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The Kindling Trilogy #1
The Children and the Blood
Ashley's life is normal - if normal means living on a farm that you never leave. Ashley's life is happy - as long as she doesn't think of the Christmas Eve when her mother died. She can't remember anything of what came before her mother's death, but still, Ashley's life is good.
Until one night, everything changes.
Her home burns and her family is murdered. People with superhuman powers hunt her down, killing everyone who stands in their way. She runs for her life, only to make a terrifying discovery.
Those people aren't the only ones with powers.
And hers just might kill anyone she meets.
Book One of The Children and the Blood trilogy
The Children and the Blood trilogy
#1 - The Children and the Blood
#2 - Taliesin Ascendant
#3 - Merlin's Children
Until one night, everything changes.
Her home burns and her family is murdered. People with superhuman powers hunt her down, killing everyone who stands in their way. She runs for her life, only to make a terrifying discovery.
Those people aren't the only ones with powers.
And hers just might kill anyone she meets.
Book One of The Children and the Blood trilogy
The Children and the Blood trilogy
#1 - The Children and the Blood
#2 - Taliesin Ascendant
#3 - Merlin's Children
394 pages, Paperback
First published February 6, 2013
74 people are currently reading
595 people want to read
About the author
Megan Joel Peterson
5 books20 followersMegan Joel Peterson is the alter ego of author Skye Malone. She writes YA/NA urban fantasy and paranormal romance. To see more about her books, visit www.skyemalone.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
June 17, 2013
I received The Children and the Blood to review through LibraryThing. It's a fantasy thriller, involving both magic and scary conspiracies: it has a young adult feel, given the age of the protagonists and the simplicity of the language. Given it's a self-published book, the standard of the editing is very good -- nothing stuck out at me or got in the way of my reading.
In the end, it felt a bit too simplistic for me -- it didn't exactly keep me guessing, anyway. And I didn't feel very involved with the characters, in general: Lily has the cute factor, but Cole and Ashley didn't really strike a chord.
Still, it's a fast-paced read, and I think a lot of people will enjoy it. It just wasn't really for me. It didn't feel that different, plot-wise, to something like Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers books.
In the end, it felt a bit too simplistic for me -- it didn't exactly keep me guessing, anyway. And I didn't feel very involved with the characters, in general: Lily has the cute factor, but Cole and Ashley didn't really strike a chord.
Still, it's a fast-paced read, and I think a lot of people will enjoy it. It just wasn't really for me. It didn't feel that different, plot-wise, to something like Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers books.
May 6, 2013
Self-published books are always a bit of a mystery to begin with. I have read good ones and I have read really awful ones. I almost always accept a self-published novel if an author requests a review, because I am convinced there are still a lot of undiscovered gems out there. Books that deserve as much attention and praise as a published novel that gets a lot of publicity through the publisher. So that’s one of the main reasons I accept self-published books (a lot of bloggers don’t accept them), because I want to find those really good ones living in the shadow of all the popular books.
I had read a sample of “The Children and The Blood” before accepting and the first two chapters instantly caught my attention. They were well written and I was interested in how the story would continue.
Those first two chapters were a good representative for the rest of the book. Fast-paced, action-packed and imaginative are just a few words I can use to describe “The Children and The Blood”. I thoroughly enjoyed it and read it in almost one sitting.
The vibe I’m getting from this book has a bit of “I am number four” in it. The fire, the battles, the chasing and running and hiding. It gave me the same sensation as Pittacus Lore’s story, though I didn’t enjoy “I am number four” quite as much as I did “The Children and The Blood”. The pacing is solid, there is never a dull or slow moment, the storyline keeps moving forward throwing us from scenes full of action to more strategic discussions or bits of information about the different supernatural groups inhabiting Peterson’s version of the USA. This all makes this book a fast read and one that will keep your attention on every single page.
The story itself isn’t new but it has a lot of unique elements and original perspectives that transform this Fantasy novel to a really interesting read. The different groups of wizards and who can sense/see who, along with who’s on who’s side, make this a complex, but still understandable story with a lot of variation and tension.
As I said before, it never gets dull. There’s always a surprise (not always a pleasant one, mind you) around the next corner and the characters face difficult situations and choices that keep you flipping the pages.
The main characters are well developed and a great contribution to the story. Peterson divided her book in chapters of different characters. There’s Ashley, Cole and a police inspector investigating the murder of Ashley’s father. They all go their separate ways and show different sides of the story, giving the reader a more diverse and widespread story to read. The most important thing is that I started caring for the characters and what happened to them. I started rooting for them, hoping they wouldn’t get hurt and that they could reach some safety somehow. If an author can accomplish that, he/she has scored a point on my checklist.
The secondary characters are fleshed out just enough to make you care about them too, certainly because most of them mean a lot to the main characters. We don’t know their whole story yet and we only get to see their personality gradually along the way, but that didn’t bother me at all. The things we did get to know about them were a good addition to the story, and that’s all I need.
Conclusion: very good! I enjoyed reading every chapter, every page and the writing was, aside from some minor repetitiveness in phrases, really well done.
Sick of all the lovey-dovey YA novels? Want something full of action and with an imaginative story? Do you like a good “on-the-run” story? Then you should definitely give “The Children and the Blood” a try!
I had read a sample of “The Children and The Blood” before accepting and the first two chapters instantly caught my attention. They were well written and I was interested in how the story would continue.
Those first two chapters were a good representative for the rest of the book. Fast-paced, action-packed and imaginative are just a few words I can use to describe “The Children and The Blood”. I thoroughly enjoyed it and read it in almost one sitting.
The vibe I’m getting from this book has a bit of “I am number four” in it. The fire, the battles, the chasing and running and hiding. It gave me the same sensation as Pittacus Lore’s story, though I didn’t enjoy “I am number four” quite as much as I did “The Children and The Blood”. The pacing is solid, there is never a dull or slow moment, the storyline keeps moving forward throwing us from scenes full of action to more strategic discussions or bits of information about the different supernatural groups inhabiting Peterson’s version of the USA. This all makes this book a fast read and one that will keep your attention on every single page.
The story itself isn’t new but it has a lot of unique elements and original perspectives that transform this Fantasy novel to a really interesting read. The different groups of wizards and who can sense/see who, along with who’s on who’s side, make this a complex, but still understandable story with a lot of variation and tension.
As I said before, it never gets dull. There’s always a surprise (not always a pleasant one, mind you) around the next corner and the characters face difficult situations and choices that keep you flipping the pages.
The main characters are well developed and a great contribution to the story. Peterson divided her book in chapters of different characters. There’s Ashley, Cole and a police inspector investigating the murder of Ashley’s father. They all go their separate ways and show different sides of the story, giving the reader a more diverse and widespread story to read. The most important thing is that I started caring for the characters and what happened to them. I started rooting for them, hoping they wouldn’t get hurt and that they could reach some safety somehow. If an author can accomplish that, he/she has scored a point on my checklist.
The secondary characters are fleshed out just enough to make you care about them too, certainly because most of them mean a lot to the main characters. We don’t know their whole story yet and we only get to see their personality gradually along the way, but that didn’t bother me at all. The things we did get to know about them were a good addition to the story, and that’s all I need.
Conclusion: very good! I enjoyed reading every chapter, every page and the writing was, aside from some minor repetitiveness in phrases, really well done.
Sick of all the lovey-dovey YA novels? Want something full of action and with an imaginative story? Do you like a good “on-the-run” story? Then you should definitely give “The Children and the Blood” a try!
August 16, 2017
What usually grabs my attention of a book is the title, then either the synopsis or cover. But usually the title is the first thing. When I got this book for review and saw The Children and The Blood, it intrigued me. One doesn't normally think of children and blood going together unless a child's hurt. However, knowing that the book was an Urban Fantasy novel, I decided I had to learn more.
Then the cover got me. It's so simple. Nothing fancy at all but just as intriguing. When I read the synopsis, I wanted to learn more about Ashley and her family and what happened to her. And boy was I in for a ride!
Within the first few paragraphs of the story, my attention was caught. Immediately, there was turmoil and anguish. Megan didn't waste any time getting into the action of it. She gives us a teaser of the present in her prologue and then back tracks to the past of just a few hours. It was well done as I wasn't confused on what was happening in the timeline progression of the story.
Once we get to learn more about Ashley and what happened to her family, you can't help but feel the sadness and pain that her dad and sister has lived with.
*I will put a spoiler alert warning here but try not to give too much away.*
This story is about magic, plain and simple. Magic. However, Megan does something completely different with it. I certainly have not read a book about wizards in this manner at all. I enjoyed it tremendously. It was simple and new. We get to learn that Ashley and her sister come from a wizard family but yet are quite different than wizards. Hmmm...
It's also about survival and learning who you are inside you and what you are capable of doing in order to keep your loved ones safe.
During the course of losing her family, yet again, Ashley meets some outcasts called Hunters. They take her in and teach her about the magic world that surrounds her.
The story is also told from the point of view of another integral character to the story, Cole. Cole becomes the unlikely hero who saves Ashley and her little sister. The become separated and that's when Ashley meets the Hunters. Cole assumes the role and responsibility of guardian to Ashley's little sister. He takes care of her as they both learn about the magical world.
Both parties go on an adventure trying to hide and stay one step ahead from the wizards and pretty much just trying to stay alive.
This book finished with a jaw dropping cliff hanger! It ended NOT how I was expecting and certainly NOT who I was expecting to see. I suspect that we will get to know more about what and who Ashley, her little sister and Cole are in the upcoming book, Taliesin Ascendant. I loved the ending cause it has me anxiously awaiting the next book.
Do I recommend this book? Heck yeah, I do. I can always tell a book is good when: I can't put it down; My emotions are all over the place; I can't wait for the release of the next in line book of the series; and when I get really sad that the story has finally come to an end.
It's a young adult urban fantasy story that just takes on a ride from the beginning up to the very end.
http://samedinamics.blogspot.com/2013...
Then the cover got me. It's so simple. Nothing fancy at all but just as intriguing. When I read the synopsis, I wanted to learn more about Ashley and her family and what happened to her. And boy was I in for a ride!
Within the first few paragraphs of the story, my attention was caught. Immediately, there was turmoil and anguish. Megan didn't waste any time getting into the action of it. She gives us a teaser of the present in her prologue and then back tracks to the past of just a few hours. It was well done as I wasn't confused on what was happening in the timeline progression of the story.
Once we get to learn more about Ashley and what happened to her family, you can't help but feel the sadness and pain that her dad and sister has lived with.
*I will put a spoiler alert warning here but try not to give too much away.*
This story is about magic, plain and simple. Magic. However, Megan does something completely different with it. I certainly have not read a book about wizards in this manner at all. I enjoyed it tremendously. It was simple and new. We get to learn that Ashley and her sister come from a wizard family but yet are quite different than wizards. Hmmm...
It's also about survival and learning who you are inside you and what you are capable of doing in order to keep your loved ones safe.
During the course of losing her family, yet again, Ashley meets some outcasts called Hunters. They take her in and teach her about the magic world that surrounds her.
The story is also told from the point of view of another integral character to the story, Cole. Cole becomes the unlikely hero who saves Ashley and her little sister. The become separated and that's when Ashley meets the Hunters. Cole assumes the role and responsibility of guardian to Ashley's little sister. He takes care of her as they both learn about the magical world.
Both parties go on an adventure trying to hide and stay one step ahead from the wizards and pretty much just trying to stay alive.
This book finished with a jaw dropping cliff hanger! It ended NOT how I was expecting and certainly NOT who I was expecting to see. I suspect that we will get to know more about what and who Ashley, her little sister and Cole are in the upcoming book, Taliesin Ascendant. I loved the ending cause it has me anxiously awaiting the next book.
Do I recommend this book? Heck yeah, I do. I can always tell a book is good when: I can't put it down; My emotions are all over the place; I can't wait for the release of the next in line book of the series; and when I get really sad that the story has finally come to an end.
It's a young adult urban fantasy story that just takes on a ride from the beginning up to the very end.
http://samedinamics.blogspot.com/2013...
July 11, 2013
I was truly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. When I began The Children and the Blood, I was a bit skeptical as to if I would be able to get into the story, because you never really know with Self-Published authors. Sometimes they're a huge success and make you wonder why they weren't picked up by a publishing company. Other times, the majority of the time, their writing needs a bit more polishing before they can actually call their novel, a well-executed novel. However, Megan cleared up my lingering doubts immediately! Within the first few chapters, I was caught up in her writing, anxiously flipping pages to discover what happens next.
If your main issue with Self-Published novels is the grammar and spelling, don't fret! Although I'm nowhere near a Grammar Wiz by any means, I do know enough to tell you that there aren't any glaringly obvious spelling errors, if there were any at all to begin with. Megan's writing style reminded me of that of a much more experienced author. Heck, her writing style is a lot more refined than many published authors period. Her sentences flowed smoothly and she transitioned between viewpoints flawlessly, which is definitely no easy feat to accomplish. I never had any trouble discerning the perspective the story was being told from. In fact, the constant switch between characters was probably the reason why I wasn't able to set the book down. Most of the time, she ended her chapters with a sort of epic cliffhanger that left you grasping at straws. And of course, with my meager self-control with anything book related, I found myself dodging sleep to read just one more chapter.
Now that brings us to the action. For me, action and premise usually share a direct relationship. Look at that! I brought math into this. Curse you, Algebra 2! Basically, the more interesting the premise, the more interesting the action. Makes everything seem all the more....involving, for lack of better term. The synopsis made it pretty obvious that magic was involved, that I knew was coming. However, what I didn't expect was the way Megan incorporated that magic into the story. I loved learning about the origins and history on her innovative twist on magic and how everything came to be in an otherwise contemporary, mundane world. She answered the questions that were forming in my mind, yet left just the right amount unanswered to give it that mysterious and cryptic edge. I don't want to give anything else away, but I will include that her version of magic is pretty darn cool, like control over fire, nothing lame like some stories I've come across.
Since I read this novel about a month ago, the details on the characters are a bit fuzzy. The POVs were told by a police officer whose name alludes me at the moment, Ashley, and Cole. This resulted in a much more diverse read, since we were able to see the story through more than one perspective. Although the police officer's part did sort of aggravate me a bit. Let me explain...Since I was privy to Ashley and Cole's story, I was able to perceive truth from downright lie, and since the police officer had the misfortune of running in the wrong circles, his source of information tended to fall towards the lie side. I wanted to scream, "There innocent!" to him a countless number of times, but I understand why he made the decisions he made. There wasn't a strict switching back and forth rule between the characters, but Megan usually kept the POVs between Ashley and Cole, because they were the main focus in the story.
I admired how quick Ashley was on her feet and how she managed to repress her fear and control her emotions, even when she had no idea what was happening to her. She was a strong and likable person who I would love to read more about! She grew in character as the story progressed, and instead of staying a meek, fearful young girl, she turned into a strong and brave young woman who wasn't afraid to fight for what she believed in. Cole, on the other hand, I didn't like as much. I respected him for looking after Ashley's little sister and taking care of her, but I felt that he was way too impulsive in his actions. He didn't wait and think things through, he just did. He walked into dangerous situations even when he knew they had a high probability of being traps. I mean, even if you wanted answers that desperately, you could at least devise a sneaky way of getting them instead of walking head-first into, I don't know, an ambush? There were so many times when I just wanted to smack some common sense into him. *Shakes head*
Overall, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed my time with The Children and The Blood! In the beginning, I really wasn't sure what to expect since it was a Self-Published book. With those, it's usually just a toss up and all you can do is hope that it's one of the good ones. Thankfully, it was! I loved the unique premise Megan created in an otherwise overused genre and the twists she added to make it uniquely her own. The action was stimulating and I enjoyed reading about most of the characters, with one exception. :P I can't wait to read the sequel! This series is one that should not be missed, especially for those who are drawn towards magic and fantasy.
*An ARC was provided by the author and Xpresso Book Tours
in exchange for a honest and thoughtful review.
Heroine (Ash)- 4/5 Strong, Brave
Hero (Cole)- 2.5/5 Impulsive, Rash
Action- 4.5/5
Romance- N/A
Comedy- N/A
Writing- 4/5
Overall- 4.5/5
Daphne @ Reading Until Dawn
If your main issue with Self-Published novels is the grammar and spelling, don't fret! Although I'm nowhere near a Grammar Wiz by any means, I do know enough to tell you that there aren't any glaringly obvious spelling errors, if there were any at all to begin with. Megan's writing style reminded me of that of a much more experienced author. Heck, her writing style is a lot more refined than many published authors period. Her sentences flowed smoothly and she transitioned between viewpoints flawlessly, which is definitely no easy feat to accomplish. I never had any trouble discerning the perspective the story was being told from. In fact, the constant switch between characters was probably the reason why I wasn't able to set the book down. Most of the time, she ended her chapters with a sort of epic cliffhanger that left you grasping at straws. And of course, with my meager self-control with anything book related, I found myself dodging sleep to read just one more chapter.
Now that brings us to the action. For me, action and premise usually share a direct relationship. Look at that! I brought math into this. Curse you, Algebra 2! Basically, the more interesting the premise, the more interesting the action. Makes everything seem all the more....involving, for lack of better term. The synopsis made it pretty obvious that magic was involved, that I knew was coming. However, what I didn't expect was the way Megan incorporated that magic into the story. I loved learning about the origins and history on her innovative twist on magic and how everything came to be in an otherwise contemporary, mundane world. She answered the questions that were forming in my mind, yet left just the right amount unanswered to give it that mysterious and cryptic edge. I don't want to give anything else away, but I will include that her version of magic is pretty darn cool, like control over fire, nothing lame like some stories I've come across.
Since I read this novel about a month ago, the details on the characters are a bit fuzzy. The POVs were told by a police officer whose name alludes me at the moment, Ashley, and Cole. This resulted in a much more diverse read, since we were able to see the story through more than one perspective. Although the police officer's part did sort of aggravate me a bit. Let me explain...Since I was privy to Ashley and Cole's story, I was able to perceive truth from downright lie, and since the police officer had the misfortune of running in the wrong circles, his source of information tended to fall towards the lie side. I wanted to scream, "There innocent!" to him a countless number of times, but I understand why he made the decisions he made. There wasn't a strict switching back and forth rule between the characters, but Megan usually kept the POVs between Ashley and Cole, because they were the main focus in the story.
