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Warrior #1
Warriors of the Cross
Allison La Crosse, beginning a challenging family medicine residency, leaves the protection of her family. With the transfer, her worst nightmares come true. Her closely guarded mystical talents – those which seldom appeared before the move – unleash themselves from her confinement and reveal their presence with very little provocation.
Allison’s most terrifying power is her compulsion to cure the dying with her touch. Given her career, this gift would be valuable if she were not drawn like a magnet to the ailing person's every symptom. Some of which are fatal.
At the hospital and surrounded by life-and-death emergencies, Allison’s inability to manage her impulse turns deadly. When it does, her mentor, Brody, rescues her from her own demise. His resuscitation ignites an exciting and tempestuous bond between them.
Desperate for a cure, they join forces and embark upon a journey to uncover the origins of Allison’s lethal curse. In the midst of their adventure, Allison exposes a secret pursued by many…known by few.
Allison’s most terrifying power is her compulsion to cure the dying with her touch. Given her career, this gift would be valuable if she were not drawn like a magnet to the ailing person's every symptom. Some of which are fatal.
At the hospital and surrounded by life-and-death emergencies, Allison’s inability to manage her impulse turns deadly. When it does, her mentor, Brody, rescues her from her own demise. His resuscitation ignites an exciting and tempestuous bond between them.
Desperate for a cure, they join forces and embark upon a journey to uncover the origins of Allison’s lethal curse. In the midst of their adventure, Allison exposes a secret pursued by many…known by few.
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First published February 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
March 6, 2011
As the author of this series, I love everything about it.
January 2, 2012
If you are looking for a fresh paranormal romance thriller, Warriors of the Cross delivers. I found the summary of this book to be intriquing. Allison La Crosse is a resident doctor who was born and raised in a big family full of love in LA. She gets her residency at a University Hospital in Galveston, TX and moves there by finding a room to rent sight unseen. When she arrives she meets Clark her landlord who is a medical malpractice lawyer and has an instant connection with him. Clark makes Allie feel as though she has known him her whole life and they fall into an instant friendship. At her residency, she has the stereotypical mean girls and one very hot chief resident, Brody. Allie met Brody as he stormed out of Clark's just as she arrived in Galveston. Brody is extremely attractive and sets Allie afire with intense looks and alternatingly avoiding her.
Besides the Romance, there are many layers to this unique plot. It takes place in a hospital and there are medical patients and cases coming and going like a really good episode of ER. The descriptions are both realistic and enthralling. It really reads well and I didn't want to put it down. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about the characters and plot. There begins to be a mysteriousness surrounding Allie's dreams and strange healing abilities. She seems to take on the patient's symptoms and therefore suffers with each healing. Brody helps her through and Clark is the ever present friend. There are several clues about the real struggle that is the underlying plot of good and evil going on such as shadows, pulsing bright radiant light, and ornate crosses. This books is so good I refuse to ruin it with any other spoilers about the plots. For me this is one of those books that once your find out the secrets it is so illuminating that you want to go back and re-read the book to see it from an enlightened prospective. I can't wait to read the next book. I can only hope it won't be too long of a wait. For a limited time, this is a free book on Kindle and definitely worth putting on your to read list. You will not be disappointed.
Besides the Romance, there are many layers to this unique plot. It takes place in a hospital and there are medical patients and cases coming and going like a really good episode of ER. The descriptions are both realistic and enthralling. It really reads well and I didn't want to put it down. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about the characters and plot. There begins to be a mysteriousness surrounding Allie's dreams and strange healing abilities. She seems to take on the patient's symptoms and therefore suffers with each healing. Brody helps her through and Clark is the ever present friend. There are several clues about the real struggle that is the underlying plot of good and evil going on such as shadows, pulsing bright radiant light, and ornate crosses. This books is so good I refuse to ruin it with any other spoilers about the plots. For me this is one of those books that once your find out the secrets it is so illuminating that you want to go back and re-read the book to see it from an enlightened prospective. I can't wait to read the next book. I can only hope it won't be too long of a wait. For a limited time, this is a free book on Kindle and definitely worth putting on your to read list. You will not be disappointed.
July 17, 2011
I would categorize this novel as a young adult Christian romance with a smidge of the paranormal. I actually enjoyed most of the book, however the use of excruciating detailed segments made me want to give the book up in its entirety. Here's a quick list of both positive and negative aspects I found throughout the book:
Negative :
- The author's political and religious views leaked through every page, especially around 60%. Since this book was not labeled as a Christian romance, I was unaware of what I was getting myself into. I believe the book could have done so much better without the long healthcare rants. Not only did it take up a large chunk of the novel, it flat out got to the point where it took the focus away from the story. As for the author's religious views, when I read a romance, I don't expect the main character's virginity status to be constantly slapped in my face throughout the story. I also didn't enjoy having bible verses, the constant mentioning of God and the author's feeling on sex before marriage to be so heavily enforced. I'm not sure whether the author intended to do so, but it really got annoying after a while.
- Typos galore! I understand I should not expect much when it comes to a free eBook, however there were times that I had to stop mid-sentence to understand what was going on. There were also times where the words were missing all together, so the sentences looked something like this: "I [missing: went] to the store."
Positive: :
- I absolutely loved the author's writing style, I just wish her extremely long rant towards healthcare was focused on something else.
- The story had an overall enjoyable plot. Those who enjoy a detailed Christian romance would definitely enjoy this book.
Negative :
- The author's political and religious views leaked through every page, especially around 60%. Since this book was not labeled as a Christian romance, I was unaware of what I was getting myself into. I believe the book could have done so much better without the long healthcare rants. Not only did it take up a large chunk of the novel, it flat out got to the point where it took the focus away from the story. As for the author's religious views, when I read a romance, I don't expect the main character's virginity status to be constantly slapped in my face throughout the story. I also didn't enjoy having bible verses, the constant mentioning of God and the author's feeling on sex before marriage to be so heavily enforced. I'm not sure whether the author intended to do so, but it really got annoying after a while.
- Typos galore! I understand I should not expect much when it comes to a free eBook, however there were times that I had to stop mid-sentence to understand what was going on. There were also times where the words were missing all together, so the sentences looked something like this: "I [missing: went] to the store."
Positive: :
- I absolutely loved the author's writing style, I just wish her extremely long rant towards healthcare was focused on something else.
- The story had an overall enjoyable plot. Those who enjoy a detailed Christian romance would definitely enjoy this book.
June 22, 2011
I would give this stars 9 stars if I could. It would be 10 if it had gone through the editing process one more time...the typos were abundant. I have had very few books that I can't get out of my head, and this is one of them! Great job! I can't wait to read the next one in the series. UPDATE: It has been 2 days since I finished this book. I can't get it out of my head...I have tried and stopped reading 3 books since then...I think I'm going to have to read it again starting tonight!
July 15, 2011
The book earns its 3 (Good) rating. I am curious about the sequel, pleasantly curious.
I did have a few problems with the book:
It’s Christian Fiction, which is normally a genre I avoid. Most is either so saccharine it hurts my teeth or so horny for the end of the world and hell on earth it creeps me out (those who know me will find this amusing – I find those ‘Left Behind’ style books kind of blasphemous). I have to say I was taken aback when I realized its genre BUT I was pleasantly surprised in the end. It is neither saccharine nor does it display a disturbing lust for the end of things.
The lead characters last name is La Crosse? Really?
The bad guys are Satan’s Sect? Really?
Allison, a 24 something year old woman who is devastatingly beautiful is a virgin? Really? Her beau isn’t a virgin and that’s okay but the girl must be pure? Kind of a double standard.
Going jogging immediately after the revelations of the previous night? Okay points for moving the plot along, but frankly that makes her ten kinds of stupid.
Now what I like:
I like the sexual tension between Allison and her two male suitors – though I wish she were less clear about her desires (a little ambiguity goes a long way, and as a best friend who eventually got the girl I kind of hate Dr. Studly and feel for the best friend). Here’s hoping the warriors cannot marry for some GOOD reason. And on that note I kind of wish Dr. Perfect were a bit less sure concerning his female relations.
I like that she picks up skills from those she saves. But shouldn’t she have picked up a tad of violence/fighting from the be-crossed killer in the ER?
That those she has saved align to protect her. That’s nice. It might be interesting if that eventually affects the murderer she healed. Nothing like a jailhouse/death row convert!
The medical bits. I am only a dabbler, but I love those kinds of things – they make a story feel so much more real and true. And the fact that Allison didn’t solve all of the issues surrounding medical billing in five minutes, damn refreshing!
*****************
Addendum:
I made a snide comment about the villains being called Satan’s Sect, and I have to admit that even though I think it’s kind of silly it is probably a name Satanists might choose (thus probably pretty realistic). My dealings with Satanists, Settites (they prefer Setian, so being the ass I am I call them the name they HATE), and other various Dark Path practitioners have certainly colored my view of them. Most are complete and utter morons with the creativity and intellectual capacity of a deranged toad – and the few who actually do have a positive IQ are narcissistic asshats that thrive on intimidation and conflict. I have learned that giving them any kind of attention is bad, they thrive on it and use the connection to suck you dry (Psychic Vampires All!) I don’t find them intimidating, though they can be dangerous; mostly I find them sad little people.
In fact I think the saddest thing I ever encountered was an Iranian Satanists. My god, with all those thousands of years of wonderful nastiness to choose from (ever look into Zoroastrianism?) and this dimwit went with Satanism. There was another pretty pathetic case, a guy using Satanism as an excuse for homosexual activity… talk about self-hatred.
Oh, and don’t get me started on the LaVeyans. All they are interest in is their next donut and their next sexual encounter.
*****************
I did have a few problems with the book:
It’s Christian Fiction, which is normally a genre I avoid. Most is either so saccharine it hurts my teeth or so horny for the end of the world and hell on earth it creeps me out (those who know me will find this amusing – I find those ‘Left Behind’ style books kind of blasphemous). I have to say I was taken aback when I realized its genre BUT I was pleasantly surprised in the end. It is neither saccharine nor does it display a disturbing lust for the end of things.
The lead characters last name is La Crosse? Really?
The bad guys are Satan’s Sect? Really?
Allison, a 24 something year old woman who is devastatingly beautiful is a virgin? Really? Her beau isn’t a virgin and that’s okay but the girl must be pure? Kind of a double standard.
Going jogging immediately after the revelations of the previous night? Okay points for moving the plot along, but frankly that makes her ten kinds of stupid.
Now what I like:
I like the sexual tension between Allison and her two male suitors – though I wish she were less clear about her desires (a little ambiguity goes a long way, and as a best friend who eventually got the girl I kind of hate Dr. Studly and feel for the best friend). Here’s hoping the warriors cannot marry for some GOOD reason. And on that note I kind of wish Dr. Perfect were a bit less sure concerning his female relations.
I like that she picks up skills from those she saves. But shouldn’t she have picked up a tad of violence/fighting from the be-crossed killer in the ER?
That those she has saved align to protect her. That’s nice. It might be interesting if that eventually affects the murderer she healed. Nothing like a jailhouse/death row convert!
The medical bits. I am only a dabbler, but I love those kinds of things – they make a story feel so much more real and true. And the fact that Allison didn’t solve all of the issues surrounding medical billing in five minutes, damn refreshing!
*****************
Addendum:
I made a snide comment about the villains being called Satan’s Sect, and I have to admit that even though I think it’s kind of silly it is probably a name Satanists might choose (thus probably pretty realistic). My dealings with Satanists, Settites (they prefer Setian, so being the ass I am I call them the name they HATE), and other various Dark Path practitioners have certainly colored my view of them. Most are complete and utter morons with the creativity and intellectual capacity of a deranged toad – and the few who actually do have a positive IQ are narcissistic asshats that thrive on intimidation and conflict. I have learned that giving them any kind of attention is bad, they thrive on it and use the connection to suck you dry (Psychic Vampires All!) I don’t find them intimidating, though they can be dangerous; mostly I find them sad little people.
In fact I think the saddest thing I ever encountered was an Iranian Satanists. My god, with all those thousands of years of wonderful nastiness to choose from (ever look into Zoroastrianism?) and this dimwit went with Satanism. There was another pretty pathetic case, a guy using Satanism as an excuse for homosexual activity… talk about self-hatred.
Oh, and don’t get me started on the LaVeyans. All they are interest in is their next donut and their next sexual encounter.
*****************
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2011
Warrior of the Cross is the story of Allison, a young woman who's eager to learn all about curing the ill by starting a hospital placement in Galveston. Medicine has always been part of Allison's life, not just because her family's involved with it, but also because she possesses psychic abilities that involve drawing Allison to a sick person like a magnet, literally urging her to touch those dying in her compulsion to cure them, which she does through her touch that usually leaves her distraught, faint and weak.
Allison's ability to alert her of oncoming danger has kept her awake for the past few weeks. At this point, she doesn't know that it's just a premonition, just like the one she had when her brother, Brion, almost died from internal bleeding after a fall from a cliff. But this time, it's not about saving someone else; it's about saving her own life.
Meeting Clark, her new roommate with whom she feels a strong connection, a bond if you will, Allison thinks she's finally found someone she can trust, someone who might just turn into her first real love. But Clark isn't just any good-looking guy, and the monthly agreement involving amenities suitable for a mansion sounds just too good to be true. After setting foot on a sect's sacred ground, something happens inside Allison and her abilities break loose. Soon, Allison realises she might just be one of the disciples that very sect has tried to annihilate for centuries.
I thought Warrior of the Cross was a fantastic read with a great story and a believable voice. Allison wasn't the usual whiney character we often meet in YA and paranormal literature nowadays. She had fears like everyone else, but she also had a strength in her that allowed her to be there for her dying brother and her emotionally suffering sister going through the motions of a divorce. I liked Allison's empathy for others, but also the fact that she wasn't oblivious to danger. This made her seem real and clever to me.
The twist involving Allison's true heritage was interesting. There were plenty of clues throughout the story, but I didn't see its magnitude until the very end.
All in all, a great read.
Allison's ability to alert her of oncoming danger has kept her awake for the past few weeks. At this point, she doesn't know that it's just a premonition, just like the one she had when her brother, Brion, almost died from internal bleeding after a fall from a cliff. But this time, it's not about saving someone else; it's about saving her own life.
Meeting Clark, her new roommate with whom she feels a strong connection, a bond if you will, Allison thinks she's finally found someone she can trust, someone who might just turn into her first real love. But Clark isn't just any good-looking guy, and the monthly agreement involving amenities suitable for a mansion sounds just too good to be true. After setting foot on a sect's sacred ground, something happens inside Allison and her abilities break loose. Soon, Allison realises she might just be one of the disciples that very sect has tried to annihilate for centuries.
