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Council Powers Trilogy #1
Discovery
Grace Mackay thought she was normal, a little shy maybe, but no less normal than any other struggling young waitress. But she did not know about the secretive Powers world. She did not know she was the last person on earth with the DNA needed for the Powers’ survival. And she certainly did not know her newest boyfriend, Gregory, was an Anti-Powers prince who intended to break her heart and her bones in no particular order.
But when she discovers that Ben, her best friend and unrequited former crush, is actually her secret Guardian with superhuman powers, Grace’s normal turns a little wacky. And when she learns that she has The Gift, the rare power to heal the injured and resurrect life with her touch, it is official – Grace is a weirdo even in the Powers world.
But what freaks Grace out more than all that is the fact she has feelings for Ben again – and he has feelings for her – which makes Grace’s new normal a lot more complicated.
But when she discovers that Ben, her best friend and unrequited former crush, is actually her secret Guardian with superhuman powers, Grace’s normal turns a little wacky. And when she learns that she has The Gift, the rare power to heal the injured and resurrect life with her touch, it is official – Grace is a weirdo even in the Powers world.
But what freaks Grace out more than all that is the fact she has feelings for Ben again – and he has feelings for her – which makes Grace’s new normal a lot more complicated.
278 pages, ebook
First published April 20, 2013
36 people want to read
About the author
Lisa White
3 books4 followersLISA WHITE was born in Tennessee and raised in Virginia. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a degree in Italian language and literature, she obtained her law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law.
Lisa is a member of Romance Writers of America and currently lives in Southwest Virginia with her husband and two children.
Lisa is a member of Romance Writers of America and currently lives in Southwest Virginia with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 25, 2013
I am not a huge reader. I actually hate to read, but every once in awhile a book will come along that I can not seem to put down, Discovery was this book. I loved everything about the book and I can not wait until book two!!
August 18, 2013
Gracie is just a waitress at the local golf club, everything in her life normal; work, sleep, dreams about college – normal stuff. She has her two best friends (they call themselves the three amigos); Annie and Ben. Both works at the Golf club as well. Gracie’s 22nd birthday is closing in and Annie is determined to throw a BIG party – despite Gracie’s protests. In reality, she just wants to celebrate with her two best friends, and that’s it. No fuss.
Everything changes the day the Reich Family steps into the club. Gracie falls helplessly for one of their sons; Gregory. She can’t breathe, barely stand when he’s close, and that is when Annie (Gracie’s best friend) steps in and take things in hand. With amazing skills she steers Gregory and Gracie together, much to Ben’s dismay. The problem is, he can’t do a thing about it. He’s not allowed (and that is all I’m going to say about that) ;-)
Quickly Gracie finds herself thrown into a new world. A world where some people have Powers, some use it for good, others for evil. Both fractions want Gracie, but she doesn’t understand why. To complicate things, Ben tells her, he’s her Guardian, her protector. And he has feelings for her, always had, always will. Only he’s not allowed to have those feelings.
With the Fate of Humanity on the line, Gracie needs to figure out what to do, who to trust, and most importantly, should she listen to her heart?
I have to admit it. I was struggling a bit with Discovery. I found it hard to connect with Grace, Annie, Gregory and Ben. Discovery is only 160 pages long, so it should be a fairly quick read, but it wasn’t. I almost gave up after a few chapters, but something told me to keep going, just a few pages more.
Honestly?
I’m glad I did. Everything I found so tedious, slow, not important, turned into another direction. Suddenly I found that some small information I got earlier in the book, fitted perfectly into the big scheme. So if you start this book, don’t let the first many pages deter you. Keep going. I promise it’s worth it.
Slowly, but securely I found myself digging deeper into the story, scrolling further and further, holding my breath in the end, because I just wanted it to end well. And to my delight, Lisa delivers the final surprise right at the end! I probably should’ve seen it coming, but didn’t.
Oh, and I just HAVE to mention one of my favorite parts in this book – the Misfits. Brilliant, beautiful, and absolutely genius of Lisa to show their lives, how they deal with their Powers. Powers the Counsil decided weren’t good enough to protect Humans. The way Lisa described their homes… I want to be there. Even though the “Higher Powers” decided they weren’t “worth” anything, they hammer out their own existence, they don’t really care about the Rules, and they enjoy life and everything it brings. I could feel their love and compassion pour out of the pages.
The Misfits aren’t the only good thing in this book – far from it, but if I tell you about some of my other favorite parts, I will tell too much. :-)
Thank you for a wonderful journey Lisa – looking forward to the next!
Everything changes the day the Reich Family steps into the club. Gracie falls helplessly for one of their sons; Gregory. She can’t breathe, barely stand when he’s close, and that is when Annie (Gracie’s best friend) steps in and take things in hand. With amazing skills she steers Gregory and Gracie together, much to Ben’s dismay. The problem is, he can’t do a thing about it. He’s not allowed (and that is all I’m going to say about that) ;-)
Quickly Gracie finds herself thrown into a new world. A world where some people have Powers, some use it for good, others for evil. Both fractions want Gracie, but she doesn’t understand why. To complicate things, Ben tells her, he’s her Guardian, her protector. And he has feelings for her, always had, always will. Only he’s not allowed to have those feelings.
With the Fate of Humanity on the line, Gracie needs to figure out what to do, who to trust, and most importantly, should she listen to her heart?
I have to admit it. I was struggling a bit with Discovery. I found it hard to connect with Grace, Annie, Gregory and Ben. Discovery is only 160 pages long, so it should be a fairly quick read, but it wasn’t. I almost gave up after a few chapters, but something told me to keep going, just a few pages more.
Honestly?
I’m glad I did. Everything I found so tedious, slow, not important, turned into another direction. Suddenly I found that some small information I got earlier in the book, fitted perfectly into the big scheme. So if you start this book, don’t let the first many pages deter you. Keep going. I promise it’s worth it.
Slowly, but securely I found myself digging deeper into the story, scrolling further and further, holding my breath in the end, because I just wanted it to end well. And to my delight, Lisa delivers the final surprise right at the end! I probably should’ve seen it coming, but didn’t.
Oh, and I just HAVE to mention one of my favorite parts in this book – the Misfits. Brilliant, beautiful, and absolutely genius of Lisa to show their lives, how they deal with their Powers. Powers the Counsil decided weren’t good enough to protect Humans. The way Lisa described their homes… I want to be there. Even though the “Higher Powers” decided they weren’t “worth” anything, they hammer out their own existence, they don’t really care about the Rules, and they enjoy life and everything it brings. I could feel their love and compassion pour out of the pages.
The Misfits aren’t the only good thing in this book – far from it, but if I tell you about some of my other favorite parts, I will tell too much. :-)
Thank you for a wonderful journey Lisa – looking forward to the next!
August 29, 2013
I decide to read books based on three simple things: summary, author, or cover. The summary for Discovery, author Lisa White's first book in her Council of Powers Trilogy, is what did it for me. Yes, I've read many books with a similar set-up about someone finding out they have a 'power'. It's a popular formula I continue to enjoy when developed by skilled authors with new stories to tell. Ms. White tells quite an engaging tale.
Let me first say I found the beginning chapters to the story slow paced. Grace is a nice young woman, very demure, but I didn't feel an immediate connection to her. I liked her but it was her best friends Annie and Ben who intrigued me. The trio of friends, or as they call themselves, "the three amigos," work at a golf club. Grace is about to celebrate her 22nd birthday and Annie wants to throw her a party. When Gregory Reich walks into the club, things immediately change for Grace. She's attracted to him and Annie tries to help get the two together. From then on the story picked up and the further I read pieces from the 'slow' beginning began to fall into place.
I really liked the idea of people having 'powers' like a new age ability to nurture a strongly felt affinity for something and empowering it with thought. For Grace she soon learns she is the last human with the 'powers' DNA. There are two groups--of course, the good and bad--and Gregory is on one side (Anti-Powers), best friend Ben the other (Powers). Grace used to have a crush on Ben so when he admits his own feelings for her and the fact that he is her Guardian, things get complicated. Ben loves her but isn't allowed to do anything about it. There is a great group of others with 'powers' called the Misfits and they truly lit up the story. The Higher Council declared their powers not to be strong enough but the reader will disagree.
The author seamlessly weaves this new world with the human world and tosses in a few twists. Luckily this is a trilogy so we haven't seen the last of Grace, Ben and the rest. Discovery is an entertaining, sweetly romantic New Adult paranormal which older YA readers will also enjoy. Team Greg? Team Ben? That decision is a no-brainer. I'm Team Ben all the way. Let's hear it for the Misfits too!
(http://www.readergirlsblog.com/2013/0...)
Let me first say I found the beginning chapters to the story slow paced. Grace is a nice young woman, very demure, but I didn't feel an immediate connection to her. I liked her but it was her best friends Annie and Ben who intrigued me. The trio of friends, or as they call themselves, "the three amigos," work at a golf club. Grace is about to celebrate her 22nd birthday and Annie wants to throw her a party. When Gregory Reich walks into the club, things immediately change for Grace. She's attracted to him and Annie tries to help get the two together. From then on the story picked up and the further I read pieces from the 'slow' beginning began to fall into place.
I really liked the idea of people having 'powers' like a new age ability to nurture a strongly felt affinity for something and empowering it with thought. For Grace she soon learns she is the last human with the 'powers' DNA. There are two groups--of course, the good and bad--and Gregory is on one side (Anti-Powers), best friend Ben the other (Powers). Grace used to have a crush on Ben so when he admits his own feelings for her and the fact that he is her Guardian, things get complicated. Ben loves her but isn't allowed to do anything about it. There is a great group of others with 'powers' called the Misfits and they truly lit up the story. The Higher Council declared their powers not to be strong enough but the reader will disagree.
The author seamlessly weaves this new world with the human world and tosses in a few twists. Luckily this is a trilogy so we haven't seen the last of Grace, Ben and the rest. Discovery is an entertaining, sweetly romantic New Adult paranormal which older YA readers will also enjoy. Team Greg? Team Ben? That decision is a no-brainer. I'm Team Ben all the way. Let's hear it for the Misfits too!
(http://www.readergirlsblog.com/2013/0...)
July 20, 2013
Grace is your average 20-ish woman, she controls her own destiny. Though she was orphaned early in life, that fact doesn't effect her life in a big way. She has the security of friends for family, and everyone seems to love her. Unfortunately, things aren't always the way they appear.
Ben is Grace's best friend, but he harboring secrets that could get thrown right off the friends list, and rebuffing her love while hiding his own feelings in one of them. But, there's more going on than whether or not he can allow himself to love Grace, and it all has to be with the Power, controlling his destiny and hers.
When the Anti-Powers enter Grace's life, as her protector, Ben does the only thing he can... he secrets her away...
Discovery by Lisa White introduces us to a new world where, once upon a time, Powers really existed. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman... they all have their beginnings somewhere, right? But, when people come to resent those with the Powers, they go into hiding. Until a faction splinters off, and the Anti-Powers were born. It's Ben's job to protect Grace from the Anti-Powers, she has the ability to save both the Powers and the human race, it's all about her DNA, if the Powers are in time.... if they can overcome the Anti-Powers out to annihilate both.
Discovery is a lite fantasy read that brings to light how the Powers could have possibly come into being. It was a fun, fast read that I enjoyed immensely! And when I found out the backstory of how Ms. White brought Super Heroes into the picture, it brought me back to the hours upon hours I spent as a child delving into those very worlds, comic books and I have a long history! If you LOVE comic books, you will enjoy this story. If you've ever spent time wondering about how all those worlds came to be, this is the book for you! I highly recommend this book to lite fantasy readers, lite sweet paranormal romance lovers, and enjoyers of the comic book tradition. As well as those readers who love the new genre of New Adult, this is a must read.
Five out of five fairy kisses for this reader.
Ben is Grace's best friend, but he harboring secrets that could get thrown right off the friends list, and rebuffing her love while hiding his own feelings in one of them. But, there's more going on than whether or not he can allow himself to love Grace, and it all has to be with the Power, controlling his destiny and hers.
When the Anti-Powers enter Grace's life, as her protector, Ben does the only thing he can... he secrets her away...
Discovery by Lisa White introduces us to a new world where, once upon a time, Powers really existed. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman... they all have their beginnings somewhere, right? But, when people come to resent those with the Powers, they go into hiding. Until a faction splinters off, and the Anti-Powers were born. It's Ben's job to protect Grace from the Anti-Powers, she has the ability to save both the Powers and the human race, it's all about her DNA, if the Powers are in time.... if they can overcome the Anti-Powers out to annihilate both.
Discovery is a lite fantasy read that brings to light how the Powers could have possibly come into being. It was a fun, fast read that I enjoyed immensely! And when I found out the backstory of how Ms. White brought Super Heroes into the picture, it brought me back to the hours upon hours I spent as a child delving into those very worlds, comic books and I have a long history! If you LOVE comic books, you will enjoy this story. If you've ever spent time wondering about how all those worlds came to be, this is the book for you! I highly recommend this book to lite fantasy readers, lite sweet paranormal romance lovers, and enjoyers of the comic book tradition. As well as those readers who love the new genre of New Adult, this is a must read.
Five out of five fairy kisses for this reader.
July 15, 2013
First of all, thank goodness this is a trilogy because I finished reading this around 2am on Saturday morning and was like, "WHAT?! You can't leave me like this!" and I woke up Matt (who should be used to these kinds of wake up calls by now) and as I'm telling him how amazing this book was, he was giving me the look like he didn't care.
But you'll care. I just know it.
I will say, that the books is really well written and I absolutely loved it, but it read like a YA. Now, if you like YA novels (like me), you won't even care and you'll love it just the same. If you aren't a fan of YA, you might not like it, though I do still think you should give it a try. I did notice a few Twilight references in the book (the ball game, the running at fast speeds on Ben's back, etc) but it's not enough for you to think it's an issue. Oh, another Twilight like reference? The council. Now, I don't think the council is as bad as the Volturi (we'll see), but it still feels like this doom meeting as you get further and further into the book. Oh, and the council? I totally knew who was on it. I'm just happy I was right.
The love story between Grace and Ben is kind of adorable and you'll find yourself rooting for them the entire time. There are lots of characters that have been introduced that I bet make more appearances in later books and maybe a larger impact in the greater story, but that's kind of a good thing. I don't like too many characters thrown at you with major story lines and you're forced to keep it all straight over the span of multiple books. Lisa White is a great author and I've read a few of her other books as well so I was not surprised to like this book as much as I did. I highly recommend this one!
http://strandupdate.blogspot.com
But you'll care. I just know it.
I will say, that the books is really well written and I absolutely loved it, but it read like a YA. Now, if you like YA novels (like me), you won't even care and you'll love it just the same. If you aren't a fan of YA, you might not like it, though I do still think you should give it a try. I did notice a few Twilight references in the book (the ball game, the running at fast speeds on Ben's back, etc) but it's not enough for you to think it's an issue. Oh, another Twilight like reference? The council. Now, I don't think the council is as bad as the Volturi (we'll see), but it still feels like this doom meeting as you get further and further into the book. Oh, and the council? I totally knew who was on it. I'm just happy I was right.
The love story between Grace and Ben is kind of adorable and you'll find yourself rooting for them the entire time. There are lots of characters that have been introduced that I bet make more appearances in later books and maybe a larger impact in the greater story, but that's kind of a good thing. I don't like too many characters thrown at you with major story lines and you're forced to keep it all straight over the span of multiple books. Lisa White is a great author and I've read a few of her other books as well so I was not surprised to like this book as much as I did. I highly recommend this one!
http://strandupdate.blogspot.com
June 23, 2013
Discovery by Lisa White is an engaging paranormal tale, geared toward the YA audience. With no explicit sex, I would not hesitate recommending it for an audience ranging from ages 12-13 on.
Although geared for the younger set, adults will also enjoy Discovery. Ms. White's world building is excellent, creating a page-turner about young adult superheroes and a beautiful teenage heroine named Grace, who straddles the supernatural world and the "real" world of ordinary humans. Grace's friend, Ben, and her new boyfriend, Gregory, struggle for Grace's favor as she tries to find her way. The twists and turns of these relationships are deftly handled by Ms. White, and she throws in a few curves I didn't see coming. It is delicious when an author can do that! The ending will leave you satisfied, but wanting more, and I'm happy to report that the sequel is forthcoming. Kudos to Ms. White for creating such an imaginative read!
Although geared for the younger set, adults will also enjoy Discovery. Ms. White's world building is excellent, creating a page-turner about young adult superheroes and a beautiful teenage heroine named Grace, who straddles the supernatural world and the "real" world of ordinary humans. Grace's friend, Ben, and her new boyfriend, Gregory, struggle for Grace's favor as she tries to find her way. The twists and turns of these relationships are deftly handled by Ms. White, and she throws in a few curves I didn't see coming. It is delicious when an author can do that! The ending will leave you satisfied, but wanting more, and I'm happy to report that the sequel is forthcoming. Kudos to Ms. White for creating such an imaginative read!
July 25, 2013
Girl is best friends with boy. Boy has secret powers. Girl has a crush on boy. Boy loves girl but he's her Guardian, not her Chosen One. Let the drama begin!
This was a fun supernatural YA fiction read. I had a little bit of a hard time getting into it at the beginning but once I was in I was on a rollercoaster, finding out about Grace's secret life just as she did. She eventually meets a group called the Misfits, which was probably one of my favorite parts of the book. And the little twist at the end? Well, I love a good twist!
The only thing I had a hard time with was how timid Grace was. Hiding behind her Guardian, shy and garded about EVERYTHING. Maybe it's just me but I love a good, strong female MC. I'm hoping that as this series progresses Grace will grow a backbone and stand up for herself.
Otherwise it was a fun read and I'm excited to see what else this series has in store!
This was a fun supernatural YA fiction read. I had a little bit of a hard time getting into it at the beginning but once I was in I was on a rollercoaster, finding out about Grace's secret life just as she did. She eventually meets a group called the Misfits, which was probably one of my favorite parts of the book. And the little twist at the end? Well, I love a good twist!
The only thing I had a hard time with was how timid Grace was. Hiding behind her Guardian, shy and garded about EVERYTHING. Maybe it's just me but I love a good, strong female MC. I'm hoping that as this series progresses Grace will grow a backbone and stand up for herself.
Otherwise it was a fun read and I'm excited to see what else this series has in store!
August 21, 2013
Full review and a recipe inspired by the book coming soon (8/21) on the blog. http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/
Review Excerpt:
"Discovery" ends with a mild cliff hanger--not entirely satisfying but making me interested in reading the second book. As she spent most of "Discovery" either unaware, making some not-so-smart choices and being a bit of a victim as the world as she knows it completely changes, I look for Grace to hopefully further develop and gain more confidence and maturity in the next books. Although new adult romance isn't a genre I read a lot of, the writing and paranormal themes kept me engaged and entertained and got me to escape for a bit on my Kindle--just what I needed during a crazy couple of months.
Full book review and a recipe inspired by the book here:
http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
Review Excerpt:
"Discovery" ends with a mild cliff hanger--not entirely satisfying but making me interested in reading the second book. As she spent most of "Discovery" either unaware, making some not-so-smart choices and being a bit of a victim as the world as she knows it completely changes, I look for Grace to hopefully further develop and gain more confidence and maturity in the next books. Although new adult romance isn't a genre I read a lot of, the writing and paranormal themes kept me engaged and entertained and got me to escape for a bit on my Kindle--just what I needed during a crazy couple of months.
Full book review and a recipe inspired by the book here:
http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
June 11, 2013
Discovery is a wonderful blend of the very popular "new adult" genre and paranormal romance. The young heroine, Grace, is just beginning her life as a young adult, and she has high hopes for her future and a not-small crush on her best friend, Ben. Then, all of her hopes are dashed when Ben kidnaps her and informs her of the paranormal world she has unknowingly been embroiled in all along. This book had some great moments. My favorite part of Discovery was the references to pop culture (the best example: Stan Lee creating his superheroes to cover for the paranormal beings known as "Powers"). New Adult fans will love Discovery!
November 21, 2014
Interesting book with a well-developed setup. The main characters are believable and easy to root for and I am most deninately interested in reading the next book.
March 23, 2014
a good read about psych powers
August 14, 2013
I've been reading a lot of Young Adult Paranormal lately and I suppose it becomes very difficult not to constantly compare one work with the next. I worried through the first few chapters that perhaps I'd hit my limit...hit my wall so to speak. The story just didn't grab me the same way that others had and I found Lisa White's writing style, though adequate, to be lacking in that certain finesse that I tend to appreciate. OK I admit it...I tend to be a fan of the lyric and verbose...I'll try not to hold that against Ms White!
Admittedly this one does start out pretty slowly and one doesn't find any immediate way to connect with Grace, the main character. Annie her best friend actually provides a bit more interest and I daresay that Ben is a keeper from his first scene. The story is all a bit too High School Love Triangle Drama for me at the start but that may be more a case of "it's me not you" as I am clearly no longer a young adult myself. Also for a short time, I also started to feel like I was reading a bad combination of the television programs Heroes and Alphas .
Luckily though, this aspect of the book passes and we move into the later part of the book which I came to quite enjoy. I loved how Ben takes charge and I adored meeting all of the "Misfits"! That group and their town quickly made an impression on me. I also loved the little bits of humor and pop culture that were woven in: you'll see what I mean if you pick this one up. From that point, I connected with the book and didn't want to put it down until I found out how it all would end.
Note: I also feel the need to say that I appreciated the fact that this book really did seem to target the young adult audience (although the characters may best fit into the New Adult age bracket.) Sadly not all YA that I read these days is something that I'd feel comfortable passing on to a pre-teen or young teen but this would be one that I'd recommend to that group without hesitation. It is sweet and romantic without stretching the limits.
Admittedly this one does start out pretty slowly and one doesn't find any immediate way to connect with Grace, the main character. Annie her best friend actually provides a bit more interest and I daresay that Ben is a keeper from his first scene. The story is all a bit too High School Love Triangle Drama for me at the start but that may be more a case of "it's me not you" as I am clearly no longer a young adult myself. Also for a short time, I also started to feel like I was reading a bad combination of the television programs Heroes and Alphas .
Luckily though, this aspect of the book passes and we move into the later part of the book which I came to quite enjoy. I loved how Ben takes charge and I adored meeting all of the "Misfits"! That group and their town quickly made an impression on me. I also loved the little bits of humor and pop culture that were woven in: you'll see what I mean if you pick this one up. From that point, I connected with the book and didn't want to put it down until I found out how it all would end.
Note: I also feel the need to say that I appreciated the fact that this book really did seem to target the young adult audience (although the characters may best fit into the New Adult age bracket.) Sadly not all YA that I read these days is something that I'd feel comfortable passing on to a pre-teen or young teen but this would be one that I'd recommend to that group without hesitation. It is sweet and romantic without stretching the limits.
January 8, 2016
Powerful, mesmerizing, wicked, and vindictive. There are so many Powers and Anti-Powers that are hidden within plain sight. Even the Council has been actively watching and guarding Grace her entire life. The poor girl is thrown into a life she has no control over. After narrowly escaping a kidnapping, and certain tortuous tests, her life is still in the hands of the Council. When all Grace truly wants is Ben.
August 4, 2013
Review coming soon.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews