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High school junior, Kylie Bates, can suddenly read minds. When she touches people’s hands, she’s able to see their deepest thoughts. As if that’s not freaky enough, her dad sends her to help hottie detective, Sam Williams, track down a missing girl. Way too much pressure, especially for a girl who can’t watch Scream without getting nightmares. Then, finding the missing girl leads to much more than Kylie’s prepared for. Like discovering that her dad has been lying to her. That she has a family she never knew about. That the girls have powers similar to hers. Oh yeah, and that someone is out to get her. When the detective’s teenage wanna-be-cop cousin, Trip Williams, approaches Kylie at school insisting she help him solve the case, she discovers Trip might be the only one she can trust, and the only one to help her unravel the secrets behind her mysterious gift.

234 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 3, 2012

109 people are currently reading
2934 people want to read

About the author

Susan Hatler

98 books968 followers
SUSAN HATLER is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author, who writes humorous and emotional contemporary romance and young adult novels. Many of Susan’s books have been translated into German, Spanish, French, and Italian. A natural optimist, she believes life is amazing, people are fascinating, and imagination is endless. She loves spending time with her characters and hopes you do, too.

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Blog: susanhatler.com/category/susans-blog

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
Profile Image for Susan Hatler.
Author 98 books968 followers
February 4, 2012
This was an amazing book to write and I'm eager to start writing the second in the series!
Profile Image for Tana.
619 reviews213 followers
October 1, 2012
Shaken by Susan Hatler

I found this book on amazon and it sounded interesting so I thought I would give it a whirl.

I was quite impressed with the authors writing style and I enjoyed the book enough that I want to read some more...I am hoping there is a book 2 coming soon.

So we meet Kylie Bates who just read some strangers mind, she is not sure how or why this happened but she feels she needs to look into this a bit more. Feeling a bit crazy she confides to her father what has happened. Her father brushes it off and ends the conversation, but then all of the sudden he has her help the police who are looking for a missing girl. There is a bit of romance added in also...so you just have to read it to find out more.

None of this is making sense to her, father's behaviour, betrayl why did this missing girl look like her. So many secrets and lies are uncovered she feels she can trust no. Even her best friend has betrayed her over a boy.

Shaken was written well, story flowed nicely and I was left with the feeling I wanted more. So Susan Hatler when can I read the next book in this series? I have rated it a 4 star because of the writing and the need for more.
Profile Image for  Lissa Smith Reads'~A Bookaholics Bookshelf.
5,974 reviews134 followers
March 7, 2015

Having already read previous works by Hatler I couldn’t resist the opportunity to review “Shaken” the first installment of Hatler “Mind Reading Series”. The cover was just deliciously tempting; I love it when they play with the covers; add a little mystery revealed to the cover to see if anyone catches it. A pretty young female and a hot guy embraced closely with an infinity symbol below them. Besides Hatler’s ability to draw me completely into a story; the cover held all the elements to draw me in— teasing my own mind with the possibilities that the story held.

I was “Shaken” with this story to say the least and not in a bad way. Hatler didn’t disappoint as she seemingly effortlessly moved the story along all while plummeting me deep and deeper into the life of Kylie in a swirl of emotions.

Hatler, well know for humorous Romance writing doesn’t skip a beat. Her ability to capture the teen angst took me by no surprise. However I did get more than I expected and was charged with excitement from the start. Hatler didn’t lose her whimsical way with words one bit no matter which character she was working with.

“Shaken” takes you on a page turning journey as Kylie discovers who and what she is. “Shaken” is packed with just the right amount of mystery and suspense, a back stabbing best friend and firsts to keep you on the edge of your seat to the very end and leave you begging for more.
Adults will love the humor, teens will relate; my suggestion download your copy today. You will not be disappointed!
Profile Image for moonlightfairyprincess.
238 reviews15 followers
January 26, 2013
1.5 STARS

I am going to just dive right in here, no preliminaries...

The dialogue is aweful, unimaginative. I hope the author didn't actually intend for any of the conversations to appear as clever or witty because...YIKES!...that would make her a little delusional or, at the very least, unable to criticize her own work objectively.

