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Bullied #1
Bullied
***STEPHEN KING ON CHRISTOPHER SMITH***
"Put me down as an enthusiastic Christopher Smith fan. Smith is a cultural genius."
DESCRIPTION: From international best-selling thriller author Christopher Smith ("FIFTH AVENUE") comes a new young adult series of paranormal thrillers written under the name, C.R. Smith.
"BULLIED" is the first novella in THE BULLIED SERIES, which focuses on Seth Moore, a relentlessly bullied 18-year-old boy who is gifted an amulet that ignites within him telekinetic powers.
If Seth uses the amulet properly, it will protect him from those determined to crush him. But after so many years of being beaten down and humiliated by the school's popular crowd and the teachers who protect them, the question is whether Seth can keep away from the dark side the amulet offers--and not become a bully himself, even when all hell breaks loose.
BULLIED is an intense thriller that will speak volumes to anyone who has ever been bullied and wished they had a powerful way out. It's also a cautionary tale on the act of bullying itself.
The series contains violence and language appropriate for a PG-13 rating.
YOU CAN REACH C.R. SMITH AT ChristopherSmithBooks@gmail.com.
JOIN C.R. SMITH'S BLOG HERE FOR NEW BOOK UPDATES: http://www.christophersmithbooks.com/
INTERACT WITH C.R. SMITH ON FACEBOOK AT THIS LINK (JUST "LIKE" THE PAGE IN YOUR BROWSER): http://on.fb.me/g9Z1RY
"Put me down as an enthusiastic Christopher Smith fan. Smith is a cultural genius."
DESCRIPTION: From international best-selling thriller author Christopher Smith ("FIFTH AVENUE") comes a new young adult series of paranormal thrillers written under the name, C.R. Smith.
"BULLIED" is the first novella in THE BULLIED SERIES, which focuses on Seth Moore, a relentlessly bullied 18-year-old boy who is gifted an amulet that ignites within him telekinetic powers.
If Seth uses the amulet properly, it will protect him from those determined to crush him. But after so many years of being beaten down and humiliated by the school's popular crowd and the teachers who protect them, the question is whether Seth can keep away from the dark side the amulet offers--and not become a bully himself, even when all hell breaks loose.
BULLIED is an intense thriller that will speak volumes to anyone who has ever been bullied and wished they had a powerful way out. It's also a cautionary tale on the act of bullying itself.
The series contains violence and language appropriate for a PG-13 rating.
YOU CAN REACH C.R. SMITH AT ChristopherSmithBooks@gmail.com.
JOIN C.R. SMITH'S BLOG HERE FOR NEW BOOK UPDATES: http://www.christophersmithbooks.com/
INTERACT WITH C.R. SMITH ON FACEBOOK AT THIS LINK (JUST "LIKE" THE PAGE IN YOUR BROWSER): http://on.fb.me/g9Z1RY
75 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 11, 2011
16 people are currently reading
454 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Smith
21 books4 followersChristopher Smith is the author of the #1 international bestselling The Fifth Avenue Series, The Bullied Series, You Only Die Twice, and The Cul-de-Sac. He has sold over 3.5 million books worldwide in eighteen different languages. He lives on the coast of Maine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
May 26, 2011
When Christopher first asked me to read his novella series, I was hesitant. I hadn't heard of many book reviewers accepting author requests. But, I figured being a new book blogger meant that I couldn't be picky. I have to say that I was really lucky with what Christopher threw my way.
Bullied will keep your heart pounding with every turn of the page. You are introduced to Seth, a kid who has been bullied his entire life for reasons he never had control of. With every punch or mocking word, you real in disgust at the torment he goes through. But, he is given a chance to redeem his last year of school. With a magical token from his uncle, Seth has the opportunity to take revenge and turn the tables. It's not every day that a victim of bullying gets that chance.
I LOVE SETH. Can I make that any more clear? Who hasn't had their days of being bullied? Who doesn't have a tale to tell? I recall being slammed into a locker my freshman year. I will never forget the tears of rage that burned my eyes or a fury that was unleashed in my veins. Thankfully I let that taunting go only one more day before I stood up to her and put an end to it. Not everyone has the courage to take that stand or the opportunity. Having that knowledge of my own past, it was not difficult to attach myself to this character.
In an interesting twist, I can put myself on the other side of bullying as a teacher. No, I have never let a bully get away with anything in my classroom, but I have seen teachers do so. It is sick, demeaning and an injustice. It is easier to stop in elementary school, though. High school is a whole other world of bullying. Smith outlines the true horrors and gets the reader wanting to take a stand right then.
Bullied will keep your heart pounding with every turn of the page. You are introduced to Seth, a kid who has been bullied his entire life for reasons he never had control of. With every punch or mocking word, you real in disgust at the torment he goes through. But, he is given a chance to redeem his last year of school. With a magical token from his uncle, Seth has the opportunity to take revenge and turn the tables. It's not every day that a victim of bullying gets that chance.
I LOVE SETH. Can I make that any more clear? Who hasn't had their days of being bullied? Who doesn't have a tale to tell? I recall being slammed into a locker my freshman year. I will never forget the tears of rage that burned my eyes or a fury that was unleashed in my veins. Thankfully I let that taunting go only one more day before I stood up to her and put an end to it. Not everyone has the courage to take that stand or the opportunity. Having that knowledge of my own past, it was not difficult to attach myself to this character.
In an interesting twist, I can put myself on the other side of bullying as a teacher. No, I have never let a bully get away with anything in my classroom, but I have seen teachers do so. It is sick, demeaning and an injustice. It is easier to stop in elementary school, though. High school is a whole other world of bullying. Smith outlines the true horrors and gets the reader wanting to take a stand right then.
August 12, 2012
Another great freebie from Amazon! I'm sure everyone can relate to bullies, either being the one that dished it out, or on the other end receiving it. I don't want to give the plot away, but naturally I was rooting for the underdog. Having been bullied in grade school, I could relate to Seth, the main character and what he was going through. I wish I could have "handled" my problems the way he did. I only had trouble in grade school for a couple of years. I can't imagine dealing with bullies as he did for all those years. Anyway, since is book one of the series, the story ended right as an exciting development was happening, leaving you hanging. It was a quick read for me. That means it was so good and I couldn't put it down! I'm looking forward to book two and what happens next.
December 26, 2017
Describing this novella as an "intense thriller" or a "cautionary tale", is just way too much. What it basically boils down to - despite what the summary wants you to believe - is a bully becoming a bully. There's no subtlety here. The only good thing I can say about this short story is that it can be read in an hour.
I won't be reading the rest of this series.
I won't be reading the rest of this series.
April 21, 2022
High school senior bullied his entire life is given an amulet by Creepy Jim. Suddenly, our hero acquires abilities and powers that turn the tables on his tormentors. Fast amusing read.
January 16, 2016
Oh boy, this book…was a rough read. Bullied is about this kid in high school, Seth, that (shockingly enough) gets picked on a lot. and goodness gracious does he let you know it. He then is given a magical amulet that allows him to basically be a demigod. Screw picking one power for the kid to become a badass, Christopher Smith wanted him to have access to the whole shebang. Unfortunately, this didn’t make me like Seth, or this book.
It felt like 50% of Bullied was Seth whining about all of the injustices in his life. The kids at school don’t like him. His teachers don’t do anything about him being constantly bullied. Everyone thinks he’s worthless. His parents are drunks and don’t care about him. Basically, everything about Seth’s life sucks, and that gets really old to hear about after a while.
Worse still, unlike the more likely scenario of a “trailer trash” kid in high school, he’s not ignored by his peers, but reviled by them. They all hate him. Many of them go to great lengths to pick on Seth, calling him cliched names left and right, and treating him with pure disdain. This scenario Christopher Smith is trying to unfold is simply not realistic in the slightest, nor is it entertaining or enjoyable to read. It just sucks, and unrealistically so.
If we had a pure of heart type of MC, maybe this goes in a different direction. However, Seth is just an arse with his powers, or at other times incredibly self-absorbed, and he’s always a self-serving moron with them. There is no subtlety here, none. It was irritating.
Overall, the only bright spots in this novella is the ending. It was the only mild surprise in the piece, and leads to future books that might take this concept and make it into something palatable. But, this first book in the Bullied series? No thanks.
It felt like 50% of Bullied was Seth whining about all of the injustices in his life. The kids at school don’t like him. His teachers don’t do anything about him being constantly bullied. Everyone thinks he’s worthless. His parents are drunks and don’t care about him. Basically, everything about Seth’s life sucks, and that gets really old to hear about after a while.
Worse still, unlike the more likely scenario of a “trailer trash” kid in high school, he’s not ignored by his peers, but reviled by them. They all hate him. Many of them go to great lengths to pick on Seth, calling him cliched names left and right, and treating him with pure disdain. This scenario Christopher Smith is trying to unfold is simply not realistic in the slightest, nor is it entertaining or enjoyable to read. It just sucks, and unrealistically so.
If we had a pure of heart type of MC, maybe this goes in a different direction. However, Seth is just an arse with his powers, or at other times incredibly self-absorbed, and he’s always a self-serving moron with them. There is no subtlety here, none. It was irritating.
Overall, the only bright spots in this novella is the ending. It was the only mild surprise in the piece, and leads to future books that might take this concept and make it into something palatable. But, this first book in the Bullied series? No thanks.
June 27, 2018
My heart aches for more. The way he ended the story honestly killed me inside. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. I was honestly hoping for some gay romance to transpire but it hasn't happened...YET! I still have high hopes that Seth and Alex will find their way to one another. Poor Alex. Well, actually it's poor Seth, but Alex deserves some sympathy just as much as Seth. Ok! Maybe not just as much but you get what I mean. That ending honestly almost made me cry. It took me a few hours to read this. It's a quick and easy read if you just want something to entertain you for a little while.
April 26, 2018
Intense and frightening
August 7, 2011
Seth Moore has not been granted the best lot in life. He lives in a trailer, his parents are both unemployed drunks, his skin is covered in acne, and his body is weak. Thanks to this terrific combination of attributes, he has been bullied his entire life. The last three years of high school have seen him beat up regularly and verbally abused constantly by his fellow students.
On the first day of his senior year, Seth receives an amulet as a gift from a friend of his father. This amulet gives him the power to change his life. Anything he can envision with his mind and his heart, he can make happen.
As Seth begins to use the amulet to defend himself against the students who have bullied him AND the teachers who have allowed the bullying to continue, he discovers that this new power can be difficult to control. The hate in his own heart could turn him into a bully himself. Furthermore, if the hate gets the best of him, he could accidentally kill someone. And worse yet, the bullies could increase the intensity of their attacks against him instead of backing down.
First of all, I have to give kudos to the cover designer for this book. It is a freakin awesome cover. I don’t often read/review YA novels, but I made an exception in this case because the cover had me hooked. Brilliant time to publish this book too, considering bullying is finally being publicly recognized for the problem it is.
Anybody out there get bullied in school? I did. I can very clearly remember the insults that were thrown at me from two girls in junior high school on a daily basis. For those of you who were bullied, do you remember the stuff you fantasized would happen to your bullies? I used to fantasize that the girls who bullied me would have all their hair fall out overnight. Seth’s amulet gives him the power to do things like that to the kids who bully him…. and trust me, he takes advantage. You will not be able to put this book down, nor will you want to.
But there is a message here too. Because, once we start treating people with hatred, whether we think they deserve it or not, we are letting ourselves become just as bad as they are. No matter how tempting it is to follow the path of revenge, evil only breeds more evil and hate only breeds more hate.
This is a short book and therefore a quick read. There are three books in the series that I know of, so I’m guessing that combined they probably equal one full-length novel. This book ends with a doozie of a cliffhanger, so if you are going to read it, you may as well get the 2nd book, Revenge, at the same time.
Highly recommended for anyone who has ever been bullied and/or anyone who has been a bully. That should include pretty much everyone.
On the first day of his senior year, Seth receives an amulet as a gift from a friend of his father. This amulet gives him the power to change his life. Anything he can envision with his mind and his heart, he can make happen.
As Seth begins to use the amulet to defend himself against the students who have bullied him AND the teachers who have allowed the bullying to continue, he discovers that this new power can be difficult to control. The hate in his own heart could turn him into a bully himself. Furthermore, if the hate gets the best of him, he could accidentally kill someone. And worse yet, the bullies could increase the intensity of their attacks against him instead of backing down.
First of all, I have to give kudos to the cover designer for this book. It is a freakin awesome cover. I don’t often read/review YA novels, but I made an exception in this case because the cover had me hooked. Brilliant time to publish this book too, considering bullying is finally being publicly recognized for the problem it is.
Anybody out there get bullied in school? I did. I can very clearly remember the insults that were thrown at me from two girls in junior high school on a daily basis. For those of you who were bullied, do you remember the stuff you fantasized would happen to your bullies? I used to fantasize that the girls who bullied me would have all their hair fall out overnight. Seth’s amulet gives him the power to do things like that to the kids who bully him…. and trust me, he takes advantage. You will not be able to put this book down, nor will you want to.
But there is a message here too. Because, once we start treating people with hatred, whether we think they deserve it or not, we are letting ourselves become just as bad as they are. No matter how tempting it is to follow the path of revenge, evil only breeds more evil and hate only breeds more hate.
This is a short book and therefore a quick read. There are three books in the series that I know of, so I’m guessing that combined they probably equal one full-length novel. This book ends with a doozie of a cliffhanger, so if you are going to read it, you may as well get the 2nd book, Revenge, at the same time.
Highly recommended for anyone who has ever been bullied and/or anyone who has been a bully. That should include pretty much everyone.
May 6, 2013
"Amazing Thriller of a Story"
I started reading this story last night and finished it this afternoon. Amazing! Seth Moore is a senior in high-school hell, as he calls it. He's been harassed, bullied, kicked, spit at, all of his life in this small community. Even his teachers are non-supportive, and the worst part ... he has no friends. Both his parents are alcoholics, unemployed, impoverished, living in a trailer. Seth is returning to school in September for his last year of school. After which he plans to take his diploma and run far away from the horrid, sad life he leads. On the first day heading to school on the morning school bus, he is harassed, but a new student to town stands up and defends him. Alex is tall, muscled, and while living in Manhattan helped his brother who was always bullied. He's a good kid and will be Seth's friend. Before long, Seth is determined to speak up for himself, he's not going to take bullying any longer. This story is superbly written, the pace moves right along, the story is captivating and engaging. There's quite a twist at the end, thus I hurriedly downloaded the second book of the series, "Revenge" and third book, "Witch." I sure do highly recommend this for teens and also adults.
I started reading this story last night and finished it this afternoon. Amazing! Seth Moore is a senior in high-school hell, as he calls it. He's been harassed, bullied, kicked, spit at, all of his life in this small community. Even his teachers are non-supportive, and the worst part ... he has no friends. Both his parents are alcoholics, unemployed, impoverished, living in a trailer. Seth is returning to school in September for his last year of school. After which he plans to take his diploma and run far away from the horrid, sad life he leads. On the first day heading to school on the morning school bus, he is harassed, but a new student to town stands up and defends him. Alex is tall, muscled, and while living in Manhattan helped his brother who was always bullied. He's a good kid and will be Seth's friend. Before long, Seth is determined to speak up for himself, he's not going to take bullying any longer. This story is superbly written, the pace moves right along, the story is captivating and engaging. There's quite a twist at the end, thus I hurriedly downloaded the second book of the series, "Revenge" and third book, "Witch." I sure do highly recommend this for teens and also adults.
October 4, 2011
Imagine if you were ruthlessly bullied your whole life because of things you could not change - where you live, what your parents do etc AND then one day you suddenly gain the power to change your fate. What would you do? Christopher Smith gives us a novella (& free ebook), which shares Seth's story of exactly that premise. This is indeed an intense story that deserves a chance of you reading it!
Goodread summary: "Seth Moore, a relentlessly bullied 18-year-old boy who is gifted an amulet that ignites within him telekinetic powers. If Seth uses the amulet properly, it will protect him from those determined to crush him. But after so many years of being beaten down and humiliated by the school's popular crowd and the teachers who protect them, the question is whether Seth can keep away from the dark side the amulet offers--and not become a bully himself, even when all hell breaks loose.
BULLIED is an intense thriller that will speak volumes to anyone who has ever been bullied and wished they had a powerful way out. It's also a cautionary tale on the act of bullying itself."
Goodread summary: "Seth Moore, a relentlessly bullied 18-year-old boy who is gifted an amulet that ignites within him telekinetic powers. If Seth uses the amulet properly, it will protect him from those determined to crush him. But after so many years of being beaten down and humiliated by the school's popular crowd and the teachers who protect them, the question is whether Seth can keep away from the dark side the amulet offers--and not become a bully himself, even when all hell breaks loose.
BULLIED is an intense thriller that will speak volumes to anyone who has ever been bullied and wished they had a powerful way out. It's also a cautionary tale on the act of bullying itself."
March 7, 2012
Nooooooo!!!!! How could it end like that? Why? How did this guy get me so invested in his characters in just a few short pages? How did he do it? Aghhhh! I need the rest yesterday! If you even think about taking a break while writing this series I will find you Smith! I Will Find You! This is amazing work! You are up there with Ilona Andrews and Patricia Briggs as one of my favorite authors, people I would kidnap and take with me on a desert island to write for me! (Well, a desert island with amenities of course, got to have electricity for dem 'puters.) You know what, this may be the first book I recommend on Goodreads. I will recommend it to all my friends, once I get on a real computer instead of my phone. I love Seth already! As soon as I get money I'm buying the rest of these books because I assume you are pulling a T.C. Southwell (another one of my absolute faves) on us and making the first book free and the rest of them charged. Get yer hooks inta us and play us like a fiddle. Well, it worked. I'm officially addicted.
July 8, 2011
This book grabs you from the start, the voice of the narrator is compelling & insistent. I was drawn in immediately & literally did not stop until I reached the end. The only downside--its a short read & the way it ends BEGS you to get the next book. I feel Book 1 & Book 2 could have made one book--but thats a mere quibble. The story is gripping, flows great, the characters are real, the connection one feels to the main character is solid.
Great, great start to a series that I hope continues on! Can't wait for Book 3!
Great, great start to a series that I hope continues on! Can't wait for Book 3!
September 9, 2016
I thought this book was very very good! I was surprised I liked it because it is for young people which I usually don't care for, but am now inspired to read more of! It's still hard for me to give an adequate review due to my inexperience in this genre. I've read Christopher Smith's other books and I must say, he is one fantabulous writer. FIFTH AVENUE is a very good book and I'm excited to read PARK AVENUE. So that's why I picked up BULLIED. I was NOT disappointed. Keep it up Chris! I love you!
July 7, 2011
The story of a guy who is constantly bullied by almost everyone at school. He gets an amulet that helps him against his problems. I got this book in my kindle because the title and sinopsis is catchy. The book excedeed my expectations, I enjoyed it a lot.
I think many youngsters would feel identified and get a lot of fun thinking about what they would do if they had magical powers to solve their problems.
I think many youngsters would feel identified and get a lot of fun thinking about what they would do if they had magical powers to solve their problems.
July 25, 2011
Great book for anyone interested in the problem of bullying. It is gaining much more notice and Christopher Smith deals with it in a way that exposes some of the dirty little secrets underlying the bully's reasoning as well as the thoughts and feelings of those being bullied. If anyone could write a well-defined story that is both educational and interesting (I just can't say enjoyable but I did enjoy reading it), it is Mr. Smith. This is a must read for families.
August 31, 2011
Having been bullied during college and high school, I can relate to what’s happening to Seth. Bullying is something I will not tolerate on any other person, and that is why my heart made a jump at the mention of the buff friend that stands up to the bullied. Had I been in Seth’s place, no way I could not have gotten revenge right there… I’m looking forward to reading the sequel. Great novel, I recommend it.
February 22, 2012
This was a great find. You really feel sorry for Seth as he is continuously tormented, and I genuinely found myself hating Mike, Ginny, and Tyler. I was bullied as a child, but no where near this bad. He finds an amulet that helps to turn things around, but as I could feel hate for his tormentors, I started to fear what he was becoming. I've started the sequel, Revenge, and I can't seem to put it down either. I'm sure a review for it will be up shortly.
August 17, 2012
If you have ever been bullied in your life, this book will interest you. I really enjoyed the book, and the author writes well. I am drawn into his story and can barely put the book down. I am drawn in from the first page all the way through to the last. This series has a tendency to just Drop at the end of the book, but the next book picks up immediately where it left off. I'm glad I don't have to wait for a new book to be released!
February 5, 2014
I read this off and on for a bit and finally finished it. It wasn't a long book but I loved it. I'm sure most people can relate to Seth and his being bullied. In this story he gets a little help from an amulet of unknown origin that makes things happen. I think those who have been in this situation probably wished for something 'mysterious' or 'magical' to happen and make things better.
I hate it took so long to finish, but glad I did. Looking forward to finishing the series.
I hate it took so long to finish, but glad I did. Looking forward to finishing the series.
September 18, 2011
WOW! I think this is one of the best written books ive read in a long time. The concept was incredible and the characters where unbelievable. This book can relate to so many people (althought things hit a bit of an e xtreme here for bullies, however, i dont put it past them to do such things or worse). I cant wait to read the nxt one and the next and the nxt! Im totally hoocked!!
May 17, 2011
I'm not much into sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal type books and I thought this book ran more towards that kind. That being said, it was a story to keep you wanting to turn the next page. Not really sure that I would read any of the sequels to it. I was expecting more of a legal type story.
May 18, 2011
Really interesting story! Love the way it makes you want to keep flipping pages until the very end, also the way it mixes magic with complex feelings of the life of a bullied teenager and the whole right-and-wrong scheme of things.
July 14, 2011
Not bad. I don't remember bullying being this bad when I was in high school, but then again I wasn't bullied or a bullier. This was a pretty quick read so I'll probably check out the 2nd book to see what happens to Seth. . .
June 1, 2013
This is a very short book, a bit different to what I would normally read, very sci-fi with the Amulet having powers, but once started reading it I couldn't put it down, excellent writing, it draws you in!
Look forward to reading Revenge :-)
Look forward to reading Revenge :-)
April 14, 2011
I didn't realize it was a Novella when I started. I enjoyed what I've read so far. It has an entertaining story, good pace and interesting characters.
Want to read
July 6, 2011This is one creepy cover!
July 18, 2011
A Kindle Freebie.
I was impressed with the novel overall. However, this book is such a quick, short read, that it seems more like half of a TV movie than novel.
I was impressed with the novel overall. However, this book is such a quick, short read, that it seems more like half of a TV movie than novel.
July 23, 2011
Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!
Loved this book! For anyone who's been bullied, or is watching their children go through this, this book will resonate with you. Now, off to buy the second!!
Loved this book! For anyone who's been bullied, or is watching their children go through this, this book will resonate with you. Now, off to buy the second!!
September 16, 2011
Good short story - starts out nice and real - then goes to the witch things. For a person who is not a fantasy fan I thought this was fun. Even went out to find the next book in the series.
January 16, 2012
Not my usual choice of books but i really got into it and will be reading the next in the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews