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Necoh Saga #1
Grishma
In the world of Necoh, everyone fears Grishma, a hideous murderous beast responsible for ruining or ending the lives of anyone who dare cross her.
As a young boy, Ryder lived with his family, deep in the caves underneath the Kadin Forest, unaware of the horrors of the world. His simple world was turned upside down one horrible night when Grishma attacked his family, killing his father and kidnapping his mother and younger sister.
From that night on, Ryder devoted his life to killing Grishma. He tracked the monster from Necoh, to our world, and back again. Unfortunately, during his quest, he accidentally transported Brooklyn, a high school junior into his tumultuous world, where she is mistakenly identified as Princess Sophie, the missing princess of Sumner.
Days after Princess Sophie’s return, Grishma plots and manipulates the King into drugging and marrying off his only daughter to Prince Algid of Dratun. Desperate to save Brooklyn, who now believes she is the long lost princess, his mother, and his little sister, Ryder embarks on the deadliest part of his quest.
Will he save Brooklyn? Will she ever regain her memory? What will become of his mother and sister?
Through epic adventure, loss, and love, GRISHMA depicts the strength of the human spirit and the tight bonds formed by the unique creatures of Necoh.
As a young boy, Ryder lived with his family, deep in the caves underneath the Kadin Forest, unaware of the horrors of the world. His simple world was turned upside down one horrible night when Grishma attacked his family, killing his father and kidnapping his mother and younger sister.
From that night on, Ryder devoted his life to killing Grishma. He tracked the monster from Necoh, to our world, and back again. Unfortunately, during his quest, he accidentally transported Brooklyn, a high school junior into his tumultuous world, where she is mistakenly identified as Princess Sophie, the missing princess of Sumner.
Days after Princess Sophie’s return, Grishma plots and manipulates the King into drugging and marrying off his only daughter to Prince Algid of Dratun. Desperate to save Brooklyn, who now believes she is the long lost princess, his mother, and his little sister, Ryder embarks on the deadliest part of his quest.
Will he save Brooklyn? Will she ever regain her memory? What will become of his mother and sister?
Through epic adventure, loss, and love, GRISHMA depicts the strength of the human spirit and the tight bonds formed by the unique creatures of Necoh.
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2013
21 people are currently reading
805 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Anne Blount
21 books276 followersUSA Today Bestselling author and Wattpad Star Kelly Anne Blount has more than seventy-three-thousand followers on social media. Her Wattpad stories have been read more than twenty-million times. She’s contributed to Tap, Wattpad’s new app for chat-style stories, where her work has been “tapped” more than fifty-million times. She is a writer and reviewer for SpoilerTV, which has allowed her to develop an incredible network of film and TV stars.
Two of her Wattpad works, including Captured (seventeen-million reads), have been optioned for film by Komixx Entertainment, and she is regularly invited to present seminars about social media at author events.
Stop by any of Kelly’s social-media platforms (@KellyAnneBlount) and stay tuned to this website for announcements and information about upcoming releases and events.
Kelly Anne Blount is represented by Jennifer Wills (jennifer@theseymouragency.com) and Nicole Resciniti (nicole@theseymouragency.com) of The Seymour Agency.
Two of her Wattpad works, including Captured (seventeen-million reads), have been optioned for film by Komixx Entertainment, and she is regularly invited to present seminars about social media at author events.
Stop by any of Kelly’s social-media platforms (@KellyAnneBlount) and stay tuned to this website for announcements and information about upcoming releases and events.
Kelly Anne Blount is represented by Jennifer Wills (jennifer@theseymouragency.com) and Nicole Resciniti (nicole@theseymouragency.com) of The Seymour Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
June 16, 2013
Copy was given for review purposes via YA Bound.
To be featured on YA Midnight Reads' Mini Reviews; Snarky.
I am in some type of sudden deep thought on why the hell I'm the minority of Grishma. I originally gave this book 2.5 stars, thinking back now, I don't even recall why I did as Grishma was a DNF for me. It failed to check any of the most important aspects of a YA novel- if anything, being titled under MG wouldn't even make the cut.
Can someone please explain what they thought was SO good about Grishma to me? Yes? Let's make a quick check list:
Characters:
Brooklyn could've been a extremely loveable character. She started out as typical and bearable, but soon, she turned into this childish-and-clueless-five-year-old-that-was-oh-so-freakin-annoying-and-boring-and-OMG-I-cant-even-explain-the-torture-kind of lame. I really do admire any one who managed to fall in love with Brooklyn who was just so wimpy and useless.
Ryder is the love interest and male hero of Grishma. NO. Ryder is the guy who has so many ambitions and self regrets it just gets more infuriating than Brooklyn. He was NOT KICK ASS OR HOT AT ALL.
Plot:
Childish. 'Nough said. To elaborate? Well, hmm let's see, PREDICTABLE, INFURIATING AND BORING. Lacks in depth descriptions to make everything more vivid and the action scenes more finger gripping. Also, the plot was too simple and cliche.
Romance:
Observe people, Grishma:the great and powerful one badly constructed instant love stories created.
Overall:
Nothing caught me as original of intriguing, in addition, the beginning was rather monotonous.
Not recommended. Sorry but- nay.
To be featured on YA Midnight Reads' Mini Reviews; Snarky.
I am in some type of sudden deep thought on why the hell I'm the minority of Grishma. I originally gave this book 2.5 stars, thinking back now, I don't even recall why I did as Grishma was a DNF for me. It failed to check any of the most important aspects of a YA novel- if anything, being titled under MG wouldn't even make the cut.
Can someone please explain what they thought was SO good about Grishma to me? Yes? Let's make a quick check list:
Characters:
Brooklyn could've been a extremely loveable character. She started out as typical and bearable, but soon, she turned into this childish-and-clueless-five-year-old-that-was-oh-so-freakin-annoying-and-boring-and-OMG-I-cant-even-explain-the-torture-kind of lame. I really do admire any one who managed to fall in love with Brooklyn who was just so wimpy and useless.
Ryder is the love interest
Plot:
Childish. 'Nough said. To elaborate? Well, hmm let's see, PREDICTABLE, INFURIATING AND BORING. Lacks in depth descriptions to make everything more vivid and the action scenes more finger gripping. Also, the plot was too simple and cliche.
Romance:
Observe people, Grishma:
Overall:
Nothing caught me as original of intriguing, in addition, the beginning was rather monotonous.
Not recommended. Sorry but- nay.
November 28, 2015
Rating: 1.75 stars
How does this book get such high reviews? I don't understand it.
First of all, what's with the writing style? It's like the author was trying to fit in as many vocabulary words and odd descriptions as she could.
Yes, the action was non-stop. But there was so much happening all at once, it just wasn't too plausible.
The characters. Ryder himself was okay, but only as a "hero". Yes, we saw him be brave, etc, etc, but there was no depth to his character. It seemed that all he cared about was flipping revenge! What was it like living in his own for years? How did he figure out how to cross worlds? Why was Grishma even in our world? There are so many questions.
We also never got a complete description of the world they're living in, Neoch. We were only told things as they came up. Why didn't Ryder explain to Brooklyn where she really was? Also, Brooklyn barely blinks when she's told she's in another world. Really?
Insta-love. The worst kind of love. Ryder and Brooklyn barely spend any time together, and yet they "love" each other? WHY?!?! And if Ryder thinks Brooklyn is so great, why didn't he talk to her when they were in our world?
And another question (there sure seem to be a lot of unanswered questions...)- why does Brooklyn look so much like the long-lost princess? Are they related? What's going on here? It's just so odd that even Sophie's own father would believe Brooklyn was his daughter.
The only reason this book received a second star is because it kept me reading, and the plot was actually pretty interesting. That being said, I would definitely not recommend this book to anyone.
How does this book get such high reviews? I don't understand it.
First of all, what's with the writing style? It's like the author was trying to fit in as many vocabulary words and odd descriptions as she could.
Yes, the action was non-stop. But there was so much happening all at once, it just wasn't too plausible.
The characters. Ryder himself was okay, but only as a "hero". Yes, we saw him be brave, etc, etc, but there was no depth to his character. It seemed that all he cared about was flipping revenge! What was it like living in his own for years? How did he figure out how to cross worlds? Why was Grishma even in our world? There are so many questions.
We also never got a complete description of the world they're living in, Neoch. We were only told things as they came up. Why didn't Ryder explain to Brooklyn where she really was? Also, Brooklyn barely blinks when she's told she's in another world. Really?
Insta-love. The worst kind of love. Ryder and Brooklyn barely spend any time together, and yet they "love" each other? WHY?!?! And if Ryder thinks Brooklyn is so great, why didn't he talk to her when they were in our world?
And another question (there sure seem to be a lot of unanswered questions...)- why does Brooklyn look so much like the long-lost princess? Are they related? What's going on here? It's just so odd that even Sophie's own father would believe Brooklyn was his daughter.
The only reason this book received a second star is because it kept me reading, and the plot was actually pretty interesting. That being said, I would definitely not recommend this book to anyone.
March 15, 2013
Ok I live and breathe books about the paranormal. I received a copy of Grishma by Kelly Blount in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. This was a debut book for this author and I for one was not disappointed. This was not your typical vampire, shape shifter, or fae book. The author was able to capture the reader with a new type of paranormal creature called the Grishma. I also loved the creativity that the author had in naming the creature also the homeland of Ryder called Necoh. It always amazes me how people are creative enough to make up names of people, places, and things, and the key thing is make it believable. This author has that very talent. She was able to capture the reader from page one to the very end. Left me wishing she had another book out to read. The one thing that caught my eye at the beginning was the most beautiful cover she had chosen for the book. It just screamed buy me. The way the author described the scenes made it visible in the mind’s eye. I truly loved the story and recommend it to all of my friends. If you are looking for something different from the sparkly vampires and ferocious shape shifters the story of Ryder, the murderous beast Grishma and a teenager by the name of Brooklyn will throw your mind into another realm of action, adventure, fantasy, and love.
Read
April 18, 2013Right from the beginning, you are introduced into the horror of Grishma and our hero, Ryder. This begins his quest of wanting to defeat and ultimately kill Grishma. Ryder follows Grishma from Necoh to our world where it leads him to a girl named Brooklyn. Brooklyn is faced with Grishma after she felt betrayed by one of her friends. Ryder comes to her rescue and takes her back to his world. There her fairytale world is taken through more loops. Grishma shows up and tries to kidnap Brooklyn. Grishma didnt get very far in her adventure before Brooklyn showed herself as a brave, strong person than she has been before. Brooklyn escapes and is taken into a village where she was presumed to be the long lost princess of the land. She is betrayed and drugged by one of the villagers and is taken to the king.
This is where the story has so many loops and bounds that are thrown at you. You think you can predict the story and *poof* you were wrong. This is what the new fairytales of modern day look like. It has the right amount of love, despair, adventure, loss and growth. It was a fun read that will have you engrossed from the moment you start.
mamasreadingbreak.blogspot.com
www.faebooks.co.uk
This is where the story has so many loops and bounds that are thrown at you. You think you can predict the story and *poof* you were wrong. This is what the new fairytales of modern day look like. It has the right amount of love, despair, adventure, loss and growth. It was a fun read that will have you engrossed from the moment you start.
mamasreadingbreak.blogspot.com
www.faebooks.co.uk
May 28, 2013
Don’t let the cover fool you, Grishma by Kelly Anne Blount is a fast paced, high action adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat from cover to cover. This is an excellent YA fantasy novel.
The author did a great job of developing the story. It was easy to follow and never lost sight of the story theme as each new twist developed. I loved getting into the story and found it hard to put down once I started reading.
Kelly Anne Blount, through her writing style, made each character very believable and easy to identify with. The emotions and feeling developed into each character help you connect and cheer on the good guys and dislike the bad guys. I really like this.
Grishma by Kelly Anne Blount is as excellent YA fantasy novel and I highly recommend it for all ages.
[Please note: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]
The author did a great job of developing the story. It was easy to follow and never lost sight of the story theme as each new twist developed. I loved getting into the story and found it hard to put down once I started reading.
Kelly Anne Blount, through her writing style, made each character very believable and easy to identify with. The emotions and feeling developed into each character help you connect and cheer on the good guys and dislike the bad guys. I really like this.
Grishma by Kelly Anne Blount is as excellent YA fantasy novel and I highly recommend it for all ages.
[Please note: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]
March 25, 2013
This book reminds me of the fairy tales we all read as kids but with a twist! I sooooooo enjoyed reading this book. When I got to the last page and it ended I was like really... that's it:( I wanted more! and that's just the way a series should be. It was imaginative and rolled as you read it. There were no spots in it where I thought okay and just jump to the next page and it might get better...because every page was that good! Congrats Kelly for a book well written:)
March 12, 2013
Love Grishma Kelly Anne Blount. It was like reading the Hungry Games along with Wizard of Oz. All the little creatures who kept popping up made me smile. They were just what was needed for the story line. And what was needed to out smart the Grishma. A very good Read.
April 29, 2013
I pretty much read this one in a single sitting. The vivid imagery really brought out the world of Necoh, making the setting a character within itself.
But that lovely ending! Bah! *various ranting* Finish the next book NOW!
Lol. No Pressure or anything.
But that lovely ending! Bah! *various ranting* Finish the next book NOW!
Lol. No Pressure or anything.
March 19, 2013
Firstly, I'd like to show some cover love. I absolutely adore this cover. It's simple, elegant and beautiful. Perfect for the story contained within.
When Kelly first approached me about this book, it was to do some critiquing for her. I gave her my insights on the first few chapters but after that, she was picked up very quickly by a publisher, so I didn't read any more - I waited for the final outcome.
I have to say, this book is a new favourite of mine. With a twisting story arc, fluid writing and truly unique characters, this book has sky-rocketed to my 'Most Favourite' list on Goodreads.
Why did I enjoy it so much? Well there's hardly enough words to tell you without giving away the whole story - but what I will tell you is this...
Brooklyn is a normal teenage girl with your pretty average life. That is until the day she attends a house party thrown by Jocelyn Macintyre. Her world is then thrown into disarray and all because she got a little lost.
Why was she lost? Well, we have to go back in time a little way to answer that question. Brooklyn has been in love with Kai since forever. Kai is a friend of Brooklyn's brother and her feelings blossomed for him over a period of time. But Kai doesn't seem to see her in the same light. Why? I can't tell you (it's a spoiler).
So, upon attending the 'party of the century' at Jocelyn's house, Brooklyn is disturbed and upset to find out why Kai doesn't think of her like that. So much so, she runs off out of the house, out of the garden and into the woods that surround the back of the house.
Brooklyn is lost and alone, upset because of the betrayal and she's beyond hurt by someone she classed as a best friend.
She doesn't remain alone for long though. Ryder, the foreign exchange student living at Jocelyn's, comes seemingly out of nowhere. There's something in the woods and if Brooklyn doesn't follow Ryder, she could end up dead. So she does as he tells her. That something in the woods? Well that would be Grishma!
Ryder takes Brooklyn to his home via way of the moonbow (not saying too much, you need to read it for yourself). She discovers that they are no longer even in her world, they have been transported to Ryder's homeworld of Necoh.
Ryder shouldn't have taken her to his world, she'll stick out like a sore thumb, but it was all he could think to do at the time to save her. He explains this to her and Brooklyn being a girl after my own heart doesn't totally flip out and slap him upside the head for lying - as some people might do. On their run through the woods, she caught something in the sole of her foot but before she has chance to do too much moaning (as might be appropriate) Ryder puts a balm on her foot to help it to heal.
Ever the gentleman, he shows her the way to what the Necohian's class as a bath and leaves her to clean the mud caked in her hair and on her skin. Once out of the water, Brooklyn puts on some clothes Ryder has left for her.
This is surely as much excitement as Brooklyn can handle. but oh no, things are about to get extremely worse.
{spoiler extracted}
Brooklyn wanders off and stumbles upon some members of the Tribe of Topher. They all believe her to be the missing Princess Sophie. She explains that she is not, but do they believe her?
{spoiler extracted}
Ryder can't find Brooklyn anywhere. He's worried that she'll get lost and hurt because she doesn't know his world. But he can't plan for what actually happens.
{spoiler extracted}
Someone returns Princess Sophie to her rightful home, the castle, with the King of Necoh. But Brooklyn isn't the Princess and nobody will believe her. They think that someone has altered her mind with a concoction that erases memories. Brooklyn has no choice but to play along and hope that Ryder can rescue her somehow.
Tasked not only with rescuing Brooklyn, Ryder also still has to track down and kill Grishma for the death of his father. This is going to be one hell of a rescue/tracking mission. Is Ryder prepared for all eventualities?....
It's not long since Princess Sophie was returned home but the King is insistent that the ceremony still go ahead as scheduled. What ceremony? Well, she's to marry Prince Algid of Dratun.
Brooklyn doesn't know what the King has planned until she hears one of the servants says she will make a lovely bride. How on earth will she get out of having to marry a Prince? There's no way she can do that. She has to get home. Plus, she has come to like Ryder.
{yet another spoiler extracted}
Ryder is on his way to try and find Brooklyn. But by the time he does, will she even remember who he is? Will she even remember who she is?.....
Grishma is a foul beast who smells like rotten fish. She killed Ryder's father and kidnapped his mother Bethenny and sister Brianna. Can he slay the beast and rescue his mother and sister, as well as finding and rescuing Brooklyn from her fate?.....
This unique cast of characters made for a complex story arc, yet it was simple to follow and I really enjoy a book that can do that, combine both complex and simple. By that, I mean, Kelly made sure there were twists and turns, highs and lows, things happened that you just didn't see coming. But though it was so intricately weaved, this story was easy to follow along with and in fact get swept away by.
I absolutely loved Cridifer and Pidifer. (you'll know who I mean when you read the book.) I fell in love with the swoon-worthy Ryder and I loved Brooklyn. She's probably my kindred spirit. She's got a kick-A attitude that you just have to admire.
Kelly Anne Blount is a debut author but it doesn't mean she can't jump up onto my Favourite Authors list. I found her fluid writing style really easy to read and to connect with. I love how she alternates the chapters so that we also get to experience Ryder's POV. It was a great way of making him an easy guy to fall for. I cannot wait for book two to come out. Alas I guess I will have to wait, I don't know if book two will come out this year or next.
Thank you Kelly for allowing me the chance to read and review your wonderful debut novel.
When Kelly first approached me about this book, it was to do some critiquing for her. I gave her my insights on the first few chapters but after that, she was picked up very quickly by a publisher, so I didn't read any more - I waited for the final outcome.
I have to say, this book is a new favourite of mine. With a twisting story arc, fluid writing and truly unique characters, this book has sky-rocketed to my 'Most Favourite' list on Goodreads.
Why did I enjoy it so much? Well there's hardly enough words to tell you without giving away the whole story - but what I will tell you is this...
Brooklyn is a normal teenage girl with your pretty average life. That is until the day she attends a house party thrown by Jocelyn Macintyre. Her world is then thrown into disarray and all because she got a little lost.
Why was she lost? Well, we have to go back in time a little way to answer that question. Brooklyn has been in love with Kai since forever. Kai is a friend of Brooklyn's brother and her feelings blossomed for him over a period of time. But Kai doesn't seem to see her in the same light. Why? I can't tell you (it's a spoiler).
So, upon attending the 'party of the century' at Jocelyn's house, Brooklyn is disturbed and upset to find out why Kai doesn't think of her like that. So much so, she runs off out of the house, out of the garden and into the woods that surround the back of the house.
Brooklyn is lost and alone, upset because of the betrayal and she's beyond hurt by someone she classed as a best friend.
She doesn't remain alone for long though. Ryder, the foreign exchange student living at Jocelyn's, comes seemingly out of nowhere. There's something in the woods and if Brooklyn doesn't follow Ryder, she could end up dead. So she does as he tells her. That something in the woods? Well that would be Grishma!
Ryder takes Brooklyn to his home via way of the moonbow (not saying too much, you need to read it for yourself). She discovers that they are no longer even in her world, they have been transported to Ryder's homeworld of Necoh.
Ryder shouldn't have taken her to his world, she'll stick out like a sore thumb, but it was all he could think to do at the time to save her. He explains this to her and Brooklyn being a girl after my own heart doesn't totally flip out and slap him upside the head for lying - as some people might do. On their run through the woods, she caught something in the sole of her foot but before she has chance to do too much moaning (as might be appropriate) Ryder puts a balm on her foot to help it to heal.
Ever the gentleman, he shows her the way to what the Necohian's class as a bath and leaves her to clean the mud caked in her hair and on her skin. Once out of the water, Brooklyn puts on some clothes Ryder has left for her.
This is surely as much excitement as Brooklyn can handle. but oh no, things are about to get extremely worse.
{spoiler extracted}
Brooklyn wanders off and stumbles upon some members of the Tribe of Topher. They all believe her to be the missing Princess Sophie. She explains that she is not, but do they believe her?
{spoiler extracted}
Ryder can't find Brooklyn anywhere. He's worried that she'll get lost and hurt because she doesn't know his world. But he can't plan for what actually happens.
{spoiler extracted}
Someone returns Princess Sophie to her rightful home, the castle, with the King of Necoh. But Brooklyn isn't the Princess and nobody will believe her. They think that someone has altered her mind with a concoction that erases memories. Brooklyn has no choice but to play along and hope that Ryder can rescue her somehow.
Tasked not only with rescuing Brooklyn, Ryder also still has to track down and kill Grishma for the death of his father. This is going to be one hell of a rescue/tracking mission. Is Ryder prepared for all eventualities?....
It's not long since Princess Sophie was returned home but the King is insistent that the ceremony still go ahead as scheduled. What ceremony? Well, she's to marry Prince Algid of Dratun.
Brooklyn doesn't know what the King has planned until she hears one of the servants says she will make a lovely bride. How on earth will she get out of having to marry a Prince? There's no way she can do that. She has to get home. Plus, she has come to like Ryder.
{yet another spoiler extracted}
Ryder is on his way to try and find Brooklyn. But by the time he does, will she even remember who he is? Will she even remember who she is?.....
Grishma is a foul beast who smells like rotten fish. She killed Ryder's father and kidnapped his mother Bethenny and sister Brianna. Can he slay the beast and rescue his mother and sister, as well as finding and rescuing Brooklyn from her fate?.....
This unique cast of characters made for a complex story arc, yet it was simple to follow and I really enjoy a book that can do that, combine both complex and simple. By that, I mean, Kelly made sure there were twists and turns, highs and lows, things happened that you just didn't see coming. But though it was so intricately weaved, this story was easy to follow along with and in fact get swept away by.
I absolutely loved Cridifer and Pidifer. (you'll know who I mean when you read the book.) I fell in love with the swoon-worthy Ryder and I loved Brooklyn. She's probably my kindred spirit. She's got a kick-A attitude that you just have to admire.
Kelly Anne Blount is a debut author but it doesn't mean she can't jump up onto my Favourite Authors list. I found her fluid writing style really easy to read and to connect with. I love how she alternates the chapters so that we also get to experience Ryder's POV. It was a great way of making him an easy guy to fall for. I cannot wait for book two to come out. Alas I guess I will have to wait, I don't know if book two will come out this year or next.
Thank you Kelly for allowing me the chance to read and review your wonderful debut novel.
April 8, 2013
*Huge thank you to Kelly Blount for providing a copy of her debut novel, Grishma,
in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.
I dove head first into Grishma with no expectations. At the time, I wasn't familiar with the author's work or the concept of a magical land called Necoh. A land that was haunted by ferocious creatures, Grishma being the most infamous of them all. All I did know, was that it had an absolutely gorgeous cover. That alone, gave me enough motivation to jump at the opportunity when the author asked me to read and review her debut.
When I first started off the novel, I found Brooklyn to be a pretty likable character. Her love-hate relationship with her brother reminded me a lot of how normal, everyday siblings acted. Although they constantly teased and embarrassed each other whenever the opportunity presented itself, you could clearly see that they loved each other underneath. However, my respect for her started to dwindle when she blew up at one of her best friends for going after her crush. I don't deny that it's normal for someone to get angry when their best friend does something like that, but if you've been friends for nearly your whole life, you should at least hear out their side of the story, before jumping to conclusions and calling them sluts.
As the novel progressed, I began to like her less and less. When she was taken to the castle after being mistaken for the runaway Princess Sophie, she handled situations poorly and failed to catch onto important details until it was too late. She was weak, and although she wasn't the worst heroine I've ever read about, she was definitely close to the bottom.
The romance between Ryder and Brooklyn wasn't realistic at all. Although there wasn't a straight out Insta-Love connection, it was close enough to be labeled one. One of those, "As soon as we made eye contact, the world stopped spinning and it seemed like we were the last two people on the planet," moments. If that wasn't bad enough, even though Ryder and Brooklyn were separated for nearly 90% of the novel, they just happened to be unconditionally and irrevocably in love with each other at the end. Attraction to a hot guy is completely normal, but you can't actually fall in love with someone until you get to know them first.
Although there was always something happening in the novel, I was never engrossed with the events that were occurring. There were a countless number of times when I just wanted to turn off my Kindle and hope to somehow be magically in love with the plot the next day. Actually, this was probably the longest time it took me to read a book, excluding classics I'm forced to read for school, of course. xD In fact, if Sophie or Ryder had died somewhere along the way, I probably wouldn't even have noticed or wouldn't have been able to bring myself to care.
