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Volition #2

Severance

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Severance is the bone-chilling, adrenaline-filled sequel to Volition. Charlotte finds herself hoping against reason that her life couldn't really have taken the devastating turn that it has. With Joel still dangerously out of the picture, and no signs that he may ever come back, she finds herself up against an even more dangerous threat. A sexy and cunning threat that is bound to tear what she has always known to be her reality down for good.

When things finally start to look up, another curve-ball is thrown her way, promising to give her what she'd hoped for since meeting Joel, an answer it seems that came a little too late. What Charlotte thought she'd once known to be the truth filters through her fingers, leaving her to believe that her world and the afterworld are much more tangled than she'd originally expected. She comes to find that love and lust are no longer the sole deciders of her fate, but revenge. A lifetime of secrets unfold and Charlotte discovers that Joel hasn't been the only one watching over her all of these years.

263 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 26, 2011

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315 people want to read

About the author

Shawn Maravel

8 books254 followers
It is my hope to provide motivation for fellow authors who continue to polish their voice and work on their craft. I want to inspire as many writers as I can to view their work as an ongoing journey. You never know which step you are on in achieving your dreams, all you can do is to keep pressing forward. Looking back shows you how far you've come, and looking ahead gives you direction, but the most important part of the journey is where you are right now. Never stop striving, live without regret, and use both your experience and your dreams for the future to shape what you're doing right now.

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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Profile Image for Stacy Eaton.
Author 199 books612 followers
September 2, 2011
I read Severance on the heels of Volition. I was taken in by Ms. Maravel's characters in Volition and I got to know them even better in Severance. This was a book that was hard to put down and very easy to read!

Ms. Maravel did an excellent job engaging the characters into scenarios that were real life with a twists of the paranormal. These twists made you want to believe that the paranormal world of angels really does exist in and around us.

The conflicts that both Joel and Charlotte have to deal with together and on their own were believable and make you wish you could help. The challenges that they have to overcome are true to life making this story a very sweet read.

Ms. Maravel did a great job switching between the two main character's points of view. Her writing was smooth and intelligent and showed a warmth and love for your characters.

I highly enjoyed this book - as much or more so then the first one. I am very excited to read the third book of this series when Ms. Maravel completes it.

Profile Image for Jan Marquart.
Author 44 books33 followers
June 7, 2011
I just finished Severance, Shawn Maravel's sequel to Volition. There were at least three twists to the story that had me unable to put the book down but when I got to the very end I couldn't believe it. Shawn managed to give me yet another shocking surprise. Even if you haven't read Volition, read this one. But do read Volition. Crafty work Shawn.
Profile Image for Sarahdactyl ♥.
687 reviews277 followers
January 12, 2012

♥ Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah

- - -

*Please be aware that this review will be spoilery for you if you haven't read its' predecessor (Volition)!*

Severance picks up pretty much right where Volition left off. Charlotte is now getting through her days as only half a person. Her guardian angel took a bullet for her and now rests in a coma. Doctors tell her he'll probably never wake up, but her faith in Joel and their love is unwavering.

“I knew that she couldn’t hear me if she was there. But the sound was enough to grab me, to hold me to hope, and with desperation that I’d never known before I knew that I must find my way back to her.”

Meanwhile she has to figure out a way to deal with Alex, a once-believed friend who showed his true nature at the end of Volition. He wants Charlotte for himself and will stop at nothing to have her. Alex carries some otherworldly secrets of his own, and all is revealed in this sequel to Volition.

- - -

This was a fantastic sequel! I am sad there isn't more. *pout*

As far as criticism goes, I don't have much. The dialogue in a couple of parts was less than realistic. I don't want to give specifics because it'd be very spoilery, but there is an argument of sorts between Charlotte and her two roomies, and the argument seemed too forced and out of nowhere. Like I couldn't see anyone acting the way her roomies did in real life. The other problem I had was that there were a few questions that went unanswered. For example: Why was Joel assigned to Charlotte before she was born when it was stated that this was not the norm for guardian angels? Also, there is a scene early on in the book where Joel is in the shower and something happens to him.. it was never explained why this event happened. If it was, I definitely missed it.

Looking at this sequel as a whole though, it was almost perfect! A brilliant surprise from the get-go was reading from Joel's POV as well as Charlotte's.

I enjoyed the plot twists and juicy surprises immensely. They were delivered at a nice pace, and it made this book easy to breeze right on through.

While Volition had me in tears, Severance had me giggling. There were numerous parts where there was some banter and joking around and it was fantastic! Gotta love it when a book makes you laugh. :) I cried too, of course. Emotions all around!

This book also has some thriller action going on! It was an edge-of-your-seat read and if you enjoyed Volition, you will love this sequel. It's oozing with sweet romance and suspenseful plot twists, all leading up to the most perfect ending. You definitely need to read this!

- - -

Ebook received in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Ms. Maravel!
Profile Image for Donna.
1,057 reviews582 followers
August 8, 2011
“I was the silent and ever present figure in your life...but you.” I kissed the back of her hand softly and closed my eyes. "You've always been the meaning of mine.”

After reading ‘Volition’ the first in Shawn Marvel’s series, I was really looking forward to reading the next one ‘Severance’ but with review books for the blog popping up, it me a while to get to it. After reading it……..I was left stunned! And if anything, Shawn’s work gets better with each book.

Charlotte’s world is turned upside down when Joel, her guardian Angel took a bullet to save her, leaving him in a coma. With Joel out of commission, Charlotte’s life takes yet another nasty turn when a dangerous threat comes her way, making her release that Joel wasn’t the only one who had been watching her all these years. With the dangerous threat getting closer and closer….it’s only a matter of time before it leads to a final confrontation.

Severance for me was a whirl wind of emotions and was full of action, romance and suspense…..just what I like from a book. Shawn Marvel has created a compelling story and it had me captivated from the first page. Although I felt the story was slow paced to start with, you’re thrown into an awesome first chapter….that chapter being in Joel’s POV. Come on, who could complain at that? Joel is an absolute fantastic character….he’s gorgeous, smart, and funny and I love his unconditional love for Charlotte. While Joel is stuck in Limbo you get read small chapters from his POV and I loved that we got to see it. It made me love him that much more. Charlotte, I felt developed much more as a character this time around. Mainly because of the situations she has been put in but you really feel for her and I felt a lot more connected to her.

The story itself has events thrown at the characters that were realistic and didn’t feel forced, they do go through a lot but it’s nothing they don’t try to overcome. The twists and turns in the story were surprising and intense and the overall results at the end were done it a way that left no loose ends. I love closure at the end of a series and Shawn did just the job with her surprising epilogue. Epilogues are always a win for me and this one was just perfect.

Overall, Shawn Marvel didn’t disappoint with her final book to the series. If you’re looking for an awesome new Angel series that is full of romance, then this is the book for you. Read it! I know you’ll love it.
Profile Image for Cassandra.
52 reviews24 followers
August 2, 2011
First Published on the blog: *YA Reader Extraordinaire*


""I was the silent and ever present figure in your life...but you." I kissed the back of her hand softly and closed my eyes. "You've always been the meaning of mine.""


Charlotte's world seemed to turn upside down when Joel took a bullet for her and was put in a coma. Time was running out for her guardian angel and after learning of how Alex truly felt she needs him more than ever. Will Joel ever wake up and how far will Alex go to get what he feels he truly deserves after what he gave up for Charlotte? What is Alex and why does he coming out now after all this time of being "friends"?

Severance was an amazing second installment of the Volition series! It was an official mind blower! If you enjoy angels, romance, and action then this is the perfect series for you! Shawn Maravel had me captivated from start to finish and had me biting my nails towards the ending. You thought the first book Charlotte was dealing with a whole bunch? This second installement made those obstacles seem minor. Maravel's style of writing is to the point, mysterious, and down right enchanting! The plot thickened to a very well pleased happy ending. As some may know I absolutely love having two main characters tell their point of view in a story, especially when its between the hero and heroine. It takes the story into a deeper, more complex (in a good way) situations. It makes the story more raw and insight to some situations that just one character cannot portray. The characters were more raw and real than in the first installment, and had me wishing them all a very big happy ending. (Yes, even the villian!) This series does not dissapoint and will make you want more and more after each passing word. The ending will have you in happy tears and very satisifies with the story.

Pick up this series and be captivated by Shawn Maravel's take on romance, mystery, and sexy angels!
Profile Image for Kristin .
1,185 reviews166 followers
April 14, 2015
Great sequel to Volition. I will admit that I usually get bored with a series and find myself not interested in sequels but this one had be wrapped around it's finger from the beginning. I didn't read the books back to back so I was happy to see that the author refreshed our memories on what happened in a way that didn't feel like a rehashing of the previous story.

The story starts off with Joel in a coma. He saved Charlotte's life by standing jumping in front of a bullet that was intended for her. He thankfully comes to, but finds that since being shot, things are different. Not only is his outlook on life changed but the relationship between the two of them has been altered as well. (sorry no spoilers!) While Joel and Charlotte come to turns with the changes, they must keep their wits about them because the person behind the shooting is still out there.

This was a great story with twists and turns that I didn't see coming and they take place all throughout the story, even at the very last paragraph. Which I must say, kills me! Shawn ended the story in a way that gives you the impression that this is the end of the story but leaves a lot open for future books. So maybe we will get more to the story? And maybe not. Either way, I found the story highly entertaining and found myself putting the real world on hold just to finish it. Like I said from the beginning, this isn't generally my subject genre of choice when it comes to paranormal romance but I really enjoyed the story and look forward to more work from the author.

Favorite quote...
"All these years... I was the silent and ever present figure in your life... but you. You've always been the meaning of mine." -Joel



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Profile Image for Haley .
284 reviews687 followers
July 3, 2011
With everything going on can Charlotte and Joel's love make it threw ? or will Charlotte realize..maybe Heaven isn't suppose to be on Earth.


( This book is a second to a series, read at your own risk of spoilers to book one)

Wow...wow. Severance completely blew my mind from beginning to end, this story was so much better then I could have even imagined..I mean I thought this was gonna be good..but wow... Severance had me on a roller coaster of thrill, romance, and mystery and wouldn't let me off the ride till the very last page.

Charlotte is going threw a lot, Joel her guardian angel took a bullet for her, and is now in a coma..and he might not wake up..and while Joel is in a coma..Alex is awake, and getting dangerously close to Charlotte..

Charlotte and Joel don't know what Alex is up to...or even what Alex is , but they also don't know the deepness of his obsession..how far back it goes to..and how hard he has worked to get what he wants.. Charlotte .

This book was AMAZING, I mean WOW. The beginning starts a little slow, but right after the first few pages the book picks up tremendously. I just couldn't put this book down, threw out the book
questions rose that I just had to know the answer to right then! I didn't orignially want this to be a one sitting read cause I like to make books last a few days..but I just couldnt resist. This book like the first one had an amazing ending..and a perfect Epilogue that will leave you wondering and immensely happy.

Shawn Maravel did not disappoint on this amazing addition to her Volition series, with everything from love, thrill,action,and humor this will be a read you will not be able to put down.

Profile Image for Jena.
620 reviews172 followers
February 18, 2012
In the sexy and thrilling sequel to Volition, Shawn Kirsten Maravel has created a book that's sure to make readers happy.

*spoilers if you have not read book 1*

In Severance, we pick up right where Volition left off. After sacrificing himself, Joel is still in the hospital and fighting for his life. And, Charlotte's old boss Alex seems to be getting closer than ever to her... to the point that might be freighting. So when a surprise comes that makes Charlotte thinking things may just be looking up, everything actually takes a turn for the worse. Charlotte realizes she will have to fight if she wants her happily ever after.

I enjoyed Volition, but I loved Severance. See, reading about a main character who is 23 really drew me in from the start. Brett over at Demons Read Too, brought up a fantastic point that our age group like the 20-25/college age is a really under tapped market. So, I was so happy that Shawn took the story where she did and she can because these things happen to us young adults!

Character wise, I adored watching Joel and Charlotte's story continue. It's so amazing to see a love so strong, and how no matter what they both continued to fight. Then there's Alex, whom I loved in the first book, and honestly still loved in this one. In a twisted way, I could see where he was coming from and I understood.

Overall, I think this is a fantastic little series the Shawn has written. I love the age group it portrays. I love the college and work aspects. I love the romance and the slight paranormal thrown in there. And all the morals weaved in. I was extremely happy with the ending and I think this a series many readers would enjoy!
Profile Image for Michelle .
2,128 reviews304 followers
August 2, 2012
I have read a few dual book series, and I like it. The length is great. You can get from the start to a finish of a story in more detail than in just a standalone book but it still feels like a standalone story. However, I like to read both books back to back. I don't think I would enjoy it as much if I had to wait a year between each book. I put up with the wait for series because most of the time there will be another book after it, but knowing you are waiting for the last installment is torturous.

I liked Severance, but not as much as I enjoyed Volition. I did get my wish- Joel was not as perfect in this book. I enjoyed seeing a more human aspect to him. And the storyline was pretty creepy. Stalkers really creep me out. I loved reading about Joel and Charlotte and seeing them overcome all the odds, but there is one thing that I just don't like in my stories. And that is babies. I know, I know- you can't believe it! But hey if that type of thing doesn't bother you, then you will probably love the book! (and for the record, I don't have a personal vendetta against babies or people that have them, I just prefer to not see them pop up in the books that I read).

I think that Joel and Charlotte's story is a compelling one. I enjoyed getting to know them, and I really liked the edge of your seat storyline in the second half of the book. I was a little worried that things would be happy go lucky for the couple and that th book would be boring, but that wasn't the case. There are plenty of roadblocks for the two to keep you turning pages. Volition and Severance is a good duaology for people that don't mind angels and a little religion.


Profile Image for Ottilie.
Author 45 books104 followers
August 22, 2011
I'd say 4.5-5 star rating. I really did enjoy Severance, it lived up to the book before it! Shawn keeps the reader flipping the pages to find out what happens in addition to the witty sense of humor that does snake itself in there! I'm not an overly emotional person and i was close to tearing up at the very end of the book. Severance does do something a little different was the change of point of view, which I really enjoyed, at first though I will admitt there were a couple of sections I didn't realize that the point of view had changed till I saw a name being thrown around then I noticed that there was a switch. The characters are still realistic, their personalties still fit from the first book so that you still feel for them. Overall another feel good thriller (does that make sense?) by Shawn Kirsten Maravel.


Profile Image for Gabby (What's Beyond Forks?).
1,222 reviews73 followers
November 27, 2011
If you enjoyed Volition, you will love Severance. Just like the first book, twists and turns will keep you glued to the pages. The story and characters are truly lovable. In the beginning of this book, I did want to slap Charlotte around quite a bit. To avoid a spoiler, there was something she really should have told her friends as soon as she knew the information herself. So, I was glad when they stopped speaking to her later in the book. It was deserved. Aside from her lapse in judgement, I fell in love with all the main characters. Even the antagonist grips you with his conflicting emotions and behaviors. Surprisingly, you'll even feel bad for him at times. Severance will have your blood pumping as you fight to survive with Charlotte. Depending on parental preference, here are a few intimate moments that are better suited for a more mature young adult audience.

The writing style was consistent with the first book. Shawn Kirsten Maravel has a way of writing that grabs you into the world of her books.

Full Review at: What's Beyond Forks?

This book was sent to me from the author for review. The opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
98 reviews21 followers
October 8, 2011
Severance takes place right where Volition leaves off.(Spoilers)...

Joel is currently in a coma for the bullet he took that ultimately saves Charlotte's life. There are so many questions running through Charlotte's mind, the biggest one is when will Joel wake up? When Joel finally wakes up, Charlotte and Joel have to face reality together. While Charlotte is happy Joel is alive, Alex, on the other hand, is furious. He will do whatever it takes to make Charlotte his.

Severance was just as good as Volition, if not better! I loved that Shawn changed up the Point of Views between Charlotte and Joel. We got to learn a lot more about Joel, and I loved him so much more. (if that was even possible!). I was always dying to know what happened next. The ending was beautiful!
Profile Image for LovesAllThingsBooks Book Reviews.
155 reviews14 followers
January 19, 2012
Spoiler Alert: Severance is the sequel to Volition.

Personally I think I like this one better than the first, now I loved the first but this one definitely has more action/suspense and I'm an action/suspense kind of girl. I think Shawn Kirsten Maravel had it going on with Severance.

Severance picks up where Volition left off. Joel's injuries left him with a big surprise, one that changes the world for him and Charlotte and allows them what they want most...to be together. But on the other hand it sort of puts a handicap on his ability to protect Charlotte.

In Voltion Charlotte learns that the one person she thought would never betray her trust is actually the reason her world has flipped upside down. He wants her and he will stop at nothing to have her.



~Tich~
Author 17 books49 followers
July 22, 2011
In the sequel to "Volition" we get an epic movie ending for the story about Charlotte and Joel. With the nice build up in "Volition" with its focus on relationship and love with well formed characters, the final book is packed with drama. You will have a hard time catching your breath for all the things that Charlotte has to face for her so wanted happy end. Will she get it? Is there a place for true love? The book has its main focus on the emotions jealousy, love and the two characters. No spectacular side events or sub stories. Thats fine, I loved that, however the end took my by surprise and that made the final verdict for 5 / 5 ! I am pretty sure you will like it.
Profile Image for Dora-lee.
61 reviews1 follower
Read
January 12, 2013
What an amazing read this book turned out to be for me with alot of action really kept me on the edge of my seat . The character Alex turned out to be more in Charlotte's life after the last book I read called Volition. (another incredible read ) I found myself caught in the excitement of the changes in growth of Joel and Charlotte . I highly recommend you take the time to come and get to know the characters I am learning and loving in this book . Well worth your time and efforts pull up a chair and a nice cup of tea and do not forget to keep the lights close by wink wink . Enjoy
Profile Image for Books Ahoy.
30 reviews11 followers
August 18, 2011
This book was just as great as the first book, Volition, jam packed full with action, suspense, and romance. The beginning really had me teetering on edge because I had no idea what would happen. There were so many surprises in this book it definitely keeps you on your toes and wanting more. The romance is still very very romantic. Tension definitely builds up more in this second book and makes the books all the more great! This is definitely a must read and you go buy it right now. 5 stars!!!!
Profile Image for Becky.
51 reviews
May 12, 2011
I just finished reading Severance today and let me tell you I was beyond pleased. The ending was exactly what I wanted it to be. From the first book Volition, I knew I loved all the characters. In Severance you really do see more of the characters and what great lengths they are able to go through with love on their side. In my opinion every woman should have a Joel. And if they dont, well then they just need to keep on searching. Joel really is the perfect man. I can only hope that Shawn Maravel continues to writing more books such as this. Awesome read! Everyone should buy this book now!
Profile Image for Jen Randolph.
24 reviews
July 27, 2011
Great story. Towards the end it was a little over the top in terms of how many events were being out into the story, but it was well done. There are enough twists to keep the story fast paced but not too many to keep track of. A nice touch is that Shawn ties everything together and leave no loose ends. This is something many famous authors often forget to do.

There were multiple laugh out loud moments and the ending left me with a happy glow. I highly recommend this book to others.
Profile Image for Literary Chanteuse.
1,055 reviews180 followers
June 10, 2014
I was in anticipation for this book and it did not let me down! It had as much excitement as the first but again threw me for a few turns which I did not see coming. I only fell more in love with the characters and was able to understand their story with more complexity.
Profile Image for Jess (jessreads1985).
675 reviews51 followers
January 21, 2012
Wonderful sequel! Loved little Chloe and the surprise with Alex in the end!! I recommend this series to everyone.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews

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