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Kingdom of Souls #1
Harmony
Watch the trailer: http://bit.ly/HarmonyVid
Buy the paperback at: http://bit.ly/HarmonyStore
Kindle version available through Amazon.
A Curse.
It started with a curse centuries ago placed upon the House of Ulster:
One more powerful than I will come,
She alone will break the spell.
With her as guide the dark will align.
Destiny.
If someone told you that you were the key to an ancient tragedy, what would you do?
Sophie is a high school senior with only two things on her mind, graduating from Jefferson High, and moving on, leaving the death of her mother firmly in the past. But the past is not done with Sophie, and she finds herself suddenly thrust into a tragic, Irish love story centuries old. Does she have the strength to accept her part, confront her own past, and rely on someone long forgotten?
Ian is a vampire with only one thing on his mind...Sophie. For years, he has watched over Sophie, and protected her from the darkness surrounding her mother's death. He would like nothing more than to forget the past, but his fate lies with Sophie and her destiny. Can he help Sophie confront her nightmares and not fall in love?
Choices.
Sophie and Ian will discover that they also have a connection-something that could bind them together forever or rip them apart. What will they choose?
Only time will tell.
This is their story.
Buy the paperback at: http://bit.ly/HarmonyStore
Kindle version available through Amazon.
A Curse.
It started with a curse centuries ago placed upon the House of Ulster:
One more powerful than I will come,
She alone will break the spell.
With her as guide the dark will align.
Destiny.
If someone told you that you were the key to an ancient tragedy, what would you do?
Sophie is a high school senior with only two things on her mind, graduating from Jefferson High, and moving on, leaving the death of her mother firmly in the past. But the past is not done with Sophie, and she finds herself suddenly thrust into a tragic, Irish love story centuries old. Does she have the strength to accept her part, confront her own past, and rely on someone long forgotten?
Ian is a vampire with only one thing on his mind...Sophie. For years, he has watched over Sophie, and protected her from the darkness surrounding her mother's death. He would like nothing more than to forget the past, but his fate lies with Sophie and her destiny. Can he help Sophie confront her nightmares and not fall in love?
Choices.
Sophie and Ian will discover that they also have a connection-something that could bind them together forever or rip them apart. What will they choose?
Only time will tell.
This is their story.
234 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2012
1 person is currently reading
228 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 13, 2012
Review appears on my blog
Harmony, what can I say I have very mixed feelings about this book. I think for the most part I did enjoy it, and it's definitely a must read if you are into paranormal romance, however often times I was a little confused with what was happening in the book. I was confused with the mix of legends, the curse from the beginning of the book, the spirits. I was really confused. I still don't know who is rooting for what in the story. It was short which made it fast paced so I guess it makes sense that the events in the books would move well... fast. Sophie is a pretty cool heroine but I really didn't understand that much about who she was. Ian well he was a vampire which automatically makes him dark, gloomy and mysterious, but other than that I'm not sure what to say about him. He's sweet, protective, caring and super nice but he didn't make me squeal. Now I have nothing against insta-love, or love at first sight, which by the way isn't the case here, but the relationship was fast moving, but like I said it was a pretty short book so I have to take that into perspective. However I do think there could have been more development to theor reationship. The plot is interesting even if it is a little bit predictable( well some parts, some parts I was like what in the name of baby jesus is going on.) This book definitely has potential but there were so many things that didn't make sense. Also the ending annoyed me, for real it was a terrible ending.
Harmony, what can I say I have very mixed feelings about this book. I think for the most part I did enjoy it, and it's definitely a must read if you are into paranormal romance, however often times I was a little confused with what was happening in the book. I was confused with the mix of legends, the curse from the beginning of the book, the spirits. I was really confused. I still don't know who is rooting for what in the story. It was short which made it fast paced so I guess it makes sense that the events in the books would move well... fast. Sophie is a pretty cool heroine but I really didn't understand that much about who she was. Ian well he was a vampire which automatically makes him dark, gloomy and mysterious, but other than that I'm not sure what to say about him. He's sweet, protective, caring and super nice but he didn't make me squeal. Now I have nothing against insta-love, or love at first sight, which by the way isn't the case here, but the relationship was fast moving, but like I said it was a pretty short book so I have to take that into perspective. However I do think there could have been more development to theor reationship. The plot is interesting even if it is a little bit predictable( well some parts, some parts I was like what in the name of baby jesus is going on.) This book definitely has potential but there were so many things that didn't make sense. Also the ending annoyed me, for real it was a terrible ending.