The one saving grace for Grishma was the author's writing style. Surprisingly, it flowed pretty well and reminded me of that of a much more experienced author. However, although I was pretty impressed with that part of the novel, there were still a few flaws. One minor flaw that didn't bother me too much was the grammatical and spelling errors. I'm no genius when it comes to punctuation and grammar, but I do know enough to be able to tell when a word is spelled incorrectly. However, although those errors are inconvenient, I don't mind if there spaced out and only happen once in a blue moon.
Another thing I had a problem with was the overuse of exclamation points. For some reason, the majority of self published authors and authors from smaller publishing companies are in love with the idea of using exclamation points, even when there not necessary. I mean, I don't mind a couple here and there to indicate yelling or to exaggerate a certain line, but when you insert exclamation points consecutively on almost every single page, then I get aggravated. When I read a book, I usually play the speaking parts in my head, imagining what they sound like and which parts of the sentence are stressed (Am I the only one who does this? O.o). It detracts from the story, when every single character speaks like a caveman.
Overall, Kelly had a great and unique concept, but failed to execute it in a believable manner. To this day, I still have no idea what Grishma looks like and can't even imagine the land of Necoh in my head. Although the romance wasn't exactly what you would call an Insta-Love, it was very close to one. It pains me to write a bad review for a book that had so much effort and time put into it, but I guess it's something that every reviewer is faced with sometime in their blogging career. I've been literally cringing the whole time I was writing this review. >.< I have no doubt that many readers will find the world of Necoh to be an alluring one, but I was definitely not one of them.
Cover- 4/5
Heroine- 1.5/5
Romance- 1/5
Action- 1/5
Writing- 3/5
Overall- 1.5/5
For more reviews, visit my website Reading Until Dawn.
in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.
I dove head first into Grishma with no expectations. At the time, I wasn't familiar with the author's work or the concept of a magical land called Necoh. A land that was haunted by ferocious creatures, Grishma being the most infamous of them all. All I did know, was that it had an absolutely gorgeous cover. That alone, gave me enough motivation to jump at the opportunity when the author asked me to read and review her debut.
When I first started off the novel, I found Brooklyn to be a pretty likable character. Her love-hate relationship with her brother reminded me a lot of how normal, everyday siblings acted. Although they constantly teased and embarrassed each other whenever the opportunity presented itself, you could clearly see that they loved each other underneath. However, my respect for her started to dwindle when she blew up at one of her best friends for going after her crush. I don't deny that it's normal for someone to get angry when their best friend does something like that, but if you've been friends for nearly your whole life, you should at least hear out their side of the story, before jumping to conclusions and calling them sluts.
As the novel progressed, I began to like her less and less. When she was taken to the castle after being mistaken for the runaway Princess Sophie, she handled situations poorly and failed to catch onto important details until it was too late. She was weak, and although she wasn't the worst heroine I've ever read about, she was definitely close to the bottom.
The romance between Ryder and Brooklyn wasn't realistic at all. Although there wasn't a straight out Insta-Love connection, it was close enough to be labeled one. One of those, "As soon as we made eye contact, the world stopped spinning and it seemed like we were the last two people on the planet," moments. If that wasn't bad enough, even though Ryder and Brooklyn were separated for nearly 90% of the novel, they just happened to be unconditionally and irrevocably in love with each other at the end. Attraction to a hot guy is completely normal, but you can't actually fall in love with someone until you get to know them first.
Although there was always something happening in the novel, I was never engrossed with the events that were occurring. There were a countless number of times when I just wanted to turn off my Kindle and hope to somehow be magically in love with the plot the next day. Actually, this was probably the longest time it took me to read a book, excluding classics I'm forced to read for school, of course. xD In fact, if Sophie or Ryder had died somewhere along the way, I probably wouldn't even have noticed or wouldn't have been able to bring myself to care.
The one saving grace for Grishma was the author's writing style. Surprisingly, it flowed pretty well and reminded me of that of a much more experienced author. However, although I was pretty impressed with that part of the novel, there were still a few flaws. One minor flaw that didn't bother me too much was the grammatical and spelling errors. I'm no genius when it comes to punctuation and grammar, but I do know enough to be able to tell when a word is spelled incorrectly. However, although those errors are inconvenient, I don't mind if there spaced out and only happen once in a blue moon.
Another thing I had a problem with was the overuse of exclamation points. For some reason, the majority of self published authors and authors from smaller publishing companies are in love with the idea of using exclamation points, even when there not necessary. I mean, I don't mind a couple here and there to indicate yelling or to exaggerate a certain line, but when you insert exclamation points consecutively on almost every single page, then I get aggravated. When I read a book, I usually play the speaking parts in my head, imagining what they sound like and which parts of the sentence are stressed (Am I the only one who does this? O.o). It detracts from the story, when every single character speaks like a caveman.
Overall, Kelly had a great and unique concept, but failed to execute it in a believable manner. To this day, I still have no idea what Grishma looks like and can't even imagine the land of Necoh in my head. Although the romance wasn't exactly what you would call an Insta-Love, it was very close to one. It pains me to write a bad review for a book that had so much effort and time put into it, but I guess it's something that every reviewer is faced with sometime in their blogging career. I've been literally cringing the whole time I was writing this review. >.< I have no doubt that many readers will find the world of Necoh to be an alluring one, but I was definitely not one of them.
Cover- 4/5
Heroine- 1.5/5
Romance- 1/5
Action- 1/5
Writing- 3/5
Overall- 1.5/5
For more reviews, visit my website Reading Until Dawn.
March 2, 2013
I’ve always been a big fan of paranormal books. I crave the escape of reality into a better world with beautiful creatures and a lush environment. When I read the synopsis of Kelly’s book, Grishma, I was intrigued. It seemed to have all the right ingredients: the world of Necoh, a hideous murderous beast, and a girl who is accidentally thrust into the middle of a battle that opens her eyes to a whole new world. This book had everything I wanted in a paranormal book and included romance, mystery, and its fair share of epic adventures.
The book begins with the story of Ryder, a boy who is forced into manhood upon witnessing his father’s death at the hands of a hideous beast that has plagued his homeland of Necoh. I love Ryder! He is the epitomy of a young adult hero. Struggling to become a leader, he battles his own internal doubts while trying to show confidence in his decisions. Yet, in light of trying to appear confident, he is always willing to take the advice of others.
Enter Brooklyn: a normal teenager whose biggest worry in life is her annoying, yet loveable, older brother Jax and what he will do next to embarrass her in front of her high school crush. Brooklyn first lays eyes on Ryder at a party where he is trying to blend in. The chemistry between them is strong and immediate; a true love at first sight interaction, but Brooklyn shies away from the encounter at first. I struggled to relate to Brooklyn at first, she seemed just a little too contrived for me. But she was not left this way. She grows and changes with the story into a person that I was very invested in. After she is drugged by Grishma, making her think she is the lost Princess Sophie, the author cleverly changed her third-person references to that of Sophie. A very nice way to cement that fact that she really believed she was the Princess.
One thing I hate in a book is when the main characters go from meeting/hating each other to suddenly being deeply in love with no back story on how the relationship developed. This was not an issue in this story. The relationship between Brooklyn and Ryder develops slowly, almost painfully slow, but the reader has time to digest and grow with the characters.
Ryder's journey to find Brooklyn is joined along the way by several Necohian creatures willing to help. They form a band of unlikely heros who each have something to prove and something to gain. Each of these creatures is a loveable character in their own right. Who are my favorite characters? - Pidifer and Cridifer! They are orvbas, small stumpy creatures, and brothers. The epitomise the meaning of brotherly love and sacrifice. Plus I just picture them as being so darn cute (like little teddy bears, or something)!
Every time I thought I had this book figured out I was thrown a curveball! The rise and fall of action is so well placed it maintained my interest throughout the entire story. Ryder and Brooklyn cross paths so many times only to be pulled apart again!
This story is reminiscent of The Chronicles of Narnia, written with a modern young adult theme. I even picture Grishma as a cross between Aslan and Buckbeak (the hippogriff from Harry Potter) with a serious mean streak and a manipulative personality. With all of the original creatures, this is one of those stories that would make an epic motion picture! (One I would be first in line to see)
I highly recommend this book for fans of the Chronicles of Narnia but who are looking for something with a modern romantic twist. There are some adult situations portrayed in the story, but they are subtle. I would recommend this book for ages 15-18 (and for those young at heart). :-)
A sequel to this title is already in the works and I cannot wait to get my hands on it!
The book begins with the story of Ryder, a boy who is forced into manhood upon witnessing his father’s death at the hands of a hideous beast that has plagued his homeland of Necoh. I love Ryder! He is the epitomy of a young adult hero. Struggling to become a leader, he battles his own internal doubts while trying to show confidence in his decisions. Yet, in light of trying to appear confident, he is always willing to take the advice of others.
Enter Brooklyn: a normal teenager whose biggest worry in life is her annoying, yet loveable, older brother Jax and what he will do next to embarrass her in front of her high school crush. Brooklyn first lays eyes on Ryder at a party where he is trying to blend in. The chemistry between them is strong and immediate; a true love at first sight interaction, but Brooklyn shies away from the encounter at first. I struggled to relate to Brooklyn at first, she seemed just a little too contrived for me. But she was not left this way. She grows and changes with the story into a person that I was very invested in. After she is drugged by Grishma, making her think she is the lost Princess Sophie, the author cleverly changed her third-person references to that of Sophie. A very nice way to cement that fact that she really believed she was the Princess.
One thing I hate in a book is when the main characters go from meeting/hating each other to suddenly being deeply in love with no back story on how the relationship developed. This was not an issue in this story. The relationship between Brooklyn and Ryder develops slowly, almost painfully slow, but the reader has time to digest and grow with the characters.
Ryder's journey to find Brooklyn is joined along the way by several Necohian creatures willing to help. They form a band of unlikely heros who each have something to prove and something to gain. Each of these creatures is a loveable character in their own right. Who are my favorite characters? - Pidifer and Cridifer! They are orvbas, small stumpy creatures, and brothers. The epitomise the meaning of brotherly love and sacrifice. Plus I just picture them as being so darn cute (like little teddy bears, or something)!
Every time I thought I had this book figured out I was thrown a curveball! The rise and fall of action is so well placed it maintained my interest throughout the entire story. Ryder and Brooklyn cross paths so many times only to be pulled apart again!
This story is reminiscent of The Chronicles of Narnia, written with a modern young adult theme. I even picture Grishma as a cross between Aslan and Buckbeak (the hippogriff from Harry Potter) with a serious mean streak and a manipulative personality. With all of the original creatures, this is one of those stories that would make an epic motion picture! (One I would be first in line to see)
I highly recommend this book for fans of the Chronicles of Narnia but who are looking for something with a modern romantic twist. There are some adult situations portrayed in the story, but they are subtle. I would recommend this book for ages 15-18 (and for those young at heart). :-)
A sequel to this title is already in the works and I cannot wait to get my hands on it!
April 2, 2013
This review was originally posted on Paperback Princess to view in it's entirety please click here.
Grishma is a great debut fairytale-esque, adventure, YA fantasy novel by Kelly Anne Blount. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey that this book takes the readers on, it's well-paced and thrilling journey. There were some elements that baffled me and would have liked further explanation on, for example, I didn't understand why Grishma came to our World. However, Blount may just be setting the scene for the following books in the series, and an explanation may come at a later date.
Ryder is a traumatised teen who's main objective in life is to seek revenge for his Father's death and to rescue his Mother and Sister after being kidnapped by the same monster that killed his Father, Grishma. Brooklyn and Ryder's lives collide when Ryder is forced to transport Brooklyn to Necoh, whilst trying to save her from Grishma. What seemed like a saving grace at the time, transporting Brooklyn to Necoh, turned out to be more disastrous for the pair as local residents believe Brooklyn is the missing Princess Sophie, the Princess who's got a reward for her safe return.
Grishma is an amazing action-packed novel that has you glued to the very first page. Grishma is told from alternating views, which is quite hard to write, but Blount did an amazing job, keeping the two views separate with enough personality injected into each that you know who's view it is immediately. The story was well-paced and the entire journey was a thrilling ride with much heart-pumping action and anticipation as you eagerly await for what would happen next. The way the story unfolded was perfectly paced and there was a lot of surprising elements thrown in that the story never got boring.
Ryder was the perfect hero and gentleman there wasn't a part in the book where I got annoyed by him which was quite a feat considering most of the books I read the protagonist always has some fault. He wasn't your perfect protagonist but you can see that he's kind, loving, loyal and all the good stuff that boys are rarely made off LOL (just kidding). Brooklyn, I didn't enjoy her character as much, I felt that she lacked character. I didn't feel like she showed enough emotion to what was happening around her till towards the end. I much enjoyed Alexia and Bressa's characters despite the short time they appeared in the story. I had hoped that the story would end differently with two separate couples but alas it didn't but the story is not over yet so we shall see.
Grishma is an adventurous journey with a fairytale-like storyline. It's readers would be glued to it's pages as they rapidly flip through the pages, highly anticipating what happens to it's characters. It's a well-written, well-plotted story and I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters. I did find some things that I would have liked further explained, and I did not understand Grishma the monster, for example why she was a "she" and so forth, but I hope to uncover more of the story in the following books. I'd highly recommend this book to the middle grade to young adult age group who enjoys fantasy, adventure and fairytale stories. A wonderful and well-written debut novel, and I'd definitely be reading other books written by Kelly Anne Blount.
Disclaimer:- This ebook was provided by the Author/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other incentives were offered for this review.
Grishma is a great debut fairytale-esque, adventure, YA fantasy novel by Kelly Anne Blount. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey that this book takes the readers on, it's well-paced and thrilling journey. There were some elements that baffled me and would have liked further explanation on, for example, I didn't understand why Grishma came to our World. However, Blount may just be setting the scene for the following books in the series, and an explanation may come at a later date.
Ryder is a traumatised teen who's main objective in life is to seek revenge for his Father's death and to rescue his Mother and Sister after being kidnapped by the same monster that killed his Father, Grishma. Brooklyn and Ryder's lives collide when Ryder is forced to transport Brooklyn to Necoh, whilst trying to save her from Grishma. What seemed like a saving grace at the time, transporting Brooklyn to Necoh, turned out to be more disastrous for the pair as local residents believe Brooklyn is the missing Princess Sophie, the Princess who's got a reward for her safe return.
Grishma is an amazing action-packed novel that has you glued to the very first page. Grishma is told from alternating views, which is quite hard to write, but Blount did an amazing job, keeping the two views separate with enough personality injected into each that you know who's view it is immediately. The story was well-paced and the entire journey was a thrilling ride with much heart-pumping action and anticipation as you eagerly await for what would happen next. The way the story unfolded was perfectly paced and there was a lot of surprising elements thrown in that the story never got boring.
Ryder was the perfect hero and gentleman there wasn't a part in the book where I got annoyed by him which was quite a feat considering most of the books I read the protagonist always has some fault. He wasn't your perfect protagonist but you can see that he's kind, loving, loyal and all the good stuff that boys are rarely made off LOL (just kidding). Brooklyn, I didn't enjoy her character as much, I felt that she lacked character. I didn't feel like she showed enough emotion to what was happening around her till towards the end. I much enjoyed Alexia and Bressa's characters despite the short time they appeared in the story. I had hoped that the story would end differently with two separate couples but alas it didn't but the story is not over yet so we shall see.
Grishma is an adventurous journey with a fairytale-like storyline. It's readers would be glued to it's pages as they rapidly flip through the pages, highly anticipating what happens to it's characters. It's a well-written, well-plotted story and I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters. I did find some things that I would have liked further explained, and I did not understand Grishma the monster, for example why she was a "she" and so forth, but I hope to uncover more of the story in the following books. I'd highly recommend this book to the middle grade to young adult age group who enjoys fantasy, adventure and fairytale stories. A wonderful and well-written debut novel, and I'd definitely be reading other books written by Kelly Anne Blount.
Disclaimer:- This ebook was provided by the Author/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other incentives were offered for this review.
December 24, 2014
Grishma sets the stage for an exciting young adult fantasy romance. It follows the adventures of ordinary girl, Brooklyn, and her dashing hero, Ryder. No, not Flynn Ryder. He’s more of a sweetheart than a rogue, and Brooklyn is not quite as adventurous as Rapunzel. But, trust me, they do manage to have their adventures. If you’re looking for a nice light fantasy that doesn’t involve traditional elves and dwarves, then this is a great read.
The book moves along at a nice clip, never really getting bogged down despite the fact that this takes place in a new world with an intriguingly horrific creature named Grishma. Personally, Grishma reminded me a bit of Grendel/Grendel’s mother. It’s not what you think initially, but the great thing is that even with this intriguing monster, the main characters don’t lose center stage.
Brooklyn can be a tad whiny at times. However, she feels like a legitimate teenager who is thrust into this situation. She responds, not as most teens wish they would respond, but how they probably would.
The main weakness of the book, in my opinion, is how fast everything moves. Blount created such an intriguing world, and I just wanted to immerse myself in it more. I wanted more details and descriptions and setting. However, that’s not a bad thing. There’s never a chance to get bored, but the book doesn’t exhaust you before its conclusion. Instead, you’re aware that you’re in this unique fantasy world and that, as the details become relevant, they will be revealed. Otherwise, buckle up. There’s a lot of adventuring to do, and the plot thickens quickly.
Don’t expect a typical damsel in distress story either. There might be a pretty girl on the cover of this book, but that’s not all there is to Brooklyn. Blount manages to avoid both the overly emotional and overly need female stereotype and the overly strong and overly independent female stereotype in the same story. A nice blend really, and I anticipate seeing some great growth from Brooklyn in the future books.
Grishma is the first in a trilogy. It’s just over 63,000 words, and the other two books are of similar length and tone. Blount says they’ll be up and published by the end of summer; lucky for us! They’re great for reading out loud, and they’re also suitable for reading on trips or before bed. You won’t want to put them down, but you won’t have nightmares if you have to stop either. Overall, a great young adult fantasy romance.
The book moves along at a nice clip, never really getting bogged down despite the fact that this takes place in a new world with an intriguingly horrific creature named Grishma. Personally, Grishma reminded me a bit of Grendel/Grendel’s mother. It’s not what you think initially, but the great thing is that even with this intriguing monster, the main characters don’t lose center stage.
Brooklyn can be a tad whiny at times. However, she feels like a legitimate teenager who is thrust into this situation. She responds, not as most teens wish they would respond, but how they probably would.
The main weakness of the book, in my opinion, is how fast everything moves. Blount created such an intriguing world, and I just wanted to immerse myself in it more. I wanted more details and descriptions and setting. However, that’s not a bad thing. There’s never a chance to get bored, but the book doesn’t exhaust you before its conclusion. Instead, you’re aware that you’re in this unique fantasy world and that, as the details become relevant, they will be revealed. Otherwise, buckle up. There’s a lot of adventuring to do, and the plot thickens quickly.
Don’t expect a typical damsel in distress story either. There might be a pretty girl on the cover of this book, but that’s not all there is to Brooklyn. Blount manages to avoid both the overly emotional and overly need female stereotype and the overly strong and overly independent female stereotype in the same story. A nice blend really, and I anticipate seeing some great growth from Brooklyn in the future books.
Grishma is the first in a trilogy. It’s just over 63,000 words, and the other two books are of similar length and tone. Blount says they’ll be up and published by the end of summer; lucky for us! They’re great for reading out loud, and they’re also suitable for reading on trips or before bed. You won’t want to put them down, but you won’t have nightmares if you have to stop either. Overall, a great young adult fantasy romance.
April 15, 2013
Truly 4.5 Stars
Grishma is a tale of love, family, and friendship. After losing his father to the beast, Grishma, Ryder vows to seek his revenge. Hunting her across worlds, he finally closes in on Earth.
Brooklyn is a teen, in love with her brother's best friend. One night they attend a party and she learns the bitter truth. One of her own friends is sneaking behind her back. She dashes from the party, and finds herself lost in the woods when she hears the snarling beast.
Ryder swoops in, not allowing Grishma to claim another life, and he takes her to his home.
Potions, healers, strange creatures, and a far and distant land is where she finds herself. But as the duo set away from Ryder's home, they become separated. The various new creatures she encounters soon believe her to be the missing Princess Sophia, and from here the story really begins.
Over all I enjoyed reading the story. The start was a bit slow as we learned about Ryder, but as soon as we get to Brooklyn things take off. This is typical in the fantasy genre primarily due to world building, which was done very well and believable.
There is a bit of mystery, love, fantasy and a lot of courage in all the voices we get to hear. Ryder, thought, became my favorite. He wouldn't rest until the vow is fulfilled, and I enjoyed that there was so much more than another love story.
Don't get me wrong, I love romance, but books need more than just lusty, teens ogling each other, and we get that with Grishma.
Fighting, action (but not so much you became bored), and the strong sense of family spoke to me too. The end though, I hope more is planned, because I kinda want to know what happens. I won't say too much, because I don't like spoiling. :)
I'd recommend Grishma for older young adults (16+). There is some minor cursing in the story, which doesn't bother me, but I mention it when I see it. While not descriptive or unfitting for an older YA story, there are also sexual situations. Again, I don't have problems with it, but I mention it when I see it. As a parent, I screen YA books before I allow my kids (my eldest is 10, but reads at a higher level) to read them.
I look forward to (hopefully) reading more!
Grishma is a tale of love, family, and friendship. After losing his father to the beast, Grishma, Ryder vows to seek his revenge. Hunting her across worlds, he finally closes in on Earth.
Brooklyn is a teen, in love with her brother's best friend. One night they attend a party and she learns the bitter truth. One of her own friends is sneaking behind her back. She dashes from the party, and finds herself lost in the woods when she hears the snarling beast.
Ryder swoops in, not allowing Grishma to claim another life, and he takes her to his home.
Potions, healers, strange creatures, and a far and distant land is where she finds herself. But as the duo set away from Ryder's home, they become separated. The various new creatures she encounters soon believe her to be the missing Princess Sophia, and from here the story really begins.
Over all I enjoyed reading the story. The start was a bit slow as we learned about Ryder, but as soon as we get to Brooklyn things take off. This is typical in the fantasy genre primarily due to world building, which was done very well and believable.
There is a bit of mystery, love, fantasy and a lot of courage in all the voices we get to hear. Ryder, thought, became my favorite. He wouldn't rest until the vow is fulfilled, and I enjoyed that there was so much more than another love story.
Don't get me wrong, I love romance, but books need more than just lusty, teens ogling each other, and we get that with Grishma.
Fighting, action (but not so much you became bored), and the strong sense of family spoke to me too. The end though, I hope more is planned, because I kinda want to know what happens. I won't say too much, because I don't like spoiling. :)
I'd recommend Grishma for older young adults (16+). There is some minor cursing in the story, which doesn't bother me, but I mention it when I see it. While not descriptive or unfitting for an older YA story, there are also sexual situations. Again, I don't have problems with it, but I mention it when I see it. As a parent, I screen YA books before I allow my kids (my eldest is 10, but reads at a higher level) to read them.
I look forward to (hopefully) reading more!
May 13, 2013
This has to be the most unique book I have read in a very long time. Everything from the monster to the world the author created was something new and complex to me and I really enjoyed every page. The main character was easy to fall in love with which made the story that much better. You couldn't help but to feel what Ryder feels and you find yourself being caught up in his vow of revenge.
Another character is Brooklyn who we meet after she learns the truth about a so-called friend sneaking behind her back and hooking up with her brother’s best friend who Brooklyn has been in love with for like ever. She almost is killed by the Grishma but our hero Ryder swoops in and takes her to his world and then the story really begins as they are separated. The creatures she meets believe her to be the missing Princess Sophia, which is when everything starts.
The beginning starts out slow only because we begin learning about Ryder and his past but when the book gets to Brooklyn that is when things really start going.
I would say there is a bit of everything in this book from mystery to fantasy to even a love story. I love how even though Brooklyn has been thrown into something completely out of her element she stays strong and keeps her head. This story could have easily gone downhill with Brooklyn if she had turned into this whole girly girl character and became nothing but a whiney girl. Thank goodness, that it didn't and Brooklyn quickly became one of my favorite characters.
Another great thing with this book is that the love story element developed in a great way and not an instant "OMG, I LOVE YOU" kind of thing, which is highly annoying. For me, it felt real and genuine which added another element of awesomeness to this book.
Overall, this book well exceeded my expectations and has become a book I have been recommending to people of all ages. It is truly a well-written story and a very enjoyable one at that.
*Disclosure Notice*
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my personal and honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Another character is Brooklyn who we meet after she learns the truth about a so-called friend sneaking behind her back and hooking up with her brother’s best friend who Brooklyn has been in love with for like ever. She almost is killed by the Grishma but our hero Ryder swoops in and takes her to his world and then the story really begins as they are separated. The creatures she meets believe her to be the missing Princess Sophia, which is when everything starts.
The beginning starts out slow only because we begin learning about Ryder and his past but when the book gets to Brooklyn that is when things really start going.
I would say there is a bit of everything in this book from mystery to fantasy to even a love story. I love how even though Brooklyn has been thrown into something completely out of her element she stays strong and keeps her head. This story could have easily gone downhill with Brooklyn if she had turned into this whole girly girl character and became nothing but a whiney girl. Thank goodness, that it didn't and Brooklyn quickly became one of my favorite characters.
