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LS #1
The Beginning
A handshake between strangers has never held so much promise for discovery.
When Stephen Wilson meets Lisa Morgan at his new school in Sloutenville, it is the simple act of extending his hand in greeting that flips both of their worlds upside-down. With the gesture, both discover that in some way they are connected, and that they share the ability to manipulate the elements, fire and water. Though their abilities vary, they share the gift of telepathy allowing them to communicate without words, which creates a bond between them stronger than either had expected.
As the two begin to spend more and more time together, David, Lisa's ex becomes wild with jealousy, launching multiple attacks on Lisa. In the fight against the dangers that await them around every corner, Stephen and Lisa soon discover that they are up against much greater odds than they had originally known, and that their struggles are far from over.
When Stephen Wilson meets Lisa Morgan at his new school in Sloutenville, it is the simple act of extending his hand in greeting that flips both of their worlds upside-down. With the gesture, both discover that in some way they are connected, and that they share the ability to manipulate the elements, fire and water. Though their abilities vary, they share the gift of telepathy allowing them to communicate without words, which creates a bond between them stronger than either had expected.
As the two begin to spend more and more time together, David, Lisa's ex becomes wild with jealousy, launching multiple attacks on Lisa. In the fight against the dangers that await them around every corner, Stephen and Lisa soon discover that they are up against much greater odds than they had originally known, and that their struggles are far from over.
- GenresYoung AdultParanormal
302 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2011
556 people want to read
About the author
Kelvin O'Ralph
13 books61 followersKelvin O'Ralph is a YA/Thriller/Fantasy author residing in the United Kingdom. He has been writing for over 6 years now, and has written a few projects during these years
Still in search for a good publishing deal from a traditional publisher, he focuses on his art and improves his craft by working on amazing projects such as the Sandville High series. The main concept behind the series is to provide readers with a rich suspenseful plot that ensues in readers wanting to learn more about the characters and their stories. He hopes one day this project will be developed into a TV series.
Kelvin's major influences have been Stephen King, Danielle Steel, Mary Higgins Clark, J.K. Rowling, Lee Child. He loves football (soccer) and adores Emma Watson (the girl from Harry Potter).
To find out more about Kelvin, visit his blog at www.kelvinoralph.net Twitter: @KelvinORalph Facebook: Kelvin O'Ralph
Still in search for a good publishing deal from a traditional publisher, he focuses on his art and improves his craft by working on amazing projects such as the Sandville High series. The main concept behind the series is to provide readers with a rich suspenseful plot that ensues in readers wanting to learn more about the characters and their stories. He hopes one day this project will be developed into a TV series.
Kelvin's major influences have been Stephen King, Danielle Steel, Mary Higgins Clark, J.K. Rowling, Lee Child. He loves football (soccer) and adores Emma Watson (the girl from Harry Potter).
To find out more about Kelvin, visit his blog at www.kelvinoralph.net Twitter: @KelvinORalph Facebook: Kelvin O'Ralph
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 28, 2011
Description:
Stephen and Lisa are two college kids who discover that they both have special abilities. One can create fire and the other creates ice, but they share the powers of mind reading, telepathy, and super speed. When they meet, they feel an instant connection to each other, but in order to stay together and figure out where their powers come from, they must overcome exes as well as other dangers.
Review:
I really gave this book a chance, but after the first few chapters I started to lose interest and had a hard time finishing it. The premise is good, but the writing style, character development, and dialogue are not. I can tell that Kevin O'Ralph is a new author, and some of these format errors are expected, but the fact that there are so many grammatical errors as well as errors in overall structure, make this book very difficult to read. There were some sentences that didn't even make sense, and after realizing the author was from the UK, I concluded that the language barrier must be to blame. But an editor of some sort would do this book, and future books, wonders. Unless the writing improves, I won't look forward to the sequel(s).
Stephen and Lisa are two college kids who discover that they both have special abilities. One can create fire and the other creates ice, but they share the powers of mind reading, telepathy, and super speed. When they meet, they feel an instant connection to each other, but in order to stay together and figure out where their powers come from, they must overcome exes as well as other dangers.
Review:
I really gave this book a chance, but after the first few chapters I started to lose interest and had a hard time finishing it. The premise is good, but the writing style, character development, and dialogue are not. I can tell that Kevin O'Ralph is a new author, and some of these format errors are expected, but the fact that there are so many grammatical errors as well as errors in overall structure, make this book very difficult to read. There were some sentences that didn't even make sense, and after realizing the author was from the UK, I concluded that the language barrier must be to blame. But an editor of some sort would do this book, and future books, wonders. Unless the writing improves, I won't look forward to the sequel(s).
December 5, 2011
LS The Beginning an e-book by Kelvin O'Ralph.
What a sweet whimsical book. This is an old fashioned love story the likes
of which I have not read in years. Its also a paranormal YA / New Adult
read. Although the two main characters Stephen and Lisa have super powers.
The one commands over fire the other ice. It is the love story that mostly
sticks with me.
The writing is excellent. Pacing is fine and the author goes through a lot
of trouble building character. The book is written from a male point of
view. You read the story and experience everything through the eyes of
Stephen. That is the one thing that gave me pause. I stopped reading the
book because something bothered me and made me feel uncomfortable while
reading. At one stage I gave up reading the book for two days. When I
returned to the book I realised what exactly it was that I found so hard to
read. It had nothing to do with the male point of view. Instead it had to do
with the respect Stephen and by proxy Kelvin shows to all females.
I know we all are told we are worth it. But somehow reading how much respect
Stephen has for females, from his mother to Lisa and several other strangers
and friends in between caught me unawares. Once I realised that I had
trouble reading a book due to the fact that the male lead has so much
respect for woman gave me several moments of pause. But I picked up the
story where I left it and continued together with Kelvin and Stephen and
Lisa in a journey into the unknown.
At the end of the book you know a few things.
Lisa and Stephen have super powers and they are not alone.
Lisa's life is in danger through a threat posed by another male who also has
super powers.
The books name LS the Beginning is not explained. LS is something that will
become apparent only in the third book in the series.
Stephen will do anything for Lisa.
Men believe in true love and some men show their respect for women.
I loved the fact that by the end of the book no real answers has come forth.
Questions has been asked and certain story lines have come to a conclusion
but in such a manner that you feel comfortable is finishing the book whilst
looking forward to the next book in search of answers.
I really enjoyed the book after I got over my own preconceived notions and
feel I owe the author a word of thanks. It is seldom that a fictional tale
has served to broaden my mental horizons. Thanks Kelvin - because we are
worth it!
What a sweet whimsical book. This is an old fashioned love story the likes
of which I have not read in years. Its also a paranormal YA / New Adult
read. Although the two main characters Stephen and Lisa have super powers.
The one commands over fire the other ice. It is the love story that mostly
sticks with me.
The writing is excellent. Pacing is fine and the author goes through a lot
of trouble building character. The book is written from a male point of
view. You read the story and experience everything through the eyes of
Stephen. That is the one thing that gave me pause. I stopped reading the
book because something bothered me and made me feel uncomfortable while
reading. At one stage I gave up reading the book for two days. When I
returned to the book I realised what exactly it was that I found so hard to
read. It had nothing to do with the male point of view. Instead it had to do
with the respect Stephen and by proxy Kelvin shows to all females.
I know we all are told we are worth it. But somehow reading how much respect
Stephen has for females, from his mother to Lisa and several other strangers
and friends in between caught me unawares. Once I realised that I had
trouble reading a book due to the fact that the male lead has so much
respect for woman gave me several moments of pause. But I picked up the
story where I left it and continued together with Kelvin and Stephen and
Lisa in a journey into the unknown.
At the end of the book you know a few things.
Lisa and Stephen have super powers and they are not alone.
Lisa's life is in danger through a threat posed by another male who also has
super powers.
The books name LS the Beginning is not explained. LS is something that will
become apparent only in the third book in the series.
Stephen will do anything for Lisa.
Men believe in true love and some men show their respect for women.
I loved the fact that by the end of the book no real answers has come forth.
Questions has been asked and certain story lines have come to a conclusion
but in such a manner that you feel comfortable is finishing the book whilst
looking forward to the next book in search of answers.
I really enjoyed the book after I got over my own preconceived notions and
feel I owe the author a word of thanks. It is seldom that a fictional tale
has served to broaden my mental horizons. Thanks Kelvin - because we are
worth it!
October 16, 2014
originally appeared on:Bookshelf Confessions
*I won a free copy of this e-book in a LibraryThing Member Giveaway*
this is honestly the first book i've read from a male perspective..
i wasn't disappointed though,..
Kelvin O'Ralph develop a new line of a story wherein a reader could dive himself into.. the story itself is so powerful and all the character's uniqueness adds up to the greatness of the book..
the theme of the story is a new intake on mystery and magic or maybe sci-fi..
you could even make yourself believed that you're in there with the characters-discovering who they really are, why with all the powers, growing from themselves, learning their powers and getting to know and falling for each other..
i enjoyed the romance aspect of the book..though it's not so much emphasized,,.but still LS: The Beginning is just so good..
and by the way..here's another book that proves "Don't judge a book by its title"..
a one-stop-read book and really remarkable and wonderful, LS:The Beginning leads you to a world of magic, mystery, and romance...
*************************************************
A handshake between strangers has never held so much promise for discovery.
When Stephen Wilson meets Lisa Morgan at his new school in Sloutenville, it is the simple act of extending his hand in greeting that flips both of their worlds upside-down. With the gesture, both discover that in some way they are connected, and that they share the ability to manipulate the elements, fire and water. Though their abilities vary, they share the gift of telepathy allowing them to communicate without words, which creates a bond between them stronger than either had expected.
