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Seeing Red #1
Seeing Red
There's the old adage: 'Two heads are better than one'. But when it comes to lovers - it doesn't really work so well. Actually, it’s kind of creepy. Especially when the two heads belong to twin brothers. That’s one of the many dilemma’s Jillian Stone is facing in her non-existent love life. As if Jillian Stone's life didn’t just become complicated enough, considering that she’s also psychic, her seductively mysterious professor starts relentlessly and inappropriately courting her too.
Raised on a deserted island for twelve years after a plane crash. Jillian Stone, AKA ‘Red’ is reunited with her twins, Alexander and Oliver Jacobs, who lived with her on the island all those years. Now twenty-two years old, these childhood friends may not stay ‘just friends’ when Red realizes these twins have returned to her life in all their gorgeous and protective alpha-male glory. Jillian, a law student, an introvert, and a closeted psychic, is torn between the sexy-bad boy Alexander, and Oliver, the loyal and dedicated confidante. And just in case there weren’t enough men in her life, Paul Black, her professor, comes along and begins relentlessly and inappropriately pursuing her. Meanwhile, her psychic visions begin to get more frequent as visions of a red-haired man begin haunting her daily. Someone closer than she knows is looking for her—and not for good reasons.
One woman, three men. Whatever happens - someone's going to lose.
Raised on a deserted island for twelve years after a plane crash. Jillian Stone, AKA ‘Red’ is reunited with her twins, Alexander and Oliver Jacobs, who lived with her on the island all those years. Now twenty-two years old, these childhood friends may not stay ‘just friends’ when Red realizes these twins have returned to her life in all their gorgeous and protective alpha-male glory. Jillian, a law student, an introvert, and a closeted psychic, is torn between the sexy-bad boy Alexander, and Oliver, the loyal and dedicated confidante. And just in case there weren’t enough men in her life, Paul Black, her professor, comes along and begins relentlessly and inappropriately pursuing her. Meanwhile, her psychic visions begin to get more frequent as visions of a red-haired man begin haunting her daily. Someone closer than she knows is looking for her—and not for good reasons.
One woman, three men. Whatever happens - someone's going to lose.
386 pages, Paperback
First published February 13, 2013
20 people are currently reading
1234 people want to read
About the author
Sidney Halston
23 books1,140 followersJeanette Escudero worked as an attorney before picking up a pen at thirty years old to write something other than legal briefs. Being published fulfilled a dream and gave her an outlet for her imaginative, romantic side. Writing as Sidney Halston, she is the USA Today bestselling author of the Panic series, the Worth the Fight series, the Iron-Clad Security novels, and the Seeing Red duet. In addition to writing and reading, Jeanette has a passion for travel and adventure. She and her family have been to the Galapagos Islands and have hiked Yellowstone, the Shenandoah mountains, and the Great Smoky Mountains. Born in Miami, Florida, to Cuban parents, she currently lives in South Florida with her husband and her three children, in whom she’s instilled a love of nature and an appreciation for the planet. For more information visit www.sidneyhalston.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
April 13, 2013
BE AWARE: THIS IS NOT A STAND-ALONE .
The book itself probably deserved 4 stars, but I decided to downgrade it because until I got to the end of it I didn't know this was a SERIES.
I'm becoming increasingly frustrated with authors and sellers playing this game. Aren't you all ?.
The book was outstanding when it came to the mystery surrounding Jillian's past. It kept me going forward when I was getting frustrated with her selfish ways when it comes to the men in her life. However, by the end of the book we still don't know what is going on and thinks get even weirder in the last pages and end with a cliffhanger.
I adored Oliver, Alexander and Heather. Alexander was probably the more damaged one in the beginning, but we could see him change throughout the book to the point that 70% into the book the only flaw I could find when it came to the twins was them being in love with someone like Jillian. I would have really loved someone telling her a couple of truths to her face!
I won't be buying book number 2. It has come to a point where I think I need to take a stand when it comes to the whole " surprise: this is not a standalone" thing. This is the 3rd time it happens to me in 4 months and I think enough is enough! It's a pity because I really loved this book, but I feel tricked!
The book itself probably deserved 4 stars, but I decided to downgrade it because until I got to the end of it I didn't know this was a SERIES.
I'm becoming increasingly frustrated with authors and sellers playing this game. Aren't you all ?.
The book was outstanding when it came to the mystery surrounding Jillian's past. It kept me going forward when I was getting frustrated with her selfish ways when it comes to the men in her life. However, by the end of the book we still don't know what is going on and thinks get even weirder in the last pages and end with a cliffhanger.
I adored Oliver, Alexander and Heather. Alexander was probably the more damaged one in the beginning, but we could see him change throughout the book to the point that 70% into the book the only flaw I could find when it came to the twins was them being in love with someone like Jillian. I would have really loved someone telling her a couple of truths to her face!
I won't be buying book number 2. It has come to a point where I think I need to take a stand when it comes to the whole " surprise: this is not a standalone" thing. This is the 3rd time it happens to me in 4 months and I think enough is enough! It's a pity because I really loved this book, but I feel tricked!
April 7, 2013
This book was a bit of mix of On the Island mixed with a love triangle and a whole bunch of miscommunication and intrigue thrown in.
I can't imagine living on an abandoned island for so many years especially being the years of building your foundation and who you are. If it wasn't for Alexander and Oliver the three of them probably would never have survived their past. But being that dependent on each other and not knowing anything different it is hard to mix the lines of being in love and friendship.
Having sometime away from each other only really confused them yet at the same time drew them back together in so many unhealthy ways. I have to admit however Jillian' s indecisiveness was a bit torturous to the two boys and unfair. I know she was confused but it was starting to hurt my heart watching her pander back and forth then jumping ship for a bit but she also had no support system other than the twins and she was still learning who she is an individual in the real world.
Now if this finding one's self and love triangle was not enough through in gifts of premonitions and a whole bunch of unknown elements that can threaten her new relationships of love and friendships.
It was a good story and I am hooked to find out what more is going to happen and can they all survive it together.
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I can't imagine living on an abandoned island for so many years especially being the years of building your foundation and who you are. If it wasn't for Alexander and Oliver the three of them probably would never have survived their past. But being that dependent on each other and not knowing anything different it is hard to mix the lines of being in love and friendship.
Having sometime away from each other only really confused them yet at the same time drew them back together in so many unhealthy ways. I have to admit however Jillian' s indecisiveness was a bit torturous to the two boys and unfair. I know she was confused but it was starting to hurt my heart watching her pander back and forth then jumping ship for a bit but she also had no support system other than the twins and she was still learning who she is an individual in the real world.
Now if this finding one's self and love triangle was not enough through in gifts of premonitions and a whole bunch of unknown elements that can threaten her new relationships of love and friendships.
It was a good story and I am hooked to find out what more is going to happen and can they all survive it together.
You can also find me on:
Live Read and Breathe Facebook
Live Read and Breathe Twitter
For more of my reviews:
Live Read and Breathe
Live Read and Breathe Giveaway for new followers
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April 6, 2013The start of the book was between present and flashbacks of a horrible airplane crash. This put the time and place together with the current situation. The glue that held the Onion Island crew together was Helen. They gather for her wake and funeral. It is there when Jillian. along with twins Oliver and Alexander, reunite after seven years of not seeing each other. There is a paranormal aspect to the book and it ties them all together. Jillian recalls vague memories of having "seizures" this is the way Helen and the others explained what happens to her. It was a vision and she is more clairvoyant.
Then to bring this sort of triangle is the sexy Professor Paul Black, Jillian’s law school professor. Something is there and it is not professional but Jillian has a lot of trouble coming to terms with the visions.
It is a very VERY unique book. There are many aspects of danger, clairvoyance, and secrets. Scared for her life and needing to focus on one person is her goal. Who? READ it and find out. Very enjoyable with the right balance or paranormal and mystery. I give 5 stars because for ME it was the right paranormal element and it did the job without scaring me.
Then to bring this sort of triangle is the sexy Professor Paul Black, Jillian’s law school professor. Something is there and it is not professional but Jillian has a lot of trouble coming to terms with the visions.
It is a very VERY unique book. There are many aspects of danger, clairvoyance, and secrets. Scared for her life and needing to focus on one person is her goal. Who? READ it and find out. Very enjoyable with the right balance or paranormal and mystery. I give 5 stars because for ME it was the right paranormal element and it did the job without scaring me.
July 2, 2014
Seeing Red was definitely worth the money and time. Halston brings new and fresh ideas into her writing.
The story updates you into the life of Jillian, Alexander and Oliver, survivors of a horrible plane crash that left them stranded on a deserted island (nicknamed Onion Island)
It them proceeds to follow the strange life Jillian, a red haired firecracker (sometimes you want to shake some clarity into her). There is a little bit of everything to this story, mystery, romance, and suspense.
I knew mid-way through it would be a series, there was just too many questions to be answered and the mysteries just kept piling on.
I'm glad it wasn't quickly wrapped up like some authors. I'm looking forward book two, I've already bought it!
The story updates you into the life of Jillian, Alexander and Oliver, survivors of a horrible plane crash that left them stranded on a deserted island (nicknamed Onion Island)
It them proceeds to follow the strange life Jillian, a red haired firecracker (sometimes you want to shake some clarity into her). There is a little bit of everything to this story, mystery, romance, and suspense.
I knew mid-way through it would be a series, there was just too many questions to be answered and the mysteries just kept piling on.
I'm glad it wasn't quickly wrapped up like some authors. I'm looking forward book two, I've already bought it!
August 10, 2014
This book was a great read!
April 1, 2013
Seeing Red
was one of those books I didn't read the summary again before diving right in. My only expectation was a New Adult Contemporary Romance, so when the opening scene is of the female protagonist, Jillian, having a vision, I was absolutely giddy. Add the fact that the story revolves around a love triangle, and I was even more so.
But this isn't just any love triangle (or square) either. Jillian, Oliver, and Alexander were stranded and raised on an island after a plane crash; the latter two are twins and born on the island. For almost a decade, they've only known each other and the other survivors who raised them. As expected, they're close and have an incomparable connection, especially when they become the last three survivors. But what I love is how the author, Sidney Halston, approaches it with maturity. Not only did all three lead separate lives in different parts of the country and are at different points in their lives, but the protagonist often questioned if they were simply clinging to each other because of their past.
Although there were a few juvenile moments in the second half of the book, the interaction between all three was fun and natural. I could see why they loved each other. I was at war with who was, not a better man, but a better fit for Jillain. The author paved a great foundation for all three relationships, slowly and separately. Just when I think I've made up my mind, Jillian's needs shift ever so slightly, and I can't decide who I like better. Each man was entirely different, offered something just as vital as the opposite, and I was torn.
Near the end I did become a little impatient; Jillian needed to choose already. But when she does, I was ... satisfied. A little heartbroken, maybe, but I think I would've felt that way no matter the choice because I loved both Oliver and Alexander. I have to applaud how the author handled it, too, because any other reason than the one reached would've left me asking the big, dreaded "what if?"
The only man I didn't like was the professor. Controlling and presumptuous aren't sexy to me, and I thought his intentions were too clear for Jillian to not notice or call him out on it. But everyone else, all the other secondary characters, were great. Helen, the mother who raised them, especially, had a strong presence even though she was dead. Through her journals and wonderful adages, she made one of the best non-existent characters.
One thing I do wonder, though, is if this book is part of a series. It isn't listed under one, but the ending and mini paranormal plot sure made it seem that way. I want to know what happens next and if there are answers to Jillian's ability and family history.
If you enjoy love triangles with a small paranormal, or maybe eventually sci-fi, plot, check out Seeing Red . It's the perfect fun, light Spring Break read.
*eBook provided by the author in exchange for a review. Thank you!
*Review also posted on the The LUV'NV blog.
But this isn't just any love triangle (or square) either. Jillian, Oliver, and Alexander were stranded and raised on an island after a plane crash; the latter two are twins and born on the island. For almost a decade, they've only known each other and the other survivors who raised them. As expected, they're close and have an incomparable connection, especially when they become the last three survivors. But what I love is how the author, Sidney Halston, approaches it with maturity. Not only did all three lead separate lives in different parts of the country and are at different points in their lives, but the protagonist often questioned if they were simply clinging to each other because of their past.
Although there were a few juvenile moments in the second half of the book, the interaction between all three was fun and natural. I could see why they loved each other. I was at war with who was, not a better man, but a better fit for Jillain. The author paved a great foundation for all three relationships, slowly and separately. Just when I think I've made up my mind, Jillian's needs shift ever so slightly, and I can't decide who I like better. Each man was entirely different, offered something just as vital as the opposite, and I was torn.
Near the end I did become a little impatient; Jillian needed to choose already. But when she does, I was ... satisfied. A little heartbroken, maybe, but I think I would've felt that way no matter the choice because I loved both Oliver and Alexander. I have to applaud how the author handled it, too, because any other reason than the one reached would've left me asking the big, dreaded "what if?"
The only man I didn't like was the professor. Controlling and presumptuous aren't sexy to me, and I thought his intentions were too clear for Jillian to not notice or call him out on it. But everyone else, all the other secondary characters, were great. Helen, the mother who raised them, especially, had a strong presence even though she was dead. Through her journals and wonderful adages, she made one of the best non-existent characters.
One thing I do wonder, though, is if this book is part of a series. It isn't listed under one, but the ending and mini paranormal plot sure made it seem that way. I want to know what happens next and if there are answers to Jillian's ability and family history.
If you enjoy love triangles with a small paranormal, or maybe eventually sci-fi, plot, check out Seeing Red . It's the perfect fun, light Spring Break read.
*eBook provided by the author in exchange for a review. Thank you!
*Review also posted on the The LUV'NV blog.
