very very angst laden. Part of this is from her powers which, like so many many many Urban Fantasy protagonists, she doesn’t like and just wants to be normal. Already my angst fatigue cries, but I can filter the angst into background noise if it is well done, well reasoned and she has some other, redeeming qualities.
Which is where we hit the problem. One of Bijou’s perennial complaints is that she’s lonely and isolated – one of the reasons she wants to go to school is to develop a social life and social skills. I’m wondering if the author is taking that into account in her depiction – because Bijou has no social skills at all. This adds to her loneliness because she make no effort to make friends at all! Seriously, she arrives, she has over half a dozen people trying so very hard to be her friend (alright there are 2 Mean Girls, but every high school setting HAS to have mean girls who hate her because she has attracted the interest of her man and is just too beautiful! It’s a rule, how else are we to know how beautiful she is without the adoration of men and the jealousy of women? Ugh) but she makes no effort at all, she zones out constantly when they talk to her and spends the entire time mooning after the hot guy Sebastian on the next table. Even then, there are at least 3 people who tolerate her enough to continue playing friends – she’s not nearly as friendless as she paints herself.
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Her eccentric and dramatic grandmother seemed determined to shelter her and keep her from the world, but Bijou wishes a normal life and after a long battle, succeeds in being enrolled in school for the first time.
While it’s overwhelming, it’s not school that derails Bijou’s life – but the revelations of the people in it. As she increasingly sees the Others and her dreams become more vivid, more strange and clearer, her own nature is becoming known to those around her – and the secrets of her past, her family and her very nature are finally being revealed.
This book began with a slow, but intriguing start. We had a lot of foreshadowing, a lot of build up for this huge and powerful world and a slow gradual indication that Bijou was something well and truly special. It wasn’t a great start – it did drag, but the world setting seemed fascinatingly broad with a new slant – especially since we had an emphasis on Djinns rather than the usual stalwarts of western mythology.
Except then we hit the half way mark and the story knotted itself up, “djinn” was just used as “generic supernatural” in the same way other authors have used “fae” and then there were the characters.
The characters derailed this book for me. Or rather, character – because while there are a lot of other cast members we never really see them be developed, we know some things they’ve done, but no real sense of who they are as people. I think Bijou was the only realised character in this large cast.
And I didn’t like her.
She is, like so many Urban Fantasy protagonists, very very very angst laden. Part of this is from her powers which, like so many many many Urban Fantasy protagonists, she doesn’t like and just wants to be normal. Already my angst fatigue cries, but I can filter the angst into background noise if it is well done, well reasoned and she has some other, redeeming qualities.
Which is where we hit the problem. One of Bijou’s perennial complaints is that she’s lonely and isolated – one of the reasons she wants to go to school is to develop a social life and social skills. I’m wondering if the author is taking that into account in her depiction – because Bijou has no social skills at all. This adds to her loneliness because she make no effort to make friends at all! Seriously, she arrives, she has over half a dozen people trying so very hard to be her friend (alright there are 2 Mean Girls, but every high school setting HAS to have mean girls who hate her because she has attracted the interest of her man and is just too beautiful! It’s a rule, how else are we to know how beautiful she is without the adoration of men and the jealousy of women? Ugh) but she makes no effort at all, she zones out constantly when they talk to her and spends the entire time mooning after the hot guy Sebastian on the next table. Even then, there are at least 3 people who tolerate her enough to continue playing friends – she’s not nearly as friendless as she paints herself.
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April 6, 2013
Bijou Fitzroy thinks she's a normal but eccentrically-raised teen, but as the story progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that she is not - in fact, she is "The One." Plot (and some romance) ensue.
First, the good: This novel is engaging and exciting. I loved that included - was even based upon - African folklore instead of Western or even Asian. There really isn't that much Africa-centered sci-fi and fantasy out there (another one I read was Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okafor), so that was exciting. I never got bored reading it, and felt compelled to find out what would happen.