I thought Warrior of the Cross was a fantastic read with a great story and a believable voice. Allison wasn't the usual whiney character we often meet in YA and paranormal literature nowadays. She had fears like everyone else, but she also had a strength in her that allowed her to be there for her dying brother and her emotionally suffering sister going through the motions of a divorce. I liked Allison's empathy for others, but also the fact that she wasn't oblivious to danger. This made her seem real and clever to me.
The twist involving Allison's true heritage was interesting. There were plenty of clues throughout the story, but I didn't see its magnitude until the very end.
All in all, a great read.
January 31, 2012
I chose to read this book on read to review. I liked the premise, it sounded new and interesting. Unfortunately, I was deeply disappointed by it. I'm sure, buried somewhere, there was a story that was new and interesting, but I never found it. There is a lot of weird stuff going on in the book like some strange love triangle that I never figured out. She has the hots for her landlord and her chief resident, but there is zero tension. She has these powers to heal the dying so I expected to see more use of them in the book (she is a doctor after all, although stuck in medical billing for waaayyy to long). Then we have this mysterious force that wants to destroy her because of who she is and we don't really hear about them or feel threatened by them until the end of the book. Sure there is an occasional 'ooh, I'm scared moment' but nothing truly threatening. I started to count pages by about page 70. The book kept dragging on and on. Medical billing, no matter how criminal is just not interesting. Mention it once and move on.
I don't want to be too harsh about a book, it has potential, but it needs mucho revision before it should be sent to the general public. The romance had to be tightened up. Juggling two hot guys has got to a lot harder and they should have to work at it a little. There needs to be real threat involved. The scene at the beginning with the wall was cool, the book needs more of that. There needs to be a lot less medical and hospital stuff in there, sure she's a doctor, but we only need enough technical lingo to move the plot, this isn't a medical text. Lastly, please edit. Find some friends, believe me they are always happy to help proofread and point out errors:) There is enough originality in this that it could be good with some work. I'd say this was a first draft and has tons of potential, but it's not ready to be a published work.
I don't want to be too harsh about a book, it has potential, but it needs mucho revision before it should be sent to the general public. The romance had to be tightened up. Juggling two hot guys has got to a lot harder and they should have to work at it a little. There needs to be real threat involved. The scene at the beginning with the wall was cool, the book needs more of that. There needs to be a lot less medical and hospital stuff in there, sure she's a doctor, but we only need enough technical lingo to move the plot, this isn't a medical text. Lastly, please edit. Find some friends, believe me they are always happy to help proofread and point out errors:) There is enough originality in this that it could be good with some work. I'd say this was a first draft and has tons of potential, but it's not ready to be a published work.
February 8, 2012
Though I did begin reading this book with excitement, I wasn't very thrilled by it.
I'd like to begin by saying that it was unnecessarily long. 433 pages were just too much to endure. I did bail in the last couple of chapters, and don't really regret it. Even the action that was squeezed in them wasn't good enough to make me reconsider.
Some scenes seemed to be prolonged outside of the ordinary, and got kind of boring. Some scenes repeated several times with no real reason. At times the action didn't seem to stall and just hang in limbo. The conversations didn't sound real, and at times I couldn't imagine the characters saying their lines.
There was too much internal dialogue, too much telling and too little showing. The descriptions overwhelmed me at times, making it hard for me to follow them.
I noticed several inconsistencies, and more than a handful grammatical errors that bothered me.
The male characters felt so unnatural, it was hard to picture them the way the author portrayed them. They were all good boys completely devoted to Allie (the female protagonist). They didn't see her flaws or weaknesses, they just worshiped her unquestionably. Correct me if I'm wrong, but no guy acts like that. Or perhaps out of everyone one guy could be mushy like that, but all the guys in the book?? Even the bad guy?? I don't think so. They were acting like acolytes at best, following Allie's every desire. Sure, she wasn't selfish, but still...
Those 3 stars are there only because the story itself was good. I liked the ideas behind all the writing, and I liked the Christian twist in it. But even the couple of times when we heard God's voice, the words sounded like someone was dictating them. Too dry and weird to be spoken by God.
I don't know if I would recommend this book to anyone. I just barely endured it myself.
I'd like to begin by saying that it was unnecessarily long. 433 pages were just too much to endure. I did bail in the last couple of chapters, and don't really regret it. Even the action that was squeezed in them wasn't good enough to make me reconsider.
Some scenes seemed to be prolonged outside of the ordinary, and got kind of boring. Some scenes repeated several times with no real reason. At times the action didn't seem to stall and just hang in limbo. The conversations didn't sound real, and at times I couldn't imagine the characters saying their lines.
There was too much internal dialogue, too much telling and too little showing. The descriptions overwhelmed me at times, making it hard for me to follow them.
I noticed several inconsistencies, and more than a handful grammatical errors that bothered me.
The male characters felt so unnatural, it was hard to picture them the way the author portrayed them. They were all good boys completely devoted to Allie (the female protagonist). They didn't see her flaws or weaknesses, they just worshiped her unquestionably. Correct me if I'm wrong, but no guy acts like that. Or perhaps out of everyone one guy could be mushy like that, but all the guys in the book?? Even the bad guy?? I don't think so. They were acting like acolytes at best, following Allie's every desire. Sure, she wasn't selfish, but still...
Those 3 stars are there only because the story itself was good. I liked the ideas behind all the writing, and I liked the Christian twist in it. But even the couple of times when we heard God's voice, the words sounded like someone was dictating them. Too dry and weird to be spoken by God.
I don't know if I would recommend this book to anyone. I just barely endured it myself.
January 14, 2013
Warriors of the Cross proved to be everything the very promising blurb said and much more! Allison LaCrosse has a gift of healing that can bring patients in critical condition back from the brink of death. At the same time she is discovering that she might have other psychic abilities stemming from this healing power. Where there is light and healing however, there will always be darkness and evil to counter it.
This book had my attention from the word go and kept me turning the pages up to the almost cliff-hanger ending. Although there are moments of unbearable suspense, the story is comfortably paced and gives the reader ample time to get acquainted with all the key characters and their world. The characters are well-described and uniquely crafted; the kind of characters a reader gets to like as though they were real people. As the story contains very accurate detailed descriptions of medical procedures and hospital protocol, I was extremely impressed with the amount of research the author must have put into this book.
The romance in Warriors of the Cross is extensive but tastefully written. The clichéd old love triangle, of which there are at least two in this book, is so uniquely and maturely handled that I actually thoroughly enjoyed it and found myself choosing sides. Deeply spiritual and full of the love that emanates from most of the key characters, this story touched me profoundly.
For a read filled with excitement and a little suspense balanced by a gentle depth and a wry touch of humor, I highly recommend Warriors of the Cross and happily give it and the gifted author five stars. (Ellen Fritz)
This book had my attention from the word go and kept me turning the pages up to the almost cliff-hanger ending. Although there are moments of unbearable suspense, the story is comfortably paced and gives the reader ample time to get acquainted with all the key characters and their world. The characters are well-described and uniquely crafted; the kind of characters a reader gets to like as though they were real people. As the story contains very accurate detailed descriptions of medical procedures and hospital protocol, I was extremely impressed with the amount of research the author must have put into this book.
The romance in Warriors of the Cross is extensive but tastefully written. The clichéd old love triangle, of which there are at least two in this book, is so uniquely and maturely handled that I actually thoroughly enjoyed it and found myself choosing sides. Deeply spiritual and full of the love that emanates from most of the key characters, this story touched me profoundly.
For a read filled with excitement and a little suspense balanced by a gentle depth and a wry touch of humor, I highly recommend Warriors of the Cross and happily give it and the gifted author five stars. (Ellen Fritz)
January 30, 2012
I received a copy of this through the Read2Review program here on Goodreads. Where to begin with what's wrong with this book? Let me start with the characters, the main character Allie has to be the most spineless, whiny...ugh and her love interests in the book were just as bad. Interesting characters have flaws, they get pissed off, sad, frustrated or whatever, the whole book all they did was tell Allie how lovely and special she was, while she was constantly on the verge of tears. You had a love triangle with absolutely no tension.
The plot...well there wasn't one until the last 2 chapters then it was barely interesting. What you did have was too many chapters about jogging and medical billing. I expected more paranormal or fantasy elements, where there were very few but I will chalk that up to my expectations and not necessarily blame the writer for it. I understand authors ending on a cliffhanger especially in a series, it generates interest for further books, but have some kind of closure.
There was a ton of editing errors, spelling mistakes, wrong names being used and repetitive adjectives, if I never see "white knuckled" again I will be a happy little reader. I won't be reading any further books in this series.
The plot...well there wasn't one until the last 2 chapters then it was barely interesting. What you did have was too many chapters about jogging and medical billing. I expected more paranormal or fantasy elements, where there were very few but I will chalk that up to my expectations and not necessarily blame the writer for it. I understand authors ending on a cliffhanger especially in a series, it generates interest for further books, but have some kind of closure.
There was a ton of editing errors, spelling mistakes, wrong names being used and repetitive adjectives, if I never see "white knuckled" again I will be a happy little reader. I won't be reading any further books in this series.
July 18, 2011
I have about 60 pages left of this book, but I just wanted to say how amazing it was. I absolutely love it. I started it this morning and I haven't been able to put it down. Such a good book. I'll have to go over this a little more after I finish, but if you're contemplating reading it, DO IT!! You won't be disappointed in the least.
Okay, I finished the book last night. I can't believe I'm done. I want to chastise myself for reading it so fast because it's over now and I wish that there were more.
First off, I loved the setting. I live in Houston and Galveston is one of our favorite places. And believe it or not, The Face Wall ... is real. Anyway, Graves did a great job portraying what Galveston and it's residents are like.
All of the characters were very well written and completely explored, the story itself was an amazing beginning to a series. As much as I was frustrated with the ending of Warriors of the Cross because it was over with, it was great in the fact that it left so many doors open to be explained in the next installment.
I absolutely LOVED Warriors of the Cross and I can't wait to read it again!
Okay, I finished the book last night. I can't believe I'm done. I want to chastise myself for reading it so fast because it's over now and I wish that there were more.
First off, I loved the setting. I live in Houston and Galveston is one of our favorite places. And believe it or not, The Face Wall ... is real. Anyway, Graves did a great job portraying what Galveston and it's residents are like.
All of the characters were very well written and completely explored, the story itself was an amazing beginning to a series. As much as I was frustrated with the ending of Warriors of the Cross because it was over with, it was great in the fact that it left so many doors open to be explained in the next installment.
I absolutely LOVED Warriors of the Cross and I can't wait to read it again!
May 31, 2011
Lately I have not really had any posts saying that the book I read was generally horrible. It's been to my pleasant surprise and general enjoyment that every author I have been approached by and/or won a contest from I've had the honor of reading what I think are some good writers to come. With that being said.
Normally this genre of book I've been very picky in reading and coming to enjoy. I have to say when starting this book I was pleasantly surprised at the time taken to get a feel for my view of the character and to flesh out the coming quirks that would make me adore the leading lady.
With each turn of the page I became to know more about each character and not just the one that was telling the story. I started to feel that pull I get when something really good is about to come out and then it gets hidden again. That desire to keep turning the page till the end of the story is figured out.
All in all this has moved up to one of my favorites in my collection. Thank you to the Author for a marvelous read.
Normally this genre of book I've been very picky in reading and coming to enjoy. I have to say when starting this book I was pleasantly surprised at the time taken to get a feel for my view of the character and to flesh out the coming quirks that would make me adore the leading lady.
With each turn of the page I became to know more about each character and not just the one that was telling the story. I started to feel that pull I get when something really good is about to come out and then it gets hidden again. That desire to keep turning the page till the end of the story is figured out.
All in all this has moved up to one of my favorites in my collection. Thank you to the Author for a marvelous read.
June 1, 2012
I got this book for free, in exchange of an honest review.
What I liked about this book:
I liked Allison’s nature-the reason she saw beauty in everyone around her was because she was a good person.
The book managed to be Christian fiction without being preachy.
All of the medical procedures/actions were described well- not too much to weigh a layman down but enough to make it sound authentic.
What I did not like:
the name of the sect of the bad guys
how Allison seemed to stay in denial about her powers
how she was fine with both Chase and Brody when she knew they were covering up something-not natural for a teenager.
how she never believed the dreams were premonitions or whatever.
I would have liked a little bit more detail about the whole Daryn thing- who possessed him, what did they want etc.
What I liked about this book:
I liked Allison’s nature-the reason she saw beauty in everyone around her was because she was a good person.
The book managed to be Christian fiction without being preachy.
All of the medical procedures/actions were described well- not too much to weigh a layman down but enough to make it sound authentic.
What I did not like:
the name of the sect of the bad guys
how Allison seemed to stay in denial about her powers
how she was fine with both Chase and Brody when she knew they were covering up something-not natural for a teenager.
how she never believed the dreams were premonitions or whatever.
I would have liked a little bit more detail about the whole Daryn thing- who possessed him, what did they want etc.
July 12, 2011
WOW. Warriors of the Cross spins a tale rife with intrigue, danger, and the paranormal.
I have always wanted to be a doctor but I never imagined that the medical field quite like this.
Allie is a vulnerable, and innocent woman who grows throughout the book to become someone stronger and who I personally would like to keep reading about to see what she would do next. She is kind and gentle and having a gift that differentiates one from others isn't always a bad thing. Allie sure proved that it can be useful. Overall, this book was an interesting read, quite loved the guys. Lets hope Ms.Graves gives Brody and Clark somemore facetime.
I have always wanted to be a doctor but I never imagined that the medical field quite like this.
Allie is a vulnerable, and innocent woman who grows throughout the book to become someone stronger and who I personally would like to keep reading about to see what she would do next. She is kind and gentle and having a gift that differentiates one from others isn't always a bad thing. Allie sure proved that it can be useful. Overall, this book was an interesting read, quite loved the guys. Lets hope Ms.Graves gives Brody and Clark somemore facetime.
July 27, 2011
Very, very interesting. I think I'm starting to like adult novels a lot more than I used to. I have to say I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. I started it and thought I wouldn't but it grew on me.
Full review here: http://tristasiegel.blogspot.com/2011...
Full review here: http://tristasiegel.blogspot.com/2011...
July 10, 2011
I finished this morning.. After keeping myself up until 2 a.m. reading.. Only to grab the book at 6 a.m. when I awoke. I love the story line. I immediately fell in love with the characters. This is a very unique and absorbing story. The tension between Allison and Brody almost drove me insane!! I cant wait to read the next one!!
Want to read
June 29, 2011I would like to say Thank You for the Free book that I got from T.R. Graves here on Goodreads. I am so appreciative and am looking forward to reading it. :)
Read
August 26, 2011Wow this one has really sucked me in just in the first few chapters....
July 18, 2011
a mix of fantasy and thrill. enjoyed.
now to wait on book 2!
now to wait on book 2!
February 18, 2012
Well....I got this book as a R2R from goodreads and just want to say thank you to them and to the author T.R. Graves for letting me read it!
Okay...pretty much every book I read...I end up liking it and even if I don’t like it I always find something that I do like and talk about it. But for some reason...this book just didn’t do it for me. And yes I have to say it is a first. Other than the idea behind the story....I couldn’t really find anything to like or look forward too.
So, in the book we meet Allison La Cross - a young woman working her way through medical training, two possible soul mates, and all the while keeping her family from running out of money. Kind of cliche but hey whatever works, right?
Okay, first thing I’m gonna say is that it was way toooo long! I mean, by the time I reached the action of the book...I was so bored of reading it, I didn’t want to continue! Sure, we get a little mystery in the many many pages but really...it was just Allie going on about her relationship with Clark, her walks with Clark and then the same stories about her “powers” and then her constant bitching about her non-existent relationship with Brody! It just didn’t make sense for me to call it a book....it was more like a diary of a very boring little girl.
To me it felt like, some scenes just got dragged on and on and to be honest it got kind of boring. Also, I felt some parts in the story were unnecessary and shouldn’t have been there. What I really didn’t like about this book was how unrealistic it was. I know, you have some fantasy aspect to it but still....it didn’t work for me! The book was like a robot....you just have words and descriptions going on and on and on....I didn’t see the point of doing that???
Another, aspect that I found very irritating was the whole religious aspect of the story. I mean no disrespect, but I just thought it was very religious for my liking. I mean, from her name, to her powers and even her lovers are freakin religious!! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ALL ABOUT!!!??? I didn’t enjoy this...the whole religious aspect being there kinda threw me in a blunder....it takes the edge off the story. Now, don’t get me wrong there are plenty of great books out there that have religious aspects to them like Melanie Marks books but for this book, it just didn’t work!
Finally, the guys in the book...well...the only thing I can say is that I thought they were idiots and dopes! It was hard to picture them the way the author described them. They just seemed so unrealistic. There was no backbone to them...and once again we have the whole “robot” situation going on. You see that they love Allie but it kinda gets creepy when they start acting like lapdogs. It wasn’t at all romantic. They just worshipped her just because of who she was, it didn’t feel like they liked her for well..her! They worshipped her because perhaps they had too. Well, that’s what it felt like to me anyway! I mean...take this for example: Brodie to Allie
“Forgive me. I want to stay with you more than you will ever know, but I don’t want Clark to think I am taking advantage of you. Honestly, I wouldn’t be a saint if I stayed. You are too beautiful and I have missed you so much.”
Where did the whole saint thing come from and does that sound like a guy in love to you??? Even the bad guy worships her because supposedly she saved him when she wasn’t even born yet! WTF! That didn’t work with me. I had a really hard time connecting with the story, the guys, and even the main character. In my opinion Allie although has a very generous heart and friendly face, I thought she was very weepy and way too emotional for a doctor or even a sane young woman. I just couldn’t picture any of the scenes or the situations presented by the author.
Finally, the last thing is the editing in this book. Well...to be honest...there was no editing! There was a lot of editing errors and spelling mistakes which just doesn’t make you enjoy a book while reading it. I really wished this hadn’t been a problem for me but it was! It was like reading a rough draft.
I don't know if I would recommend this book to anyone but if you like religious aspects in your fantasy and really corny guys and dialogues...then go for it! But, for me, it’s sad to say that I won’t read the next books in the series. I am kinda upset cause I was very excited about reading this but it didn’t work for me.
Ms. Graves thank you for letting me read this and hopefully the next books will change and maybe I can change my mind about reading them!
Okay...pretty much every book I read...I end up liking it and even if I don’t like it I always find something that I do like and talk about it. But for some reason...this book just didn’t do it for me. And yes I have to say it is a first. Other than the idea behind the story....I couldn’t really find anything to like or look forward too.
So, in the book we meet Allison La Cross - a young woman working her way through medical training, two possible soul mates, and all the while keeping her family from running out of money. Kind of cliche but hey whatever works, right?
Okay, first thing I’m gonna say is that it was way toooo long! I mean, by the time I reached the action of the book...I was so bored of reading it, I didn’t want to continue! Sure, we get a little mystery in the many many pages but really...it was just Allie going on about her relationship with Clark, her walks with Clark and then the same stories about her “powers” and then her constant bitching about her non-existent relationship with Brody! It just didn’t make sense for me to call it a book....it was more like a diary of a very boring little girl.
To me it felt like, some scenes just got dragged on and on and to be honest it got kind of boring. Also, I felt some parts in the story were unnecessary and shouldn’t have been there. What I really didn’t like about this book was how unrealistic it was. I know, you have some fantasy aspect to it but still....it didn’t work for me! The book was like a robot....you just have words and descriptions going on and on and on....I didn’t see the point of doing that???
Another, aspect that I found very irritating was the whole religious aspect of the story. I mean no disrespect, but I just thought it was very religious for my liking. I mean, from her name, to her powers and even her lovers are freakin religious!! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ALL ABOUT!!!??? I didn’t enjoy this...the whole religious aspect being there kinda threw me in a blunder....it takes the edge off the story. Now, don’t get me wrong there are plenty of great books out there that have religious aspects to them like Melanie Marks books but for this book, it just didn’t work!
Finally, the guys in the book...well...the only thing I can say is that I thought they were idiots and dopes! It was hard to picture them the way the author described them. They just seemed so unrealistic. There was no backbone to them...and once again we have the whole “robot” situation going on. You see that they love Allie but it kinda gets creepy when they start acting like lapdogs. It wasn’t at all romantic. They just worshipped her just because of who she was, it didn’t feel like they liked her for well..her! They worshipped her because perhaps they had too. Well, that’s what it felt like to me anyway! I mean...take this for example: Brodie to Allie
“Forgive me. I want to stay with you more than you will ever know, but I don’t want Clark to think I am taking advantage of you. Honestly, I wouldn’t be a saint if I stayed. You are too beautiful and I have missed you so much.”
Where did the whole saint thing come from and does that sound like a guy in love to you??? Even the bad guy worships her because supposedly she saved him when she wasn’t even born yet! WTF! That didn’t work with me. I had a really hard time connecting with the story, the guys, and even the main character. In my opinion Allie although has a very generous heart and friendly face, I thought she was very weepy and way too emotional for a doctor or even a sane young woman. I just couldn’t picture any of the scenes or the situations presented by the author.
Finally, the last thing is the editing in this book. Well...to be honest...there was no editing! There was a lot of editing errors and spelling mistakes which just doesn’t make you enjoy a book while reading it. I really wished this hadn’t been a problem for me but it was! It was like reading a rough draft.
I don't know if I would recommend this book to anyone but if you like religious aspects in your fantasy and really corny guys and dialogues...then go for it! But, for me, it’s sad to say that I won’t read the next books in the series. I am kinda upset cause I was very excited about reading this but it didn’t work for me.
Ms. Graves thank you for letting me read this and hopefully the next books will change and maybe I can change my mind about reading them!
June 27, 2011
Originally posted on The Authoress: Book Review and More.
Not exactly my cup of tea. Maybe it was the idea or the execution of said idea or the characters, but more than likely it was a combination of all three. There was something lacking in the structure and presentation that made the characters, and story inaccessible.
The major problem I had with this book was the main character, Allie. Starting with the character itself and not her circumstances, I was disappointed with how shallow she seemed. Even the description of her family background didn’t give me any interest. I didn’t feel any inclination to cheer for her victories or mourn her losses.
Allie’s circumstances once she reached Galveston were so convenient that it was unbelievable. Her instant connection with her gorgeous tenant and this fabulous house that she wasn’t “accustomed” to, etc. Then, the whole situation surrounding Brody just annoyed me further. This instant physical connection, unexplainable background, mysterious attitude been done dozens—thousands!—of times and it’s almost become a default with paranormal books nowadays. I would like to believe it possible that there are supernatural heroes that aren’t drop dead gorgeous and are capable of being a dork.
There’s an article in the July/August issue of Writer’s Digest that speaks very well on the subject of giving flat characters dimension. The author of this article, Steven James (The Bishop), elaborates on four points that give a character complex dimension and one of the points is status. It’s the difference between being dominant and being submissive and how to vary your character’s status to make them believable(1). Likeable heroes are rarely submissive, and thus lies my problem with Allie. She didn’t have drive. I wanted to read about a character that had her own personal conflict besides the main external struggle and how she was going to deal with this personal conflict.
Of course, all those elements—the spectacular living arrangements, the hot romantic interest—can be pulled off effectively, and even feature characters that don’t have a lot of sass but the writing made reading almost unbearable. It was written so distantly that it had the same effect of a third person omniscient narrator. The dialogue was awkward and sounded like it was excerpted from a manual.
Overall, I couldn’t stand Allie’s seemingly naïve attitude and Brody’s brooding hotness. Nothing was clicking for me.
1 = James, Steven “Raise Your Characters Above The Status Quo.” Writer’s Digest (2011): 25-28. Print.
Not exactly my cup of tea. Maybe it was the idea or the execution of said idea or the characters, but more than likely it was a combination of all three. There was something lacking in the structure and presentation that made the characters, and story inaccessible.
The major problem I had with this book was the main character, Allie. Starting with the character itself and not her circumstances, I was disappointed with how shallow she seemed. Even the description of her family background didn’t give me any interest. I didn’t feel any inclination to cheer for her victories or mourn her losses.
Allie’s circumstances once she reached Galveston were so convenient that it was unbelievable. Her instant connection with her gorgeous tenant and this fabulous house that she wasn’t “accustomed” to, etc. Then, the whole situation surrounding Brody just annoyed me further. This instant physical connection, unexplainable background, mysterious attitude been done dozens—thousands!—of times and it’s almost become a default with paranormal books nowadays. I would like to believe it possible that there are supernatural heroes that aren’t drop dead gorgeous and are capable of being a dork.
There’s an article in the July/August issue of Writer’s Digest that speaks very well on the subject of giving flat characters dimension. The author of this article, Steven James (The Bishop), elaborates on four points that give a character complex dimension and one of the points is status. It’s the difference between being dominant and being submissive and how to vary your character’s status to make them believable(1). Likeable heroes are rarely submissive, and thus lies my problem with Allie. She didn’t have drive. I wanted to read about a character that had her own personal conflict besides the main external struggle and how she was going to deal with this personal conflict.
Of course, all those elements—the spectacular living arrangements, the hot romantic interest—can be pulled off effectively, and even feature characters that don’t have a lot of sass but the writing made reading almost unbearable. It was written so distantly that it had the same effect of a third person omniscient narrator. The dialogue was awkward and sounded like it was excerpted from a manual.
Overall, I couldn’t stand Allie’s seemingly naïve attitude and Brody’s brooding hotness. Nothing was clicking for me.
1 = James, Steven “Raise Your Characters Above The Status Quo.” Writer’s Digest (2011): 25-28. Print.
December 9, 2011
Warriors of the Cross (The Warrior Series #1)
By: TR Graves
ISBN: 9781453753422
Published January 10, 2011
Available Format: Paperbook, ebook
My Rating: ★★★★★
Allison La Crosse has always felt compelled to help those in need, so she pursues a medical career. Her talents go far deeper than the practice of medicine, however, and when she leaves her family to begin her residency in Galveston, Texas, it becomes clear she has been given an extraordinary gift. With this gift comes tremendous risk – a risk that could possibly be fatal. As if written in the stars, two incredible yet mysterious men come into Allie’s life, and they have a greater role to play as well. There is an evil in the world and these three exceptional people must put the pieces together and stand united for whatever may come.
Warriors of the Cross is a book I agreed to read and review WAY back over the summer, and I was finally able to get to it on my to-review list. I was absolutely NOT disappointed! This book was amazing. The plot is unique, fast-paced, and holds you hostage until the very end.
I think so much about this book is fresh and really takes its own (top) spot in all the paranormal romance that is out there today. One thing that I love about this series is that it has Christianity mixed within but everything about it is realistic. These are real people with real lives and real temptations. They aren’t in church every Sunday morning; they don’t crack their Bible every time life throws them another challenge; but they are still able to keep their faith and weave these supernatural complexities into their everyday life. But, everything is so well-balanced, you most likely wouldn’t even analyze it any further than the surplus of brilliance that is happening on every page. I wouldn’t even label this novel as faith-based or religious (‘cause it almost sounded like I was getting a little preachy there!), but the author is able to use all these familiar ideas to supplement to this fantastic story.
I’ve had the honor of working with the author on the second book of the series, Guardians of the Cross, and I have to say the brilliance does not stop with book one. If you haven’t read Warriors yet, get yourself a copy today and get ready for some major developments that are going to be happening in book two, which is expected to release later this month (December 2011)!
By: TR Graves
ISBN: 9781453753422
Published January 10, 2011
Available Format: Paperbook, ebook
My Rating: ★★★★★
Allison La Crosse has always felt compelled to help those in need, so she pursues a medical career. Her talents go far deeper than the practice of medicine, however, and when she leaves her family to begin her residency in Galveston, Texas, it becomes clear she has been given an extraordinary gift. With this gift comes tremendous risk – a risk that could possibly be fatal. As if written in the stars, two incredible yet mysterious men come into Allie’s life, and they have a greater role to play as well. There is an evil in the world and these three exceptional people must put the pieces together and stand united for whatever may come.
Warriors of the Cross is a book I agreed to read and review WAY back over the summer, and I was finally able to get to it on my to-review list. I was absolutely NOT disappointed! This book was amazing. The plot is unique, fast-paced, and holds you hostage until the very end.
I think so much about this book is fresh and really takes its own (top) spot in all the paranormal romance that is out there today. One thing that I love about this series is that it has Christianity mixed within but everything about it is realistic. These are real people with real lives and real temptations. They aren’t in church every Sunday morning; they don’t crack their Bible every time life throws them another challenge; but they are still able to keep their faith and weave these supernatural complexities into their everyday life. But, everything is so well-balanced, you most likely wouldn’t even analyze it any further than the surplus of brilliance that is happening on every page. I wouldn’t even label this novel as faith-based or religious (‘cause it almost sounded like I was getting a little preachy there!), but the author is able to use all these familiar ideas to supplement to this fantastic story.
I’ve had the honor of working with the author on the second book of the series, Guardians of the Cross, and I have to say the brilliance does not stop with book one. If you haven’t read Warriors yet, get yourself a copy today and get ready for some major developments that are going to be happening in book two, which is expected to release later this month (December 2011)!
January 24, 2012
I started reading this book, thinking that the book title was very cool. I was hoping for some action, adventure, suspense, etc. Unfortunately, this book encompasses none of these characteristics, in my opinion.
The main character, Allison La Crosse, is supposed to be gifted with the ability to heal the dying; fine. I was hoping for a stronger character, but this woman acts more like she's in grade school instead of college. She's very insecure, self-absorbed, and whiny to the point where I became exasperated while reading this novel. Although the premise of this book sounded great, the actual storyline just didn't do it for me.
The book is written in first-person, which usually isn't bad, unless it reads like a diary, which is how it felt to me when reading it. Case in point:
Day 1: Got out of bed, brushed my teeth, took a shower, got dressed, headed to the college to do my rounds (she's a resident, studying to become a full-fledged doctor).
Day 2: Met the chief director; my heart's all a-flutter. Overheard some snooty girls talking about me, and I burst into tears.
Day 3: Could barely keep a conversation going with the chief director. He said something I didn't like, and I burst into tears (again), and ran away from him. I didn't answer his calls, pages, etc., hoping I could ignore him forever and a day, or whatever.
On and on and on it goes like this. Argh! Just aggravating! Although the author doesn't literally write, "Day 1, Day 2, Day 3," etc. at the beginning of every chapter, she might as well have. It just feels that way in the book.
There were some interesting points in the book, where Allison uses her gift, and learns more about Brody's gift (he's the chief director, and Allison's "love interest"), but unfortunately, they're few and far between, and not enough for me to truly enjoy the book. I appreciate the female characters views on healthcare (some of which I agree with); however, too much time is spent expounding on the issues, and not enough time is spent learning more about her ability(ies).
Hopefully, "Guardians of the Cross" is better, but I don't think I'll be reading that one.
The main character, Allison La Crosse, is supposed to be gifted with the ability to heal the dying; fine. I was hoping for a stronger character, but this woman acts more like she's in grade school instead of college. She's very insecure, self-absorbed, and whiny to the point where I became exasperated while reading this novel. Although the premise of this book sounded great, the actual storyline just didn't do it for me.
The book is written in first-person, which usually isn't bad, unless it reads like a diary, which is how it felt to me when reading it. Case in point:
Day 1: Got out of bed, brushed my teeth, took a shower, got dressed, headed to the college to do my rounds (she's a resident, studying to become a full-fledged doctor).
Day 2: Met the chief director; my heart's all a-flutter. Overheard some snooty girls talking about me, and I burst into tears.
Day 3: Could barely keep a conversation going with the chief director. He said something I didn't like, and I burst into tears (again), and ran away from him. I didn't answer his calls, pages, etc., hoping I could ignore him forever and a day, or whatever.
On and on and on it goes like this. Argh! Just aggravating! Although the author doesn't literally write, "Day 1, Day 2, Day 3," etc. at the beginning of every chapter, she might as well have. It just feels that way in the book.
There were some interesting points in the book, where Allison uses her gift, and learns more about Brody's gift (he's the chief director, and Allison's "love interest"), but unfortunately, they're few and far between, and not enough for me to truly enjoy the book. I appreciate the female characters views on healthcare (some of which I agree with); however, too much time is spent expounding on the issues, and not enough time is spent learning more about her ability(ies).
Hopefully, "Guardians of the Cross" is better, but I don't think I'll be reading that one.
January 25, 2012
WARNING: SPOILER ALERT at the end
The story was about Allie, a medical resident, and her slow realization that with her touch, she can save people from death. Other characters include Brody (who figures quite prominently) and Clark (her landlord). The book started off very slow, gave lots of background, and only got good toward the very end. The characters were fleshed out very well, but at times, that even became tedious. I found the premise to be believable as when reading fantasy, you suspend all belief.
That said, I found this book extremely hard to read. It was written with an attempt at accenting some of the characters' speech (which I find off-putting & was only applied to a very few), sentences didn't flow & were overly dramtic & choppy, emotions were all over the place & hard to pin down, she went into tedious detail over seemingly insignificant parts of the story, and time & again I found myself having to go back and re-read pages just to figure out what was going on. At times, it seemed as if the main character (who was also narrating the story) made contradictions about herself from one sentence to the next. It made for an extremely frustrating read.
The closer the book was to the end, the better it began to get. Once you got past the flowerly, choppy speech, the storyline became interesting and made you want to turn the page to read more.
SPOILER ALERT: The story ends in a cliff hanger.....how badly was Allie injured in the attack, how will she (& Brody) cope with their God-given ability, how will they overcome the fact that The Sect (the evil in this book) is now aware that Allie lives (they believed her to have died at birth) & is out to kill her? Will their love for each other overcome all else? Will evil (The Sect) prevail or will goodness (The Warriors) overcome?
The story was about Allie, a medical resident, and her slow realization that with her touch, she can save people from death. Other characters include Brody (who figures quite prominently) and Clark (her landlord). The book started off very slow, gave lots of background, and only got good toward the very end. The characters were fleshed out very well, but at times, that even became tedious. I found the premise to be believable as when reading fantasy, you suspend all belief.
That said, I found this book extremely hard to read. It was written with an attempt at accenting some of the characters' speech (which I find off-putting & was only applied to a very few), sentences didn't flow & were overly dramtic & choppy, emotions were all over the place & hard to pin down, she went into tedious detail over seemingly insignificant parts of the story, and time & again I found myself having to go back and re-read pages just to figure out what was going on. At times, it seemed as if the main character (who was also narrating the story) made contradictions about herself from one sentence to the next. It made for an extremely frustrating read.
The closer the book was to the end, the better it began to get. Once you got past the flowerly, choppy speech, the storyline became interesting and made you want to turn the page to read more.
SPOILER ALERT: The story ends in a cliff hanger.....how badly was Allie injured in the attack, how will she (& Brody) cope with their God-given ability, how will they overcome the fact that The Sect (the evil in this book) is now aware that Allie lives (they believed her to have died at birth) & is out to kill her? Will their love for each other overcome all else? Will evil (The Sect) prevail or will goodness (The Warriors) overcome?
February 5, 2012
I think this book is written in a very nice way. The style makes it easy to read. Even though I wasn't a big fan of the book, I think a lot of people will like it. Because I realize this book is very good I gave it four stars. I think the reasons I didn't like the book are very personal.
I should have known actually, warriors of the CROSS. Of course this book would be about faith, God. I have no problem with this, I liked Angelology and other books with 'believe' aspects in it. I guess this book just was a bit more about God then I like. I am not a believer, I never will be. Like I said, I have no problem reading about it, but it's not something I enjoy. As long as it's not a huge thing in the books, I'm okay with it. But when I discovered how important it was in this book my liking of the book chilled. Guess you could say it's not the book, it's me ;)
Besides that, I also didn't really enjoy some conversations. I know most books have non-realistic conversations, but this one had it a lot. Some things were just to perfectly said, to much said.
I did like the love the two of them shared. I liked how the book stretched it out a bit, gave them obstacles and made it difficult for them. I think that made it even better when they were around each other.
I also really liked The Sisters, they were so sweet and I could totally imagine their house and their way of living.
I also really liked the writing style, there wasn't a lot of action for the first 150/200 pages. But because of the writing style, it was interesting enough to keep on reading.
I hope other people will enjoy this book more then I did, because I know this is a very good book!
