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Emanations #1
Nolander
Nice girls don't believe in monsters. They're wrong.
Amateur photographer Beth Ryder is in trouble. She's taking pictures of things she can't see, things that aren't human. Beth has her own dreams, but people like her don't get to go free. She's seized by a dangerous organization dedicated to keeping Earth's shadow world -- and its frightening inhabitants -- a secret. Forced into otherworldly politics and uncertain whom to trust, Beth must come to terms with a radically altered future -- one in which her own humanity seems to be draining away.
Amateur photographer Beth Ryder is in trouble. She's taking pictures of things she can't see, things that aren't human. Beth has her own dreams, but people like her don't get to go free. She's seized by a dangerous organization dedicated to keeping Earth's shadow world -- and its frightening inhabitants -- a secret. Forced into otherworldly politics and uncertain whom to trust, Beth must come to terms with a radically altered future -- one in which her own humanity seems to be draining away.
390 pages, Paperback
First published April 2, 2012
166 people are currently reading
1724 people want to read
About the author
Becca Mills
11 books161 followersBecca Mills is an over-educated, under-exercised lover of good coffee, science, and fast cars. And books. Oh yes. She believes the world can be a rough place and that everyone deserves to leave it behind now and then. That pretty much makes books a human right, no?
Becca is currently completing Book 3 of the Emanations series: Isolate. When not novelizing, she spends quite a bit of time on her "day job" as a college writing teacher.
Becca is currently completing Book 3 of the Emanations series: Isolate. When not novelizing, she spends quite a bit of time on her "day job" as a college writing teacher.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
March 24, 2019
This book was actually really good, despite being free. It was entertaining and unique, and there was't too much romance or too many cliché's. I enjoyed this!
Nolander is about a girl who lives in a classic, small, ordinary town and has lived there all her life. She has serious panic attacks and the only thing that helps is photography, until one day she takes 2 photographs that don't match what she's seeing with her own eyes. This leads to Beth finding out about a 2nd emanation around Earth, and all types of monsters and beasts that come with this 2nd emanation.
Beth was easy to relate to and a convincing character, one who made dumb choices but recognised that. Other characters could be fun and interesting, and there was a split POV with a creature, Ghosteater, who appeared to be quite main in the storyline. There was a very small bit of romance that ended quickly, and though I expected more to pick up, it never happened and I was glad for that. I have to say though, the animals were my favourite characters. The little mouse (I don't even know what happened to them) and the tree-pus were the best .
All in all, a good book and a series that I'll probably look into continuing!
Nolander is about a girl who lives in a classic, small, ordinary town and has lived there all her life. She has serious panic attacks and the only thing that helps is photography, until one day she takes 2 photographs that don't match what she's seeing with her own eyes. This leads to Beth finding out about a 2nd emanation around Earth, and all types of monsters and beasts that come with this 2nd emanation.
Beth was easy to relate to and a convincing character, one who made dumb choices but recognised that. Other characters could be fun and interesting, and there was a split POV with a creature, Ghosteater, who appeared to be quite main in the storyline. There was a very small bit of romance that ended quickly, and though I expected more to pick up, it never happened and I was glad for that. I have to say though, the animals were my favourite characters. The little mouse (I don't even know what happened to them) and the tree-pus were the best .
All in all, a good book and a series that I'll probably look into continuing!
December 7, 2014
I have a confession to make: I am a serial book unfinisher. I feel no qualms with getting three-quarters of the way through a book and deciding, “This is annoying, I’m not finishing.” I don’t need to know the ending, I just want to quit wasting my time.
So although I download, borrow or buy at least one ebook a week, I finish, errrr … quite a bit fewer.
So when I finish a book, I’m pleased. However, when I find a book I can’t tear away from, when I find myself reading it in the three minutes between when I get to my son’s school and he’s let out, that keeps me awake all night, I’m overjoyed.
Nolander, by Becca Mills is such a book. The world envisioned by Ms. Mills is so rich and imaginative you can dive right in without noticing your suspension of disbelief. She has created a universe inhabited by humans and more-than-humans, but one in which humans aren’t helpless playthings of the gods (a personal gripe, and something that will make me dump a book faster than stinky cheese).
The characters are richly drawn and believable. The “human” female protagonist is refreshingly vulnerable—I like kick butt heroines, but sometimes it’s nice to see someone “ordinary” doing the extraordinary. All the humans are great—I liked that the very religious girl wasn’t portrayed as evil or an idiot—and the “gods” are very alien by virtue of their near immortality (another pet-peeve for me is when 1,000 year old beings have the same outlook as 20 year old humans). And the other worlds? They are fantastic. I won’t give too much away, but if you love magical beings and animal human encounters, you’ll love them.
Nolander is a unique gem in the world of urban fantasy. The plot is familiar for the genre, the confrontation between humanity and god-like beings, but the perspective is unique. There is no good and evil here, there is a healthy dose of science mixed with the “magic”. Nolander is published in serial style, but the first installment is free (and long!) and the second in the series Solatium, ends on a very satisfying note that leaves you wanting more, but not disappointed.
So although I download, borrow or buy at least one ebook a week, I finish, errrr … quite a bit fewer.
So when I finish a book, I’m pleased. However, when I find a book I can’t tear away from, when I find myself reading it in the three minutes between when I get to my son’s school and he’s let out, that keeps me awake all night, I’m overjoyed.
Nolander, by Becca Mills is such a book. The world envisioned by Ms. Mills is so rich and imaginative you can dive right in without noticing your suspension of disbelief. She has created a universe inhabited by humans and more-than-humans, but one in which humans aren’t helpless playthings of the gods (a personal gripe, and something that will make me dump a book faster than stinky cheese).
The characters are richly drawn and believable. The “human” female protagonist is refreshingly vulnerable—I like kick butt heroines, but sometimes it’s nice to see someone “ordinary” doing the extraordinary. All the humans are great—I liked that the very religious girl wasn’t portrayed as evil or an idiot—and the “gods” are very alien by virtue of their near immortality (another pet-peeve for me is when 1,000 year old beings have the same outlook as 20 year old humans). And the other worlds? They are fantastic. I won’t give too much away, but if you love magical beings and animal human encounters, you’ll love them.
Nolander is a unique gem in the world of urban fantasy. The plot is familiar for the genre, the confrontation between humanity and god-like beings, but the perspective is unique. There is no good and evil here, there is a healthy dose of science mixed with the “magic”. Nolander is published in serial style, but the first installment is free (and long!) and the second in the series Solatium, ends on a very satisfying note that leaves you wanting more, but not disappointed.
September 2, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I read it awhile back and wanted to read more, but never looked into it. I will definitely need to. It's a unique story about gifts and creatures that can only be seen for who/what they truly are by those born gifted, or nolanders as they are called.
I don't even know what I can say about this book without giving it away, but there's ancient beings, other layers of worlds, territorial disagreements, betrayal, discovery, etc .. I look forward to the next book of the series.
I don't even know what I can say about this book without giving it away, but there's ancient beings, other layers of worlds, territorial disagreements, betrayal, discovery, etc .. I look forward to the next book of the series.
June 22, 2013
Nolander is a story about a young woman named Beth who inadvertently captures otherworldly creatures in the photos she takes. She then becomes unwillingly involved in the events of the Second Emanation, the place where these creatures are from.
What could have been a decent book was ruined by a few things. For one, I think this story could have greatly benefited from having an omniscient narrator, or at least a third person point of view, rather than being told in a first person point of view. I say this not only because I think Beth is incompetent, but also because there are more interesting characters that could have enriched the story with their perspectives, in addition to the eye-rolling clumsiness the first person POV induced when trying to describe events that occur when Beth either isn't around to witness them or is unaware. For example, these excerpts are in the point of view of a character called Ghosteater, but with the way it is written, Beth is, for some reason, quite cognizant of its thoughts, even though she doesn't know of its presence or state of mind:
How could she possibly know all this and as the reader, how can I be asked to accept that she is privy to this information? It's simply awful and awkward to read.
Though Beth is apparently a person of interest in the Second Emanation because of her untapped great potential, she is an inept character that continually frustrated me. Ironically, I found her more interesting when she was living in the real world (also known as the First Emanation), suffering from panic attacks and struggling with daily life. She felt more real then, whereas in her new life in the Second Emanation, she seems to be pretending when she's actually in her element, now that she knows that she has these hidden abilities.
Oh yeah, the idea of rape is also thrown around a few times, and there is statutory rape. It wasn't described in detail or anything like that and it had happened off-book and in the past, but reading this passage still made me cringe:
Well, needless to say, I won't be continuing with this series.
What could have been a decent book was ruined by a few things. For one, I think this story could have greatly benefited from having an omniscient narrator, or at least a third person point of view, rather than being told in a first person point of view. I say this not only because I think Beth is incompetent, but also because there are more interesting characters that could have enriched the story with their perspectives, in addition to the eye-rolling clumsiness the first person POV induced when trying to describe events that occur when Beth either isn't around to witness them or is unaware. For example, these excerpts are in the point of view of a character called Ghosteater, but with the way it is written, Beth is, for some reason, quite cognizant of its thoughts, even though she doesn't know of its presence or state of mind:
1. From the silence, Ghosteater watched me kiss . He could smell our arousal.
2. Graham was unfamiliar, but he [Ghosteater] recognized me as blood kin to the other humans the wind had shown him. That made sense--it was me the wind had brought him here to see.
3. Ghosteater could tell his anxiety had to do with me--it was blended with lingering notes of desire. Perhaps he feared for me. But why? I whom the wind had named.
How could she possibly know all this and as the reader, how can I be asked to accept that she is privy to this information? It's simply awful and awkward to read.
Though Beth is apparently a person of interest in the Second Emanation because of her untapped great potential, she is an inept character that continually frustrated me. Ironically, I found her more interesting when she was living in the real world (also known as the First Emanation), suffering from panic attacks and struggling with daily life. She felt more real then, whereas in her new life in the Second Emanation, she seems to be pretending when she's actually in her element, now that she knows that she has these hidden abilities.
Oh yeah, the idea of rape is also thrown around a few times, and there is statutory rape. It wasn't described in detail or anything like that and it had happened off-book and in the past, but reading this passage still made me cringe:
"Did you really seduce when she was fifteen?"
A second later my brain came back on line. Why the hell had I said that?
"Yeah."
He shrugged, as though it was no big deal.
"Because you wanted to control her?"
He looked at me as if I was nuts.
"No, because I wanted to fuck her. Isn't that why that kind of thing usually happens?"
Wow, classy, I thought.
"She was just a kid. It's statutory rape."
"Not where I'm from. Look," he said, sounding exasperated. "I probably shouldn't have done it. Whatever. It's all water under the bridge, now."
Well, needless to say, I won't be continuing with this series.
October 20, 2013
I subscribe to four services that notify me daily of free or low-cost Kindle books. 99-44/100% of the titles are dross, but there are occasional flecks of gold. It's those flecks that keep me scanning the notices. Winston Churchill's 6-volume history of WWII for $1.99 each? Gold. Barbara Pym for $1.99? Gold.
In addition to writers I'm already familiar with, I have met several new authors that I never would have come across without their decision to put their books up for free or 99 cents.
This book is one of the flecks of gold in the pile of dross.
Agoraphobic Beth Ryder uses her camera to put space between herself and the world. No need to engage when you're busy framing and shooting, right? Her troubles begin when images that weren't in her finder start turning up in the films she prints.
This small problem turns out to be the beginning of a series of experiences that pulls Beth into a series of increasingly disturbing events that reshapes how she views the world, her family, and herself. Watching her world expand is like watching a flower bloom.
Very enjoyable read. I will buy the next in the series when it is published and hope that Mills gets the attention she deserves.
In addition to writers I'm already familiar with, I have met several new authors that I never would have come across without their decision to put their books up for free or 99 cents.
This book is one of the flecks of gold in the pile of dross.
Agoraphobic Beth Ryder uses her camera to put space between herself and the world. No need to engage when you're busy framing and shooting, right? Her troubles begin when images that weren't in her finder start turning up in the films she prints.
This small problem turns out to be the beginning of a series of experiences that pulls Beth into a series of increasingly disturbing events that reshapes how she views the world, her family, and herself. Watching her world expand is like watching a flower bloom.
Very enjoyable read. I will buy the next in the series when it is published and hope that Mills gets the attention she deserves.
January 13, 2015
This was a lot of fun: I really enjoy those books where the protagonist is discovering the world is a very different place than what they always thought, and their place in it is undergoing rapid revision. Beth thinks she suffers from panic attacks, and leads a very small life as a result -- small even by small-town standards. But when things that weren't there start appearing in the photos she takes, she suffers a terrifying introduction to the world as it really is. Turns out that she doesn't suffer from panic attacks, and a whole lot of other things she thought she knew go out the window too, like who her sister-in-law really is, and what that bland guy she met in the cafe is really capable of.
Her adventures are entertaining (love the arboreal octopuses!) and enough loose ends are left hanging to make me glad that the next books in the series are already out. I can't wait to see how Beth's powers develop. And what's with the mouse??
Definitely recommend it to lovers of urban fantasy.
Her adventures are entertaining (love the arboreal octopuses!) and enough loose ends are left hanging to make me glad that the next books in the series are already out. I can't wait to see how Beth's powers develop. And what's with the mouse??
Definitely recommend it to lovers of urban fantasy.
June 14, 2015
Oh my gosh. This is the best book I've read in ages! I'm really shocked that it was a free Kindle book, since most of those are pretty bad, but this is the diamond in the coal mine. This lady can actually write, and she actually has a story worth telling.
I thought that all the good story ideas were already taken, but apparently I was wrong. Enter Nolander, a novel about a parallel monster universe unlike anything I've read before. If this story idea has been used before, I've never seen it, or it sure hasn't been done this well.
I really liked the world, the build-up of events, the complex and flawed characters, everything. Hence the fact that I read the whole thing in less than a day, despite my busy schedule! This story spoke to me in a way that nothing else I've read in a long time has been able to do. Five stars, no doubt about it! And I can't wait to get the second book and dive even deeper into the Emanations.
I would recommend this to everyone who has been disillusioned by popular novels of late, who wants a fresh perspective, or who just likes fantasy novels. If you haven't downloaded it free to the Kindle app yet, you need to! Trust me on this one.
I thought that all the good story ideas were already taken, but apparently I was wrong. Enter Nolander, a novel about a parallel monster universe unlike anything I've read before. If this story idea has been used before, I've never seen it, or it sure hasn't been done this well.
I really liked the world, the build-up of events, the complex and flawed characters, everything. Hence the fact that I read the whole thing in less than a day, despite my busy schedule! This story spoke to me in a way that nothing else I've read in a long time has been able to do. Five stars, no doubt about it! And I can't wait to get the second book and dive even deeper into the Emanations.
I would recommend this to everyone who has been disillusioned by popular novels of late, who wants a fresh perspective, or who just likes fantasy novels. If you haven't downloaded it free to the Kindle app yet, you need to! Trust me on this one.
March 29, 2013
Becca Mills’ Nolander has enchanted me by daring to be a unique concept in the paranormal genre! Beth Ryder, our heroine comes from a small town where nothing is private, and everyone knows she suffers from debilitating panic attacks. Part of her coping mechanism is to dabble in photography, but when strange creatures start showing up in her pictures, she finds herself thrown into a parallel world filled with a menagerie of dangerously powerful creatures and magic! Beth is a Nolander, one of a gifted humans able to see into this other world with powers she never knew existed and who may become a valuable asset to the power struggles within. Lord Cordus, her seductive “master” plays an intriguing role, as does another Nolander, Graham, who cannot be defined as just good or just evil. And who would think that the quirky and prim church lady or Beth’s nasty sister-in-law maybe part of this world, too? Maybe there ARE some secrets in a small town!
Becca Mills’ writing style is fluent, peppered with the humor, snark and earthy wit of the main character’s POV, flipping occasionally to the POV of the creature, Ghosteater. I found myself thoroughly enjoying Beth’s personality, thought process and ability to make things happen! For me, Nolander is an excellent first novel in this series, baiting and setting the hook with an intriguing new world, then reeling me in for more with those tantalizing loose ends! Seriously, how could I NOT like a world that has tree-dwelling octopi?
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Becca Mills’ writing style is fluent, peppered with the humor, snark and earthy wit of the main character’s POV, flipping occasionally to the POV of the creature, Ghosteater. I found myself thoroughly enjoying Beth’s personality, thought process and ability to make things happen! For me, Nolander is an excellent first novel in this series, baiting and setting the hook with an intriguing new world, then reeling me in for more with those tantalizing loose ends! Seriously, how could I NOT like a world that has tree-dwelling octopi?
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October 27, 2019
An amazing book - I couldn't put it down! The author has created characters that are genuine and engaging and a story that is deep and multi-faceted. I am already settling in to read book two. Highly recommend!
December 31, 2023
Amateur photographer Beth Ryder is in trouble. She's taking pictures of things she can't see, things that aren't human. Beth has her own dreams, but people like her don't get to go free. She's seized by a dangerous organization dedicated to keeping Earth's shadow world -- and its frightening inhabitants -- a secret.
Could be an interesting series.
Could be an interesting series.
January 18, 2018
This book started a little rough to me. I had trouble with the dialog, it felt choppy, not naturel. The world she created was a lot to absorb in a short amount of time, but I kept going and am glad I did. Each author has their own style, and I just had to get accustomed to this. I ended up being thoroughly brought in and enjoyed the story set in small town northern WI. I could completely relate to the author's descriptions and the character's small town problems. I enjoyed the author's unique paranormal world she creates in Nolander. I ordered the second book immediately after finishing Nolander.
February 3, 2013
I regret it took me so long to read this one. I admit, I had picked it up numerous times and never was able to read more than a few pages at a time, not because the story wasn't good but rather I just didn't have the time.
I am glad I finally was able to start it and finish because truly this was a very imaginative read. And even though fantasy and I don't always get along, I did enjoy the uniqueness this one brought.
Nolanders are a very original being. So much so that I am still not all the way sure of what they are capable of, why they came about and well, all the history behind them. I am hoping the next installment will rectify that a little bit.
We are giving just enough information to keep us from being too confused about what it going on and just enough teasers to keep turning the pages to find out more.
I really can't go into too much detail without giving the whole plot away but I do think this was an enjoyable read with characters that I think over time, will really grow on me and I can see myself liking and caring about.
Ms. Mills did a nice job of giving us a lot of action and adventure as well as a dose of (potential) romance to appease my cravings.
Beth was a really interesting character that felt very real. She overreacts when it is called for and isn't always the shinning heroine. She is very much flawed, confused and in need of answers as she is thrust into a world that very few know about or understand and one that has dangers luring everywhere. Even with those that she has come to know and depend on.
I look forward to learning more about her and her abilities as the series progresses as well as the other Nolanders. I think they all have a story that is just waiting to be told and I wouldn't mind if a certain higher up and Beth end up forming a romance along the way.
It will be very interesting to see where Mills takes this series.
3.5 Stars!
http://myguiltyobsession.blogspot.com...
I am glad I finally was able to start it and finish because truly this was a very imaginative read. And even though fantasy and I don't always get along, I did enjoy the uniqueness this one brought.
Nolanders are a very original being. So much so that I am still not all the way sure of what they are capable of, why they came about and well, all the history behind them. I am hoping the next installment will rectify that a little bit.
We are giving just enough information to keep us from being too confused about what it going on and just enough teasers to keep turning the pages to find out more.
I really can't go into too much detail without giving the whole plot away but I do think this was an enjoyable read with characters that I think over time, will really grow on me and I can see myself liking and caring about.
Ms. Mills did a nice job of giving us a lot of action and adventure as well as a dose of (potential) romance to appease my cravings.
Beth was a really interesting character that felt very real. She overreacts when it is called for and isn't always the shinning heroine. She is very much flawed, confused and in need of answers as she is thrust into a world that very few know about or understand and one that has dangers luring everywhere. Even with those that she has come to know and depend on.
I look forward to learning more about her and her abilities as the series progresses as well as the other Nolanders. I think they all have a story that is just waiting to be told and I wouldn't mind if a certain higher up and Beth end up forming a romance along the way.
It will be very interesting to see where Mills takes this series.
3.5 Stars!
http://myguiltyobsession.blogspot.com...
July 3, 2016
I read this and the sequel, Solatium, in just a few days. The whole time, I was dreading the read being over, while at the same time tearing through pages to find out what would happen next!
The characters are diverse and well rounded. They aren't just diverse when it comes to race, but also gender and creed, which I found refreshing. No matter who you are, you will find someone to relate to. And you can relate on a deeper level than just looks. We get a sense of where each character is coming from. We get their background info over time so it isn't cumbersome, and yet we get enough so that we feel like we know them all in real life. Even some of the bad guys.
The plot unwinds in an ever growing spiral that took me on a wild ride. It starts out so simple, just about the main character's life in a small rural town in Wisconsin. How her last date with this guy was a disaster. How she has anxiety disorder so she had to leave college and move back home. How her mother died and left her with just a brother, three nieces, and a sister-in-law who hates her guts. From there, fantasy creeps in ever so slowly and with so many twists and turns that there's a surprise in every chapter.
The fantasy world - the second emanation - is like the alternate realities in the old TV show 'Sliders'. We go through these alternate states of Earth through gateways, kind of like in Stargate but all on Earth so far. But it is very much fantasy and not science fiction.
The magic system is similar to that in the game Mage: The Ascension -- with two major differences: 1) Only a select few can 'work essence'. 2) Each essence worker is born with a gift for working one particular element or law of physics exceptionally well.
I love this book!
The author needs to hurry up and finish the third book!
And I hope there will be ten or more in the series!
I've had this book on my Kindle for years. It came up the other day when I sorted by author for a fresh look at my list. I had seen the cover around a lot and had always had the intention of reading it 'some day'. I am so glad I did!
The characters are diverse and well rounded. They aren't just diverse when it comes to race, but also gender and creed, which I found refreshing. No matter who you are, you will find someone to relate to. And you can relate on a deeper level than just looks. We get a sense of where each character is coming from. We get their background info over time so it isn't cumbersome, and yet we get enough so that we feel like we know them all in real life. Even some of the bad guys.
The plot unwinds in an ever growing spiral that took me on a wild ride. It starts out so simple, just about the main character's life in a small rural town in Wisconsin. How her last date with this guy was a disaster. How she has anxiety disorder so she had to leave college and move back home. How her mother died and left her with just a brother, three nieces, and a sister-in-law who hates her guts. From there, fantasy creeps in ever so slowly and with so many twists and turns that there's a surprise in every chapter.
The fantasy world - the second emanation - is like the alternate realities in the old TV show 'Sliders'. We go through these alternate states of Earth through gateways, kind of like in Stargate but all on Earth so far. But it is very much fantasy and not science fiction.
The magic system is similar to that in the game Mage: The Ascension -- with two major differences: 1) Only a select few can 'work essence'. 2) Each essence worker is born with a gift for working one particular element or law of physics exceptionally well.
I love this book!
The author needs to hurry up and finish the third book!
And I hope there will be ten or more in the series!
I've had this book on my Kindle for years. It came up the other day when I sorted by author for a fresh look at my list. I had seen the cover around a lot and had always had the intention of reading it 'some day'. I am so glad I did!
December 6, 2019
TW: rape
This was another one of the books that was in the Gods and Mortals anthology that I downloaded for free. It's also the one I remember the least about, and I hardly wrote any notes while reading (which I typically do to help me write reviews later). Interpret that how you will, but because of that, I'll try to keep this brief and just run through what I did make note of.
One of the things I do remember about this book was that it felt like the author had brought out a thesaurus to throw in some fancy-sounding words. These big words didn't sound natural and took me out of the story. It was one of those scenarios were it felt like the book was trying too hard to sound smart.
The book contains statutory rape, with one character describing how he raped a fifteen year old. His actions are even described as statutory rape on the page, but he does not care. I've re-read that passage for this review, and it's really disgusting how it's handled. And the rapist in question isn't a villain in the story either; it's one of the love interests who did it.
In fact, all of the men in this book are complete creeps who you want to yell at Beth (the main character) to stay away from, not kiss.
Overall, what I remember most about this book is how terrible the guys were and how confused I was by the whole thing. It's good to have suspense, of course, and leave readers wondering what happens next, but I was just baffled by the whole thing. I'd feel uncomfortable recommending this to anyone.
This was another one of the books that was in the Gods and Mortals anthology that I downloaded for free. It's also the one I remember the least about, and I hardly wrote any notes while reading (which I typically do to help me write reviews later). Interpret that how you will, but because of that, I'll try to keep this brief and just run through what I did make note of.
One of the things I do remember about this book was that it felt like the author had brought out a thesaurus to throw in some fancy-sounding words. These big words didn't sound natural and took me out of the story. It was one of those scenarios were it felt like the book was trying too hard to sound smart.
The book contains statutory rape, with one character describing how he raped a fifteen year old. His actions are even described as statutory rape on the page, but he does not care. I've re-read that passage for this review, and it's really disgusting how it's handled. And the rapist in question isn't a villain in the story either; it's one of the love interests who did it.
In fact, all of the men in this book are complete creeps who you want to yell at Beth (the main character) to stay away from, not kiss.
Overall, what I remember most about this book is how terrible the guys were and how confused I was by the whole thing. It's good to have suspense, of course, and leave readers wondering what happens next, but I was just baffled by the whole thing. I'd feel uncomfortable recommending this to anyone.
January 17, 2017
I'm working my way through a collection of stories and it's been a very mixed bag so far. This book, however, stands out from the rest.
It begins in a very controlled way. We get to know our MC in the course of her regular life, as she goes about her business. The story begins to unfold at a steady pace, with us being caught up in the events happening even as we don't understand what's going on any more than the MC does.
Interesting and new(-ish) ideas are sometimes sorely lacking in a world of ebooks that just keeps rehashing the same old things over and over again. This is different. Well, to me, anyway. It's a fairly long story, I grant, and there was a point of the book where an early objective seemed to have been achieved and a lot of other authors would have stopped there and broken the story up into more parts. No. Becca Mills has used that moment as a mere waypoint for something much bigger. With such a long story, you get a fairly realised world and yet, at the same time, the sense that we've barely scratched the surface. The idea that there is a lot more potential for this series is, quite frankly, an exciting one.
I've read a few reviews that seem to be for earlier editions of the book, as they've not been that favourable. I suspect some tweaking and tightening has occurred across time and the book is all the better for it. Definitely give this one a go. I recommend it.
It begins in a very controlled way. We get to know our MC in the course of her regular life, as she goes about her business. The story begins to unfold at a steady pace, with us being caught up in the events happening even as we don't understand what's going on any more than the MC does.
Interesting and new(-ish) ideas are sometimes sorely lacking in a world of ebooks that just keeps rehashing the same old things over and over again. This is different. Well, to me, anyway. It's a fairly long story, I grant, and there was a point of the book where an early objective seemed to have been achieved and a lot of other authors would have stopped there and broken the story up into more parts. No. Becca Mills has used that moment as a mere waypoint for something much bigger. With such a long story, you get a fairly realised world and yet, at the same time, the sense that we've barely scratched the surface. The idea that there is a lot more potential for this series is, quite frankly, an exciting one.
I've read a few reviews that seem to be for earlier editions of the book, as they've not been that favourable. I suspect some tweaking and tightening has occurred across time and the book is all the better for it. Definitely give this one a go. I recommend it.
January 10, 2016
At first I wasn't sure that I could really get into this book. I'm used to reading books with strong women protagonists and it was obvious from the get go that Beth was going not that. Beth suffers from severe anxiety and panic attacks and it causes her to retreat into the shadows when faced with a difficult situation rather than confront it head on. However, the more I read I found her to become rather endearing. She sort of grows into her own a bit and I feel as though as this series progresses she may turn into the strong female lead I am used to.
There were several times in this book that I found myself screaming at the top of my lungs at her to stand up for herself and stop feeling sorry for herself. But over all I really enjoyed the book and am totally looking forward to the next installment!
There were several times in this book that I found myself screaming at the top of my lungs at her to stand up for herself and stop feeling sorry for herself. But over all I really enjoyed the book and am totally looking forward to the next installment!
July 13, 2012
I was a bit hesitant to download Nolander first, because it is part of a series. I have read way too many books in this genre that are part of a trilogy, and consequently, NOTHING happens or comes to any kind of conclusion in the first book (probably intended to draw readers in and make them buy the second book, but that's not how it works for me, unfortunately). However, this book is different. Nolander is just a very, very good read. I couldn't put it away, and the many twists and turns keep you guessing in a GOOD way and not a frustrated 'oh-my-god-what-the-hell-is-going-ON!!' way. The writing style is fluent, there's lots of humour in this book, the main character is sympathetic, the supporting characters are not black-and-white or two-dimensional, and there's a great plot. Don't pass this one up. Wonderful book!
February 19, 2015
This is a book with a very interesting premise that somehow fails to deliver. I absolutely loved the use that Beth makes of 35mm photography and developing her own black and white prints, and how this introduces the idea of S-Ems in our world, but for me she ended up finding out too soon what was going on.
The story then quickly departed our world - Beth joined up with the mysterious organisations far too quickly for my liking - and the story started to inhabit a world that I did not know and didn't have any way of latching on to what was happening.
The second half of the book was clearly building up to a series, but I doubt whether Beth will return to her photography and that subtle fantasy that I had been so attracted to at the start.
The story then quickly departed our world - Beth joined up with the mysterious organisations far too quickly for my liking - and the story started to inhabit a world that I did not know and didn't have any way of latching on to what was happening.
The second half of the book was clearly building up to a series, but I doubt whether Beth will return to her photography and that subtle fantasy that I had been so attracted to at the start.
October 30, 2014
This was one of those books that had so much potential.
The premise is unique and well thought out. The writing style flows through the story with excellent pace. The characters are comprised of a wide variety of backgrounds and mesh well together. The fiends are fiendish. The good guys are hard to distinguish. There is magic, and mayhem. Even a character named Ghosteater.
But even with all that, this story just falls flat. Nothing happens. There are so many loose ends at the conclusion of this book I felt like my Kindle ate some of the content. There just wasn't enough substance to even drive me to pursue the next book in the series.
The premise is unique and well thought out. The writing style flows through the story with excellent pace. The characters are comprised of a wide variety of backgrounds and mesh well together. The fiends are fiendish. The good guys are hard to distinguish. There is magic, and mayhem. Even a character named Ghosteater.
But even with all that, this story just falls flat. Nothing happens. There are so many loose ends at the conclusion of this book I felt like my Kindle ate some of the content. There just wasn't enough substance to even drive me to pursue the next book in the series.
May 12, 2016
I liked this one quite a bit! The world that was created held my interest, was well thought out, and opened that door for lots of questions to peak the interest. Beth is a great character that the audience can relate to, and I'm curious about what she's capable of. The side characters are really good, though I had a major problem with Williams being a major asshole to Beth for literally no discernible reason. There wasn't a lot of action but the story kept changing so my attention was held. I literally had no idea where it was going to go next, which was a little jarring at times. Definitely a good set up for what appears to be a strong series!
June 22, 2012
This was an odd book. Some of the ideas and concepts were interesting, but ultimately the plot felt a little out of control. It did not so much build to a climax as jump you abruptly into a bizarre alternate plot. The heroine was interesting enough, but a little irritating at times and the whole story felt like it could do with some tighter editing. Still, not bad for a self published novel, although the ending left me feeling distinctly unsatisfied as pretty much none of my questions had been answered and will remain thus as I feel no inclination to continue reading.
March 9, 2015
An enjoyable story, with some great characters. The idea is interesting and I was drawn into Beth's world. A couple of niggles stopped this from being four stars:
May 12, 2015
Wow is what I have to say about this story. I truly enjoyed it and it had a little bit of everything. There was some mystery, some science fiction, some fantasy with a little bit of real life. It moves very quickly and keeps you wondering what will happen next. Just when you think you know a character, something changes and you find yourself wondering why or how that happened. I liked how psychology and science where part of the story which makes you think that it just could be real and not fiction. It is a fun story to read if you are looking for an interesting, fast paced story.
April 11, 2017
Can't Catch My Breath!!!
This author is an amazing treasure. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I purchased this as a free book. I am so stunned and frustratingly grateful that I started reading it. Grateful for the opportunity to be introduced to it. Frustrated from no sleep the last two days of gorging on anything I could find of hers and from no release date on the next book. My anxiety level has shot through the roof with no hint on when my next fix is. I can hardly wait, and have already started rereading this book!
This author is an amazing treasure. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I purchased this as a free book. I am so stunned and frustratingly grateful that I started reading it. Grateful for the opportunity to be introduced to it. Frustrated from no sleep the last two days of gorging on anything I could find of hers and from no release date on the next book. My anxiety level has shot through the roof with no hint on when my next fix is. I can hardly wait, and have already started rereading this book!
November 23, 2015
Ugh, no. This book was lame. The main character was terrible and it's not like she doesn't have an excuse for the way she acts but still. Even after she gets a little more knowledge about herself and the world around her, she still acts ignorant and I hate that. On top of that, the plot was completely boring to me.
December 17, 2014
Really good book, found it free on Amazon for the Kindle Fire. Fascinating world being explored by a believable, relatable main character. If I was rich I'd buy the movie rights, it's that good.
October 26, 2016
Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: Nolander is an interesting book with an even more interesting title. It seems to play of the word “land” in a similar fashion as Waylander by David Gemmell. The main story is about Beth Ryder, a young woman living in a small town called Dorf in Wisconsin (possibly).
She’s never been able to hold on to any job due to her panic disorder. She wins a camera in a local contest and while taking pictures of her town, discovers that there’s something off about them. She often finds weird folks appearing in her pictures when no one was there in reality. Mightily confused, and bereft of familial ties (her only blood relation is her brother but whose wife hates Beth and limits her contact with her nieces). Trying to decipher the cause of these weird photographic occurrences and the people in them leads her to find out about the shadow world and its denizens who cross over.
From there onward, the story goes deeper and deeper in to the paranormal and we discover more about Beth’s past, her family and other town characters. The story begins on a slow pace and does take its own time to reveal all, but once all the cards are on the table. There’s some big revelations handed down in this story and also there’s some big hints about the future. Also this book doesn’t shy away from some dark stuff, to begin with our protagonist is shown to be suffering from panic disorder and while it isn’t classically described. Beth shows enough signs and symptoms for the readers to be sympathetic towards her fight for normality. Also there are couple of other characters who are shown to straddle the boundaries of morality with their acts.
Overall this story is a slow build, the author steadily unveils the story, the characters and the world within. For many readers this might be a turn off, but I thought it was an interesting way to showcase the story and especially present the story from a person who’s suffering from a mental health issue. This was a big plus from the author and given how well she presents Beth. I enjoyed this urban fantasy focusing on two different worlds and how certain characters tried their best to fit in. There were a few negatives to go along with the plus points namely the pace of the story stays sedate throughout and that can take a toll on many a reader. Secondly there’s a lot of things that are left unexplained which can hamper the reading experience. But given that it’s the first novel in a series, this factor is to be expected to some degree.
I thought this was an interesting storyline with a protagonist who is very sympathetic. The execution of the story and sedate pace however detract a bit and thus impaired my enjoyment to the fullest extent.
July 16, 2021
2.5/5
Couldn't wait to write this review... let's just get on with it.
I read this as part of the amazon pack: The Paranormal 13 that I downloaded/purchased several years ago. I think I only made it through one or two other books as part of this pack, previously. I'm in a bit of a reading flow (finally!) so decided to swim through most of the reviews of this pack to find one of the best. Nolander has some of the highest reviews, so I decided to give it a shot.
Nolander is about a 23 year old woman, Elizabeth Ryder, who discovers that she is not entirely human and has extra-human abilities that puts her into the camp of what the author calls "Nolanders". These human-hybrids are basically like otherworldly, magical cops that are expendable and police the human world for those that cross over and do wrong/get noticed in the human realm; "Seconds". In the story, Beth gets picked up by a bunch of rag-tag Nolanders that didn't mean to find her and is sent to be trained and find her abilities under the big boss for the region.
This series has massive potential as the world-building is extensive and leaves much to the imagination -- something I typically LOVE In books. However, Mills' writing leaves much to be desired and I felt she was in much need of an editor (the tense jumped often, Ryder and the rest of the characters were poorly formed, and the POV was disappointing). I also felt like this was one of those books where the author wrote herself into the story, which really annoys me. I cannot confirm if this is true or not. I especially did not like the monster element of this book. They felt like what I would imagine in something like "Where the Wild Things Are", except not quite at their full potential.
I don't think I will read the rest of the series as I struggled to get through this book - many a times I thought to abandon it - but it was entertaining ENOUGH by the end. .
Couldn't wait to write this review... let's just get on with it.
I read this as part of the amazon pack: The Paranormal 13 that I downloaded/purchased several years ago. I think I only made it through one or two other books as part of this pack, previously. I'm in a bit of a reading flow (finally!) so decided to swim through most of the reviews of this pack to find one of the best. Nolander has some of the highest reviews, so I decided to give it a shot.
Nolander is about a 23 year old woman, Elizabeth Ryder, who discovers that she is not entirely human and has extra-human abilities that puts her into the camp of what the author calls "Nolanders". These human-hybrids are basically like otherworldly, magical cops that are expendable and police the human world for those that cross over and do wrong/get noticed in the human realm; "Seconds". In the story, Beth gets picked up by a bunch of rag-tag Nolanders that didn't mean to find her and is sent to be trained and find her abilities under the big boss for the region.
This series has massive potential as the world-building is extensive and leaves much to the imagination -- something I typically LOVE In books. However, Mills' writing leaves much to be desired and I felt she was in much need of an editor (the tense jumped often, Ryder and the rest of the characters were poorly formed, and the POV was disappointing). I also felt like this was one of those books where the author wrote herself into the story, which really annoys me. I cannot confirm if this is true or not. I especially did not like the monster element of this book. They felt like what I would imagine in something like "Where the Wild Things Are", except not quite at their full potential.
I don't think I will read the rest of the series as I struggled to get through this book - many a times I thought to abandon it - but it was entertaining ENOUGH by the end. .
July 18, 2019
This has been burning a hole in my ebook collection and I needed something fresh and different.
The story follows Beth Ryder who is just a nice girl in a small town. She is a little odd and has anxiety issues. She picked up a camera and decided to become a photographer. Well...she starts taking these pictures and weird things are popping up in the photo that wasn't there when she took the photo. Strange! She is dragged into an organization dedicated to keeping the shadow world a secret.
Gah! Poor Beth. She just wants a normal life and a happy life.
But yes - this started out pretty good. I was hooked...and then I started realizing how much everyone in this world sucks. Beth (and the kids of course) are the only ones who don't suck. I wouldn't want a part of any of those people. Screw them. They are jerks. Super jerks. Who do you trust? NONE OF THEM. Grr. At one point I did wanna shake Beth and kick her. But she is a bug stuck in a web. Poor thing.
The story itself was okay. The world is interesting and it is different and fresh, but I had a hard time getting through the last 50% of the story because it felt forced at one point. It's hard to care about anyone or anything when everyone is terrible. Especially Graham and Williams. They are both crappy.
Overall, this started strong and ended meh. I liked Beth and you can't hate the kids because they are sweet. But everyone else? BLEH. They are horrible and mean and terrible. No thank you. The world was interesting and it was refreshing from the other PNR/UFs out there. I'll give this a 2.
The story follows Beth Ryder who is just a nice girl in a small town. She is a little odd and has anxiety issues. She picked up a camera and decided to become a photographer. Well...she starts taking these pictures and weird things are popping up in the photo that wasn't there when she took the photo. Strange! She is dragged into an organization dedicated to keeping the shadow world a secret.
Gah! Poor Beth. She just wants a normal life and a happy life.
But yes - this started out pretty good. I was hooked...and then I started realizing how much everyone in this world sucks. Beth (and the kids of course) are the only ones who don't suck. I wouldn't want a part of any of those people. Screw them. They are jerks. Super jerks. Who do you trust? NONE OF THEM. Grr. At one point I did wanna shake Beth and kick her. But she is a bug stuck in a web. Poor thing.
The story itself was okay. The world is interesting and it is different and fresh, but I had a hard time getting through the last 50% of the story because it felt forced at one point. It's hard to care about anyone or anything when everyone is terrible. Especially Graham and Williams. They are both crappy.
Overall, this started strong and ended meh. I liked Beth and you can't hate the kids because they are sweet. But everyone else? BLEH. They are horrible and mean and terrible. No thank you. The world was interesting and it was refreshing from the other PNR/UFs out there. I'll give this a 2.
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