Another great thing with this book is that the love story element developed in a great way and not an instant "OMG, I LOVE YOU" kind of thing, which is highly annoying. For me, it felt real and genuine which added another element of awesomeness to this book.
Overall, this book well exceeded my expectations and has become a book I have been recommending to people of all ages. It is truly a well-written story and a very enjoyable one at that.
*Disclosure Notice*
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my personal and honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
April 5, 2013
''Grishma'' is a book that you don't want to miss. Believe me, it is a unique read who just shows how talented is the author. She created a story with strong characters, romance, action and many funny and interesting moments.
The title is very strange, because is the name of the beast who attacked so many people, including Ryder and Brooklyn. After Grishma killed his father and kidnapped his mother and sister, Ryder leaves the homeworld of Necoh to find it. Unfortunately it will happen a lot of things to him, one of which is Brooklyn. She shouldn't have come with him to Necoh this time, because she doesn't know her life is threatened. She didn't even know that this magical place exists! Once in Necoh, Brooklyn will be brought to the King, who believes that she is his missing daughter Princess Sophia (but she isn't). The problem is that the King is controlled by Grishma (soon poor Brook will be too) and because of that he will make wrong decisions, like wanting to marry Brook with Prince Algid of Dratun. Ryder is on his way to find him, but would he succeed? Of course, he is not alone. The Tribe of Topher, Cridifer and Pidifer are helping his cause.
Time is running out and Brook is in danger day by they. Only Ryder can save her...
I don't want to tell the whole story in my review, it won't be boring, but it will ruin all the enchantment of the book. You know, Kelly is a debut author, although it didn't seem to me. I loved ''Grishma'' and I am looking forward to read more books written by her. Plus, I love the cover. From my point of view, it is perfect for the book<3
I saw somebody said it is recommended for fans of the Narnia Chronicles. Well, I haven't read that books yet, but I read this one so I highly recommend you ''Grishma'', it is a MUST READ.
The title is very strange, because is the name of the beast who attacked so many people, including Ryder and Brooklyn. After Grishma killed his father and kidnapped his mother and sister, Ryder leaves the homeworld of Necoh to find it. Unfortunately it will happen a lot of things to him, one of which is Brooklyn. She shouldn't have come with him to Necoh this time, because she doesn't know her life is threatened. She didn't even know that this magical place exists! Once in Necoh, Brooklyn will be brought to the King, who believes that she is his missing daughter Princess Sophia (but she isn't). The problem is that the King is controlled by Grishma (soon poor Brook will be too) and because of that he will make wrong decisions, like wanting to marry Brook with Prince Algid of Dratun. Ryder is on his way to find him, but would he succeed? Of course, he is not alone. The Tribe of Topher, Cridifer and Pidifer are helping his cause.
Time is running out and Brook is in danger day by they. Only Ryder can save her...
I don't want to tell the whole story in my review, it won't be boring, but it will ruin all the enchantment of the book. You know, Kelly is a debut author, although it didn't seem to me. I loved ''Grishma'' and I am looking forward to read more books written by her. Plus, I love the cover. From my point of view, it is perfect for the book<3
I saw somebody said it is recommended for fans of the Narnia Chronicles. Well, I haven't read that books yet, but I read this one so I highly recommend you ''Grishma'', it is a MUST READ.
April 5, 2013
A journey, a missing princess, a disgusting monster, and funny creatures that look an awful like an ewok...that is what this book is all about. Ryder is in search of his missing mother and sister; and his search leads him to the US. There, while posing as an exchange student, he has a run in with Brooklyn and the Grishma. While trying to save Brooklyn from the same fate as his mother and sister, Ryder takes her to his home in Necoh. Now it is up to Ryder to get Brooklyn safely home, but it may be harder than he realizes. And so their adventure begins…
My only problem with the story is that I could not connect with the characters. It seemed they were rushed out into the story before given a chance to be properly introduced and then, we the readers, are expected to know them and love them. And that just wasn't the case with me. I thought they were neat characters, fun characters even, but not ones I could put a lot of emotion into. I will say I did get a slightly better grasp on them towards the end.
With the characters and me not bonding, it was hard for me to really get a good connection with the book as well. But I did think it was a cute read full of adventure and blossoming romance. You can tell by reading GRISHMA that the author has one heck of a lively imagination in order to create the world she did with this story.
Now with all that said and done...I did enjoy the story and think that others will like it too. I definitely recommend it to lovers of YA who don't mind swear words peppered throughout the story. GRISHMA is chalked full of fantasy, suspense, and one foul, stinky mouth monster. Need a break from reality? This is your read!
My only problem with the story is that I could not connect with the characters. It seemed they were rushed out into the story before given a chance to be properly introduced and then, we the readers, are expected to know them and love them. And that just wasn't the case with me. I thought they were neat characters, fun characters even, but not ones I could put a lot of emotion into. I will say I did get a slightly better grasp on them towards the end.
With the characters and me not bonding, it was hard for me to really get a good connection with the book as well. But I did think it was a cute read full of adventure and blossoming romance. You can tell by reading GRISHMA that the author has one heck of a lively imagination in order to create the world she did with this story.
Now with all that said and done...I did enjoy the story and think that others will like it too. I definitely recommend it to lovers of YA who don't mind swear words peppered throughout the story. GRISHMA is chalked full of fantasy, suspense, and one foul, stinky mouth monster. Need a break from reality? This is your read!
April 17, 2013
This book starts out fast! It's the fast that makes your heart beat a little faster, the fast that makes you feel all excited and scared at the same time! This book takes you on an adventure that you will never imagine. It's a world that you never experienced and you are going to want to! The descriptions and the story line are the very best part of this book, you feel as if you are experiencing it firsthand and not reading it. You will end up falling for the characters and wanting more because the author loves her cliffhangers lol. Over all this book is one you'll never get enough of because it is new, fresh, fantastic, and most of all it is AMAZING!
Grishma is an evil creature but you learn she is much more than that. She seems to always get what she wants even if it means killing a lot of people in the process.
Brooklyn - At first I thought she'd be a preppy chick, but I was definitely proved wrong! I loved how her character was built, she continued to grow and make a difference in the Necoh world!
Ryder! <--- sorry he get's an exclamation point! He is the toughest guy out there. He's gone across the world(s) "literally" to find his family and hunt Grishma. On the way he tended to fall in love. Which I am perfectly okay with. He is by far my favorite character in this book, he not only grows more strength and friends, he grows compassion. He is a very lovely character.
Grishma is an evil creature but you learn she is much more than that. She seems to always get what she wants even if it means killing a lot of people in the process.
Brooklyn - At first I thought she'd be a preppy chick, but I was definitely proved wrong! I loved how her character was built, she continued to grow and make a difference in the Necoh world!
Ryder! <--- sorry he get's an exclamation point! He is the toughest guy out there. He's gone across the world(s) "literally" to find his family and hunt Grishma. On the way he tended to fall in love. Which I am perfectly okay with. He is by far my favorite character in this book, he not only grows more strength and friends, he grows compassion. He is a very lovely character.
March 7, 2013
Hottie from another world chasing hideous rotten fish smelling beast, beautiful scenery, action all around and not to mention a girl and revenge and you've got Grishma.
Ryder isn't from this world. He's hunting a hideous murderer his people call Grishma. He's followed her to Earth and is on a mission to destroy her in order to save his mother and sister and avenge his father's death.
Brooklyn is your average teenage girl who has a huge crush on her older brother's friend Kai. But at a party she discovers a huge secret one of her BFF's has been keeping from her. This one event changes Brooklyn's life forever.
Not reading the synopsis or knowing anything about Grishma, I was in for a treat. Kelly has written a beautiful story about revenge, love and adventure. I love how she describes the world of Necoh. It seems vibrant and very easy to picture in the mind. I only wish that there was a backstory for Grishma and the world of Necoh and how it came to it's present state. Perhaps a novella or even a book 2 is in the works; maybe it's already out and I have yet to discover it.
There is so much to read in this wonderful story. I definitely recommend Grishma to those who love this type of genre =)
Ryder isn't from this world. He's hunting a hideous murderer his people call Grishma. He's followed her to Earth and is on a mission to destroy her in order to save his mother and sister and avenge his father's death.
Brooklyn is your average teenage girl who has a huge crush on her older brother's friend Kai. But at a party she discovers a huge secret one of her BFF's has been keeping from her. This one event changes Brooklyn's life forever.
Not reading the synopsis or knowing anything about Grishma, I was in for a treat. Kelly has written a beautiful story about revenge, love and adventure. I love how she describes the world of Necoh. It seems vibrant and very easy to picture in the mind. I only wish that there was a backstory for Grishma and the world of Necoh and how it came to it's present state. Perhaps a novella or even a book 2 is in the works; maybe it's already out and I have yet to discover it.
There is so much to read in this wonderful story. I definitely recommend Grishma to those who love this type of genre =)
February 26, 2013
Ryder was very happy on Necoh. His life was wonderful until Grishma kidnapped his mother and sister. Trying to save them, Ryder's father was killed. It was then Ryder vowed to get revenge on Grishma. He tracked Grishma wherever she went, even to another world. In this world, he met Brooklyn. A very pretty young girl who was in love with another guy. While attempting to save Brooklyn, Ryder takes her to his world and things go from bad to worse. Can they survive this?
Ms Blount created a wonderfully vibrant and unique world with Grishma. Characters you can't help but enjoy. The twists in this fantasy are just enough to keep you moving through the book at a fast pace. I recommend this book to all YAs.
I did find some issues. I felt there was some real overstating emotions and actions. The emotions formed a wider arc than needed for this story. I also don't believe these characters would have cursed so much. I got the feeling they had surpassed such a basic way of speaking.
I gave this book 4 cheers out of 5 because it will make a wonderful series if the above issues are addressed.
Ms Blount created a wonderfully vibrant and unique world with Grishma. Characters you can't help but enjoy. The twists in this fantasy are just enough to keep you moving through the book at a fast pace. I recommend this book to all YAs.
I did find some issues. I felt there was some real overstating emotions and actions. The emotions formed a wider arc than needed for this story. I also don't believe these characters would have cursed so much. I got the feeling they had surpassed such a basic way of speaking.
I gave this book 4 cheers out of 5 because it will make a wonderful series if the above issues are addressed.
April 1, 2013
Wow... I'm not usually the biggest fan of fantasy pieces, but as soon as I saw this cover, I had to know if the book was half as good as it looked on the outside. But it wasn't... it was sooo much BETTER! Rarely to I give a book a 5-star review, but this one earns it!
Author Kelly Anne Blount weaves a magical tale filled with complex characters that is brought to life with her brilliant descriptions. Every other-worldly creature, flower and detail are artfully designed to draw the reader deeper into the book. I sat down with the intention of reading just a few pages during a short break and looked up to see that I had been engrossed for over an hour without realizing it!
Grishma is not just a story, it is an experience. You will travel with Brooklyn as she is led by Ryder to his homeland of Necoh in effort to save Brooklyn's life and take the life of Grishma. So set apart some time, because once you open this book, you are not going to be able to close it until the final page. And even then, you are left with a book-hangover wishing for more!
Author Kelly Anne Blount weaves a magical tale filled with complex characters that is brought to life with her brilliant descriptions. Every other-worldly creature, flower and detail are artfully designed to draw the reader deeper into the book. I sat down with the intention of reading just a few pages during a short break and looked up to see that I had been engrossed for over an hour without realizing it!
Grishma is not just a story, it is an experience. You will travel with Brooklyn as she is led by Ryder to his homeland of Necoh in effort to save Brooklyn's life and take the life of Grishma. So set apart some time, because once you open this book, you are not going to be able to close it until the final page. And even then, you are left with a book-hangover wishing for more!
April 28, 2014
What more can I say about this? The premise looks promising. I was so ready to dive in in a new fantasy world.. turns out, Necoh wasn't worth visiting.
I had a huge problem with the construction. No explanation, information or description. I can't picture this magical world that this book is talking about. The characters kept saying Wow or It's beautiful here and I want to relate to them. But I can't! Also, I think the plot was not well thought.
The characters are a big MEH for me. Even the romance was boring. I don't really have much patience when it comes on finishing a book that I feel like I'm not going to like. But I pushed through because I thought maybe it'll surprise me and I'll turn out liking it.
But obviously, it didn't happen. Sorry, but I feel like I've wasted my time.
I had a huge problem with the construction. No explanation, information or description. I can't picture this magical world that this book is talking about. The characters kept saying Wow or It's beautiful here and I want to relate to them. But I can't! Also, I think the plot was not well thought.
The characters are a big MEH for me. Even the romance was boring. I don't really have much patience when it comes on finishing a book that I feel like I'm not going to like. But I pushed through because I thought maybe it'll surprise me and I'll turn out liking it.
But obviously, it didn't happen. Sorry, but I feel like I've wasted my time.
April 14, 2013
I absolutely loved this book. The cover is beautiful and the story was perfect. All the different characters that were created in this book was awesome. This is not like your normal paranormal books. It was so different and unique and I enjoyed every minute of it. From Ryder and Brooklyn to the orvbas. I absolutely loved Ryder and Brooklyn.. I felt for them threw the whole story. This author really put in great details so you are able to imagine everything even the nasty Grishma.
This book ended before I wanted it to. I really hope there is a book 2 coming out so I can see what happens next. I would recommend this book to everyone. It will have you engrossed from page 1 till the end. You will not be disappointed in this one.
This book ended before I wanted it to. I really hope there is a book 2 coming out so I can see what happens next. I would recommend this book to everyone. It will have you engrossed from page 1 till the end. You will not be disappointed in this one.
April 13, 2013
OMG, THIS BOOK WAS AWESOME! I loved it so much! I also had a hard time putting it down. The main character, Brooklyn, was a bit standoffish and selfish at first, but near the middle it got better. Another character, Ryder, is totally swoon worthy. He is the best. He wants to protect Brooklyn and save her. Then of course, like almost every fantasy novel, there is a prince. The prince is ok at first, but then he doesn't help Brooklyn. That's when I stopped liking him. The bad guy (girl, character, whatever), Grishma, tries to kill everyone, especially Ryder and those close to him.
It was amazing and I loved it. And I can't wait for the sequel.
It was amazing and I loved it. And I can't wait for the sequel.
April 2, 2013
Wonderful, Enchanting Fairytale!, April 2, 2013
"Grishma" is similar to the fairy tales we all loved growing up and still love.....Royalty, a dangerous "villain", good vs evil, different worlds, handsome hero and hopefully a happy ending.....Ms. Blount has spun an exciting tale that captures you from the start and keeps you captive to the last page......and Im looking forward to anther book that continues the tale between Ryder and Brooklyn..... I also give 5 stars for the cover, beautiful!
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"Grishma" is similar to the fairy tales we all loved growing up and still love.....Royalty, a dangerous "villain", good vs evil, different worlds, handsome hero and hopefully a happy ending.....Ms. Blount has spun an exciting tale that captures you from the start and keeps you captive to the last page......and Im looking forward to anther book that continues the tale between Ryder and Brooklyn..... I also give 5 stars for the cover, beautiful!
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April 23, 2013
I really enjoyed this book! There was a completely different take on the paranormal genre. It was interesting to get the story from Ryder and Brooklyn's point of view. The additional characters also weren't the usual fairies, trolls, werewolves, vampires, etc.
Kelly did a great job developing the villian also. Grishma, not only is a monster, but is capable of social interaction, plotting and manipulation. Most villians are just villians.
This story keeps you pulled in from the very beginning. You are drawn to the characters and I personally cant wait to find out what happens next.
Kelly did a great job developing the villian also. Grishma, not only is a monster, but is capable of social interaction, plotting and manipulation. Most villians are just villians.
This story keeps you pulled in from the very beginning. You are drawn to the characters and I personally cant wait to find out what happens next.
March 18, 2013
OMG! Squel, this book was just wow. (Needs minute to clear mind)I enjoyed every moment of this story.
It has every thing from hot guys that want revenge to super scary beasts trying to kill you, pssss thats the GRISHMA!
Once I picked up this book I could not put it down . . . I skipped classes to read this book.
Brooklyn is a releatable, and belivable.
One more thing. AMAZING READ IT.
It has every thing from hot guys that want revenge to super scary beasts trying to kill you, pssss thats the GRISHMA!
Once I picked up this book I could not put it down . . . I skipped classes to read this book.
Brooklyn is a releatable, and belivable.
One more thing. AMAZING READ IT.
June 24, 2014
I actually couldn't get past 25% of this story. This book is so cheesy and the dialogue and the way things are described, I just couldn't take it. It should be a child's book, not a YA one, at least till what I read.
I hate quitting books, but I just couldn't take another page of this one.
I hate quitting books, but I just couldn't take another page of this one.
April 30, 2013
Is there a book two??
March 15, 2017
Nothing makes sense! I'm stunned with all of the 5 star ratings. And confused.
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