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Logic #1
Spell Checked
Broken relationships were a constant in Mae’s life, causing her to swear off men forever. Unwittingly lured to Ireland, Mae finds herself knee-deep in a hidden world she never knew existed and head over heels for the very man that tricked her to coming there. His deception is complicated by his own feelings for the one person that holds the key to merging the ancient races that once ruled the ancient word.
Mae finds herself in an underground world of witches, and vampires, which are half-breeds of aliens long gone. She learns about her own unique parentage and powers, which she must study in order to control, before they consume her.
Beck and Helen’s love for one another spans across a millennium, her human soul reincarnated to match Beck’s own immortality. This time however the body she occupies is of a being that cannot be eclipsed by her return. After waiting two hundred years, Beck finds himself tormented by Helen’s inability to return and his growing love for her new host.
Some of the underworld creatures welcome her with open arms as a savior, while others seek to destroy the abomination they believe her to be. Will the knowledge of her existence cause a race war when the true power of her blood is discovered? Or will love become her ultimate downfall?
Mae finds herself in an underground world of witches, and vampires, which are half-breeds of aliens long gone. She learns about her own unique parentage and powers, which she must study in order to control, before they consume her.
Beck and Helen’s love for one another spans across a millennium, her human soul reincarnated to match Beck’s own immortality. This time however the body she occupies is of a being that cannot be eclipsed by her return. After waiting two hundred years, Beck finds himself tormented by Helen’s inability to return and his growing love for her new host.
Some of the underworld creatures welcome her with open arms as a savior, while others seek to destroy the abomination they believe her to be. Will the knowledge of her existence cause a race war when the true power of her blood is discovered? Or will love become her ultimate downfall?
306 pages, Nook
First published July 3, 2011
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sampled-more
February 19, 2012Updated Review: This book has been edited since I originally reviewed it. Since future readers will be reading the newly edited version, it seems only fair that I revise this review to be based on that new version.
First of all, let me say something about the story. I definitely found some good stuff there. And now that the editing is improved, I'm not afraid to recommend this book to some people. The author had a unique take on vampires and witches, and there was an original conflict in the romance around which the book centered.
I originally made it 64% of the way through this book. I stopped reading because the editing needed a lot of work, to the point that I was unable to enjoy the book. Additionally, I felt that the book included a lot of telling. It appears that the newly edited version has significantly improved editing. Still, there is too much telling involved for me to get into the story--telling what the characters are thinking or feeling instead of showing with their actions and their words.
For example, an unreasonably large number of the dialog lines were followed by something like "so-and-so said, WANTING to express that she blah-blah-blah" or "NOT WANTING such-and-such." I began to expect that "wanting" or "not wanting" line every time someone spoke, and I wish the author could have found a way to express characters' desires without flat-out telling these feelings. It created a sort of sing-songy repetition of sentence structure, while at the same time expressing details that would be better expressed with more dialog, action, or character body language. With all the telling in this book, it was difficult for me to get lost in the story.
There was also quite a bit of head-hopping. Whenever more than one of the main four characters was a single scene, the point-of-view jumped from character to character without warning. It was jarring, unfocused, and a little messy.
I've increased my rating from one star to two stars for the improved editing.
First of all, let me say something about the story. I definitely found some good stuff there. And now that the editing is improved, I'm not afraid to recommend this book to some people. The author had a unique take on vampires and witches, and there was an original conflict in the romance around which the book centered.
I originally made it 64% of the way through this book. I stopped reading because the editing needed a lot of work, to the point that I was unable to enjoy the book. Additionally, I felt that the book included a lot of telling. It appears that the newly edited version has significantly improved editing. Still, there is too much telling involved for me to get into the story--telling what the characters are thinking or feeling instead of showing with their actions and their words.
For example, an unreasonably large number of the dialog lines were followed by something like "so-and-so said, WANTING to express that she blah-blah-blah" or "NOT WANTING such-and-such." I began to expect that "wanting" or "not wanting" line every time someone spoke, and I wish the author could have found a way to express characters' desires without flat-out telling these feelings. It created a sort of sing-songy repetition of sentence structure, while at the same time expressing details that would be better expressed with more dialog, action, or character body language. With all the telling in this book, it was difficult for me to get lost in the story.
There was also quite a bit of head-hopping. Whenever more than one of the main four characters was a single scene, the point-of-view jumped from character to character without warning. It was jarring, unfocused, and a little messy.
I've increased my rating from one star to two stars for the improved editing.
February 12, 2012
Spell checked? I think not.
I have no idea where to start with this review. I somewhat enjoyed the book, but there were so many things “wrong” with it, it’s actually quite sad. The one thing I can say with certainty, is that a good editor would’ve made a world of difference. But instead of droning on and on about the things which brings down the value of this book, I’ll give you a quick run-through of the points that bugged me. Just humor me and let me have my little rant here, about a book that has so much potential to be a bestseller if the author is willing to make a few changes to it.
Let’s start with the first major point which I found quite annoying: the author’s fear of using the apostrophe in all the right places. Do not; has not; was not and are not, contributed to throwing the rhythm of the book off balance. Once I started reading it as don’t, hasn’t, wasn’t and aren’t, the story read smoother and suited its characters and setting much better.
The second issue I had was the grammar errors. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was noticeable.
The whole book is written in such a way as to make it an easy read suitable for young adults, but time and again the intimate scenes between the characters ended up being pure erotica with unexpected crude language at inappropriate intervals - thus making it unsuitable for younger readers. It also succeeded in creating the impression that the author wasn’t sure whether it should be a young adult novel, or a read suitable for more mature readers.
Magic was used as a scapegoat to fix every situation to which the author couldn’t figure out a solution. Abracadabra and the characters got out of sticky situations in a jiffy.
There was no point to the plot and not an ounce of suspense. No, really! The blurb hinted at some action and danger for the main character, but nothing happened. Mae - the main character - was trained throughout the book to use her magical gifts to protect herself and others from harm; creating the impression that she is preparing for a big battle scene or something similar. All she ended up using her magical gifts for were to heal one or two characters and to knock her lover off his feet while they were chasing after each other naked down the passages in their mansion. It was such a disappointment!
The characters were somewhat flawed, in an effort to make them believable, but it was still hard to identify with them when all the difficulties they faced were easily solved with truckloads of money and magic, thus making it hard to feel any sympathy for them whenever they went through rough patches.
As this is the first book in this series, I’ll rather believe that it served as a very (unnecessary) long introduction to the characters who will be the main role-players in the next books in the series. But other than that, there was really no point to this story other than character development.
So why am I recommending this book with 3 stars? Because despite everything I found “wrong” with this book, I couldn’t put it down. There’s definitely something in the author’s writing that is captivating enough to grab the reader’s attention and keep it until the end of the book. This alone is testimony that CG Powell is a talented author who knows how to engage her readers, but just has to find the right rhythm for her writing style and some good advice (or a better editor) on how to add that extra “oomph” to this book. She certainly impressed me with her knowledge on technology and she has an imagination that can charm readers out of their socks! Now if only she can find a way to apply it in a more-showing, less-telling manner...
I have no idea where to start with this review. I somewhat enjoyed the book, but there were so many things “wrong” with it, it’s actually quite sad. The one thing I can say with certainty, is that a good editor would’ve made a world of difference. But instead of droning on and on about the things which brings down the value of this book, I’ll give you a quick run-through of the points that bugged me. Just humor me and let me have my little rant here, about a book that has so much potential to be a bestseller if the author is willing to make a few changes to it.
Let’s start with the first major point which I found quite annoying: the author’s fear of using the apostrophe in all the right places. Do not; has not; was not and are not, contributed to throwing the rhythm of the book off balance. Once I started reading it as don’t, hasn’t, wasn’t and aren’t, the story read smoother and suited its characters and setting much better.
The second issue I had was the grammar errors. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was noticeable.
The whole book is written in such a way as to make it an easy read suitable for young adults, but time and again the intimate scenes between the characters ended up being pure erotica with unexpected crude language at inappropriate intervals - thus making it unsuitable for younger readers. It also succeeded in creating the impression that the author wasn’t sure whether it should be a young adult novel, or a read suitable for more mature readers.
Magic was used as a scapegoat to fix every situation to which the author couldn’t figure out a solution. Abracadabra and the characters got out of sticky situations in a jiffy.
There was no point to the plot and not an ounce of suspense. No, really! The blurb hinted at some action and danger for the main character, but nothing happened. Mae - the main character - was trained throughout the book to use her magical gifts to protect herself and others from harm; creating the impression that she is preparing for a big battle scene or something similar. All she ended up using her magical gifts for were to heal one or two characters and to knock her lover off his feet while they were chasing after each other naked down the passages in their mansion. It was such a disappointment!
The characters were somewhat flawed, in an effort to make them believable, but it was still hard to identify with them when all the difficulties they faced were easily solved with truckloads of money and magic, thus making it hard to feel any sympathy for them whenever they went through rough patches.
As this is the first book in this series, I’ll rather believe that it served as a very (unnecessary) long introduction to the characters who will be the main role-players in the next books in the series. But other than that, there was really no point to this story other than character development.
So why am I recommending this book with 3 stars? Because despite everything I found “wrong” with this book, I couldn’t put it down. There’s definitely something in the author’s writing that is captivating enough to grab the reader’s attention and keep it until the end of the book. This alone is testimony that CG Powell is a talented author who knows how to engage her readers, but just has to find the right rhythm for her writing style and some good advice (or a better editor) on how to add that extra “oomph” to this book. She certainly impressed me with her knowledge on technology and she has an imagination that can charm readers out of their socks! Now if only she can find a way to apply it in a more-showing, less-telling manner...
July 27, 2012
Well.. it was an interesting idea...the whole 'where it all originated' part was sufficiently unique and I liked the premise of the book to start with. That said, this story still needs polishing.
I understand that many errors previously in the book have been corrected which is terrific, but there were a few things remaining that made me twitch a little. One, some word choices were poor. For example, vampire's mind control ability was referred to as bewitching. I found that confusing, especially since there were witches prominently involved in the book as well. And at one point a person was said to "materialize into' the next room. That was awkward: One teleports from a place and materializes at the destination. It could be another word, aside from teleport, of course, but just making the point that using materialize in that way didn't quite work. There were other instances, but no need to belabor the point.
Two, as other reviewers have noted, there was a lot of telling, rather than showing by action what was going on. This caused the story to drag in parts... and the jumping perspective from one person to another left me confused from time to time. My favorite way of using shifting perspective is to do a chapter from one point of view, then the next from the other and so on, always making sure that it is very clear who is speaking.
At about 85 percent or so, I started feeling like the story should be over. I continued reading and when it finished, it did so abruptly. I felt the ending could have been a little more tied together.
At any rate, the author has potential to be a storyteller with more practice and polish. But at the moment, the results took me 3 days to read, when I normally finish a book or two a day... I kept wandering off from the story, rather than reading consistently, as is my habit.
I understand that many errors previously in the book have been corrected which is terrific, but there were a few things remaining that made me twitch a little. One, some word choices were poor. For example, vampire's mind control ability was referred to as bewitching. I found that confusing, especially since there were witches prominently involved in the book as well. And at one point a person was said to "materialize into' the next room. That was awkward: One teleports from a place and materializes at the destination. It could be another word, aside from teleport, of course, but just making the point that using materialize in that way didn't quite work. There were other instances, but no need to belabor the point.
Two, as other reviewers have noted, there was a lot of telling, rather than showing by action what was going on. This caused the story to drag in parts... and the jumping perspective from one person to another left me confused from time to time. My favorite way of using shifting perspective is to do a chapter from one point of view, then the next from the other and so on, always making sure that it is very clear who is speaking.
At about 85 percent or so, I started feeling like the story should be over. I continued reading and when it finished, it did so abruptly. I felt the ending could have been a little more tied together.
At any rate, the author has potential to be a storyteller with more practice and polish. But at the moment, the results took me 3 days to read, when I normally finish a book or two a day... I kept wandering off from the story, rather than reading consistently, as is my habit.
July 24, 2012
Spell Checked is a fun YA, and it's easy for me to see the appeal to so many. The characters are dynamic and witty, taking being geeky to a whole new level of sexy. The series holds a great amount of potential.
I did have a hard time with the dialogue is some places. Contractions were missing, which is simply awkward. People don't usually talk that way, especially not the young adults of the targeted readership. Although, I assume the characters are adults?? I was never actually told how old they were, but some of their behaviour was on the more mature side. And I do mean MATURE! Don't let your teenaged daughters read this!!!
The concept is interesting, although only a few quirks were truly unique. I would say that I would be interested in reading the sequel to see where this series is headed.
I did have a hard time with the dialogue is some places. Contractions were missing, which is simply awkward. People don't usually talk that way, especially not the young adults of the targeted readership. Although, I assume the characters are adults?? I was never actually told how old they were, but some of their behaviour was on the more mature side. And I do mean MATURE! Don't let your teenaged daughters read this!!!
The concept is interesting, although only a few quirks were truly unique. I would say that I would be interested in reading the sequel to see where this series is headed.
February 4, 2013
This story was fun and I couldn't put it down, with that said there are a few thing that made it difficult to read.
Lets start with the good... What a unique take on witches and vampires, very neat! I thought that all the characters were well introduced and they built well throughout the story.
My main complaint was the use of quotes when it was not appropriate... When they are thinking thoughts to themselves and it was in quotes made me have to re-read the lines to see who the other character I missed that was being talked with .... It was in their minds not someone I missed. This was my major grip about the story.
At the ending when try were going to make major announcement the story ended. I felt let down and unfinished. Perhaps it leads into a new story with a few other unfinished plots but the ending was a let down!
Please understand I really did enjoy the story and read it in two days so it did keep my a attention. A little fine tuning and I feel it could be an amazing read.
Lets start with the good... What a unique take on witches and vampires, very neat! I thought that all the characters were well introduced and they built well throughout the story.
My main complaint was the use of quotes when it was not appropriate... When they are thinking thoughts to themselves and it was in quotes made me have to re-read the lines to see who the other character I missed that was being talked with .... It was in their minds not someone I missed. This was my major grip about the story.
At the ending when try were going to make major announcement the story ended. I felt let down and unfinished. Perhaps it leads into a new story with a few other unfinished plots but the ending was a let down!
Please understand I really did enjoy the story and read it in two days so it did keep my a attention. A little fine tuning and I feel it could be an amazing read.
September 1, 2011
I haven't read a lot of paranormal romance, and I was intrigued by the premise of this one. The author created an interesting world, filled with vampires and witches in the unlikeliest of places; the main characters were likeable and sexy, and I enjoyed all the references to history and mythology. Grammatical errors and inappropriate shifts in point of view distracted me from the story at times. But hopefully that won't stop you from giving this unique, fresh tale a try!
February 17, 2015
This book was a nice take on PNR. I liked the warmth that with which the characters treated each other and I do love books set in Ireland. I wish that the story had more showing and less telling as the plot and characters lacked complexity and much excitement.
July 30, 2011
Almost done with this jewel! Great read so far. I'm enjoying the strong characters and the story.
January 26, 2014
Completely unreadable. It's written with the vocab of a twelve year old, and the storyline can be described as nothing if not gauche. Avoid at all costs!
March 9, 2021
It started out great, but then fizzled. About the time it was announced that vampires and witches were aliens, the main character lost all of her appeal and the writer much of her talent. The writing began to become disjointed and flat. The m.c. just started 'knowing' everything and somehow her personality was replaced with exposition and plot points.
September 7, 2024
Couldn’t Read Past Chapter 2
There is no character build up. It’s had to like the characters that appear in the book because they have no depth. The entirety is Chapter 2 was enough to make me stop cold.
There is no character build up. It’s had to like the characters that appear in the book because they have no depth. The entirety is Chapter 2 was enough to make me stop cold.
May 11, 2019
Simple read for travel. Easy to follow and enough other worldly fantasy to pass the time on a long flight.
January 13, 2014
In all honesty, Im not too sure how I feel about this book. The storyline and world building were very weak - but the characters were all very well developed and all so fun and likeable that it kind of made up for the fact that this book is a wash.
I hate how easily Mae accepted the fact that she was a witch. I mean, she's charmed into feeling something for Beck - he calls her by another woman's name - causes her to fall into some kind of 30 minute magical coma- and wakes up to be told this unbelievable thing & she's all "oh yeah sure, Im a witch. Ive always felt a little odd, so this explains everything!" ............. Really??? And I was hardly surprised with the big reveal about Mae's true heritage.
I was glad to learn about the mutual attractions between witches. Im was very happy to learn that Mae wasn't really attracted to Aiden, that he was just being an ass & playing on that connection.
It was kind of cool that these guys are so old - a little cheesy to. Like when Aiden reveals that he was once known as Loki - I couldn't help but roll my eyes. And when Beck flushes with embarrassment when Gemma jokes about edible underwear. Seriously dude - you're so old you're a fucking relic & edible underwear make you blush?? (also - vampires blush?)
I was a little confused at first about the whole Mae/Helen thing. I wish the author had explained & broke that down sooner in the book - like as soon as Aiden & Beck brought it up?!?! Regardless, Im happy with the way that situation resolved itself.
I really liked Alexis & wish she'd had a bigger part in the book. She was great!
Even though I like Meredith & Aiden together, I kinda feel like the author changed their mind about Aiden being with Gemma more then halfway through the book -
but it's ok because I didn't really like Gemma. She made me feel icky when she asked Beck to bite her. Also, it was stupid turning Gemma into a vampire. The whole reason they did it was because it would be to painful for Mae to be separated from her - so they turn her into a vampire and send her off to China - with a guy who had 2.5 seconds in the book? What was Gemma's purpose?
I DESPERATELY need to get to a library or bookstore! These Kindle freebies are really killing my brain cells. 2 very low Stars
I hate how easily Mae accepted the fact that she was a witch. I mean, she's charmed into feeling something for Beck - he calls her by another woman's name - causes her to fall into some kind of 30 minute magical coma- and wakes up to be told this unbelievable thing & she's all "oh yeah sure, Im a witch. Ive always felt a little odd, so this explains everything!" ............. Really??? And I was hardly surprised with the big reveal about Mae's true heritage.
I was glad to learn about the mutual attractions between witches. Im was very happy to learn that Mae wasn't really attracted to Aiden, that he was just being an ass & playing on that connection.
It was kind of cool that these guys are so old - a little cheesy to. Like when Aiden reveals that he was once known as Loki - I couldn't help but roll my eyes. And when Beck flushes with embarrassment when Gemma jokes about edible underwear. Seriously dude - you're so old you're a fucking relic & edible underwear make you blush?? (also - vampires blush?)
I was a little confused at first about the whole Mae/Helen thing. I wish the author had explained & broke that down sooner in the book - like as soon as Aiden & Beck brought it up?!?! Regardless, Im happy with the way that situation resolved itself.
I really liked Alexis & wish she'd had a bigger part in the book. She was great!
Even though I like Meredith & Aiden together, I kinda feel like the author changed their mind about Aiden being with Gemma more then halfway through the book -
but it's ok because I didn't really like Gemma. She made me feel icky when she asked Beck to bite her. Also, it was stupid turning Gemma into a vampire. The whole reason they did it was because it would be to painful for Mae to be separated from her - so they turn her into a vampire and send her off to China - with a guy who had 2.5 seconds in the book? What was Gemma's purpose?
I DESPERATELY need to get to a library or bookstore! These Kindle freebies are really killing my brain cells. 2 very low Stars
March 16, 2012
This was a wonderful read! I read it in about two days because I just had to know what was happening next. The story moves along at a quick pace without feeling like you are missing any information. You get all the information you need just when you feel like you need it. I thoroughly enjoyed the new twist on where vampires and witches come from (not telling where because you should read it). This story is about how vampires and witches exist in our world (specifically taking place in Dublin, Ireland mostly). Humans don't exactly know that they are among us, but they also are very accepting of the possibility. Vampires still need to drink human blood to survive, but it turns out that witch blood is poisonous to them. However, witches have breed so thoroughly with the human population, that it is becoming increasingly difficult for vampires not to drink some of the witch blood in their "human" donors. This is a problem that Beck, the main vampire character of the story, is researching for solutions. He believes there must be a way to help vampires and witches alike survive on Earth without bringing about war and with helping all races. He believes his research will even bring an end to many diseases like Cancer and Aids. This is where the main character, Mae, comes in. She becomes a part of his research as well as the love of his life.
Mae finds herself in Ireland on a vacation with her best friend Gemma. During her vacation, she beoms immersed in the world of the supernatural and finds her true place in the world. She has been an orphan, adopted child, and finally left alone when her adoptive parents died. Her only family is her best friend Gemma. She loves anything geeky (a woman of my own heart), but finds it difficult to really fit in since technology is still primarily a man's world. Beck falls in love with Mae even though his real reason for meeting her is because the soul of his eternal beloved is trapped somewhere in Mae's body. Helen of troy, Beck's beloved was cursed by Aphrodite to keep returning to a new body after death takes her and to find Beck again and again since he will never die. Mae is the host for this lifetime, but Beck falls in love with Mae and must decide between the love of his eternal life and his true soul mate. I thoroughly loved this story.
Mae finds herself in Ireland on a vacation with her best friend Gemma. During her vacation, she beoms immersed in the world of the supernatural and finds her true place in the world. She has been an orphan, adopted child, and finally left alone when her adoptive parents died. Her only family is her best friend Gemma. She loves anything geeky (a woman of my own heart), but finds it difficult to really fit in since technology is still primarily a man's world. Beck falls in love with Mae even though his real reason for meeting her is because the soul of his eternal beloved is trapped somewhere in Mae's body. Helen of troy, Beck's beloved was cursed by Aphrodite to keep returning to a new body after death takes her and to find Beck again and again since he will never die. Mae is the host for this lifetime, but Beck falls in love with Mae and must decide between the love of his eternal life and his true soul mate. I thoroughly loved this story.
July 24, 2012
A trip to Ireland undertaken by two best female friends Gemma and Mae who are suddenly joined on the airplane by a handsome, charming, sophisticated Irishman named Aiden with charisma that attracts both of them is the beginning of this paranormal romance story.
Upon landing, they agree to meet for dinner in Dublin, and he brings a friend, Beck, to the table. The foursome's delightful dinner is suddenly interrupted when the man called Beck is suddenly called away.
As the story unfolds it begins to involve Greek mythology, ancient history, and warlocks, vampires and witches. Science fiction enters the story line when the history of witches and vampires is told to Mae and Gemma. Having always been interested in the paranormal, they accept the stories and the realization that one of them is, in fact, a witch.
I will leave it to you to read the story, to learn who is what and to whom each one 'belongs.' The story does have some editorial issues that might be cleared up with another thorough proofreading. But those issues do not detract from the overall plot line.
This is not a book I would recommend to readers younger than 18, for there is a fair amount of physical intimacy in the story. But college and adult readers will no doubt be intrigued with the history and characterization of such figures as Helen of Troy being depicted as a reincarnation through the ages ... this time being hosted by a witch rather than a vampire's mate.
I'll give this one four stars.
Upon landing, they agree to meet for dinner in Dublin, and he brings a friend, Beck, to the table. The foursome's delightful dinner is suddenly interrupted when the man called Beck is suddenly called away.
As the story unfolds it begins to involve Greek mythology, ancient history, and warlocks, vampires and witches. Science fiction enters the story line when the history of witches and vampires is told to Mae and Gemma. Having always been interested in the paranormal, they accept the stories and the realization that one of them is, in fact, a witch.
I will leave it to you to read the story, to learn who is what and to whom each one 'belongs.' The story does have some editorial issues that might be cleared up with another thorough proofreading. But those issues do not detract from the overall plot line.
This is not a book I would recommend to readers younger than 18, for there is a fair amount of physical intimacy in the story. But college and adult readers will no doubt be intrigued with the history and characterization of such figures as Helen of Troy being depicted as a reincarnation through the ages ... this time being hosted by a witch rather than a vampire's mate.
I'll give this one four stars.
January 10, 2013
Pros of this book - interesting concept if properly developed would have made an excellent novel.
Now for the cons and there are many, most of which have been highlighted by other reviewers.
I believe the main issue lies in the fact that the author had a million ideas that she tried to cram into one story and as such left the writing disjointed, confusing and has me looking at the grammatical and spelling errors rather than focus on the story.
I also found the character development and story development to be lacking. I really do have to wonder if this was the first draft of the novel that we were subjected to, because I really don't understand the author's mindset at times. For instance Mae accepts her fate of being a witch without any resistance simply because she always felt like a loner. Ok, what?? And there are many instances of this lack of story development throughout the book that any reader can pick up on as it is glaring.
While the concept is excellent, there really should be an editor, who could assist in the tightening up on the story and kept it focused instead of the wandering mess it eventually became. I kept reading for two main reasons - one, I really hoped that the story would have improved and two, I couldn't believe that this was so poorly written. Really disappointed.
Now for the cons and there are many, most of which have been highlighted by other reviewers.
I believe the main issue lies in the fact that the author had a million ideas that she tried to cram into one story and as such left the writing disjointed, confusing and has me looking at the grammatical and spelling errors rather than focus on the story.
I also found the character development and story development to be lacking. I really do have to wonder if this was the first draft of the novel that we were subjected to, because I really don't understand the author's mindset at times. For instance Mae accepts her fate of being a witch without any resistance simply because she always felt like a loner. Ok, what?? And there are many instances of this lack of story development throughout the book that any reader can pick up on as it is glaring.
While the concept is excellent, there really should be an editor, who could assist in the tightening up on the story and kept it focused instead of the wandering mess it eventually became. I kept reading for two main reasons - one, I really hoped that the story would have improved and two, I couldn't believe that this was so poorly written. Really disappointed.
March 28, 2012
Powell has created a unique and fresh take on the paranormal world. Her immortals aren't your standard vampires and witches, vanting to suuuuck your bloood or cackling around a cauldron. She’s mixed classic paranormal with a dash of Greek mythology and a twist of sci-fi and the combination has you turning pages! The characters were flawed, but believable and by the end of the book you definitely developed a connection with them. Powell has a real gift for setting the scene as well. Her descriptions of the characters and places really paint a picture in your mind.
The only things I would change about Spell Checked would be separating the point of view of the characters. In any given scene you have the inner thoughts of every and all main characters and it can be difficult to track who is thinking what. I feel that maybe if she separated the chapters or even the scenes into a single character’s point of view it would have streamlined the story and helped the reader follow along. Also, I felt like the whole book built up to a big showdown or fight, Mae spent time training for battle and self-defense, but in the end there wasn’t one. It could be Powell is setting up the next book for a battle, and if that’s the case I’ll be reading it!
The only things I would change about Spell Checked would be separating the point of view of the characters. In any given scene you have the inner thoughts of every and all main characters and it can be difficult to track who is thinking what. I feel that maybe if she separated the chapters or even the scenes into a single character’s point of view it would have streamlined the story and helped the reader follow along. Also, I felt like the whole book built up to a big showdown or fight, Mae spent time training for battle and self-defense, but in the end there wasn’t one. It could be Powell is setting up the next book for a battle, and if that’s the case I’ll be reading it!
September 22, 2016
I really enjoyed the premise of this book, and the unique view of witches, vampires, and aliens. I found myself turning the pages to see what happened next. How would the Beck, Mae, Helen triangle work? How could Mae bond with Beck if she were a witch? As some questions were answered more problems or puzzles presented themselves, which kept me hooked.
I liked the characters, yet had a problem with the ease in which the secondary characters viewed their sexual relations with one of the characters. But that is my views, and I just couldn’t understand how there was no signs of jealousy. But then Mae didn’t either, so I guess I wasn’t alone.
I wasn’t a fan of the writing style at times. The way the two main characters would think “their thoughts”. It just threw me off. But not enough to keep me from enjoying the book. I also had no sense of being in Ireland. If the characters had not mentioned it a few time, I would have guessed the English countryside, or America. But that’s me, and sometimes I tend to nitpick.
Overall it was a fun, interesting read, and I would recommend it to others. I know I will be reading more of the books in this series to find out what happens next.
I liked the characters, yet had a problem with the ease in which the secondary characters viewed their sexual relations with one of the characters. But that is my views, and I just couldn’t understand how there was no signs of jealousy. But then Mae didn’t either, so I guess I wasn’t alone.
I wasn’t a fan of the writing style at times. The way the two main characters would think “their thoughts”. It just threw me off. But not enough to keep me from enjoying the book. I also had no sense of being in Ireland. If the characters had not mentioned it a few time, I would have guessed the English countryside, or America. But that’s me, and sometimes I tend to nitpick.
Overall it was a fun, interesting read, and I would recommend it to others. I know I will be reading more of the books in this series to find out what happens next.
November 26, 2013
This book was a pretty quick read. It starts out that these two best friends, Gemma and Mae, are going to Ireland to get away and go on some tours. Gemma starts flirting with the guy across the way from their seats and they end up going on a few dates. On their first date, Gemma sets up Mae and brings her along for a blind double date. From the start, I did not really like Gemma that much, she seemed really selfish and just dragged Mae along to do whatever she wanted. Mae ends up going on another date with Beck, the first guy's friend, and she gets charmed into liking him. From that point on they are madly in love. Everything happens really fast and the pacing was off throughout the entire story, like one minute they were slowly walking through the stores and next thing you know, the ride home and everything in between is completely cut off and they are on the next day at dinner. Some things were just skimmed over and other things, like the court room were described down to the robes the people wore to the types and style of chairs. Overall, I did not really connect to the characters and I was not that invested in the story.
August 22, 2013
I think the storyline has a lot of potential, but I would agree with other reviewers; this book needs a lot of editing. One, to eliminate lots of unnecessary description and detail. Two, the conversations between characters is very stiff; it almost makes it hard to read (ex. "it is" instead of just using "It's", or "I am" instead of "I'm"). Those are just a few examples. I realize those are correct ways to speak and correct terminology, but it sounded too old and not casual and modern enough.
The characters are very interesting though, and as much as editing is needed, I will definitely read future installments from this author. There was great creativity in the Nauss and Veshtu heritage. The book doesn't end on a cliff-hanger per-say, but there is definitely some build-up present for a continuation to the story.
The setting was a little boring. The story took place pretty much in the same house, and at that, the characters rarely left the house. In future installments, I hope that the characters will travel around more.
The characters are very interesting though, and as much as editing is needed, I will definitely read future installments from this author. There was great creativity in the Nauss and Veshtu heritage. The book doesn't end on a cliff-hanger per-say, but there is definitely some build-up present for a continuation to the story.
The setting was a little boring. The story took place pretty much in the same house, and at that, the characters rarely left the house. In future installments, I hope that the characters will travel around more.
December 21, 2012
There's a lot going on in this book - vampires, witches, aliens, romance, sex, science, magic...betrayal, mystery...probably some other stuff too. The author has given readers an entire history of vampires and witches, which is WAY different and interesting. Unfortunately, it seems that most of the older (vampires, witches) characters in the book are more independent and unusual in their way of thinking - i.e. which friends they hold. Because ALL of them are different from the rest of the species, it's hard to gauge what a "normal" vampire or witch is like.
Aside from the minor editing errors, my biggest problem with this book is the oddly formal tone characters tend to take. Part of the time, they just relax and joke around, but for the majority of the book, they take formal, contractions-don't-seem-to-exist approach to speaking. I could perhaps understand this from Beck, Meredith, and even Aiden, but from Mae or Gemma it's just weird.
Lastly, the story drags out a bit at the end. I did enjoy it, though I think if the book was edited and the tone was fixed, it could be 5 stars.
Aside from the minor editing errors, my biggest problem with this book is the oddly formal tone characters tend to take. Part of the time, they just relax and joke around, but for the majority of the book, they take formal, contractions-don't-seem-to-exist approach to speaking. I could perhaps understand this from Beck, Meredith, and even Aiden, but from Mae or Gemma it's just weird.
Lastly, the story drags out a bit at the end. I did enjoy it, though I think if the book was edited and the tone was fixed, it could be 5 stars.
March 26, 2016
I thought this was a really neat story! Descendants of ancient aliens turning into witches and vampires is a cool concept. I liked the characters and the bonds they all forge. Having Helen 19s soul inside Mae 19s body and that being what drew Beck to her to begin with was an added complication that definitely made for great, though sometime awkward and infuriating, drama.
That being said, I was a little let down. While I was fond of the characters, I wasn 19t invested in them. If something happened, I was sad, but not on the edge of my seat. The story was also pretty predictable. I wasn 19t ever really surprised at all, even at a revelation that was a big plot point. So while enjoyable, the story felt a little slow when focused on Mae 19s training, and overall just a little two dimensional.
A fun read that is a different twist on vampires and witches, Spell Checked is a light hearted book with a sweet romance and some heat. Don 19t miss out on an interesting story!
That being said, I was a little let down. While I was fond of the characters, I wasn 19t invested in them. If something happened, I was sad, but not on the edge of my seat. The story was also pretty predictable. I wasn 19t ever really surprised at all, even at a revelation that was a big plot point. So while enjoyable, the story felt a little slow when focused on Mae 19s training, and overall just a little two dimensional.
A fun read that is a different twist on vampires and witches, Spell Checked is a light hearted book with a sweet romance and some heat. Don 19t miss out on an interesting story!
October 5, 2012
This book turned into quite a wild ride. I wasn’t really sure where it was going at first, but it didn’t take me long to catch up. Mae and Beck were an interesting couple. Their ties to each other were unique and I loved the twists and turns that this tale took.
Mae turned into quite the strong character. She took the revelations that she was faced with better than I would have. Her entire world was turned upside down, even without learning the entire story.
As much as I wanted to dislike Beck for keeping things from Mae, I just couldn’t do it. His world was ripped apart too and there probably wasn’t a good way to handle it.
The story, the mythology and the romance along with the friendships that evolved between all the characters was perfect. The best part is that this is a series and there is much more to come. Near the end a couple more revelations were made that only the readers were let in on. I can’t wait to see what happens next with the rest of the characters.
Mae turned into quite the strong character. She took the revelations that she was faced with better than I would have. Her entire world was turned upside down, even without learning the entire story.
As much as I wanted to dislike Beck for keeping things from Mae, I just couldn’t do it. His world was ripped apart too and there probably wasn’t a good way to handle it.
The story, the mythology and the romance along with the friendships that evolved between all the characters was perfect. The best part is that this is a series and there is much more to come. Near the end a couple more revelations were made that only the readers were let in on. I can’t wait to see what happens next with the rest of the characters.
July 27, 2013
I thought this was a really neat story! Descendants of ancient aliens turning into witches and vampires is a cool concept. I liked the characters and the bonds they all forge. Having Helen’s soul inside Mae’s body and that being what drew Beck to her to begin with was an added complication that definitely made for great, though sometime awkward and infuriating, drama.
That being said, I was a little let down. While I was fond of the characters, I wasn’t invested in them. If something happened, I was sad, but not on the edge of my seat. The story was also pretty predictable. I wasn’t ever really surprised at all, even at a revelation that was a big plot point. So while enjoyable, the story felt a little slow when focused on Mae’s training, and overall just a little two dimensional.
A fun read that is a different twist on vampires and witches, Spell Checked is a light hearted book with a sweet romance and some heat. Don’t miss out on an interesting story!
That being said, I was a little let down. While I was fond of the characters, I wasn’t invested in them. If something happened, I was sad, but not on the edge of my seat. The story was also pretty predictable. I wasn’t ever really surprised at all, even at a revelation that was a big plot point. So while enjoyable, the story felt a little slow when focused on Mae’s training, and overall just a little two dimensional.
A fun read that is a different twist on vampires and witches, Spell Checked is a light hearted book with a sweet romance and some heat. Don’t miss out on an interesting story!
November 21, 2011
I am still dying here from laughter, love the chia pet part of the story. I must add the running through the castle halls butt naked was a laughing treat as well :D This story is packed with hiding secrets, unknown events and much more. If your into hot vampires and warlocks this is your kind of story. They have so a wonderful sense of humor and enjoy using it every chance they get. Some parts may make you tear up :( I know I did, but the story is so wonderfully put together. Get ready for unexpected events, amazing action and wild romance. Grab this one now because I can promise you there is going to be a part 2, and hun I sure hope to be one of your reviewers for that :D woot haha chia pet, haha naked and getting his ass handed to him by his sexy mate lmao. Ok, ok I'm done now, no I'm not, lmao, lmfao, omg so love it. :)
January 11, 2013
For the most part, this was an enjoyable read as Powell created a very fresh take on the origins of vampires and witches. There are some welcoming sci-fi twists to the more traditional Greek myths too (which was a bonus as I love mythology!).
However, unclear definitions between points of view, editing mishaps and lack of paragraphs indicating passing time, made my reading experience a little stilted. More than once I had to retread passages to work out a) which character was talking or b) whether they thinking or talking aloud.
Insta-love abounds and most of the protagonists' inner circle are conveniently loved-up (after some bed-hopping, ick) by the end of he tale. I am reluctant to say, after such novel approaches to the two supernatural species, I was disappointed by a lacklustre ending - one which is becoming all too common in the fantasy genre recently. 2.5 stars
However, unclear definitions between points of view, editing mishaps and lack of paragraphs indicating passing time, made my reading experience a little stilted. More than once I had to retread passages to work out a) which character was talking or b) whether they thinking or talking aloud.
Insta-love abounds and most of the protagonists' inner circle are conveniently loved-up (after some bed-hopping, ick) by the end of he tale. I am reluctant to say, after such novel approaches to the two supernatural species, I was disappointed by a lacklustre ending - one which is becoming all too common in the fantasy genre recently. 2.5 stars
August 16, 2011
I enjoyed the new take on some of the mythological creatures I find in books so often. It is quite clear that Ms. Powell has an analytical mind and it was easy to see from the get go that she had every little bit of the supernatural completely planned out and understood. She wove the mythical history that we study nowadays with her own interpretation, and created an interesting new world.
I was a little put off with Mae at times. She was hard to relate to, because I never got a good feel of her character. The supporting cast really made this book interesting, and I am hoping Mae will step up a little more once she understands herself better. I do look forward to finding out what happens in the next installment. I think it is going to be even more interesting.
I was a little put off with Mae at times. She was hard to relate to, because I never got a good feel of her character. The supporting cast really made this book interesting, and I am hoping Mae will step up a little more once she understands herself better. I do look forward to finding out what happens in the next installment. I think it is going to be even more interesting.
February 6, 2012
Spell Checked is a fresh take on the vampire and witch theme. I like the idea of the origins of vampires and witches being aliens that came down thousands of years ago. Beck and his friend were interesting characters. I definitely got the sense of friendship and caring between them There are some real laugh out loud moments in the book. I especially liked the plant scene.
Mae and Beck are great for each other and I was really rooting for them. It was heart wrenching to read about Beck's struggle to choose between Helen and Mae. Imagine having to wait for your lover to return over and over with hundreds of years in between. Personally, I think he makes the right choice. Who is it? You will have to read to find out.
Mae and Beck are great for each other and I was really rooting for them. It was heart wrenching to read about Beck's struggle to choose between Helen and Mae. Imagine having to wait for your lover to return over and over with hundreds of years in between. Personally, I think he makes the right choice. Who is it? You will have to read to find out.
October 28, 2011
Spell Checked by C.G. Powell is an wonderful paranormal romance. Great story. The plot is well done and thought out. The mythological history is unique and entertaining. Fresh take on vampire and witch history. Great characters. They are well written and interesting. Great twist and turns. Once I got started, I didn't want to put this book down.
This is an adult book. There is sex, but it is story appropriate. Be warned however, there is an intimate scene that is rather bloody. It was a tad much for me, but is not unusual for this genre.
I am very much looking forward to the next installment in this series.
Great first book C.G.
This is an adult book. There is sex, but it is story appropriate. Be warned however, there is an intimate scene that is rather bloody. It was a tad much for me, but is not unusual for this genre.
I am very much looking forward to the next installment in this series.
Great first book C.G.
February 19, 2012
Wow Christine has added all the ingredients that I love into one book. Vampires, Witches, and romance. Then to add icing to the cake she threw in my favorite Greek mythology. Bam she had me. Read the entire book in 2 hours couldn't put it down left me salivating for more. I am hoping to see the story of Mae and Beck to continue. Would also like to continue the story of Mer and Aiden, Nikola and Gemma, and finally Alexis and possibly Dr. Aaron. This book is a great start to more beginnings would love to see what the future holds for the couples. I don't want to spoil the book so get your copy today you won't be disappointed. Worth 10 stars more than the 5.
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