The Discovery

Pyxis #1

by K.C. Neal

Corinne lives an average teenage life working at her dad’s cafe, hanging out with her best friend, and trying to forget a falling-out with her almost-boyfriend Mason. Things take a strange turn when she uses her late grandmother’s food dyes for a bake sale, and her customers suddenly find her irresistibly alluring. Then she discovers she and Mason are haunted by the same dreams of a dark force that consumes everything in its path.

Pursued by shadowy figures and a crazy woman with secrets from the past, Corinne must find out who her grandmother really was. In her quest to unravel her family’s history, she learns she is destined to protect this world--and the dark world of her dreams. She races to find the answers she seeks before her nightmares break free.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Ebooks

218 pages, ebook

First published October 2, 2011

About the author

Most of K.C. Neal's days are filled with some combination of writing, reading, gardening, working, and watching stuff on Netflix with her maltipoo, Oscar. She has an irrational fixation with L.A., and during occasional trips there she pretends her life is more glamorous than it really is ("Entourage" is her guilty pleasure). She likes to surf and hang out on sandy beaches, especially where drinks are served adorned with tiny umbrellas.

Reviews

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

With quite the original premise, Pyxis takes you on a fun and mysterious ride with Corinne and her best friend Mason. All throughout the book, you're never really sure why Corinne has been having these strange nightmares that mirrors Mason's, nor why she has these bottles of liquids that seem to have strange effects on her classmates…

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up Pyxis. There weren't that many reviews on it and the blurb was very mysterious if a bit vague. Therefore, I was really happy when I fell in love with the characters and completely enjoyed the story. The pace of the book is wonderful in the way that it builds anticipation. It makes you yearn to find out what it all means, but also want to sit back and enjoy the ride. There is evidently a lot of mystery regarding what is happening to Corinne, with the liquids and the dreams. I loved trying to decipher every piece of information that was given- which heightening my curiosity even more so. I also enjoyed getting spooked a few times along with Corinne.

A wonderfully written character, Corinne is level headed, smart and truly amiable. If she lived here, I would definitely want to be friends with her. She just has a great personality. Her best friend, Angelina, is a lot of fun as well, though I wish she'd been more involved in Pyxis. However going by the plot's development, she will certainly have a bigger role in the rest of the series. As for Mason, Corinne's childhood friend and current crush, he has a wonderful presence in the novel and I adored his character. He is so genuine and has an incredible connection with Corinne that I could feel through the pages.

In Pyxis, the first novel in the series, we're mostly introduced to the plot; We discover what's in store for our characters and the unusual concept around the Pyxis legacy. It's fresh, with unique paranormal aspects and amazing characters. For a debut novel, I'm very impressed and looking forward to the rest of the series. The next installment has amazing potential that will undoubtedly contain a lot of excitement, mystery and romance.

[Twinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me tell you one thing: Once you start reading this book you won't be able to put it down until you have read the last page.

Pyxis follows a story of a 16 year old girl,Corinne whose grandmother died recently.She discovers a mysterious box containing different liquids.Thinking of them as food colors,she add them to her cakes for the school bake-sale.Whoever buys and eats her cake,at the bake sale,starts acting strange.Corinne along with her best friend,Angelina soon realize that these "food colors" were not what they thought actually were.As they start to search for information on these liquids,they discover a piece of paper which has Corinne's,Angelina's and Corinne's childhood friend Mason's name on it.Together the three of them start to search for the answers.

Pyxis was a wonderful read ! The main idea of the story was very unique and engrossing.I haven't read anything like this before.The book was fast paced from the very first page.New and exciting events kept on happening and got me hooked to the book.K.C.Neal really made me feel that I was walking in Corinne's shoes.I kept on guessing as to what will happen next.

The thing that made me love this book the most was the characters.K.C.Neal really knows how to create a strong and well developed character.Corinne,Angelina,Mason all of them felt so real.It was so easy to connect with them.The relationship between Corrine and Mason was really sweet and it felt right.Mason's character was loveable !All the more,Mason seemed really mysterious to me,because mostly,when they got to know something important about Pyxis,Mason's reaction was not very prompt.I don't know if it has something to do with the story,or it is just his way of dealing with things.And he seemed to anticipate many of the things.

The concept of syndesmo was so cool ! It made me love this book all the more! K.C.Neal truly has her way with words.The ending left me with so many questions that were yet to be answered,but I loved it.

On the whole,this book was SUCH a good read that once I started reading it I couldn't stop turnings the pages over.It is unlike any YA book I have ever read.I'll highly recommend this book to anyone who loves YA,and is looking for a delicious,awe inspiring and mysterious read.This book is worthy of 5 stars.

[Proserpine · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating 5/5

If you want to know what the Pyxis is...

Wow, I must say, I was impress! This is the first book for the author K.C Neal and I didn't expected to be this good! I didn't have any kind of expectation: I wanted my mind been free of any kind of prejudgment and I was amaze by how I became addicted to this book. I read a lot of YA Fantasy and finaly they often ended in the same way or the same kind of action. But sometime, some books (Hush Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick, Fallen Series by Lauren Kate, Exiled by M.R Merrick or Need Series by Carrie Jones) they just suddenly blow my mind and I want more!

The introduction was interesting; the author know how to push the readers into the world of Pyxis and never let them go! I wasn't in the mood when I started this book: I lost the TV cable, I was all alone at home and then I decided to start reading Pyxis. I only put the book aside because I had to eat! After a few line, you jump into some funny situations, actions and problems with a lovely teenage girl: Corinne. I had a lot of fun in following Corinne, her bestfriend Angelina and Corinne's wanna be, futur boyfriend Mason.

The plot was amazing, intriguing and unusual to me: I don't think I ever read about some kind of legend or myth about the Pyxis. That was pretty entertaining (and I wanted so bad to know what the Pyxis was!). I love all the teenagers reactions when they have to face all the problems they meets.

The characters are lovely, attaching, Mason is mysterious, Corinne is unpredictable and Angelina is loyal. They aren't to much and I think that help falling in love and adopting them. They act like real teen, not the kind: I have some super powers or my mother was a vampire so nobody can't kill me! LOL. Well I think you understand what I mean! And we always learn a little bit more about the main characters. They are all interesting and well developped.

The ending was very strange, mysterious and pretty promising! I really love when I can't even imagine what kind of end the book would have! The end wasn't what I suspected and I was kind of frustrated by how the author keep me out of reach... I want the second book to be release soon so I might be able to put my mind at peace!

The author K.C Neal is able to play with the image she's creating with her writing and when you read the book its pretty easy to create the story into your mind. I really enjoy my reading, it was easy and very funny. I love her enthousiasme that reflected into the book: when you read this book you know how much love and time K.C had put in it! I recommend this book to any YA readers, you won't be disapointed!

[Tarra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generously received a ARC of this book for review from the author, so first i want to thank her for allowing me to read her book. I found this be a very refreshing and exciting read, as i was always wondering what was gonna happen next. I wanted to know the answers to all the mysteries in the book just as much as the characters did!

I know you probably see my 4 out of 5 stars and are thinking "well why take of a star then?" Well because, and maybe it just went over my head and i didn't catch it, but i have yet to know or to have figured out what exactly a Pyxis is. As much as i liked the book i just never figured it out, but then again, maybe that was not exactly said in the book. I'm not sure which i just am still wondering what exactly a Pyxis is.