Now the not-so-good: I felt like I was reading fanfiction, or any other mostly-unedited work. Twilight was more tightly written. For starters, there were numerous grammatical and spelling errors, which would be fine if this were an ARC or a proof, but this is an already-published work. Second, the author repeatedly tells instead of shows, and her foreshadowing is clunky and sometimes obvious. Third, the author, whether knowingly or unknowingly, uses a lot of genre cliches. For example, Bijou is kind of a 'Mary Sue,' from her "I didn't know everyone was staring at me because I am inhumanly beautiful" to her "Oh, everyone can't help themselves from falling in love with little old me!" Characters show up at the right time way too conveniently (all the times Sebastian shows up out of nowhere inside her house to put his hand over Bijou's mouth before she ruins everything or hold her when she needs it) and all the talk of "powers" is somehow awkward. I hope that the next book explains why Bijou can breathe underwater, because it seems somehow gratuitous.
Last thing - the ending. It just stopped in the middle of the story. I guess the main conflict was kind of resolved, and I suppose it's meant to be a cliffhanger, but - abrupt doesn't cover it. It's like the book was split into two (or three) instead of that there's going to be a sequel.
All that said, though, I did enjoy it. Stories about how a character is "the one everyone has been waiting for," especially if the coming of said character has been prophesied, are hard to get right. I'd imagine it's easy to fall into cliche-traps when writing such stories. This book has an unusual and intriguing story idea and solid plot bones, both of which are good. With some editing, it could be great.
First, the good: This novel is engaging and exciting. I loved that included - was even based upon - African folklore instead of Western or even Asian. There really isn't that much Africa-centered sci-fi and fantasy out there (another one I read was Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okafor), so that was exciting. I never got bored reading it, and felt compelled to find out what would happen.
Now the not-so-good: I felt like I was reading fanfiction, or any other mostly-unedited work. Twilight was more tightly written. For starters, there were numerous grammatical and spelling errors, which would be fine if this were an ARC or a proof, but this is an already-published work. Second, the author repeatedly tells instead of shows, and her foreshadowing is clunky and sometimes obvious. Third, the author, whether knowingly or unknowingly, uses a lot of genre cliches. For example, Bijou is kind of a 'Mary Sue,' from her "I didn't know everyone was staring at me because I am inhumanly beautiful" to her "Oh, everyone can't help themselves from falling in love with little old me!" Characters show up at the right time way too conveniently (all the times Sebastian shows up out of nowhere inside her house to put his hand over Bijou's mouth before she ruins everything or hold her when she needs it) and all the talk of "powers" is somehow awkward. I hope that the next book explains why Bijou can breathe underwater, because it seems somehow gratuitous.
Last thing - the ending. It just stopped in the middle of the story. I guess the main conflict was kind of resolved, and I suppose it's meant to be a cliffhanger, but - abrupt doesn't cover it. It's like the book was split into two (or three) instead of that there's going to be a sequel.
All that said, though, I did enjoy it. Stories about how a character is "the one everyone has been waiting for," especially if the coming of said character has been prophesied, are hard to get right. I'd imagine it's easy to fall into cliche-traps when writing such stories. This book has an unusual and intriguing story idea and solid plot bones, both of which are good. With some editing, it could be great.
May 6, 2013
For more of my reviews visit http://losttbooks.blogspot.com
This book started off well, although a little slow. It was intriguing and drew me into the story so I read the first 20% of this book with ease. However after this point it did become a struggle to keep turning the pages. There were moments that were both good and enjoyable while others were very easy to skim over as they didn't hold my interest. The writing did fluctuate quite a bit.
The intrigue of being the new kid, meeting a hot guy and being different was well done at the start however as the book moved on Bijou became more whiney and mopey at having no friends, wanting to be normal and her longing over Sebastian. It did become slightly irritating. As well as this the writing was quite jumpy and it made it hard to follow what was going on. This may be because of the 1st person narrative and therefore showing just how confused Bijou was but personally I didn't like it.