April 22, 2013
I don’t know where to start with this book. It was one of the most frustrating novels that I have read in a long time!
So first of all before you begin to read this be aware that it is not a standalone and it is not you get to the end of the book it throws in that there is a book 2. Seriously – not good Sidney Halston.
The book starts off reasonably well with a prologue from Helen Gold – a writer. She tells you the reason why she writes and then we are taken into the reason for her writing. We find out that Helen, her husband and Jillian are among some of the survivors. There is a lady named Mary who is pregnant and give birth to twins. They name the Island – Onion Island.
After 12 years they are rescued from the Island and go their separate ways but Jillian, Alexander and Oliver are about to meet up for the first time in 7 years when they attend the funeral of Helen their surrogate mother.
The childhood feelings of innocence are not the way she would describe her feeling for the twins now. They were not longer children but grown men. Oliver - her true and loyal friend and Alexander the ultimate bad boy.
The first chapter begins with strong writing from the author, it is very descriptive.
“Visions, like snapshots, tattooed the inside of her eyelids. Her heart pounded like a drum.” All senses slowly paralyzed as the snapshots began to appear.
Chisled abs – snapshot
Partedl lips – snapshot
Thighs strong muscular – snapshot
Piercing blue eyes – snapshot
Lips gliding against neck – snapshot
And then darkness with her last thought being “what an inopportune time”! We find out that Jillian is a physic and has intermittent visions and since Helen's funeral she has been having flashes of a red-headed man. His identity lies within the Helen's journals which Jillian now owns.
Throughout the story we are provided with various passages from the journals and we discover that the red headed man is her father.
Seeing Red is has paranormal elements to the story but what spoiled this story for me was it was not a stand alone and you are not made aware of this until the very end of the book.
So I am not sure what life hold next for Jillian. Book 2 obviously brings back Paul Black and at some point we will find out what his connection is to Jillian.
Overall a decent read but let me down with the ending.
PS good to see since my review GR's now makes it clear it is one of 2!
So first of all before you begin to read this be aware that it is not a standalone and it is not you get to the end of the book it throws in that there is a book 2. Seriously – not good Sidney Halston.
The book starts off reasonably well with a prologue from Helen Gold – a writer. She tells you the reason why she writes and then we are taken into the reason for her writing. We find out that Helen, her husband and Jillian are among some of the survivors. There is a lady named Mary who is pregnant and give birth to twins. They name the Island – Onion Island.
After 12 years they are rescued from the Island and go their separate ways but Jillian, Alexander and Oliver are about to meet up for the first time in 7 years when they attend the funeral of Helen their surrogate mother.
The childhood feelings of innocence are not the way she would describe her feeling for the twins now. They were not longer children but grown men. Oliver - her true and loyal friend and Alexander the ultimate bad boy.
The first chapter begins with strong writing from the author, it is very descriptive.
“Visions, like snapshots, tattooed the inside of her eyelids. Her heart pounded like a drum.” All senses slowly paralyzed as the snapshots began to appear.
Chisled abs – snapshot
Partedl lips – snapshot
Thighs strong muscular – snapshot
Piercing blue eyes – snapshot
Lips gliding against neck – snapshot
And then darkness with her last thought being “what an inopportune time”! We find out that Jillian is a physic and has intermittent visions and since Helen's funeral she has been having flashes of a red-headed man. His identity lies within the Helen's journals which Jillian now owns.
Throughout the story we are provided with various passages from the journals and we discover that the red headed man is her father.
Seeing Red is has paranormal elements to the story but what spoiled this story for me was it was not a stand alone and you are not made aware of this until the very end of the book.
So I am not sure what life hold next for Jillian. Book 2 obviously brings back Paul Black and at some point we will find out what his connection is to Jillian.
Overall a decent read but let me down with the ending.
PS good to see since my review GR's now makes it clear it is one of 2!
April 10, 2013
From my blog.
**ARC provided by author for an honest review**
Emmm... Sorry, I'm kind of speechless right now. I should start by saying that I went into this book expecting basically nothing. And I was BLOWN AWAY! I NEVER EVER EVER expected this book to be SO good. I started reading it late one night and this was probably the worst mistake I've ever made. I finally had to force myself to put it down and sleep a few hours before I had to wake up again. I have become to avoid books with love triangle (or square, for that matter), because I always, ALWAYS fall in love with the wrong guy and get my heart broken at the end.
That's one of many reasons I absolutely LOVED this book. From the beginning, I knew who I wanted Jillian to be with. However, I didn't cringe EVERY time (just sometimes...) she chose one of the other guys. I could understand her dilemma perfectly even though I could see from the beginning who she belonged with. And I was SO, SO happy they really did end up together and, in complete honestly, it didn't happen a moment too soon or too late.
Seeing Red kept me on my toes until the end and I need to warn you that it My with a pretty cruel CLIFFHANGER. I, for one, wanted to hurt someone really, really bad when I realized that I was going to be left hanging. By the way, I'm not really that violate person.
None of this, however, made me love this book any less. I spent the entire school day reading and telling everyone I saw how much I loved it and how I couldn't put it down to focus on studying. When I was forced to put it down, I felt empty and not very friendly. Lately, not an book can pull me in completely, but this one definitely did it.
What also surprised me was how well the small paranormal elements fit into the story. I have lately been avoiding all kinds of paranormal books and thought that maybe I won't like this one because of Jill's 'gift'. It didn't bother me at all and if anything, it only made the book more interesting.
Should you read it? An unputdownable book. A must read, in my opinion. I'm pretty sure you won't regret reading it.
**ARC provided by author for an honest review**
Emmm... Sorry, I'm kind of speechless right now. I should start by saying that I went into this book expecting basically nothing. And I was BLOWN AWAY! I NEVER EVER EVER expected this book to be SO good. I started reading it late one night and this was probably the worst mistake I've ever made. I finally had to force myself to put it down and sleep a few hours before I had to wake up again. I have become to avoid books with love triangle (or square, for that matter), because I always, ALWAYS fall in love with the wrong guy and get my heart broken at the end.
That's one of many reasons I absolutely LOVED this book. From the beginning, I knew who I wanted Jillian to be with. However, I didn't cringe EVERY time (just sometimes...) she chose one of the other guys. I could understand her dilemma perfectly even though I could see from the beginning who she belonged with. And I was SO, SO happy they really did end up together and, in complete honestly, it didn't happen a moment too soon or too late.
Seeing Red kept me on my toes until the end and I need to warn you that it My with a pretty cruel CLIFFHANGER. I, for one, wanted to hurt someone really, really bad when I realized that I was going to be left hanging. By the way, I'm not really that violate person.
None of this, however, made me love this book any less. I spent the entire school day reading and telling everyone I saw how much I loved it and how I couldn't put it down to focus on studying. When I was forced to put it down, I felt empty and not very friendly. Lately, not an book can pull me in completely, but this one definitely did it.
What also surprised me was how well the small paranormal elements fit into the story. I have lately been avoiding all kinds of paranormal books and thought that maybe I won't like this one because of Jill's 'gift'. It didn't bother me at all and if anything, it only made the book more interesting.
Should you read it? An unputdownable book. A must read, in my opinion. I'm pretty sure you won't regret reading it.
April 3, 2013
This book was part of a blog tour, I received a copy for my honest review
Jillian has survived a plane crash and living on a deserted island for twelve years, now she is in law school. The two men who were on the island with her want more than a friendship, her law professor has taken an interest in her and she is having a lot of psychic visions. First off I have to say I love the main characters name, Jillian it's such a pretty name and since it is also my name I have a certain affinity for it. Jillian is a smart, driven woman, she has adjusted really well and her life is going pretty good. Her psychic visions give a nice little twist to the plot line, but the three men and her problems choosing are what really drives this book. I have to say I am a bit burned out on the whole every man wants this woman and now she has to make a touch choice between them. I liked the characters, Alexander and Oliver were twins but have two very different and distinctive personalities. Paul was more of an annoyance than anything else, I felt that him pursing Jillian was inappropriate. I really did like this book, it had a great mystery to it, the writing was great but I just couldn't fully enjoy it. If the book hadn't been so focused on who the heroine was going to pick, then I would have liked it more. I wanted to read more about Jillians psychic visions and how she has dealt with them. Overall for me this was a good book, if you like love triangles and books with a little mystery then you will love this book.
Jillian has survived a plane crash and living on a deserted island for twelve years, now she is in law school. The two men who were on the island with her want more than a friendship, her law professor has taken an interest in her and she is having a lot of psychic visions. First off I have to say I love the main characters name, Jillian it's such a pretty name and since it is also my name I have a certain affinity for it. Jillian is a smart, driven woman, she has adjusted really well and her life is going pretty good. Her psychic visions give a nice little twist to the plot line, but the three men and her problems choosing are what really drives this book. I have to say I am a bit burned out on the whole every man wants this woman and now she has to make a touch choice between them. I liked the characters, Alexander and Oliver were twins but have two very different and distinctive personalities. Paul was more of an annoyance than anything else, I felt that him pursing Jillian was inappropriate. I really did like this book, it had a great mystery to it, the writing was great but I just couldn't fully enjoy it. If the book hadn't been so focused on who the heroine was going to pick, then I would have liked it more. I wanted to read more about Jillians psychic visions and how she has dealt with them. Overall for me this was a good book, if you like love triangles and books with a little mystery then you will love this book.
April 11, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. Very original storyline from the deserted island to the psychic abilities. My only complaint was the direction they took with jillian's roommate. I could see it coming a mile away. Xander and Oliver were great for the most part. Looking forward to reading the second book but will not be reading the roommates book.
April 1, 2013
Seeing Red by Sidney Halston
(Seeing Red #1)
My Rating: 4½/5 stars
Source: Author for a fair and honest review
Jillian and the twins Alexander and Oliver have been together their entire lives thanks to a freak accident which lead to their having been stranded on a deserted island for eleven years. As kids the three were inseparable and when they were finally rescued, they were taken in and raised by Helen, also a survivor of the island who had cared for the children when their own parents perished. Since their rescue, Jillian and Oliver have stayed in near-constant contact with one another though keeping up with Alexander has been significantly more difficult as he has long struggled with addiction. The three friends are brought back together when Helen dies and though they enjoy one another’s company each has their own life that needs attending too.
Fast forward four years and Jillian is headed to Texas for law school, Oliver is a successful photographer whose home base is in Texas, and Alexander has straightened his life out and is also headed to Texas for law school. For the first time since they were kids, the three friends will be together again; surely things will be just like they were when they were kids, right? For the most part, some things are exactly the same; Jillian and Oliver are the closest of the group and rely heavily on one another for comfort and support, Alexander still has a penchant for sleeping with everything that moves though the drugs are a thing of the past, and Jillian and Alexander are constantly fighting with one another. Has anything changed then? You bet! The twins are all grown up and some kind of hot, Jillian has become as strikingly beautiful as she is intelligent, and both boys are head-over-heals in love with her and have made sure she knows it.
As if the love triangle weren’t enough, Jillian has begun getting glimpses of an unknown red-haired man who may be connected to her past. Jillian has had visions all her life but this new experience with the unidentified man troubles her enough to confide in Oliver and the two begin to scour the journals written by Helen both during and after their time on the island. All of the evidence leads Jillian and Oliver to believe the red-haired man is not only her father but also a very dangerous man. If Jillian’s visions are to be believed (and they always come true!) her father is watching her, knows she has a special gift, and wants to meet her. YIKES!!
Now, dear reader, let’s complicate things even further. The love triangle becomes a love square when Jillian begins dating one of her professors. Paul Black is a mercurial man who often disappears without explanation and when he is with Jillian is controlling and domineering to the point of concern. But does this concern Jillian? Only slightly and not enough to cut him loose as she should because Professor Black’s presence in her life means she can put off making a decision about which twin she wants to be with for just a little longer. What an idiot!! In fact, Jillian’s refusal to see the wretched in Paul Black is one of the most frustrating aspects of this read though it does create a wonderful atmosphere of sexual tension between her and the twins.
As the novel reaches its very dramatic climax, all kinds of sh*t begins to hit the fan. Here’s the skinny:
*The twins and Jillian have been invited to attend a memorial ceremony on the island they were once stranded on; though hesitant about attending, Jillian finally agrees to go and brings here delightful roommate, Heather along for the ride.
*Alexander demands Jillian make a decision between himself and his brother once and for all. His solution for helping her make a decision is as ridiculous as it is erotic. The plan causes more fighting and more sexual tension but the matter is resolved in a most delicious and surprising way.
*Jillian’s father makes a real appearance and what he has to say is disturbing, revealing and totally cliffhanger-y. In fact, it is Jillian’s father and the addition of the still-unknown and totally creeptastic person he works for who reveals the continuation of the series – YAY!!
The Bottom Line: The plot of Seeing Red is crazy good and shifts between the present and the past as told through Helen’s journals. The pace is good with moments of absolute frenetic page turning and other quieter moments that are meant to calm both the reader and the characters. About those characters: though Jillian’s indecisiveness can sometimes be frustrating, her fighting with Alexander and conversations with Oliver generally balances everything out. Each of the characters is well-rounded and interesting and though the boys are twins, they are completely separate individuals with their own distinct personalities, quirks and concerns. Overall, Seeing Red is a fine read with an excellent cliffhanger that will leave the reader anxiously awaiting round two. That’s gonna happen when, Sidney Halston??
Though I rarely use quotes from a book in my reviews I thought I should include at a least a few of the Helen-isms that appear at the beginning of each chapter. Clearly, Helen was as witty as she was caring :)
“Confidence is the feeling you sometimes have, before you fully understand the situation.” (page 71)
“Love at first sight is possible, but it pays to take a second look.” (page 89)
“Newton’s third law of love: For every idiot, there is an equal and opposite gender idiot!” (page 147)
“Relationships are like garage sales. From a distance they look interesting, but up close it’s just a bunch of crap you don’t really need.” (page 189)
“You can’t have everything. Where would you put it all?” (page 261)
(Seeing Red #1)
My Rating: 4½/5 stars
Source: Author for a fair and honest review
Jillian and the twins Alexander and Oliver have been together their entire lives thanks to a freak accident which lead to their having been stranded on a deserted island for eleven years. As kids the three were inseparable and when they were finally rescued, they were taken in and raised by Helen, also a survivor of the island who had cared for the children when their own parents perished. Since their rescue, Jillian and Oliver have stayed in near-constant contact with one another though keeping up with Alexander has been significantly more difficult as he has long struggled with addiction. The three friends are brought back together when Helen dies and though they enjoy one another’s company each has their own life that needs attending too.
Fast forward four years and Jillian is headed to Texas for law school, Oliver is a successful photographer whose home base is in Texas, and Alexander has straightened his life out and is also headed to Texas for law school. For the first time since they were kids, the three friends will be together again; surely things will be just like they were when they were kids, right? For the most part, some things are exactly the same; Jillian and Oliver are the closest of the group and rely heavily on one another for comfort and support, Alexander still has a penchant for sleeping with everything that moves though the drugs are a thing of the past, and Jillian and Alexander are constantly fighting with one another. Has anything changed then? You bet! The twins are all grown up and some kind of hot, Jillian has become as strikingly beautiful as she is intelligent, and both boys are head-over-heals in love with her and have made sure she knows it.
As if the love triangle weren’t enough, Jillian has begun getting glimpses of an unknown red-haired man who may be connected to her past. Jillian has had visions all her life but this new experience with the unidentified man troubles her enough to confide in Oliver and the two begin to scour the journals written by Helen both during and after their time on the island. All of the evidence leads Jillian and Oliver to believe the red-haired man is not only her father but also a very dangerous man. If Jillian’s visions are to be believed (and they always come true!) her father is watching her, knows she has a special gift, and wants to meet her. YIKES!!
Now, dear reader, let’s complicate things even further. The love triangle becomes a love square when Jillian begins dating one of her professors. Paul Black is a mercurial man who often disappears without explanation and when he is with Jillian is controlling and domineering to the point of concern. But does this concern Jillian? Only slightly and not enough to cut him loose as she should because Professor Black’s presence in her life means she can put off making a decision about which twin she wants to be with for just a little longer. What an idiot!! In fact, Jillian’s refusal to see the wretched in Paul Black is one of the most frustrating aspects of this read though it does create a wonderful atmosphere of sexual tension between her and the twins.
As the novel reaches its very dramatic climax, all kinds of sh*t begins to hit the fan. Here’s the skinny:
*The twins and Jillian have been invited to attend a memorial ceremony on the island they were once stranded on; though hesitant about attending, Jillian finally agrees to go and brings here delightful roommate, Heather along for the ride.
*Alexander demands Jillian make a decision between himself and his brother once and for all. His solution for helping her make a decision is as ridiculous as it is erotic. The plan causes more fighting and more sexual tension but the matter is resolved in a most delicious and surprising way.
*Jillian’s father makes a real appearance and what he has to say is disturbing, revealing and totally cliffhanger-y. In fact, it is Jillian’s father and the addition of the still-unknown and totally creeptastic person he works for who reveals the continuation of the series – YAY!!
The Bottom Line: The plot of Seeing Red is crazy good and shifts between the present and the past as told through Helen’s journals. The pace is good with moments of absolute frenetic page turning and other quieter moments that are meant to calm both the reader and the characters. About those characters: though Jillian’s indecisiveness can sometimes be frustrating, her fighting with Alexander and conversations with Oliver generally balances everything out. Each of the characters is well-rounded and interesting and though the boys are twins, they are completely separate individuals with their own distinct personalities, quirks and concerns. Overall, Seeing Red is a fine read with an excellent cliffhanger that will leave the reader anxiously awaiting round two. That’s gonna happen when, Sidney Halston??
Though I rarely use quotes from a book in my reviews I thought I should include at a least a few of the Helen-isms that appear at the beginning of each chapter. Clearly, Helen was as witty as she was caring :)
“Confidence is the feeling you sometimes have, before you fully understand the situation.” (page 71)
“Love at first sight is possible, but it pays to take a second look.” (page 89)
“Newton’s third law of love: For every idiot, there is an equal and opposite gender idiot!” (page 147)
“Relationships are like garage sales. From a distance they look interesting, but up close it’s just a bunch of crap you don’t really need.” (page 189)
“You can’t have everything. Where would you put it all?” (page 261)
April 6, 2013
Review of this intriguing book coming April 4th.
Title: Seeing Red
Author: Sidney Halston
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Release date: Feb 15, 2013
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tour organized by: AToMR Tours
Book Description:
A love triangle just wouldn’t suffice; Jillian Stone had the ‘misfortune’ of getting herself into a love square– with twins, nonetheless.
Alexander, Oliver, and Jillian were raised on a deserted island. For 12 years, all they knew were those that were marooned with them. A strong bond would link them forever. At 12 years old, they are all rescued and clairvoyant Jillian is immediately shipped off to boarding school. Ten years later, she is reunited with her twins at the funeral of Helen, the woman who “mothered” them while on the island. The innocent and childhood feelings they shared on the island…well, they aren’t so innocent anymore. Her scrawny gangly twins are now grown men. Oliver, the ever-loyal friend and Alexander the ultimate bad-boy, have her heart in a tug-a-war.
Enter, mysteriously sexy Professor Paul Black. He’s Jillian’s law school professor and she has caught his attention, albeit inappropriate. All the while, Jillian’s clairvoyance is wreaking havoc on her life as visions of a redheaded man are becoming all consuming. The dangerous man in her visions is searching for her and has a big secret to share with her about her time on the island as well as about her psychic abilities. Scared for her life, all three men try to protect her, but she must chose one in order to focus on the problem at hand—the redheaded man’s secret.
Seeing Red is a romance with some paranormal elements and some suspense and a lot of sexual tension.
Review
Seeing Red by Sidney Halston is a contemporary romance with a unique premise; one that had me turning the pages wondering where the adventure would lead. The story centers around Jillian Stone, Alexander Jacobs, and Oliver Jacobs. The two male characters are gorgeous sexy blond Viking identical twins, whom Jillian grew up with on a desert island. Jillian was a newborn when the plane that she was on crashed into the Pacific Ocean, making her an orphan. Jillian was cared for by a poignantly witty woman named Helen. Her confidants and lifelong friends the twins were born shortly after, as their pregnant mother was also on the plane. They and a group of adult survivors lived on the island for twelve years, until their rescue and separation. The children of course never have experienced civilization were content in their island life.
Fast forward to age nineteen, the twins and Jillian have been reunited in Texas after an seven year absence. Jillian and Oliver have kept in touch via infrequent emails and phone calls however, they have not scene each other in the seven years since the rescue. Oliver is the upstanding, boring, solid and responsible twin while Alexander is a hellion man-whore with a drug problem. Jillian has been in love to an extent with both of these young men all her life and they too have been in love with her but nothing ever really happened, as they were all pre teens on the island. Two guys both brothers in love with the same girl and no cloning machine in site, yes this is a problem. Problems arise in this first meeting and it spurs on the plot line.
The book fast forwards again as Jillian enters law school in Texas. She is a recent Georgetown University graduate, and ready to focus on getting her law degree. Jillian has really been rootless since the island, the woman who was the children’s care taker on the island Helen raised the boys, but sent Jillian off to boarding school. Jillian since the island has made no close attachments to anyone or anything. She has isolated herself in her own protective cocoon of self. This poor girl had the only family she has knew wrenched away from her, has never made any close friends, and has insulated herself from life and relationships. Not the ideal formula for a strong life foundation. Oliver and Alexander re-enter her life in Texas and so does a new roommate Heather, a true blue southern gal.
This book is about relationships; how our beginnings shape the path our lives follow. and how one defines family and where your heart leads you. To say that Jillian is conflicted and has major self-doubt, would be the same as commenting on the sky’s color. The back and forth of her self-doubt, and the ‘Who do I love?’ was the major plot lines of the book, a romance at heart. That, however, is not the only plot line… as Jillian has a secret, a rather unique secret that only Oliver and Alexander know about. And because of her secret, Jillian’s life get very complicated. (No I’m not telling you what it is, you’ll have to read the book.)
Jillian and gang soon find out that she isn’t the only one keeping secrets, ones that have the potential to ruin the friends’ lives. In the last twenty percent of the book, it is the web of unspoken truths that propels it. They last part also sets up the plot for the sequel, and leaves the reader wonder where this drama will lead.
This was a delightful read and I liked it because of the unusual premise. I honestly would have liked more of the island life with the kids growing up. Helen as island narrator does an excellent job describing island life. At some points, Jillian’s obsessive nature wanted to make me scream at her but, that was the entire point of her indecision. I recommend this book because of its unique storyline and the ability to stand out of the other formula-type stories so readily available. And before you ask…yes I will be reading book two.
Title: Seeing Red
Author: Sidney Halston
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Release date: Feb 15, 2013
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tour organized by: AToMR Tours
Book Description:
A love triangle just wouldn’t suffice; Jillian Stone had the ‘misfortune’ of getting herself into a love square– with twins, nonetheless.
Alexander, Oliver, and Jillian were raised on a deserted island. For 12 years, all they knew were those that were marooned with them. A strong bond would link them forever. At 12 years old, they are all rescued and clairvoyant Jillian is immediately shipped off to boarding school. Ten years later, she is reunited with her twins at the funeral of Helen, the woman who “mothered” them while on the island. The innocent and childhood feelings they shared on the island…well, they aren’t so innocent anymore. Her scrawny gangly twins are now grown men. Oliver, the ever-loyal friend and Alexander the ultimate bad-boy, have her heart in a tug-a-war.
Enter, mysteriously sexy Professor Paul Black. He’s Jillian’s law school professor and she has caught his attention, albeit inappropriate. All the while, Jillian’s clairvoyance is wreaking havoc on her life as visions of a redheaded man are becoming all consuming. The dangerous man in her visions is searching for her and has a big secret to share with her about her time on the island as well as about her psychic abilities. Scared for her life, all three men try to protect her, but she must chose one in order to focus on the problem at hand—the redheaded man’s secret.
Seeing Red is a romance with some paranormal elements and some suspense and a lot of sexual tension.
Review
Seeing Red by Sidney Halston is a contemporary romance with a unique premise; one that had me turning the pages wondering where the adventure would lead. The story centers around Jillian Stone, Alexander Jacobs, and Oliver Jacobs. The two male characters are gorgeous sexy blond Viking identical twins, whom Jillian grew up with on a desert island. Jillian was a newborn when the plane that she was on crashed into the Pacific Ocean, making her an orphan. Jillian was cared for by a poignantly witty woman named Helen. Her confidants and lifelong friends the twins were born shortly after, as their pregnant mother was also on the plane. They and a group of adult survivors lived on the island for twelve years, until their rescue and separation. The children of course never have experienced civilization were content in their island life.
Fast forward to age nineteen, the twins and Jillian have been reunited in Texas after an seven year absence. Jillian and Oliver have kept in touch via infrequent emails and phone calls however, they have not scene each other in the seven years since the rescue. Oliver is the upstanding, boring, solid and responsible twin while Alexander is a hellion man-whore with a drug problem. Jillian has been in love to an extent with both of these young men all her life and they too have been in love with her but nothing ever really happened, as they were all pre teens on the island. Two guys both brothers in love with the same girl and no cloning machine in site, yes this is a problem. Problems arise in this first meeting and it spurs on the plot line.
The book fast forwards again as Jillian enters law school in Texas. She is a recent Georgetown University graduate, and ready to focus on getting her law degree. Jillian has really been rootless since the island, the woman who was the children’s care taker on the island Helen raised the boys, but sent Jillian off to boarding school. Jillian since the island has made no close attachments to anyone or anything. She has isolated herself in her own protective cocoon of self. This poor girl had the only family she has knew wrenched away from her, has never made any close friends, and has insulated herself from life and relationships. Not the ideal formula for a strong life foundation. Oliver and Alexander re-enter her life in Texas and so does a new roommate Heather, a true blue southern gal.
This book is about relationships; how our beginnings shape the path our lives follow. and how one defines family and where your heart leads you. To say that Jillian is conflicted and has major self-doubt, would be the same as commenting on the sky’s color. The back and forth of her self-doubt, and the ‘Who do I love?’ was the major plot lines of the book, a romance at heart. That, however, is not the only plot line… as Jillian has a secret, a rather unique secret that only Oliver and Alexander know about. And because of her secret, Jillian’s life get very complicated. (No I’m not telling you what it is, you’ll have to read the book.)
Jillian and gang soon find out that she isn’t the only one keeping secrets, ones that have the potential to ruin the friends’ lives. In the last twenty percent of the book, it is the web of unspoken truths that propels it. They last part also sets up the plot for the sequel, and leaves the reader wonder where this drama will lead.
This was a delightful read and I liked it because of the unusual premise. I honestly would have liked more of the island life with the kids growing up. Helen as island narrator does an excellent job describing island life. At some points, Jillian’s obsessive nature wanted to make me scream at her but, that was the entire point of her indecision. I recommend this book because of its unique storyline and the ability to stand out of the other formula-type stories so readily available. And before you ask…yes I will be reading book two.
April 4, 2013
Seeing Red was seriously awesome. It was original, mysterious, and sexy! I have to admit, I am not one for suspense, so I skipped to the back to see what happened then finished reading. From the beginning of the book, I was intrigued. A group of travelers stranded on an Island for YEARS! But the story picks up years after they were rescued. And now the twins and Jill are all grown up! I loved the slight paranormal aspect too!