Other than that fact, this book is a great read for any fan of the paranormal/supernatural genre of reading or of someone who likes a good Mystery book because there is alot of mystery and secrets in this book, which i do think will appeal to people. The characters, Corrine, Mason and Angeline are very likable characters and i found myself rooting for a Corrine and Mason romance, which is teased at throughout the book but never made official. So romance readers will like this too as long as you don't mind a teasing or budding romance at first, which i don't as long as i feel it WILL happen, which i do (a girl can hope HAHA). I think girls especially will be able to relate to Corrine when it comes to her feelings about guys and heartbreak etc. I do plan to keep up with this series as i did very much enjoy the book, and i can't wait for book 2 to see what happens with the characters and what kind of things they unravel about their jobs or roles when it comes to the Pyxis.


So would i recommend this book? Yes i definitely would. Great first addition to a series i'm sure will only get better! Happy reading! =)

[Hannah ⚔️ Jaedia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my god, I was so sad when I pressed ‘next’ on my Kindle and it said ‘END’! It was so unexpected and I was thoroughly enjoying reading Pyxis so I was not happy to have to put it down because it is a fantastic read.

I will admit though, I wasn’t sold immediately. For the first say.. 25% of the book I just felt as though everything was too rushed. The characters weren’t developed enough, the plot was moving too fast with no real explanations as to why we should care about what was happening to Corinne and Angeline and I was worried that I’d have to come back and write a fairly critical review because it wasn’t entirely making sense to me. But thankfully, my fears weren’t to be worried about because after that part of the novel I was utterly enthralled. Little things started to be revealed, character depth was brought in by the bucketload, and the plot unravelled itself, culminating in a novel that I couldn’t put down. I read the rest of Pyxis in two sittings and now I’m craving more so bad. Enough of the story is revealed to satiate your curiosity, but enough is left open to leave you absolutely pining for the next book and yes, it has the cliffhanger from hell.

Pyxis begins with a school bake sale along with some conversation between Corinne, the protagonist, and her friend Angeline and it is simply delightful. Some of the people who buy Corinne’s cakes start acting very strange towards her, and herself and Angeline decide that they need to find out why. The narrative is directed from Corinne’s point of view and it’s very clear that she is a teenager going by the style, which is very easy to read and gives it a nice light-hearted edge. Pyxis is fun and a pleasure to read but there is also a lot of terror in there as well. The shared dreams between Corinne and Mason had me biting my nails at times, they are so.. if you’ve ever had a nightmare you know what I mean. It’s not all fantasy and struggles, the story is interspersed with the normality of family, driving tests and dances which only makes the story feel more real. Aside from the small part that felt too rushed to me, Pyxis is fantastically written and the flow is pretty much perfect. I did panic a little when it seemed that the story was going the way of Corinne and Mason being destined to be together but the way everything ended up going fit into the story so well that it didn’t bother me at all. The romance isn’t “insta” and she does seem to have a choice, and she struggles with it, which definitely won me over. Corinne’s friendship with Mason is so warming that I think I might be a little in love with him! He is totally swoonworthy and the relationship they have is so sweet and real.

The thing that ultimately made the story feel so very real was that everything seems to have a backstory, even the things that I may have thought clichéd at first (dream sequences, bitch girl Sophie), but they all have their purpose and by the end I absolutely took that back. I just don’t know where K.C. Neal is going to take this story next and that is what makes it so thoroughly brilliant. This is a story with depth and history and the characters just come to life straight off the pages. We discover what is going on and what things are as Corinne does and she is appropriately freaked out and misbelieving of everything, it’s not until she gets proof that she believes and so the title is entirely apt. This is the discovery of the pyxis. I get the feeling that these books (The Discovery, The Peril, The Battle – tentative) as a series are the beginning, middle, and end as opposed to the books themselves containing that. It’s a pretty different way to write a trilogy and I like it.

And finally? At the time of writing this review, there isn’t a single review on Goodreads below 3 stars. Not bad, eh? I can definitely recommend this book. If you like young adult fantasy with a little bit of romance and a unique story, then read Pyxis. Trust me, it is worth it.

[Maria (a) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Most of the storylines don’t go anywhere, like the experiments with the cookies that opens the book, or the whole Harriet Jensen thing. So much lazy writing. Like when they are going to pick Aunt Dorothy up; in the chapter where they talk about it, it’s repeated like three times that her mom, Bradley and Corinne will go to pick her up. Suddenly, in the next chapter, she’s alone with Bradley in the car and when she arrives at the home, her mom is already there. Why? Because Neal needed Bradley and Corinne alone in the car. Wasn’t there a more elegant way to do that?

Instead of focussing on what’s interesting – the Pyxis – a lot of the first half of the book is devoted to Corinne lamenting over Mason’s supposed kiss with Sophie. I really can not believe that she would mistake someone else for somebody she has known since forever, just because he was wearing Mason’s coat. There were these lost moments that just seemed tuck on to fill the page, like Corinne getting her driver’s license (with written test and driven test on the same day, and she immediately got her license in hand! I call shenanigans), or even the knowledge that Bradley had gone through cancer. What does it matter? Mostly this was all so slow and boring. This book goes on and on and on about the inane details, but even after finishing all these pages I have no idea why the Pyxis is necessary or what they can even do or what on earth it has to do with these bottles. The whole mythology stays really vague.

I think my biggest grip with the story, however, was the blatant disregard for her own mythology. The TLC convergence is supposed to exist of four people: the Pyxis, Corinne, the Shield, Mason and two Guardians, Angelina and an as of yet unknown second Guardian (wanna bet that is going to be Sophie?). There’s nothing wrong with this idea; in fact, it could really go somewhere. But instead of doing something with this group of people that Neal is claiming are so important, in literally every scene having to do with the Pyxis, Angelina is off ‘at church’ or ‘with her mother’. There is seriously no reason to write a mythology about four people if all you really want to write is a love story. At the end of this book, Ang still has no idea about her role in all of this, while Dorothy is griping about how they must be quick and how danger is coming? Insanity. And what is up with Corinne being the centre of all this, but Mason being her big protector? Can’t girls look out for themselves?

I really don’t like Corinne. She seems to think the world resolves around her. It’s in all the little things. It’s in her being so sure that Sophie is after her brother because she’s out to get Corinne. When Angelina wants to talk about the boy she likes and she’s finally going out with, Corinne is bored because she ‘keeps going on’ – while in the same sentence saying how all she wants to talk about is the Pyxis. I also hate how she just shut out Mason, not even telling him why; just freezing him out because of some blurry picture of him kissing Sophie. Her whole friendship with Angelina is a joke. Corinne doesn’t tell her anything about what she finds out about the Pyxis, and even when she’s on the phone with her, just after finding out Mason didn’t kiss Sophie, she doesn’t tell Angelina.

At first I kinda liked Mason, but when, in the end, it became obvious how he refuses to talk to Corinne about anything he knows about the Pyxis, I just wanted to scream at him.

There is really nothing in this book that would make me recommend it to anyone.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of my reviews @ www.obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com

Pyxis is a great start to this wonderful and exciting new series by K.C Neal.

Pyxis follows the story of 16 year-old High school student Corinne who notices changes in her friends and her popularity after using unusual dyes from a strange box left to her by her late grandmother in a school bake sale and then starts to dream of things she believes are really happening, her life becomes quite interesting and complicated and finding out answers may be a little hard to come by when she doesn’t know who she can trust or go to for the answers she seeks.

We are taken on an exciting journey full of mystery and intrigue in Pyxis to learn more about what the main characters - Corinne, Mason and Angeline's purpose is within a group known as the Pyramidal Union, what its meaning and purpose is as well as their birthright and destiny.

I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the Pyramidal Union and what it actually was, the box with the colored liquids and the list of names certainly had me curious. I was really eager to find out more about the Pyxis, Shield and Guardian’s – especially who the second person could possibly be. The idea of a Parallel Universe is certainly something I am keen to learn more about and also the way in which each of the members would be protecting it.

I thoroughly enjoyed each of the characters, our main protagonist Corinne was really well written, she was take charge, sweet, confident and a devoted friend. You can’t help but adore Mason, he was the perfect best friend, love interest and protector for Corinne and Angeline seemed to be the logical one amongst the group, they fit really well together and are each characters you could easily relate to.

There is a lot of world building which is typical in the first book of a series but I never found it to be overly descriptive or annoying where I generally tend to find myself skimming; there are a lot of unanswered question so I am quite eager to get hold of book two to find our more about the magical world Ms Neal has created.

I really liked the romance, it is there but not overly done, it was really really sweet and I can’t wait to see more of Mason and Corinne together in the sequel. It was such a breath of fresh air to have no insta-love declarations or love triangles, just a nice, slowly developing relationship which has grown from a long friendship.

The plot is evenly paced and flows well, Ms Neal’s writing is certainly engaging, each of the young characters are written in a way which is typical of their maturity - their emotions and dialogue were perfect for their age and depicted in a way that didn’t make them seem older than they are which I am finding in a few YA novels these days. I also loved Corinne’s family unit, they were each supportive and actually present in her life – I really liked this aspect of Pyxis.

All in all, Pyxis was a wonderful, entertaining and quick read! I am really eager to get my hands on the next installment to learn more of this exciting new world.

[Emma (BelleBooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pyxis follows the story of 16 year old Corinne who is still coming to terms with the recent death of her grandmother. She discovers a strange box filled with strange looking liquids that her grandmother left her, with no idea what these colourful liquids could be Corinne thinks they must be some kind of home-made food colourings and uses them to colour icing for her cakes for the school bake sale.

After people who eat Corrine's cakes start acting very strange toward her, Corinne and her friend Ang soon discover that these little bottles do not hold food colourings - but something else entirely! After experimenting on some of their school friends they still have no idea what these liquids are actually for. The two start to dig a little deeper into Corinne's grandmother's past and with the help of Corinne's life long friend Mason they try their best to get to the bottom of things!

Pyxis is an amazing book, to me it is a completely fresh and original concept in the world of YA Paranormal.
I like to think that I have read a lot of books in this genre and I can honestly say that there are no books out there with a similar plot line to Pyxis. I have no idea how K.C. came up with the idea for the potions or the history and legacy that comes along with them, those ideas teamed with the three main characters work amazing well together!

As a book blogger, when I hear the words debut novel I can get a little worried about the writing style, you just don't know what to expect. Pyxis is beautifully written, it's not overly complex and it's easy to find yourself completely lost in the pages. The story itself doesn't seem dragged out like some books can be, there is a lot of important information in Pyxis, which is released to the reader in small, manageable chunks. Meaning the story sticks in your head and all the important pieces aren't thrown at you at once, making the book much more enjoyable.

I loved the uncertainty between Mason and Corinne, they whole will they or won't they thing. On one hand it's obvious they like each other and they should just come out and say they like each other, but on the other hand they have been a part of each others lives for so long now would moving forward damage that closeness they already have?
I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Ang in Pyxis, it seemed that whenever something important was happening she was always at church or visiting relatives. I don't know if this has any significance or not, guess I'll have to wait for the second book to find that one out!

Overall, the book was brilliant!
Well written, it has realistic and likeable characters as well as an original plot line!
5/5 stars for me!

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I won't let anything happen to you," he said softly.

What a wondrous start to what I believe is going to be a wondrous series! K.c. Neal in her debut release Pyxis: The Discovery wrote a story of mystery, magic, and of course, romance. I adored this book from the first to the last page, K.c. has put together an amazing cast of characters that I cannot wait to meet up with again in book two, Alight!

Pyxis follows Corinne, Corinne is your average teenager, she has her best friend Ang and her best guy friend Mason. As if things in her life weren’t complicated enough after Mason and her share a kiss, and she thinks she may have feelings for him, everyone else is acting very strange towards Corinne. Corinne and Ang don’t know what the heck is going on when they find an old piece of paper ..that has their names on it..and Mason. Corinne just wants a normal teenage life, but now she is finding out that she is a pyxis, Mason is her shield, and Ang is her guardian…the main problem with all of this? Her grandmother who is suppose to teach her what all this means..is dead. ..and there is someone out there that wants the pyxis, and will not stop until they get it..so much for a normal teenage life.

This book was such a treat! I adored it and cannot wait to get my hands on the second book. My favorite part of Pyxis was the characters, they felt so real and didn’t have any unrealistic emotions or traits, K.c. has perfectly put together a main character, a girl best friend, a guy best friend (that might be something more than a friend), a evil high school girl and every other character in between. I felt I could really picture the story throughout it all.

I completely adored Mason, he is so sweet and you honestly just can’t help, but to love him. He is so caring over Corinne, but never did he have that sappy unrealistic feel to his feelings for her, which is the best kind of romance in my book! I never once rolled my eyes during their cute moments together, because it just felt right and real. Corinne was great too, she was a strong character, but still wasn’t afraid to show when she just couldn’t handle things anymore, which gave me a lot of respect for her cause it showed she is human. All in all I just loved the characters; they were a great bunch of people!

If you’re looking for a cute read, and something with great characters, a lot of mystery and one heck of a cliff hanger then Pyxis is something I highly recommend. K.c. Neal is an author to keep an eye on, cause this series is going to be remarkable!

[Kayleigh {K-Books} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pyxis: The Discovery Review on K-Books

I absolutely loved this book. Ever since I heard about it and read the blurb I thought it sounded amazing and couldn't wait to read it. I was not disappointed whatsoever.
I think Pyxis is a phenomenal debut that blew me away.

Corinne and her friend Mason are plagued by strange dreams that none of them understand. Little does she know that it is their destiny to protect two worlds along with her best friends. But how can she protect these worlds when she doesn't understand what she is or what she has to do and the one person who could help her is dead? Corinne and Mason must come to terms with the truth that has been hidden from them for years fast before they and the rest of the human world is in danger.

This book blew me away from the first page. I couldn't put it down, it was so good and I was instantly drawn into the story and this great new world that I just loved reading about. I love the characters developed throughout this book. I loved Corinne, I really love how strong she is, she has been through so much and she is still strong around everyone else and doesn't let anything that happens to her get her down and I love that. I love Mason, he is my new book boyfriend. I just love him, he's so awesome and will do everything in his power to save Corinne.
I love this new world Kate has created and the storyline was amazing. I just could not put the book down. I read the whole book in about a day as I was so sucked into the storyline I was on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next.
I loved the ending of this book. It wasn't a huge cliffhanger that left me reeling but it was so good and left so many questions unanswered I was left thinking, but what about this? what about that? I cannot wait for the next book to find out the answers to all of my questions and to see how Mason and Corinne's relationship develops more.

An amazing start to what will be an amazing series and I can't wait to see how is all progresses.

[nightlyreadingheather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book sucked me in from the first few pages!

It starts out with Corinne and Angeline at the school’s bake sale. Corinne loves to bake and made some special petit four’s since Angeline had suckered her in to help. Corinne started to notice that people who would never have given her the time of day before have now started to notice her, and be nice to her! They soon figure out that the issue is a little something extra special that Corinne added to the baked goods. She thought it was just food coloring, but turns out it was something else entirely!

I really, really enjoyed this book. The one part that I loved most was that it not only was Corinne and Mason that were involved in the storyline, but Angeline too! How often do you read a book that the main character, the love interest and the BFF all have been changed into something that they are not sure of?

The only question that is still left in mind is : Who is the second guardian?? There are several possibilities, I know whom I think it will be. I ask you all to come back here after you read the book and then we can see if our opinions on the subject match!

Mason & Corinne will be great together once Corinne gets finished with being so shy and timid. She tended to get on my last nerve a few times during reading. Mason is very sweet, trustworthy and you can tell he really loves her.

The ending of the book left the reader with a doozy of a cliffhanger. So many questions left unanswered and I look forward to the next book, hopefully soon!

“Mason?” I said, panic thick in my voice.
“It’s okay. I’m outside, just come and let me in.”
I flew to the basement door, unlocked it, and fell into Mason’s arms. The cold night air curled around us, and I felt goose bumps spread up my bare arms. He nudged the door shut with his foot and reached back to lock it before half-carrying me back to my room.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seems EVERYONE has been talking about this book lately! SERIOUSLY! I really HAD to check it out and see WHY everyone seems to like it! Boy... all these bloggers that absolutely loved it ARE RIGHT! Pyxis is freakin' incredible book!
The story is very original and I found the characters pretty much realistic, normal, average teenagers any person could relate to. The story is centered around Corinne Finley, who discovers one day she has a strange family history. Under very strange circumstances she discovers her grandmother's little treasure, a wooden box with PYXIS engraved in old fashioned capital letters containing strange bottles of liquids. Are they food dyes? Because after all, her grandmother did like to bake. Now we come to the mystery part!
She starts having strange visions of her grandmother Doris telling her to use these liquids to cure her twin sister Dorothy, who had a stroke same day Doris died. Hmmm, are these weird stories about twins' connections real?
The story gets more complex as Corinne, Angeline and Mason (oh the cutest little thing ever) discover PYXIS is not just a wooden box!
Pyxis, Guardians and Shields...This story will blow your mind and make you read this book in one sitting!
I really loved this book! The story is very original, well written and the characters are well developed. The mystery/paranormal element just adds to the story and will keep you wanting to know what will happen at the end! Corinne is an amazing girl, a girl you would like to be your friend (or daughter), she's intelligent, brave and has a big heart. Her friend Ang is fantastic! She's her Guardian! As for Mason, he's simply adorable..very mature and uber cute! Now that I mention Guardians and Shields..what a fantastic symbolism!!! Our friends are really our Guardians and people we love (our partners) are really our Shields, protecting us form everyone and everything! ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC BOOK you won't be able to put down! I highly recommend this to everyone that enjoys young adult! I'm really looking forward to reading the next installment!

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review can also be found on my blog Just a Lil Lost.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ (4/5 stars)

When Corinne finds the people around her suddenly acting strange, her and her best friend Ang strive to find out why. Their suspicions soon turn to a mysterious box that was left for Corinne by her recently deceased grandmother. Thus begins the story of Pyxis .

The first installment in a sure-to-be captivating series, Neal has a very natural flow of writing. Her descriptive narration makes this original tale one that you won't be able to put down. The development between Corinne and her best guy friend, Mason, is a classic will-they/won't-they scenario; made all the more intriguing when he is roped into their mysterious search. The trio slowly uncovers more about all that surrounds the box and what Corinne's grandmother never had a chance to share with her before she died.

Admittedly, I was first drawn to the book because of the gorgeous cover and now upon having read it, it doesn't quite reflect what I thought the book would be about. The story is much more modern and grounded in reality than the fantasy-like cover makes it out to be - and I like that.

I received the ARC for this book from the author, K.C. Neal, in exchange for an honest review.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been wavering between 2.5 and 3 stars for Pyxis, and I think this is going to be a hard review for me.

I liked the synopsis for this book and was excited when I downloaded it to my Kindle. For an awesome price I might add, it's only $2.99. It has a unique and fun premise.

Corrine was a mostly likeable protagonist and definitely a believable teenager. She was at times ditzy and immature. I did admire her conviction though. Mason was mildly intriguing but so needed to develop a backbone. All the other characters felt more like filler than substance. The character I found most interesting was the obligatory mean girl.

My problem is that nothing really happens in this book. There is a ton of working up to something but something never really surfaces. The story starts to really take shape just as the book is ending.

I've seen a ton of great reviews for this by people I respect. Therefore, I will keep an open mind and perhaps try the next book in the series which is due out next month.

[Heather Robbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I jumped right into reading this book without knowing what it was about. Yes I do this quite often as it makes the book that much more fun for me to figure out what is going on. I got dumped into Corinne's life and I enjoyed every minute of it! Her character is very real and has great depth. She is a typical teen and the way she deals with everything is spot on. Mason...well when he was finally introduced umm swoon! He is a great guy with great heart! He's very protective and I would want him around, just sayin.

The story line was really great! You have mystery and intrigue along with typical teen problems. Complete misunderstandings that happen to the best of us. I love how easy it was to follow and everything flows so well together! You have to pick this up it is a great great book and an excellent start to the series!! The ending left me going WOAH!!!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

How refreshing to read such an original YA book! I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series and can't wait until spring to read the next one! I'm excited to find out what powers Corrine ends up with, the mass destruction that is foretold to happen, and to find out if my guess is right about who the other Gaurdian is ( I'm thinking Sophie). K.C. Neal did such an amazing job in the descriptions, I was sucked in from the beginning, and would LOVE to move to Tapestry myself :) Great read, and I'm recommending it to all YA book lovers!

[Asheley T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

(a similar version of this review can be found here at Into the Hall of Books: http://www.intothehallofbooks.com/201...)

I really only meant to give Pyxis: The Discovery a glance to see what it was like...but I ended up getting sucked into the story. Before I knew it, I'd read a full third of the book without coming up for air! Author K.C. Neal managed to hook me with her blend of mystery, paranormal elements, and cast of very likable characters.

Why should YOU add Pyxis: The Discovery to your TBR?

1. The Characters. Fun, likeable, and believable!

**Corinne. 16-year-old high school sophomore. Smart, fun, outgoing, and pretty. Has a great family and great friends. Corinne seems like someone I'd want to be friends with if I was in high school.
**Mason. Corinne's best friend and crush. He really likes Corinne but doesn't pressure her at all. He's calm, protective, supportive, and kind. Handsome and built. Recently moved back to the area after spending several months building wells in an impoverished country. Corinne and Mason have a great friendship/relationship and I only see this growing in the next book. Love him.
**Angeline. Corinne's other best friend. She's supportive and fun, but she isn't as present in the book as Corinne and Mason are. She's typically spending time with her family or doing activities with her church. Ang's role is important, but I assume it will become even more important in the next book.
**Aunt Dorothy. Aunt Dorothy holds the key to the mysteries the that three friends have been trying to solve...the only problem is that Aunt Dorothy spends the majority of the book unable to communicate after suffering a stroke after the death of her sister months earlier. Through a series of dreams, Corinne learns how to help Aunt Dorothy regain her health and ability to speak, and soon the trio begin to learn what they need to know to discover the secrets of the pyxis and how to guard it with their lives.

There are plenty of fun secondary characters that are less developed than the ones that I have highlighted. I enjoyed reading them all, and some of them even made me laugh out loud. It seems that they were all written like people that I know in real life, and that is what I found so endearing about the their places in this story.

2. Mystery. After a school bake sale, the students that ate some of Corinne's cookies begin acting weirdly - showing her more attention than normal and even trying to go on dates with her or trying to behave like they are her friends when normally they don't particularly even like her. Corinne deduces that some of her grandmother's special food coloring dye is probably responsible for this strange behavior...but why? Additionally, Corinne is having very unusual and even frightening nightmares lately. What's even weirder is that Mason is having almost the exact same dreams. How is this possible and what could it mean?

3. Paranormal. There are a few paranormal elements woven into this story that seems to be more largely mystery at this point. For example, one paranormal element would be the bottles of colored liquid in the box labeled "pyxis" and their mystery and powers over anyone who ingest them. Another paranormal element is the strange dreams that are being shared by Corinne and Mason...these dreams are almost bleeding over into Corinne and Mason's real life. I am thinking hoping that in book two, we will see more paranormal and quite possibly even some fantasy written into the story...and this is exciting to me!

4. Pacing. Pyxis: The Discovery has excellent pacing. It is a page-turner, for sure, as I kept reading faster and faster to try and figure out the mysteries that were laid out by the author to be solved. I couldn't stop reading! It seemed like every time I felt like a piece of the puzzle had been put in place, something else popped up that would need to be solved or figured out. So exciting, this added to the fast pacing of the story.

5. Romance. There is an undeniable, incredibly sweet, and swoon-worthy attraction that Mason has for Corinne, but she is very resistant to him for much of the book. Honestly, at times I wanted to slap this girl! Still, Mason was written to be patient and kind, only becoming frustrated toward the end when he wanted some answers as to why she wouldn't give him the time of day when it was clear that he was interested in her as more than friends. Although Corinne had her reasons for stringing Mason along, when they finally worked out their issues (at the end of the book, sheesh!) it only made me feel more strongly for Mason because he continued to act respectfully for her and never pushed her. Mason was written pretty much like a Southern gentleman, and I completely loved that, being a Southern girl myself. There is no love triangle in this book, there is only frustration at Corinne for not wising up to the completely sweet dude that is trying to win her affections. I can't wait to see where this relationship goes in book two.

6. The Ending. Holy Cliffhanger, Batman! Thankfully, I have it on good authority that the author is hard at work on the next book. I don't usually like cliffhangers but I'm thinking that this is one worth waiting for. Most of the story is wrapped up, but the few questions that are left unanswered are perfect places for the next story to build. So in this rare case, I am okay with this cliffhanger.

What a fun book! I didn't mean to fall so in love with the story and the characters, and get so sucked in...but I did!

Pyxis: The Discovery is certainly more of a character-driven story than an action-driven story, and I wonder if that might change with the next installment in the series. As I read, I sort of felt like this book was almost a set-up for book two, Alight: The Peril. I am totally okay with that and welcome whatever comes next! (hoping it comes with a little bit of action...) I think we can probably look forward to finding out a bit more about the parallel universe that Corinne and Mason are dreaming about (maybe?) and we will almost certainly be adding a fourth sidekick to the trio of friends that are protecting the pyxis. I won't lie, though, I want to see the bond between Corinne and Mason grow stronger in whatever capacity it will. Basically, I'm just super excited for the next book and hope it is released super soon.

Pyxis: The Discovery will appeal to fans of:

A fast-paced story
Fun, likable characters
A mystery with paranormal elements thrown in
A slowly developing romance
Character-driven stories
Suitable for all-ages YA as well as adult readers

Pyxis: The Discovery by K.C. Neal is currently available for purchase.

**I received a review copy from the author, K.C. Neal, in exchange for an honest opinion and review. I received no compensation for my thoughts. Thank you SO MUCH K.C. and StoneHouse Ink!

[Kereesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pyxis was like..an adorable puppy, you know the one you see in the pet story, not the one eating its own poop (true story), but that really cute one that whimpers at you and tries to play with you through the glass? Yes, that one. That really cute one that you just wanna squeeze and squeeze and ask 'What are the pyxis? Are they fairies, tell me little dog TELL ME FOR GOD'S SAKE I JUST WANNA KNOW???!!!!'

And while you're having this emotional break-down, do you know what that cute adorable thing is doing? He smiles at you. Evilly.

Pyxis was a fun novel. It was cute, intriguing, and was like a really yummy bag of chips, once I started I really couldn't stop until I finished the whole bag book.

So the novel is about this girl, Corinne, who decides to add a little 'flavor' to her cupcakes for her school's bake sale with some interesting results.

Silly Corinne, don't you know that mysterious boxes full of bottles of even more mysterious liquids left to you by your deceased grandmother are never a good time? :P

Anyway, the conspiracy surrounding these little bottles of wonder continues as Corinne, and her friends Angelina and Mason (enter our mc's love interest) discover a secret society surrounding the bottles, and the awakening of their own powers to defeat the rise of a terrible being coming for them and their town.

And, yes, I will be the first one to admit Pyxis sounds like your typical paranormal ya novel, with its: mysterious items left by a deceased relative, strange powers being awoken, love, and an evil being bent on destruction, Pyxis is a little more than that. Because while it's true that Pyxis does have its similarities to the typical YA novel, it doesn't fall into some of its typical and annoying tropes that drive me utterly insane aren't quite to my taste.

The best one I can think about, and honestly the one I want to talk about the most, is the romance between Mason and Corinne. Because K. C. Neal? She does it right. So the relationship between Corinne and Mason is actually what I call a 'pre-established' relationship, ie a relationship that has developed outside of the book based on emotions that (usually) we don't see and/or are told about.

If you've read a number of my reviews, pre-established relationships aren't exactly my style. The same goes for instant relationships, but that's off topic. Anyway, in spite of the fact that pre-established relationships in the past in a number of YA novels (The Dark Divine or The Body Finder for instance) have pissed me off extremely, I didn't have the same problem in Pyxis. Instead, Pyxis actually showed the relationship between the two characters, and the emotions Corinne struggles with throughout the novel as she tries to figure out where she and Mason stand. There was no "I can't be with you because event A means you're my father's long lost pet's uncle and that means the world will explode if we unite," but instead there was an actual relationship outside of the paranormal happenings that has problems, that has flaws, and is just a honest, real, developing love/romance/something that I could totally relate to for one, and really, really ENJOYED otherwise.

Thank you K.C. Neal for bringing back an aspect of YA I thought was lost forever. Now go smack the other idiots for not doing it right :P Kidding.

Another thing I really liked was the characters, especially Corinne and Mason, because again they (thankfully) don't fit into the stereotypical roles I seem to see over and over in this genre, (example: The bad boy), and instead just are really fun, real, good solid characters. I really liked Corinne in particular because she wasn't all 'a cute boy looked at me *faint*' and actually confronted her problems with Mason and otherwise without either being too wimpy or too macho-girl power about it. Instead she felt like me, she felt like a regular girl, and I really liked that about her.

The writing was wonderfully engaging, and easily grabbed and held my attention. I had to physically put my ereader away while reading this baby in order to get some homework done or else I would've gobbled this novel all in one sitting.

There are, however, in spite of the praise, two negative things about Pyxis I do want to talk about. The first is the use of suspense surrounding the actual pyxis, as we are withheld from knowing what exactly is going on because of some super secret society rules that don't allow the knowledge to be passed unless *spoiler* *spoiler* *spoiler*. Anyway, while I understood why the author was doing this to keep the suspense, and therefore our need to keep reading going, it did piss me off and jerked me out of the world with its unrealism. I mean, seriously, if some crazy monster thing is coming to eat you all, wouldn't you break the rules just this once?

This goes without saying though, if the members of the society were prevented from revealing the secrets of the pyxis because of magic, I'd be okay with it.

The other thing I want to mention is the cliffhanger ending to this novel that made me want to fling my ereader across the room.

No one likes cliffhangers. It's pretty much a given.

However, because I talked to the author about this point, and she said her editor suggested it, I'm willing to let it slide. Though my metaphor of Pyxis being a strangled dog probably doesn't support that.

All in all, I really, really liked Pyxis. It was fun, it was engaging, and it was a good debut novel. And while it does have some similar YA tropes, it does a good job of creating a world I can't help being intrigued by, and a romance I can totally fall in love with. 3.5-4/5

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's start with some cover love shall we? So pretty!

This was a fun, magical, mysterious, romantical story, unlike anything I've read within the paranormal genre recently. (Btw, if you've never heard of "romantical" before it's because I just made it up. I do that sometimes. Make up my own language.)

Corrine Finley, a Sophomore at Tapestry High School appears to be your average teenage girl with a BFF, an after school job at her Dad's cafe and feelings for a guy who had major boyfriend potential until he was caught kissing her arch nemesis after the Winter Solstice Dance. (Boys...*sighs*) As she tries to put him behind her, life begins to go from so-so to interesting when the goodies she bakes for a school fundraiser (using some of her late grandmother's food dye) sends all the guys into a frenzy making her the object of their affections. While she knows she's not riding the ugly train, the sudden admiration is a little surprising and overwhelming for Corrine. Even her BFF, Angeline or "Ang" thinks it's strange so the two decide to try to figure out if there's more to Grandma's food dye than just the blue and yellow coloring.

Turns out the little box that Corrine thought was just something to house the dye has a fancy name, "Pyxis" and could be a recipe for disaster if it falls into the wrong hands. What the girls discover within the Pyxis is that things are not always what they seem and everyone has a destiny to fulfill whether they're ready for it or not. Both girls have a role to play with Corrine's job being that of protector of this world and the world that haunts her dreams. Wait, what?! How the heck is she supposed to do that?! Well, with a little help from her friends of course! Ang will be along for the ride as will Mason, which could complicate things.

Mason is the guy who broke her heart when Ang caught him macking on Sophie (resident Mean Girl) after the Winter Solstice and then jaunted off to another content for half the year with his family without a word about it. Granted, he's been doing humanitarian work there but still. He's been e-mailing Corrine the whole time he's been away but she's ignored him. (How could he kiss her one minute and then turn around and hook up with Sophie the next minute? Ick!) When Mason does return home, Corrine is in for a big surprise. (OhMyMason!) Not only has Mason grown but he's been having nightmares similar to Corrine's. (What is up with that?!) The more time they spend together the less Corrine can fight the feelings she has for him but she also can't forget what happened with Sophie. Can you blame a girl?

Let's focus on the hotsauce that is Mason for minute...he's smart, sweet, funny, charming and he spends time building wells in Africa. A-FR-I-CA people! Add to that, his tallness, great hair, beautiful eyes, ripped bod (See? Building wells is beneficial for all involved.) and his need to protect Corrine at all costs. He's the total package. He's also willing to go the extra mile when necessary and the scene where he volunteers to try the white fluid before Corrine gives any to Aunt Dot is HILARIOUS and I laughed until I cried!

Together, Corrine and Mason (and Ang when she's not busy) begin to look for answers to their questions surrounding the box, it's contents and their joint dreams. Corrine's Aunt Dot is the only one who can help them but she's stuck in a nursing home and doesn't seem to recognize anyone. Their dark dreams worsen and start to spill over into the waking world causing Corrine to need Mason's company more just to feel safe. (Um, I have nightmares, maybe Mason could help me out too?)

Will they be able to bring Aunt Dot out of her stupor before things get any stranger or will the darkness from their dreams finally creep into the daylight, overtaking Corrine, Mason and everyone around them?

I'm really looking forward to the next installment in this series because I have tons of questions like what's gives with Sophie? What exactly DO the blue and yellow liquids do? Will Jordan Gumbreath make a reappearance? I can't wait be "Alight"ed. ;)

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original review at The Midnight Bookworm

The cover: I love the cover, I have since I first saw it on the request form to reserve an eARC of the book. Originally, I thought the glowing bottle was some type of pixie dust, because I thought the title was pronounced "Pixies.” To be honest, I requested this book before reading the blurb. I thought the title was fun and the cover was pretty (I judge books by their covers on a daily basis). It wasn’t until I actually read the description that I realized the book was not about pixies at all… and that the title was probably not even pronounced “Pixies.” So I started trying to sound it out (yea, like the 5 year olds do when they try to read), and figured out that it was like “Picks-iss” (which is later revealed in the book too, so I was glad I wasn’t the only one who thought it was “pixies”).

The story: To say the least, this book was awesome. I wasn’t completely sucked in like an “OMG CAN’T PUT IT DOWN” sort of way, but I was on the edge of my seat reading it most nights. I loved that this book really sets the story for later books. The book is a paranormal/fantasy type story, so it’s allowed to be far-fetched, but some of it just seemed a little too weird. I’m excited to see how everything plays out in later books because of how “out-there” some of these concepts are.

The characters: The characters weren’t super relatable to me, but they did develop nicely, and the dialog and descriptions of them were great. Angeline bothered me a little, she seemed to be a little too whinny, or timid. Mostly, Ang had a problem around the boy she liked, but as a senior in high school, I figure most people don’t have that big of an aversion to talking to someone (maybe that was just my school though). Toward the end of the book (literally the last chapter I think), the characters started getting confusing (it’s probably because I had an ARC), but Corinne’s grandmother’s name is Doris, and her aunt’s name is Dorothy, in the last chapter the author would be talking about Aunt Dorothy, but a couple sentences later would call her Aunt Doris. It confused me for a few pages, but I realized it must have been a typo or something since the names are so similar. Anyway, I loved Mason, and did even in the beginning when Corinne was being petty and didn’t like him.

Overall: I liked it a lot. I can’t wait to see how the series plays out, and I really hope everyone else enjoys it too. The writing style is great, the language used is really easy to understand and the dialog is actually how I feel like teens talk (which I loved). I am eagerly awaiting Book 2: Alight: The Peril now to see how the story plays out with the character relationships and all the wonderful drama the Pyxis brings with it. I give this book a 5/5 because the little things that bugged me (are probably because I’m obnoxious and nit-pick everything), didn’t really take away from the story. Ang’s timid-ness with the boy she liked actually fit in the story, and the reason for Corinne not liking Mason in the beginning helped the story along with the relationship between the two characters.

[Diayll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review can be found at Mother/Gamer/Writer
ARC was provided by the author for my honest review

K.C. Neal has written a book that is a great reflection of herself; unique, charming, and simply fantastic!


Pyxis is a novel that stole my heart from the first sentence. I was immediately sucked into a compelling world of magic, myths, and mystery. Honestly I had no idea what to expect when I decided to read this book. I mean what the heck is a Pyxis anyway and why should I care about it? Finding the hidden truths to this mystery is what kept me both interested and excited in the story of Corinne, Angeline, and Mason, family secrets, and the journey that one small box led them all on. It was a quick, surprising, thrill ride and I can't wait to do it all over again with book two.

Neal does an amazing job of building relatable YA characters. The main characters are typical teenagers with a little (not much) angst and high school drama. Corinne was a wonderful protagonist and enjoyable to read. She's smart, sassy, stubborn, pretty much all the fun `S' words. She never came across as annoying or bratty which is great considering she is only 16 years old. I loved riding her emotional roller coaster as she tried to uncover the secrets of the Pyxis box and the mysteries surrounding her grandmother and aunt. Her highs and lows soon became mine, and I found myself wishing that she would soon get the answers she so desperately desired.

Angeline was another great character I enjoyed getting to know. Out of the two, she was more levelheaded and often times the voice of reason for Corinne. Their banter was delightful and portrayed a genuine best friend relationship. Likewise, Mason was also a fabulous character. In the next installment, I can definitely see him talking an `Alpha Male' role with Corinne because of certain circumstances (which I won't spoil) that takes place in the book. He's a loveable, dependable protector and I wouldn't mind having him in my corner should I run across my own Pyxis box! :-)

Overall, Pyxis is one of those books that will take you by surprise. As a debut novel, Neal had outdone herself with her unique storytelling. The book blurb doesn't really do it justice because it is so much more than what it describes. With the twists and turns and family drama, Pyxis will keep you guessing until the very end. I am patiently waiting for Alight, book two in the Pyxis series, because...the journey has just begun!

5 out of 5 Controllers!

[Anagha Uppal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: http://book-spark.blogspot.com/

My first thought was "Hahaha!", my second though was "Oooh! That doesn't sound good!", and my third thought was "Hooked!"
Though not too original, this debut novel from author K.C. Neal is enough to make you visit her blog, her Twitter, her Facebook, everything in search of some elusive info about the second in this cool new series. That's how much I loved The Discovery. The book starts out innocent enough - a bake sale and the protag's cookies are by far the best. You meet the best friend, the archenemy and some cute guys who seem to hover around Corinne (the protag). But then you realize this boy-magnet thing is not normal. In fact, it is unheard of. And then you start to suspect...
The book itself is short and sweet. The 100 or so pages flew by so quickly that I kept trying to turning pages in disbelief. How could it have ended already? Just when it was getting to the horrific and awesome part, the book ended. What a cliffhanger! I need Book 2 right now!!

Corinne and Mason are generally likable characters, and they have great chemistry, although Corinne seems to be yet another version of the emotionally stunted heroines (romantically) we've come to see in many YA books nowadays. (If you're listening, it's really getting pathetic, writers! Please do me a favor and change it up once in a while!) After Mason returns, Ang (the best friend) just sort of disappears - whenever something important happens, she is with her family or helping relatives. I was hoping to see more of her. I really love her character. She's has a bubbly personality but she can be serious and is quite intelligent for coming up with the cookies experiment (what's the experiment? I guess you'll just have to read it to find out!)

And the not-so-awesome: The narration needs some work. It isn't very mature yet, but I'm not dwelling on this since it's her first book. Also, the text messages will really get to you, especially if you're a teenager (as I am). I think they were supposed to provide some sort of unique narration, but all it did was annoy me. Here's one: "Thx for the update gr8 2 hear" That is so stereotypical! Most teenagers don't actually text like that and it really bothers me. Other than that though, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see more by this author!

Recommended for: Fans of paranormal YA and The Secret Circle (L.J. Smith)

[Nina (Death, Books, and Tea) · Rating 5 out of 5]

some time ago, there was a thing on K.C.Neal’s website saying book bloggers could reserve an e-ARC. I read the vague summary, and requested one not knowing at all what I’d actually get. It could have been anything. It was an original concept with the cakes being the thing that starts a discovery, which then quickly escalates into something really awesome.
After realising tipping liquid from strange bottles into cakes that will be given to strangers is not the best thing to do, as the customers start acting really weirdly, Corinne and her friend Ang and nearly-boyfriend Mason investigating. They come across a list with their names on it, with mysterious initials and many more unexplained things. Corinne and her friends must learn about their new status quickly...
The characters were all well developed. Corinne was very relatable, as were her problems of being a teen girl in general, with the added fact that she’s received a letter pre-written (if that makes sense) by her grandmother telling her what to do. How much I love Grandma Doris and her opening to the explain all letter... “if you’re reading it [the letter], I must be dead. What a pity!” The other characters were all fleshed out just as well, and I can see some of them coming into play majorly as we go through the series (I’m looking here at Harriet and Sophie...)
The romantic side actually added quite a lot to the book, something that doesn’t always happen with books. Mason and Corinne’s relationship was open for exploration, and towards the end when they are bound together magically in a way, you could tell there was another slight layer to this.
The pacing was a little slower at the start, but it quickly picked up. Some bits were a little predictable, but there are some bits that really kept me thinking about what happened/what will happen. The book ends at an annoyingly convenient part- convenient because here was a logical place to end it, but annoying because it had just turned a huge corner in terms of plot development and I wanted to read on!
Overall: Strength 5 tea to an amazing book that I can’t wait for the sequels to. I want to carry on with Corinne’s story and I also want to see if my suspicions are correct...

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning: This book is FANTASTIC!

My Rating: 10 of 10

My Cover Thoughts: I absolutely love this cover. The cover designer did a great job! The girl on the cover is kneeling on the ground holding o bottle full of something. This cover draws you in and as you read you will see the significance of the cover.

My Thoughts/Review: come on a ride of a lifetime with Mason and Corinne! Corinne has had some rough things happen to her and she is still reeling from the death of her grandmother when she has to come to term with her best friend Mason who has left for Africa and is coming back and wants to talk to her.

What is a girl to do when weird things start to happen and she has dreams of things that she does not understand? What will Corinne do about these dreams? What will she do about Mason? Is she in danger?

Take this journey with Mason and Corinne and see what happens when you dare to believe in the unknown. See what happens when you dare to love and trust at the same time. What will they discover about themselves as well as their family?

K.C. has weaved a world that will draw you in and keep you at the edge of your seat wanting to read more and more till you find out what happens next. Take this adventure with Corinne and Mason and I promise you you will not be disappointed.

Memorable Quotes: Page 83 “Mason?” I said, panic thick in my voice.
“It’s okay. I’m outside, just come and let me in.”
I flew to the basement door, unlocked it, and fell into Mason’s arms. The cold night air curled around us, and I felt goose bumps spread up my bare arms. He nudged the door shut with his foot and reached back to lock it before half-carrying me back to my room.

“The fog, it was in here,” I said, my mouth dry and gritty. I shivered violently, and he pulled up my comforter and wrapped it around me.

“It‟s gone now. Look.” I squinted across my room and realized he was right. I took a few shaky breaths and couldn’t detect the foul stench. He scooted back so he was supported by my pillows and pulled me against him. I shivered less and less as Mason’s body heat warmed me. I focused on taking slow, even breaths.

Advice: This is a must read series! First book was EPIC!

[Jessica Reigle · Rating 5 out of 5]

PYXIS was amazing. It’s a short book but it’s the perfect length to get you interested in the characters, interested in the story and leaves you wanting more and more and more! One thing that terrified me of this book, by time I was halfway through was there wasn’t a whole lot of action. I thought that it could really ruin the book but let me tell you . . . that is definitely not the case. This book doesn’t need a huge fight, tons of action for you to keep turning the pages. It’s got enough information and enough mystery to keep you wanting more and more.



Corinne is a normal teenager girl, or at least she thinks she’s a normal teenage girl until a simple bake sale where she gathers some unwanted and surprising attention. Most of the people who bought any of her blue petit fours during a school bake sale suddenly became obsessed with her. One of the popular guys at school suddenly started paying a lot of attention to her and it threw her off, but in a good way. She was trying to get over this guy Mason, who haven’t officially been introduced to and what better way to forget about an old crush with a new hottie? Except, what she doesn’t know is Mason is about to play a huge part in her present and her future.



Her best friend, Angeline, is someone I would want as my best friend. She’s so laid back and fun. But not only is she Corinne’s best friend but she will also play a huge part in Corinne’s life. Moreso than always being there for her as her best friend.



Now let’s talk romance. There wasn’t much in here but gah, when there was – it was yummy. I don’t really want to say much about it, actually – I mean I want to but I don’t want to spoil things for potential readers but let’s just say . . . it leaves me eager (very eager) for the next installment!



K.C. Neal has reeled me and she’s not letting me go. I’m hooked and you should be too! This is a great new series, with (like I said) amazing characters and a very well paced story. Pick up a copy of this book and look forward to the next installment with me. We could gush together.


Review also seen at: Fictional Distraction.

[Lissette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corinne Finley is a regular kid, eager to fit in at school and quite content with the life she leads. There's nothing extraordinary about her or the world she lives in. Or so she thinks.

Trying to forget about her almost-boyfriend's betrayal, she immerses herself in her school work as well as her after-school job. Giving as much time as possible to her best friend, Angeline, and the family around her, she's happy with the way things are going. Well, aside from still pining for Mason, of course. Try as she might, she can't deny her feelings for him.

When people start acting differently with her at the school bake sale, Corinne wonders just what has brought about the change. She hasn't done anything different with her cooking. At least, not that she can remember. When Angeline brings to light the fact that she did indeed do something different, she realizes that what she'd thought were her grandmother's ordinary food dyes were something else entirely.

Her dreams soon start showing her things that she can't quite understand. Part of her knows that danger is around the corner, but from who or what? When Mason starts having the same dreams, Corinne begins to question what is going on.

Embarking on a quest for answers, they never imagined that they were part of another world - one similar to the one they live in but full of magic and even more secrets. Mason promises to keep her safe. To always protect her from those that seek to do her harm. They can't deny the fact that their feelings for one another are growing. Nor can they set aside the urge to know more about who, and what, they really are.

I honestly enjoyed this story. It was truly intriguing and made me want to read the next installment for the series. While there were a couple typos here and there, I didn't let that detract from getting into the story.

The world that K. C. has created is quite vivid and allows the reader to get caught up in each of the characters lives. It's one of those story that leave you thinking 'what if'. All in all, it's a great read. Others will enjoy it also. I know I did!

[Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sara's review from Whatthecatread.wordpress.com

K.C. Neal does a wonderful job creating a set of characters that are both believable and easy to relate too. Corinne is a typical 16-year-old girl. I enjoyed the fact that while she complained sometimes about everything that was going on in her life, it wasn’t angsty or annoying. I felt a great deal of sympathy for her and shared in her frustration as she tried to find answers to what was happening around her. Likewise Mason was a wonderful counterpoint in that he not only is very responsible and levelheaded for his age, but he has a mischievous side to him as well. He genuinely cares about Corinne and wishes to protect her. My only regret was that I wish I could have seen more of Angeline throughout the story as she seems like a fun character as well.

Besides the characters, Neal keeps the mystery and suspense going nonstop throughout the story. Just when you think Corinne will finally get the answers she is seeking, a new twist occurs which sets her back to square one. I continually found my fur bristling in excitement as the plot built. Was she going to rescue her Great Aunt in Time? Was Harriet Jensen going to get her hands on the Pyxis? And what is up with her creep eyes? So many questions that I wanted answers to. Which is why when I got to the end, I growled in disbelief because Neal ends the book with the perfect cliffhanger.

Yes, that’s right, I said the book ends with a cliffhanger! Not only that, but Neal doesn’t answer all the questions you would hope to have answered. Now, I don’t know about most of you, but I usually hate it when authors end a book with a cliffhanger. However, this one was good! And it sets up the plot for the second book of the series, which I am now anxiously waiting for. So here’s hoping I can get my paws on a copy of the second book of the series, Alight: The Peril, when it becomes available sometime Spring of next year. =^-^=

[D.M. Dutcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. It's not bad, but doesn't go much of anywhere.

Corrine finds a couple of bottles of what she thinks is food coloring in a box given to her by her grandmother. The petit fours she makes start to display some unusual side-effects, and soon she finds she is part of a mystery. What is the Pyxis? Why does she have these horrifying dreams. Why is her name as well as people she knows listed as part of a Pyrmidal Union? The key to finding out is her Aunt Dorothy, but she has been near-comatose for years. Can Corrine find out what is going on?

There are only two problems with the book. One problem is that not much happens from beginning to end. It feels like the first act of a book, where you establish the daily life of your characters and reveal the big problem affecting their life, and then you add the book's first conflict. Then that conflict gets resolved, and you go to the final battle or greater conflict the book has.

The problem is the book ends at the first conflict part. Most of the actual explanation of what the Pyxis is comes at the end. It then sets up a cliffhanger complication, then the book is done. This makes the book feel really long, and a little dull, because most of it is just trying to find out a way to find out stuff.

The second part is a little hard to describe. The characters seem to shift gears too quickly from the mystery of the book back to normal life. Worrying about what the Pyxis means to "oooh, a dance." Normally this isn't an issue, but with the first problem it feels worse than it should.

I think that if I could have bought this as part of a three-book omnibus, I'd be complaining less. But by itself, it's a slow read. It's written well otherwise, and the pyxis seems different from the usual paranormal plot devices enough to be interesting. Just be warned it starts slow, and view it as a really long first part of a book.

[Terri Rochenski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmmmmmm. Well I'll be honest. I had a hard time deciding on how many stars I wanted to give this novel. 3 wasn't enough, but 4 pushes it a bit for me. I'm not a huge YA fan, but I don't feel that affected my star choice here.

Ms. Neal wrote a unique story--the magic involved isn't something I've ever read about before. That being said, I had a few moments where I had a problem with the believability factor. Granted, we're reading about high schoolers, but would two girls really run an experiment on humans--especially since they have NO IDEA what these strange liquids are? Seems a bit dangerous to me. How would they know one might not cause death? How do they know one wouldn't cause cancer like Corinne's, the MC, brother fought? These characters are not stupid, but this was one dumb choice IMO.

Then Ang gets mad at at Corinne for continuing the experiment when she wasn't around, & gave her the silent treatment. That IS a highschool thing to do, but it was Ang's idea to begin with. Didn't understand that one bit.

And my final gripe, why did the grandmother think to write Corinne a letter about her heritage, but not speak to her? And, why give the letter to the elderly Protector, when Corinne's great aunt was still living? Seemed a bit contrived to me.

Personally, I love to know there are more books to follow, but I gotta be honest. When I read 'End' I cussed. I hate cliff hanger endings with novels. Chapter endings, yes! By all means!! But to leave us hanging w/ out a complete arc in a single novel drives me nuts.

While this book tugs on the heart strings & drew my empathy at times, it wasn't a stand alone in my eyes. For that and the believability factor I give it 3.5 stars.

I WILL be buying & reading the next one, though. Gotta know how the whole story ends.

[Elizabeth "Liza" · Rating 4 out of 5]

yxis was offered to me for review by the wonderful K.C. Neal and I was intrigued by the cover and the synopsis. It is a great addition to the collection of paranormal YA reads.

Corinne was very easy to identify with. She is brave and smart and tries to figure out what is going on with the help of her incredible friends Mason and Ang. It was nice to see a teenager with a stable family life, even though her parents were busy with work; they care for Corinne and her brother Bradley. Mason is a great character, so strong, stable, and understanding, and you can see that he really cares for Corinne. I also enjoyed Angela and Corinne’s relationship, they are so close, and I am glad that Corinne has such good friends to rely on. I have my suspicions on who the second Guardian is, but I guess I'll have to wait.

The plot was a new paranormal twist for me and it is very interesting, although it left me a bit confused (I’m sure Corinne felt the same way!) I wish that Pyxis was explained a little bit more and I’m sure that will happen with the sequel. The writing was easy to read and understand and a good flow. The ending was kind of abrupt with not resolution or much of an explanation.

Overall Pyxis is a good paranormal read, with a little bit of mystery and romance thrown in for good measure. I definitely look forward to the sequel Alight: The Peril that will be published next spring.

About the cover: The cover is beautiful and it portraits Corinne with one of the bottles that her grandmother left for her.