I had a very difficult time with how this story was formed. It just doesn't work! The relationships are so forced and the situations so contrived that it's nearly impossible to take seriously anything written on the page. The story bounces around a lot instead of smoothly transitioning.

Here's a little summary breakdown pertaining to the first 1/4 of the book:

Dad all but forces daughter, Kylie, to use her recently discovered gift of telepathy to assist in a missing persons case after telling her she should just forget about her talent and keep it secret) but there's no time for them to discuss how or why Kylie developed her talent so suddenly. Dad promises an explanation as soon as Kylie has finished assisting the police even though her involvment puts her at risk. Her dad decides the risk is okay this one time. Kylie, being the good little daughter she is, complies, works with the police only to come home, with the intention of getting answers to the sudden mystery of her life, to find her father has decided "for her own saftey," he's not going to tell her anything.

This makes no sense whatsoever!

First, why in the hell would you risk your daughter then forego any explanation that could help clarify both her past, her ability and her connection to the crime? An explanation would have kept her safer. Secrets always end disasterously. Second, the minute you tell a teenager they can't know something for their own good, they are going to rebel- it's the ultimate cliche and truth all in one.

Kylie is an airhead and utterly ridiculous most of the time! But the author constantly mentions Kylie's 4.0 GPA and how intelligent she is supposed to be. So, I don't understand how, after being friends with someone like Julie for 7 years, Kylie can be so naieve and clueless when it comes to guys and dating.

She's shy, so what? Julie's incessant chatter about shallow topics revolving around boys, clothes, make-up and who broke up with whom should have clued the girl in a little if she'd had years of listening to it.

Yet, Kylie is ridiculously inept and acts like a twelve year old with a crush rather than a 16 year old. If she's so freaking smart, you'd think she'd remember a few things even if she wasn't entirely sure how to act on whatever she remembered.

I despise when authors describe their heroines as if they're supposed to be a genius and then write them as whiny, insecure, blubbering imbiciles.

Her friend Julie being a class A bitch was easy to spot right off. Anyone who likes to hear their own voice that much is probably not a good friend or ally. But, as established above, Kylie is not as smart as the author attempts to make her.

Trip comes off as a 17 year old who is still playing at cops and robbers as if her were still 5 years old. I just couldn't take him seriously, at all.

There were occassional glimmers (a paragraph or page at most) of a decent twist or extension of the plot but nothing that came to fruition. There was no follow through with any of the instances that had potential to make the story good. Every time I thought "Okay, this could be a defining moment, something worth reading about," I was disappointed.

In the end, there were only a few scenes that stuck out as note worthy or something with real intensity or action: Finding Amanda, Running from Miller at the hospital, Trip and Kylie's first kiss and Drew and Kylie's escape. In 223 pages, there are only these four moments that stand out to me. It's probably a total of 15 pages or less.

There definitely isn't enough interest here to attempt the second book in the series whenever it's released.
Profile Image for April.
176 reviews25 followers
May 27, 2017
Shaken by Susan Hatler
Publisher: Hatco Publishing
Mind Reader Series Book #1

Thanks to NetGalley and Hatco Publishing for the ebook ARC of Shaken by Susan Hatler in exchange for an honest review.

Kylie Bates,16 years old, is a junior in high school, she lives at home with her dad. He works as a psychologist. Her mother died when she was 4 years old.
Everything changed, one day when she was at home and someone knocked on the door. Kylie answered the door and it was a man who had said his name was Mark Hearnandez. He was looking for Kylie’s mother. She ended up shaking the man’s hand and she was suddenly able to read his mind. Kylie called it her peek-a-boo brain.
Her dad had told Officer Collins that Kylie could read minds and they thought that Kylie could help with the case of a young girl that was kidnapped and missing now for almost 24 hours.
So Kylie ends up helping Detective Sam Williams find the missing girl and thats when Kylie notices that the girl has the same birthmark as her. She wonders what is going on?
Trip Williams, the detective’s wanna-be-cop cousin, approaches Kylie in school insisting that she help solve the case, she realizes that Trip might be the only one she can trust and the only one to help her unravel the secrets behind her mysterious gift.