As the two begin to spend more and more time together David, Lisa's ex, becomes wild with jealousy, lunching multiple attacks on Lisa. In the fight against the dangers that await them around every corner, Stephen and Lisa soon discover that they are up against much greater odds than they had originally known, and that their struggles are far from over.
*I won a free copy of this e-book in a LibraryThing Member Giveaway*
this is honestly the first book i've read from a male perspective..
i wasn't disappointed though,..
Kelvin O'Ralph develop a new line of a story wherein a reader could dive himself into.. the story itself is so powerful and all the character's uniqueness adds up to the greatness of the book..
the theme of the story is a new intake on mystery and magic or maybe sci-fi..
you could even make yourself believed that you're in there with the characters-discovering who they really are, why with all the powers, growing from themselves, learning their powers and getting to know and falling for each other..
i enjoyed the romance aspect of the book..though it's not so much emphasized,,.but still LS: The Beginning is just so good..
and by the way..here's another book that proves "Don't judge a book by its title"..
a one-stop-read book and really remarkable and wonderful, LS:The Beginning leads you to a world of magic, mystery, and romance...
*************************************************
A handshake between strangers has never held so much promise for discovery.
When Stephen Wilson meets Lisa Morgan at his new school in Sloutenville, it is the simple act of extending his hand in greeting that flips both of their worlds upside-down. With the gesture, both discover that in some way they are connected, and that they share the ability to manipulate the elements, fire and water. Though their abilities vary, they share the gift of telepathy allowing them to communicate without words, which creates a bond between them stronger than either had expected.
As the two begin to spend more and more time together David, Lisa's ex, becomes wild with jealousy, lunching multiple attacks on Lisa. In the fight against the dangers that await them around every corner, Stephen and Lisa soon discover that they are up against much greater odds than they had originally known, and that their struggles are far from over.
December 7, 2011
The Beginning was one of them books that you knew was going to be good, you just didn't know how good. Well, I honestly thought it was very enjoyable and liked the direction author took with this novel.
The story follows Stephen Wilson who moves to a new school in Sloutenville. When he meets Lisa Morgan one day, they shake hands and from that moment his life suddenly changes. Both Lisa and Stephen soon discover they are connected and that they can manipulate the elements, fire and water. Stephan and Lisa soon become fast friends but when Lisa's ex becomes jealous, this only leads to dangerous things.
It's not often I read books from the male prospective and I have to say I do usually prefer a female one because I feel more connected to them. Hey, I'm female...so it's expected BUT I have to say I think Kelvin O'Ralph did a great job with Stephen. He created a really likeable character that was easy to connect too and had a great personality. I really enjoyed the emotions that Stephen had when he first connects with Lisa and I definitely enjoyed how his feelings developed for her.
The general storyline itself was at a good pace with a great mix of excitement and romance, with a few twists and turns. There were a few questions that weren't answered in this book but leaves me interested to read book two.
My only complaint with the book is I would have of liked a bit more dialogue and depth from the characters, however I could over look that because it was a good read and I'd recommend anyone to try it.
Thank you to the author for giving me the opportunity to review this book.
The story follows Stephen Wilson who moves to a new school in Sloutenville. When he meets Lisa Morgan one day, they shake hands and from that moment his life suddenly changes. Both Lisa and Stephen soon discover they are connected and that they can manipulate the elements, fire and water. Stephan and Lisa soon become fast friends but when Lisa's ex becomes jealous, this only leads to dangerous things.
It's not often I read books from the male prospective and I have to say I do usually prefer a female one because I feel more connected to them. Hey, I'm female...so it's expected BUT I have to say I think Kelvin O'Ralph did a great job with Stephen. He created a really likeable character that was easy to connect too and had a great personality. I really enjoyed the emotions that Stephen had when he first connects with Lisa and I definitely enjoyed how his feelings developed for her.
The general storyline itself was at a good pace with a great mix of excitement and romance, with a few twists and turns. There were a few questions that weren't answered in this book but leaves me interested to read book two.
My only complaint with the book is I would have of liked a bit more dialogue and depth from the characters, however I could over look that because it was a good read and I'd recommend anyone to try it.
Thank you to the author for giving me the opportunity to review this book.
June 2, 2011
I had contacted the Kelvin O'Ralph to review the book and I wasn't disappointed. I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters. I must say that I haven't read a book from the male perspective only recently so it was a nice change from my current readings.
Originally posted on my blog at hpreviewsbooks.blogspot.com
The male lead is Stephen, and he seems to be able to wrap his mind around things a bit more easily than his female counter part Lisa. Lisa is hot tempered and doesn't appreciate her gifts at first. Stephen takes to them right away. The change that both Stephen and Lisa experience is quite unusual. While I wish that O'Ralph went a bit more in depth with the powers and how Stephen was able to understand them more easily, however it doesn't detract from the story.
I did enjoy the romance aspect of the book as well. I was able to get more of the later portion of the book as it was very identifiable for me. The ending is definitely a set up for the next one, and has me wondering what is going to happen next.
I have so many unanswered questions that I am just hoping will be answered in the upcoming book(s). Unfortunately laying them out here would be major spoilers, so when the book comes out, pick it up and read it!
So overall I give this book my Pretty Good rating:
Originally posted on my blog at hpreviewsbooks.blogspot.com
The male lead is Stephen, and he seems to be able to wrap his mind around things a bit more easily than his female counter part Lisa. Lisa is hot tempered and doesn't appreciate her gifts at first. Stephen takes to them right away. The change that both Stephen and Lisa experience is quite unusual. While I wish that O'Ralph went a bit more in depth with the powers and how Stephen was able to understand them more easily, however it doesn't detract from the story.
I did enjoy the romance aspect of the book as well. I was able to get more of the later portion of the book as it was very identifiable for me. The ending is definitely a set up for the next one, and has me wondering what is going to happen next.
I have so many unanswered questions that I am just hoping will be answered in the upcoming book(s). Unfortunately laying them out here would be major spoilers, so when the book comes out, pick it up and read it!
So overall I give this book my Pretty Good rating:
July 10, 2011
I liked most of the book and characters but left a lot of questions unanswered that I will have to wait till the next book comes out. Which I hate to wait.
stephen is a college student from africa even though he has duel citizenship he comes to Sloutenville for his second year. He met by his aunt who takes him to his house.car, and has a million dollars in bank account.
His cousin Stacy lives with him and goes to college with him. Stephen shakes hands with Lisa and he starts to change. he can manipalate water,hear from far away cant eat or sleep. Lisa is changing too but she deals with fire.
Stephen also meets Julie, Stacy friend and likes her and goes out for awhile. Julie is obsessed with Stephen. He also goes out with Sharon and becomes good buddies with her but Lisa is the one he really wants to date. Lisa and Steph help each other learn to use their new skills with each other.
Its a really good interaction with different characters. I like Stephen and Lisa but want to know how come they are different. What do their parents really know. Why is Lisa old boyfriend trying to kill her. How does their jewerly work. Cant wait for the next book to come out. I was given this ebook in exchange for honest review.
stephen is a college student from africa even though he has duel citizenship he comes to Sloutenville for his second year. He met by his aunt who takes him to his house.car, and has a million dollars in bank account.
His cousin Stacy lives with him and goes to college with him. Stephen shakes hands with Lisa and he starts to change. he can manipalate water,hear from far away cant eat or sleep. Lisa is changing too but she deals with fire.
Stephen also meets Julie, Stacy friend and likes her and goes out for awhile. Julie is obsessed with Stephen. He also goes out with Sharon and becomes good buddies with her but Lisa is the one he really wants to date. Lisa and Steph help each other learn to use their new skills with each other.
Its a really good interaction with different characters. I like Stephen and Lisa but want to know how come they are different. What do their parents really know. Why is Lisa old boyfriend trying to kill her. How does their jewerly work. Cant wait for the next book to come out. I was given this ebook in exchange for honest review.
June 2, 2011
LS The Begining Review
LS The Begining is a powerful story about young man, who, upon coming to America, learns his parents have bought him gifts: a house, a fararie, and over a million dollars. But these are not the only gifts he has unexpectently recieved.
He has also been given the gift of power. A power in which he can freeze anything he chooses to freeze. He shares his gift with a beautiful young woman, who also has recieved a gift of her own. A gift that reflects off of his own. The gift of fire.
Now, the two of them must learn why they have been bestowed with such powerful gifts.
I found myself drawn in with this story, back to a time, with the characters, when I knew rhe same up and down emotions of high school, and all the feelings that come with this time in each of our lives when we are experiencing a kelidoscope of emotions, and learning what defines our life as our own.
The two young people are drawn down a path, where the must, not only define thmselves and their future, but how their powers fit in this future as they are tumbled, head long, into a spectacular adventure.
I give, LS The Begining five stars, and highly recommend reading it.
LS The Begining is a powerful story about young man, who, upon coming to America, learns his parents have bought him gifts: a house, a fararie, and over a million dollars. But these are not the only gifts he has unexpectently recieved.
He has also been given the gift of power. A power in which he can freeze anything he chooses to freeze. He shares his gift with a beautiful young woman, who also has recieved a gift of her own. A gift that reflects off of his own. The gift of fire.
Now, the two of them must learn why they have been bestowed with such powerful gifts.
I found myself drawn in with this story, back to a time, with the characters, when I knew rhe same up and down emotions of high school, and all the feelings that come with this time in each of our lives when we are experiencing a kelidoscope of emotions, and learning what defines our life as our own.
The two young people are drawn down a path, where the must, not only define thmselves and their future, but how their powers fit in this future as they are tumbled, head long, into a spectacular adventure.
I give, LS The Begining five stars, and highly recommend reading it.
November 13, 2011
This is the first book I have read by kelvin o'ralph.It was a little hard for me to get into at first.When stephen first came to his new house I got a little bored with all the expensive new things that had been given to him.I wanted to know more about him, why he was there, why they were giving him all the expensive gifts.I think I wanted a little bit more back story on stephen.That being said once he met lisa and they shared what they were both going through it got much better for me.I dont want to give anything away that happens later in the story.I will read the next in the series because once the story started going I found that I did enjoy it quite a bit.I think the writer over all did a GOOD JOB! I look forward to seeing what else this writer has to offer in the future.[return]p.s after my review of his book I am proud to say I can call this author my friend. I have gotten to know kelvin and I think he is a gifted young author.I currently own two of his books and have made him a deal if he keeps writing I will keep reading.He truly loves writting and deserves the chance to have his books read.Kelvin is also one of the nicest guys you will ever meet.
February 18, 2012
This book was okay. It wasn't very well written and there were many errors. The story was interesting just not presented right. The romance was nonexistent. The action was okay but the whole time I listened to Stephen the more positive I became that he was gay. (He's not really... just acts like he is.)
July 5, 2016
Ice versus fire, man versus woman, is the premise for this series about supernatural powers and two college students. The plot moves along and the pace increases once Stephen and Lisa realize their lives are at risk. This is book one of the LS series. The author leaves a lot of issues dangling that may be revealed in LS: Deception, book two in the series.
June 19, 2011
i absolutely have no words for this. i was able to write something for his first book but this one has made me speechless. i hope more people would read it cos it keeps getting better and exciting. cheers kev!
March 31, 2012
Review Brought to you by Connie
I give this book 3 stars. I didn’t finish the book…I got through half of it but it doesn’t keep my interest.
The Basics:
Stephen Wilson comes to Sloutenville, Wisconsin from Africa to go to college. His parents are wealthy and provide him a home to live in and a car as well when he gets to the US. He lives with a cousin Stacy that is going to the same college.
He meets a girl at school named Lisa. They shake hands and somehow powers are released into both of them. They don’t talk to each other for several days. Lisa has the power to turn things into fire and can read minds. Stephen can turn things into ice and read minds and has super fast speed.
Basically, they try to avoid each other but become friends eventually because of their powers. Stephen goes out for the basketball team and quits after the first away game after he read the coach’s mind that he might be taking drugs. Lisa’s parents want to send her away for testing but Stephen intervenes and asks that she can stay here and work with him to control her powers. Her parents agree.
My thoughts:
I know this book is one of the author’s early novels. I tried to give this novel a chance, but several things bugged me. The misspelled words and typos were one. He picked some words that I have never seen before written into the novel.
Stephen and his cousin Stacy were a little too close for me. I know they are cousins but more like “kissing cousins” to me.
He hardly ever calls his parents which I thought was a little weird. There wasn’t much back story of his life before he comes to the US.
I like the cover of the book..I thought the cover art was good. Anyway, I hope the author does better with future novels.
http://openbooksociety.com/article/th...
I give this book 3 stars. I didn’t finish the book…I got through half of it but it doesn’t keep my interest.
The Basics:
Stephen Wilson comes to Sloutenville, Wisconsin from Africa to go to college. His parents are wealthy and provide him a home to live in and a car as well when he gets to the US. He lives with a cousin Stacy that is going to the same college.
He meets a girl at school named Lisa. They shake hands and somehow powers are released into both of them. They don’t talk to each other for several days. Lisa has the power to turn things into fire and can read minds. Stephen can turn things into ice and read minds and has super fast speed.
Basically, they try to avoid each other but become friends eventually because of their powers. Stephen goes out for the basketball team and quits after the first away game after he read the coach’s mind that he might be taking drugs. Lisa’s parents want to send her away for testing but Stephen intervenes and asks that she can stay here and work with him to control her powers. Her parents agree.
My thoughts:
I know this book is one of the author’s early novels. I tried to give this novel a chance, but several things bugged me. The misspelled words and typos were one. He picked some words that I have never seen before written into the novel.
Stephen and his cousin Stacy were a little too close for me. I know they are cousins but more like “kissing cousins” to me.
He hardly ever calls his parents which I thought was a little weird. There wasn’t much back story of his life before he comes to the US.
I like the cover of the book..I thought the cover art was good. Anyway, I hope the author does better with future novels.
http://openbooksociety.com/article/th...
April 2, 2012
The Beginning is one of those books that drew me in from reading the synopsis. I love a stories about characters with powers.
Stephen moves to America after living abroad for a long time. When he arrives he finds that he has been given a lavish home to live in, an expensive car to drive, and lots of money in the bank, all gifts from his wealthy parents. His cousin Stacy moves in with him to keep him company. They both start college and Stephen meets some new people. One of those people is Lisa whom he shakes hands with one day. That is where this story picks up and gets interesting. They both then come to realize that they have powers. Stephen can freeze just about anything and Lisa can create fire.
I liked the love story between Stephen and Lisa and how they had to overcome so many obstacles. There are the parents, the ex's, friends and just the powers overall. I enjoyed the plot and most of the characters. The first part of the book just bored me a little with the descriptions of how great Stephen's home is. I mean yes it's great and all but I would have liked to read less about that and learned more about the characters. The thing that really annoyed me was Julie, Stacy's friend. She continually threw herself at Stephen when she knew it was not going to go anywhere. I just found this a bit much. The story had romance, suspense and twists and turns. The ending was good and we are left with a cliffhanger ending.
Overall I enjoyed the book and will most likely read the sequel cause I want to know what happens.
This e-book was given to me as a review copy. This did not affect my review in any way.
Stephen moves to America after living abroad for a long time. When he arrives he finds that he has been given a lavish home to live in, an expensive car to drive, and lots of money in the bank, all gifts from his wealthy parents. His cousin Stacy moves in with him to keep him company. They both start college and Stephen meets some new people. One of those people is Lisa whom he shakes hands with one day. That is where this story picks up and gets interesting. They both then come to realize that they have powers. Stephen can freeze just about anything and Lisa can create fire.
I liked the love story between Stephen and Lisa and how they had to overcome so many obstacles. There are the parents, the ex's, friends and just the powers overall. I enjoyed the plot and most of the characters. The first part of the book just bored me a little with the descriptions of how great Stephen's home is. I mean yes it's great and all but I would have liked to read less about that and learned more about the characters. The thing that really annoyed me was Julie, Stacy's friend. She continually threw herself at Stephen when she knew it was not going to go anywhere. I just found this a bit much. The story had romance, suspense and twists and turns. The ending was good and we are left with a cliffhanger ending.
Overall I enjoyed the book and will most likely read the sequel cause I want to know what happens.
This e-book was given to me as a review copy. This did not affect my review in any way.
December 14, 2011
I actually give this book 2.5 stars.
I really liked the idea behind this book. The whole thought of two people carrying around powers that don't manifest until they meet each other is cosmic. I loved the X-Men type vibe I got from both Lisa and Stephen's abilities. We don't know much about their power, since they themselves don't know much either, but it seems like they are polar opposites. One can manipulate fire and the other water, and as we all know opposites attract.
As for Stephen and Lisa, I had a hard time connecting with them. They were both ridiculously rich and amazingly beautiful. It seemed the only hardship they had was connected to their powers, and the fact that someone was trying to kill them. I wish both of these characters had a little more depth. The one thing I thought was nice was the slow development of their relationship. Of course they were attracted to one another, but they took things slow and very innocent.
Overall I was a little confused by why Stephen and Lisa had powers and where they came from. As I said before we only know as much as they do so it's kind of a learning curve we have to work with. The Beginning ends in quite the cliffhanger, so if you want to read this book make sure you have the next book on hand.
I really liked the idea behind this book. The whole thought of two people carrying around powers that don't manifest until they meet each other is cosmic. I loved the X-Men type vibe I got from both Lisa and Stephen's abilities. We don't know much about their power, since they themselves don't know much either, but it seems like they are polar opposites. One can manipulate fire and the other water, and as we all know opposites attract.
As for Stephen and Lisa, I had a hard time connecting with them. They were both ridiculously rich and amazingly beautiful. It seemed the only hardship they had was connected to their powers, and the fact that someone was trying to kill them. I wish both of these characters had a little more depth. The one thing I thought was nice was the slow development of their relationship. Of course they were attracted to one another, but they took things slow and very innocent.
Overall I was a little confused by why Stephen and Lisa had powers and where they came from. As I said before we only know as much as they do so it's kind of a learning curve we have to work with. The Beginning ends in quite the cliffhanger, so if you want to read this book make sure you have the next book on hand.
August 21, 2012
This is a book I did not like from the start. First, the grammar was bad. It was not ungrammatical all the time but some times. I do not have perfect grammar but i think if you're planning on becoming an accomplished author you have to be at least good at formulating sentences. The author likes dangling modifiers, he likes semi-colons, he likes complex sentences and COMPLEX WORDS. For example, the author would write "he nods in concordance" instead of saying "he nods in agreement". I did not like the characterization. There were no introduction to the characters, just a single sentence to their looks and thats it. You do not get to know them and they're inconsistent. There was no real climax. The characters have the easy life. They're rich, they have powers, they're good-looking. They're only problem was a slutty girl and a guy who also has super powers who is easy to kill. I'm not looking forward to the next book which unfortunately I also won. I'm really sorry. I tried to like it and wanted to provide a really good review but I can't like to myself. Not everyone has the same taste, so somebody would like this but not me.
August 17, 2011
Stephen and Lisa are two college kids who discover that they both have special abilities. One can create fire and the other creates ice, but they share the powers of mind reading, telepathy, and super speed. When they meet, they feel an instant connection to each other, but in order to stay together and figure out where their powers come from, they must overcome exes as well as other dangers. [return][return]I really gave this book a chance, but after the first few chapters I started to lose interest and had a hard time finishing it. The premise is good, but the writing style, character development, and dialogue are not. I can tell that Kevin O'Ralph is a new author, and some of these format errors are expected, but the fact that there are so many grammatical errors as well as errors in overall structure, make this book very difficult to read. There were some sentences that didn't even make sense, and after realizing the author was from the UK, I concluded that the language barrier must be to blame. But an editor of some sort would do this book, and future books, wonders. Unless the writing improves, I won't look forward to the sequel(s).
December 23, 2011
This book is about Stephen and Lisa who, after a single touch, have found themselves with amazing new abilities. The story is basically about them learning to control their powers and trying to go to school as "normal kids".
Overall, it's a nice book. Nothing too special or eye-catching, in my opinion but nothing particularly wrong with it either. I admit that I'm a bit biased because I'm not a big fan of school-centered novels. The synopsis seemed interesting, which is why I gave this one a shot. Stephen has every other girl falling in love with him and of course Lisa is a hot mouthwatering girl. Stephen struck me as either a stuck-up or awkward guy. He's considerate to his cousin sometimes but there are times where he would say something to her and then abruptly turn and go to his room. I didn't like how Stephen handled his relationship with Julie either. Of course, as he is a teenager, it's understandable...to a certain point.
Anyway, this book is definitely for teens and maybe even for adults if they don't mind their characters being a bit immature. I wouldn't read it again but that's me. Give it a try if you have free time!
Overall, it's a nice book. Nothing too special or eye-catching, in my opinion but nothing particularly wrong with it either. I admit that I'm a bit biased because I'm not a big fan of school-centered novels. The synopsis seemed interesting, which is why I gave this one a shot. Stephen has every other girl falling in love with him and of course Lisa is a hot mouthwatering girl. Stephen struck me as either a stuck-up or awkward guy. He's considerate to his cousin sometimes but there are times where he would say something to her and then abruptly turn and go to his room. I didn't like how Stephen handled his relationship with Julie either. Of course, as he is a teenager, it's understandable...to a certain point.
Anyway, this book is definitely for teens and maybe even for adults if they don't mind their characters being a bit immature. I wouldn't read it again but that's me. Give it a try if you have free time!
June 8, 2011
Kelvin, why? Why Kelvin? I realize that this is the beginning and you want us to read the sequel, but what a cliff hanger!!
A great YA book where a young Nigerian comes to America and gets more than the average college kid.
Quite a unique way of gaining supernatural powers, it makes you wonder. Every time you shake someone's hands in the first greeting of making an acquaintance, you never know what impact you might be having on the other person or yourself. This book lets us in on Liza's and Stephen's experiences with each other and the way their powers affects them.
Written in a style that will appeal to YAs, LS:The beginning offers sweet romance, super human powers, college life, friends and the not so friendly. Kelvin has also offered a look into the young man's side of a romance where he is equally unsure, not confident of the subject of his affections.
Filled with drama, and battles where he always saves the damsel in distress, the ending of this book will leave you saying "Oh no!!" and hunger for more.
A great YA book where a young Nigerian comes to America and gets more than the average college kid.
Quite a unique way of gaining supernatural powers, it makes you wonder. Every time you shake someone's hands in the first greeting of making an acquaintance, you never know what impact you might be having on the other person or yourself. This book lets us in on Liza's and Stephen's experiences with each other and the way their powers affects them.
Written in a style that will appeal to YAs, LS:The beginning offers sweet romance, super human powers, college life, friends and the not so friendly. Kelvin has also offered a look into the young man's side of a romance where he is equally unsure, not confident of the subject of his affections.
Filled with drama, and battles where he always saves the damsel in distress, the ending of this book will leave you saying "Oh no!!" and hunger for more.
December 1, 2011
I was disappointed with this book, the characters held no depth for me or diversity, I found them to be hard to relate to the sudden possession of all rich seemed to make it elude any kind of struggle for the main characters leaving their focus all about relationships and things that were a little to old fashioned and seemingly unreal. Most books like this I can read and get hooked instantly but, I struggled to finish this book from page one to the last page I got to instead of reading it and enjoying it, I felt as if it was a chore.
If a conflict arose instead of meeting it head on and trying to fight the characters were quick to avoid anything that might have triggered them leaving it to feel more of just a romeo and juliet supernatural where nothing was truly fought for. I don't know maybe it's just me and I encourage others to read it and see for themselves but, this was one book that really didn't make me want to pick it up and read it again.
It had a great concept just not enough to pull it all together and sink it in. Just not something I have a taste for.
If a conflict arose instead of meeting it head on and trying to fight the characters were quick to avoid anything that might have triggered them leaving it to feel more of just a romeo and juliet supernatural where nothing was truly fought for. I don't know maybe it's just me and I encourage others to read it and see for themselves but, this was one book that really didn't make me want to pick it up and read it again.
It had a great concept just not enough to pull it all together and sink it in. Just not something I have a taste for.