I admired how quick Ashley was on her feet and how she managed to repress her fear and control her emotions, even when she had no idea what was happening to her. She was a strong and likable person who I would love to read more about! She grew in character as the story progressed, and instead of staying a meek, fearful young girl, she turned into a strong and brave young woman who wasn't afraid to fight for what she believed in. Cole, on the other hand, I didn't like as much. I respected him for looking after Ashley's little sister and taking care of her, but I felt that he was way too impulsive in his actions. He didn't wait and think things through, he just did. He walked into dangerous situations even when he knew they had a high probability of being traps. I mean, even if you wanted answers that desperately, you could at least devise a sneaky way of getting them instead of walking head-first into, I don't know, an ambush? There were so many times when I just wanted to smack some common sense into him. *Shakes head*
Overall, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed my time with The Children and The Blood! In the beginning, I really wasn't sure what to expect since it was a Self-Published book. With those, it's usually just a toss up and all you can do is hope that it's one of the good ones. Thankfully, it was! I loved the unique premise Megan created in an otherwise overused genre and the twists she added to make it uniquely her own. The action was stimulating and I enjoyed reading about most of the characters, with one exception. :P I can't wait to read the sequel! This series is one that should not be missed, especially for those who are drawn towards magic and fantasy.
*An ARC was provided by the author and Xpresso Book Tours
in exchange for a honest and thoughtful review.
Heroine (Ash)- 4/5 Strong, Brave
Hero (Cole)- 2.5/5 Impulsive, Rash
Action- 4.5/5
Romance- N/A
Comedy- N/A
Writing- 4/5
Overall- 4.5/5
Daphne @ Reading Until Dawn
April 13, 2013
Read other book reviews at Book Junkie Joint.
Riveting, suspenseful and action-packed!
The first thing I noticed about this book is its title. It has a sort of grim feeling to it. I mean, children generally depict innocence and when you combine that innocence with the connotation of the word ‘blood’, it doesn’t really paint a pretty picture. To be honest, I expected a horror story but was pleasantly surprised when the story told something different.
Upon reading the first few chapters of the book, I was confused because I didn’t really know what to expect. The apt description of what I felt during the initial stages of reading the book would ‘lost’.
I was confused just as much as Ashley, Lily and Cole when tragic events started happening, but I gave it a chance because mysterious circumstances at the beginning of the book always lead up to an ‘Aha! Moment’ at the latter part. I’m glad I stuck to the story and gave it a chance.
At first, I thought maybe the children in this book were like those genetically modified people whose parents were the test subjects of experiments by mad scientists. As I went on though, I finally got to the meaty part of the story and learned about wizards, cripples and bloods. The background story is just as fascinating as the one being told about the three children involved!
What I really liked about this book was that it had no dull moments. Sure, there were pauses for breathing, but I consider them as those calm moments before a storm. The storytelling combines just enough pauses and tension to sustain a very engrossing read.
The characters are also multi-faceted and interesting. There’s Cole who tried to figure out things on his own and saved two lives in the process. There’s Ashley, who was forced out of her sheltered life to become a much tougher person, learning about her powers in the process. And finally, there’s Lily, a ray of sunshine and maturity at such a young age.
The only thing I really didn’t like about this book is its ending. It ended with a massive cliffhanger and now I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. As a reader, I’d say the cliffhanger was such a huge bummer, but then again, given that the author was able to elicit such a reaction from me only means that she was successful in luring me into a very engrossing story, her story.
All in all, I highly recommend this book to readers who would like to enter a world of wizards so different from those in Harry Potter!
Riveting, suspenseful and action-packed!
The first thing I noticed about this book is its title. It has a sort of grim feeling to it. I mean, children generally depict innocence and when you combine that innocence with the connotation of the word ‘blood’, it doesn’t really paint a pretty picture. To be honest, I expected a horror story but was pleasantly surprised when the story told something different.
Upon reading the first few chapters of the book, I was confused because I didn’t really know what to expect. The apt description of what I felt during the initial stages of reading the book would ‘lost’.
I was confused just as much as Ashley, Lily and Cole when tragic events started happening, but I gave it a chance because mysterious circumstances at the beginning of the book always lead up to an ‘Aha! Moment’ at the latter part. I’m glad I stuck to the story and gave it a chance.
At first, I thought maybe the children in this book were like those genetically modified people whose parents were the test subjects of experiments by mad scientists. As I went on though, I finally got to the meaty part of the story and learned about wizards, cripples and bloods. The background story is just as fascinating as the one being told about the three children involved!
What I really liked about this book was that it had no dull moments. Sure, there were pauses for breathing, but I consider them as those calm moments before a storm. The storytelling combines just enough pauses and tension to sustain a very engrossing read.
The characters are also multi-faceted and interesting. There’s Cole who tried to figure out things on his own and saved two lives in the process. There’s Ashley, who was forced out of her sheltered life to become a much tougher person, learning about her powers in the process. And finally, there’s Lily, a ray of sunshine and maturity at such a young age.
The only thing I really didn’t like about this book is its ending. It ended with a massive cliffhanger and now I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. As a reader, I’d say the cliffhanger was such a huge bummer, but then again, given that the author was able to elicit such a reaction from me only means that she was successful in luring me into a very engrossing story, her story.
All in all, I highly recommend this book to readers who would like to enter a world of wizards so different from those in Harry Potter!
April 8, 2013
The Children and The Blood (Book 1) Megan Joel Peterson
Ashley’s family was killed by an explosion. All she knew was life on her family farm. Memories of her younger sister and parents are starting to return. It has been 8 years since the traumatic experience and she does not remember much.
Soon she is being hunted by men with superhuman powers. She meets up with some kind people who help her piece together the secrets of her past. They want to help her. The more she begins to learn about herself, and these viscous men she knows it is up to her to try and put a stop to the path of destruction they are leaving behind.
Fast paced fantasy thriller. I really enjoyed this read and feel that young adults as well as adults will like this book as much as I did. I look forward to book two in the series.
Ashley’s family was killed by an explosion. All she knew was life on her family farm. Memories of her younger sister and parents are starting to return. It has been 8 years since the traumatic experience and she does not remember much.
Soon she is being hunted by men with superhuman powers. She meets up with some kind people who help her piece together the secrets of her past. They want to help her. The more she begins to learn about herself, and these viscous men she knows it is up to her to try and put a stop to the path of destruction they are leaving behind.
Fast paced fantasy thriller. I really enjoyed this read and feel that young adults as well as adults will like this book as much as I did. I look forward to book two in the series.
March 6, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. The fantasy genre isn't my typical preference in novels yet this story was really enjoyable. The characters were well developed. The story was fast paced and suspenseful and many times I read much longer than I had intended! I can't wait to read the next book to find out what happens to the main characters Ashley, Lily and Cole. I can totally see this story as a movie, lots of action! Great job for a first time author!
August 20, 2014
Halfway thru this book.....Can not put it down. Great book!!!
February 21, 2017
**I received a free ecopy from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion in any way.**
4.5 Stars!
Ah, this was novel was such a breath of fresh air!
Ashley has been living a relatively quiet but content life on her farm with her younger sister, Lily. That is, until one day, unknown men appear and literally destroy everything, and in desperation, Ashley somehow causes an explosion of flames. Now hunted by the government who have been fed lies about what really happened at the farm that night from another group who wants Ashley for their own reasons, Ashley becomes separated from Lily as she scrambles to piece together why she and Lily were targeted, and just who she really is.
I really liked Ashley. She was someone I could very easily relate to, especially with her stages of character development. There were just so many realistic moments and actions: the shock of finding out you're on a murder suspect list, the numbing haze and disbelief that follows, the bewilderment, the frustration of not knowing what's going on and who to trust, everything. I felt everything Ashley felt like my own emotions. There was a perfect balance between Ashley's emotions and her logical thinking; her powers were often ruled by emotion, but her desire to survive was ruled by logic, taking things as simply as possible. I really felt like I was truly experiencing everything Ashley felt alongside her, her emotions like my own.
This book definitely was one that told a story of fortitude, desperation, and courage. And a healthy dose of desperation too, which is always a great driver. The modern setting of the novel really made it easy to relate to: when you're running form the police, you definitely need to be creative, but also realistic. Food, transportation, back alleys, stealing cars, train hopping, everything that comes with being a fugitive--it was all so wonderfully well thought out, and made it such a great high-stakes book.
"The thing you've got to figure out, kiddo...is you choose who you belong to. Who you want to be. It's not blood or birth. It's a choice."
I enjoyed how that though Ashley was dealing with imminent threats of the police hot on her tail and had an instantaneous goal she needed to achieve that drove her forward, Cole and Lily were of the opposite: they didn't have immediate threats other than avoiding discovery, and had no set goal other than to survive. In a way, they paralleled each other; whereas Ashley had a short-term, but fiery (no pun intended) storyline, Cole and Lily had more of a long-term goal, with larger things heating up near the end related to the bigger plot. It complimented each other very nicely, providing a contrasting--but no less urgent--pacing.
I also enjoyed the society the author created, and how she introduced it to the readers gradually. There weren't any large information dumps at any point, especially since this novel takes place in the modern setting. But elements were all very cleverly integrated throughout the beginning of the novel, things that didn't quite make sense and was slightly offsetting just enough to remember but not to obsess over. History and modern social structures worked wonderfully in the author's favour to laying out the map of the supernatural!
I definitely enjoyed this book. There is nothing like a high-stakes, government chase of suspected (but actually misunderstood) fugitives with unexplainable powers that they're desperately trying to keep hidden from the public world, but may be exploited if they're captured by the government. Plus there's the whole the-government-is-being-manipulated-by-another-force-and-is-thus-just-a-puppet-to-a-bigger-picture aspect. And the writing was absolutely fantastic! So very poetic and lyrical. It just flowed. I very much want to know what happens in the rest of the series, and will definitely be looking into it!
4.5 Stars!
Ah, this was novel was such a breath of fresh air!
Ashley has been living a relatively quiet but content life on her farm with her younger sister, Lily. That is, until one day, unknown men appear and literally destroy everything, and in desperation, Ashley somehow causes an explosion of flames. Now hunted by the government who have been fed lies about what really happened at the farm that night from another group who wants Ashley for their own reasons, Ashley becomes separated from Lily as she scrambles to piece together why she and Lily were targeted, and just who she really is.
I really liked Ashley. She was someone I could very easily relate to, especially with her stages of character development. There were just so many realistic moments and actions: the shock of finding out you're on a murder suspect list, the numbing haze and disbelief that follows, the bewilderment, the frustration of not knowing what's going on and who to trust, everything. I felt everything Ashley felt like my own emotions. There was a perfect balance between Ashley's emotions and her logical thinking; her powers were often ruled by emotion, but her desire to survive was ruled by logic, taking things as simply as possible. I really felt like I was truly experiencing everything Ashley felt alongside her, her emotions like my own.
This book definitely was one that told a story of fortitude, desperation, and courage. And a healthy dose of desperation too, which is always a great driver. The modern setting of the novel really made it easy to relate to: when you're running form the police, you definitely need to be creative, but also realistic. Food, transportation, back alleys, stealing cars, train hopping, everything that comes with being a fugitive--it was all so wonderfully well thought out, and made it such a great high-stakes book.
"The thing you've got to figure out, kiddo...is you choose who you belong to. Who you want to be. It's not blood or birth. It's a choice."
I enjoyed how that though Ashley was dealing with imminent threats of the police hot on her tail and had an instantaneous goal she needed to achieve that drove her forward, Cole and Lily were of the opposite: they didn't have immediate threats other than avoiding discovery, and had no set goal other than to survive. In a way, they paralleled each other; whereas Ashley had a short-term, but fiery (no pun intended) storyline, Cole and Lily had more of a long-term goal, with larger things heating up near the end related to the bigger plot. It complimented each other very nicely, providing a contrasting--but no less urgent--pacing.
I also enjoyed the society the author created, and how she introduced it to the readers gradually. There weren't any large information dumps at any point, especially since this novel takes place in the modern setting. But elements were all very cleverly integrated throughout the beginning of the novel, things that didn't quite make sense and was slightly offsetting just enough to remember but not to obsess over. History and modern social structures worked wonderfully in the author's favour to laying out the map of the supernatural!
I definitely enjoyed this book. There is nothing like a high-stakes, government chase of suspected (but actually misunderstood) fugitives with unexplainable powers that they're desperately trying to keep hidden from the public world, but may be exploited if they're captured by the government. Plus there's the whole the-government-is-being-manipulated-by-another-force-and-is-thus-just-a-puppet-to-a-bigger-picture aspect. And the writing was absolutely fantastic! So very poetic and lyrical. It just flowed. I very much want to know what happens in the rest of the series, and will definitely be looking into it!
May 27, 2019
It was certainly fast paced, with plenty of action but I found myself a little frustrated by that lack of information about what was going on as we spend much time with Cole & Ashley respectively as they frantically flee assassins with knowing who they are or why they are after them. We do eventually get some explanation about the different factions but there are so many different factions that I had trouble getting them all straight in my mind. Although the story is told from 3 POVs - Ashley, Cole and the ones hunting them, it predominantly seems to be Ashley 's story. Yet I constantly found myself wanting to know what was going on with Cole but that is because he was with Lily. I really, really want Ashley & Lily to reunite.
May 26, 2019
Decent read, wish the protagonist had more agency
There are 3 main characters, Ashley, a teenage girl, Lily, her rather younger sister, and Cole, a teenage boy.
Pros:. The writing is fine. The plot's OK. The story flows.
Cons: I just wish Ashley had more agency, stood up for herself more. Yeah, she's a teenager in the midst of an out of control situation, but she just reacts almost always. Cole is in the same/similar mess, and he gets SOME grip on the situation. Heck, even Lily plots her own course better than Ashe.
There are 3 main characters, Ashley, a teenage girl, Lily, her rather younger sister, and Cole, a teenage boy.
Pros:. The writing is fine. The plot's OK. The story flows.
Cons: I just wish Ashley had more agency, stood up for herself more. Yeah, she's a teenager in the midst of an out of control situation, but she just reacts almost always. Cole is in the same/similar mess, and he gets SOME grip on the situation. Heck, even Lily plots her own course better than Ashe.
July 12, 2019
Awesome, loved every page!!’ Nothing left to say. Read it!!!
October 8, 2021
DNF at 26%. Just couldn’t grab me. Definitely not like her Awakened Fate series
December 25, 2021
5 stars entirely for the phenomenal ending. Cannot wait for more!
February 8, 2023
An action packed book
Buckle your seatbelts and hang on for dear life because this book will take you on a wild journey.
It's an unforgettable story that had me hooked immediately.
Buckle your seatbelts and hang on for dear life because this book will take you on a wild journey.
It's an unforgettable story that had me hooked immediately.
July 29, 2014
Refreshing and suspenseful,
The Children and the Blood
is a mature YA Urban Fantasy that took me by surprise and impressed me so many times I lost count. The writing is superb and wonderfully descriptive without being overdone. For a self-published book, it has to be one of the better written and edited.
The characters are strong and well developed. After losing her mother and most of her family in a fire when she young, Ashley is a responsible teen who provides strength and stability for her young sister, Lily. Although their father is alive, he's absent for long periods of time, and Ashley has been the parent, even though they stay with close friends of the family. She is also courageous, protective, and driven, facing every punch life has thrown at her alone when her world is tipped over once again in single night. I could feel her warring emotions and see the fiery battle within her.
Cole, a lonely young man adopted by a couple who are not as they seem, may act like trouble in the beginning, but he is actually one of the most caring and genuine guys to have around. He jumps to rescue people he doesn't know and goes to lengths to keep them safe.
The entire world hidden in the shadows of our own is unique and well thought-out. I was kept guessing, never knowing what to expect, and when I thought I had everything figured out, I was thrown for another loop. The plot only got thicker, more suspenseful, and the background was fluidly delivered, with the information paced and continuously clicking into place. All the characters and story lines intertwine, and while the entire picture isn't revealed yet, I don't mind and can't wait.
There's a vast cast of characters with their own distinctive personalities and agendas. I didn't have any trouble keeping up with who was whom, and they all kept me intrigued for more scenes with them. I liked each for their own reasons, whether it was innocence, villainy, incorrigible sidekick-status, or unfortunate bystander. And the character introduced at the end of the book made me gasp. The first thing I did when I finished reading was look for book two (expected later this summer :(). I just had to know where the turn of events would lead; I'm itching all over to know.
The Children and the Blood is a chilling story that makes the heart pump faster. In a world of magic, war, and violence, it is full of mystery, twists, and a new take on a race that makes it exciting and seem never-before-written. I'd recommend the book to anyone who loves secret societies and war between races. It's an engrossing read that blends fantasy and thrilling mystery.
* eBook provided by the author in exchange for a review. Thank you!
* Review also posted on the The LUV'NV blog.
The characters are strong and well developed. After losing her mother and most of her family in a fire when she young, Ashley is a responsible teen who provides strength and stability for her young sister, Lily. Although their father is alive, he's absent for long periods of time, and Ashley has been the parent, even though they stay with close friends of the family. She is also courageous, protective, and driven, facing every punch life has thrown at her alone when her world is tipped over once again in single night. I could feel her warring emotions and see the fiery battle within her.
Cole, a lonely young man adopted by a couple who are not as they seem, may act like trouble in the beginning, but he is actually one of the most caring and genuine guys to have around. He jumps to rescue people he doesn't know and goes to lengths to keep them safe.
The entire world hidden in the shadows of our own is unique and well thought-out. I was kept guessing, never knowing what to expect, and when I thought I had everything figured out, I was thrown for another loop. The plot only got thicker, more suspenseful, and the background was fluidly delivered, with the information paced and continuously clicking into place. All the characters and story lines intertwine, and while the entire picture isn't revealed yet, I don't mind and can't wait.
There's a vast cast of characters with their own distinctive personalities and agendas. I didn't have any trouble keeping up with who was whom, and they all kept me intrigued for more scenes with them. I liked each for their own reasons, whether it was innocence, villainy, incorrigible sidekick-status, or unfortunate bystander. And the character introduced at the end of the book made me gasp. The first thing I did when I finished reading was look for book two (expected later this summer :(). I just had to know where the turn of events would lead; I'm itching all over to know.
The Children and the Blood is a chilling story that makes the heart pump faster. In a world of magic, war, and violence, it is full of mystery, twists, and a new take on a race that makes it exciting and seem never-before-written. I'd recommend the book to anyone who loves secret societies and war between races. It's an engrossing read that blends fantasy and thrilling mystery.
* eBook provided by the author in exchange for a review. Thank you!
* Review also posted on the The LUV'NV blog.
July 26, 2013
BOOK REVIEW by Michelle 8th July 2013:
RATING: 4.5 STARS!
I didn’t read anything about this book when I agreed to the blog tour. The cover is not telling you an awful lot, and the title is dark.
I thought this was a well written book with a great idea.
Seventeen year old Ashley and her eight year old sister Lily, are going to have their hearts and minds challenged in this story. They will go through loss, pain, betrayal, discovery, confusion and be doing a whole pile of running.
Cole finds himself quickly enmeshed in his own fight for survival and his whole life will come unravelled around him.
Megan keeps you guessing as she has several character pov’s telling you their part of the story.
Some characters will collide... to then be flung apart again.
We as the reader will be thinking one thing to be hit with this great big BAM moment when what we thought was kind of going on with the mysterious villains...is actually quite something else.
Well I was fooled.
This is fast paced in most parts, but then we go into a bit of story filler , I thought , which slowed my momentum I had gained down. I enjoyed the explanations we got for the WT moment. We are gently fed all that ...... which I will not disclose.
There are quite a lot of characters in this story all being juggled about, keeping the story moving along. I think having the different pov’s certainly helps as we get sectioned off into a side story to then come back for a while into another part of the story with other characters.
There is all this stuff going on and they are being tracked and anybody that shouldn’t be in their way...well...you don’t want to be getting mixed up with these kids. They are seriously wanted and the villains...of which I feel like there are many, are serious about these kids.
I really liked the fact I didn’t catch onto the ‘what’ of the villains, that was a nice surprise.
I think what I am saying is, go in cold turkey with this read. Don’t read the blurb and stay away from a review that leaks what they are, because I think that is part of the entertainment of this book. Cause I know if you go in cold turkey, your brain is going to be thinking one thing...but the truth is another.
I get the title of the book. That became very clear to me. I am looking forward to book # 2 as this party really has only just got started.
The characters are engaging the pages turn quickly. You are in the dark with Ashley , Lily and Cole and then you emerge into the light of realization.
I was entertained, I can ask for no more. Is there a romance? Well , sometimes the teenagers are too busy to get into that... just yet.
That was a WT !! ending . Again, didn’t see that one coming. I am a little confuzzed now, but that only adds to the intrigue of this story.
Who are the real baddies?
Who can the good guys trust?
There is also that WT? with the prologue. See if you can pick it once you have finished the book.
And Detective Harris, he seems to be going it alone and doing some ground work which makes me think he needs him a wingman.
The shiz just got even more intriguing!!!
Michelle
RATING: 4.5 STARS!
I didn’t read anything about this book when I agreed to the blog tour. The cover is not telling you an awful lot, and the title is dark.
I thought this was a well written book with a great idea.
Seventeen year old Ashley and her eight year old sister Lily, are going to have their hearts and minds challenged in this story. They will go through loss, pain, betrayal, discovery, confusion and be doing a whole pile of running.
Cole finds himself quickly enmeshed in his own fight for survival and his whole life will come unravelled around him.
Megan keeps you guessing as she has several character pov’s telling you their part of the story.
Some characters will collide... to then be flung apart again.
We as the reader will be thinking one thing to be hit with this great big BAM moment when what we thought was kind of going on with the mysterious villains...is actually quite something else.
Well I was fooled.
This is fast paced in most parts, but then we go into a bit of story filler , I thought , which slowed my momentum I had gained down. I enjoyed the explanations we got for the WT moment. We are gently fed all that ...... which I will not disclose.
There are quite a lot of characters in this story all being juggled about, keeping the story moving along. I think having the different pov’s certainly helps as we get sectioned off into a side story to then come back for a while into another part of the story with other characters.
There is all this stuff going on and they are being tracked and anybody that shouldn’t be in their way...well...you don’t want to be getting mixed up with these kids. They are seriously wanted and the villains...of which I feel like there are many, are serious about these kids.
I really liked the fact I didn’t catch onto the ‘what’ of the villains, that was a nice surprise.
I think what I am saying is, go in cold turkey with this read. Don’t read the blurb and stay away from a review that leaks what they are, because I think that is part of the entertainment of this book. Cause I know if you go in cold turkey, your brain is going to be thinking one thing...but the truth is another.
I get the title of the book. That became very clear to me. I am looking forward to book # 2 as this party really has only just got started.
The characters are engaging the pages turn quickly. You are in the dark with Ashley , Lily and Cole and then you emerge into the light of realization.
I was entertained, I can ask for no more. Is there a romance? Well , sometimes the teenagers are too busy to get into that... just yet.
That was a WT !! ending . Again, didn’t see that one coming. I am a little confuzzed now, but that only adds to the intrigue of this story.
Who are the real baddies?
Who can the good guys trust?
There is also that WT? with the prologue. See if you can pick it once you have finished the book.
And Detective Harris, he seems to be going it alone and doing some ground work which makes me think he needs him a wingman.
The shiz just got even more intriguing!!!
Michelle
July 26, 2013
BOOK REVIEW by Michelle 8th July 2013:
RATING: 4.5 STARS!
I didn’t read anything about this book when I agreed to the blog tour. The cover is not telling you an awful lot, and the title is dark.
I thought this was a well written book with a great idea.
Seventeen year old Ashley and her eight year old sister Lily, are going to have their hearts and minds challenged in this story. They will go through loss, pain, betrayal, discovery, confusion and be doing a whole pile of running.
Cole finds himself quickly enmeshed in his own fight for survival and his whole life will come unravelled around him.
Megan keeps you guessing as she has several character pov’s telling you their part of the story.
Some characters will collide... to then be flung apart again.
We as the reader will be thinking one thing to be hit with this great big BAM moment when what we thought was kind of going on with the mysterious villains...is actually quite something else.
Well I was fooled.
This is fast paced in most parts, but then we go into a bit of story filler , I thought , which slowed my momentum I had gained down. I enjoyed the explanations we got for the WT moment. We are gently fed all that ...... which I will not disclose.
There are quite a lot of characters in this story all being juggled about, keeping the story moving along. I think having the different pov’s certainly helps as we get sectioned off into a side story to then come back for a while into another part of the story with other characters.
There is all this stuff going on and they are being tracked and anybody that shouldn’t be in their way...well...you don’t want to be getting mixed up with these kids. They are seriously wanted and the villains...of which I feel like there are many, are serious about these kids.
I really liked the fact I didn’t catch onto the ‘what’ of the villains, that was a nice surprise.
I think what I am saying is, go in cold turkey with this read. Don’t read the blurb and stay away from a review that leaks what they are, because I think that is part of the entertainment of this book. Cause I know if you go in cold turkey, your brain is going to be thinking one thing...but the truth is another.
I get the title of the book. That became very clear to me. I am looking forward to book # 2 as this party really has only just got started.
The characters are engaging the pages turn quickly. You are in the dark with Ashley , Lily and Cole and then you emerge into the light of realization.
I was entertained, I can ask for no more. Is there a romance? Well , sometimes the teenagers are too busy to get into that... just yet.
That was a WT !! ending . Again, didn’t see that one coming. I am a little confuzzed now, but that only adds to the intrigue of this story.
Who are the real baddies?
Who can the good guys trust?
There is also that WT? with the prologue. See if you can pick it once you have finished the book.
And Detective Harris, he seems to be going it alone and doing some ground work which makes me think he needs him a wingman.
The shiz just got even more intriguing!!!
Michelle
RATING: 4.5 STARS!
I didn’t read anything about this book when I agreed to the blog tour. The cover is not telling you an awful lot, and the title is dark.
I thought this was a well written book with a great idea.
Seventeen year old Ashley and her eight year old sister Lily, are going to have their hearts and minds challenged in this story. They will go through loss, pain, betrayal, discovery, confusion and be doing a whole pile of running.
Cole finds himself quickly enmeshed in his own fight for survival and his whole life will come unravelled around him.
Megan keeps you guessing as she has several character pov’s telling you their part of the story.
Some characters will collide... to then be flung apart again.
We as the reader will be thinking one thing to be hit with this great big BAM moment when what we thought was kind of going on with the mysterious villains...is actually quite something else.
Well I was fooled.
This is fast paced in most parts, but then we go into a bit of story filler , I thought , which slowed my momentum I had gained down. I enjoyed the explanations we got for the WT moment. We are gently fed all that ...... which I will not disclose.
There are quite a lot of characters in this story all being juggled about, keeping the story moving along. I think having the different pov’s certainly helps as we get sectioned off into a side story to then come back for a while into another part of the story with other characters.
There is all this stuff going on and they are being tracked and anybody that shouldn’t be in their way...well...you don’t want to be getting mixed up with these kids. They are seriously wanted and the villains...of which I feel like there are many, are serious about these kids.
I really liked the fact I didn’t catch onto the ‘what’ of the villains, that was a nice surprise.
I think what I am saying is, go in cold turkey with this read. Don’t read the blurb and stay away from a review that leaks what they are, because I think that is part of the entertainment of this book. Cause I know if you go in cold turkey, your brain is going to be thinking one thing...but the truth is another.
I get the title of the book. That became very clear to me. I am looking forward to book # 2 as this party really has only just got started.
The characters are engaging the pages turn quickly. You are in the dark with Ashley , Lily and Cole and then you emerge into the light of realization.
I was entertained, I can ask for no more. Is there a romance? Well , sometimes the teenagers are too busy to get into that... just yet.
That was a WT !! ending . Again, didn’t see that one coming. I am a little confuzzed now, but that only adds to the intrigue of this story.
Who are the real baddies?
Who can the good guys trust?
There is also that WT? with the prologue. See if you can pick it once you have finished the book.
And Detective Harris, he seems to be going it alone and doing some ground work which makes me think he needs him a wingman.
The shiz just got even more intriguing!!!
Michelle
November 27, 2015
Ashley lived her life comfortable on a farm with her sister, Lilly, and her father. She never left the farm, but she didn’t feel the need. Everything changes when bad men come and burn down the farm and kill everyone. Ashley and Lilly barely escape with the help of a random boy named Cole, who is on the run for different reasons. Those men will stop at nothing to capture Ashley or Lilly. The police won’t help. All their family is dead. They have nowhere to turn to, but they have to keep running.
It took me awhile to actually get into this book. The biggest thing that bothered me is the writer kept switching between third person limited (where the narration is closely connected to only one character’s perspective) and third person omniscient (where the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of every character). Mostly, I think this book was supposed to be third person limited, but every so often there would be lines or paragraphs that didn’t fit. For example, with third person limited, when Ashley’s dad would be referred to, he should have always been ‘her dad,’ ‘her father,’ etc. but constantly he is referred to as ‘Patrick.’ Now if she actually called her dad ‘Patrick,’ then it would be okay for him to be referred to as that.
Getting past all that, the writing was pretty good. The descriptions were excellent and the flow was really nice. Sometimes it might have gotten a bit wordy, but it wasn’t a huge deal. Once I got into the book, the writing seemed to pick up even more.
Character-wise, I thought Ashley was a bit of a flat character. I liked her, but she didn’t really seem to have much of a personality. Sure, her situation could account for some of that because she is in ‘run for your life’ mode most of this book, so she’s mostly running on impulse.
I really liked Lilly, but at some points I thought she almost acted a bit older than she was. This partly could do with the fact that Cole thought she was six when we later find out that she is eight. She’s so adorable though.
I also thought Cole was a great character. He definitely had more personality that Ashley and I found myself enjoying the chapters about him more than the ones about Ashley. I am glad that he wasn’t smarter than he should have been. By this, I mean he didn’t all of a sudden know how to survive when thrust into this situation, while he had no prior experience with being on the run.
I really like that the author did include chapters that were in the perspective of others besides just Ashley and Cole. This helped add more depth to the book. It also gave just enough snippets of information to keep me satisfied until everything starts to become clearer.
Once this book got going, I started to enjoy it more, but I really struggled with it at first. I mostly just kept reading because I hate to not finish a book and I just need to get through it so I could start another book. I am still debating if I want to continue with the series. There were a bunch of interesting aspects to the backstory and I really think the next books could be interesting, but I don’t know if I’m willing to risk it quite yet.
It took me awhile to actually get into this book. The biggest thing that bothered me is the writer kept switching between third person limited (where the narration is closely connected to only one character’s perspective) and third person omniscient (where the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of every character). Mostly, I think this book was supposed to be third person limited, but every so often there would be lines or paragraphs that didn’t fit. For example, with third person limited, when Ashley’s dad would be referred to, he should have always been ‘her dad,’ ‘her father,’ etc. but constantly he is referred to as ‘Patrick.’ Now if she actually called her dad ‘Patrick,’ then it would be okay for him to be referred to as that.
Getting past all that, the writing was pretty good. The descriptions were excellent and the flow was really nice. Sometimes it might have gotten a bit wordy, but it wasn’t a huge deal. Once I got into the book, the writing seemed to pick up even more.
Character-wise, I thought Ashley was a bit of a flat character. I liked her, but she didn’t really seem to have much of a personality. Sure, her situation could account for some of that because she is in ‘run for your life’ mode most of this book, so she’s mostly running on impulse.
I really liked Lilly, but at some points I thought she almost acted a bit older than she was. This partly could do with the fact that Cole thought she was six when we later find out that she is eight. She’s so adorable though.
I also thought Cole was a great character. He definitely had more personality that Ashley and I found myself enjoying the chapters about him more than the ones about Ashley. I am glad that he wasn’t smarter than he should have been. By this, I mean he didn’t all of a sudden know how to survive when thrust into this situation, while he had no prior experience with being on the run.
I really like that the author did include chapters that were in the perspective of others besides just Ashley and Cole. This helped add more depth to the book. It also gave just enough snippets of information to keep me satisfied until everything starts to become clearer.
Once this book got going, I started to enjoy it more, but I really struggled with it at first. I mostly just kept reading because I hate to not finish a book and I just need to get through it so I could start another book. I am still debating if I want to continue with the series. There were a bunch of interesting aspects to the backstory and I really think the next books could be interesting, but I don’t know if I’m willing to risk it quite yet.
July 11, 2013
I received The Children and the Blood by Megan Joel Peterson for a book tour and this is my honest review.
Reading the synopsis of this book I was not sure if it was going to be in my interests but as soon as I started reading the book quickly grasped me and I could not put it down. In the beginning we meet Ashley who is living with her little family on a secluded farm and all is well until one night turns her whole life upside down. In a separate chapter we meet Cole and we are not yet sure why he is brought into the lives of Ashley and her sister Lily but he happens to be very important for one of them.
Usually the kind of books that have a few or two different perspectives in the book I enjoy because either their lives are already together or their lives are going to be brought together pretty soon but that was not the case really with this one. The two main characters Ashley, and Cole have their separate chapters and in some ways their lives are sort of connected but there is never a point in the story where they actually cross paths and considering the circumstances this really annoys me. But there is a second book so hopefully it will happen then.
I have to say that to me Cole was very brave and courageous. When he found out where those bad guys were going instead of getting away and going somewhere where nobody could find him which he very well could have done, he went after them in hopes to save the people they were about to terrorize. On an entirely different note i’m going to this character because she is connected to Cole in certain ways. Lily we saw her abilities a few times throughout the book and I wish we could have seen more of her and what she could do all together.
The book was more or less based on Ashley and where she escaped to which sort of irked me because when you split up a book between characters most of the time they get equal parts but that was not the case here. Ashley got most of the book and Cole got little side parts most of the time, this is another thing I am hoping will change by book two.
To be completely honest though I enjoyed the powers that some of the characters had. Like Ashleys ability to completely combust into flames without burning herself to protect herself and whoever else she wanted to that was very cool. But again this is where I had issues because I got to know a lot about Ashley’s powers but very little of Lily’s all we saw her do was heal herself and Cole pretty quickly but it was not really dwelled on.
Overall The Children and the Blood gets a 4 out of 5 because it did have the ability to hold my interest even if I wished a few things were different. I cannot wait to see how every fans out in book two!
Reading the synopsis of this book I was not sure if it was going to be in my interests but as soon as I started reading the book quickly grasped me and I could not put it down. In the beginning we meet Ashley who is living with her little family on a secluded farm and all is well until one night turns her whole life upside down. In a separate chapter we meet Cole and we are not yet sure why he is brought into the lives of Ashley and her sister Lily but he happens to be very important for one of them.
Usually the kind of books that have a few or two different perspectives in the book I enjoy because either their lives are already together or their lives are going to be brought together pretty soon but that was not the case really with this one. The two main characters Ashley, and Cole have their separate chapters and in some ways their lives are sort of connected but there is never a point in the story where they actually cross paths and considering the circumstances this really annoys me. But there is a second book so hopefully it will happen then.
I have to say that to me Cole was very brave and courageous. When he found out where those bad guys were going instead of getting away and going somewhere where nobody could find him which he very well could have done, he went after them in hopes to save the people they were about to terrorize. On an entirely different note i’m going to this character because she is connected to Cole in certain ways. Lily we saw her abilities a few times throughout the book and I wish we could have seen more of her and what she could do all together.
The book was more or less based on Ashley and where she escaped to which sort of irked me because when you split up a book between characters most of the time they get equal parts but that was not the case here. Ashley got most of the book and Cole got little side parts most of the time, this is another thing I am hoping will change by book two.
To be completely honest though I enjoyed the powers that some of the characters had. Like Ashleys ability to completely combust into flames without burning herself to protect herself and whoever else she wanted to that was very cool. But again this is where I had issues because I got to know a lot about Ashley’s powers but very little of Lily’s all we saw her do was heal herself and Cole pretty quickly but it was not really dwelled on.
Overall The Children and the Blood gets a 4 out of 5 because it did have the ability to hold my interest even if I wished a few things were different. I cannot wait to see how every fans out in book two!
August 2, 2013
When it comes to speculative fiction, such as dark fantasy, science fiction and the like, worldbuilding is pretty crucial and the lack of it can turn me off of a book very quickly. Imagine my surprise when I found myself really engaged with this story even though I don’t truly understand a good deal of it. My issue revolves entirely around the various factions, i.e., the Wizards, Bloods, Hunters, cripples, ferals, humans (can’t see wizards) and lord knows what else. Quite honestly, I need a playbook or at least a well-defined cast of characters to figure out who’s doing what to whom and why and who else is on the good side and, by the way, what IS the good side?
Putting that aside, though, I did indeed enjoy The Children and the Blood and that’s largely because Ms. Peterson has created a good tale with a lot of suspense and I really like the main players—17-year-old Ashley, 8-year-old Lily and 18-year-old Cole. Secondary characters like Carter, Spider and even the scary Mason Brogan and Harris, the very confused but driven cop, add a great deal to the mix. While there are a lot of characters, the author has done a nice job of making them come alive in spite of my inability to keep it all straight. As an example, I understand who a fellow named Cornelius is but I’m not at all sure where he fits in to the different camps and why they all seem to hate each other but that didn’t keep me from wanting to read on.
Never mind all my headscratching; it just doesn’t matter all that much and I’m sure I’ll understand more as future books in the saga come out. In the meantime, I was completely entranced by this story and the tension runs so high at times that I quite simply HAD to keep reading. Why these three kids are targets and what they go through to survive long enough to find at least a few answers was more than enough to keep me going. Fair warning, though, to those who are not crazy about cliffhangers: the cliffhanger here is a humdinger, especially the sudden appearance of a particular person. Fortunately, even if this kind of ending plucks your last nerve, it’s worth it and you don’t have to wait forever to find out what happens next. Book Two, Taliesin Ascendant, will be out later this summer and it’s on my absolutely-must-read list.
Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, July 2013.
Putting that aside, though, I did indeed enjoy The Children and the Blood and that’s largely because Ms. Peterson has created a good tale with a lot of suspense and I really like the main players—17-year-old Ashley, 8-year-old Lily and 18-year-old Cole. Secondary characters like Carter, Spider and even the scary Mason Brogan and Harris, the very confused but driven cop, add a great deal to the mix. While there are a lot of characters, the author has done a nice job of making them come alive in spite of my inability to keep it all straight. As an example, I understand who a fellow named Cornelius is but I’m not at all sure where he fits in to the different camps and why they all seem to hate each other but that didn’t keep me from wanting to read on.
Never mind all my headscratching; it just doesn’t matter all that much and I’m sure I’ll understand more as future books in the saga come out. In the meantime, I was completely entranced by this story and the tension runs so high at times that I quite simply HAD to keep reading. Why these three kids are targets and what they go through to survive long enough to find at least a few answers was more than enough to keep me going. Fair warning, though, to those who are not crazy about cliffhangers: the cliffhanger here is a humdinger, especially the sudden appearance of a particular person. Fortunately, even if this kind of ending plucks your last nerve, it’s worth it and you don’t have to wait forever to find out what happens next. Book Two, Taliesin Ascendant, will be out later this summer and it’s on my absolutely-must-read list.
Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, July 2013.
July 13, 2013
Original Review posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
Note: Formatting has been lost due to copy and paste.
Disclaimer: A copy was provided for free by the author for the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.
Ever since most of her family had been killed eight years ago, Ashley's life has been peaceful living on a farm with no memory of her childhood years. Until one night, everything all changes and Ashley finds out about a war she never knew about.
What I Liked:
~ Practically Flawless – aside from one or two little errors, it's edited down to "almost" perfection (I would say it without the quotes, but there's always room for revising... :p).
~ Unique Storyline – usually when it comes down to magic and wizards or witches, there's always that Harry Potter style to it somewhere: a magical school, a villain wanting to take over the world (okay, that's probably not the right reason for me to use), and whatnot. Although The Children and the Blood does have a few things similar, but overall, the storyline's unique.
What I Didn't Like:
~ The Cliffhanger – It felt like a cliffhanger, but it didn't feel like one. It just didn't have this powerful impact that's makes me go "I need to know what happens next!!!" *jumps up and down impatiently like a [energizer] bunny* and then suffering (not really) for the next few months until the next book comes out. "OMG, You're going to make me wait that long? You gotta be kidding me!" Nope... not exactly there.
~ The Prologue – I somehow have a zillion (okay, not a zillion) questions about the prologue, even after finishing The Children and the Blood. I'm a tad bit lost there (perhaps summer has taken a toll on my brain and I need to go back to school to untangle myself from the lost web).
Overall Thoughts: The Children and the Blood is a well-polished story that has a unique take to the wizarding world. And even though there wasn't much of a cliffhanger, I do look forward to seeing what Ashley will be up to in the next book.
Note: Formatting has been lost due to copy and paste.
Disclaimer: A copy was provided for free by the author for the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.
Ever since most of her family had been killed eight years ago, Ashley's life has been peaceful living on a farm with no memory of her childhood years. Until one night, everything all changes and Ashley finds out about a war she never knew about.
What I Liked:
~ Practically Flawless – aside from one or two little errors, it's edited down to "almost" perfection (I would say it without the quotes, but there's always room for revising... :p).
~ Unique Storyline – usually when it comes down to magic and wizards or witches, there's always that Harry Potter style to it somewhere: a magical school, a villain wanting to take over the world (okay, that's probably not the right reason for me to use), and whatnot. Although The Children and the Blood does have a few things similar, but overall, the storyline's unique.
What I Didn't Like:
~ The Cliffhanger – It felt like a cliffhanger, but it didn't feel like one. It just didn't have this powerful impact that's makes me go "I need to know what happens next!!!" *jumps up and down impatiently like a [energizer] bunny* and then suffering (not really) for the next few months until the next book comes out. "OMG, You're going to make me wait that long? You gotta be kidding me!" Nope... not exactly there.
~ The Prologue – I somehow have a zillion (okay, not a zillion) questions about the prologue, even after finishing The Children and the Blood. I'm a tad bit lost there (perhaps summer has taken a toll on my brain and I need to go back to school to untangle myself from the lost web).
Overall Thoughts: The Children and the Blood is a well-polished story that has a unique take to the wizarding world. And even though there wasn't much of a cliffhanger, I do look forward to seeing what Ashley will be up to in the next book.
January 11, 2014
I abandoned the book at 68% because I couldn't take no more non sense.
The beginning is very powerful but the explanation of their abilities was ridiculuous for me.
I got exasperated with Ashley constat self-pity and reflection that she was alone and her family was gone. It's not that I don't have a heart but "I'm alone. The barn is burnt. They killed them all" is all the girl thinks. Seriously, she is not capable of producing any other thought. The only emotion she feels is fear. And she can't speak in complete sentences, it's all "I...," "but... how...," and "what....nooo," thus it seems that people read her mind and answer her questions without she having to ask.
Cole, really cool character. Lily too. However, Lily is only six and apparently she can read! Okay, let me explain. Cole and Lily walk into a diner or something and the tv is on. TV is mute but the caption is on. The news is about them, Cole, Ashley, and Lily and how dangerous they are and blah blah blah. When the news is over, Lily asks Cole "why are they saying that?"
SOOO my point is, you know how hard it is to read captioned news, right? And Lily, being just six years old, should be in first grade. So how the heck could she read the news? I know, it is fiction, and it's just something minor but I couldn't let it go.
The story is way too descriptive for my taste. Some people like to read on and on about the mountains, the color of the sky, and the smell of the burning air, but I don't.
By the time I abandoned the book Ashley was being taught how to fight, so maybe later on she'd toughen up, but so far she is an obnoxious complaining wreck that is giving me an ulcer.
The story is quite interesting and the writing exquisite (if not my taste). It was slowly developing and all kept hidden when all of the sudden, a group that rescues Ashley tells the whole thing of what is going on in one ride. Way to kill the suspense. Well, I guess that the plot had to be revealed at some point, I just expected something better instead of the speech that delivered it.
Darn it! I was so into this book at the beginning...
The beginning is very powerful but the explanation of their abilities was ridiculuous for me.
I got exasperated with Ashley constat self-pity and reflection that she was alone and her family was gone. It's not that I don't have a heart but "I'm alone. The barn is burnt. They killed them all" is all the girl thinks. Seriously, she is not capable of producing any other thought. The only emotion she feels is fear. And she can't speak in complete sentences, it's all "I...," "but... how...," and "what....nooo," thus it seems that people read her mind and answer her questions without she having to ask.
Cole, really cool character. Lily too. However, Lily is only six and apparently she can read! Okay, let me explain. Cole and Lily walk into a diner or something and the tv is on. TV is mute but the caption is on. The news is about them, Cole, Ashley, and Lily and how dangerous they are and blah blah blah. When the news is over, Lily asks Cole "why are they saying that?"
SOOO my point is, you know how hard it is to read captioned news, right? And Lily, being just six years old, should be in first grade. So how the heck could she read the news? I know, it is fiction, and it's just something minor but I couldn't let it go.
The story is way too descriptive for my taste. Some people like to read on and on about the mountains, the color of the sky, and the smell of the burning air, but I don't.
By the time I abandoned the book Ashley was being taught how to fight, so maybe later on she'd toughen up, but so far she is an obnoxious complaining wreck that is giving me an ulcer.
The story is quite interesting and the writing exquisite (if not my taste). It was slowly developing and all kept hidden when all of the sudden, a group that rescues Ashley tells the whole thing of what is going on in one ride. Way to kill the suspense. Well, I guess that the plot had to be revealed at some point, I just expected something better instead of the speech that delivered it.
Darn it! I was so into this book at the beginning...
July 4, 2013
3.5 STARS
Ashley lives with her little sister Lily on a huge farmstead in Montana, which her dad only returns to a few times a year. The girls' mother, along with the rest of their family was killed in a fire when Lily was only a baby. Cole lives an entirely different life in a rich, gated community with his adoptive parents, but he's finding being under their thumb more and more oppressive. The lives of Ashley, Lily, and Cole collide in one unbelievable night and thus begins a roller coaster ride the kids can't seem to get off of...and they're discovering things about themselves that could change the world for not only themselves, but everyone.
Though the action started off rather quickly in this book, it took me a little while to get into it. The story is told in third person through multiple characters' points of view, which made for a nice way to figure out how all the characters were feeling--and there were a lot of characters.
It's not that Ashley and Cole were unlikable, but I couldn't help connecting with Lily...she is just so young to have gone through so many traumatic things in her life, and she's mature way beyond her years. I loved watching her grow and change. I did have a lot of respect for Cole and the decisions he made, though...not too many people would have gone off to save a couple of strangers the way he did.
As I said, the action did move quickly, but I just felt it took a while sometimes for it to get there. I found many parts of this book to be very wordy, and the book is a hefty one at over 330 pages. I sometimes skimmed when I felt the plot wasn't moving forward fast enough for me. It's rather hard to review this big book without giving too much away, so I'll just say that if you are entertained by X-Men, superhero books and movies, and even action movies, you should give this book a read.
I congratulate the author for creating such a unique world with magnetic and powerful characters. I would definitely consider reading the next book in this series.
Ashley lives with her little sister Lily on a huge farmstead in Montana, which her dad only returns to a few times a year. The girls' mother, along with the rest of their family was killed in a fire when Lily was only a baby. Cole lives an entirely different life in a rich, gated community with his adoptive parents, but he's finding being under their thumb more and more oppressive. The lives of Ashley, Lily, and Cole collide in one unbelievable night and thus begins a roller coaster ride the kids can't seem to get off of...and they're discovering things about themselves that could change the world for not only themselves, but everyone.
Though the action started off rather quickly in this book, it took me a little while to get into it. The story is told in third person through multiple characters' points of view, which made for a nice way to figure out how all the characters were feeling--and there were a lot of characters.
It's not that Ashley and Cole were unlikable, but I couldn't help connecting with Lily...she is just so young to have gone through so many traumatic things in her life, and she's mature way beyond her years. I loved watching her grow and change. I did have a lot of respect for Cole and the decisions he made, though...not too many people would have gone off to save a couple of strangers the way he did.
As I said, the action did move quickly, but I just felt it took a while sometimes for it to get there. I found many parts of this book to be very wordy, and the book is a hefty one at over 330 pages. I sometimes skimmed when I felt the plot wasn't moving forward fast enough for me. It's rather hard to review this big book without giving too much away, so I'll just say that if you are entertained by X-Men, superhero books and movies, and even action movies, you should give this book a read.
I congratulate the author for creating such a unique world with magnetic and powerful characters. I would definitely consider reading the next book in this series.
July 1, 2013
The Children and the Blood is an intricate story. It has many characters and switches POVs between two main characters. However, part of the story is from the POV of a third character. Honestly, all the characters are integral parts of the story and are all finely crafted. But the two main POVs are that of Ashley and Cole.
Ashley has endured quite a lot of tragedy in her young life. After losing her mother and grandparents (and possibly other members of her family) in a fire, she and her younger sister, Lily, go to live with friends of their father's. And the girls spend the next 8 years growing up with a mostly absent father. Ashley is such a courageous girl. She literally squelches any negative emotion she feels in order to provide strength and stability for Lily. Then, one night, everything changes. Ashley soon learns that her whole life is not what she's always believed.
Cole has also endured his share of tragedy. After losing both his parents, he was placed in the foster system. He is quickly adopted by a less than pleasant couple. And he's spent that last 8 years biding his time until he graduates and can be rid of his adoptive parents and their intrusiveness. Then, one night, everything changes.
During this night, Ashley and Cole's lives momentarily intersect. But they are now irrevocably intertwined.
The Children and the Blood is a chilling and tightly woven story. It is full of twists and turns and it kept me guessing throughout. It's full of magic, violence and suspense. The story is pulse-pounding and kept me turning the pages.
Gah! I am very impressed with this book. The folklore woven into the story makes it fresh. The slow reveal of information is done well. I mean, I thought I understood what was going on and then, BAM! Another layer was peeled back to reveal something new. I can't wait to see what will come of the last few reveals in the next installment!
Ashley has endured quite a lot of tragedy in her young life. After losing her mother and grandparents (and possibly other members of her family) in a fire, she and her younger sister, Lily, go to live with friends of their father's. And the girls spend the next 8 years growing up with a mostly absent father. Ashley is such a courageous girl. She literally squelches any negative emotion she feels in order to provide strength and stability for Lily. Then, one night, everything changes. Ashley soon learns that her whole life is not what she's always believed.
Cole has also endured his share of tragedy. After losing both his parents, he was placed in the foster system. He is quickly adopted by a less than pleasant couple. And he's spent that last 8 years biding his time until he graduates and can be rid of his adoptive parents and their intrusiveness. Then, one night, everything changes.
During this night, Ashley and Cole's lives momentarily intersect. But they are now irrevocably intertwined.
The Children and the Blood is a chilling and tightly woven story. It is full of twists and turns and it kept me guessing throughout. It's full of magic, violence and suspense. The story is pulse-pounding and kept me turning the pages.
Gah! I am very impressed with this book. The folklore woven into the story makes it fresh. The slow reveal of information is done well. I mean, I thought I understood what was going on and then, BAM! Another layer was peeled back to reveal something new. I can't wait to see what will come of the last few reveals in the next installment!
July 9, 2013
This is a book which requires work on the part of the reader, meaning that no secrets about the plot can be assumed, and Megan Joel Peterson intelligently layers the story, a lot like a Victoria Sponge cake (!), so that the further the reader delves the more we identify with the mystery and the characters.
Megan Joel Peterson's fantastical world is often frightening and very destabilising. She ensures that the main characters discover the truth about the environment as the reader does, connecting us in surprise and horror.
The Children and the Blood is a story about magic, unlike any other I have read and in its originality Megan Joel Peterson has created characters who I wanted to journey with, but who all have very different traits.
The Children and the Blood is a surprising and well-written YA novel but the sequel will be a must read, partly because of how the plot is developed and also because I am now addicted to the story!
Megan Joel Peterson's fantastical world is often frightening and very destabilising. She ensures that the main characters discover the truth about the environment as the reader does, connecting us in surprise and horror.
The Children and the Blood is a story about magic, unlike any other I have read and in its originality Megan Joel Peterson has created characters who I wanted to journey with, but who all have very different traits.
The Children and the Blood is a surprising and well-written YA novel but the sequel will be a must read, partly because of how the plot is developed and also because I am now addicted to the story!
June 20, 2013
I enjoyed this book very much. The ending was great and makes the reader want to know more. I am hoping that a lot of the questions will be answered in the next book. What does it mean that she is a queen? How does it feel to suddenly be a queen and thrown into a life you never knew you had? Which side is really good or evil? Does she see her sister again? How much magic does she really have? I look forward to reading more.
Great YA book!
Great YA book!
June 21, 2013
A hidden war taking place in a hidden world suddenly changes the lives of two teens. Cole, Ashley and her little sister Lily now must find their way in a new world.
This young adult, science fiction thriller moved at a fast pace and kept me wondering what was next. It did take me a few chapters to get into it, but once I knew the characters I was hooked. I'll be looking forward to the next book.
This young adult, science fiction thriller moved at a fast pace and kept me wondering what was next. It did take me a few chapters to get into it, but once I knew the characters I was hooked. I'll be looking forward to the next book.
July 25, 2014
This story begins from different directions and with the merging comes clarity. I was going to give it 3 stars but the added info at the end hooked me enough to want more. It is an interesting and fresh idea/story and well plotted. My only problem was the over descriptive portions. I don't want to know the details of a building/clothes/food/etc. that has no value to the story. Still I am planning to read more.
October 29, 2013
I truly loved this book and the way the author left just enough that your not too sure of any of the characters and their position. The main characters are well told and the side characters your just not so sure of at the end. this book does jump a little but nothing you will get lost on. can not wait till I read the next novel by this author!
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