I rate this book 5 stars. It was very fast paced, and easy to read. It kept my attention from the very beginning, it was well written and very hard to put down. I highly recommend that you read it! I can’t wait to read book #2 called Linked in the series.
Profile Image for Courtney.
204 reviews40 followers
March 16, 2012
Wow! Talk about a rush of adrenaline!! I really enjoyed this fast-paced suspense young adult novel. I wasn't sure what to expect with a girl that can read minds but it was not that. Kylie was suddenly able to read minds with a shake of her right hand in to theirs. Not only is that an unexpected gift but it also produces one unexpected event after another. Kylie learns her life as she knows it is basically a lie and she also learns that reading minds is not necessarily a good thing - some of the things she sees with her ability are downright shocking!

I really enjoyed Kylie and Trip. Kylie is an insecure awkward teenage girl that was easy to identify. She calls her ability the "peek-a-boo" brain, which tells you how weird she really is. Then there is Trip, which hands down is the best character in the book!! He is strong, and very protective over Kylie. Not only that but even though she is a bit strange and her ability makes her even more strange Trip treats her like a normal person!

This book flows fast through each scene and at times has you on the edge of your seat guessing as to what will happen next but then laughing out loud with Kylie's sarcastic sense of humor or mind reading. I laughed out loud numerous times when she read the minds of guys!! What do you think guys think about 90% of the time??!! Yep, that's right!!!

This book reminds me a little of the show Medium in which Kylie uses her mind reading ability to help solve a missing persons case. The only reason I say 4 stars instead of 5 is the sexual content. While I think the sexual content is mild it's still more than I'd want my teenager reading about! However I realize I'm pretty picky when it comes to that so I don't think the dirty thoughts she sees in others minds and the 1 passionate kiss will deter most readers! In fact it doesn't really deter me either, I plan on reading the rest of the series!! It was just that great!!

If you like young adult suspense or paranormal with a touch of romance than you must get your hands on Susan Hatlers Shaken!

I received this book free from the author in exchange for my personal and honest opinion of the book. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Rachel Costa.
89 reviews5 followers
April 17, 2012
I liked this! The main character walked the snarky edge of unlikable, but she never went too far. This story had some interesting twists, some of which I was totally wrong on which is always a pleasant surprise. I'm left with more questions though so I'm looking forward to the sequel!
Profile Image for Crystal (Books Are Sanity!!!).
795 reviews38 followers
February 14, 2012
I could not put this book down! It was amazing, fast-paced and action-packed, with a little bit of teenage crushing in there too! Kylie Bates is just a regular high school teenager until she shakes a salesman's hand and BAM! She can read his thoughts! All of a sudden she can read minds! She tells her Dad and then the next day he asks her to go with a police detective to help find a missing girl.

This book will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions! You really feel for Kylie as she finds out that her Dad has been lying to her for her entire life, this little girl that went missing looks just like her, and there are other girls too that seem like they are related to her and have special abilities to boot! Join Kylie as she tries to solve these mysteries and find out who she really is!

Hats off to Susan Hatler for a five star book! I didn't know what to expect from this novel and now I am impatiently awaiting the next one in the series! It can't be out soon enough for me!

I received this book free in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Tifferz.
263 reviews
February 21, 2012
I am a big fan of Susan Hatler's and was so excited to read Shaken. If you enjoy a YA Romance jam packed with adventure and the unknown. I would recommend this fantastic read. I personally think it would be so cool to be able to read others minds without the side effects that Kylie experences! This story was well paced and I found Trip and Kylie to be very fun. Trip is a good guy. He wants to protect Kylie. I think that Drew's gift is pretty neat. One of my favorite parts is when Kylie reads Trip's mind. I was surprised quite a few times with the unexpected. I did think the end was a little rushed and would have liked Kylie and her dad to have a chat with questions answered. But we do get all our answers. I am hoping that Ms. Hatler will be making this a series! I think maybe we could have Drew's story and be able to catch up with Trip and Kylie! Just an idea. A fantastic story that is clean and gets your heart pumping! Great job Ms. Halter. I can't wait to get my hands on your next book.
Profile Image for Brandi Aquino.
Author 16 books171 followers
August 27, 2012
Kylie is just your average girl trying to maintain her perfect GPA, crushing on the one boy she can even talk to without suffering metal distress, and being a good friend. Raised by her father after mother died when she was four, Kylie in under the assumption that this is as bad as her life can get, until she opens the door one morning and can suddenly read minds. Now, Kylie is privy to all kinds of information she wasn't meant to know, which doesn't make life as easy as one might think.

While trying to get a handle on her new ability, Kylie is drawn into a kidnapping mystery that only she can solve. Her father is telling lies, and the detective's cousin, Trip Williams, is hot on the case, digging up information that wasn't meant to be found, and Kylie finds herself right in the middle of it all. Suddenly, the life she thought she knew is turns upside down, and Kylie learns that not everything in life is black and white.

I didn't know what to expect when I picked this book up, but I had a good feeling about it. I ended up really liking it. From the first page I could tell it was solid writing and the tone was just right, making the characters likeable and about as true to life as you are going to get with a paranormal novel. I was never sure how Kylie's ability was going to play out--how much trouble would it get her into, who the kidnappers were, what her father was keeping from her, etc. The plot was really good and well thought out, and it held my attention all the way to the end.

The only thing that kept me from giving it a solid five stars was the predictability and how long it took the character, Kylie, to catch up to where I already was. Once I figured out something fairly obvious and self-explanatory, it took her a page or two more to make the same connections, which just made her appear slow. Other than that, I had no problems with anything. There were even some surprises toward the end that I couldn't have predicted--ever--because the information was never given until that point, and even then, it was played out well, which I really enjoyed.

I am glad this is a series, because I plan to find out what happens between all these characters. I want justice! I want in your face confrontations, and most of all, I want love.
Profile Image for Laura Young.
Author 3 books17 followers
May 14, 2012
Title: Susan Hatler
Author: Shaken
Page count: 255
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
My rating: 5/5
Publisher: -----
Published: February 4th 2012
Summary:(Mind Reader Series, Book One) High school junior, Kylie Bates, can suddenly read minds. When she touches people’s hands, she’s able to see their deepest thoughts. As if that’s not freaky enough, her dad sends her to help hottie detective, Sam Williams, track down a missing girl. Way too much pressure, especially for a girl who can’t watch Scream without getting nightmares.
Then, finding the missing girl leads to much more than Kylie’s prepared for. Like discovering that her dad has been lying to her. That she has a family she never knew about. That the girls have powers similar to hers. Oh yeah, and that someone is out to get her.
When the detective’s teenage wanna-be-cop cousin, Trip Williams, approaches Kylie at school insisting she help him solve the case, she discovers Trip might be the only one she can trust, and the only one to help her unravel the secrets behind her mysterious gift.

My thoughts:
I love the concept in the book. It left you wanting to know what was going to happen and the characters were easy to fall in love with. >_> Or maybe that’s just Trip. I absolutely loved - Susan Hatler has fun easy writing to read. It sucks you right in.

The Review:
The characters were A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Trip was easy to feel and understand. Kylie was a little winy at first, but after she figured everything out she snapped out of it thanks to a spunky cousin of hers. If you don’t like her friend then trust your instincts because she is trouble in a form of-. You think I’m going to tell you?
The story has the bad guys and the not so bad guys, but still somewhat bad. The story is dark at times some times, but it is casually dark with bright comic moments that made you feel a giggle coming. It had the cute romance only a teenager can get away with.
Would I read the next? Yuppity. :)
Profile Image for Jessica.
192 reviews135 followers
February 11, 2012
This was such a fun exciting book! The only bad thing I could say about it, was Kylie drove me crazy sometimes during her gullible moments, but besides that it was soooo good! I would definitely recommend reading it if your a fan of the paranormal!

Other then her gullible moments I really did enjoy Kylie as the main character. Some of the things that went through her head made me laugh. And the way she reacted around boys just cracked me up. I really liked Trip too. I loved how protective he was of Kylie and the ending was just so cute between the two of them. It's nice to have an ahhhh moment in books after everything goes all crazy! And let me tell you it does go crazy! Like crazy crazy. Like I had to put the book down and stop a few times crazy! But I kept pushing through it and I'm happy I did. I was so into it that I stayed up until almost two in the morning cuz I just needed to see what was going to happen.

I really wish there was going to be another book. It totally leaves it open for another one to be written so I have my fingers crossed. Cuz I really want to get to know all the characters a little better. Like Sam, her dad and little miss blondy cop, the rest of her family, and of course Kylie and Trip. I also want to really know more about all these little powers that they have and maybe get to know what her mom was like and how she dealt with her own power.

So I'll be waiting with my fingers crossed to see if a second book is going to be written so we can get to know these characters a little better!
257 reviews38 followers
May 16, 2012
www.the-book-diaries.blogspot.com

This book was very cute and very well written. It is a book for all ages, not just young adults. This story is about Kylie who thinks she is a normal teenager living with her dad. Kylie finds out she has mind reading abilities one day when a stranger comes knocking at her door. This is where Kylie’s adventure begins. Kylie is asked to work with the local police and assistant detective Trip, on finding Amanda, a kidnapping victim by using her abilities. Kylie not only helps find Amanda but also finds long lost relatives she had no idea she had. While working with the police to catch the kidnappers, Kylie realizes she really likes Trip but doesn’t know if the feelings are mutual. When Kylie comes face to face with the man behind the kidnappings, her world is turned upside down finding out that not only is that man her real dad but he has been looking for her. In this first book, the story is about Kylie getting her abilities and finding out about the kidnapping. You don’t find out too much information about her mother and where these abilities come from or why her mother ran away from her real father. This book leaves you with a lot of unanswered questions. I am hoping that you find out more in the next book. I will definitely continue to read.
Profile Image for Aimee .
3,072 reviews298 followers
February 27, 2012
Oh, wow. This book was so much fun to read. I started this book early one afternoon last weekend. I finished it early evening. Seriously, I sprinted through this book without even taking a breath, I'm pretty sure. The story just flew by. When I came to the end I was not ready to be done. It all just went by too fast! I just loved it.

I loved Kylie and her "peek-a-boo" brain. And Trip? Yeah, he's a keeper. One of the things I love about this book is that even though there are serious and even scary things happening, you still feel a lightness. Kylie is just a bit sarcastic which amuses me greatly. She is also a typical teenager, easily distracted by a cute boy and a best friend's drama.

Here is my favorite quote from the book. "Don't we all have something we're just not willing to share? Some part of ourselves too fragile and sacred to expose? Life's hard. Much harder than I realized but I'm going to keep trying to do the right thing."

As far as content goes, there is frequent mild swearing. There are some sexual references, innuendo and some steamy kiss scenes.

Susan Hatler is a very talented writer. Her writing is easy on the brain and it flows well. I'm so lucky that she asked me to review her newest book, Shaken.
Profile Image for Chrystina Williams.
203 reviews36 followers
May 31, 2012
I really loved this book, it was a great read! There was a little mystery, some paranormal, and some steamy romance (still at a YA level). I got this one free on Amazon during a promotion, and I am so glad I did.
Kylie is just a normal 16 year old girl, who can suddenly read minds. I found her to be very likeable and real. The author did a great job of portraying the way a teenaged girl thinks. She ends up meeting Trip Williams while helping a detective find a missing girl, and Trip helps her stay on the case later. Trip seems like a great guy, he's good looking and totally focused on being a cop someday (preferably now lol). Trip and Kylie grow close trying to figure out how Kylie and the missing girl are connected. Kylie and Trip sizzle together, and I loved being able to feel the chemistry between them as I read.
The book moved right along, and I didn't get bored throughout. I really enjoyed reading about Kylie and finding out more about her. I can't wait to find out what happens next, and will definitely be buying the next one!

***Also published on my blog http://www.bookliaison.com***
Profile Image for Cheryl.
696 reviews
February 6, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced and suspenseful story about Kylie Bates. It was exciting and fun to watch her discover new talents and find long lost family. I can't wait to watch the adventure continue and look forward to getting to know Kylie, Drew, and of course Trip even better. It was so fun to watch Kylie's reaction when she got a peek into someone's mind she wasn't expecting.

The only thing that kept me from giving this 5 stars is I thought the physical affection, both imagined and real, was too much for teenagers. While it was hilarious to watch Kylie's shock at what her "crush" was thinking about her, that was enough. The physical affection that started in this book will likely get more intense as the series goes on. I would not want my daughter to think that was appropriate.

Still, I know I am pickier than most about how clean a book should be. The story was thrilling and fun. The characters continued to surprise me and I want to get to know them even better. Thanks Susan, for a "peek" into the lives of Kylie and her friends.
Profile Image for Abi.
1,997 reviews664 followers
July 16, 2013
Kylie Bates can suddenly read peoples minds, Just by touching someones palm. When a little girl goes missing, Kylie knows she must help her, no matter how scared she is. What she doesn't know, is that by helping the girl, she's putting herself in danger.

I really did feel sorry for Kylie. Not only does she have these abilities suddenly turn up, she finds out that her dad is lying to her too. She also had an awful best friend, Julie.

I really hated Julie. She was so rude. She wouldn't let Kylie talk, always talking over her when she did. She went behind her back, and was rude to her mum, Because apparently $300 a month on clothes isn't enough.

In Shaken, you didn't go long without action. The second half was full of it.

The ending was really great. Full of suspense and twists.

Profile Image for TinyVenusAfterDark.
751 reviews26 followers
February 4, 2017
I have found this Book to be review on NetGalley, Synopsis was very interesting and appealing to me.
Young Adult is not my usual but something I was really happy I took upon me to read it.
Full of Mystery and intrigue, Kylie discover very soon in the book that she got a special ability. All throughout she realized that people close to her have been lying and hiding thing from her.

The Books end whit a happy ending but with lots of questions still unanswered.
I do hope there will be more books coming along I will surely get them

This was a refreshing story, very different then my usual but very worth it
Congrats to the Author, you did an amazing Job
Profile Image for Rosie Amber.
Author 1 book82 followers
January 10, 2020
Shaken is book #1 of The Mind Reader series of young adult paranormal fiction.

When Kylie discovers that she can read the minds of people just by holding their hand, her world changes dramatically. She's asked to assist the police in a missing child case, but it opens up more questions than answers for Kylie about her past and all that she's ever been told about it.

This is a fast paced story. I liked the idea of reading people's thoughts but I can appreciate how difficult it might be for the reader. I'm not sure where the author will take this in the next book, if there is one, as I couldn't see another one listed.
Profile Image for Melinda Howard.
415 reviews58 followers
February 21, 2017
*This book was received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This was a really interesting read which had quite a few shocking twists, intriguing paranormal powers and a down-to-earth M.C. Kylie. I really enjoyed the plot and the writing style especially the police investigation. Also, the exploration of telekinesis and the character development was really good.

Overall, this was a really good read with great characters and an interesting plot which was helped along by Kylie's awesome mind reading powers.
Profile Image for Megan.
376 reviews40 followers
November 12, 2012
An interesting read. I liked the story line and the suspense. Kylie's weakness got under my skin a little, but I think that's because I can't stand it when a lead character hasn't any backbone. She pulled through, mostly. But my favorite character was Drew. She had the backbone Kylie lacked and complemented her character. I hope to read the sequel soon. Maybe with her "best friend" kicked to the side and Drew put in as her replacement :)
Profile Image for Megan.
1,736 reviews199 followers
March 31, 2017
Kylie discovers she can suddenly read minds and very quickly bad things begin to happen to her after her discovery. The story was a very easy read, though some the romance between Kylie and Trip happened too quickly in my opinion. All in all, I thought the novel was very interesting and would definitely read a sequel.
Profile Image for Pascale’s*ARC,Unwind,Read,Review.
2,355 reviews31 followers
July 20, 2019
I was absolutely drawn into this story and couldn’t put it down! I went out with friends for breakfast and couldn’t wait to get back so I could finish reading! Fantastic story! I wish there was a sequel as it ends very open-ended and without a clear conclusion. Hoping she will write more to their story. It was excellent and I will surely be reading it again and again! I loved it!
Profile Image for Amber Garza.
Author 53 books1,403 followers
March 20, 2012
I picked up this book after reading one of my goodreads friends reviews. I downloaded it for free from Amazon, and I was not disappointed. I loved it. I read it in two days. I couldn't put it down. Full of action and a great story. Plus, I really liked the romance- it was hot!
Profile Image for Tamis Guarnero.
589 reviews85 followers
April 8, 2013
OMG!!!!! como pueden dejar asi el libro con tantas cosas por venir muero de la curiosidad!!!

El libro es realmente genial lo lei en unas horas, tiene un ritmo rapido, con un toque de misterio, y olala un poco de romance :P me gusto mucho!!

Trip ♥
Profile Image for Tami .
1,123 reviews32 followers
January 31, 2017
This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a YA PNR. Totally was not what I expected from this author. So I had to get it. It was a good book.

Profile Image for Louise.
108 reviews5 followers
June 17, 2020
weird. she sees her currently pregnant teacher with a baby in some sort of vision, but doesn't realise that must be the future rather than the past? and then she was awfully accepting when helping the police by reading minds! and then after it all, her mother wasn't even dead!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Veronica Blade.
Author 63 books412 followers
February 5, 2012
Ooooh, I LOVED this one. Kept me glued to the cyber pages all the way through. It's cute and humorous, but it's a bit suspenseful and stressful. Anyway, this will be on my list of favorite books :-)
Profile Image for Elena-Loredana.
156 reviews13 followers
February 27, 2017
View my original review at The Book Portal.
1.95/5 stars.

It pains me to give a bad review to a book from an author I previously enjoy reading. I read one of the author's love stories, A Christmas Kiss. Then, I was convinced that I will read more from Susan Hatler. And surprisingly, I did. (Yeah, when I picked this book up, it took me a while to put two plus two together and realize that the author is one and the same Susan Hatler.)
I am separating the review in two main parts the good and the bad.

Good

The overall idea behind the book sounded promising.
Interesting power/paranormal system.
Police investigation.
Kidnapping.
"I am your [Darth Vader] father," theme.
A lost family.

A strong main teenager male character.

A strong secondary teenager/young adult female character.

A clueless supposedly strong and smart main teenager female character.

Secrets upon secrets.

Teenagers' life problems.

A mind reader and other peoples with powers.

Family birth mark.

Romance.

Paranormal

Great steamy parts.

Shrink dad.

Though thugs.

High school.
Let's not forget about a pretty good author.
So yeah... These were great ingredients suggesting a good story recipe.
"What went wrong," you ask. Well... The story is told from the main character's first person point of view. AAAAnd, let me tell you, I had this strong urge to talk some sense into her.

Bad

Well... I will try to keep my salty side in check as a respect for the author and the her hard work. My intention is not to insult people, just to critique one's work.
The main character lacked the proper development. She was the TV-cliché-American-dream teenager. In the beginning, I was, "Alright, her naïveté is understandable since she just discovered whole new world." I was unable to connect with somebody like her. Everything about her felt forced. She was portrayed as smart and strong and with a desire to be normal; although, the end result was disappointing. The word "shallow" popped in my head more than once while reading the book.
Why? I prepared a list because it is blunt, precise, and without confusion:

• female teenage cares more about what people think about her more the situation at hand;
• obsesses with boys even though she tries to show the reader otherwise;
• and seriously the insta-love felt too... instant;
• lack of angst and sparks;
• the main character figures and masters her power rather quickly but fails to see the obvious things;
• main character is portrayed as smart, because she does not lose the opportunity to remind the reader this fact every single time (I do not care you have a 4.0 GPA. Show mw that through your actions and thought process. Shout out to Drew - secondary female character - who finally pointed this fact out. I love you girl. I wish the book was told from your point of view);
• (this piece is not about the main character) the supposed father calls his daughter a lair even though he knew that there is a high - to the roof - chance that his daughter may have powers because... genetics;
• (also about the dad) the father is rather irrational in protecting the paranormal gifted daughter from everything considering that it is easy to have a normal life again (Dude, that ain't gonna happen!);
• (again, not about the main character) I got the feeling that the adults were seen as the enemies of teenagers than complex people who can be also allies.

Like I said, the right ingredients for the wrong recipe. At least for my taste. The intriguing elements and my curiosity in the unanswered questions were not enough for this book to receive a high rating. Believe it or not, I am - still - kind of curious to know what happens next.

The writing was good with the story flowing rather nicely most of the time. I believe it would have worked better if the story had been told from the third person.

Overall, this book was not my cuppa tea.
This is my sole opinion. ^_^

Feel free to check out my review on Susan Hatler's A Christmas Kiss.

I would like to say thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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