Reaper's Novice

Soul Collector #1

by Cecilia Robert

**Reaper's Novice is not on sale at the moment. It's being re-edited and will be published again soon***


17- year- old Ana Maria Tei’s life has always been perfect: loving parents, good grades, and a future so bright it outshone the sun. But now words like “separation” and “divorce” are sending her world plummeting to hell. Determined to keep her family intact, Ana plans a family-bonding trip from Vienna to Tuscany. Except fate has other plans. Ana’s parents and siblings are killed in a car accident on their way to pick Ana up from school.

Enter Grim, aka Ernest. He promises to relinquish the four souls if Ana agrees to trade her soul for theirs and serve a lifetime as his novice. In order for Ana to graduate from her Reaper’s Novice station to a Soul Collector graduate, Grim puts her to test. To her horror, she finds out becoming a Reaper’s Novice didn’t happen by chance. It was preordained, and she is forced to make a choice: save her family’s souls or come to terms with who she really is and complete the task set for her.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Fiction, African American

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 7, 2011

About the author

I write YA, NA and Adult. My motto: Passion rules. I enjoy writing stories about people finding love in the most unexpected places, coupled with adventurous journeys, whether it's urban, fantasy, sci-fi, contemporary or paranormal romance. There's always a happy ever after, no matter how long it takes to get there.

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Reviews

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25 stars - English novel - Mystery and surprice. That discribes this book the best. 🌹

[Kevis Hendrickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cecilia Robert's Reaper's Novice is a beautiful coming-of-age story that marks the beginning of a brand new urban fantasy series. The heroine Ana Marie Tei embarks on a journey of self-discovery after making a life-altering decision to save her family that puts her in the service of Grim, the literal personification of Death. As a Soul Collector in-training, she must undergo the training required to acquire the souls of other human beings in order to satisfy her soul-debt to the Grim. We journey along with Ana into a sometimes frightening, but fascinating world where ancient spirits battle over the eternal souls of humanity's dead.

What draws me to this series is the extra-personal and intensely intimate portrayal of the events of Ana's life. We watch her struggle to cope with trying to balance her life as a normal teenager while performing her duty as Grim's new apprentice. There are humorous situations inter-weaved with touching moments that really drives home the weight of her sacrifice. This book is full of heart-gripping drama and unforgettable moments that really tugs at the heart-string of the reader. If you like romance, then you're in for a treat. Ana has a love interest who turns out to be a very intriguing figure. Along with Ana, who is quite an original figure in urban fantasy novels, another interesting element of this story is the setting which takes place in Austria, Germany giving a unique flavor to this wonderful tale.

I should mention that this is the rebooted version of a much shorter tale that was published some time ago. This incarnation is much improved and worthy of its own legion of fans. I very much look forward to seeing where this series goes from here.

A solid 4 stars for a very imaginative and beautifully-written book.

[KaSonndra Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Grim Reaper is a short story taking place in the romantic setting of Vienna. Although it has strong elements of an urban fantasy it could also easily cross over to the paranormal arena as well. I love the way the Ms. Robert sets up the beginning. All five senses are taken into consideration. I truly feel as if I'm in the MC's shoes. The description of Vienna made me ache for a chance to walk along its historical streets. So when our protagonist is suddenly thrown into the life of a reaper of souls, I feel her pain and loss as if they were my own. Apparently the novice has to go through a succession of qualification tests before she can be classified as a full-blown reaper.

Other treats include a host of supernatural creatures that all play into something like an entourage of "playmates" for the reaper himself. Speaking of the reaper, I appreciated the way the author avoided stumbling into a cliched description of him. Nothing about the dark one was standard stock in this story.

And when the Novice finds herself faced with the one thing she most feared, Ms. Robert keeps the reader in her grip, putting you right inside the MC's shoes and delivering the right amount of emotion at just the right times. There's a humorous element underlying the story, keeping the mood of the Reaper's storyline from drifting off into the realm of complete darkness.

The only small issue I had was with the relationship between Kim and the novice and how they meet one minute and then suddenly the novice can tell what he's about to do by noting a breathing gesture he makes. If the two have just met how would she know that? And my biggest complaint (that is actually a reflection of the author's skillful writing) was that once I fell in love with Kim and Ana Marie (aka the novice) I wasn't ready for the story to end. The tender way the author handles their budding relationship at the end leaves the reader intrigued and anxiously awaiting the next segment in this charming installment. I would recommend this to anyone.

[Werner]

Since this is not a short story, but rather the first installment of the author's debut novel, Soul Collector, which Trestle Press is publishing serially, I want to hold my full review until I've read every installment. But you can bet that I WILL read every one. I definitely find this intriguing; the author writes well, has created an original (even unique) fantasy vision, and set it in what for most American readers is a very fresh locale. Of course, this first installment raises many more questions than it answers; but I expect it to be fun teasing out the answers over the course of the novel!

Note: I received my copy of this as a generous gift from the author herself.

[The FountainPenDiva, Old school geek chick and lover of teddy bears · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for the cover alone! Someone must be listening to me in publishing-land. More women of color on the covers of paranormal books! Keep it coming and I'll keep a reading!

[PJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when 17-year old violinist Ana, who loves her best friends and a boy named Rolf, loses her whole family in a flash? When faced with such a tragedy, she trades her own soul for the souls of her family by agreeing to becoming a novice Soul Collector to a man named Grim aka Death, who prefers to go by Ernest, just because.

For the next thirteen months she will apprentice, learning the tricks of the trade in collecting spirits of people at the time of their death. Figuring she can keep up her everyday life while "ghosting" every night to collection sites with her flirty sidekick Siegfried, or Zig, she gradually learns that her life is irrevocably changed and she finds herself at the center of a battle between good and evil in the control of souls while facing the loss of everyone she loves.

Reaper’s Novice is a twisty, gripping read. My main criticism is that on one-hand, we’re FLOODED with information, but on the other, we’re promised even more leading to frustration.

When world building, time needs to be taken to answer all the questions readers may have. We need to feel as if we're experiencing everything as Ana is, as that's what makes it believable. Most especially, how Ana experiences the art of soul collecting and this fantastical world she’s become so intrinsically a part of in such a short time.

Gripes & Likes:

--So much of the story is doled out in tiny bits with Ana being told, "I’ll explain later," and I found that extremely frustrating. Just tell her/us already!

--It feels, at times, as if the story is still in rough form, tacked together through a stack of 3x5 cards. Parts are written in exquisite detail, each sense beckoned to life. Then, the scene ends abruptly and we find ourselves zoomed forward by days.

--One thing I enjoyed was the story being written through the lens of a Viennese. The idiomatic expressions and cultural norms, not to mention being able to experience this historic city adds to the flavor of this urban fantasy.

--Ana Maria Tei has mixed parentage, but it's not explained what it is...or did I miss that? Anyway, I found that refreshing and I loved the cover.

--Ana is constantly wiping her sweaty palms on her clothes. Once or twice is enough. I found it really irritating after awhile.

--I wanted more! More details about the Afterworld Realm, the dinner parties, the characters cloaked beneath their charms, how Ana learns to control her new abilities.

--The details we DO get of the Afterworld are very descriptive and pulled me right in, similar to Potterland.

--Great job dealing with teen sexuality. Clean with just a little sizzle, though, I hope the next book has an NA rating.

--Grief and death are handled very well and I found myself tearing up several times as Ana faces loss again and again.

Lastly, what a great ending! All the balls are left hanging in the air. I heartily recommend this to YA through adult readers, especially if you are drawn to this Alt World genre. I will, for sure, be adding the next book in the Soul Collector series to my TBR list.

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

Reaper's Novice started out as a Novella and grew into a book and I have to say that I was glad when Cecilia did that. The Novella left me wanting more and more and when I found out she was going to do a full length book with it I jumped up and down like a crazy reader I am.

In Reaper's Novice we meet Ana who has a loving family. She loves school and plays the violin. She is very talented in many ways. Then one day she over hears the ugliness and truth of what is to become of her family. See she hears her parents talking about divorce and separating but Ana is determined to keep her family together. So she hatches a plan for them to take a trip to Tuscany and spend some much needed family time together. Only when the times comes for them to meet there is an accident and she loses all of her family.

Still in shock and reeling from the death of her parents and siblings Ana meets Ernest. Ernest seems to know a lot about her situation and when he tells Ana there is a way to save her family she is all ears. Ernest tells her he will release their souls if Ana gives him her soul and becomes a reapers novice. Ana is not sure what to but she knows she misses her family and wants them back. What is a girl to do with that kind of an offer? Can she reuse it? Will she refuse it? What is Ernest not telling her about herself? When the secrets and lies clear Ana will have to decide what to do and her decision is not one without consequences to all.

[Darren Sant · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author uses some very effective descriptive writing. She creates what is an interesting universe complete with a solid setting and a colourful cast of characters. There is a lot of scope in what the author has laid down in this first episode and I am looking forward to forthcoming episodes. There is clearly a lot of heart in Cecilia Robert's writing. She writes with a sense of humanity and a her heart very much on her sleeve. A keener eye in the editing prior to publication would have made this a five star read.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sat here racking my brain for a while trying to decide if I wanted to rate this 3 stars or 4. It was a pretty tough decision for me, but in the end I'm giving it 4.

I had such a hard time for a few reasons, and I'll start by naming all of the things that made me want to rate it at 4...
-I loved that the setting was in Austria. I have a very good friend from there (who I one day hope to visit), so it was really fun for me to read about her home town as well as nearby areas. I wish a little more description had been there about it, since Austria is absolutely freakin' gorgeous.

-I loved the idea of a soul collector. I wasn't sure what to expect since the very beginning had a pretty intense event (with her family dying in the car crash). I wasn't sure if the story would follow in the same vein and that taking the souls would therefore be harsh as well. I was pleasantly surprised that it was handled very well. The Soul Conversation in particular is what made it so calming and soothing. I loved that souls were different colors, and that they flickered when ready to die. I had an image of a dainty lightbulb in my head that couldn't decide if it wanted to power off or not, and I attribute that to this story (even if it's a bit odd to relate it to).

-I liked the characters. While Ana would get on my nerves a little bit at times, she is vastly improved over the countless YA heroines that are whiny and immature and selfish. While she could be all these at times, it was in small doses and didn't control her character. And as usual for me, I loved the side characters. Reiner and Rolf in particular were extremely captivating to follow. I wish Lucy made more of an appearance just because she was so cute.

-The overall plot is awesome. I want to know the name of the race that Ana is saving, and I want to meet all the other Elite. I want to know more of the tools of the trade for being a soul collector. I want to meet more creatures. I'm curious to see how Ana will put her musician skills to use, and how that will ultimately be something helpful and not just interesting. I mean I think we got a bit of that with the violin, but I want to see it in action.


Now for the things I almost knocked it down to a 3 for...

-Zig's whole "lovely Ana" thing got to be too much after a while. Literally every time the two interact he says it. It was too repetitive, and it shouldn't have been done so often.

-The secrets! I got so tired of the secrets!! I absolutely hate when characters won't just talk to each other!! If Ana's friends are so great they could handle the news. we proved that with Reiner. After the initial shock he was fine! The whole "Ana can only take information in small doses" was annoying behind belief and I was so tempted to skip ahead just to find out what the heck everyone was being so secretive about. Plus, the information was too few and far between. We'd get hardly any information and then we would have to make due for another inordinate amount of time until someone else deigned to offer some more information. It was infuriating. I suppose this is a compliment because I was invested in the story enough to care what the secrets were in the first place, which isn't the case when I don't care.

-Not enough happened. Here's the book: Ana's family dies, she trades their souls for hers. She learns soul collecting while everyone talks about her and won't tell her why. She acts weird, everyone acts weird.

I wanted more of the plot. I wanted to see more development of how she was going to be a heroine, and the people that were involved in helping her do that, and there just wasn't enough of it for my taste.

It's a solid book, and I do recommend it. If the second book in the series is more fast-paced I'd definitely be on board to read it.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review and others can be found on my blog She Has A Knack For It.

I received a copy of this book for free in return for my honest review, through the Never Too Old For Y.A. Books Group on Goodreads. However, I received a copy of the book directly from the author. This in no way effects my final review of this book.

I have to say that I'm a little conflicted with this book, so I'm going to break it down by what I liked and didn't like.

What I liked:
1. The cover. Isn't it pretty? I love the position the girl is standing in, how she is holding the violin, and even how you can see her soul/aura wisping around her.

2. The premise of the story (read the description).

3. The characters. I felt that all of the characters were pretty well rounded and fleshed out. They are all very believable with both their behavior and dialogue between one another.

4. Some of the writing and descriptions. I like how all of the different soul colors are described. I also really liked the death scenes and how the taking of the souls is described as well as all of the scenes describing where the souls are put afterwards, etc...

5. The setting of the book. This is the first book I've read that takes place in Vienna.

What I didn't like:
1. The pacing of the book. It is painfully slow and made it easy for me to put the book down. It took me about a week to read this book, when normally it takes me about 2 days to read a book like this.

2. How the author constantly withholds information that would help move the plot along. It gets pretty tedious and old after a while. I really feel the story could have benefited better with the author giving us more information sooner. I know this is the first book in the series, but not everything needed to be withheld until almost the end of the book. It was especially annoying with characters constantly pointing out that they can't give Ana that information yet.

3. Information overload. While the plot moves along slowly you are overloaded with a bunch of information. About how there are different races of people from different worlds. A war brewing. A complicated backstory as the reasoning behind the war. Worrying about friends and family and why they may be acting strange. It goes on and on. Especially towards the end when a lot of the information that the author had been holding back comes out.

4. No map. I would have really liked if this book had a map of Vienna in the beginning with some of the frequented areas marked. I really think it would have been nice.

To summarize:
I really liked the idea behind the story, but think it could have been executed better. Maybe an overall outline of the entire series and then breaking up the story a little different. I would have been okay with the first book ending before it ended with the information being discovered over time (not constantly put off until later). I'm clearly not a professional editor, but one might be able to help adjust the story to make it better.

Overall, I might check out the second book in the series. Especially, since I finally got answers towards the end of the first book. I would certainly expect for the second book to start off running with better pacing and with less information being purposely withheld.

My Rating: 3 Stars (Mainly because the ending finally picked up)

[Nanette Bradford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reaper's Novice by Cecilia Robert
Reviewed by Nanette Bradford
YATR Review Panel


First off as one of my New Year's resolutions I'm going to stop not reading a book because of it's name or cover. I've done it a couple of times and I've read some awesome books that i didn't read sooner because of this reason. That is what happened here. I almost didn't read this book because of the title of it. Stupid, Stupid me.. This was a great book and i almost missed out because I thought it was out of my element. Well no more i tell ya! From here on out I'm trying it first.
This is my resolution and I'm sticking to it.
Now on to the book...



I hate giving alot away, especially when the book starts out all exciting, but I can't help to tell you a little bit too much right now.

Cecilia brings the World of the Grim Reaper to life. Elegant costumed balls in a gallant ballroom with chandeliers
that seem to hold millions of candles. All sorts of different creatures are mentioned as well. There is definitely lots going on in this book.

We start off with Ana, a 17 year old in high school. Her family life is driving her nuts. Mom and dad are constantly arguing now and Ana is responsible for keeping her Little sister Lucy and Help them rekindle the reasons they love each other and all that.

While Ana's parents are on their way to get her something happens that will change Ana's life forever..

Ana is now faced with a decision. A choice actually. Ernest, or the Grim Reaper as we know him, has given Ana the choice to save her family. Give her soul to him and become his Reaper's Novice or lose her family forever. Easy choice for Ana but little does she know exactly what she is getting herself into. All she knows is that she can't be without her family and she will do anything to keep them with her. Anything!!!

As Ana goes through her training, as Grim's new Novice, she starts noticing things a lot more. She sees the color of everyone's Aura's, she can feel connections to people she didn't before, and notices that her friends and teachers are acting weird towards her too. Ana feels lost but yet she has no one that she can confide her feelings about being a Novice with.

How do you tell your best friend that you Reap Soul's. Not really a great topic of conversation.. Her boyfriend Rolf has gone MIA, her Best friends Lea and Reiner have summer jobs and aren't around much to talk to and then there is Zig. Ana's not comfortable enough yet to talk to him like that. He's another Reaper who is always around. Not bad to look at though but not quite sure she can trust him with everything.


There is lots and lots more but you need to read this book to find out What's going to happen to Ana, her family and her friends. Everything Ana's ever know is a lie. Can she find out who she truly is? Can she save her family? Ah! what's going to happen. I need to know. :)

[S.M. Blooding · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were things I liked about this book, and things I didn’t. I LOVE this cover! It’s what hooked me in the first place. This is one of the very few books written in present tense that didn’t piss me off because it was in present tense. I will say that Ms. Robert discovered the way to write this tense without it sounding weird and very off.

I loved the premise of the book. There aren’t an overwhelming amount of reaper novels out there, so I’m not inundated with them yet. It came off unique. The plot was fun. The world-building was good.

I liked the characters from the first page, but the further I got into the book, the more they started to upset me. Their actions were over-dramatic. Here’s an example.

“A Novice, on the other hand, learns the art of soul collection.” He pauses then says, “Now, what kind of mentor would I be if I wouldn’t grant your wish?”

My upper body hurls forwards, and I gulp for breath. He’s granting my wish?

“Hurls forward” is an over-exaggeration. Now, I realize this could be seen as nit-picking, but this is only one occurrence. I could go to almost any chapter and find another example of it. I do appreciate the fact that Ms. Robert was using non-verbals to convey emotion. That’s a great show, don’t tell trick, but it’s best to use a fine hand, a softer brush. The breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding escaped. That would have been a bit more realistic than her body hurling forward. They were talking in the middle of the football field. Just having a conversation.

The other thing that irked me was that Ms. Robert would tell other people’s emotions instead of showing them. It’s first person, which means I can’t know what another person is feeling. I can guess because I’ve been on the planet for more than a minute, but I can’t know. However, as she’s telling me the other people’s emotions, she’s also over-exaggerating. Here’s an example.

“What’s wrong, Ana?” He seems to be trying very hard to control his voice, leash the panic that is barely restraining itself where his hands grip my arms.

He saw her talking to a teacher. More than that, he saw her talking to an old teacher. So why the panic? There was an explanation that he was concerned because of the fact that the teacher “gave her a look” that showed she was important, but the information was given through her internal dialogue.

Those two things frustrated me as I read this book. It got to the point where I was skimming a lot to get past the over-reactions and drama-drama-drama. The pacing was off. I found myself drifting in a lot of places. It could have used another round of editing (structural and grammatical). Aside from over-drama, telling-not-showing, and pacing issues, there were misspelled words and missing words. I won’t say the book is a wreck. It’s not. It could be better. This book, with a little more polish, could be frelling AWESOME! The premise really is great and the author definitely has a keen eye for the intriguing.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book thanks to NetGalley. The Reaper’s Novice, is the first book in a series and came out on January 8th. Reaper’s Novice takes place in Vienna (Austria), I always wanted to visit and the place sounds amazing. The culture and the life, sound beautiful and diverse. However, there were some phrases and such I needed to look up to help my understanding. I had a slight hiccup with the names and what I assume is the way people are properly address at first (Herr, Fraulein, Frau,etc) until I got into the flow of it. That was my only really problem with the book and I think if you are not familiar with that to just prepare and make sure you pay attention, once I understood it I was fin.

Now the story itself. Ana and her family have issues and she wants to fix them, but before the bonding family trip, her family dies before her eyes. Enter Grim, though he prefers Ernest, who offers to save her family in exchange for her eternal service, she is to be his novice. She agrees without hesitation to save her family. Next thing she knows things are better than before with the family, but she slowly realizes she is part of something much bigger. Now she must try to balance her normal teenage life with a boyfriend who is acting strangely and oh yeah her new novice responsibilities.

To help her with those is Zig, suave ladies man who is full of himself. Zig does grow on you as you get to know him. He is more than he appears at first. It is always fun to explore new worlds through the eyes of main characters who is also seeing things, like you, for the first time. I liked the characters and how they were flushed out, some way out there but others down to Earth. I think there is a balance there. Though with our heroin I have her a bit of slack in some area where she seemed to change from strong and determined to…well something completely different but a boy and love was involved so I let it slide on the acceptance that estrogen is a hardcore thing that makes the best of us crazy at one time or another.

The pacing of the story does jump around, some moments its very slow then right after an event it just ahead. The book covers a full year as his Novice and she has to pass the final test in order to pass and secure her families souls which Grim is holding onto. She learns that this may not have been random and she may have been destined to be part of something much larger. She has questions but the answers seem to be held just out of reach for her. Can she save souls? An entire race? Her family and friends?

The Reaper’s Novice, lets you take a hard look at sacrifice. A new look on souls and what happens after. I’m excited for book 2 to see where it goes and what happens with the characters I got to know.


http://functioninginsanity.blogspot.c...

[Gabriela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank the author, Ms. Cecilia Robert and YA/NA Fanatics group, for giving the opportunity to read the book in exchange for an honest review.

Spoiler Alert:
Reaper's Novice is supernatural fantasy read about a teen girl who is primed to become a soul collector in exchange for the return of her family's souls.

I am going to do things a little different because I really liked this coming of age spin on the soul collecting/death genre and really liked it's characters however there were some things about this book that I did not care for so with that said I will tell you what I really liked about the book first then go on to what I didn't and not do my usual however...but...etc.

The book is quite an interesting read with a very genuine and engaging heroine that evolves as the story progresses; the way the author set up the backdrop, depicted the scenes, and developed the characters is remarkable. There are a lot of different issues addressed and I really liked the way the author handles each of the character's stories. The author wrote a heartfelt and honest read with a touch of social drama.

I felt the flow of the book was off; it was slow then it felt rushed then it slowed again then again it rushed. There was a lot going on with all the characters involved but at times I felt like it was too cryptic and I needed to know just a bit more about the characters; it was almost as if the author was keeping me at arm's length with just enough information to keep me interested ;) Then suddenly towards the end I felt a little overwhelmed and a tad bit confused with all the information given about the premise of the story.

There is some cussing, drinking references, domestic violence issues, some sensual scenes, and references to drug dealing. There were some grammar and punctuation issues but nothing that took away from the story. I think the cover is beautiful. I am really looking forward to reading the next installment. An interesting read.


3.5 Stars out of 5 Stars

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Cecilia Robert, Fiction Addiction, and Netgalley.)
17-year-old Ana is numb with grief when she sees the wreck of her parent’s car, squished beneath a truck with her family still inside. When a reaper turns up and offers her a deal – her eternal soul in exchange for her familie’s souls, Ana takes it, even though it seems she has signed some kind of deal with the devil.

When the reaper in question comes to collect, he informs her that she is his newest apprentice, and she must learn the art of soul collecting.
Can Ana be a soul collector? What is going on with her boyfriend Rolf? And what will happen if she fails in her tasks?


This story started out okay, but it fizzled out, and I found it difficult to push through to the end.

Ana was an okay character, although I found her to be a little clueless. She didn’t seem to interpret situations the same way that I did, and I found her a little dull. Her boyfriend Rolf had clearly got something really bizarre going on with him; and instead of supporting him she just whined about how he wasn’t spending enough time with her.

The storyline was okay, but for some reason I just got bored. I didn’t buy some of the plot points, and I found it really difficult to force myself to keep reading. I just wasn’t entertained, and really did not give two hoots what was going to happen next, which obviously wasn’t good.
I also failed to see how Ana making a deal with the reaper turned her parents on-the-verge-of-divorce-marriage into a happily-ever-after, I mean where did that come from?
I did think that the incorporation of the violin into the story was interesting, but it just wasn’t enough to keep me interested, and I didn’t really appreciate the cliff-hanger at the end either. I don’t think I’ll be reading any more books in this series.
Overall; good ideas, but bored me.
4.5 out of 10.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big thank you to Cecilia Robert for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

When I first saw this book, I knew I just had to check it out. I mean, look at that cover! It is gorgeous. And then I read the description and that sealed the deal:) Thankfully, I was not disappointed. I was drawn into the story after reading just one chapter. Cecilia Robert's writing is very descriptive and I needed to know more.

This was a story of great characters and a ton of surprises. Ana feels she cannot live without her family, so essentially gives her soul for theirs. But in return she is now the novice to Grim Reaper. She has 13 months to train and be tested to free her family's souls. And she has the help from my favorite character in the story, Siegfried, also known as Zig. His flirting and actions made the story a lot of fun. Especially since it was just in fun since Ana finds her soul is tied to 2 different guys. You will have to read to discover who the guys are because I do not want to give a few shockers away.

All is not as it seems as Ana finds herself in conflict with an evil that is slowly revealed. All headed up by Sinteler. Sinteler kidnaps souls for his own twisted plans. Ana is on a battle to collect souls before his evil minions can get to them first. But he also has another plan in the works. And Ana is at the center of it as the tool to collect Elias' sons' soul, or Sinteler has promised to start taking more souls. Elias is the opposite of Sinteler. He is his brother and is the good to his bad.


There is a lot of underlying secrets and maybe even blackmail going on that was only hinted at in the end. But the author left me knowing enough, yet needing the sequel to get all my answers. Very sneaky. This was a great beginning to a series that holds your attention. I found it very enjoyable and look forward to future books by Cecilia Robert.

this review and more at www.enthralledbybooks.blogspot.com

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off I would like to say I was given a copy of Reaper's Novice for an honest review.

Secondly I LOVE the cover!

If you where given the chance to have your family back would you take it? What if it meant trading your soul for it? Turing you immortal and being owned by death for eternity?

Ana's family is falling apart, her parents are fighting all the time, and she takes it up on herself to mend the pain and put it back together. She figures a holiday would be a great place to start. Except things don't go as planed and rather then a bonding family trip she comes face to face with death himself or Ernest as he would rather be called, and saves her family in a whole other way.

Ana is what the title of the book states, she is the novice for death. For thirteen months she will takes lessons on soul collecting. After those are up if she passes her final test she will move up from novice to soul collector.

I found this story to be very interesting, there is so much more going on then blurb gives. There are many great characters that we get to meet, Ernest is not the typical Grim reaper. He lives in a castle and enjoys the dinner parties and dances of old. Zig, a collector who looks to Ernest as a father figure is suave flirt who can charm the pants off of anyone. He's a hot as hell and he knows it, a tad cocky.

Many questions are left unanswered, but that's how it is suppose to be with this series I think. We are suppose to grow with Ana has she discovers more and more information regarding who she really is and what she has been preordained to do. She has been and will be faced with many choices in this journey, will she be able to pick what is best?

I really liked this story and I can not wait to see what happens in book 2. I think this is going to be a great series.

[Kirsty Bicknell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reaper's Novice is an original edition of the paranormal story - there are no werewolves, vampires or traditional angels. However, as the title suggests the reader meets the Grim Reaper called Ernest (!), who accepts a novice, Ana, after she exchanges her soul for her family's after they were killed in an accident. The deal is that she must complete her training within 13 months and the souls of her family will be free but she will continue to be immortal.
However, as Ana discovers life as a Reaper's Novice is not as simple as collecting souls. there are souls stealers to beware of and the Mirrorlands where an immortal soul such as hers is priceless! Ana finds out that everyone around her is keeping secrets and it appears that telling her the full story may harm her in some way. Ana is frustrated by this and has trust issues, although she finds a friend in her fellow collector Zig. Ana also has friends outside the underworld but sees these relationships changing, particularly with her boyfriend Rolf. He becomes withdrawn, violent and secretive.
I really liked Ana's character - she is strong but also has a vulnerable side which she is not afraid to show. The banter she shares with Zig creates a blase tone, amongst the severity of the rest of the plot. Ana's adventure as the reaper is exciting, at times frightening and sentimental, but the characters she meets along the way make this an interesting read for fans of fantasy and paranormal books. I felt that Cecilia Robert had worked very hard and succeeded in stamping her own twist on the genre
I really look forward to the sequel and perhaps more of Bastian (swoon!) - definitely one to read!

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am well accustomed to the concept of Reapers...mainly because I adored the TV show Dead Like Me (if you haven't watched it - go and check it out!) so I was actually rather surprised at how much I liked this new take on I guess 'old' tale.

To begin with isn't it sort of logical that a Reaper has to be trained? Since it is pretty much a job, wouldn't you only want the best possible applicants to take your soul onto the next plain?...I know I would. Hence - bring in Ana and the wonderful world created by Cecilia Roberts.

Similar to most characters in this novel, Ana felt real. The way that she responded, and her family/friends conversed was written with such reality that the reader is able to fully immerse into this world. I am quite an avid reader on the after life, and so enjoyed a perspective that showed the beauty in death. No! I'm not being morbid, rather focusing on the celebration of life than the finality of ones life. I found it rather beautiful actually....as long as the soul's were found in their own beds - because it is tragic to realise how some of us go.

And can I just sneak in here a little swoon moment...Kim!! enough said.

The plot, for me, did move at a rather slow pace. And I found that situations and feelings were over explained. For some it may give you a greater connection to the protagonist, but I sometimes felt like I was reading unnecessary words and this took some of the enjoyment out of the book.

I loved the introduction of soul stealers and the Mirrorlands, it will be interesting to see how this series continues.

[Kasey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book, I was expecting a decent read, but nothing crazy awesome. I am so happy to be proven wrong! Ana shined in this novel, her irrepressible personality always showed through. Ana went through some craziness, and I felt the same frustration as she did, especially when nobody would give her information. The world building was pretty developed, I would've liked maybe a little more information more spaced out. I felt like we learned right along with Ana, which is not a bad thing but I felt more confused during the middle section of the book than I would've liked. I really enjoyed the secondary characters in this book. Lea, Reiner, and Rolf were absolutely fantastic side characters and Zig just stole my heart. I truly felt bad for all the tragedies that Ana went through. Losing her family, then Reiner, and then Rolf, although that was different.
One of the most heartbreaking scenes for me, was when Ana risked her entire family for Kimdane. I understand why she did, and I have a feeling he's very important, but she's always having to choose between her family or terrible things. It's an awful position to be in, and I really wish that the other people would stop using her family as leverage.
The only reason that this book gets 4 stars instead of 5 stars is because I felt that there were still too many unanswered questions at the end. I also didn't feel that there was a resolution, and while I understand it is a part of a series, I felt it just ended too abruptly. Overall it was a good book, and I'll be awaiting the sequel!

[Majuchan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

So Enticing
Hold my breath every turn of events

I didn't expected this book to be this so good. To be honest, the cover didn't made me all giddy. ("Don't judge the book by its cover" hits me!)

What if all your life you know you are surrounded with normal ... but in truth, they are not and they are keeping an eye on you. They waiting for you to save or destroy your race, that all your life you didn't know of...

WELCOME to ANA's BREATHTAKING LIFE

When I say breathtaking, I really meant it!

This book is a roller coaster! it takes me up and excited... When you thought the exciting part is over, you are WRONG! It is just the beginning of another one. It will leave you breathless.

The story is successful in moving me...
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The story is set in our modern world and in Afterworld, the kingdom of seductive creatures. (Hahaha)

The characters are all well developed... They grow on me, esp Zig! and Rein took half of my heart. (sob, sob, sob)

Reminder
When reading this... Don't forget your kick-ass kit:
1. Trench Coat
2. Soul Knife
3. food
4. ZIG!!!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

WAW-oh-WAW, this story was very exciting, thrilling and fast-paced- the characters were amazing and the story wholly unpredictable, all of which made for a fab novel.

I'm glad Cecilia decided to make this into a full length novel series. There is so much potential with the plot, this book just leaves you wanting more and more, this is a very fresh and addictive series. I can't wait to get my hands on book 2.

This whole story is so original and new, unlike anything I've read before. Otherworldly, magical and imaginative I ate this story up in one swift hour. I could not put it down.

I love Zig, he was the humour in this book, he was a much needed addition to the story. Before him everything was just to intense, dark and dreary, there was no happiness, but Zig lightened this up and made this book.
I am so rooting for there to be a Zig and Anna relationship. I love their banter, trust and supportive relationship, they are my favourite scenes DEFINITLEY. You also have to love Grim of course.

This book is a must read, you ever get sick of reading books that are so similar to a million others, then read this! I can't emphasise how great it is to read something different and yet still so amazing and very enjoyable.

[Shilpa Mudiganti · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I loved about this book is Ana - You get her story from the beginning, her conflict, her love for the family, her insecurities, her strengths, everything. Right from the moment she is introduced. She is very likeable and you feel this need to know more about her. I almost prayed for her during her "graduation" test which is an entirely different story.

The story is unique with Ana being Grim's novice - She is getting ready to graduate as a soul collector and that I hadn't read anywhere before! Cecilia is successful in making the new world real for you.

The book also does great on the tension. - The way she meets Kim (who is totally swoon worthy!), the escape, the tension all come out perfect! I loved that part of it.

The only reason why I gave it a four star and not a five star is because I felt it was a tad short. I wanted to read more!

Overall, a fun, quick and wonderful read! I highly recommend it!

PS: Watch out for Kim. I am hoping Cecilia would put more of him in the coming volumes! :)

[Victoria Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two years ago, Ana traded her soul in order to save those of her family. To make the deal, Ana had to become the Grim Reaper's Novice. Her job is to collect souls and she doesn't have a problem with that, provided the souls are old and ready to leave. Soon, she will need to sit her final exam to become a Soul Collector Graduate however, the exam may not be as easy as Ana expected.

This is a really unique premise and Robert writes it confidently. The character of Ana is introduced well, giving plenty of information about how she ended up in this unusual situation. Ana is also a very likeable character despite the job she is doing.

This is a memorable story which combines the paranormal with a romance.

I can't wait to read the next installment.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I was sent an ecopy of this book for an honest review.

Reaper's Novice is a book that will send you on a roller coaster of emotions! I found myself feeling angry, sad, happy, and shocked. The story started out great! I was all for Ana giving up her soul to save her families. Then the story began to grow confusing and took on to many ideas. I ended up giving this book a 3.5, but you can't add half a star on goodreads.

Ana was a character that I found quite frustrating. She just seemed weak and whinny to me. I do have to give her credit for giving up her soul for her family, though. She was just too unsure of herself and way to obsessed with Rolf, her boyfriend/ex. I was kind of disappointed when she found the underworld creatures appalling and scary. I think I would be too excited and fascinated to turn my nose up at an opportunity like that. I did relate to her on some levels. I am very protective of my siblings also. I feel like their mother figure a lot of the time, and I was happy to see such a close connection between Ana and her siblings. I do tend to follow my heart more times than not. This sometimes leads to bad situations, but in the end I feel that it was justified and I was also happy to see that Ana felt the same. She followed her heart and then suffered for her mistakes. I would have liked to see Ana portrayed as a stronger character, but I felt her personality dimmed the book a lot.

Grim is one of the characters I would have liked to of seen more of. He, who I thought would be one of the main characters, turned out to be overshadowed. I was constantly wondering about who exactly he was, and how he played into everything happening in the story. He seemed so charming in the beginning and I was kind of sad to see that fade as the book progressed. I felt cheated out of meeting a great character when he handed Ana over to Zig.

I loved Zig's character. He seems like someone I could get along with. I mean a tall, handsome man flirting with me constantly and at my beck and call; sign me right up! He was that rock and shoulder that you could depend on. I am not sure how I felt about his weird connection with Ana though. I felt that he was more of a brother figure to her so when he made suggestions it was kind of awkward. And at points I found myself thinking "OK Zig time to be serious enough joking around! Pull it together!" Although we found out a little about Zig in the book, I was still wanting to know more about him. I wanted to kind of feel familiar with him since he did turn out to be a huge part of the book.

The series of events in this book just seemed jumbled to me, and a lot of things just happened too abruptly. I was so confused half way through reading that it really took away from the book. I just felt too many concepts were added into one story. I would have liked to see them spread out more, or at least come together in a more structured way. I was pretty flustered by the time that I got to the end of the book and still had no clue what was even going on. I also felt that the ending was way to abrupt and unclear. With all the turns this story took, by the end I was hoping to at least have some information on what this whole concept was about. I did like the idea of this book, though. I have read one other reaper novel and I found that I became hooked on the concept. I just wish that my curiosity could have been appeased with information on what everything signified.

All in all I am still kind of curious about what is going on. I want to know what happens to the rest of the characters. I was so sad by the tragedy that struck in this book. Between losing the "love of her life" and her best friend (not to mention her family at the beginning), I was wrapped up in the emotional pull of these parts. I would really like to see how the second book plays out. If there is one thing we all know, it is we learn from our past mistakes. Success only comes after failed attempts, and I am hoping that the next book will show some signs of improvement.

Thank you Cecilia Roberts for allowing me the opportunity to read your novel. I wish you the best of luck in your writing, and hope that the next book only gets better.

[Fangs for the Fantasy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ana had hopes and dreams – long term she wanted to finish school and become a musician. Short term, she wants to hold her family together, to bring peace to her constantly warring parents

That is, until her parents and siblings were all killed in a car accident, leaving Ana to make a desperate deal with Death to ensure her family had any future at all.

She is now bound as Death’s Novice, learning how to collect souls to pass on and seeing it encroach onto her own dreams. There’s a lot to learn and get used to – but, more than that, there’s apparently agendas that go even further than the complexities of being a reaper. A whole species may rest on her and everything she thought was true about herself may be just one long fiction.

And that’s a secret that is spilling out into the lives of her closest and dearest friends who are going through turmoils of their own.


I really don’t Ana, and it’s always a problem when I dislike a protagonist. There’s so much about her motivations I don’t get. She starts out reasonably enough, trying to hold her family, trying to save her family, rejoicing in them being saved – and then it all derails. She comes very quickly to resent and fear Ernest without the gratitude you’d expect (or even the suspicion you’d expect). Far more frustratingly, she is completely and utterly devoid of curiosity.

She’s just had her eyes opened to the supernatural world, she collects souls in a variety of colours, she is surrounded by beasts and beings of legend and mythology and she asks no questions. Even basic ones – Ernest tells her that a red soul is the sign of a vibrant, well lived life. Surely anyone, anyone at all, faced with that revelation would naturally ask what the other soul colours mean? But we never find out, we never learn.

Her lack of curiosity is being frustrating because it adds to make her character seem hopelessly passive. Everything that happens in her life, the life of her friends, whatever dramas surround her, whatever plots surround her, all the supernatural machinations – she just goes along with it. She barely questions, she rarely challenges she’s hardly ever pro-active and when she is it’s on odd ways that scream of Spunky agency: she goes to the Shadow Realm where she has been told repeatedly not to go despite having people who are far better trained and capable than she. She sneaks into the library to find answers – fine – but she hasn’t asked any questions! At this point, for all she knows she just has to ask Ernest for answers or even free access to the library and she wouldn’t have to go sneaking. She is constantly mushroomed (kept in the dark and fed shit) and she doesn’t question it. A whole range of characters tell her that she’s involved in something big and important that they just can’t tell her about – but at no time in the story does anyone reveal why it’s such a big secret, even when she tarts learning the answers we still don’t know why she couldn’t have been told all of this right at the beginning of the book! She is constantly asked to trust people she has no reason to trust and she does. A character even demands she gives up her life’s dream of going to the Conservatory and because he says so she does! That’s it! He says she should so she does. He says he can’t tell her why and she accepts it! This passivity becomes even more aggravating and problematic as the powers that be cause her boyfriend to become more and more aggressive, random and dangerous – even aggressive and threatening violence towards her and she is constantly forgiving. I could take her accepting Reiner’s demand for forgiveness after what he did. But the two together becomes even more unpalatable

On the few occasions when she is given information she never asks follow up questions. In one instance she even rejects answers and refuses to listen because she just can’t take the information.

Read More

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I seem to be saying this a lot already this year but I can't help it, this read took me completely by surprise. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. Not that I didn't think it would be good, I just wasn't expecting it to be so full of secrets and mystery, not to mention some great characters that I really found myself liking and caring about.



Ana was a strong female character. She was brave and smart and loved those she loved with all that she had. I wouldn't necessarily say she was kick butt but she was awfully close! There is so much to her that she didn't even know. So much that is revealed, really it was a lot to take in. I was really afraid that all the secrets about her past and who she was and..well, everything, wasn't going to be revealed. I was dying to know it all.



I couldn't help but feel upset for her, all the adults in her life keeping things from her just wasn't right. Too many things were never explained to her and even when she demanded answers she didn't get them.



Thankfully things finally do start to come together towards the end of the story.



I loved her little sister Lucy and her brother Anton. Very great side characters that added a lot to the story. They added that great personal touch of Ana's life that was necessary to get to know her better.



Grim (Ernest) was a great character as well. Very full of mystery. Not a lot is really revealed about him throughout the story but you get the feel that there is so much more to him. To why he choose Ana, to his past and with all that he must have seen throughout his life and years as a Reaper.



Lea and Reiner were great secondary characters as well. They supported and loved Ana and were always there for her when she needed them. There is a lot going on with them, well with the whole story really, a lot that isn't revealed about their life and...well other things. I don't want to get too much into it because I don't want to spoil anything but, there is so much more to them both and you kind of get that impression throughout the story.



Rolf. Hmm, Rolf. I don't know what to say about him without saying too much here either. But I will say this, he is a very mysterious guy. One I couldn't help liking but was still very cautious about liking too much because things were just...weird with him. He had a Jekyll and Hyde personality. I loved their tender moments together though and even though I didn't want to trust him, I still liked him. I knew there was goodness inside him and I was pretty sure Ana could help him.



Zig. I loved Zig! You can tell that there is so much to Zig right from the beginning. He is sort of the bad boy of the story. The sexy hot player that you can't help but fall in love with. His cocky attitude gets him in trouble with Ana a lot but again, he counters that cockiness with some really sweet tender moments too. Again, I just couldn't help but like him and as much as I hate to say it, I was rooting for Ana to like him too.



I don't always root for love triangles but I really wanted one in this story. I just liked Zig so much better for Ana than I did Rolf.



So much happens in this. Some really sad moments that just about broke my heart. While not everything was perfectly revealed like I wanted it to be, enough was to satisfy me and keep me curious about the rest, so much so that I will definitely pick up the next book to find out more.

[Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on the blog: What the Cat Read

This was a great start to what promises to be an interesting series.

I loved Ana. She’s a strong character, with very real insecurities, and a truly loving heart. There isn’t anything she wouldn’t do for her family, and I find that trait admirable. One of the things that makes Ana so likeable is the fact that she feels real and is easy to relate too. Her frustration over not being told everything, her confusion and heartache over her relationship with Rolf, her grief over the loss of her family, etc. all struck a chord of understanding with me and helped me connect with her throughout the book. I’m really looking forward to watching her grow as the series continues. Zig is a ton of fun, though rather frustrating at times. He’s got so much energy, it’s rather infectious. I couldn’t help but smile every time he showed up in the story, which was a lot by the way. But, like Ana, I also wanted to strangle him at times because of his habit of showing up at some of the most inconvenient of moments. Rolf was one of those characters that I really enjoyed at first, but ended up disliking by the end of the story. I hope that my feelings for him change in the next book, but I’m not holding my breath. I wish I could go into detail about why my feelings towards him changed, but that would require giving away a story spoiler, and as you know, this feline doesn’t like to do spoilers. As for the other characters, I liked them and felt they all did a great job of helping to support the story.

Plot wise I have to say that Robert does a great job pulling the reader into the story. I wanted to keep reading in order to find out what happened next. Each chapter built upon the next, and the events all tied together well. I also loved the fact that it was set in Vienna! The only complaint I have is that three-quarters of the book is focused entirely on Ana’s life with her family, friends, and Rolf. The real training doesn’t start until close of the end of the book, which was a bit of a let down. Up until then, you are only given brief glimpses of what Ana is expected to do as a novice. Now, I get why Robert set things up the way she did, but I can’t help but feel it would have been nice to have seen more training and less interaction with friends/family. Also, for all that Ana is supposed to be Grim’s novice, he wasn’t really a driving character within the story. This leads back to the whole me wanting to have seen more soul collecting/training and less family/friends interaction. The bulk of the initial training is handled by Zig, and later by one of Ana’s teachers. Despite this though, I still liked where to book ended up. And I also enjoyed a few of the interesting twists that Robert included throughout the story. Two that come to mind right now are Reiner’s secret, and a deal between Grim and Rolf’s father. If you want to know more about those, might I suggest you read the book for yourself, because you won’t get any more details from this feline.

Overall, the book was a fun read. I found it engaging and well-written. I can’t wait to read more. =^.^=

[Shane Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Star Review

View this and other reviews on my blog:
http://booksinmynook.blogspot.com/

Reaper's Novice is the first book in the Soul Collector series written by Cecilia Robert. I would like to thank Ms. Robert for the copy of her book in exchange for a fair review.

The premise of the story is a new twist on the Grimm Reaper, but the head Reaper himself is not a main character in this book. Instead, we meet Ana - a regular high school girl with normal high school problems. In order to save her family from tragedy, she offers her services to Grimm (aka Ernest) as his Novice. In doing so, her life changes irrevocably. This book is about her initiation into this new world, while still trying to maintain her relationships with her family and friends in the 'real world'.

What I liked:
*The main character Ana was really well written. She was strong, stubborn and smart...with a huge heart. Her family and close friends were her entire world. Zig, Ana's best reaping buddy, was another favorite character. He was very funny, loyal and obviously cared about Ana a lot. My other favorite character was Bastian, the High Priest (extraordinaire) of the Draangel (those of Dragon and Angel lineage). In fact, mostly all of the characters were very well written and developed with clear purpose in the book.

*The descriptive writing and clear creativity used to imagine the Other world (where Grimm and the other beings that co-exist) on the page was fantastic. I really enjoyed reading about Grimm's palace, the Draangel's club, the Mirrorlands and learning about Ana's heritage.

*Even the sadder moments (and there are a few) made me like the characters, and the book as a whole, even more. Ana is a regular girl who has experienced fear, love, loss, self-sacrifice and pain...yet still manages to put her love of her family first.

What didn't work as well:
*The pace of the book is all over the place. It is slow in the beginning, but then picks up...only to slow down again, but then takes off once more to the finish. I started the book and almost put it down as a (DNF - Did not finish)...which would have been a mistake. You will need to push through the slow bits to get to the good stuff. It will be worth it.

*There are a LOT of secondary characters that you meet through association to Grimm (and are tied to Ana, as you will later discover). A second story line is introduced and it becomes clear that Ana is more than she appears to be. It can be confusing with regard to who wants Ana for what purpose. I hope this gets clearer as the series goes on.

*Rolf. As Ana's love interest, he did not cut it for me. From being MIA, to the jekyll-hyde routine (when the truth comes out)...even when he was being sweet, he never inspired the warm & fuzzies for me. (Zig on the other hand...just sayin').

Overall this is a great new twist on the Grimm Reaper concept and a good new YA read - with great writing and likable characters - that is a sure bet for your reading pleasure. I know I will be looking out for the next book in the series!

[Francesca Dell · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started this book I did get quite bored and distracted very easily. But, after a while I found myself being pulled into the world of Ava and her life as a 'Soul Collector' and very soon the pages started turning themselves.

This book has an interesting plot, consisting of MIA boyfriends, family struggles and a deathly (literally) new job. This book has many mysteries that left me, as a reader, on the edge of my seat, dying to know what was really going on.

The relationships the author creates in this book are also what make this book so interesting. I enjoyed reading about Ava and Rolf's tumultuous relationship, and letting my heart break when Rolf starts changing into something dangerous. Finding out that Rolf was not who we, or indeed who he, thought he was definitely kept me on edge.

Futhermore, I enjoyed reading about the easy, normal and relaxing friendship between Ava and Lea. Having a simple relationship like this in this book definitely helps us keep things in perspective and reminds the reader that Ava is still a normal person.

When the author killed off one of the main characters and one of Ava's best friends I wept and wept. I wished desperately that he hadn't died, however his death proves what a good book this is, because I only ever get that emotional over a book if it is interesting.

The author creates and interesting new world for the reader, where teachers aren't who they seem and where new friends can be found at the most unexpected of times. The unusual new world definitely spurred me on to keep reading as I couldn't wait to see what new creature would be introduced next and what new task Grim would set for Ava.

This book is not just about mysteries, heart-break and broken friendships though. Their is danger. Their is fighting. Their is exciting action sequences that will leave you gripping the book in your hands and dying to know what happens next.

This book deals with the creation of new friends and family, among the devastation of a lost friend and a heart-breaking relationship. It deals with the difficulties of growing up and discovering new things. And overall, this book deals with happiness and friendships that can be found even in the darkest of times.