October 28, 2011
Stephen arrives at his place of birth after a long period of time in living in Africa. The moment he steps into his new city, Sloutenville, he begins to undergo certain changes. Changes he could never have dreamed of. (by the way I like the name of the town, kelvin)
I love the part where he meets Lisa: how their eyes change colors will be awesome in big screen(just saying). Anyways, I get to see Stephen and Lisa learn about each other's super powers. I love the relationship between Stacey and Stephen.
Now, there were some questions left unanswered. I didn't fancy this to be honest, but then I realized it's written in a first person narrative voice, so even Stephen doesn't know the answers to these questions. It made me feel as if I was traveling with Lisa and Stephen in this romantic/mysterious adventure.
I've downloaded the second book to my Kindle device, and I'll start reading it as soon as possible. Well done, kelvin
I love the part where he meets Lisa: how their eyes change colors will be awesome in big screen(just saying). Anyways, I get to see Stephen and Lisa learn about each other's super powers. I love the relationship between Stacey and Stephen.
Now, there were some questions left unanswered. I didn't fancy this to be honest, but then I realized it's written in a first person narrative voice, so even Stephen doesn't know the answers to these questions. It made me feel as if I was traveling with Lisa and Stephen in this romantic/mysterious adventure.
I've downloaded the second book to my Kindle device, and I'll start reading it as soon as possible. Well done, kelvin
June 19, 2011
Wow, I loved reading this book. It's really unique compared to most books I've read. It reminded me of twilight, but from a male's perspective and without any vampires or werewolves. I'd read Kelvin's first novella but wasn't so connected with it. However, reading LS: The Beginning changed my perspective. He's really good at being sarcastic and I love that about him. The characters in this book are really interesting. I love Lisa and Julie the most.
Although, there were some aspects I found a bit hard to understand, but getting to the end, I found out this is the beginning of a great series.
Although, there were some aspects I found a bit hard to understand, but getting to the end, I found out this is the beginning of a great series.
October 23, 2011
Stephen and Lisa are college kids who possess the ability to create the two elements, water and fire, respectively.
To be honest, I had to read this book for the second time to get a glimpse of its story line. It seemed lame at first, but when I read it the second time, I was like... OMG. This writer has something in store for his readers. I mean, it's hard to pinpoint what exactly is going on.
i would have loved to expatiate but I don't want to add spoilers. It's really a good read. There's romance, jealousy, cheat, and action. I really like this adventure, and can't wait to read the next in the series.
To be honest, I had to read this book for the second time to get a glimpse of its story line. It seemed lame at first, but when I read it the second time, I was like... OMG. This writer has something in store for his readers. I mean, it's hard to pinpoint what exactly is going on.
i would have loved to expatiate but I don't want to add spoilers. It's really a good read. There's romance, jealousy, cheat, and action. I really like this adventure, and can't wait to read the next in the series.
April 30, 2012
Interesting story, laborious read. I really wanted to like this novel but.....eh. super smart teen moves to live with family and go to college where he meets the woman of his dreams after a fateful handshake begins changes he could have never believed could happen. It is definitely an interesting premis but reading it was like reading something written by someone whose first language was not english. Very stilted language and some parts seem like it inserted just to help you move along and not really explaining how things got that way or even why. Needs a definite re-edit and a bit more action
July 3, 2012
My thoughts:
The preface drew me in. The story kept me reading. The characters are interesting and the plot is intriguing. The story is imaginative. I had some difficulty reconciling the age of the characters with their behaviors; and I do not come from big money, so I am not sure how realistic the financial situation is for the characters, but to the average person all the wealth seems a bit fantastic.
Although it is obvious that the author is young and just starting out, the story captivates and entertains. I can't wait to see more from Kelvin O'Ralph.
The preface drew me in. The story kept me reading. The characters are interesting and the plot is intriguing. The story is imaginative. I had some difficulty reconciling the age of the characters with their behaviors; and I do not come from big money, so I am not sure how realistic the financial situation is for the characters, but to the average person all the wealth seems a bit fantastic.
Although it is obvious that the author is young and just starting out, the story captivates and entertains. I can't wait to see more from Kelvin O'Ralph.
August 12, 2011
I won this book as a goodreads giveaway and I loved it! The story is so original! The characters are great, the story line keeps you wondering what's going to happen next and the cliff hanger is awesome but terrible because now u have to wait for the sequel! I can't wait to read what happens to Stephen and Lisa, the love they have for eachother tells me that something great is to come. Well done Kelvin!
November 28, 2012
The story was interesting and I'm curious to see what happens to the characters, but the writing is HORRIBLE! The author narrates kind of like an instruction manual and kind of like he's not from earth...or assumes his readers aren't. I could tell he was from the UK with some of the phrases that he uses, but is it really necessary to describe exactly what basketball is and what the teams are wearing? Good thing I got this one as a freebie on my Kindle or I'd be upset about the purchase.
May 22, 2013
I couldn't finish reading this book. While I completely understand that someone from Nigeria should have a certain "accent" the whole book was written in this way and it made it difficult to get into the flow of the book.
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