I should have known actually, warriors of the CROSS. Of course this book would be about faith, God. I have no problem with this, I liked Angelology and other books with 'believe' aspects in it. I guess this book just was a bit more about God then I like. I am not a believer, I never will be. Like I said, I have no problem reading about it, but it's not something I enjoy. As long as it's not a huge thing in the books, I'm okay with it. But when I discovered how important it was in this book my liking of the book chilled. Guess you could say it's not the book, it's me ;)
Besides that, I also didn't really enjoy some conversations. I know most books have non-realistic conversations, but this one had it a lot. Some things were just to perfectly said, to much said.
I did like the love the two of them shared. I liked how the book stretched it out a bit, gave them obstacles and made it difficult for them. I think that made it even better when they were around each other.
I also really liked The Sisters, they were so sweet and I could totally imagine their house and their way of living.
I also really liked the writing style, there wasn't a lot of action for the first 150/200 pages. But because of the writing style, it was interesting enough to keep on reading.
I hope other people will enjoy this book more then I did, because I know this is a very good book!
June 17, 2011
I recently added this book to my to-read shelf, and was sent a link to this book by the author (for that, I am forever grateful). After finally getting around to read it, I realized this book would be one of my favorites.
I'm not going to go too in-depth with this because I don't want to give anything away. Everyone should read this without knowing any of the intricate details so they can be just as pleasantly surprised as I was.
Now, to be honest, I'm not a fan of romance. At all. Something about it just turns me off. Luckily, this book was so well-written that I actually enjoyed the entire romance aspect. Add in the paranormal aspect and this book was golden. The paranormal was on the religious side, which was new for me as I'd never read anything of the sort, but I enjoyed it very much. I particularly enjoyed the medical/more realistic pieces of the book that balanced out the supernatural, as well as most if not all the characters. Okay, Suri was just plain mean, but every other character was at least likeable. I found myself sympathizing with poor Allie and especially Clark more than once.
Other than that, the pacing was impeccable, and it was a fairly quick yet fun read. It was interesting the whole way through, but the ending is what made me love the book rather than just really like it. Granted, cliffhangers are usually just annoying, but this one has made me very excited for the next book. As a whole, the book was intriguing and worth every moment spent reading it. I can't wait for the next to be released!
I'm not going to go too in-depth with this because I don't want to give anything away. Everyone should read this without knowing any of the intricate details so they can be just as pleasantly surprised as I was.
Now, to be honest, I'm not a fan of romance. At all. Something about it just turns me off. Luckily, this book was so well-written that I actually enjoyed the entire romance aspect. Add in the paranormal aspect and this book was golden. The paranormal was on the religious side, which was new for me as I'd never read anything of the sort, but I enjoyed it very much. I particularly enjoyed the medical/more realistic pieces of the book that balanced out the supernatural, as well as most if not all the characters. Okay, Suri was just plain mean, but every other character was at least likeable. I found myself sympathizing with poor Allie and especially Clark more than once.
Other than that, the pacing was impeccable, and it was a fairly quick yet fun read. It was interesting the whole way through, but the ending is what made me love the book rather than just really like it. Granted, cliffhangers are usually just annoying, but this one has made me very excited for the next book. As a whole, the book was intriguing and worth every moment spent reading it. I can't wait for the next to be released!
July 27, 2011
Warriors of the Cross has a little something for everyone. There's romance, mystery, suspense, supernatural, and a bit of Christian theology thrown in for good measure. The story flows fairly smoothly, though there are areas where it seems to drag some; but not enough for me to want to stop reading.
The characters were mostly written well. It was easy to see Allison mature as she went through all the strange incidents happening to her. I would have preferred Clark and Brody to be more well-rounded, I think maybe in trying to keep the mystery around them, they fell a little flat at times. However, I adored the sisters and wished they would have been around more!
The suspense is kept drawn tight throughout the storyline, I had to keep reading because I needed to know where Allison got her gifts and how she was going to fight off the evil! Overall, I really enjoyed the book and will be looking forward to the next two books in the series.
*Disclaimer: I received this book from the author through Goodreads. I was not required to write a positive review.
The characters were mostly written well. It was easy to see Allison mature as she went through all the strange incidents happening to her. I would have preferred Clark and Brody to be more well-rounded, I think maybe in trying to keep the mystery around them, they fell a little flat at times. However, I adored the sisters and wished they would have been around more!
The suspense is kept drawn tight throughout the storyline, I had to keep reading because I needed to know where Allison got her gifts and how she was going to fight off the evil! Overall, I really enjoyed the book and will be looking forward to the next two books in the series.
*Disclaimer: I received this book from the author through Goodreads. I was not required to write a positive review.
June 26, 2011
3.5 stars rounded up.
I gave this book 4 stars, because I like the concept (new take on good versus evil) and it had a strong enough ending to intrigue me into following through with the series. However, I didn't love this story for a few reasons. One, it took too long to set up the story and get the premise rolling. Two, the heroine (Allie), who is apparently a natural beauty, a great doctor and has 2 amazing men in love with her (I adored Brody & Clark), spends the majority of the book feeling insecure and crying. It got old for me and I couldn't like her because of it. And finally, while I can forgive editing issues (and there were plenty), what I couldn't get past was the fact that there were barely any contractions in the book. People just don't naturally converse as formally as this book was written. It seemed forced and odd. That said, I still think for a free (or low cost) book this is a worthwhile read for fans of the YA Paranormal genre.
I gave this book 4 stars, because I like the concept (new take on good versus evil) and it had a strong enough ending to intrigue me into following through with the series. However, I didn't love this story for a few reasons. One, it took too long to set up the story and get the premise rolling. Two, the heroine (Allie), who is apparently a natural beauty, a great doctor and has 2 amazing men in love with her (I adored Brody & Clark), spends the majority of the book feeling insecure and crying. It got old for me and I couldn't like her because of it. And finally, while I can forgive editing issues (and there were plenty), what I couldn't get past was the fact that there were barely any contractions in the book. People just don't naturally converse as formally as this book was written. It seemed forced and odd. That said, I still think for a free (or low cost) book this is a worthwhile read for fans of the YA Paranormal genre.
August 30, 2011
4.5 stars,The book cover is really beautiful and related to the story. It has a very good and interesting plot I like how it starts off with a little bit of mystery between all of the characters.There's a lot of medical scenes plus very detailed terminologies I found very useful in imagining the whole story. I felt the characters emotions and struggles that kept me moving one page to another, within the story lies a great message to every reader such as close family ties, bonds, do the right thing etc which are extremely important.This is where Allison La Crosse finds and enjoys her path being an doctor, a love life she couldn’t even imagine,powers she’s not even aware off, learning how to control her abilities, family secrets kept in the shadows for her safety and more!I love the cast, growing romance,rivalries, and how it all unfolds I really enjoyed reading all these twists and turns a very promising book one of the warrior series I can’t wait to read book two!
August 30, 2011
4.5 stars,The book cover is really beautiful and related to the story. It has a very good and interesting plot I like how it starts off with a little bit of mystery between all of the characters.There's a lot of medical scenes plus very detailed terminologies I found very useful in imagining the whole story. I felt the characters emotions and struggles that kept me moving one page to another, within the story lies a great message to every reader such as close family ties, bonds, do the right thing etc which are extremely important.This is where Allison La Crosse finds and enjoys her path being an doctor, a love life she couldn’t even imagine,powers she’s not even aware off, learning how to control her abilities, family secrets kept in the shadows for her safety and more!I love the cast, growing romance,rivalries, and how it all unfolds I really enjoyed reading all these twists and turns a very promising book one of the warrior series I can’t wait to read book two!
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