Breed of Innocence

The Breed Chronicles #1

by Lanie Jordan

One Hunt the demon that killed my family. Make that two Survive.Six hours ago, men in dark suits and sunglasses came looking for me.Four hours ago, they offered me training to hunt the things that killed my demons.Two hours ago, I joined their secret organization--the CGE.Now... All I have to do is survive demon-hunting school.The classes won't kill me, but the finals This book contains kick-ass (literally) demon-hunters in training, vampires (not the cuddly, marrying type), and sarcastic (and sometimes snarky) attitudes. No humans were eaten during the writing of this book. Bitten doesn't count...right?Available Book #02 in The Breed Chronicles, Breed of EnvyOther titles by Lanie BREED CHRONICLES (Teen & Young Adult Urban Fantasy/Paranormal):Breed of Innocence, Book #01Breed of Envy, Book #02 Book of Havoc, Book #03, coming soon!The Breed Boxed Set (Includes Books #01 & #02)SINGLE Tied (Teen & Young Adult Paranormal)Shadow and Light (Teen & Young Adult Fantasy/Paranormal)

Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Demons, Vampires, Romance

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 4, 2012

About the author

Lanie Jordan writes stories. Sometimes her characters drive her crazy, but then she gets her revenge by making their lives more difficult. Fictional payback is fun.


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Reviews

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This highly readable story of a teen looking for revenge in a world that does not believe in demons was something of a breath of fresh air for me. I have not read the Vampire Academy books, so cannot compare them as others have done. However, the book takes place in a near future of our world. Demons are real, but few people know about them. They are also recent and various degrees of bad.

Or heroine is unhappily living in a small group home for girls after seeing her family slaughtered by a demon two years earlier. She is obsessed with her search for vengeance, and has no friends. She also has a strong personality, isn't afraid of a fight, and is always in trouble. Then the suits show up and everything changes.

Greene's omniscience is fairly creepy. And there are a few mentions of other undercover Big Brother behavior that was off as well. But, typical of teenagers, if it doesn't get in their way (and seems to have helped them in some way) it isn't looked at too closely.

Jade is a great character, one whose life was ripped from her and only knows how to fight. Once she joins the school her intelligence has a chance to chine again, and she develops friends, and enemies. Most importantly, she can finally relax a bit and focus on those skills that will help her meet her goals, rather than having to deal with conventional expectations. Her nemesis at school is a truly awful person, and the one thing that surprised me was the lack of additional reprisals by her posse of friends.

For those who care, this is a clean story--no swear words, no sex, no lusty teens. That was also refreshing. Not all teens are focused on sex and having sex. Also, her friendship with Linc develops slowly into hints of more, but is not rushed. She has enough going on.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Jade is a really interesting heroine who has been very focused, but is not shallow. Her responses to situations are based in her experience, so are not always the best, but are true to her character. That being said, I did miss more development in the supporting cast. mostly they were fairly shallow as characters and we know little about what motivates them. I hope there is more development of Jade's friends, and enemies, in the second book.

I did receive a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Desert Rose Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this story, it's so refreshing! While it has vampires and demons, it isn't focused on them so much, and isn't trying to make you fall in love with them. This story, focuses on the secret group that hunts demons, and gets into the background and story of a few specific up-and-coming hunters. The mix of having a demon-hunting facility mixed with genetic research wasn't something I thought of having together, but it made for an interesting story, and actually made a lot of sense.

Having a lot of the story take place in a school-setting was a nice familiar touch. It reminded me of the Harry Potter series, in the way there were descriptions of tests and classrooms and the day-to-day happenings around the campus and between the students. With the addition of fighting some demons, of course.

This book certainly has a good mix of both action and intellect- while there are many descriptions of what Jade is learning in her studies, along with the challenges she faces on a personal level, there is a lot of action and fighting to keep it exciting. The descriptions of the fights, in both the training and realistic scenarios, are very well written, and easily imagined. The amount of action keeps the pace of the book quick, and adds depth and excitement.

Jade is a great female lead character- she's strong, determined, and confident, and someone I think a lot of people can identify with. Her thoughts and actions are honest and realistic, and I enjoyed watching her grow and overcome the challenges she faced.

Lincoln makes a great best friend- strong and sturdy, he's the perfect match for Jade, with humor and sarcasm to match hers. The fact that he's always there for her, and believes in her with no reason other than his own instincts, makes him a fantastic best-friend character. While there wasn't much romance between them in this book, I am hoping something will be there in the future books, because they are perfect together- he's the kind of guy every girl hopes to find.

I enjoyed all the side characters as well- the girl you love to hate, the director who becomes a surrogate father (even if Jade doesn't realize it), and the girl you actually like having around. Along with some hilarious doctors and teachers, all the characters in the book catch you in some way, and don't let go.

I enjoyed the writing for the most part- it flowed easily, and the mix of the dialogue with description was done quite well. I did, however, take off a star because of the numerous spelling and grammatical errors (especially toward the end chapters), as well as missing/added words. It made reading somewhat difficult, having to stop and fix a sentence to understand what was going on. It isn't a huge distraction, but it does pull you out of the book in a few places, which takes away from the story. Once it's properly edited and these mistakes fixed, it will certainly be a 5 star book.

Overall, I would recommend these books, and probably the whole series. It's a unique story, and the characters pull you in and make you want to root for them and their fight.

*I was given a complimentary eBook copy of this book, by the author, in exchange for an honest review.

[zapkode · Rating 5 out of 5]

{my thoughts} - This book is about a girl named Jade. She is your not so average teenage girl. She has bounced from foster home to foster home and has now landed herself in the custody of the GCE {the consortium of genetic engineering}. This place is government funded to an extent, they do research and they hunt demons. She is one of many that has had a previous encounter with demons {one killed her family} so they recruited her.

She’s now this sweet girl attending High School for Demon hunters. She makes a friend named Linc {lincoln} and an enemy named Felecia all in her first day. Which means this book is not without the normal teenage {drama}.

This is a story about love, revenge, hatefulness and self realization. She’s a sweet girl, a very likable character. She has determination and the skills to accomplish her goals. The only thing she lacked was guidance but now with the help of GCE she is well on her way to getting her sought out revenge against the demon race for taking her family from her.

Things I liked were the lack of a large amount of swear words. I am not fond of foul language consuming books made for young adults. I liked that the love and mushy points weren’t over bearing. I also enjoyed getting to know each of the characters and neither was overly described or pushed into a scene without proper recognition. Lastly I enjoyed that it was a fast paced read, I didn’t want to put the book down because something good was always happening. It’s hard to walk away when you want to know whats going to happen next.

There is nothing about this book I didn’t like other then the fact that I am left not knowing what is soon to come. I can’t wait until the next book comes out and look forward to reading it.

{reason for reading} - I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
The story revolves around a strong-willed sixteen year old girl, who two years prior to when the narrative begins, has witnessed the murder of her mother and older brother by an unknown demon. After spending a very unhappy time in a group home, with a constant goal to avenge the death of her family, she is approached by a secret genetic research organisation to join other recruits to study and train in becoming a demon hunter.

I was kindly sent a copy of Breed of Innocence by the author, and I am grateful for the opportunity to read this book because it is a good one. I must point out that I have not read many books from this particular genre, but I found it well paced and full of action, and kept me for the most part engaged in the plot line until the very end. There is of course a little bit of romance and what Lanie Jordan refers to as "demonology" thrown in to keep the reader entertained even further. The main character was likeable, and I was happy to see her find a place where she felt she could belong and make friends for the first time in her life.

There were some small issues such as a few typos and grammatical errors popping up every now and again, and I personally felt some parts were a little too repetitive and continued longer than they needed to (mainly the conversations between Jade and Director Greene). I also wished we learned more detail about the setting of 'New Orlando', which would give us a better idea of the world and the dangers all these characters live in, but that might be explored in the next book of the series.

Overall, I found it an enjoyable read.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I apologize in advance for my writing. I am more of a reader than a writer.

Laine Jordan has created a believable world and characters that are easy to get lost in as a reader. The main character Jade is strong and funny. Jordan found the perfect balance of strong and vulnerable for Jade. When you first meet Jade, she is an orphan and living in a group home trying to survive the system until she turns 18 years old. She is offered the opportunity to leave the group home and learn to hunt and fight demons. Along the way you meet more teens and adults with the same goal. The reader follows Jade on a journey of self-discovery that sometimes leaves more questions than answers. I found this made the story even more fascinating.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I was a little leery because I was getting it for free but I was really interested after reading the description of the book post here on goodreads. Breed of Innocence far exceed my expectations and reaffirmed my belief there are some great, dare I say, awesome books out there that are self-published. I did not see any editing issues that I have found in other self-pub books. I will definitely be reading book two.

[Jonel · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an exciting read. Jordan takes the idea of a demon hunter to a whole new level. In this story we find ourselves in what can only be termed a Black Ops training facility for demon hunters. These teens spend years training to be able to track down and capture or eliminate demons around the world. Jordan also takes the definition of demon down a different path. Her demons encompass a much larger realm of supernaturals than just the stereotypical demon.

This action packed story has a handful of well developed characters. The main character is a magnet for trouble. No matter what she does to avoid it, sticky situations seem to just find their way into her path. She is also discovering more about herself and her family throughout her training. While she is running around getting in and out of trouble you find yourself caught up in the suspense of trying to guess what’s coming next and how the situation will pan out, followed by laughing out loud.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way that the author took a subject that has been done to death and gave it a brand new spin. This is a gripping novel that both YA and adult readers can enjoy.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story of a teenager, Jade, who gets scooped up by a secret organization to be trained to fight demons. Two years prior to the start of the book she lost her family to a demon attack. She is more than ready to learn the skills she needs to avenge her family’s murders.

It is a fast paced enjoyable read. There is a real story here! Things happen! When you've read a few books in a row that seem to drag on this is a very refreshing thing.

The characters are well written. Jade is tough, independent, and impulsive without reading like a whiny teenager. I also feel the other lead characters – Mr. Greene and Lincoln – are well done. The relationship between Lincoln and Jade develops naturally without the instant love connection that seems to be so popular in YA fiction.

I hope the next book has more about the demons and science done by the organization. I felt some of the details were rushed in this one so I hope they are more developed in the next installment.

I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, although I definitely think I could have connected more with the characters. I didn't dislike Jade... but I didn't particularly like her either. While it was an enjoyable read, I guess I was sort of indifferent. But I did appreciated her drama free friendship with Linc. And I thought the way vampires (and demons in general) were originally created in this world was really interesting and different.

There were a few things that bothered me because they didn't really seem like a natural progression of the plot, but more just to add drama. :
1) The whole scene with Felicia and Jade in the South Tower. They had sort of already beaten the whole Felicia-is-an-evil-bitch thing with a dead horse, so I'm not sure what the point of this was. Except that maybe there is something special about Jade because the escaped demon sniffed her instead of attacking... but they never mentioned that again.
2) Their Combat final they pretended they were after her so she went on the run around the facility! That was just stupid. With all her trust issues, worst idea ever on Greene's part. And she didn't even make a big deal about it. People could have been seriously hurt and besides, NO WAY did two 16 year old who've been training for like THREE MONTHS kick multiple full-agents asses AT A TIME! No. Way.
3) Their Tracking final why the FUCK did they leave the prospects, I though the agents were supposed to stay by their side the ENTIRE time. And then even though Peter later said he though Greene shouldn't have put Jade and Felicia in the same group, HE left Jade ALONE with her! That was a plot set-up for something bad to happen if I've ever seen one, and even worse it was sort of a repeat of what already happened with the demon in the South Tower.
4) Felicia - of course the "mean girl" in school immediately hates our heroine. Greene made that big speech at the beginning that they are employees, but he really let her in particular get away with acting like a high schooler. Demon fighters or not you can't go around doling or physical or verbal abuse to your co-workers and have that be OK. I'm almost positive Felicia will show up in book 2 because the way she was just expelled all of a sudden was way too neat after everything she caused (I don't really want her to, she's annoying, but if she doesn't then her whole presence in book 1 was pure crap just to cause problems). And you can make someone a bitch without making them PURE EVIL. I really wish we'd gotten to see a more human side of Felicia because the black-and-white portrayal makes it less real to me and more juvenile.

I've got book two already and I am curious to see where this goes. I'd like to see progression with her relationship with Linc and her friendship with Tasha (she really just had cameo's but if they want us to believe Jade is at home at CGE then I'd like to see the two of them form a friendship separate from Linc). I'd like Jade to find out more about what happened to her family no way was it a coincidence that an ex-hunter got killed by demons in her own home, I SMELL A SET-UP!. Aaaand, that's all I got! :) Onto book 2!

Book provided for free from the author in exchange for an honest, unbiased review, as a part of R2R (read to review) in Lovers Of Paranormal Group. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breed of Innocence by Lanie Jordan is an enjoyable book to read. I was very excited to read this book with many reviews comparing it to my favourite series, the Vampire Academy books.

The story begins in a foster home situation with the main character, Jade, not liked by the carer or other children in the home and not liking them in return. There is a effortless shift in setting with action and conflict from the beginning to introduce the organisation CGE (Consortium of Genetic Engineering) where the story will develop. Fights and getting into trouble seem to be a regular occurrence in Jade's life and though she was hoping to avoid these when accepting to be a part of CGE, she is not that lucky with both happening almost immediately. The CGE for Jade is academy-based with students learning about the demons in the world and how to survive and defeat them. Of course Jade gets in life threatening situations to test her learning and understanding on her own and with the assistance of others.

The characters in the book are easy to like or hate as the case may be, with the main character Jade, best friend Linc and antagonist Felicia. Jade is a 16 year old girl who stands up for her beliefs and has strong values when it comes to fighting. She is determined to do what she thinks is right and though she has had a tough couple of years with the death of her family leading to her foster home situation, she will not give up on her goal of finding the demon who killed her family. To help her with this, insert Linc, who is everything Jade needs when she needs it. I really liked the friendship that developed between these two characters. As with any good antagonist, Felicia is there to test each move Jade makes and has fun attempting to subdue Jade's presence at CGE and in turn keep her 'top-dog' status.

Breed of Innocence was a great book and that I recommend to all YA fans. This book was easy to read and difficult to put down with an entertaining storyline with the right amount of seriousness and humour involved. So many young adult books have vampire as the main characters where the girl falls in love with the vampire and they live happily ever after. This is a refreshing story with two main characters, both humans, learning and helping each other to develop their skills in a world full of demons. I am now eagerly awaiting book two of the series.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two years ago Jade’s family was killed by a monster, not a human who does despicable things but a real monster, a Demon. She has spent the last two years being shuffled between foster families and group homes whilst secretly trying to find the Demon that ruined her life. When a secret organization called the CGE offers Jade the chance to be trained as a real demon hunter and eventually go after the one that killed her family she jumps at the opportunity.

With classes like Demonology and Combat, Demon hunting school is nothing like a regular school and Jade is going to have to work very hard if she wants to catch up to the other students in phase 1 and pass at the same time. As well as Demon hunting, the CGE offers some other things that jade hasn’t known for a long time such as friendship, a place to belong, and possibly even a little love.

The characters are fantastic; Jade is smart, tough and fiery and makes the ideal protagonist whilst Linc is her perfect match, still tough but a lot calmer and more controlled. Even the smaller characters are well written and interesting from smart Doc to ruthless and aggressive Felecia and finally Director Greene who definitely has a secret or two up his sleeve.

Breed of Innocence is a great book and a good start to the series, with an engaging plot and the occasional shocking twist that will have you gasping. This book is an action packed journey of self-discovery with Jade slowly learning that there is more to life – and Demon hunting – than just revenge. I am looking forwards to the next book in The Breed Chronicles and seeing how Jade does in phase 2 of her training.

*This book was provided to me my the author for an honest review, this has not affected the review in any way*

[Melly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breed of Innocence is part action, part mystery, and part self-discovery. Jade is such a cool character. If she were real, I’d want her to be my friend. Despite all of the horrible things that she’s had to endure, she’s still a fairly positive person with a wicked sense of humor. Her snarky comments had me laughing out loud.

Jade’s family was murdered by someone…or something? She lives in a group home with a woman and several other girls who can’t stand her. Every day is a battle, and well, a safety hazard, until one day two men show up on their doorstep. Turns out Jade wasn’t mistaken, her family’s murderer wasn’t exactly human. She soon learns of a whole other world she didn’t know existed. Through it all she is determined to find the killer who stole her family from her, no matter what it takes. No sacrifice is too big.

She’s taken to the CGE and invited to learn all that she needs to know to fight back. The CGE isn’t for everyone and Jade will soon learn why that is. It’s there that she meets Lincoln. (And this is where I swooned.) Linc is a sweetheart and he and Jade quickly become friends and possibly something more…

This book is exciting and even a little spooky at times. Lanie Jordan definitely puts a creative spin on things. I’m looking forward to finding out what happens during Phase 2!

[Yvette Calleiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breed of Innocence was a great read! The characters are well-developed. The main character, Jade, is exactly the kind of character I love to read about. She is a young, strong-willed teen whose last year has been hell yet she manages to stay strong and move forward. She is not without her weaknesses and doubts, but those only help to make her more realistic and easier to love. Her voice captures you from the beginning and makes you want to see her succeed despite the trouble that seems to always find her.

The storyline moves at a perfect pace. You are drawn into the storyline from the very beginning. The author keeps you intrigued throughout the whole novel by giving little hints here and there about what you will discover to be true at the end of book one. The conflicts build one upon the other seemlessly, and you are hooked until the very end.

There is just the right touch of romance/love story between Jade and Linc. Too many books quicken the pace of romance in young adult books and focus on the love story whereas this book focuses on the story and allows the characters to be there for each other and care for one another without going to extremes.

The concept of the book is refreshing. I love the idea of a school for training demon hunters. I can't wait to read about Phase 2 and the dangers that await Jade and her fellow prospects. :-)

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Breed of Innocence. It has all the elements I enjoy in a good YA read with excellent world and character building. I loved Jade who is incredibly strong of will and character, and even after exposure to horror and trauma and abuse, she is the type of character that continues to have a caring sweetness about her. She is smart and has natural abilities that help her excel in all of her efforts fueled by vengeance and the promise of being able to beat down on the head of the demon who murdered her mother and brother. She never tries to draw attention to herself, but it seems that trouble is destined to follow her. In summary; broken angry sweet spirited girl, secret government organization for fighting demons, magic, mayhem, not to mention a hottie of a male counterpart, and excellent storyline - what more could I ask for? Overall this was a fun and very satisfying read and will likely hold a place in the reread section of my library for when I get the urge to revisit this world prior to the release of new installments. I received this book from the author with a request for my honest review without any compensation whatsoever, other than the joy of reading a new book.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two years ago a demon killed Jade's family. No one believed her, they all thought she was nuts. So she tried to talk herself into believing the same thing - that demons didn't exist. But she still tried to prepare herself to find the one that killed her family. That's where Director Greene came in - he wants her to go hunt demons. He want to TRAIN her to hunt demons. If you had the opportunity to go after what took your family - wouldn't you?? I would. That doesn't mean it's going to be easy for Jade. This was an excellent read. The writing drew you in to a brand new world where demons and other things that go bump in the night are all too real. And they're not the only thing that Jade has to look out for. The characters are fresh and so is the world. It was easy to slip into this world and enjoy the people and sitations that arose. Loved the fight scenes, very realistic, you could almost hear the smacks and thuds of bodies falling. Lanie is someone to watch out for, and I intend to. This series seems to be well on it's way to success. With good reason. I can't wait to read more about Jade, Linc and Director Greene get into next.

I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was unbelievably amazing! I couldn't pit it down!
If you like a girl who's tough enough to be her own hero but human enough to ask for help you will love Jade!
Lanie Jordan creates a brilliant story about growing up, fitting in and fighting demons.

Jade is left an orphan after the death of her family, forced to live in a place she hates. Life seems pretty bleak until one day she is saved and take to CGE where she will get the opportunity to avenge her family... assuming she makes it out alive.

I don't even know how to construct a review because I'm so excited about this novel and for its sequel to come out. I found the book unbelievably interesting it had a perfect mix of explanation, action, hooks and well developed characters.

This book is perfect for anyone who loves to indulge in fantasy/action/adventure and read an iubelevably interesting twists on demons.

[anjuli · Rating 1 out of 5]

Had to DNF this book. I couldn't get into it.

[Tammy "Z Girl" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story! Looking forward to the second book in the series.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
P.S. Sorry for my unigraphs, I have a lot to write and not enough time to think through my paragraph breaks. ;)

What an awesome read! I went into this book hesitant as to if I would like it because I have never really been a fan of demons and all that stuff and I was also hesitant from the very short summary on Goodreads, but it had good reviews so I was willing to give it a chance. I open up the book on my iPad Mini. I was fairly hooked on the first two pages, and then after that I was absolutely, positively hooked on it and was ready to read the entire thing. I was enjoying it whole-heartedly. This book was definitely different than most books I have read in the YA/childrens genre, mostly because it is written differently and has a plot that isn't all that original, but still feels like it is. It was definitely a refreshing change for me. The writing style reminded me a bit of Skulduggery Pleasant, which I did not like. I think that is part of the reason when I began to read the book, I got the feeling I wouldn't like it. Luckily, this book did not dissapoint!!

The plotline starts as soon as you begin reading. The usual chapter or two of introduction is gone from this story. You get maybe a page before the action begins. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing because I'm sure it's a relief for impatitent readers who like to get to the action. I, however, ususally like a little more intro in my books. Though, I guess in life we don't get to choose when the car crash/death/major event happens in our lives, it just does.

People:

Jade. It's a very, ah, charming name. It has a rough, yet pretty edge to it. I don't really know if it fits her though. Jade is similar to another character I love. Maximum Ride, anyone? She has the disinterested sarcasm and manipulative abilities. She also has the snide, cutting remarks that she uses as a wall between her and others she doesn't like. It seems to be characteristic of girls on the run/girls who are homeless/girls in group homes in YA literature. However, this is my favorite kind of female character because I find them the most relatable and just laugh-out-loud funny!! Anyways, back to Jade. I like how responsible she is. She shows a lot of maturity for her age, as I do, so I like when a character shows that. She's down to earth, business like, but yet still fun and relaxed. She's definitely a balance of responsibility and carefree-ness. This ties into her being an awesome student. She really motivates me to be a better student and work hard because of the mature dedication and drive she shows. I'm starting a new semester in school, so it's really gotten me in the mood and motivated me to work harder this semester. To be willing to pull all-nighters to study?? I'm not willing. Only if I really have to. AND NOT EVERY NIGHT. THAT SHE HAS THAT DETERMINATION AND DEDICATION IS INCREDIBLE!!!!! I just use her as a role model or example when I want to procrastinate. =)

Mr. Greene
Mr. Greene is like a modern-day, James Bond version of Dumbledore or Gandlaf. Him and Jade were like equally favorites in my mind. The other characters- ehhhh. He is really a funny guy. You can tell he loves Jade like a daughter, and I love that about him. He's kind of like Jade's dad, or a parent, to make up for the loss of her two parents. It makes their relationship and his actions on her behalf that much more profound and deeper. Their relationship made you love his character.

Linc
Linc was...so-so for me. I mean, I think he was a great character, but I found it hard to connect/develop a relationship with him when the author mentioned him a lot and didn't actually include that many scenes after the beginning to middle where it was him and Jade. I would like to see more of him in the next book. Otherwise, I thought he was super-sweet and just a great guy. =) The obvious love that he has for Jade is so sweet! And how much he cares for her, wants to protect her, and help her, it's just so hot and cute and so incredibly sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, gushing. *sheepishly relaxes*

Felecia
First off, I never really liked the name Felecia. It's just so ugly and awkward. Second off, I HATE HER GIVE ME CROWBAR NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW *pants while darting eyes about searching for a weapon* Felecia was just awful. She isn't your usual "girl bully". With her, the whole "girls bully with words, guys with fists" is totally blown out of the water!!!! Felecia would kill Jade if she could. She's like Satan in human teenaged girl form. She's bad, bad, bad news.

Places:

CGE
One of my favorite fictional schools! If you have ever read the Gallagher Girls series(I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You), it's like the Gallagher Academy, but more realistic, mature, and co-ed. And way less awesome, but that can't be helped. Anyways, it is still a stupendous and awesome school! After the Gallagher Acadmey (if I didn't get accepted there), I would want to go to the CGE! I fell in love with a lot of things about the place. First off, I like the very organized training and classes system. It's really cool because of the fact that they're all, like, demon-oriented. Also, the running of the place was super cool. It was like working for the CIA, but still going to school there at the same time. That sort of atmosphere. If that made any sense. Thirdly, I really liked how kids are treated like adults, with responsibility. It's kind of like college for teens. Except even a little bit more hard core than that. And more fun. And it tests your physical capacity as well. Again, I just fell totally in love with the school/company/institution/consortium/whatever it is.

My Other Thoughts/Ramblings:

It was so incredibly, incredibly hard to put this book down. Every chapter made you want to just keep reading and reading and reading and reading! It was so easy to just keep reading, all that was really separating it was the little "Chapter _" thing....

There were a lot of awesome plot twists in this book! They were exciting and well placed. Really made the book for me! And the action was amazing! I just loved reading it because every page is something epic and awesome and SUPER COOL!! I'm starting to spazz now. Sorry. ;)


What's really interesting about this story, even though it sounds not that original, is that it's like a boarding school to train kids to fight demons!!!! You're probably thinking, "Yes. That was explained in the book summary you idiot *shakes head*," but it's so much more than that. When you read about it it becomes a lot more cool than when it's in the summary, a lot more real I guess.

One super weird thing was how in the book, demons are new beings. What's weird is, they're in the Bible and have been a staple of Christianity/Catholicism for a long time....

One thing I think it is easy for the reader to miss is that this story is set in the future. Yep, folks. I hope you caught that, because it helps make the story make more sense. How I do know? Well, here. First of all, what we the reader assumes is Orlando, is referred to in the book as New Orlando. Why, we don't know. It is definitely still near where Orlando is/was and in Florida because of references to the "old Kennedy Space Center". Which brings me to my next piece of evidence. The fact that it is called the "old Kennedy Space Center" and that it is explained that hurricanes destroyed the whole area fifteen years ago and no one really goes there anymore. It can be confusing, because since the author hasn't exactly told you it is set in the future, you are sort of wondering in the beginning if it is set in present day and the author is just making up events (which usually doesn't happen unless it's fantasy set in modern-day times....). However, you realize the setting is in the future because of some information that is given to you about the discovery of demons and a few years and then time frames given to you in regards to that. This places the time-frame of the story a little or a long while (though most likely a little while) after 2040. Complex, I know.

Another thing I appreciated about this book was how the author totally got the use of technology in the classroom thing, which is awesome. In most books set in "modern high school" the authors write about how high school was when they went, which isn't really their fault. But they forget to include the new technological aspects that are used, such as SMART Boards and iPads. As a student, it was nice to actually see a classroom you would be in in a story instead of a stale, outdated, stereotypical classroom. Another realistic aspect the author added was how one of Jade's teachers said, "You may or may not have a test next class." I mean, that's nothing new, but a lot of people portray teachers in a boring, predictable light, when really they're always looking for an opportunity to mess with you and switch things up.

I really liked Jade's Demonology teacher! He needs to come to my school! His personality and teaching style really hooked me from the few lines he speaks.

I was wishing for the longest time that Jade would find a friend who was a girl, because I wasn't really liking how there was only one (nice) female character in the story. But, that made it interesting and I think was part of the appeal, so I'm not really complaining.

One thing I really did not like was the overuse of the phrase "made a face". There was twenty-one uses of it in the book. It got annoying.

I can totally see Jade growing up to be one of the top demon-hunters in the world. She's just so incredibly smart and kick-butt. ;)

I had to look up the word consortium on Dictionary.com and so for anyone still wondering here's the definiton: (n) any association, partnership, or union. It's origin is the 1820-1830's. Interesting, huh? I had no idea it was a new word!

I drove by a consortium one day and was like, "Breed of Innocence!!"

Sorry for all of those random thoughts about my apparent fascination with consortiums. *hangs head*


Random SPAZZ/Meaningful Thoughts I Had While Reading (in bulleted format):

. OHMYGOD I REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE COMBAT EXAM!!!!!!! LIKE HOLY FREAKING CRAP I WAS LIKE, "BOOYAH AWESOME SAUCE!!!!!!!!!!!!

. FELECIA'S GONE OH YEAH PARTY PARTY PARTY WOOT WOOT WOOT WOOT

. They're keeping something from Jade. I think it's that she was bitten, not just scratched.

. Everyone cares so much about Jade, it's just so darn cute!

. I didn't think Felecia should be let on the demon-hunting trip with her past history of leaving people to be attacked and killed by demons. And her insane murderous hatred and rage of Jade and lack of a consciousness. Felecia is creepy actually. About as mental as a serial killer. She has so much hatred and no regrets! And Jade is supposed to depend and trust her in a mission!
-Yep. I was right even before the mission started. I was like, "She shouldn't be allowed to be on the mission with Jade. Too dangerous and unpredictable." And then what happens? She leaves Jade for dead and afterwards everyone is like, "She shouldn't have been allowed on the mission." I mean WTF?!?!?!

. I KNEW SHE WAS BITTEN I KNEW IT BWHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAAH I AM SO GOOD AT GUESSING THIS BOOK SHE CAN'T DIE OHMYGOD NOT AFTER ALL OF THE STUDYING FOR HER FINALS FREAKING FELICIA ELCEXPXIWDOCESOXKWDNFTHATBITCHKCHENDUEMECPDUWDDPEJEME

. I love how she calls him Dr. Asshat. It's just the funniest thing!

. Jade can't die, Linc loves her so much! NOOOOOOOOOOO

. WHOA DEMON-HUNTING HERITAGE EPICALLY AWESOME OHMYGOD THIS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

. So that's mostly why Greene specifically picked her out: she was the daughter of two agents who had died, and the girl was the only survivor of a demon attack in which one of their former agents died, and now she is in a group home (where prospects come from), she's perfect to recruit! Plus he probably heard how smart she was and remembered her parents well.

. I always kind of guessed from the beginning when he first mentioned that some of the agents have their DNA messed with that Jade had something weird like that in her genes. I just knew it. And I'm not just saying that to appear insightful.

. I love heritage and ancestry and people being similar but different than their ancestors, so the whole realization about her mom made me feel good.



So why did I give it four stars? Well, as I said, I am not a big fan of demon stuff for some reason (I'm actually sort of repulsed by it) and the writing style wasn't really my cup of tea. It just didn't really hit that 5 STARS OMG I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK HOW DO I EXPLAIN MY FEEEEEELLS mark for me. I think it will for most people, as it is a marvelous and superb book, but it just didn't get there for me personally.

[The Book Tart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published at The Book Tart http://thebooktart.com/book-review/co...

Breed of Innocence is a fantastic young adult novel by Lanie Jordan. But I know lots of adults who read YA and teens who don’t stick with young adult fiction… Really, it’s all about the story. And this is a good one. I loved this book! Jade is a very relatable heroine. I enjoyed her thought process and how she looked at situations. I felt that she was very strong and courageous. She’s been through a horrible trauma that left her family dead. Yes, she wants revenge for the horror that has changed her life. But she’s living in foster care and just trying to survive it till she’s 18 and can really try to track down the thing that devastated her life.

“I’m a sixteen-year-old living in a group home because no one wanted me. I’ve got ‘authority issues’—” I used air quotes. “—a bad temper, and an awesome attitude that no one else seems to think is all that awesome.”



Mr. Greene comes to the house she staying at and in a very fun scene (I vlogged a bit of it) he shows her that monsters are real. He tells her “This isn’t a revenge course, Miss Hall. It’s a potential job.” He asks her if she wants to come work for the CGE. She has no ties to the foster home and immediate signs up. I liked how upfront Greene was. He didn’t claim that she would kill the demon that took her family. And he doesn’t say she’ll be ready to go hunting tomorrow. He promises that it will take time and hard work to learn how to track and hunt the things that go bump in the night. Jade is determined to learn everything she can to be prepared when the time comes to fight.

When she starts her training at the CGE, Jade compares it to “high school for demon hunters.”. It IS like high school. There’s a bully named Felecia, who I loved to hate. Lanie wrote the secondary characters with dimension and heart. I loved some of them so much. Tasha rocks! And Linc… *sigh* Love him! Mr. Greene has Linc show Jade around the campus and they become friends. They click. I love the interaction between them. I laughed at their dialogue and recognized some of it from my own friendships. I liked how natural their relationship felt, with their teasing banter and her threatening bodily harm after he woke her up too early one morning. I’d do the same.

Linc stood before me, wearing a smile that was entirely too smiley, and I found myself wanting to smack it away like I would an annoying bug buzzing at my head. “Morning.” Even his voice was smiley

When Linc held her hand, without being asked, to distract her from her fear of doctors, I was immediately hooked. I am very excited to see where their relationship goes. There are definitely sparks but it’s rooted in a deep friendship.

I love Lanie Jordan’s world building. I enjoyed the science and history that’s woven into this story to explain the genetic mutations behind the vampires and demons. The structure of the CGE and how they function and what their purpose is seemed very thought out and developed. Because of that, the story felt grounded, but not too much detail that it felt weighted down. I liked the fight scenes and could visualize most of this story in my head like a movie. (I’d so love a Breed Chronicle movie!) I got a kick reading about the campus and their training program. I loved going with Jade to Demonology on Mondays, Tracking on Tuesdays, Weapons on Wednesdays and Combat Training on Thursdays and seeing her navigate the school life and deal with the challenges that arise as she trains to be a demon hunter.

Here are a few more fav lines

♦Good, but still odd. I hadn’t been this comfortable with anyone in a while. I’d known Linc less than twenty-four hours, but we just…meshed. He was the best friend I’d had in ages and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Sad, in a way, that someone I’d known less than twenty-four hours could become my best friend.



♦“Think of your right hand as the force and your left as the balance.”

“I feel a Star Wars joke coming on,” I murmured.

He raised an eyebrow and leaned back slightly. “I’m impressed you even know of Star Wars. They’re way, way before our time.”

“They’re classics.”



♦I couldn’t remember reading about any demons that liked blankets. It was possible, wasn’t it? “They’re covered in a blanket, so I can’t tell.” Brushing me aside, Felecia looked into the room herself. “Well, I don’t see why they’d give a demon a blanket, so I’d say it’s a fair guess that’s not what’s in there.”



♦I felt like I was watching a horror movie, right before I knew one of the characters was about to die because the viewer could see the killer creeping closer and closer. Except I was the character. But the killer wasn’t creeping up on me. It already had me.

I would not consider this story a romance, though there’s potential for romance in it. It’s an urban fantasy that’s full of adventure and humor and heart. It’s about Jade, a grieving girl, who’s lost her family and dreams of vengeance, and her journey to becoming a girl who is empowered to defend others and fight monsters. I am eagerly waiting for the next chapter in Jade’s adventures and highly recommend you pick up Breed of Innocence and fall in love with Jade like I did.

I will be stalking Lanie for the sequel. She has at least 6 books in this series planned right now! *Kermit flail*

(((hugs))) Kat

The Queen of Tarts

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 STARS

A little less than a month ago I was given the opportunity to read Lanie Jordan’s novel Breed of Innocence, the first book of the Breed Chronicles. I have to admit, the title threw me off a bit… breed – breeding? Should I prepare myself for some creepy story where we find out the characters are all being bred with ideal genetic traits for the benefit of science? Or does the title suggest that the characters are simply all of one particular trait – innocent; and later we will discover that this innocence has been used against them the entire time? The jury is still out after having finished the novel, truly… the series could go either way or another way entirely. But let me digress, while the title was strange to me, the summary sounded very interesting:

“Six hours ago, men in dark suits and sunglasses came looking for me.
Four hours ago, they offered me training to hunt the things that killed my family: demons.

Two hours ago, I joined their secret organization—the CGE.
Now… All I have to do is survive demon-hunting school.

The classes won’t kill me, but the finals might.”

I, personally, am all up for a novel about a bad ass chick who has a vendetta against demons. This could be an awesome new spin on the whole angels/demons/protectors of humanity thing that has been very prevalent in YA fiction as of late. And truly, I was rather happy with the results. This book had enough action to hold my interest, a bit of romance without having the reader drown in it, plenty of demon related material to keep the reader cognizant of the plot. In short, I enjoyed reading the novel.

That said, there were a few issues that did affect my pleasure while reading. While none of them were big enough to make me dislike the book, I did have to knock a few points off of the star rating. First and foremost, there were a lot of similarities between this story and Harry Potter- while I get that it’s a fantasy novel where the main character goes to school to train, so some things are going to match up simply because of the plot and setting, I still was somewhat bothered by these resemblances. For instance, the main characters in both stories are orphans due to their parent’s involvement in a particular organization, both have a main male friend, a main female friend, and a pain in the butt peer who gets them into trouble, and lastly both have a grandfatherly like figure who guides them through their schooling while withholding information about their lives, future, etc. Again, these likenesses were not completely distracting but it is noticeable and can be a little off-putting.

Another issue with the book is the world building. While the author does a great job setting up the school and classes, she almost ignores the world outside of it. The readers are given a few hints that this book is set in the future (ex: “New Orlando”) but from what I remember very little is explicitly stated about the setting. It is my opinion, that if you want to do something like this then by all means do! It can really add to the story if done well. As is, however, I would be interested in seeing the world building develop a bit. Besides for these few little hints, the society has not really changed- one would think that if this was the future there would be more futuristic-ness about it.

My final complaint (again, very minor) is that I simply hated the way that demons came to be. It seemed silly to me, and rather like a cop-out. I mean really… really??? I’m not going to give it away, but let’s just say I hope we find out in the future that this is simply a cover up story.

So to conclude my rather rambling review… I enjoyed reading this book. I hope to read its sequel in the near future. I think there is a lot of potential for the coming novels in this series and I am interested to see if any of the turns and twists I have going through my head come to fruition.

Oh and a big thank you to Lanie Jordan for a copy of her book!

[Moriah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Breed of Innocence is the first book in The Breed Chronicles.
Jade saw her family murdered by demons. She's trying to find the demon that killed them but can't do anything when no one believes her, not even herself. She lives in a group home and she hates it.
Later, some people come looking for her, they claim they are working on a secret organization - the CGE. They convince her to join them and now Jade must learn how to hunt demons, in a demon-hunting school.

I found this introduction very tempting and I was eager to read the book, I mean - Demon hunting, come on. but the truth is that I was a little disappointed.

Although the book is beautifully written, funny and witty dialogues with sharp humor and excellently developed characters.
But my problem with the book is that it dropped the main thing - the hunting.
Not that there was no action. In fact, there was a lot of action. The book started with action and there was battles starting in the first few chapters, but at least until after the first half of the book, I don't really remember hunting demons.
Instead of showing us the school during the school year and the main plot, there is a long and tedious introduction and tutorials and too many answers to questions that the reader doesn't ask.

I felt I was going before the plot, I knew too much. I think that this book could've been much better if it was a little less revealing information every minute, if the main plot was finally begins and with it we learn about the place and the characters and we would ask questions and slowly get answers. And if the plot was not lazing around slowly just to show us the school, the characters, the important things and unimportant alike. It's exhausting rather than necessary.
And that, I think, is entirely important in the paranormal genre, among others. The mystery of it. Not even for a moment I felt intrigued throughout the plot, and a lot of things that inthrall the reader - just did not have a chance.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Thoughts - 5 out of 5 unicorns - I loved it!!

**received the book free from the Lovers of Paranormal group for an honest review

I have wanted to read this book because my mom really liked it when she read it a month or two ago, so when the chance came up to read it I jumped :) because we generally like the same books :) And I loved it!! I was sucked straight into the story and Jade’s life. Jade has a heart breaking back story and tough life, but she is a tough and strong heroine you quickly bond with as trouble keeps stalking her. It is an exciting action packed story that I couldn’t put down. There was NO boring first bookness that sometimes occurs with a new series. You have high school issues with bullying, fights, demonology class, weapons, secrets, freedom, demons, new friends, did I say secrets and so much more.

I recommend to all YA paranormal lovers because it is fantastic. I bought my own copy of the kindle boxed set, and I am going to buy it in paperback for my classroom library to share with my students….the responsible ones who I think will bring it back anyway ; ) It is a must read!! Loved it, now I’m going to start book 2. YAY!!!

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another new and interesting character and scenario. I enjoyed it enough to go looking for sequels or series and buy them. Very engaging.

[Charles Lee]

Great reading

This book I didn't put down I loved reading it .I read many books over the years this was my favorite

[Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

From http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....

At A Glance
I loved the concept and it was a good read but some of the characters needed to be fleshed out.

The Good
Breed of Innocence caught my interest right away. The concept of rounding up people with special DNA to hunt demons is pretty refreshing. I am a sucker for training books, where people teach others how to fight, use weapons, and so on. I love the idea of empowering people to take care of themselves, especially women. And that's exactly what happened to Jade. After her family was murdered by a demon, all she wanted to do was find it and kill it. And now she will get that chance as a future demon hunter.

The first thing that caught my attention was Jade's strong, snarky personality. Loved it. I felt so bad for her, having been moved around from one foster and group home to another and pretty much having a crappy life. I relaxed a little when Jade was offered to live and train at the CGE, a demon hunting school. The way it all happened, with this creepy Mr. Green coming out of nowhere, saying demons are real and this is her only chance at getting revenge for her family was odd, but it worked.

Jade makes quick friends with Linc who helps her assimilate into the school. I loved how nice and supportive he was. He is like the perfect guy friend who you wish was more. Then we had the horrible Felecia who hated Jade right away for being "more special" than her. Felecia is not just an enemy, she is straight up psycho. If she could, she would leave Jade to die. That's a scary person to be around, someone who literally wants you dead. Eek!

Jordan did a great job of world-building and providing enough demon history to keep it interesting but not annoying. The action was awesome. My muscles tensed as Jade was put in dangerous situations time after time (often her own doing). I loved the air of foreboding Jordan often injected into scenes. And when we found out some pretty big secrets, I was genuinely shocked. I just love being surprised.

The Bad
I wish the secondary characters were more developed. Most were one dimensional with little backstory.

I also felt the connections Jade made with some characters were a little convenient with no real reasoning behind it.

The Snuggly
This is a very clean YA book. Just some kissing and I don't think there was even a cuss word. The romance between Linc and Jade is very slow because they are just friends throughout most of the book.

Final Thoughts
Though it wasn't perfect, I am still interested in reading book two of this series. I want to see Jade fly through the rest of her training and really get into the meat of demon hunting. Breed of Innocence was definitely a suspenseful and fun read. Recommend.

Quotes
My eyes narrowed. "Then what do you want?"

"We want you to come work for us, for lack of an easier explanation."

The snort escaped before I could stop it. "I'm a sixteen-year-old living in a group home because no one wanted me. I've got 'authority issues'--" I used air quotes, "--a bad temper, and an awesome attitude that no one else seems to think is all that awesome." Turning in my seat, I crossed my arms again and raised an eyebrow. "What possible work could you have for me that wouldn't require me going to jail for beating the--"

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Could not put it down. The plot was fun, interesting, and though a little predictable there were enough twists and turns to keep it fairly unpredictable. There were a couple of typos here and there but very few. I thought that the description was great too. I could picture and imagine everything although a good portion of that was people glaring or having a stubborn look on their faces.

The plot: this book is about a girl named Jade Hall whose family is murdered one night. The police report says she's basically gone crazy from the trauma and she's claiming a 'monster' did it. Only Jade later finds out that it was in fact a demon. She lives a care home run by Mrs. Gill who treats her like crap. One day 3 men show up at the care house and give her a deal she could never refuse. A chance to find and kill the demon that killed her family. They work for the CGE (Consortium of Genetic Engineering what a mouthful). This place does everything from hunting demons - genetically modified demon hunters and finding cures for diseases and much more. Its run by a man named Director Greene who has the uncanny ability to know too much about you. This book is about Jade's journey to being a demon hunter and her journey to self discovery and growth. I loved this plot it was fun, interesting and descriptive. I only had one part that bugged me a little bit in chapter 10 when Felicia and Jade break into the South Tower. Jade is too out of character. She doesn't even trust Linc her best friend and later boyfriend and yet she decides to follow Felicia to South Tower. I don't see her ever doing that willingly. My favorite part though was the Combat test. I was not expecting that at all. I thought maybe Felicia had framed her. That was a fun plot twist. I also loved that the way she tracked the vampires down was threw a knocked over trash can. I was laughing at that part. The predictable part was her DNA anomaly. The second Greene brought it up I knew that her super healing had something to do with it. I figured she either got it from her parents or the demon or the night of the attack. .

I loved the characters. Greene almost seemed omnipotent through a good portion of it. He also acted like Jade's Uncle or father figure. I actually thought they were related at some point. Jade the main character is feisty, strong-willed, stubborn to a fault but she never gives up. She has a hard time trusting but when she does she is loyal and trustworthy. Doc was awesome. She was kind, caring, and an all around bright person. Tasha, god she had me in hysterics. She is spunky and a bit of a sadist. She has a mean streak but she is loyal and once your friends with her you have someone who will protect you from anything. Then there is the attractive, blue-eyed, and hilarious Linc. He is charismatic, good-looking, and generally goofy. He is the comedy relief in parts that were tense making you relax for the next scene in the book. I loved the characters. I loved how everyone of them grew some better (Jade), some worse (Felicia). They never were stagnant, they were always changing.

Very well written. I was so impressed I bought Shadow and Light. Recommend.

[Wennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Breed of Innocence by Lanie Jordan
Reviewed by Wennie Conedy
4.5 out of 5 stars

Disclaimer: ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for a book with realistic characters, snark, humour and action, look no further for I have the book for you.

Breed of Innocence is billed as a YA fantasy with vampires, demons and demon hunters. The summary of the book drew me in immediately.

“Six hours ago, men in dark suits and sunglasses came looking for me.
Four hours ago, they offered me training to hunt the things that killed my family: demons. Two hours ago, I joined their secret organization--the CGE.
Now... All I have to do is survive demon-hunting school. The classes won't kill me, but the finals might.”

With a summary like that, I eagerly dove into reading.

Jade Hall is an orphan. She’s an angry sarcastic teenager who had the unfortunate circumstance of surviving a demon attack where her mother and brother were murdered. There’s one problem and it’s a big one. No one believes her account of the murders. Living in a group home, she feels trapped with nowhere to go, until one organization comes for her, the CGE.

The CGE is a mysterious organization devoted to two things -- demon hunting and research and development. CGE invites her on a hunt and tries to convince her to join CGE. After a very graphic display, Jade decides to join the CGE for one thing and one thing only, she wants revenge. Her purpose? Find the demon who killed her family and destroy it. But before she can do that, she needs to survive the various phases of demon training, and more importantly, she needs to pass, and live through, the final exam.

Let me be clear – I loved loved loved his book. I loved the humour, the sarcasm, the back talk and the attitude. Jade is focused and smart, snarky yet vulnerable, innocent and naïve. She is thrown into an environment that is way out of her league but finds and forms a fast friendship with Linc. Dare I hope that there may be more than friendship between these two? I sure hope so.

The story is told at a fast pace with well-rounded characters, fully developed scenarios and the characters kick-ass. There are moments when I found myself snickering, and moments where I was taken by surprise. You will absolutely adore Jade, and root for her burgeoning relationship with Linc.

The book is a very quick read, and once you finish book one, you will long to get your hands right away on book two, which thankfully, is already available.

After reading books heavy on the fantasy and light on humor, character development and a well thought out plot, Breed of Innocence is a welcome deviation.

Did the author deliver on her promise? That’s an absolute yes. Look no further for your summer read. This is the book for you. Did I say that I loved this book?

[Jennifer Ricketts (Donnie Darko Girl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the age of sixteen, Jade Hall is offered an education along with a job as a demon slayer by a mysterious organization called the CGE (Consortium of Genetic Engineering). She's had a rough life being shipped from foster home to foster home after losing her family to tragedy, and so without any real stability in her life it's difficult for her to trust anyone. It was refreshing to see a character in a YA novel who has been in the foster care system--young adults reading this book who live in foster homes or group homes can relate to Jade's background.

I found myself drawn to Jade right away--there are so many positive qualities about her such as her sense of humor, courage, and strength. Jade is determined to hunt down and kill the demon who killed her family, but she isn't reckless about it either. She knows it's important to learn how to hunt and kill before she starts her search for revenge. I'm all about demons--they scare the hell out of me, and there were plenty of tense, scary moments!

I loved the relationship between Jade and Linc and the way it developed over time. The dynamic between them was different and unique. Their banter was so clever, made me laugh, and just fit situations so perfectly! I found myself chuckling loudly more than once. They're easygoing together, and best of all, they're equals; Jade isn't a girl who needs a guy to save her--she's tough all on her own.

Felecia is the kind of character I love to hate. Felecia acts like she's tough and is a bully, but when it really comes down to it, she's a coward. Like a lot of other girls Jade has encountered in the various foster homes she lived in, Felecia does her best to provoke and bully Jade out of jealousy. There really was no other reason for Felecia to have such a vendetta against her, and this actually is a realistic situation among teenage girls unfortunately.

The young adults chosen by the CGE all have a rare genetic anomaly that the CGE wants to study, but can the organization be trusted? Are their intentions pure, or is there something more sinister going on? I went back and forth with this--I couldn't decide if they want to help Jade and the others, or if they just want to use them to further their own agenda, whatever that may be. I tend to distrust large organizations that make a high profit, and it just seemed to me something insidious going on. Isn't there usually some sort of underlying evil in every organization in fiction? This could turn out to be the exception or maybe not.

I absolutely loved this book! It was so awesome in every way! There isn't anything about this book that I didn't like. I was captivated, enthralled, and I want more of this story and the characters.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Ms. Jordan, for providing me a copy in exchange for a review.

Can I say that the cover looks totally kick-ass, but the title holds the mystery? I think I'm in love with the cover and I'm definitely in love with its contents. Breed of Innocence is a fresh take on the paranormal and in essence all those creatues are called "demons" in this world.

Now, the summary Goodreads provided doesn't hold much detail, but it gets to the point of what the book is about. Breed of Innocence is about a girl trying to get through demon-hunting school, but she's also figuring out who she is along the way. It's not a character-based book because there's a ton of action going on in here!

Jade Hall has been enrolled into demon-hunting school, AKA the CGE. The CGE is a genetic-research facility for humans along with demons. Cool, isn't it? And no one is the wiser that there's demonic research going on there. This place is top secret and only a selected group can see what the CGE has to offer. And from this selected group there are strange requirements. Like having a special strain of DNA the CGE is looking for, has associtated with demons, or lost family due to demons. I think this was a great detail because the people that have been wronged get a chance from stopping what happened to them happen to others.

After spending two years trying to find the demon that killed her family, Jade's prayers have been answered as she becomes part of the CGE. Not only does Jade meet the requirements, but she excels all expectations. If you look past her snarky yet awesome attitude, you see that Jade is an excellent person. She simply wowed me with her personality and snarky remarks.

Other than Jade being a cool person, all the other characters were amazing. There were no so-so characters, they were all either love or hate. I couldn't like any of the characters, I had to either love or hate them. Jade and Linc happen to be my favourite characters because they get each other and normally they're in cahoots with each other.

The characters were great, but the plot line was phenomenal. I can't express how much I loved the action going on in here. Because the CGE has to train its new students(Prospects), there's some schooling going on. And in any school following a high school structure, there's got to be tension. The lessons aren't the main focus in terms of action, it's all about the trouble the characters get into when they go on their practical exams.

Let's just say that I was very passionate and vocal while reading the book. I can't wait to see what Ms. Jordan has in store for the sequel. Fingers crossed that it's as marvelous as this one.

[Michelle Willms · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breed of Innocence – Phase 1 – Book One
Jade was living in a girls’ home run by the lovely Mrs. Gill (aka Fishface). Two cops (Holt and Walden) appear at the home and ask to speak privately with Jade. Jade cannot think of a think she’s done to warrant a visit from the cops, but she’s also sure Mrs. Gill or one of the other girls will be more than happy to blame something on her.
Jade’s mother and brother were murdered when Jade was 14. Almost two years have passed since that time, but the crime is still vivid in her mind. She saw the murderer. It was a demon. Of course, no one believed her, and the crime remains unsolved. Jade sneaks out of the group home to hunt demons on a regular basis.
The men who’ve come to see her work for the Consortium of Genetic Engineering, or CGE, and they want to offer her a job hunting demons. At first, she has a hard time believing they are sincere. After they take her on a small mission and actually capture a demon that is in the process of assaulting a woman, Jade’s hesitancy vanishes. She’s in. She still has to finish her education and train extensively prior to being allowed to actually hunt demons, but she’s good with that, as long as she is able to eventually hunt down the demon that killed her family. She will also be required to give DNA for scientific research.
Almost immediately upon her arrival she makes friends with a handsome young man, Linc Stone, and enemies with a young woman named Felecia. The first phase of Jade’s training is not filled with just routine exercises; her life has never been so simple. Danger lurks.
Lanie Jordan is an excellent author; sometimes the book has an almost Harry Potter-ish feel to it, at least Book One does, for brief instances, as the descriptions of the students, cliques, and classes are discussed. This is not a bad thing, it is done in an almost teasing manner, lending a comforting feel to the school.
The characters are very well developed, most being multi-faceted. Jade can be an emotional rollercoaster, the kind of person who can be fun and loyal, but also tiring if her moods start swinging. Linc is strong, thoughtful, and an almost perfect friend. Felecia is the most conniving, lowlife enemy one could ever hope to read about.
Jordan portrays these people so well through their interactions, they live and breathe; they become beings the reader can care about or love to care nothing about, as the case may be. The demons are even well developed. They are so vividly and realistically depicted, the reader might expect to find one in their own warehouse district late at night. Thus, the world Jordan has created sparkles with life. It is frightening in its possibilities.
I received a free ARC through LoP via Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.