The main thing I didn't like was there were too many paranormal creatures involved. At the start I was led to believe that Djinns were a supernatural species and when references were made to fae, elves and other creature it reinforced this assumption. However around the half way mark the term Djinn seemed to be used as a broad term for anything paranormal and this was the point things got really confusing. As well as this when Gigi invited over family more and more characters were introduced with little background. This made it hard to follow who was who, whether they were good or bad (the lines were very blurry in this book) and what they were.
Because of this I found it very hard to connect with any of the characters, even Bijou and Sebastian. I will admit that Sebastian did have moments where I liked him and connected slightly but they were brief. For most of the book I felt very distant which made it a struggle to finish.
Overall Concealed starts off well. It intrigues you into reading more but as it goes on it gets more confusing and hard to follow very quickly. There is a fluctuation in the writing between really interesting moments and boring ones. The beginning and brief moments with Sebastian are the redeeming qualities for me which is why I bumped my rating to 3 stars and in general it was an average read that may be worth checking out.
This book started off well, although a little slow. It was intriguing and drew me into the story so I read the first 20% of this book with ease. However after this point it did become a struggle to keep turning the pages. There were moments that were both good and enjoyable while others were very easy to skim over as they didn't hold my interest. The writing did fluctuate quite a bit.
The intrigue of being the new kid, meeting a hot guy and being different was well done at the start however as the book moved on Bijou became more whiney and mopey at having no friends, wanting to be normal and her longing over Sebastian. It did become slightly irritating. As well as this the writing was quite jumpy and it made it hard to follow what was going on. This may be because of the 1st person narrative and therefore showing just how confused Bijou was but personally I didn't like it.
The main thing I didn't like was there were too many paranormal creatures involved. At the start I was led to believe that Djinns were a supernatural species and when references were made to fae, elves and other creature it reinforced this assumption. However around the half way mark the term Djinn seemed to be used as a broad term for anything paranormal and this was the point things got really confusing. As well as this when Gigi invited over family more and more characters were introduced with little background. This made it hard to follow who was who, whether they were good or bad (the lines were very blurry in this book) and what they were.
Because of this I found it very hard to connect with any of the characters, even Bijou and Sebastian. I will admit that Sebastian did have moments where I liked him and connected slightly but they were brief. For most of the book I felt very distant which made it a struggle to finish.
Overall Concealed starts off well. It intrigues you into reading more but as it goes on it gets more confusing and hard to follow very quickly. There is a fluctuation in the writing between really interesting moments and boring ones. The beginning and brief moments with Sebastian are the redeeming qualities for me which is why I bumped my rating to 3 stars and in general it was an average read that may be worth checking out.
April 13, 2013
Bijou and her grandmother have just moved to Sykesville. Bijou starts school for the first time after being homeschooled her entire life. At school she meets dreamy Sebastian and his twin Amina. Bijou and her grandmother have moved a lot; they never seem to settle in one place. And Bijou is not your ordinary girl. She can sometimes feel what others are feeling and everyone is scared to look into her eyes. Turns out she has a reason to feel different. She is the "chosen one" of prophecy. She is part djinn and supposedly the savior (or sacrifce) that will restore the powers of the djinn. Sebastian and Amina are her protectors and djinn as well. Weird things start happening at school with a teacher and mean girl Mandy. Then the djinn arrive and Bijou has to figure out what is really going on.
I almost gave up on this book. The plot was just all over the place. I found the idea of the djinn interesting, but I think this book could have really used some editing and maybe a plot outline. The characters were all over the place; I could never figure out if they were on the same side or enemies or what. One minute they were one and the next another. It was like everyone in the book had a split personality. And the djinn prophecy didn't always make sense. It seemed like things changed every once in a while to fit whatever scene was taking place. Sometimes the djinn had powers and sometimes they were powerless. Sometimes Bijou acted like she knew what the heck was going on and others she was completely clueless (about the same things). And then there was the love triangle (or square). Bijou/Sebastian/Niko/Mandy. This was just ridiculous! I almost always hate love triangles and this one ranks at the bottom of my list (or the top of the most hated). The whole story was one convoluted mess.
I received a copy of this book on netgalley.com.
I almost gave up on this book. The plot was just all over the place. I found the idea of the djinn interesting, but I think this book could have really used some editing and maybe a plot outline. The characters were all over the place; I could never figure out if they were on the same side or enemies or what. One minute they were one and the next another. It was like everyone in the book had a split personality. And the djinn prophecy didn't always make sense. It seemed like things changed every once in a while to fit whatever scene was taking place. Sometimes the djinn had powers and sometimes they were powerless. Sometimes Bijou acted like she knew what the heck was going on and others she was completely clueless (about the same things). And then there was the love triangle (or square). Bijou/Sebastian/Niko/Mandy. This was just ridiculous! I almost always hate love triangles and this one ranks at the bottom of my list (or the top of the most hated). The whole story was one convoluted mess.
I received a copy of this book on netgalley.com.
February 17, 2012
Concealed was an okay novel for me. It was a little slow, but it picked up towards the middle to 2/3 of the book. I found myself putting the book down every once in awhile because I couldn’t get into it.
This whole novel is mysterious as hinted by the title of this book, “Concealed.” I like discovering what happens in this book and to see what her grandma conceals from Bijou.
Bijou is different. She seems a little older for her age and she is pretty mature, in my opinion. She isn’t like any typical teenager. However, that is what I think makes her unique. After being home schooled for so long, she now attends a public school. Her social skills are not great at all, but I guess attending a public school changes that. She is one of those people I wouldn’t mind having as a friend. She is also the reason why I continue to read this book.
My favorite thing about this book is the details. It is a very detailed book where you cannot miss anything to picture everything and everyone. I really like that in a novel, thus, that is why I did enjoy the book.
Sang provides great details and gives us an image in the world of Bijou. It is an enjoyable novel. I would give this series another chance to see if I’ll like it or not.
This whole novel is mysterious as hinted by the title of this book, “Concealed.” I like discovering what happens in this book and to see what her grandma conceals from Bijou.
Bijou is different. She seems a little older for her age and she is pretty mature, in my opinion. She isn’t like any typical teenager. However, that is what I think makes her unique. After being home schooled for so long, she now attends a public school. Her social skills are not great at all, but I guess attending a public school changes that. She is one of those people I wouldn’t mind having as a friend. She is also the reason why I continue to read this book.
My favorite thing about this book is the details. It is a very detailed book where you cannot miss anything to picture everything and everyone. I really like that in a novel, thus, that is why I did enjoy the book.
Sang provides great details and gives us an image in the world of Bijou. It is an enjoyable novel. I would give this series another chance to see if I’ll like it or not.
May 27, 2013
This and other reviews can be found on my book blog: http://theanonymousbooklife.blogspot.com
I have been struggling to write this review and it will probably be a short one because of it. I really, really want to like Bijou and Sebastian, but I just cant commit myself to them. I really don't know what it is about them, but they just don't pop for me in the way they probably should. The relationship between them and Bijou and Niko just seems forced, which makes it hard to care about what is happening between them all.
One real criticism I have is the fact that all the action happens in the last fifty pages, but it makes the other 300+ pages seem like unending filler. The book was just too long, for the amount of story we actually got. The concept was great, I think that with a little more flesh it could have been a really fun read, but on more than one occasion I had to push myself to keep reading.
There does not seem to be any mention of the second book or when it will be available, but with an ending like Concealed had, there has to be something in the works, I just probably won't explore it.
I have been struggling to write this review and it will probably be a short one because of it. I really, really want to like Bijou and Sebastian, but I just cant commit myself to them. I really don't know what it is about them, but they just don't pop for me in the way they probably should. The relationship between them and Bijou and Niko just seems forced, which makes it hard to care about what is happening between them all.
One real criticism I have is the fact that all the action happens in the last fifty pages, but it makes the other 300+ pages seem like unending filler. The book was just too long, for the amount of story we actually got. The concept was great, I think that with a little more flesh it could have been a really fun read, but on more than one occasion I had to push myself to keep reading.
There does not seem to be any mention of the second book or when it will be available, but with an ending like Concealed had, there has to be something in the works, I just probably won't explore it.
April 21, 2013
I’m happily surprised that I actually enjoyed this book!
I had my speculations that it was gunna be boring and drab and just like everything else (I was kinda, for some reason, getting a Mortal Instruments vibe there for a while), and then it picked up speed and got hella interesting. Some things were over the top and kinda outrageous, but I love how it came together.
There is so much to Concealed and I loved exploring Bijou and the new revelations in her life. Her name is freaking awesome!
It was great to see the mythology in this (Puck!). It seemed that there was a ton of surprises that creeped around every corner. Some things I definitely didn’t see coming and some things I did.
Sebastian is oh so good. He reminded me of Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle for some reason. :) And Nikolai is adorable.
Amina is a great accomplice and she actually didn’t get on my nerves as much as I thought she would.
Concealed is a good read if you’re looking something full of awesome.
I had my speculations that it was gunna be boring and drab and just like everything else (I was kinda, for some reason, getting a Mortal Instruments vibe there for a while), and then it picked up speed and got hella interesting. Some things were over the top and kinda outrageous, but I love how it came together.
There is so much to Concealed and I loved exploring Bijou and the new revelations in her life. Her name is freaking awesome!
It was great to see the mythology in this (Puck!). It seemed that there was a ton of surprises that creeped around every corner. Some things I definitely didn’t see coming and some things I did.
Sebastian is oh so good. He reminded me of Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle for some reason. :) And Nikolai is adorable.
Amina is a great accomplice and she actually didn’t get on my nerves as much as I thought she would.
Concealed is a good read if you’re looking something full of awesome.
August 22, 2013
I tried so hard to like this book, and I just couldn't. I really had to just grit my teeth and bare it to even get through it. I loved the idea behind the book and it had so much potential. It just did not live up to that potential for me.
This is a standalone book and it was so boring throughout most of it. Then when we finally get to where the book has been building to and I felt like it wasn't very exciting at all. I was let down after battling my way up to that point.
I was confused about the MC's powers. I hated how phrases and words are repeated. Details are given as an after thought. This also read as fan fiction, and where in some books I can handle it, this one just was just a little too immature for my tastes.
I finished this. Barely. It is not one I would recommend, because it was not my cup of tea. I have seen lots and lots of good reviews also so who knows maybe I just missed the greatness of it all.
This is a standalone book and it was so boring throughout most of it. Then when we finally get to where the book has been building to and I felt like it wasn't very exciting at all. I was let down after battling my way up to that point.
I was confused about the MC's powers. I hated how phrases and words are repeated. Details are given as an after thought. This also read as fan fiction, and where in some books I can handle it, this one just was just a little too immature for my tastes.
I finished this. Barely. It is not one I would recommend, because it was not my cup of tea. I have seen lots and lots of good reviews also so who knows maybe I just missed the greatness of it all.
July 29, 2013
I received a free e-copy of this book from the publisher with the intention of leaving an honest review.
I'm not going to break the book down and try to explain what it's about because I really don't know how to.
First of all, I couldn't get past some of the spelling and grammar mistakes, some of the sentences were repeated. Then the idea that as a coping mechanism Bijou shuffles a deck of cards constantly and without looking is a little ridiculous.
The final reason that I couldn't finish the book is because although the synopsis reads like a great story the book doesn't deliver. It's almost as if the story got away from the author as she was writing it, she kept adding extra ideas that didn't gel well. The story didn't flow and the ideas were also a bit far-fetched.
I shall not be looking for the next book in this series.
I'm not going to break the book down and try to explain what it's about because I really don't know how to.
First of all, I couldn't get past some of the spelling and grammar mistakes, some of the sentences were repeated. Then the idea that as a coping mechanism Bijou shuffles a deck of cards constantly and without looking is a little ridiculous.
The final reason that I couldn't finish the book is because although the synopsis reads like a great story the book doesn't deliver. It's almost as if the story got away from the author as she was writing it, she kept adding extra ideas that didn't gel well. The story didn't flow and the ideas were also a bit far-fetched.
I shall not be looking for the next book in this series.
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