Cover and Writing
I don't much care for the cover. If I saw this on the shelf, I wouldn't have picked it up! I'm glad I read the blurb and book!! The writing was from several POV's but was easy to follow. I loved how there were journals from the past too.
Main Character
I like Jill, she is strong and very smart. She is all alone in this world, not knowing her parents and losing someone that meant so much to her. I felt sad for her, and was glad that she had such great friends in Ollie and Xander. She wasn't whiny either, when she had every reason to be.
Swoonworthy Points: 7
As you can read in the blurb, there is a lot of sexual tension! Gah, I couldn't stand it, hence why I cheated and went to the end! I love who she picked!
Here's a swoon:
...cupped her face with both hands and kissed her, first tenderly and then with more passion. She parted her lips, and he slipped his tongue in her mouth. She startled him by kissing him back fervently.
See what I mean.. Hotness!!
Overall Thoughts
I really liked Seeing Red, it kept your attention and was original.. not to mention HOT! I can't wait to read the next book!
Cover and Writing
I don't much care for the cover. If I saw this on the shelf, I wouldn't have picked it up! I'm glad I read the blurb and book!! The writing was from several POV's but was easy to follow. I loved how there were journals from the past too.
Main Character
I like Jill, she is strong and very smart. She is all alone in this world, not knowing her parents and losing someone that meant so much to her. I felt sad for her, and was glad that she had such great friends in Ollie and Xander. She wasn't whiny either, when she had every reason to be.
Swoonworthy Points: 7
As you can read in the blurb, there is a lot of sexual tension! Gah, I couldn't stand it, hence why I cheated and went to the end! I love who she picked!
Here's a swoon:
...cupped her face with both hands and kissed her, first tenderly and then with more passion. She parted her lips, and he slipped his tongue in her mouth. She startled him by kissing him back fervently.
See what I mean.. Hotness!!
Overall Thoughts
I really liked Seeing Red, it kept your attention and was original.. not to mention HOT! I can't wait to read the next book!
April 2, 2013
Seeing Red was a pleasant surprise! This book had everything! It had love, drama, mystery, danger, and even a little paranormal.
Jillian, and twins Alexander and Oliver grew up together on an island for 12 years after a plane crash. We learn about this through flash backs and journal entries. But as the book starts up, we are following them 7 years later as they are reconnected. There are intense feelings between all of them and they feel like family.
Alexander: "He'd always known, since he was old enough to understand, even while on the island, that he had a special bond with Jillian."
Oliver: He had loved her since, well, forever. Actually, he didn't remember not loving her.
Jillian is a smart, independent, sweet, law student. She is trying hard to make her own way in the world. But once they are back in communication, she comes to rely heavily on the support of the twins. Oly has always been there for Jill. He is the stable, loyal, perhaps a little boring friend who always listens and that has relationship potential. In contrast, Alexander is the volatile, playboy, bad-boy that clashes with Jill almost constantly. We see the unvoiced love between them turn into a full blown love triangle complete with hidden feelings, passion, jealousy, insecurities, misscommunications, and betrayal. It is a serious roller coaster of angst, drama, and emotions. I started out on one team and then switched to the other team and even then I would waver a little just like Jillian did. They are both so alpha, possessive, loving, and hot! I could not figure out how they were going to resolve this seriously entangled situation and their strong feelings.
"Jillian, I know you. When all of the other girls were watching the latest romantic comedy or reading the latest chick novel, you were watching CNN and reading a book on tax law or something ridiculous like that. Your're not a rainbow and butterflies kind of girl. You want real. you want passion You want me."
And in the midst of all this, it turns into a love square when a hot, controlling professor Paul Black enters the picture. I never really connected with him since I was so gaga over the twins, but Jillian did. And of course this only stirred things up further with the twins.
The love she had for Oliver had grown throughout the years, steady and constant. But Xander...Xander was an inferno, and the heat them between them could leave her in ruins. And to add to the insane mix there was Paul Black. He was an enigma that clouded her senses. It was an infatuation that had caught her off guard. Never had she felt such lust for a man so quickly.
And there is also a little issue of Jillian being clairvoyant. Yes, her visions throw more drama in the whole mess since they are random, incomplete, and usually come true with traumatic circumstances.
And if that is not enough, there is danger lurking in the background. There are mysteries from the past that are unraveling but meeting up with Jillian in her present.
This book kept me engaged and entertained. The writing styles was easy to read. I was totally invested in Jillian , Oliver, and Alexander. The characters were well developed, flawed, likable, and perfectly endearing. They were so devoted to each other and so connected emotionally. Their relationships were intense, loving, demanding, and all consuming. There were twists and turns, ups and downs, and times when you just wanted to stop the ride and get off.
I also liked her Southern Belle room mate Heather. She was a fun addition to their group. And I enjoyed the journal entries from their pseudo-mother Helen who raised them on the island. She was full of good advice and witty quotes.
All of the emotions, events, and trauma lead up to a climax. And finally atleast the triangle explodes. Kaboom! Passion ignited! But just as things seem to have a chance or settling down, you are hit with another interesting turn. It was left open to continue their story and continue to find out more about the mysteries. I look forward to more with Jill, Heather, Oly, and Xander.
Thanks to Sidney Halston and AToMR tours for providing me with and ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Will be posted on blog tour 3/5/13 at Reviews by Tammy and Kim
Jillian, and twins Alexander and Oliver grew up together on an island for 12 years after a plane crash. We learn about this through flash backs and journal entries. But as the book starts up, we are following them 7 years later as they are reconnected. There are intense feelings between all of them and they feel like family.
Alexander: "He'd always known, since he was old enough to understand, even while on the island, that he had a special bond with Jillian."
Oliver: He had loved her since, well, forever. Actually, he didn't remember not loving her.
Jillian is a smart, independent, sweet, law student. She is trying hard to make her own way in the world. But once they are back in communication, she comes to rely heavily on the support of the twins. Oly has always been there for Jill. He is the stable, loyal, perhaps a little boring friend who always listens and that has relationship potential. In contrast, Alexander is the volatile, playboy, bad-boy that clashes with Jill almost constantly. We see the unvoiced love between them turn into a full blown love triangle complete with hidden feelings, passion, jealousy, insecurities, misscommunications, and betrayal. It is a serious roller coaster of angst, drama, and emotions. I started out on one team and then switched to the other team and even then I would waver a little just like Jillian did. They are both so alpha, possessive, loving, and hot! I could not figure out how they were going to resolve this seriously entangled situation and their strong feelings.
"Jillian, I know you. When all of the other girls were watching the latest romantic comedy or reading the latest chick novel, you were watching CNN and reading a book on tax law or something ridiculous like that. Your're not a rainbow and butterflies kind of girl. You want real. you want passion You want me."
And in the midst of all this, it turns into a love square when a hot, controlling professor Paul Black enters the picture. I never really connected with him since I was so gaga over the twins, but Jillian did. And of course this only stirred things up further with the twins.
The love she had for Oliver had grown throughout the years, steady and constant. But Xander...Xander was an inferno, and the heat them between them could leave her in ruins. And to add to the insane mix there was Paul Black. He was an enigma that clouded her senses. It was an infatuation that had caught her off guard. Never had she felt such lust for a man so quickly.
And there is also a little issue of Jillian being clairvoyant. Yes, her visions throw more drama in the whole mess since they are random, incomplete, and usually come true with traumatic circumstances.
And if that is not enough, there is danger lurking in the background. There are mysteries from the past that are unraveling but meeting up with Jillian in her present.
This book kept me engaged and entertained. The writing styles was easy to read. I was totally invested in Jillian , Oliver, and Alexander. The characters were well developed, flawed, likable, and perfectly endearing. They were so devoted to each other and so connected emotionally. Their relationships were intense, loving, demanding, and all consuming. There were twists and turns, ups and downs, and times when you just wanted to stop the ride and get off.
I also liked her Southern Belle room mate Heather. She was a fun addition to their group. And I enjoyed the journal entries from their pseudo-mother Helen who raised them on the island. She was full of good advice and witty quotes.
All of the emotions, events, and trauma lead up to a climax. And finally atleast the triangle explodes. Kaboom! Passion ignited! But just as things seem to have a chance or settling down, you are hit with another interesting turn. It was left open to continue their story and continue to find out more about the mysteries. I look forward to more with Jill, Heather, Oly, and Xander.
Thanks to Sidney Halston and AToMR tours for providing me with and ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Will be posted on blog tour 3/5/13 at Reviews by Tammy and Kim
March 17, 2013
I have to give this book a 3.5 stars but I do not get half stars here. I was given this book free on behalf of the author for an honest review.
Jillian, Oliver, and Alexander grow up together on Onion Island after a plane crash strands the survivors. They spend the first 11 or so years of their lives on this uncharted island until a yacht is stranded on it. When they are rescued they go back to civilization and are separated when Jillian is sent to boarding school. They are reunited with the death of Helen, who raised them on the island. They are now 18 (twins Oliver and Alexander) and 19 (Jillian), going off to college then law school for Jillian, a photography job for Oliver, and a possible drug overdose for Alexander. Jillian is left the diaries Helen wrote on the island. It was also on the island that Jillian began to have visions of the future that were true and often bad. She begins having visions of a red-headed man but she feels calm about it. As the visions of the red-haired man continue and when her apartment is broken into, it becomes important for her to read Helen’s diaries in Sidney Halston’s Seeing Red. There are so many that Jillian needs help and when Oliver comes back from his photography assignment she asks him to help her read the journals. What they discover about the red-headed man causes concern about Jillian’s safety.
The characters in Seeing Red are interesting characters. I feel I know them. I liked how Ms. Halston let us have Jillian, Oliver, and Alexander’s points of view. She labeled their sections so I always knew from whose eyes I was watching the story evolve. Sometimes I had the same story but with opposing points of view. This works very well. I would like to know the thoughts of some of the secondary characters better, such as Paul Black, Jillian’s professor, and Heather, Jillian’s roommate.
While I knew the main characters fairly well there were times that I felt the story could have been tightened and condensed for them. This is true whenever their three-way relationship is brought up. I know, and can understand and feel Jillian’s pain, why Jillian does not want to hurt either one of them when each professes their love for her and she for them. After the second time, I just wanted that issue to be resolved and forgotten about so the story could move forward. This bogged down the story as did the fighting between Jillian and Alexander, who she felt was not living up to his potential.
Jillian’s relationship with Paul is a mystery to me. I could not figure it out. It felt creepy. Something was not right about it but I could not put my finger on what was wrong. I hope more will be coming out about this relationship. Paul is too good to be true at times and scary at other times. He is much too intense and bossy for the beginning of a relationship.
I did figure out immediately who the red-headed man was in her visions. If that was to be a mystery it needs work because I never questioned or second guessed my resolution of his character or importance to the story. I never had a problem figuring out where he would touch her future. I could not foresee the ending that occurred though. I believed the red-headed man would figure in her future but not in the way it seems he will at the end of Seeing Red.
As I neared the end of Seeing Red I saw red. Here I was waiting for the answers to all my questions and then CLIFFHANGER ENDING. I screamed in frustration. I do not want to wait until book two for the answers. Too many teasers fill up the last section of the book as they return to the island, now a luxury resort. Too many unanswered questions remain especially that very last scene. Where did it come from? With whom is she communicating? I cannot walk away from it now.
Jillian, Oliver, and Alexander grow up together on Onion Island after a plane crash strands the survivors. They spend the first 11 or so years of their lives on this uncharted island until a yacht is stranded on it. When they are rescued they go back to civilization and are separated when Jillian is sent to boarding school. They are reunited with the death of Helen, who raised them on the island. They are now 18 (twins Oliver and Alexander) and 19 (Jillian), going off to college then law school for Jillian, a photography job for Oliver, and a possible drug overdose for Alexander. Jillian is left the diaries Helen wrote on the island. It was also on the island that Jillian began to have visions of the future that were true and often bad. She begins having visions of a red-headed man but she feels calm about it. As the visions of the red-haired man continue and when her apartment is broken into, it becomes important for her to read Helen’s diaries in Sidney Halston’s Seeing Red. There are so many that Jillian needs help and when Oliver comes back from his photography assignment she asks him to help her read the journals. What they discover about the red-headed man causes concern about Jillian’s safety.
The characters in Seeing Red are interesting characters. I feel I know them. I liked how Ms. Halston let us have Jillian, Oliver, and Alexander’s points of view. She labeled their sections so I always knew from whose eyes I was watching the story evolve. Sometimes I had the same story but with opposing points of view. This works very well. I would like to know the thoughts of some of the secondary characters better, such as Paul Black, Jillian’s professor, and Heather, Jillian’s roommate.
While I knew the main characters fairly well there were times that I felt the story could have been tightened and condensed for them. This is true whenever their three-way relationship is brought up. I know, and can understand and feel Jillian’s pain, why Jillian does not want to hurt either one of them when each professes their love for her and she for them. After the second time, I just wanted that issue to be resolved and forgotten about so the story could move forward. This bogged down the story as did the fighting between Jillian and Alexander, who she felt was not living up to his potential.
Jillian’s relationship with Paul is a mystery to me. I could not figure it out. It felt creepy. Something was not right about it but I could not put my finger on what was wrong. I hope more will be coming out about this relationship. Paul is too good to be true at times and scary at other times. He is much too intense and bossy for the beginning of a relationship.
I did figure out immediately who the red-headed man was in her visions. If that was to be a mystery it needs work because I never questioned or second guessed my resolution of his character or importance to the story. I never had a problem figuring out where he would touch her future. I could not foresee the ending that occurred though. I believed the red-headed man would figure in her future but not in the way it seems he will at the end of Seeing Red.
As I neared the end of Seeing Red I saw red. Here I was waiting for the answers to all my questions and then CLIFFHANGER ENDING. I screamed in frustration. I do not want to wait until book two for the answers. Too many teasers fill up the last section of the book as they return to the island, now a luxury resort. Too many unanswered questions remain especially that very last scene. Where did it come from? With whom is she communicating? I cannot walk away from it now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2013
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Bindiğiniz uçak, düşüyor… hem de ıssız bir adaya. Böyle bir durumda ölmek mi, hayatta kalmak mı daha iyi bilemedim…ama Sidney Halston, bizim için bu şekilde başlayan ve bambaşka yerlere giden güzel bir hikaye yaratmış. Seeing Red, bu yeni yetişkin türünde bir roman, ben her ne kadar bu türden kaçmaya çalışsam da, yurt dışında o kadar yaygın ki; gelip gelip beni buluyor. Bu kitabı da, yabancı bir blog turu katılımı için gönderdiler, ama hafif paranormal öğeleri sayesinde ve aşk üçgeni diyemeyeceğim, çünkü dördüncü bir kişinin de yer almasından dolayı farklıydı itiraf ediyorum. Ayrıca yazarın anlatı dili de son derece keyifliydi ve tabii ki, farklı bakış açıları artık benim için bir tercih sebebi olacak bir unsur halinde.
Jillian, Oliver ve Alexander’ın hikayelerinin anlatıldığı kitap, Onion Adasında, bir uçak kazasının ardından başlıyor. Yaşamlarının ilk 11-12 senesini adada geçiren üçlü kardeş gibidirler; Oliver ve Alexander ikizler Jillian’da adaya düştüğünde henüz 1 aylık ve ikizlerin annesi, Helen tarafından sahiplenilmiş. Adadan kurtulduktan sonra yolları ayrılan üçlü, 7 yıl sonra Helen’ı cenazesinde yeniden bir araya gelir. Yıllar önce zayıf ve çelimsiz olan ikizler, artık birer yetişkin olmuşlardır; Oliver, her zamanki sadık arkadaş, Alexander ise tipik bir bad boy! Jillian ise ikisi arasında kalbine hükmetmeye çalışan 19 yaşında genç bir kadın. Bir de tabii ki, karizmatik profesörümüz var; Jillian’ın hukuk fakültesindeki öğretmeni… Jillian, öngörülerindeki adam için endişelene dursun, kendisini korumaya hazır üç adam var, daha ne olsun ;)
Kitabın paranormal öğeleri, Jillian’ın adada görmeye başladığı ve çoğunlukla kötü ama maalesef gerçekleşen öngörülerden geliyor. Ve son zamanlarda, giderek hayatını kontrol altına alır bir şekilde, kızıl saçlı bir adamı görüyor. Bunun sırrını çözmek üzere, Helen’ın adada tuttuğu ve ölürken kendisine bıraktığı günlüklere gömülüyor ve bu esnada da tabii ki, Oliver’dan yardım istiyor. Sonra mı ne oluyor? Onun için okumanız gerekecek, fazla bile anlattım kitabı…
Önce kitaptaki karakterlerden başlayayım; yazar tüm ana karakterleri oldukça detaylı yaratmış, öyle iyi tanımanızı sağlamış ki, sanki her birini şahsen tanıyormuşuz gibi. Üçlü anlatım şekli, başta karışık olabilir gibi gelse de, her birinin sesi o kadar farklı ki; bu hiç sorun olmuyor desem yeridir. Ve anlatımda bu üçlü arasında değişirken, kimi yerde birinin bıraktığı yerden devam ederken bazen aynı sahneyi yeniden farklı açıdan görüyoruz. Bu sayede olayları daha iyi anlama imkanı buluyoruz…ve kabul etmek lazım, bu hikayede gayet yerinde bir tercih olmuş.
Jillian, güçlü, ne istediğini bilen bir ana karakter, ama durum ikizlere gelince dengesini kaybediyor ve ne olursa olsun, ikizler diyor. Ortak geçmişleri de bu durumu ve aralarındaki bağı kuvvetlendiriyor. İkizler söz konusu olduğunda, çektiği üzüntüyü ve yaşadığı karmaşayı, yazar başarılı bir şekilde anlatmış ve haliyle aynılarını hissediyorsunuz, ama bu durum aynı zamanda hikayenin biraz uzamasına, sarkmasına neden oluyor, kabul etmek gerek. Alexander ve Oliver’a geri dönecek olursak, bekleneceği gibi, ikizler tamamen birbirlerinden farklı hayatlar sürüyorlar, ama diğer her konuda tam anlamıyla aynılar ve buna sevdikleri kadında dahil… Heather, Jillian’ın oda arkadaşı da, kalbinizde açık sözlülüğü ile yer edecek, etkili bir yan karakter.
Kitaptaki, gizem kısmı tam anlamıyla oturmamış, kızıl saçlı adamın kim olduğu ve Jillian’ın hayatındaki etkisi fazlasıyla tahmin edilebilir olmuş. Yine de, keyifle okunan bu hikayenin en sinir bozucu yanı bu değil, en sinir bozu yani, kesinlikle bitiş şekli! Tabii ki, bir beklenti ile, okuru askıda bırakır şekilde bitiyor ve ben serilerde bundan hiç ama hiç hoşlanmıyorum, daha önce de dile getirmiştim sanırım (:, hem de birkaç kere, ama yazarlar beni duymuyor sanırım…
Bindiğiniz uçak, düşüyor… hem de ıssız bir adaya. Böyle bir durumda ölmek mi, hayatta kalmak mı daha iyi bilemedim…ama Sidney Halston, bizim için bu şekilde başlayan ve bambaşka yerlere giden güzel bir hikaye yaratmış. Seeing Red, bu yeni yetişkin türünde bir roman, ben her ne kadar bu türden kaçmaya çalışsam da, yurt dışında o kadar yaygın ki; gelip gelip beni buluyor. Bu kitabı da, yabancı bir blog turu katılımı için gönderdiler, ama hafif paranormal öğeleri sayesinde ve aşk üçgeni diyemeyeceğim, çünkü dördüncü bir kişinin de yer almasından dolayı farklıydı itiraf ediyorum. Ayrıca yazarın anlatı dili de son derece keyifliydi ve tabii ki, farklı bakış açıları artık benim için bir tercih sebebi olacak bir unsur halinde.
Jillian, Oliver ve Alexander’ın hikayelerinin anlatıldığı kitap, Onion Adasında, bir uçak kazasının ardından başlıyor. Yaşamlarının ilk 11-12 senesini adada geçiren üçlü kardeş gibidirler; Oliver ve Alexander ikizler Jillian’da adaya düştüğünde henüz 1 aylık ve ikizlerin annesi, Helen tarafından sahiplenilmiş. Adadan kurtulduktan sonra yolları ayrılan üçlü, 7 yıl sonra Helen’ı cenazesinde yeniden bir araya gelir. Yıllar önce zayıf ve çelimsiz olan ikizler, artık birer yetişkin olmuşlardır; Oliver, her zamanki sadık arkadaş, Alexander ise tipik bir bad boy! Jillian ise ikisi arasında kalbine hükmetmeye çalışan 19 yaşında genç bir kadın. Bir de tabii ki, karizmatik profesörümüz var; Jillian’ın hukuk fakültesindeki öğretmeni… Jillian, öngörülerindeki adam için endişelene dursun, kendisini korumaya hazır üç adam var, daha ne olsun ;)
Kitabın paranormal öğeleri, Jillian’ın adada görmeye başladığı ve çoğunlukla kötü ama maalesef gerçekleşen öngörülerden geliyor. Ve son zamanlarda, giderek hayatını kontrol altına alır bir şekilde, kızıl saçlı bir adamı görüyor. Bunun sırrını çözmek üzere, Helen’ın adada tuttuğu ve ölürken kendisine bıraktığı günlüklere gömülüyor ve bu esnada da tabii ki, Oliver’dan yardım istiyor. Sonra mı ne oluyor? Onun için okumanız gerekecek, fazla bile anlattım kitabı…
Önce kitaptaki karakterlerden başlayayım; yazar tüm ana karakterleri oldukça detaylı yaratmış, öyle iyi tanımanızı sağlamış ki, sanki her birini şahsen tanıyormuşuz gibi. Üçlü anlatım şekli, başta karışık olabilir gibi gelse de, her birinin sesi o kadar farklı ki; bu hiç sorun olmuyor desem yeridir. Ve anlatımda bu üçlü arasında değişirken, kimi yerde birinin bıraktığı yerden devam ederken bazen aynı sahneyi yeniden farklı açıdan görüyoruz. Bu sayede olayları daha iyi anlama imkanı buluyoruz…ve kabul etmek lazım, bu hikayede gayet yerinde bir tercih olmuş.
Jillian, güçlü, ne istediğini bilen bir ana karakter, ama durum ikizlere gelince dengesini kaybediyor ve ne olursa olsun, ikizler diyor. Ortak geçmişleri de bu durumu ve aralarındaki bağı kuvvetlendiriyor. İkizler söz konusu olduğunda, çektiği üzüntüyü ve yaşadığı karmaşayı, yazar başarılı bir şekilde anlatmış ve haliyle aynılarını hissediyorsunuz, ama bu durum aynı zamanda hikayenin biraz uzamasına, sarkmasına neden oluyor, kabul etmek gerek. Alexander ve Oliver’a geri dönecek olursak, bekleneceği gibi, ikizler tamamen birbirlerinden farklı hayatlar sürüyorlar, ama diğer her konuda tam anlamıyla aynılar ve buna sevdikleri kadında dahil… Heather, Jillian’ın oda arkadaşı da, kalbinizde açık sözlülüğü ile yer edecek, etkili bir yan karakter.
Kitaptaki, gizem kısmı tam anlamıyla oturmamış, kızıl saçlı adamın kim olduğu ve Jillian’ın hayatındaki etkisi fazlasıyla tahmin edilebilir olmuş. Yine de, keyifle okunan bu hikayenin en sinir bozucu yanı bu değil, en sinir bozu yani, kesinlikle bitiş şekli! Tabii ki, bir beklenti ile, okuru askıda bırakır şekilde bitiyor ve ben serilerde bundan hiç ama hiç hoşlanmıyorum, daha önce de dile getirmiştim sanırım (:, hem de birkaç kere, ama yazarlar beni duymuyor sanırım…
April 6, 2013
Plane Crash. Island. Stranded. Surviving.
Twin Boys. One Red-Headed Girl. Romance
Spending your childhood in an island isn’t as naturey and summery as you might think especially when you spend the day you we’re born up to the 10th year of your life there. That is what Jillian Stone and the twin brother Oliver and Alexander thought after surviving a tragic plane crash .
Once again I stumble reading a book where love triangle is present. The thing about love triangles is that no matter how good the other one is you would always have this someone that you would root for and it did happen here to me – the good thing is that I root for the right guy ;) Another thing that happen when I get to read love triangles is that I tend to get a bit annoyed with the person who is the center of attention.
Jillian found the great friendship that everyone is looking for with Oliver and Alexander. It was so evident from the get go that her love for them is exceptional and her care and concern for them is so genuine. For once, I honestly never did question her love for them, she’s a smart woman who is a survivor to a lot of tragic and sad events. Oh and she’s clairvoyant or psychic or whatever you want to call it.
But Jillian also ticks something off for me – I’m not amazed on how brave she acted upon a certain incident on the book. The incident is creepy and scary beyond explanation and all she did was keep it to her and acted like nothing happened. Another thing that bother me is how easily she spit out the word love with Professor Black – I get that he’s hot and gorgeous and swoon-worthy for her but as a very smart woman how could she easily let things go that way. For once I thought she just find him as s convenience since she doesn’t want to choose either of the twins but I know from the beginning that something is lingering behind Black’s character and I know he’s just using her and her vulnerability during that time to do something.
Lastly, I don’t like for one second her whiny and a bit bitchy attitude with Alexander. Her points are all valid but I can’t help but think twice to the things she say and things she did.
Now the twins:
Oliver as Jillian said is like a character straight out from a Nicholas Sparks Novel: sweet, loyal, loving and dependable. Additional to that is the great look and smart mind.
Alexander is the complete opposite of his brother when it comes to attitude: he’s unpredictable, unreliable, dangerous but does have the same great looks and smart mind.
The story didn’t stick in a certain phase or year – it evolved. It moves and there is a development. The story is not stucked in a certain year. I get to witness what these characters get through even through the past years – how they reunite, they celebrate, fight and reconcile.
Seeing Red is a great mixture of romance and paranormal and mysterious stuffs but mostly it revolves around the Romance part. But to be honest it’s not the romance part that pushed me into continuing reading this one – it’s the mystery of it all; Helen’s journals plus the things that Jillian discovers through her gifts and as to what would happen next. I just hope that those stuffs are also given a much wider part.
Seeing Red is a very original story and appealing to the readers. I thought that this was a stand alone book so I was really surprised on how it ended. Will I be reading the next book? Oh sure why not? A lot of stuff is still left at bay especially what I consider the important ones. So yes – I’ll surely look forward to it.
*Copy kindly provided for review*
*Blog Tour deets posted at Reads and Thoughts.
Twin Boys. One Red-Headed Girl. Romance
Spending your childhood in an island isn’t as naturey and summery as you might think especially when you spend the day you we’re born up to the 10th year of your life there. That is what Jillian Stone and the twin brother Oliver and Alexander thought after surviving a tragic plane crash .
Once again I stumble reading a book where love triangle is present. The thing about love triangles is that no matter how good the other one is you would always have this someone that you would root for and it did happen here to me – the good thing is that I root for the right guy ;) Another thing that happen when I get to read love triangles is that I tend to get a bit annoyed with the person who is the center of attention.
Jillian found the great friendship that everyone is looking for with Oliver and Alexander. It was so evident from the get go that her love for them is exceptional and her care and concern for them is so genuine. For once, I honestly never did question her love for them, she’s a smart woman who is a survivor to a lot of tragic and sad events. Oh and she’s clairvoyant or psychic or whatever you want to call it.
But Jillian also ticks something off for me – I’m not amazed on how brave she acted upon a certain incident on the book. The incident is creepy and scary beyond explanation and all she did was keep it to her and acted like nothing happened. Another thing that bother me is how easily she spit out the word love with Professor Black – I get that he’s hot and gorgeous and swoon-worthy for her but as a very smart woman how could she easily let things go that way. For once I thought she just find him as s convenience since she doesn’t want to choose either of the twins but I know from the beginning that something is lingering behind Black’s character and I know he’s just using her and her vulnerability during that time to do something.
Lastly, I don’t like for one second her whiny and a bit bitchy attitude with Alexander. Her points are all valid but I can’t help but think twice to the things she say and things she did.
Now the twins:
Oliver as Jillian said is like a character straight out from a Nicholas Sparks Novel: sweet, loyal, loving and dependable. Additional to that is the great look and smart mind.
Alexander is the complete opposite of his brother when it comes to attitude: he’s unpredictable, unreliable, dangerous but does have the same great looks and smart mind.
The story didn’t stick in a certain phase or year – it evolved. It moves and there is a development. The story is not stucked in a certain year. I get to witness what these characters get through even through the past years – how they reunite, they celebrate, fight and reconcile.
Seeing Red is a great mixture of romance and paranormal and mysterious stuffs but mostly it revolves around the Romance part. But to be honest it’s not the romance part that pushed me into continuing reading this one – it’s the mystery of it all; Helen’s journals plus the things that Jillian discovers through her gifts and as to what would happen next. I just hope that those stuffs are also given a much wider part.
Seeing Red is a very original story and appealing to the readers. I thought that this was a stand alone book so I was really surprised on how it ended. Will I be reading the next book? Oh sure why not? A lot of stuff is still left at bay especially what I consider the important ones. So yes – I’ll surely look forward to it.
*Copy kindly provided for review*
*Blog Tour deets posted at Reads and Thoughts.
March 29, 2013
Growing up as a survivor of a deadly plane crash and spending her childhood on an island awaiting rescue have defined Jillian Stone's life. Finding a real home is something that has escaped her, as has making lasting friendships. The only support she has are the twins, Alexander and Oliver, that lived through the island years with her, but even the twins prove more of a complication than relief when she begins developing feelings for both brothers. Add in strange visions of a red haired man, and Jillian's life quickly becomes a mess.
The most compelling aspect of this book is definitely the romance. There are several romantic elements going on. Central to the story are the romantic feelings that develop between Jillian, Alexander, and Oliver. Jillian loves both men as brothers, but she realizes over time that her emotional connection to them has deepened into something more. What that "more" means is what is really confusing. She and Xander fight constantly, but that may just translate into an intense passion and love. Oliver, however, has always been her strength, the one there for her she she needed support and love. Halston does a great job of pulling the reader back and forth between the two brothers. Right up to the end there is doubt about which one she will pick. This love triangle was very well developed. For me, it was by far the more compelling element of the book.
The other romantic aspect was Jillian's relationship with one of her instructors, Professor Black. I didn't find this relationship as compelling as with the twins. Black seemed wrong from the first day. It was frustrating at times that Jillian seemed so blind to his actions. I didn't see her reactions and decisions as rational or understandable at times, which was very opposite from the relationship with the twins. I didn't feel this aspect was as well developed as the other romance.
A word of caution about the romance is that there was plenty of sexual situations and sexual discussions. There are also sex scenes that were fairly descriptive. This combined with the heavy use of profanity makes it one I would not recommend to teens at all.
The mystery aspect of this book mainly stayed in the background. I never felt like it was a major point of the book. The focus was largely on the romance. I did find the visions, notebooks, and Jillian's mysterious heritage to be interesting. I wanted to know more about her past and how it would impact her future. I think there is potential for a good mystery here, but it was not fully developed in this book. I am hoping that the next installment will be more heavily focused on the mystery and the red haired man.
There were a few smaller issues that were a bit of a distraction while reading. The editing was not as good as it could have been. The dialog was almost never punctuated correctly and there were other mechanical and grammatical errors as well. Some of the journals were written more simplistically than the rest of the book and the dialog was very formal most of the time, which detracted from the flow.
Overall, this book had a great romance that was very appealing and will definitely hold readers' attention. The mystery was not quite as compelling, but has potential to develop into a very interesting story.
Check out my other reviews at The Edible Bookshelf
The most compelling aspect of this book is definitely the romance. There are several romantic elements going on. Central to the story are the romantic feelings that develop between Jillian, Alexander, and Oliver. Jillian loves both men as brothers, but she realizes over time that her emotional connection to them has deepened into something more. What that "more" means is what is really confusing. She and Xander fight constantly, but that may just translate into an intense passion and love. Oliver, however, has always been her strength, the one there for her she she needed support and love. Halston does a great job of pulling the reader back and forth between the two brothers. Right up to the end there is doubt about which one she will pick. This love triangle was very well developed. For me, it was by far the more compelling element of the book.
The other romantic aspect was Jillian's relationship with one of her instructors, Professor Black. I didn't find this relationship as compelling as with the twins. Black seemed wrong from the first day. It was frustrating at times that Jillian seemed so blind to his actions. I didn't see her reactions and decisions as rational or understandable at times, which was very opposite from the relationship with the twins. I didn't feel this aspect was as well developed as the other romance.
A word of caution about the romance is that there was plenty of sexual situations and sexual discussions. There are also sex scenes that were fairly descriptive. This combined with the heavy use of profanity makes it one I would not recommend to teens at all.
The mystery aspect of this book mainly stayed in the background. I never felt like it was a major point of the book. The focus was largely on the romance. I did find the visions, notebooks, and Jillian's mysterious heritage to be interesting. I wanted to know more about her past and how it would impact her future. I think there is potential for a good mystery here, but it was not fully developed in this book. I am hoping that the next installment will be more heavily focused on the mystery and the red haired man.
There were a few smaller issues that were a bit of a distraction while reading. The editing was not as good as it could have been. The dialog was almost never punctuated correctly and there were other mechanical and grammatical errors as well. Some of the journals were written more simplistically than the rest of the book and the dialog was very formal most of the time, which detracted from the flow.
Overall, this book had a great romance that was very appealing and will definitely hold readers' attention. The mystery was not quite as compelling, but has potential to develop into a very interesting story.
Check out my other reviews at The Edible Bookshelf
April 6, 2013
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed @ Enticed by Books
First things first, I was under the impression that Seeing Red was a standalone, it's not mentioned anywhere on Goodreads that it's a part of a series, so I was really mad when I flipped the last page and it said coming soon: Book 2 in the Seeing Red series. Seriously?!? That's not good. Now that that's out of the way, I really enjoyed Seeing Red. I love that the MC grew up on a deserted island with her two best friends and their guardian Helen after the plane crash. It adds a different dynamic to the story and makes it much more interesting.
Jillian and the twins, Oliver and Alexandra, are the only living survivors from the place crash and after being rescued 7 years ago, they went in different directions and met again on Helen's funeral. Jillian is a psychic, she gets premonition of incidents related to the people she care about and that makes her a very complex character. I liked her in the beginning but her indecisiveness and procrastination towards sorting out her feelings made me dislike her. Oliver is more of a quiet & listener type and Alexandra is the complete opposite of his brother, he's more on the playful & teasing side and ofcourse you can tell that I loved Xander. He & Jillian were so competitive in everything and their chemistry could be seen by a blind man. They were perfect for each other, but what I didn't like was that Jillian had two great guys who loved and cherished her (I'm not even going to count the Professor because he was a creep from the beginning), but instead of picking one person, she kept hurting both of them. I'm happy with the decision she made in the end, but I'm still sad that I have to wait for the next book to see where it goes.
The best part about Seeing Red, after Alexander obviously, was Jillian psychic abilities. I've always been fascinated with a pshychic's mind and how they manage to be sane having such pressuring gift. It was so hard for Jillian, her premonitions would appear randomly and left her drained at the end. But I loved the role they played in the story. Ever since Helen's funeral, Jillian's been having flashes of a red-headed man constantly and the identity of the man lies in the Helen's journals which are now Jillian's property. Throughout the story, we read certain passages from the journals and those were some of my favorite moments. Helen doesn't appear in this book but I can already tell that she would have be a terrific person. Her one liners/ life lessons presented in the beginning of each chapter was so entertaining. I loved it.
Seeing Red is an adventurous and highly engaging read, I loved that along with the romance, it had a paranormal element in it that made the story mysterious and kept the excitement level high. I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy love triangles and mind power. The psychic part is going to be the focus of the next book and I'm really looking forward to learn about it's origin and extension. Also, the mysterious red-headed man is someone I'm intrigued with and I want to know if the allegations on him are true or not. I'm excited yet a little scared to know the truth. We'll see.
A Copy was provided by Sidney Halston for an honest review, as a part of Blog Tour.
Reviewed @ Enticed by Books
First things first, I was under the impression that Seeing Red was a standalone, it's not mentioned anywhere on Goodreads that it's a part of a series, so I was really mad when I flipped the last page and it said coming soon: Book 2 in the Seeing Red series. Seriously?!? That's not good. Now that that's out of the way, I really enjoyed Seeing Red. I love that the MC grew up on a deserted island with her two best friends and their guardian Helen after the plane crash. It adds a different dynamic to the story and makes it much more interesting.
Jillian and the twins, Oliver and Alexandra, are the only living survivors from the place crash and after being rescued 7 years ago, they went in different directions and met again on Helen's funeral. Jillian is a psychic, she gets premonition of incidents related to the people she care about and that makes her a very complex character. I liked her in the beginning but her indecisiveness and procrastination towards sorting out her feelings made me dislike her. Oliver is more of a quiet & listener type and Alexandra is the complete opposite of his brother, he's more on the playful & teasing side and ofcourse you can tell that I loved Xander. He & Jillian were so competitive in everything and their chemistry could be seen by a blind man. They were perfect for each other, but what I didn't like was that Jillian had two great guys who loved and cherished her (I'm not even going to count the Professor because he was a creep from the beginning), but instead of picking one person, she kept hurting both of them. I'm happy with the decision she made in the end, but I'm still sad that I have to wait for the next book to see where it goes.
The best part about Seeing Red, after Alexander obviously, was Jillian psychic abilities. I've always been fascinated with a pshychic's mind and how they manage to be sane having such pressuring gift. It was so hard for Jillian, her premonitions would appear randomly and left her drained at the end. But I loved the role they played in the story. Ever since Helen's funeral, Jillian's been having flashes of a red-headed man constantly and the identity of the man lies in the Helen's journals which are now Jillian's property. Throughout the story, we read certain passages from the journals and those were some of my favorite moments. Helen doesn't appear in this book but I can already tell that she would have be a terrific person. Her one liners/ life lessons presented in the beginning of each chapter was so entertaining. I loved it.
Seeing Red is an adventurous and highly engaging read, I loved that along with the romance, it had a paranormal element in it that made the story mysterious and kept the excitement level high. I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy love triangles and mind power. The psychic part is going to be the focus of the next book and I'm really looking forward to learn about it's origin and extension. Also, the mysterious red-headed man is someone I'm intrigued with and I want to know if the allegations on him are true or not. I'm excited yet a little scared to know the truth. We'll see.
A Copy was provided by Sidney Halston for an honest review, as a part of Blog Tour.
April 25, 2013
I won a copy of Seeing Red in a giveaway from the Author hosted on The Autumn Review (check out http://www.autumnreview.com/).
Seeing Red was fabulous – a really different premise with a slight paranormal element to it. The three main characters are Jillian, and twin brothers Alexander and Oliver. The three grew up together, stranded for 12 years on an island following a plane crash. Alexander and Oliver were born on the island, with their parents both dying while there. Jillian’s mother was killed in the crash and all three were ‘adopted’ by Helen. Helen's words of wisdom start each chapter, which I really loved.
Following their rescue from the island the three separate, but maintain contact (of varying sorts), however it is not until Helen’s death that they are brought back together. The relationship between Jillian, Xander and Oly is interesting. Having spent the formative years of their lives together they have an incredibly strong bond – much akin to brothers and sisters. Jillian and Oliver have maintained regular contact, mostly via email and phone and there is a level of dependence on each other. Jill often refers to Oliver as the one she can always rely on. With Xander, Jillian has always had an intensely competitive relationship. Xander is the rebel of the three and has lived a life involving drugs and women, very separate to his brother Oliver and with limited contact with Jill (or Red as he likes to call her). After a tumultuous week together the three part ways again and it is not until four years later they are re-connected.
At that stage it is clear to all of them that their familial love has developed into something more and they must each come to terms with how they feel and how they can maintain relationships with each other, while pursuing the one that they love. Add to that already complex circumstance the interest of one intense and incredibly handsome law professor and Jillian finds herself in a ‘love square’ that is pretty challenging.
Overlay all of the above with Jillian’s rather unique psychic ability. All her life she has experienced visions or premonitions and they invariably come to fruition. Each time she is lost in a trance like state as she ‘sees’ what will happen. She also starts to have visions of a red haired man, and with the help of Oliver, the two scour Helen’s journals from their years on the island to try and understand who he is and whether Jillian is in any sort of danger.
I really enjoyed Seeing Red. It is quite a different story. Xander and Oliver are so different, despite their identical (incredibly gorgeous!) looks and it really is no wonder that Jillian is so torn between the two. Oliver is solid, reliable and always there when she needs him while Xander is competitive, possessive and very much the 'bad boy' of the story. There were some parts that moved a little slowly for me and I was beginning to wonder whether Jillian would ever resolve her feelings, but things do come together really well at the end.
There is a second book in the series although no solid information available for the release date. Halston did post a teaser for the book on her website recently and it reads very well (check it out here http://sidneyhalston.blogspot.com.au/...). I’ll be adding it to my TBR list.
Seeing Red was fabulous – a really different premise with a slight paranormal element to it. The three main characters are Jillian, and twin brothers Alexander and Oliver. The three grew up together, stranded for 12 years on an island following a plane crash. Alexander and Oliver were born on the island, with their parents both dying while there. Jillian’s mother was killed in the crash and all three were ‘adopted’ by Helen. Helen's words of wisdom start each chapter, which I really loved.
Following their rescue from the island the three separate, but maintain contact (of varying sorts), however it is not until Helen’s death that they are brought back together. The relationship between Jillian, Xander and Oly is interesting. Having spent the formative years of their lives together they have an incredibly strong bond – much akin to brothers and sisters. Jillian and Oliver have maintained regular contact, mostly via email and phone and there is a level of dependence on each other. Jill often refers to Oliver as the one she can always rely on. With Xander, Jillian has always had an intensely competitive relationship. Xander is the rebel of the three and has lived a life involving drugs and women, very separate to his brother Oliver and with limited contact with Jill (or Red as he likes to call her). After a tumultuous week together the three part ways again and it is not until four years later they are re-connected.
At that stage it is clear to all of them that their familial love has developed into something more and they must each come to terms with how they feel and how they can maintain relationships with each other, while pursuing the one that they love. Add to that already complex circumstance the interest of one intense and incredibly handsome law professor and Jillian finds herself in a ‘love square’ that is pretty challenging.
Overlay all of the above with Jillian’s rather unique psychic ability. All her life she has experienced visions or premonitions and they invariably come to fruition. Each time she is lost in a trance like state as she ‘sees’ what will happen. She also starts to have visions of a red haired man, and with the help of Oliver, the two scour Helen’s journals from their years on the island to try and understand who he is and whether Jillian is in any sort of danger.
I really enjoyed Seeing Red. It is quite a different story. Xander and Oliver are so different, despite their identical (incredibly gorgeous!) looks and it really is no wonder that Jillian is so torn between the two. Oliver is solid, reliable and always there when she needs him while Xander is competitive, possessive and very much the 'bad boy' of the story. There were some parts that moved a little slowly for me and I was beginning to wonder whether Jillian would ever resolve her feelings, but things do come together really well at the end.
There is a second book in the series although no solid information available for the release date. Halston did post a teaser for the book on her website recently and it reads very well (check it out here http://sidneyhalston.blogspot.com.au/...). I’ll be adding it to my TBR list.
March 31, 2013
This book was a mix of emotions for me. I adored the characters, I hated the circumstances. This book was full of drama from the very beginning. And though the book starts with such great loss, the book is so full of love…and a crazy, crazy situation.
This book starts with a plane crash on a deserted island, where the few survivors are struggling to stay alive waiting for their rescue. In the end, there are very few survivors that are rescued from the island, including three young children. Jillian, who’s mother did not survive the crash and the twins, Oliver and Alexander, who were born shortly after Jillian. Their lives went in very different directions, but they were always bound to each other and always found their way back to each other.
The biggest thing I love about this book is the characters but I would not be doing this book justice if I just passed over the most important character in this book… Helen. Though Helen is deceased, she has such a big role in this book and she proves to be full of so much information even after her passing. Helen’s wisdom and words may ultimately change everything for Jillian.
Jillian is a strong female lead in this book and is driven and knows exactly where she is going and what she wants out of life. But where the twins are concerned, they are always her top priority. Though she had a crazy background, the best part of the book is that all three of them shared that background. Well, with the exception of that one weird psychic ability thing she has going on…
The twins… where do I start with these two? Both twins have grown into men and adore and love Jillian so much. Though neither wants to hurt the other, Jillian is the ultimate goal. They live two separate lifestyles. Oliver and Alexander are twins in every sense… including the woman that they love.
And yes, though I had the twin that I rooted for and wanted to see Jillian with, it is something she has to decide on her own. When professor hot stuff struts into Jillian’s life and wants to date her…
Jillian had the love and admiration of three completely different men and the only thing the twins seemed to agree on is that the professor was not the right guy. But who will she choose?
But wait, just when you think this is only a story of love and which guy she ends up with, let’s throw in the mystery red head… this book had a lot of twists in it and was full of surprises.
I also adored Heather, Jillian’s roommate at grad school. She knew what she saw and did not fear telling her friend. Watching their friendship grow, you just couldn’t help but adore them.
All of the characters in this book played well off one another’s personalities and it worked so well for this book. I loved the intrigue and mystery as well as the love and angst.
And no matter who Jillian ends up with romantically, this story is far from over and I cannot wait for the next book! Sidney Halston found a way to captivate my interest and kept me wanting more.
This book starts with a plane crash on a deserted island, where the few survivors are struggling to stay alive waiting for their rescue. In the end, there are very few survivors that are rescued from the island, including three young children. Jillian, who’s mother did not survive the crash and the twins, Oliver and Alexander, who were born shortly after Jillian. Their lives went in very different directions, but they were always bound to each other and always found their way back to each other.
The biggest thing I love about this book is the characters but I would not be doing this book justice if I just passed over the most important character in this book… Helen. Though Helen is deceased, she has such a big role in this book and she proves to be full of so much information even after her passing. Helen’s wisdom and words may ultimately change everything for Jillian.
Jillian is a strong female lead in this book and is driven and knows exactly where she is going and what she wants out of life. But where the twins are concerned, they are always her top priority. Though she had a crazy background, the best part of the book is that all three of them shared that background. Well, with the exception of that one weird psychic ability thing she has going on…
The twins… where do I start with these two? Both twins have grown into men and adore and love Jillian so much. Though neither wants to hurt the other, Jillian is the ultimate goal. They live two separate lifestyles. Oliver and Alexander are twins in every sense… including the woman that they love.
And yes, though I had the twin that I rooted for and wanted to see Jillian with, it is something she has to decide on her own. When professor hot stuff struts into Jillian’s life and wants to date her…
Jillian had the love and admiration of three completely different men and the only thing the twins seemed to agree on is that the professor was not the right guy. But who will she choose?
But wait, just when you think this is only a story of love and which guy she ends up with, let’s throw in the mystery red head… this book had a lot of twists in it and was full of surprises.
I also adored Heather, Jillian’s roommate at grad school. She knew what she saw and did not fear telling her friend. Watching their friendship grow, you just couldn’t help but adore them.
All of the characters in this book played well off one another’s personalities and it worked so well for this book. I loved the intrigue and mystery as well as the love and angst.
And no matter who Jillian ends up with romantically, this story is far from over and I cannot wait for the next book! Sidney Halston found a way to captivate my interest and kept me wanting more.
April 3, 2013
Seeing Red is certainly an interesting read. One red-headed graduate student named Jillian, two twin brothers who love her, one professor who claims to love her and then there's Jillian's psychic visions and the mysterious red-haired man. Law school is certainly not boring.
Jillian is a likable character even when her indecision about guys could frustrate even the most patient of readers. She has a unique past with the twins since they were stranded on an island as infants after the plane they were on crashed. They grew up calling that island home for twelve years until they were rescued and Jillian was sent to boarding school. Oliver is her "rock" with the ability to calm and soothe her where as his brother, Alexander, has quite the opposite effect. When he's with Jillian they wind up arguing, competing, and getting on everyone else's nerves. The story jumps between parts of time from the journal of their "mother" Helen after the crash to her funeral where the trio of friends reunite after seven years apart to four years later.
I didn't mind the time passages. The yo-yo effect of Jillian liking one brother over the other did come across as repetitive at times and some scenes needed to be tightened. I also questioned Jillian's allowance of Professor Paul Black (her third boyfriend) to treat her with such varying displays of temperament (from demanding and controlling to sweet to short-tempered). This part of the story still doesn't click for me and her dating him was strange. As someone preparing for a career in law, she was too naive though her good nature was what endeared her to me. All three lead characters had their own point-of-view and still they didn't come across as fully dimensional for me. The dialogue sounded unrealistic at times, especially during an argument characters would say too much and sound long-winded.
The closeness of the three friends was touching and we are privy to flashbacks. Since they were the only remaining family for each other, the way they protected each other was poignant (even when Alex wasn't around at times due to his drug and drinking). Alex does change after Jillian implores him to but he then has to convince her his actions are true. When he shows up at Georgetown with the same exact schedule as hers, I was glad to see his character maturing. Oliver was always solid, dependable, and nice to her so deciding on which brother she should choose was difficult until one particular hospital scene. The question of loving someone as opposed to being in love raised and created an interesting dynamic. I wasn't crazy about the cliffhanging ending and suppose this is a series. The psychic part of the novel held my interest and gave the story some added charm.
All in all, I enjoyed Seeing Red. With some tightening of scenes, this contemporary offers readers a zany love triangle and a mystery to solve.
(http://www.readergirlsblog.com/2013/0...)
Jillian is a likable character even when her indecision about guys could frustrate even the most patient of readers. She has a unique past with the twins since they were stranded on an island as infants after the plane they were on crashed. They grew up calling that island home for twelve years until they were rescued and Jillian was sent to boarding school. Oliver is her "rock" with the ability to calm and soothe her where as his brother, Alexander, has quite the opposite effect. When he's with Jillian they wind up arguing, competing, and getting on everyone else's nerves. The story jumps between parts of time from the journal of their "mother" Helen after the crash to her funeral where the trio of friends reunite after seven years apart to four years later.
I didn't mind the time passages. The yo-yo effect of Jillian liking one brother over the other did come across as repetitive at times and some scenes needed to be tightened. I also questioned Jillian's allowance of Professor Paul Black (her third boyfriend) to treat her with such varying displays of temperament (from demanding and controlling to sweet to short-tempered). This part of the story still doesn't click for me and her dating him was strange. As someone preparing for a career in law, she was too naive though her good nature was what endeared her to me. All three lead characters had their own point-of-view and still they didn't come across as fully dimensional for me. The dialogue sounded unrealistic at times, especially during an argument characters would say too much and sound long-winded.
The closeness of the three friends was touching and we are privy to flashbacks. Since they were the only remaining family for each other, the way they protected each other was poignant (even when Alex wasn't around at times due to his drug and drinking). Alex does change after Jillian implores him to but he then has to convince her his actions are true. When he shows up at Georgetown with the same exact schedule as hers, I was glad to see his character maturing. Oliver was always solid, dependable, and nice to her so deciding on which brother she should choose was difficult until one particular hospital scene. The question of loving someone as opposed to being in love raised and created an interesting dynamic. I wasn't crazy about the cliffhanging ending and suppose this is a series. The psychic part of the novel held my interest and gave the story some added charm.
All in all, I enjoyed Seeing Red. With some tightening of scenes, this contemporary offers readers a zany love triangle and a mystery to solve.
(http://www.readergirlsblog.com/2013/0...)
April 1, 2013
I received this book for free as part of a goodreads giveaway.
Spending much of her childhood on an uninhabited island following a devastating air crash, Jillian Stone’s adult life has been defined by this experience. A life that is inevitably entwined with those of her fellow survivors, twins Alexander and Oliver.
It is the intensely complicated relationships between these three main characters that draws in the reader and propels them through the at times fervid storyline.
All raised and loved by Helen following the deaths of their biological mothers, she soon becomes aware of Jillian’s psychic potential - her ability to see future events.
After their rescue from the island Jillian and the twins are physically separated for many years when Jillian is sent to boarding School, only to be reunited at the funeral of their beloved Helen. Jillian soon becomes aware of the fact that both the boys have fallen in love with her, and that she also has feelings for them. Things are further complicated when her college Professor makes strong and somewhat inappropriate advances towards her, and she starts having terrifying visions of a mysterious red haired man that we latter learn is her biological Father.
I enjoyed reading this book despite the fact that it is not “my usual cup of tea”. I liked the intensity of the relationship between Jillian and the twins, and the circumstances of their upbringing and Jillian’s clairvoyance bring a curiously alternative twist to the story.
The one aspect of the tale that does not completely sit firm with me is that of Jillian’s relationship with Professor Black. I just can’t understand why such an obviously intelligent woman such as Jillian would fall for such an antagonistic and bullish individual. Despite this I look forward to reading the next book to discover the depth of Black’s involvement with the mystery surrounding Jillian and her biological father, the secrets behind their psychic abilities, and how the relationship between Jillian and the twins progresses.
Overall a good read, with the potential to become a great story as the plot develops in the follow up book.
Spending much of her childhood on an uninhabited island following a devastating air crash, Jillian Stone’s adult life has been defined by this experience. A life that is inevitably entwined with those of her fellow survivors, twins Alexander and Oliver.
It is the intensely complicated relationships between these three main characters that draws in the reader and propels them through the at times fervid storyline.
All raised and loved by Helen following the deaths of their biological mothers, she soon becomes aware of Jillian’s psychic potential - her ability to see future events.
After their rescue from the island Jillian and the twins are physically separated for many years when Jillian is sent to boarding School, only to be reunited at the funeral of their beloved Helen. Jillian soon becomes aware of the fact that both the boys have fallen in love with her, and that she also has feelings for them. Things are further complicated when her college Professor makes strong and somewhat inappropriate advances towards her, and she starts having terrifying visions of a mysterious red haired man that we latter learn is her biological Father.
I enjoyed reading this book despite the fact that it is not “my usual cup of tea”. I liked the intensity of the relationship between Jillian and the twins, and the circumstances of their upbringing and Jillian’s clairvoyance bring a curiously alternative twist to the story.
The one aspect of the tale that does not completely sit firm with me is that of Jillian’s relationship with Professor Black. I just can’t understand why such an obviously intelligent woman such as Jillian would fall for such an antagonistic and bullish individual. Despite this I look forward to reading the next book to discover the depth of Black’s involvement with the mystery surrounding Jillian and her biological father, the secrets behind their psychic abilities, and how the relationship between Jillian and the twins progresses.
Overall a good read, with the potential to become a great story as the plot develops in the follow up book.
December 4, 2013
***** I received an ARC copy for an honest review *****
First let me just say that this is the first book that I read from this author and I absolutely love it.
Oh Wow I just finish reading this book, and wow don't know what to say, I love the characters love how some of the story is from all the main characters point of view. this book had me all over the place thinking who is the mystery man, and what are the journals hiding, love it how it gives you entry from the journal, that makes you understand more about where they come from and how they got to where they are, I just love the story.
The story with Jillian, having one of her premonition, while she was getting ready to go to Helen funeral, now Helen was the woman that race her and the twins, the twins are Oliver and Alexander, these three grow up together on an island, Helen and Jillian mother and the twin mother where on a plain crash that's where Jillian, that's where Jillian was born, than seven moths later the twins where born too, they live on Onion island for twelve years before they where rescue, now seven years has pass by since they all seen each other, after the funeral Jillian and up inheriting some boxes full of journals they got to see that they where Helen, this journal would answer so many question that she has, after the funeral they spend four more years with out seen each other, but Jillian and Oliver always kept in touch, now that she starting law school she did not expect to see Alexander their to her surprise they are taking the same classes.
That's where the mystery of the teacher Mr. Black comes in from the beginning Heather her best friend and roommate did not like him at all and Oh boy you will find out why.
I love how they act with each other, especially how Alexander and Jillian are so competition with each other but they have chemistry and flirtation and fighting all role up in one big package Passion of emotion.
I really enjoy and had fun reading this book and I hope that you get to feel the same way once you read it.
Author Sidney Halston THANK YOU for introducing me to this amazing characters and this awesome book.
First let me just say that this is the first book that I read from this author and I absolutely love it.
Oh Wow I just finish reading this book, and wow don't know what to say, I love the characters love how some of the story is from all the main characters point of view. this book had me all over the place thinking who is the mystery man, and what are the journals hiding, love it how it gives you entry from the journal, that makes you understand more about where they come from and how they got to where they are, I just love the story.
The story with Jillian, having one of her premonition, while she was getting ready to go to Helen funeral, now Helen was the woman that race her and the twins, the twins are Oliver and Alexander, these three grow up together on an island, Helen and Jillian mother and the twin mother where on a plain crash that's where Jillian, that's where Jillian was born, than seven moths later the twins where born too, they live on Onion island for twelve years before they where rescue, now seven years has pass by since they all seen each other, after the funeral Jillian and up inheriting some boxes full of journals they got to see that they where Helen, this journal would answer so many question that she has, after the funeral they spend four more years with out seen each other, but Jillian and Oliver always kept in touch, now that she starting law school she did not expect to see Alexander their to her surprise they are taking the same classes.
That's where the mystery of the teacher Mr. Black comes in from the beginning Heather her best friend and roommate did not like him at all and Oh boy you will find out why.
I love how they act with each other, especially how Alexander and Jillian are so competition with each other but they have chemistry and flirtation and fighting all role up in one big package Passion of emotion.
I really enjoy and had fun reading this book and I hope that you get to feel the same way once you read it.
Author Sidney Halston THANK YOU for introducing me to this amazing characters and this awesome book.
March 3, 2013
I enjoyed reading this book. Its primarily about Jillian and her love for two twins who also both love her back and she has to choose one. It has quite a unique premise as the three main characters are childhood friends from a plane crash that left them stranded on an island for years. After being rescued Jill is separated from the twins and doesn't see them again until 7 years later. The book also has a portion of mystery and paranormal in it as Jill is a physic.
There are actually three love interests for Jill (although one of them doesn't really count) but in my opinion it was kinda obvious who she was going to choose. The second Oliver met Heather, it was obvious since he was so comfortable with her and had this sort of intimacy that wasn't just friendly while Alexander looked only at Jill.
One thing that really annoyed me was that Jill was being really careless/stupid/pigheaded/ignorant and should have called the police the second someone came into her house but she IGNORED it. What an idiot! I felt sorry for Xander since she kept so much from him when he was only trying to keep her safe.
The book ends on a cliffhanger which I didn't want since I wanted it to be a standalone. I'm reading way to many series lately and its hard to keep up with them all however I'm going to have to read the sequel since I really do want to find out what happens.
'Families are like fudge, mostly sweet with a few nuts.'
'I am the author of my life. Unfortunately, I’m writing in pen, and I can’t erase my mistakes.
'Some days you’re the bug, and some days you’re the windshield.
'Newton’s third law of love: For every idiot, there is an equal and opposite gender idiot.
'Relationships are like garage sales. From a distance they look interesting, but up close it’s just a bunch of crap you don’t really need.'
'A compromise is an agreement whereby both parties get what neither of them wanted.'
There are actually three love interests for Jill (although one of them doesn't really count) but in my opinion it was kinda obvious who she was going to choose. The second Oliver met Heather, it was obvious since he was so comfortable with her and had this sort of intimacy that wasn't just friendly while Alexander looked only at Jill.
One thing that really annoyed me was that Jill was being really careless/stupid/pigheaded/ignorant and should have called the police the second someone came into her house but she IGNORED it. What an idiot! I felt sorry for Xander since she kept so much from him when he was only trying to keep her safe.
The book ends on a cliffhanger which I didn't want since I wanted it to be a standalone. I'm reading way to many series lately and its hard to keep up with them all however I'm going to have to read the sequel since I really do want to find out what happens.
'Families are like fudge, mostly sweet with a few nuts.'
'I am the author of my life. Unfortunately, I’m writing in pen, and I can’t erase my mistakes.
'Some days you’re the bug, and some days you’re the windshield.
'Newton’s third law of love: For every idiot, there is an equal and opposite gender idiot.
'Relationships are like garage sales. From a distance they look interesting, but up close it’s just a bunch of crap you don’t really need.'
'A compromise is an agreement whereby both parties get what neither of them wanted.'
April 1, 2013
Seeing Red is one of the craziest and greatest books I have ever read. Does that make sense no but I will tell you this Sidney Halston is one BRILLIANT writer that has crafted this story that leaves you wanting no needing more from it. I started the book at noon time and ended at 7:00 pm that night because I had to see what was going to happen.
Jillian Stone has suffered some things in her short life. From being stranded on an island as a child to being stalked and having strange dreams about a man wanting her. Jillian has a non-existent love life until the twins she grew up come back into the picture. Plus she has her professor who is pursuing her. Lord what is a girl supposed to do? Jillian is also psychic and she is soon having these weird visions and the twins Alexander and Oliver are there for her to protect her. They will not let anyone harm her.
As Jillian is trying to figure out who to be with she will learn things about herself she never realized. Plus lets face it twins Alexander the bad boy and Oliver the good boy well who should she choose and who will she choose? This story had so many twists and turns I was like OMG did that just happen then I would turn the page and be like how in the heck did that happen. You get so caught up in the reading that you cannot put it down. I need more and I hope there is more to come because Jillian and the sexy twins have so much more to say!
Jillian Stone has suffered some things in her short life. From being stranded on an island as a child to being stalked and having strange dreams about a man wanting her. Jillian has a non-existent love life until the twins she grew up come back into the picture. Plus she has her professor who is pursuing her. Lord what is a girl supposed to do? Jillian is also psychic and she is soon having these weird visions and the twins Alexander and Oliver are there for her to protect her. They will not let anyone harm her.
As Jillian is trying to figure out who to be with she will learn things about herself she never realized. Plus lets face it twins Alexander the bad boy and Oliver the good boy well who should she choose and who will she choose? This story had so many twists and turns I was like OMG did that just happen then I would turn the page and be like how in the heck did that happen. You get so caught up in the reading that you cannot put it down. I need more and I hope there is more to come because Jillian and the sexy twins have so much more to say!
April 22, 2013
I got this book free from an Amazon promotion. I didn't read any reviews or anything before reading it-- which I am glad! Now that I've finished reading it, I had to leave a review. It is the first time I review a book. I've left "stars" but not reviews. First, I want to say, I started this book on a Tuesday morning and finished it by Wed morning. I absolutely loved it. I almost called in sick at work just to read! I loved the sexual tension between the characters, I loved Helen's little sayings and I loved the way it was written. Kudos to Ms. Halston.
I decided to write because I saw so much feedback from others about it not being a standalone. With that I want to say: WHO CARES!! It was such a good book, I cannot wait to read the next one. By the way-- when is the next one coming out-- anyone know?
I can't recall that books say "standalone" or "series". I mean, some do say series but not usually. And I read A LOT! So, there are times, like this time, that I reach the end and I say to myself: DAMN IT! It's a cliffhanger. It happens all the time and most of my faves happen to end this way without me knowing.
So, Ms. Halston, good job on the book I can't wait for the next one. I want to see more of Alexander! And, to those that are upset about it being a cliffhanger-- that just means you did a good job in building it up. Write quickly!
I decided to write because I saw so much feedback from others about it not being a standalone. With that I want to say: WHO CARES!! It was such a good book, I cannot wait to read the next one. By the way-- when is the next one coming out-- anyone know?
I can't recall that books say "standalone" or "series". I mean, some do say series but not usually. And I read A LOT! So, there are times, like this time, that I reach the end and I say to myself: DAMN IT! It's a cliffhanger. It happens all the time and most of my faves happen to end this way without me knowing.
So, Ms. Halston, good job on the book I can't wait for the next one. I want to see more of Alexander! And, to those that are upset about it being a cliffhanger-- that just means you did a good job in building it up. Write quickly!
January 28, 2014
If I could, I would give this book 4.5. It was a great read, definitely read it again sometime...in the next 30 years ;) Anyway, on to the book.
I loved all the characters but one. The Professor. I smelled something off the second he entered the page and I really didn't like any part about him. He screamed 'CREEP'. I guess I'm a psychic (I'm laughing at myself for that one).
I thought this book had an interesting storyline and it had a perfect ending. Its the type of ending that makes you have to read the next book. Which I am about to start. The middle of the book got a bit hazy and it felt like it was dragging on a bit. At one point i was skimming the pages but once something big happened, I had to go back and re-read everything to see what i missed!
In a way, I didn't expect this book to turn out like it did. I thought it was just about a girl who gets rescued from an island and falls in love with the twin brothers who lived with her all those years on the island. But no. I never expected the light paranormal component and was surprised that i liked it. I've never been a big Paranormal reader before, so maybe this book changed my mind :)
I loved all the characters but one. The Professor. I smelled something off the second he entered the page and I really didn't like any part about him. He screamed 'CREEP'. I guess I'm a psychic (I'm laughing at myself for that one).
I thought this book had an interesting storyline and it had a perfect ending. Its the type of ending that makes you have to read the next book. Which I am about to start. The middle of the book got a bit hazy and it felt like it was dragging on a bit. At one point i was skimming the pages but once something big happened, I had to go back and re-read everything to see what i missed!
In a way, I didn't expect this book to turn out like it did. I thought it was just about a girl who gets rescued from an island and falls in love with the twin brothers who lived with her all those years on the island. But no. I never expected the light paranormal component and was surprised that i liked it. I've never been a big Paranormal reader before, so maybe this book changed my mind :)
April 24, 2013
Seriously, this book was amazing!
It begins as a story about stranded airplane survivors then advances to the adult lives of the youngest remaining survivors. Jillian and the skmokin hot twins Oliver and Alexander.
Jillian is reunited with the boys after four years apart and that's when the love triangle begins! Added to the mix, Jillian starts experiencing visions again and admits to the boys that she has as always been clairvoyant and that her visions always come true.
As the sexual tension rises, so does the concern for Jillian s safety as she begins seeing glimpses of a red haired man at her every turn.
I loved the stories originality. I felt different levels of suspense throughout the whole book. I totally fell for twins. And even had a few laughs along the way. Can not wait for the next book.
It begins as a story about stranded airplane survivors then advances to the adult lives of the youngest remaining survivors. Jillian and the skmokin hot twins Oliver and Alexander.
Jillian is reunited with the boys after four years apart and that's when the love triangle begins! Added to the mix, Jillian starts experiencing visions again and admits to the boys that she has as always been clairvoyant and that her visions always come true.
As the sexual tension rises, so does the concern for Jillian s safety as she begins seeing glimpses of a red haired man at her every turn.
I loved the stories originality. I felt different levels of suspense throughout the whole book. I totally fell for twins. And even had a few laughs along the way. Can not wait for the next book.
April 21, 2013
3.5 stars!
I couldn’t decide between three or four owl rating for this book, as you can see. About 75% of the way through I was almost set on a four owl rating, but then the cliffhanger at the end threw me off a bit along with the words “Coming Soon — Book 2 of Seeing Red Series.” That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy this book. It just didn’t expect this book to turn into a series, and I can’t conceive what the sequel would be about. Still, this was without a doubt a page turner, filled with suspense, intrigue, and LOTS of sexual tension.
Read the rest of the review on my blog: http://betweenthebinding.com/2013/04/...
I couldn’t decide between three or four owl rating for this book, as you can see. About 75% of the way through I was almost set on a four owl rating, but then the cliffhanger at the end threw me off a bit along with the words “Coming Soon — Book 2 of Seeing Red Series.” That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy this book. It just didn’t expect this book to turn into a series, and I can’t conceive what the sequel would be about. Still, this was without a doubt a page turner, filled with suspense, intrigue, and LOTS of sexual tension.
Read the rest of the review on my blog: http://betweenthebinding.com/2013/04/...
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