October 22, 2012
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September 16, 2012
Review coming soon to readforyourfuture.blogspot.com :)
April 26, 2020
Great attention to detail, story line captures the reader's attention
July 17, 2012
Book: Harmony by Sonya Bria
Pages: 226
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Source: Sent from author
Short Synopsis: Sophie is a senior in high school who can think of nothing but graduation. But it isn't until she meets a mysterious stranger named Ian, and her whole world starts to change.
My Thoughts: An interesting vampire tale with a twist with two addicting characters that will leave you curious for more.
A Curse. It started with a curse centuries ago placed upon the House of Ulster: One more powerful than I will come, She alone will break the spell. With her as guide the dark will align. Destiny. If someone told you that you were the key to an ancient tragedy, what would you do? Sophie is a high school senior with only two things on her mind, graduating from Jefferson High, and moving on, leaving the death of her mother firmly in the past. But the past is not done with Sophie, and she finds herself suddenly thrust into a tragic, Irish love story centuries old. Does she have the strength to accept her part, confront her own past, and rely on someone long forgotten? Ian is a vampire with only one thing on his mind…Sophie. For years, he has watched over Sophie, and protected her from the darkness surrounding her mother’s death. He would like nothing more than to forget the past, but his fate lies with Sophie and her destiny. Can he help Sophie confront her nightmares and not fall in love? Choices. Sophie and Ian will discover that they also have a connection—something that could bind them together forever or rip them apart. What will they choose? Only time will tell. This is their story.
--From Amazon
A very different tale about vampires than I am usually accustomed to. I was intrigued with the main characters, Sophie and Ian, and the world that they are trapped in. Sophie thought her whole world was just as normal as could be, until she meets the man of her dreams, literally, named Ian.
I loved reading how Sophie and Ian finally met face to face, after so many years, and watching their relationship grew. And though it was a cute relationship to read about, I also felt that their relationship moved a little bit too fast.
And though I loved the originality of the story and what Sophie and Ian goes through, I wasn't too fond of the multiple passages of Italics. I also felt that once Sophie had met Ian, that she sort of neglected her other life with her friends and family, and school.
I was also a bit confused with how her Grandmother knew of Ian but didn't think to tell Sophie the truth. It was interesting to read how Sophie came into her powers, and how she managed to save Ian. I wasn't really satisfied with the ending, and felt that there should have been an alternative. Overall, an entertaining read with unique characters, and I wouldn't mind reading a continuance of the story.
Would I recommend this book: Maybe
Rating: I give this book a 3/5.
Pages: 226
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Source: Sent from author
Short Synopsis: Sophie is a senior in high school who can think of nothing but graduation. But it isn't until she meets a mysterious stranger named Ian, and her whole world starts to change.
My Thoughts: An interesting vampire tale with a twist with two addicting characters that will leave you curious for more.
A Curse. It started with a curse centuries ago placed upon the House of Ulster: One more powerful than I will come, She alone will break the spell. With her as guide the dark will align. Destiny. If someone told you that you were the key to an ancient tragedy, what would you do? Sophie is a high school senior with only two things on her mind, graduating from Jefferson High, and moving on, leaving the death of her mother firmly in the past. But the past is not done with Sophie, and she finds herself suddenly thrust into a tragic, Irish love story centuries old. Does she have the strength to accept her part, confront her own past, and rely on someone long forgotten? Ian is a vampire with only one thing on his mind…Sophie. For years, he has watched over Sophie, and protected her from the darkness surrounding her mother’s death. He would like nothing more than to forget the past, but his fate lies with Sophie and her destiny. Can he help Sophie confront her nightmares and not fall in love? Choices. Sophie and Ian will discover that they also have a connection—something that could bind them together forever or rip them apart. What will they choose? Only time will tell. This is their story.
--From Amazon
A very different tale about vampires than I am usually accustomed to. I was intrigued with the main characters, Sophie and Ian, and the world that they are trapped in. Sophie thought her whole world was just as normal as could be, until she meets the man of her dreams, literally, named Ian.
I loved reading how Sophie and Ian finally met face to face, after so many years, and watching their relationship grew. And though it was a cute relationship to read about, I also felt that their relationship moved a little bit too fast.
And though I loved the originality of the story and what Sophie and Ian goes through, I wasn't too fond of the multiple passages of Italics. I also felt that once Sophie had met Ian, that she sort of neglected her other life with her friends and family, and school.
I was also a bit confused with how her Grandmother knew of Ian but didn't think to tell Sophie the truth. It was interesting to read how Sophie came into her powers, and how she managed to save Ian. I wasn't really satisfied with the ending, and felt that there should have been an alternative. Overall, an entertaining read with unique characters, and I wouldn't mind reading a continuance of the story.
Would I recommend this book: Maybe
Rating: I give this book a 3/5.
July 18, 2012
I hadn't heard anything about this book before I got the chance to review it (as is usual with books not published with the big six publishers) but once I heard the premise I became intrigued. I love books with Irish folklore/guys with Irish accents and so I thought this book would be a good fit for me. The only thing that had me worrying was that vampires were involved. More on that later.
Harmony started out fast paced enough. The prologue was super cool and all "back-in-time-like" and had me wondering where the story was going to lead from there. I think the pace was definitely what I liked most with this book. There never really was a point where we could sit back and relax as readers, because there was some kind of action always happening. I LOVE faced paces in books, so I was super happy with this.
Onto the characters: I liked some and disliked others. Characters I liked: Sophie, Ian, Max, and Emily. Why? These characters were believable and they way they were told in the story had me picturing it all in my head like it was a movie. I especially like Ian, mostly because I go head-over-heels for Irish accents and gentlemen, and he is both. Sophie is nice enough for a protagonist, even if sometimes I wonder how she believes all she is told so easily. And of course Max and Emily, Sophie's "human friends" were cute and though kind of one dimensional they did their jobs. Characters I didn't like: Grandma, and all the old characters from "way back when." Why? I don't like the grandma character for one reason. She does things that any person in her right mind wouldn't do. I don't want to give too much of the story away, but the way her choices are rationalized just don't sit right with me. And I don't like the old Irish characters because of lack of back story and overall confusion regarding basically everything having to do with them.
Reasons this book gets 3.5/5 Stars: Great romance, a good yet unpredictable ending, a spin on the now classic vampire YA paranormal romance thing, and a face paced adventure that has me wondering if there is going to be a sequel. If this sounds like your book, be sure to check it out!
Harmony started out fast paced enough. The prologue was super cool and all "back-in-time-like" and had me wondering where the story was going to lead from there. I think the pace was definitely what I liked most with this book. There never really was a point where we could sit back and relax as readers, because there was some kind of action always happening. I LOVE faced paces in books, so I was super happy with this.
Onto the characters: I liked some and disliked others. Characters I liked: Sophie, Ian, Max, and Emily. Why? These characters were believable and they way they were told in the story had me picturing it all in my head like it was a movie. I especially like Ian, mostly because I go head-over-heels for Irish accents and gentlemen, and he is both. Sophie is nice enough for a protagonist, even if sometimes I wonder how she believes all she is told so easily. And of course Max and Emily, Sophie's "human friends" were cute and though kind of one dimensional they did their jobs. Characters I didn't like: Grandma, and all the old characters from "way back when." Why? I don't like the grandma character for one reason. She does things that any person in her right mind wouldn't do. I don't want to give too much of the story away, but the way her choices are rationalized just don't sit right with me. And I don't like the old Irish characters because of lack of back story and overall confusion regarding basically everything having to do with them.
Reasons this book gets 3.5/5 Stars: Great romance, a good yet unpredictable ending, a spin on the now classic vampire YA paranormal romance thing, and a face paced adventure that has me wondering if there is going to be a sequel. If this sounds like your book, be sure to check it out!
September 6, 2012
This is the story of Sophia and Ian. Sophia's uncomplicated life as a high school senior preparing for graduation is forever changed as she learns the Celtic history of her ancestor Deidre. Ian must reveal the role he played in the past, help Sophia come to terms with his life as a vampire in the present and hope that combined they can defeat the curse and ultimately plan a future together.
The story starts with a prologue set hundreds of years ago and with a curse. A greedy king, a beautiful druid and her lover betrayed set the stage in centuries past that collide with Sophia's life in modern times. Soph finds that nothing in her life is what it seems. Was her mothers death when she was just a child really an accident? When her invisible childhood companion Ian walks out of her imagination and into her life, Sophia begins a journey she never expected. As Sophia and Ian find love, danger and evil and tragedies from the past try to tear them apart.
I thought this book had a lot of potential but ultimately it fell a little flat for me. I really liked Celtic back story but I was left feeling like there could have been or should have been more....I liked the insight we were given into Ian's mind set and thoughts, but again, I felt there should have been more depth to explain his feelings for this mortal girl that morph from protector into romantic feelings of love. Even Sophia's thoughts didn't fully explore their connection to its fullest potential. Her world was turned upside down and I just didn't "feel" her struggle enough with all turmoil. All that said, I did enjoy the way Sonya Bria writes. Her descriptions of places and characters thoughts kept you reading and hoping for more. I read Harmony quickly and was interested enough in the ending that I would pick up the sequel and read it to find out what Sonya Bria has in store for these characters in the future.
The story starts with a prologue set hundreds of years ago and with a curse. A greedy king, a beautiful druid and her lover betrayed set the stage in centuries past that collide with Sophia's life in modern times. Soph finds that nothing in her life is what it seems. Was her mothers death when she was just a child really an accident? When her invisible childhood companion Ian walks out of her imagination and into her life, Sophia begins a journey she never expected. As Sophia and Ian find love, danger and evil and tragedies from the past try to tear them apart.
I thought this book had a lot of potential but ultimately it fell a little flat for me. I really liked Celtic back story but I was left feeling like there could have been or should have been more....I liked the insight we were given into Ian's mind set and thoughts, but again, I felt there should have been more depth to explain his feelings for this mortal girl that morph from protector into romantic feelings of love. Even Sophia's thoughts didn't fully explore their connection to its fullest potential. Her world was turned upside down and I just didn't "feel" her struggle enough with all turmoil. All that said, I did enjoy the way Sonya Bria writes. Her descriptions of places and characters thoughts kept you reading and hoping for more. I read Harmony quickly and was interested enough in the ending that I would pick up the sequel and read it to find out what Sonya Bria has in store for these characters in the future.
July 16, 2012
Harmony was sort of a weird book for me. It had this awkward feel to it. I don’t really know how to explain it. I really enjoyed the beginning, but as I got father and father into the book, I got more and more confused about where the story was going and what was the idea behind the story.
Cover:
The cover is very simple. It has that kind of beauty that only comes from it being simple!
Plot/ Writing:
The writing and plot structure were just okay. The writing was a little jumpy and I found typos, but it kept me interested in it. The plot had a little more bugs in it. It jumped around a lot with no real transitions. For example, Sophie had just met Ian, and now she is going to stay at his house in the middle of the woods. Anyone else confused about how that happened?
Characters:
Sophie is very trusting. She just goes blindly into situations without thinking them through, when she really needs too. She practically gives up her life for Ian and just follows him blindly everywhere because he was the voice she heard in her head. Literally. It creeped me out how much she just trusted him and fell in love with him. She is also very confused about what her future holds and how her new powers are going to affect her.
Ian just flat out creeps me out. Sure he can be sweet and kind and all, but he has also stalked this girl since she was ten, and he is a 23 year old vampire. He is also in her head, and can read her mind. Something about him just freaked me out. He did have some redeeming qualities; he was super protective, rich and handsome. Those added up to be awesome qualities.
All in All:
I did enjoy this book, it just confused at certain parts. It’s hard to get a grasp on the book until the very end.
Cover:
The cover is very simple. It has that kind of beauty that only comes from it being simple!
Plot/ Writing:
The writing and plot structure were just okay. The writing was a little jumpy and I found typos, but it kept me interested in it. The plot had a little more bugs in it. It jumped around a lot with no real transitions. For example, Sophie had just met Ian, and now she is going to stay at his house in the middle of the woods. Anyone else confused about how that happened?
Characters:
Sophie is very trusting. She just goes blindly into situations without thinking them through, when she really needs too. She practically gives up her life for Ian and just follows him blindly everywhere because he was the voice she heard in her head. Literally. It creeped me out how much she just trusted him and fell in love with him. She is also very confused about what her future holds and how her new powers are going to affect her.
Ian just flat out creeps me out. Sure he can be sweet and kind and all, but he has also stalked this girl since she was ten, and he is a 23 year old vampire. He is also in her head, and can read her mind. Something about him just freaked me out. He did have some redeeming qualities; he was super protective, rich and handsome. Those added up to be awesome qualities.
All in All:
I did enjoy this book, it just confused at certain parts. It’s hard to get a grasp on the book until the very end.
July 5, 2012
My review can also be found on my blog Collections.
Sophie has recently started having recurring nightmares revolving around her mother's death and has even started hearing the voice of Ian, someone she has dreamed about for years, in her mind. She beings to realize that these dreams might be real after all when Ian reveals himself to her. Harmony was a fast-paced read filled with romance, vampires, and hints of Irish magic and lore.
I think the parts I liked the most were actually the scenes from Ian's perspective. I have always liked reading from a male's perspective and reading from Ian's view made it interesting. While the events in the book go by quickly and some things seem to have an easy resolution, not everything is resolved by the end. I guess that's why it's a planned series. I would recommend this book to those who can't get enough of YA vampire novels.
Thanks to Cambio Publishing & Goodreads for the chance to read Harmony!
July 9, 2012
It was a bit different and predictable at same time than the vampire books.
Sophie is waiting for her graduation to be done,she lives with her grams after her mothers death and wants nothing but normal life.
But her life was never normal..she has nightmares that she wants to stop and to meet the person who saves her from her nightmares...Ian..her figment of imagination,her telepathic partner..But then she sees that he is real and very much a vampire and her life is turned upside down.
Sophie is haunted with a curse only she has power to break and with Ian by side and dark forces trying to kill her..she has to find a way to end it..but Ian's demonic side may be stronger than she anticipated and now she has to make a CHOICE..that will change the future forever..but its' inevitable.
The story was very good,easy,fast read and for a debut it was definitely great!
I think i will be looking forward for that next book.
Sri.
Sophie is waiting for her graduation to be done,she lives with her grams after her mothers death and wants nothing but normal life.
But her life was never normal..she has nightmares that she wants to stop and to meet the person who saves her from her nightmares...Ian..her figment of imagination,her telepathic partner..But then she sees that he is real and very much a vampire and her life is turned upside down.
Sophie is haunted with a curse only she has power to break and with Ian by side and dark forces trying to kill her..she has to find a way to end it..but Ian's demonic side may be stronger than she anticipated and now she has to make a CHOICE..that will change the future forever..but its' inevitable.
The story was very good,easy,fast read and for a debut it was definitely great!
I think i will be looking forward for that next book.
Sri.
November 16, 2012
Let me first preface this review by saying i'm not a fan of vampires, or any young adult fiction that deals with them. I was only forced to read Twilight after losing a bet, and did not quite enjoy them. I was given a copy of this book and thought I'd give it a go!
Harmony has great characters that are fully developed and relatable. The story is clever, and the writing is perfect for the ages it was written for.
My only problem? I wish that this book and twilight had been reversed. There are several similarities between the books (the age of the two main characters/ the pacific northwest location/ the high school in a small town vs. old time traditions of vampires etc) and I found myself saying "this is a much more creative, much more well thought out, and all around better version of a vampire love story. "
Why couldn't Sonya Bria had found success with Harmony before Twilight? This book doesn't deserve to sit in Twilights shadow, it should be the other way around!
Harmony has great characters that are fully developed and relatable. The story is clever, and the writing is perfect for the ages it was written for.
My only problem? I wish that this book and twilight had been reversed. There are several similarities between the books (the age of the two main characters/ the pacific northwest location/ the high school in a small town vs. old time traditions of vampires etc) and I found myself saying "this is a much more creative, much more well thought out, and all around better version of a vampire love story. "
Why couldn't Sonya Bria had found success with Harmony before Twilight? This book doesn't deserve to sit in Twilights shadow, it should be the other way around!
June 23, 2013
I really wanted to like this more, but there were a couple of things that kept me from giving it a higher rating. The beginning was good. I liked the dreams (visions) and liked how Ian and Sophie met. I also liked the whole legend and that Sophie was the key to breaking the curse. However, getting from the beginning to the ending took too long for me and I really, really disliked the ending. Instead of "breaking the curse", I feel that it just changed people. This is definitely not a "happy-ever-ending" book.
August 5, 2012
This book is really quite fast paced with an interesting plot, characters and setting. I read a bit of it a few years ago and I was piqued then with Ian and Sophie. It was a nice finished book.
September 15, 2012
I was a little confused during the beginning, but once I was past the 1st few chapters it made sense and was tied in together. It was a very quick read and I really did enjoy it. I told Sonya to keep writing so the story can continue.
September 9, 2012
All the elements for a good book were there but it missed the mark. The characters and plot were shallow and should have been more developed. It read like a "Twilight" copy. I was disappointed because I felt like the story could have been great.
Want to read
September 13, 2012I watched the trailer for this book, and all I can say is......I HAVE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK! It sounds so excellent!!!
July 14, 2012
I love a story that goes back and forth in time. An old world story intertwined with a modern day vampire romance. I loved it!!!!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews