What do you think?
Rate this book
Seeker Saga #1
Chosen
Could you live your whole life feeling empty?
A NEW LIFE
Seventeen-year-old Tracy Bachman feels that something is missing in life. Despite a normal upbringing, she can't help but yearn for more. That is why she decides to transfer to a new boarding school, in a move that takes her all the way across the country.
AN UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE
When Tracy arrives at her new school, she expects an ordinary enough life. But what she finds there instead changes her in ways she could never expect.
A love interest she did not ask for.
A power she does not know she holds.
And a clique of mysterious, popular girls hell-bent on entangling Tracy in their affairs.
A HIDDEN PURPOSE
The girls Tracy meets all know she is different. Beneath their easy smiles lies a friendship laced with dark intentions. Will Tracy understand what they want in time to protect herself? Or will she find herself hopelessly ensnared in their web of secrets?
A FORBIDDEN ROMANCE
A suggestive glance. A secret rendezvous. In the midst of everything else, Tracy finds temptation in the very boy she is prohibited from speaking to. But as she pushes herself away, she falls right into the arms of another...
A MYSTICAL WORLD
Slowly, Tracy starts to understand that beneath her school's veneer of splendor lies a dangerous, secretive world brimming with supernatural powers. And before she knows it, she finds herself deep in the heart of that cryptic, mystifying world.
All expectations are thrown to the wind as Tracy struggles to balance love, friendship, adventure - and her newfound power. But will she be perceptive enough to realize that there are those who would use her for that power, lurking closer than she can believe?
A NEW LIFE
Seventeen-year-old Tracy Bachman feels that something is missing in life. Despite a normal upbringing, she can't help but yearn for more. That is why she decides to transfer to a new boarding school, in a move that takes her all the way across the country.
AN UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE
When Tracy arrives at her new school, she expects an ordinary enough life. But what she finds there instead changes her in ways she could never expect.
A love interest she did not ask for.
A power she does not know she holds.
And a clique of mysterious, popular girls hell-bent on entangling Tracy in their affairs.
A HIDDEN PURPOSE
The girls Tracy meets all know she is different. Beneath their easy smiles lies a friendship laced with dark intentions. Will Tracy understand what they want in time to protect herself? Or will she find herself hopelessly ensnared in their web of secrets?
A FORBIDDEN ROMANCE
A suggestive glance. A secret rendezvous. In the midst of everything else, Tracy finds temptation in the very boy she is prohibited from speaking to. But as she pushes herself away, she falls right into the arms of another...
A MYSTICAL WORLD
Slowly, Tracy starts to understand that beneath her school's veneer of splendor lies a dangerous, secretive world brimming with supernatural powers. And before she knows it, she finds herself deep in the heart of that cryptic, mystifying world.
All expectations are thrown to the wind as Tracy struggles to balance love, friendship, adventure - and her newfound power. But will she be perceptive enough to realize that there are those who would use her for that power, lurking closer than she can believe?
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2011
97 people are currently reading
1590 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Swan
18 books64 followersHey! I'm Sarah Swan and I write lesbian romance novels (both historical and contemporary,) which focus on strong characters who often have to overcome challenging obstacles.
I love stories which have little twists and intriguing plots, but HEAs are always guaranteed in my novels.
A little about my life; I have no pets, but I do have three children who keep me very busy when I'm not writing. I was born in South Shields, UK, but I currently live in the Channel Islands.
You can follow me on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook @sarahswanauthor
I love stories which have little twists and intriguing plots, but HEAs are always guaranteed in my novels.
A little about my life; I have no pets, but I do have three children who keep me very busy when I'm not writing. I was born in South Shields, UK, but I currently live in the Channel Islands.
You can follow me on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook @sarahswanauthor
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
November 16, 2012
There were 5 things that made it hard to like this book:
1. The author does not know the correct definition of the word "penultimate" yet insists on repeatedly using it.
2. The line about butter being scraped thin over toast - yeah Tolkien worded it so much better.
3. The main character's description of the old sailor at the beginning is quite racist. She doesn't trust him because of his crude Easten European, possible Russian, accent. If this book had been written in the Cold War, it would be one thing, but it wasn't. It makes the main character unlikeable right from the get-go and I therefore couldn't sympathise with her during the entire book.
4. None of the other characters were particularly likeable either. Especially the love interest - even if he apologised after, no guy who called me a "stupid bitch" would be getting me up in his love tower.
5. The action of the book doesn't really begin until about halfway through. As I'd bought a bunch of books at once for my Kindle, I wasn't sure what sort of book this was supposed to be, and by the time the plot actually unfolded, it was hard for me to care.
I thought the concept for this book was interesting, and the prose itself flowed decently but there were not enough things to like about this book to overcome the things I didn't. I won't be continuing to read this series, or probably anything else by this author.
1. The author does not know the correct definition of the word "penultimate" yet insists on repeatedly using it.
2. The line about butter being scraped thin over toast - yeah Tolkien worded it so much better.
3. The main character's description of the old sailor at the beginning is quite racist. She doesn't trust him because of his crude Easten European, possible Russian, accent. If this book had been written in the Cold War, it would be one thing, but it wasn't. It makes the main character unlikeable right from the get-go and I therefore couldn't sympathise with her during the entire book.
4. None of the other characters were particularly likeable either. Especially the love interest - even if he apologised after, no guy who called me a "stupid bitch" would be getting me up in his love tower.
5. The action of the book doesn't really begin until about halfway through. As I'd bought a bunch of books at once for my Kindle, I wasn't sure what sort of book this was supposed to be, and by the time the plot actually unfolded, it was hard for me to care.
I thought the concept for this book was interesting, and the prose itself flowed decently but there were not enough things to like about this book to overcome the things I didn't. I won't be continuing to read this series, or probably anything else by this author.
February 10, 2012
I give up, at exactly 28% in. There is just too much crap! I am reading less than a quarter of what is written and STILL I am reading more than is needed to convey the story. And at this point, I need to have an idea of the story. So far I know there is a girl, she has started at an exclusive boarding school. There is an unattractive, unpopular but nice boy. There are some over-zealous mean girls. That's it! Usually you would know all this by the end of the first chapter at the latest, usually by 5% into a book, regardless of the length. I mean, what the hell is the story about??? Don't waste your money.
March 5, 2012
Terrible writing- really bad infodump and prose skillz.
Terrible plot- WAY TOO SLOW.
Terrible characters- this girl is too stupid to live.
Enough said, God.
Terrible plot- WAY TOO SLOW.
Terrible characters- this girl is too stupid to live.
Enough said, God.
March 19, 2012
This book really took me by surprise. As I search amazon this was in my recommendations bar. I went ahead and took a chance to read something else other than what I must read. And you know what, I like it. I had only meant to read just a chapter or two and before I knew it, it was 1AM!
What hooked me to this book is the great plot line. I am sucker for boarding school stories but also the fact that they are on an island! I really enjoyed how with every new chapter more about the school and it's purposes are exposed.
The characters of the book were good. Each were clear with their motive from the start which was sort of strange and refreshing to read. Usually, you have to read more to pull more of the characters out. They did have secrets but it wasn't gasping.
I also adored the magic twist to it. I read so many stories about powers and how the characters get them, so when I read this twist I was intrigued. And it kept me entertain till the end of the book.
Overall, this is a good book. Chosen is wise and witty with refreshing characters. It's not like most book out there, really different. If your looking for a new twist in magic or powers, read this book.
What hooked me to this book is the great plot line. I am sucker for boarding school stories but also the fact that they are on an island! I really enjoyed how with every new chapter more about the school and it's purposes are exposed.
The characters of the book were good. Each were clear with their motive from the start which was sort of strange and refreshing to read. Usually, you have to read more to pull more of the characters out. They did have secrets but it wasn't gasping.
I also adored the magic twist to it. I read so many stories about powers and how the characters get them, so when I read this twist I was intrigued. And it kept me entertain till the end of the book.
Overall, this is a good book. Chosen is wise and witty with refreshing characters. It's not like most book out there, really different. If your looking for a new twist in magic or powers, read this book.
February 28, 2012
Sigh....long sigh. I don't really know where to start here. I have some really mixed feelings about this book. I'll start with the good. The plot here really was original. Because of that, I really wanted to like this story more than I actually did. It was not as predictable as I expected it to be. The main character seemed a little erratic in her moods...which I actually liked. Several of the supporting characters were made realistic by the fact that I was often conflicted about whether or not I liked them and whether or not their intentions were good. I feel like it made all of the characters more believable. However, as original as the story line was, the writing was not. At times, it was almost dripping with cliches. Honestly, there was one line that almost word for word was ripped from a very famous book/movie. This, combined with the fact that the book is in desperate need of a good editor, became a huge distraction while reading the book. There were also characters and situations throughout the book that got a lot of build-up at times and then disappeared...nothing else was ever said about them. I am assuming that these things will come back up in future books but it still left me a little empty at the end of the book. Despite the disappointing aspects of the book, I am probably still going to keep an eye out for the next installment...the originality makes me want to find out more about the story and the characters.
November 2, 2012
Tracy is a 17 year old girl that lived in Washington state but moved all the way across the country to an exclusive boarding school for her junior year in high school. On her first day their she meets a boy her age that shows her around campus. He seems like a nice guy but she can tell he has secrets. Soon she meets a group of girls and becomes fast friends. But after being around these girls she find out they have a possibly dangerous secret and they want her to join their group.
Like many YA books, this follows a very common theme in that, the main character is mid high school age, at a boarding school, she gains a unique ability and has more then one love interest. The thing that changes about this book is the way Tracy reacts to everything thats happening to her in her first week at school. The setting of the school is also very different and the fact that the power she gains doesn't have to do with witches, werewolves, vampires or fae.
I like the righting style of Sarah Swan. She writes with intelligence and doesn't uses much slang. I find that some books that try to use to much slang end up sounding childish and immature. This writing style makes Tracy sound like the intelligent girl that she is and in turn respects the intelligence of the reader. Excellent book, I look forward to the next installment of the series.
Like many YA books, this follows a very common theme in that, the main character is mid high school age, at a boarding school, she gains a unique ability and has more then one love interest. The thing that changes about this book is the way Tracy reacts to everything thats happening to her in her first week at school. The setting of the school is also very different and the fact that the power she gains doesn't have to do with witches, werewolves, vampires or fae.
I like the righting style of Sarah Swan. She writes with intelligence and doesn't uses much slang. I find that some books that try to use to much slang end up sounding childish and immature. This writing style makes Tracy sound like the intelligent girl that she is and in turn respects the intelligence of the reader. Excellent book, I look forward to the next installment of the series.
May 29, 2012
I wanted to like this book. I really did. I knew "Sarah Swan" from her previous books called the Dream Realms. She wrote under a different name when writing that. This book was decent. I don't want to bash the books because of any unkind feelings I hold for the author.
I do have one thing to say to Ms. "Swan."What is your real name, Sophia Sharp or Sarah Swan? Also, you kind of ditched your readers. If you have not check out your blog under the name Sophia Sharp you should. There are tons of readers who would like to know what happened to you. Also, if there is going to be more books in this series. And from what I have heard there is definitely going to be a second book.
Now, back to chosen. This book was very confusing to keep up with. There would be this build up of something, and then it never happened. Pretty much that little part of the book would be ditched. I will not be reading any other books in this series. I would not recommend it to anyone. At first it seems like it is going to be a very good book, then everything goes down hill from there. Sophia, Sarah, whoever you are, you have potential to be an amazing writer. You just need a little help with your writing and an editor.
I do have one thing to say to Ms. "Swan."What is your real name, Sophia Sharp or Sarah Swan? Also, you kind of ditched your readers. If you have not check out your blog under the name Sophia Sharp you should. There are tons of readers who would like to know what happened to you. Also, if there is going to be more books in this series. And from what I have heard there is definitely going to be a second book.
Now, back to chosen. This book was very confusing to keep up with. There would be this build up of something, and then it never happened. Pretty much that little part of the book would be ditched. I will not be reading any other books in this series. I would not recommend it to anyone. At first it seems like it is going to be a very good book, then everything goes down hill from there. Sophia, Sarah, whoever you are, you have potential to be an amazing writer. You just need a little help with your writing and an editor.
April 30, 2012
sigh..this book, how should I say, was lame. Very, very lame. Which is unfortunate because I really wanted to like it. So here are a few things I didn't like:
Tracy, the main character, is surprisingly air-headed, small minded and stupid for a girl who wants to go to an ivy league college. And at about 60% through the book I was getting really annoyed with her.
Another thing was the extremely odd "Bad-guy monologue" that felt like it came from a really bad superhero movie...like, what the hell? (and at the end he becomes a hunchback?! why not throw in a white cat while you're at it)
And lastly was how the flow of the book went, which felt rushed in some places and yet dragged on for pages in others. like how we spend three pages reading about the details of the rocks in a cave. okay?
Also, what teenager talks like the girls in this story do? I understand the author was trying to make it seem more literary, but really, even smart teenagers don't talk like that.
Anyway, I have so much more to say, but I'll leave it at this. I wouldn't recommend this book, sorry, but don't waste the time.
Tracy, the main character, is surprisingly air-headed, small minded and stupid for a girl who wants to go to an ivy league college. And at about 60% through the book I was getting really annoyed with her.
Another thing was the extremely odd "Bad-guy monologue" that felt like it came from a really bad superhero movie...like, what the hell? (and at the end he becomes a hunchback?! why not throw in a white cat while you're at it)
And lastly was how the flow of the book went, which felt rushed in some places and yet dragged on for pages in others. like how we spend three pages reading about the details of the rocks in a cave. okay?
Also, what teenager talks like the girls in this story do? I understand the author was trying to make it seem more literary, but really, even smart teenagers don't talk like that.
Anyway, I have so much more to say, but I'll leave it at this. I wouldn't recommend this book, sorry, but don't waste the time.
September 9, 2012
I wanted to like the main character, Tracy. I wanted to like the story and I did for the first few pages. After that, the story just didn't grab me or hold my attention and curiosity. I felt like it was all a bit too hollow. For example, Ashley - feeling threatened in the council- attacks Tracy and then immediately afterwards, they're all buddy buddy and Ashley is protective of Tracy.
I enjoyed the description of the island and the school, I enjoyed the building of the Rob and Tracy angle. I even wish that had developed a little more. I believe that the idea of the crystals is original and brought an interesting element to the story, but it didn't feel fully believable. The story line had a lot of potential, I just felt that it fell short of the mark.
If Ms. Swan is considering a sequel, I hope that it's better explored for those who continue to follow Tracy and her friends. Sadly, I won't be one of them.
I enjoyed the description of the island and the school, I enjoyed the building of the Rob and Tracy angle. I even wish that had developed a little more. I believe that the idea of the crystals is original and brought an interesting element to the story, but it didn't feel fully believable. The story line had a lot of potential, I just felt that it fell short of the mark.
If Ms. Swan is considering a sequel, I hope that it's better explored for those who continue to follow Tracy and her friends. Sadly, I won't be one of them.
February 4, 2012
Well, the plot of this story held a lot if promise but it was put together badly. There was just too much wording and nothingness within the pages. The characters were good, the potential love interest with Rob would of been great had there been more substance there. The history of the island was neat but fell extremely short within the story. I mean, why build it in if your not going to use it? Same with Rob and Liz's threats against him. Then why were the parents allowed to show up at the end and what were they told? Too many questions and inconsistencies and not enough grit to make me want to continue with the series. To be honest, I skimmed through a lot of the book because there was just too much blah and not enough spark to really grab me.
June 26, 2012
This book was terrible.
1) the scene on the cover doesn't even happen in the book, in fact, she actually says she doesn't have any nice clothes
2) none of the characters were ever consistent
3) the bad guy was for some reason reveled right off the bat for no reason what so ever
4) the only character I actually like turned out to be the bad guy which an old school Disney bad guy personality
5) the jock might have been the worst, like some girls dream of what the jock should be, and it is never reveled whether or not he is actually a good guy or just using the girl even though the issue comes up
1) the scene on the cover doesn't even happen in the book, in fact, she actually says she doesn't have any nice clothes
2) none of the characters were ever consistent
3) the bad guy was for some reason reveled right off the bat for no reason what so ever
4) the only character I actually like turned out to be the bad guy which an old school Disney bad guy personality
5) the jock might have been the worst, like some girls dream of what the jock should be, and it is never reveled whether or not he is actually a good guy or just using the girl even though the issue comes up
March 13, 2012
Tracy wants to get into a Ivy League college so off to boarding school she goes. This school is on an island off of Maine. There are no visitors or getting off. She discovers she has the talent to use the power of the crystals on the island. This book was really not good. It just bored me. Her love interest calls her a name and she doesn't seem to care. The whole magic of the crystals was dumb and not really explained. I mostly skimmed this book because I just wanted to get it over with. It is clean for teenagers that was the only good part.
May 31, 2012
I agree with most of the reviewers- I read the whole book and just finished it without any real sense of what the heck really happened, or why, and I honestly don't care enough to even read the second book. I wanted to like it, but it just never really happened for me, and I feel as though I wasted my time reading it. Wish I had read the reviews on here before paying the $0.99 for it on Amazon- it really wasn't worth it.
February 24, 2014
Good read.
Good read.
I find it had a strong storyline. I also enjoyed the interesting little twists along the way. curious to see if robs a nice guy or secretly a jerk as I suspect.
Good read.
I find it had a strong storyline. I also enjoyed the interesting little twists along the way. curious to see if robs a nice guy or secretly a jerk as I suspect.
March 15, 2012
A disappointing attempt. The characters and relationships are underdeveloped and in some cases abandoned. I could barely muster through the book due to the excessive plot fluff.
April 23, 2012
I tried SO HARD to like this book. But, I couldn't. :( It was so boring, and not very well written.
Also, the cover does not match the book at all... :-/
Also, the cover does not match the book at all... :-/
May 25, 2017
The story of this book was pretty interesting even though the plot wasn't hard to figure out. The main character is fun to follow, she's full of emotions, full of though, a bit over the top sometimes but let's face it, she's a teenager! One point annoyed me pretty quickly though: the fact that there's not enough description. I understand that it's a tricky point because too much description makes the book boring but not enough makes it difficult to really enter in the book. I like to picture the characters I'm following and I didn't have a clue of what the main character looked like before a long time.
Overall I did enjoy it and was happy to have the second one at hand since this one doesn't really finish but it's the 1st book of a series so I guess it was to be expected.
Overall I did enjoy it and was happy to have the second one at hand since this one doesn't really finish but it's the 1st book of a series so I guess it was to be expected.
May 20, 2024
3 stars ?
I had to get about half way thru the book before I could decide to finish or not. Actually, it was 56%.
There were a lot of things I felt contradictory about characters and the story itself. I wanted to like it. Magic Crystals? That could be cool. What was the real magic? 2 years later, Liz can do what? I don't even understand the title. This book reads like there was no Editor or someone to help point out inconsistencies and unnecessary information.
The story reminded me of back in the day when you went to a video store late late at night. All the good movies were gone, so you rented this.
I don't remember reading this Author before. Perhaps Sarah Swan is new at being a Novelist.
I had to get about half way thru the book before I could decide to finish or not. Actually, it was 56%.
There were a lot of things I felt contradictory about characters and the story itself. I wanted to like it. Magic Crystals? That could be cool. What was the real magic? 2 years later, Liz can do what? I don't even understand the title. This book reads like there was no Editor or someone to help point out inconsistencies and unnecessary information.
The story reminded me of back in the day when you went to a video store late late at night. All the good movies were gone, so you rented this.
I don't remember reading this Author before. Perhaps Sarah Swan is new at being a Novelist.
April 7, 2012
In Chosen by Sarah Swan, Tracy Bachman decides to transfer to a boarding school halfway across the country during her sophomore year. The school is located on a remote island. Despite its breathtaking scenery, there is something strange about the island and the friends she is making. Tracy eventually discovers that she shares more with these strange friends than she ever could have imagined and lives become endangered because of that bond. A little romance weaved in and you have the potential for a very fun and engaging fantasy novel.
Sadly, I didn’t feel that this was the case with Chosen and my review definitely mirrors what a lot of other reviewers have said…but I'll get to that later. I’d really, really like to cover the positives because there were definitely some worth mentioning and I'd like to make that the focus because it really was a good book overall.
First of all, the cover is amazing. Very beautiful and rather indicative of the book’s contents. So, from the outside, the book is definitely appealing. The story, in and of itself, has so much potential. A very original premise and it could have been such a great read!
Unfortunately, I felt that the book really fell flat on its full potential. I felt like the beginning dragged – a lot. The first chapter was so boring that I almost gave up. But then I tried again. It would take four total tries to actually get to a place that I felt like the book was even remotely interesting. By that time, I was about 35% into the book.
Even as I advanced further into the book, my interest would pique and then wane. But there were parts that excited me, intrigued me and made me want to read more. But as I read, I noticed the story would pick up, get me interested and then I would feel like I had just dropped out of another world and back into sitting at home reading a book that I didn’t really enjoy. Overall, I never really felt like I was fully invested in the story, the characters or the plot. But I kept pushing through. I really wanted to give this book a chance because it really did sound interesting in the description. Sadly, by the end of the book, I was a little disappointed. Yet, at the same time, I don't regret reading it. Why?
I really do think that Chosen has the makings of a good book. The premise is absolutely amazing. The characters are likable and the idea is wonderfully unique. The characters had believable flaws and it made them at believable. And it IS a good story, but I felt like I got dropped a lot.
I almost feel like the book could have had more impact, had it been written in third person rather than first. While first person is definitely insightful into the mind of the protagonist, it is also the hardest to write and you can really get a better overall story a lot of the time by writing the story from third person instead. I feel like it would have made some of the other characters more real and may have even added more character to the story itself.
I was really sad that the suspense was taken away early in the book. I would have loved to have seen the bad guy drawn out, over time, throughout the book. I think it would have given me more of a reason to keep reading but by revealing him so early, I felt like the suspense was gone.
Speaking of suspense, there were many, many, many opportunities for the writer to build up that plot line and the situations were intriguing and had so much potential. But so many times, the mountain just dissipated instead of peaking. It was very disheartening because I would have liked to have had more insight and understanding and seen that peak in such a great story. Granted, some of it may be in the second story, but giving at least more insight, thought, leaving a sense of continued conflict in there might have given me more desire to turn the page.
Overall, I think that Sarah is highly talented and has a LOT of potential as a writer and I felt the story, itself, had sooo much potential. Her vocabulary is exemplary and her style and imagination are wonderful. I would love to see more from this author and hope that maybe the writing will get better with time or that more will be done in the next installment to make it more interesting.
I am going to keep my eye on the author and hope for the very best because I can definitely see a lot of potential here!
Sadly, I didn’t feel that this was the case with Chosen and my review definitely mirrors what a lot of other reviewers have said…but I'll get to that later. I’d really, really like to cover the positives because there were definitely some worth mentioning and I'd like to make that the focus because it really was a good book overall.
First of all, the cover is amazing. Very beautiful and rather indicative of the book’s contents. So, from the outside, the book is definitely appealing. The story, in and of itself, has so much potential. A very original premise and it could have been such a great read!
Unfortunately, I felt that the book really fell flat on its full potential. I felt like the beginning dragged – a lot. The first chapter was so boring that I almost gave up. But then I tried again. It would take four total tries to actually get to a place that I felt like the book was even remotely interesting. By that time, I was about 35% into the book.
Even as I advanced further into the book, my interest would pique and then wane. But there were parts that excited me, intrigued me and made me want to read more. But as I read, I noticed the story would pick up, get me interested and then I would feel like I had just dropped out of another world and back into sitting at home reading a book that I didn’t really enjoy. Overall, I never really felt like I was fully invested in the story, the characters or the plot. But I kept pushing through. I really wanted to give this book a chance because it really did sound interesting in the description. Sadly, by the end of the book, I was a little disappointed. Yet, at the same time, I don't regret reading it. Why?
I really do think that Chosen has the makings of a good book. The premise is absolutely amazing. The characters are likable and the idea is wonderfully unique. The characters had believable flaws and it made them at believable. And it IS a good story, but I felt like I got dropped a lot.
I almost feel like the book could have had more impact, had it been written in third person rather than first. While first person is definitely insightful into the mind of the protagonist, it is also the hardest to write and you can really get a better overall story a lot of the time by writing the story from third person instead. I feel like it would have made some of the other characters more real and may have even added more character to the story itself.
I was really sad that the suspense was taken away early in the book. I would have loved to have seen the bad guy drawn out, over time, throughout the book. I think it would have given me more of a reason to keep reading but by revealing him so early, I felt like the suspense was gone.
Speaking of suspense, there were many, many, many opportunities for the writer to build up that plot line and the situations were intriguing and had so much potential. But so many times, the mountain just dissipated instead of peaking. It was very disheartening because I would have liked to have had more insight and understanding and seen that peak in such a great story. Granted, some of it may be in the second story, but giving at least more insight, thought, leaving a sense of continued conflict in there might have given me more desire to turn the page.
Overall, I think that Sarah is highly talented and has a LOT of potential as a writer and I felt the story, itself, had sooo much potential. Her vocabulary is exemplary and her style and imagination are wonderful. I would love to see more from this author and hope that maybe the writing will get better with time or that more will be done in the next installment to make it more interesting.
I am going to keep my eye on the author and hope for the very best because I can definitely see a lot of potential here!
March 18, 2017
A school on an isolated island with a dark history, a group of girls linked by a strange power ... Mystery, thrills and adventure. Looking forward to the rest of the story.
August 7, 2013
The premise and description were intriguing. Add an attention-grabbing book description to the pretty cover and the good reviews (which were much higher at the time, when the book was first released) and I could not resist getting this book. While I starting reading this book a long time ago, it took me quite a long time to finish and even longer to finally write a review. As many already said, of course I had high hopes for this book, I have high hopes for every book I read. It's not like I start a book saying, "let's get this over with." Needless to say, I personally didn't like the book. Is it a bad book? Subject to opinion, I guess. It had plenty of potential, there aren't many books out there about the subject matter of this book, if any. So, one star for creative premise. The setting was a mysterious, elite boarding school set on an isolated island complete with beaches and cave systems- another star. The writing was good enough, but the story contained inconsistencies with a lack of explanation. It was confusing at times and left me with questions that were maybe supposed to be answered in the next book, but I feel it would have been better if they were in this book. Maybe it's just me but I thought the doctor was described in a way that might mean he had a larger role to play. And why did Rob act so weirdly toward Tracy? I thought he might know something or be something more but none of that ever came to fruition. I feel there wasn't enough of a background on most of the characters either, like Tracy and her friends. I felt some of the story did not flow quite right, but it was entertaining at parts. However, some things were too obvious for my taste, like the whole mysterious bad guy thing. It became evident who was bad pretty early on. Another thing, is that I felt like the bad guy became and sounded really cheesy at the end, like comic book villain cheesy or something. Maybe this book is for younger readers, as I would rate it higher if that was the intended audience. Except, there's profanity and other stuff that can't be aimed for too young of an audience. So I'm not entirely sure who the intended audience is. Speaking of profanity, particularly the part where Rob calls Tracy a bitch, I'm confused. Excuse me? I thought for sure he was being written off as a potential love interest...but no. No, Tracy didn't seem to care and he did a sudden 180 and became protective and kind. If it were me I would have gotten another drink and thrown it on him when he tried to talk to me again. Anyways, I don't think I would read the sequel but I think it has a lot of potential as a book, as does the author as a writer. It did have interesting parts. There may have been a good deal of flaws, but all were relatively mild, so I wouldn't deem this series a lost cause. I hate leaving so few stars but it wasn't for me. I either like a book or I don't, so it's either a 1 to 2 or a 4 to 5 for me, rarely a 3, and I'm giving this a 2.
April 14, 2015
This disgusting and pathetic excuse for a novel should be burnt and never again viewed by the eyes of the living.
Since the start of this book everything was straight downhill. By the first quarter I was ready to bash my head in and praying the torture would be over soon.
One of the problems that i had with this book was the crapping romance.What self-respecting girl would want the be with a guy that calls them a "stupid bitch" just of accidentally spilling a drink on his shirt.
My next biggest problem of course was Liz and her 'friends'. I just knew the moment they came into the story that I wouldn't like them. And if I'm really being honest they were the main reason why this whole book sucked.
Ashley looked me up and down slowly. While she did so, she stuck her hip out to one side and put a fist on it, as if examining some sort of vagrant. I could feel her eyes on me, weighing and considering, and didn't really know what to do. So I waited awkwardly, starting to feel my cheeks grow warm.
Finally, Ashley broke the silence. “That’s the new kid?” she smirked. “I didn't know they let creepers in the school.”
The only thing I hate more than insta-love and love triangles are characters that can't stand up for themselves.
“Don’t embarrass me.” She said the three words so gravely it felt like they came from a different person.
“Um, okay? I’ll try?”
“Nuh-uh,” Liz said sternly. “Not good enough. You have to promise.”
I didn’t even know what I could do to embarrass her. Still, she seemed to be taking the potential for it pretty seriously. The way we were getting along so far, I didn’t want to jeopardize our budding friendship. “Sure Liz, I promise.”
Tracy is absolutely pathetic. Any blind person could have seen that they are not good friend material.
This story was just plain boring. At one point I actually fell asleep. The whole idea of these crystals and what-not was lost on me. By the time I reached like 3/4 I was dying for it to be over, so I just give up trying to finish it.
Since the start of this book everything was straight downhill. By the first quarter I was ready to bash my head in and praying the torture would be over soon.
One of the problems that i had with this book was the crapping romance.What self-respecting girl would want the be with a guy that calls them a "stupid bitch" just of accidentally spilling a drink on his shirt.
My next biggest problem of course was Liz and her 'friends'. I just knew the moment they came into the story that I wouldn't like them. And if I'm really being honest they were the main reason why this whole book sucked.
Ashley looked me up and down slowly. While she did so, she stuck her hip out to one side and put a fist on it, as if examining some sort of vagrant. I could feel her eyes on me, weighing and considering, and didn't really know what to do. So I waited awkwardly, starting to feel my cheeks grow warm.
Finally, Ashley broke the silence. “That’s the new kid?” she smirked. “I didn't know they let creepers in the school.”
The only thing I hate more than insta-love and love triangles are characters that can't stand up for themselves.
“Don’t embarrass me.” She said the three words so gravely it felt like they came from a different person.
“Um, okay? I’ll try?”
“Nuh-uh,” Liz said sternly. “Not good enough. You have to promise.”
I didn’t even know what I could do to embarrass her. Still, she seemed to be taking the potential for it pretty seriously. The way we were getting along so far, I didn’t want to jeopardize our budding friendship. “Sure Liz, I promise.”
Tracy is absolutely pathetic. Any blind person could have seen that they are not good friend material.
This story was just plain boring. At one point I actually fell asleep. The whole idea of these crystals and what-not was lost on me. By the time I reached like 3/4 I was dying for it to be over, so I just give up trying to finish it.
August 31, 2016
1.5 Stars
The synopsis of this book is very misleading: A) There was nothing "missing" in Tracy when she first showed up, she was a normal high school student with no mention of supernatural proclivities or inclinations, B) she very clearly decided to transfer to the school to get into a good college, C) the "romance" was an afterthought and sprinkled in just where it suited the plot. Absolutely nothing of importance happened in this story until more than halfway through when the mystical crystal element was introduced completely out of the blue. There was a massive info dump all at once; this book became so convoluted in made up crystal lore and science- seriously, these are a group of high school girls, what do they know about neurons or conductivity or how any of their abilities actually work!? The few POVs we get from a mysterious lurker with malicious thoughts was meant to increase suspense, I suppose, but it was very easy to figure out who that was from the very first instant- if you're trying to give him a mysterious feel, then don't give the character easily recognizable traits At first I thought, no that was too easy- it can't be, the author is just trying to throw us off... but then it actually was.
Basically, while the writing was well done, I quickly lost interest in the story and barely skimmed the last third of the book.
The synopsis of this book is very misleading: A) There was nothing "missing" in Tracy when she first showed up, she was a normal high school student with no mention of supernatural proclivities or inclinations, B) she very clearly decided to transfer to the school to get into a good college, C) the "romance" was an afterthought and sprinkled in just where it suited the plot. Absolutely nothing of importance happened in this story until more than halfway through when the mystical crystal element was introduced completely out of the blue. There was a massive info dump all at once; this book became so convoluted in made up crystal lore and science- seriously, these are a group of high school girls, what do they know about neurons or conductivity or how any of their abilities actually work!? The few POVs we get from a mysterious lurker with malicious thoughts was meant to increase suspense, I suppose, but it was very easy to figure out who that was from the very first instant- if you're trying to give him a mysterious feel, then don't give the character easily recognizable traits At first I thought, no that was too easy- it can't be, the author is just trying to throw us off... but then it actually was.
Basically, while the writing was well done, I quickly lost interest in the story and barely skimmed the last third of the book.
March 6, 2012
Okay so this book was okay for me. I have read the Dream Realm trilogy by Sophia Sharp and realized today that she also wrote this book from the ending. It made sense same writing style kind of.
To me this book lacked a lot and started off really slow. I was a little confused for most of the book and kept waiting for something to happen. The Villain was no mystery they gave that away really early on so there was no excitement watching the story build.
The concept of the crystals and what they can do and how they work is still confusing to me and I still don't quite get it.
Tracey and the girls were just boring. Do I trust them do I not. It was a little much and went on too long. I did like Tracey as a main character, but all the other characters lacked likability. I kind of like Ashley towards the end and Madison too.
Then the love interest fell a little flat for me. We get everyone likes Rob and Liz warns her to stay away. Then they share one kiss and that is all. It was like it was thrown in the book with no real purpose.
Now the Villain is out for revenge on Tracey for what she did to him. But do I really care to find out. I may read the next book because I like the author. But other than that not really impressed.
When the book started with her leaving on a boat to a small island her parents couldn't go to for school; I thought awesome this is going to be good. I loved the first two chapters but then after that is went down hill.
To me this book lacked a lot and started off really slow. I was a little confused for most of the book and kept waiting for something to happen. The Villain was no mystery they gave that away really early on so there was no excitement watching the story build.
The concept of the crystals and what they can do and how they work is still confusing to me and I still don't quite get it.
Tracey and the girls were just boring. Do I trust them do I not. It was a little much and went on too long. I did like Tracey as a main character, but all the other characters lacked likability. I kind of like Ashley towards the end and Madison too.
Then the love interest fell a little flat for me. We get everyone likes Rob and Liz warns her to stay away. Then they share one kiss and that is all. It was like it was thrown in the book with no real purpose.
Now the Villain is out for revenge on Tracey for what she did to him. But do I really care to find out. I may read the next book because I like the author. But other than that not really impressed.
When the book started with her leaving on a boat to a small island her parents couldn't go to for school; I thought awesome this is going to be good. I loved the first two chapters but then after that is went down hill.
August 3, 2013
So to be fair, I did not start off with very high hopes for this one. I mean, if you can get a book for almost free on Amazon, how good can it actually be? To convince myself it was worth reading I read the description, which sounded awesome! I mean, it sounds like a really interesting book with a ton of different aspects to it. I even read a review by somebody that bought it and said that is was pretty good! With all of that said, I did not like this book. The first half was slow and boring. Why do I care that Tracy is sleeping all the time or ignoring Chris? And even when you get half way and more interesting stuff happens, it still was boring. It just did not really hold on to your attention and was just bland. Even worse, was the bad guy that was so "mysterious", I was able to guess from the very beginning! You just didn't know his reasons or anything. What I was really looking forward to the whole book was her relationship with Rob. Why did he react that way when they first met and why was Liz so protective of him? Of course, NONE of this gets answered in the book and it just sorta gets ignored altogether. Overall, I did not enjoy this book or its plot line.
January 2, 2014
This book was ok... After reading such terrible reviews I was sure it was going to be much worse, but I did actually finish it. My perspective is that the beginning of the book was much better than the end. I understood exactly what she was doing until the moment she introduced the crystals. From there she lost me. I understand the pull to paranormal fiction, and I think Sarah has talent, but the idea was just too convoluted. I think the story line just needs to be developed into something more. She went from this extremely descriptive detailed story line to...a mashup of ideas all piled together. The villain Chris is so superficial and comic bookish. He is so underdeveloped. The other secondary characters are also confusing.. Rob what is that about? No reality in the love at first sight and still after I call you a bitch.....how did she even end up at this school? One sentence about the scholarship and the parents and Harvard?.. What? Then there are the crystals. What do the crystals do? How did the one friend know so much about them?the whole second half was a giant hot mess. It was a riddle and to be honest it was too confusing and vague to even want to find out more.
September 28, 2012
Okay, I always try to NOT give a book a low rating. That's why I'm so careful with selecting them.
But sometimes, there are just books that are.... Lame. Unfortunately, Chosen is one of them. I think the idea was great, the story was okay, but it was so slow! Furthermore I really didn't get how the crystal worked. I read that piece of text 5 times, and after that I only got 1% of the information. What really sad was, was that I didn't like the guy. Any of the guys. It was as if Sarah Swan added them as an afterthought, and I am the kind of person who wants a little bit romance in the book, or it has to have a very engaging plot, which, believe me, Chosen hasn't. And, I know, a lot of people said this in their review, but, the villain was kinda obvious. I wasn't shocked at all to discover who he was, or sad.
So, I don't think very highly of the book, and I wil not read the second book. I gave up the hope. Which is kind of sad, because the idea of the crystals was unique and interesting, and I would have loved this book if Sarah Swan did a better job.
But sometimes, there are just books that are.... Lame. Unfortunately, Chosen is one of them. I think the idea was great, the story was okay, but it was so slow! Furthermore I really didn't get how the crystal worked. I read that piece of text 5 times, and after that I only got 1% of the information. What really sad was, was that I didn't like the guy. Any of the guys. It was as if Sarah Swan added them as an afterthought, and I am the kind of person who wants a little bit romance in the book, or it has to have a very engaging plot, which, believe me, Chosen hasn't. And, I know, a lot of people said this in their review, but, the villain was kinda obvious. I wasn't shocked at all to discover who he was, or sad.
So, I don't think very highly of the book, and I wil not read the second book. I gave up the hope. Which is kind of sad, because the idea of the crystals was unique and interesting, and I would have loved this book if Sarah Swan did a better job.
June 4, 2012
Not wanting to be mean, I will still say that this is possibly the first book I had to force myself read - which I did halfway-through only. The synopsis sounded great - I love stories of boarding school and mysteries - but I was really disappointed by what I read. Ok, the whole idea is great - Who'd think of crystals? - and I liked the descriptions of the sea and forest but that's it. I found the characters a bit too cliched, a little bit too fabricated. I guess Tracy bugged me too. I'd love to have her as my partner during my tai-bo classes. And one more thing - halfway through the book and we're still on the eve of her first day? Honestly ! I did not come across the 'empty' feeling that was heralded in the synopsis. If I had to guess, I'd have thought that Tracy was simply over-ambitious. Nothing more, nothing less...
March 2, 2013
I read this a while ago and I just remember thinking that I probably could have gone without reading this. First of all, the main "love interest" feels more like a side note, and after the party scene I know personally I would not respect a guy who called me "bitch" for whatever reason, or so quick to forgive. And like I said, he feels like a side note. As if the author went "Oh, I think she needs a crush." And went back and added that bit after the novel was mostly finished. Personally I felt more of a connection and chemistry between the antagonist and protagonist.
Anyway, won't be containing this series. Sorry.
Anyway, won't be containing this series. Sorry.
November 12, 2013
I totally judged this book by its cover and thought it was be supremely magical and awesome but I was wrong. Sadly it took about 89% of the way in before I actually started getting into the book and then it ended with a wee but of a cliffhanger but nothing to write home about.
There are some great parts but all in all very little character development and even less details. The story I find to be lacking in all aspects if the word. So much more could have been done to really kick start this plot eve cause the premise was cool.
Oh well.
Maybe it's the authors first stab at a full length novel.
There are some great parts but all in all very little character development and even less details. The story I find to be lacking in all aspects if the word. So much more could have been done to really kick start this plot eve cause the premise was cool.
Oh well.
Maybe it's the authors first stab at a full length novel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews