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The Keepers, #1
The Keepers
Ava's ordinary life is shattered when she is attacked and becomes involved in a secret society of magic.
Alongside the Keepers, Ava needs to mediate as the magics collide and are becoming out of control. She must Keep the increasing amount of secrets safe - even from her family. But there's a rising tension within this group as Ava replaces a fallen Keeper, and it becomes an issue of trust. The Rogues, betrayers to this creed, threaten to devastate the Keepers, who think themselves safe.
It will take both Ava’s inner and outer strength to overcome the chaos, or as she now knows, the Visma and, by extension, the mysterious Rogues that surround her.
Alongside the Keepers, Ava needs to mediate as the magics collide and are becoming out of control. She must Keep the increasing amount of secrets safe - even from her family. But there's a rising tension within this group as Ava replaces a fallen Keeper, and it becomes an issue of trust. The Rogues, betrayers to this creed, threaten to devastate the Keepers, who think themselves safe.
It will take both Ava’s inner and outer strength to overcome the chaos, or as she now knows, the Visma and, by extension, the mysterious Rogues that surround her.
- GenresSupernaturalYoung Adult
251 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2013
1 person is currently reading
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 14, 2016
**I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review**
I loved this book!! When I started reading, I couldn't put it down! It was very entertaining, and filled with action and romance! I really liked this one, it's original and I found the magical worlds the author created within our own are unique and elaborate and also find the characters intriguing.
The main character is Ava, she's brave and just all around a fun character. As she enters the Keepers realm, everything is new to her, she accepts her roles as a Keeper, and attends lessons. She may not be familiar with her powers yet, but she is learning.
I HOPE the author writes a sequel! I can't wait for more!!
Happy Reading!
~Ana @SoManyBooksSoLittleTime~
This review is also posted on my blog
I also posted this on Amazon.ca
I loved this book!! When I started reading, I couldn't put it down! It was very entertaining, and filled with action and romance! I really liked this one, it's original and I found the magical worlds the author created within our own are unique and elaborate and also find the characters intriguing.
The main character is Ava, she's brave and just all around a fun character. As she enters the Keepers realm, everything is new to her, she accepts her roles as a Keeper, and attends lessons. She may not be familiar with her powers yet, but she is learning.
I HOPE the author writes a sequel! I can't wait for more!!
Happy Reading!
~Ana @SoManyBooksSoLittleTime~
This review is also posted on my blog
I also posted this on Amazon.ca
July 14, 2019
First to say that I got the e-book free in exchange for a honest review( Lovers of Paranormal).
And to warn you - the review may contain spoilers.
Rating: 9 of 10
I admit I really loved the book. The plot was original, the characters were different and I just couldn't stop reading till I was done. I started reading the book yesterday afternoon and finished at 3am this morning.
So what I really liked so much about it?
First, of course, I liked the idea - the crystals, the city, the different races. The story is easy to read with a hint of humor here and there(oh, I loved Magenta and her cupcakes).
Second, I liked the fact that the main character wasn't just another stupid teenage girl with raging hormones. Ava is smart and that's the biggest compliment I can say about a main character in a book. She knows her steights and weaknesses and doesn't pretent to be something she isn't. Like when in the battle she went to hide(and my guess is most readers didn't like that) I was thinking "Good girl, If you can't fight, don't hinder the others.". Else said, I loved the fact that the girl actually had brains and used them before acting. Not even once in the book I felt like "ugh, why the hell she doesn't do the most obvious thing and save herself the trouble?".
Third, I liked the fact that even if there was a big potential for romance, it wasn't like "OMG, he is so hot, I am in love with him for the rest of my life." The romace is building slowly - from strangers to friends in this book and in the next ones(I hope) to something more. I think that Ava still doesn't realize she is actually falling for Andre and I am pretty OK with it. Andre on the other hand, I think, is pretty much aware that he have fallen for her. I would love to know more about Andre's past. Jason thought, confused me a little. I couldn't decide if he was acting like a protective brother or a jealous boyfriend.
Now to mention what I didn't like so much:
First and foremost, the ending was a bit rushed for me. Andre saw Ava use her telekhinesis and I sort of don't believe that he won't confront her about it the first chance he gets. And I think we should have seen more about how the other characters - Magenta, Marcus, Miranda, Liang, etc.- are dealing with their grief.
I read other reviews about this book and a lot of people mentions there was many mistakes in it. If you are wondering why I am not mentioning it, the answer is pretty simple - as not a native speaker I don't really notice them, my English is not that good.(And as I know there is probably a lot of mistakes in my review I apologize in advance to everybody who finds them annoying. Let me know and I will fix them.)
Altogether, the book is a great read and I can recommend it to everybody who wants to read something a bit different than the normal sugar romances.(Don't get me wrong, I have big sweet tooth and love romance but I like it more when I actually see it building and not happening instantly.)Can't wait for the second book!
And to warn you - the review may contain spoilers.
Rating: 9 of 10
I admit I really loved the book. The plot was original, the characters were different and I just couldn't stop reading till I was done. I started reading the book yesterday afternoon and finished at 3am this morning.
So what I really liked so much about it?
First, of course, I liked the idea - the crystals, the city, the different races. The story is easy to read with a hint of humor here and there(oh, I loved Magenta and her cupcakes).
Second, I liked the fact that the main character wasn't just another stupid teenage girl with raging hormones. Ava is smart and that's the biggest compliment I can say about a main character in a book. She knows her steights and weaknesses and doesn't pretent to be something she isn't. Like when in the battle she went to hide(and my guess is most readers didn't like that) I was thinking "Good girl, If you can't fight, don't hinder the others.". Else said, I loved the fact that the girl actually had brains and used them before acting. Not even once in the book I felt like "ugh, why the hell she doesn't do the most obvious thing and save herself the trouble?".
Third, I liked the fact that even if there was a big potential for romance, it wasn't like "OMG, he is so hot, I am in love with him for the rest of my life." The romace is building slowly - from strangers to friends in this book and in the next ones(I hope) to something more. I think that Ava still doesn't realize she is actually falling for Andre and I am pretty OK with it. Andre on the other hand, I think, is pretty much aware that he have fallen for her. I would love to know more about Andre's past. Jason thought, confused me a little. I couldn't decide if he was acting like a protective brother or a jealous boyfriend.
Now to mention what I didn't like so much:
First and foremost, the ending was a bit rushed for me. Andre saw Ava use her telekhinesis and I sort of don't believe that he won't confront her about it the first chance he gets. And I think we should have seen more about how the other characters - Magenta, Marcus, Miranda, Liang, etc.- are dealing with their grief.
I read other reviews about this book and a lot of people mentions there was many mistakes in it. If you are wondering why I am not mentioning it, the answer is pretty simple - as not a native speaker I don't really notice them, my English is not that good.(And as I know there is probably a lot of mistakes in my review I apologize in advance to everybody who finds them annoying. Let me know and I will fix them.)
Altogether, the book is a great read and I can recommend it to everybody who wants to read something a bit different than the normal sugar romances.(Don't get me wrong, I have big sweet tooth and love romance but I like it more when I actually see it building and not happening instantly.)Can't wait for the second book!
Read
January 16, 2014Abandoning at 50%.
I know it sounds awful to say this but it just isn’t very interesting. And the saddest part of all is that it’s not the plot or the characters that aren’t interesting, because they are, but it’s the actual storytelling itself, the way the author chooses passive words and awkward dialogue tags and inconsistent characterisation to tell this story. The entire book is written in passive voice. It’s painful, because I want to like this and I actually do want to know what happens further on, but I’m so bored by all the little things – info-dump question and answer sessions, training, learning, even action scenes – that I can’t bring myself to read the rest of it.
By 50% I’m sure the writing won’t improve and I’m bored. By continuing I feel like I’m leading the book on: if I were dating someone and it just wasn’t working, would I continue to force it until I ended up marrying the guy or could I cut it off after the first few awkward dates?
Consider this me breaking up with this book.
It’s not you, book, it’s me. (Except it is mostly you.)
I know it sounds awful to say this but it just isn’t very interesting. And the saddest part of all is that it’s not the plot or the characters that aren’t interesting, because they are, but it’s the actual storytelling itself, the way the author chooses passive words and awkward dialogue tags and inconsistent characterisation to tell this story. The entire book is written in passive voice. It’s painful, because I want to like this and I actually do want to know what happens further on, but I’m so bored by all the little things – info-dump question and answer sessions, training, learning, even action scenes – that I can’t bring myself to read the rest of it.
By 50% I’m sure the writing won’t improve and I’m bored. By continuing I feel like I’m leading the book on: if I were dating someone and it just wasn’t working, would I continue to force it until I ended up marrying the guy or could I cut it off after the first few awkward dates?
Consider this me breaking up with this book.
It’s not you, book, it’s me. (Except it is mostly you.)
October 10, 2013
***I was given this book in exchange for an honest review from Lovers of Paranormal.***
I absolutely LOVED it. I loved it from start to finish. I really needed something like this and it came after a few books slump.
I loved the concept of the Keepers and their awesome abilities...I love how they have Saenta, it sounds magical.
I can't wait to see what makes Ava special, why is she different, I love her as a heroine.
I also love Andre...yeah that's all I'm gonna say about it right now.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT LIBRARY!!!
Also, what a way to end the first novel....that is how it's done...I literally CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE.
5 stars.
I absolutely LOVED it. I loved it from start to finish. I really needed something like this and it came after a few books slump.
I loved the concept of the Keepers and their awesome abilities...I love how they have Saenta, it sounds magical.
I can't wait to see what makes Ava special, why is she different, I love her as a heroine.
I also love Andre...yeah that's all I'm gonna say about it right now.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT LIBRARY!!!
Also, what a way to end the first novel....that is how it's done...I literally CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE.
5 stars.
September 20, 2013
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review ( Lovers of Paranormal).That was not found me a beautiful world that I loved and I would definitely recommend this book is so prennant from beginning to end. The character Ava is découvret in the trilogy and will have an adventure without previous. I was pleasantly surprised and I have not been able to stop me so I was taken in this reading.
February 7, 2014
I recieved this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book is about a 18 year old girl getting involved in a magic organisation.
Ava is taking a gap-year in order to find out what she really wants. She is intelligent, friendly, curious and stands up for herself. After "finding" a crystal she has the choice to enter a magical organisation; the keepers. The keepers consist of representatives of different magical races and they taks is to protect. However they don't tend to deal a lot with mare humans.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved how Ava questions the magical life and also misses the good things about her "old" and "normal" life. And also that the romance is not immediate and love at first sight but slowly building.
I like that the authers creates new magical races. The world she creates makes sense (she even included a map, I love maps in books!!). She describes everything interesting but doesn't go overboard with descriptions so it doesn't get boring. It is a very good and enjoyable debut however J.L. Block still has room to improve ;-) I am looking forward to the next book!
I didn't give the last star, because of a few things I personally think should be in any good fantasy/youth novel. If possible I would give the books 3 1/2 stars.
- I thought there could be a bit more humour in the book.
- I just love characters who a verbally more aggressive and have a good portion of sarcasm.
- The author only quickly interduced the training Ava has to undergo but doesn't really follow it. I would have enjoyed to watch Ava how she figths with herself in the defense lessons and how she interacts with André during the tonic lessons. I can't really imagine that Ava is very talented in making tonics...
- I also would have enjoyed more sences with Ava and her friends. Just one time baked muffins together and that's it.
- I was also confused about the teleporting. I thought you could only go to a place if you know what it looks like. So how did she manage to teleport to her first meditation lesson?
The book is about a 18 year old girl getting involved in a magic organisation.
Ava is taking a gap-year in order to find out what she really wants. She is intelligent, friendly, curious and stands up for herself. After "finding" a crystal she has the choice to enter a magical organisation; the keepers. The keepers consist of representatives of different magical races and they taks is to protect. However they don't tend to deal a lot with mare humans.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved how Ava questions the magical life and also misses the good things about her "old" and "normal" life. And also that the romance is not immediate and love at first sight but slowly building.
I like that the authers creates new magical races. The world she creates makes sense (she even included a map, I love maps in books!!). She describes everything interesting but doesn't go overboard with descriptions so it doesn't get boring. It is a very good and enjoyable debut however J.L. Block still has room to improve ;-) I am looking forward to the next book!
I didn't give the last star, because of a few things I personally think should be in any good fantasy/youth novel. If possible I would give the books 3 1/2 stars.
- I thought there could be a bit more humour in the book.
- I just love characters who a verbally more aggressive and have a good portion of sarcasm.
- The author only quickly interduced the training Ava has to undergo but doesn't really follow it. I would have enjoyed to watch Ava how she figths with herself in the defense lessons and how she interacts with André during the tonic lessons. I can't really imagine that Ava is very talented in making tonics...
- I also would have enjoyed more sences with Ava and her friends. Just one time baked muffins together and that's it.
- I was also confused about the teleporting. I thought you could only go to a place if you know what it looks like. So how did she manage to teleport to her first meditation lesson?
November 14, 2013
I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Story: This novel was a pleasant surprise, as I tend to be a bit picky with my scifi and magic genre novels. I liked the premise and the magical world that was created. Bits were added as it went along, which was better than bombarding me with details; there was a lot going on, and thanks to the writing and a handy map, following along wasn't complicated.
Characters: What I particularly liked was that the relationships weren't forced and felt realistic. There are a ton of characters, but they didn't overcrowd the story; just enriched it. I also loved that the protagonist wasn't a 16 year old high school student, but instead, out of high school.
Style: things are explained a lot; what the chapter is thinking, why something is what it is, etc. while this may annoy some, I didn't mind it as it helped me better understand the world the author is laying out.
In all a solid book and one that fans of this genre will enjoy. Can't wait for book 2!!!
Story: This novel was a pleasant surprise, as I tend to be a bit picky with my scifi and magic genre novels. I liked the premise and the magical world that was created. Bits were added as it went along, which was better than bombarding me with details; there was a lot going on, and thanks to the writing and a handy map, following along wasn't complicated.
Characters: What I particularly liked was that the relationships weren't forced and felt realistic. There are a ton of characters, but they didn't overcrowd the story; just enriched it. I also loved that the protagonist wasn't a 16 year old high school student, but instead, out of high school.
Style: things are explained a lot; what the chapter is thinking, why something is what it is, etc. while this may annoy some, I didn't mind it as it helped me better understand the world the author is laying out.
In all a solid book and one that fans of this genre will enjoy. Can't wait for book 2!!!
June 27, 2013
The Keepers (The Keepers Trilogy, #1) J.L. Block
Ava a young woman walking home one day gets attacked in an alley. She is reluctant to tell her best friend and Father. Soon she finds out about a secret magical society and that she is to become part of this. She begins her training as a Keeper, one who protects her kind.
She is up against some dangerous Rouges, they are a danger to her new found secret world. She works hard in training and although reluctant to take on this mission to protect, she does what she must to keep the world secret and safe.
Fast paced, fun read. I feel The Keepers will appeal to Y/A as well as Adult readers who enjoy fantasy reads. Also I must admit the cover art was amazing, very appealing to the eye. I look forward to more in this series.
Ava a young woman walking home one day gets attacked in an alley. She is reluctant to tell her best friend and Father. Soon she finds out about a secret magical society and that she is to become part of this. She begins her training as a Keeper, one who protects her kind.
She is up against some dangerous Rouges, they are a danger to her new found secret world. She works hard in training and although reluctant to take on this mission to protect, she does what she must to keep the world secret and safe.
Fast paced, fun read. I feel The Keepers will appeal to Y/A as well as Adult readers who enjoy fantasy reads. Also I must admit the cover art was amazing, very appealing to the eye. I look forward to more in this series.
February 19, 2014
**I recieved this book in exchange for an honest review**
I've loved this book so much that i could not stop reading it till it was finished!
I think Ava is awesome,smart, strong, confident and really funny! She knows what she wants and she makes the impossible to get it! I believe that the power she has shown in this book is just the glance of her full power.
I like both Jason and André they both know how to protect Ava in their own ways.
I also really love Magenta she makes everything funny!
And of course i find The Keepers and all their powers very interesting.
I would really love to read the sequels!I just want to know more about the Keepers, more about Ava's powers and more about everyone else in this book.
I can't wait for more!!
I've loved this book so much that i could not stop reading it till it was finished!
I think Ava is awesome,smart, strong, confident and really funny! She knows what she wants and she makes the impossible to get it! I believe that the power she has shown in this book is just the glance of her full power.
I like both Jason and André they both know how to protect Ava in their own ways.
I also really love Magenta she makes everything funny!
And of course i find The Keepers and all their powers very interesting.
I would really love to read the sequels!I just want to know more about the Keepers, more about Ava's powers and more about everyone else in this book.
I can't wait for more!!
Read
February 10, 2014DNF
I really tried. I read 60% and realized that I was daydreaming in the middle of it. I loved the concept but the execution left me confused. I didn't feel like the pace flowed well enough to keep me entertained. Sorry :( I really had high hopes for this one!
This book was given to me for a fair and honest review.
Read more on my blog Home Is Where the Wine Is Book Blog or Facebook Home Is Where the Wine Is Facebook page
I really tried. I read 60% and realized that I was daydreaming in the middle of it. I loved the concept but the execution left me confused. I didn't feel like the pace flowed well enough to keep me entertained. Sorry :( I really had high hopes for this one!
This book was given to me for a fair and honest review.
Read more on my blog Home Is Where the Wine Is Book Blog or Facebook Home Is Where the Wine Is Facebook page
July 20, 2013
I was given this book in exchange for honest review (LoP). Amazing read! Ava has been attacked and thrown into magic world. Ava needs to mediate as the magics collide and are becoming out of control. I highly recommend this book.
October 28, 2013
Started out thinking I wasn't going to like this book due to the fact I generally read paranormal romance, but I was pleasantly surprised. I thoroughly enjoyed it can't wait to read the next one.
August 24, 2013
Original Review posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
Disclaimer: The author provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.
What I Liked About the Book:
The Cover – It's sooo pretty and beautiful. The artist is definitely extremely talented. I know I'm not exactly the person who judges a book by it's cover, but... I'm just attracted to them. And then the synopsis gets the glory.
Great Potential – Quite different from other fantasy books, which is a nice breather. I'm sure there are the books out there that have something to do with crystals, but as I rack my brains and shuffle through its files virtually I haven't exactly read a book about crystals yet.
Diversity of Characters – I, for one thing, am always glad you can distinguish the characters' personalities enough that if The Keepers were written in multiple POVs, it would be pretty distinguishable. There are always going to be characters that we dislike and like, but at least they're not all... the same.
But... there's just one problem that's breaking the mold for a potentially good book. I'll let you go on down to the not so very pleasant parts of the review.
What I Disliked About the Book:
With Pros, comes Cons. Now you're probably wishing you're living in a utopia. If only life was that easy, I wouldn't be so blunt in the next bullet. Because I was honestly hoping that with a pretty cover, the story would be really good and I'll be hopping on over to my book club and recommend the book within the next few months (oh, I do that. I refuse to tell most people so. >:)).
Errors – I don't usually talk about editing, grammar, spelling and the whatnot when it comes to self published books unless it's a pro, in which I'll probably be squealing in delight behind the screen and doing a seriously lame cheer because I certainly won't pass into the cheerleading team (I'm not interested in cheerleading either). But in this case, I feel like I just might have to mention it because... yikes. They were simply A LOT. And they were quite the distraction.
I can probably go on about errors all day, so I'll just say there were a lot and go on with the review. They irk me and drive me up the wall after the amount reaches a certain amount of capacity. My teenaged brain can only handle so much before I do something really... regrettable later (such as turning into Crabby Daughter without eating a single Crabby Patty or a Crabby Reviewer, which I'm sure no one wants). I did however... nearly chuck the book across the room due to the errors. Not that I can chuck an ebook across the room without breaking my precious laptop, because that will simply lead to a turmoil of other consequences.
But that was pretty much the only thing I disliked about the book.
Overall Thoughts: Not so great book, really good potential but like I said. I can probably go on about how much I dislike errors all day. There were just... a lot. I think I need to grab a thesaurus now; I'm using too many “a lots.”
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
Disclaimer: The author provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.
What I Liked About the Book:
The Cover – It's sooo pretty and beautiful. The artist is definitely extremely talented. I know I'm not exactly the person who judges a book by it's cover, but... I'm just attracted to them. And then the synopsis gets the glory.
Great Potential – Quite different from other fantasy books, which is a nice breather. I'm sure there are the books out there that have something to do with crystals, but as I rack my brains and shuffle through its files virtually I haven't exactly read a book about crystals yet.
Diversity of Characters – I, for one thing, am always glad you can distinguish the characters' personalities enough that if The Keepers were written in multiple POVs, it would be pretty distinguishable. There are always going to be characters that we dislike and like, but at least they're not all... the same.
But... there's just one problem that's breaking the mold for a potentially good book. I'll let you go on down to the not so very pleasant parts of the review.
What I Disliked About the Book:
With Pros, comes Cons. Now you're probably wishing you're living in a utopia. If only life was that easy, I wouldn't be so blunt in the next bullet. Because I was honestly hoping that with a pretty cover, the story would be really good and I'll be hopping on over to my book club and recommend the book within the next few months (oh, I do that. I refuse to tell most people so. >:)).
Errors – I don't usually talk about editing, grammar, spelling and the whatnot when it comes to self published books unless it's a pro, in which I'll probably be squealing in delight behind the screen and doing a seriously lame cheer because I certainly won't pass into the cheerleading team (I'm not interested in cheerleading either). But in this case, I feel like I just might have to mention it because... yikes. They were simply A LOT. And they were quite the distraction.
I can probably go on about errors all day, so I'll just say there were a lot and go on with the review. They irk me and drive me up the wall after the amount reaches a certain amount of capacity. My teenaged brain can only handle so much before I do something really... regrettable later (such as turning into Crabby Daughter without eating a single Crabby Patty or a Crabby Reviewer, which I'm sure no one wants). I did however... nearly chuck the book across the room due to the errors. Not that I can chuck an ebook across the room without breaking my precious laptop, because that will simply lead to a turmoil of other consequences.
But that was pretty much the only thing I disliked about the book.
Overall Thoughts: Not so great book, really good potential but like I said. I can probably go on about how much I dislike errors all day. There were just... a lot. I think I need to grab a thesaurus now; I'm using too many “a lots.”
November 4, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review contains spoilers.
Ava Fuller is an ordinary girl whose life seems to take a rather extraordinary turn.
Ava lives at home with her father, step mother and baby sister. She finished high school and took the year off to decide what she wants to do college-wise and spends time with her pre-med best friend, Jason.
Ava has a fear of something lurking in the dark. She thinks she is going to get attacked and one night, she does get attacked in the alley way near her work. This is the beginning of Ava’s journey to discover that she is involved with a secret society of magic.
As part of this society, she is what is called a Keeper. Her role is to work with her fellow Keepers to intervene when there are magic forces at work within a particular society. As she is introduced to this society, there are many obstacles that Ava must face both with her new friends and her old.
The fact that she cannot reveal the existence of this society tears Ava’s regular life up. She feels like her relationships with her father and Jason are becoming irreparably damaged. Where does Ava fit now?
This is J. L. Block’s debut novel and I think she is off to a great start. There were twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting. I thought this book was rather creative in the way the author created this society, magical races and an intriguing plot. I think there could have been a bit more character development with some of the characters. For example, I think André was rather dry. I get that his character was very standoffish and went by the book, but I think he could have loosened up a bit.
Some of the questions I was left with were as follows:
- Is there more to Ava and Jason’s best friend status?
- Why doesn’t Jason try to find out more about what is really going on? I would love to know more backstory about his reaction to André.
- What is André’s story? Will we find out why he is so stiff?
- Will there be a love triangle between Jason, Ava and André?
- It seems like every other Keeper has strength. I realize she is just beginning her training, but what are Ava’s strengths as a Keeper? She still seems rather mediocre in her skills
- Where is the fallen angel part of the story taking us?
With all of that said, I rated this book 4 stars and very much looking forward to seeing how the rest of the story goes. Great job and thanks for sharing your story!
Ava Fuller is an ordinary girl whose life seems to take a rather extraordinary turn.
Ava lives at home with her father, step mother and baby sister. She finished high school and took the year off to decide what she wants to do college-wise and spends time with her pre-med best friend, Jason.
Ava has a fear of something lurking in the dark. She thinks she is going to get attacked and one night, she does get attacked in the alley way near her work. This is the beginning of Ava’s journey to discover that she is involved with a secret society of magic.
As part of this society, she is what is called a Keeper. Her role is to work with her fellow Keepers to intervene when there are magic forces at work within a particular society. As she is introduced to this society, there are many obstacles that Ava must face both with her new friends and her old.
The fact that she cannot reveal the existence of this society tears Ava’s regular life up. She feels like her relationships with her father and Jason are becoming irreparably damaged. Where does Ava fit now?
This is J. L. Block’s debut novel and I think she is off to a great start. There were twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting. I thought this book was rather creative in the way the author created this society, magical races and an intriguing plot. I think there could have been a bit more character development with some of the characters. For example, I think André was rather dry. I get that his character was very standoffish and went by the book, but I think he could have loosened up a bit.
Some of the questions I was left with were as follows:
- Is there more to Ava and Jason’s best friend status?
- Why doesn’t Jason try to find out more about what is really going on? I would love to know more backstory about his reaction to André.
- What is André’s story? Will we find out why he is so stiff?
- Will there be a love triangle between Jason, Ava and André?
- It seems like every other Keeper has strength. I realize she is just beginning her training, but what are Ava’s strengths as a Keeper? She still seems rather mediocre in her skills
- Where is the fallen angel part of the story taking us?
With all of that said, I rated this book 4 stars and very much looking forward to seeing how the rest of the story goes. Great job and thanks for sharing your story!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2013
I had a really tough time with this book. My biggest roadblock is that I'm unsure what age range it was written for. While Ava is fresh out of high school and sitting on that cusp of adulthood, she acted a lot younger than that. The writing style at times seemed to be for a younger age group with repetitive phrasing and rehashing events that had already been explained. Frankly, it confused me because I wasn't expecting it and it took me out of the story.
I was also frustrated by the way all the older Keepers dismissed Ava's very valid concerns about security issues. The "it's never happened before, therefore it will never happen in the future" defense isn't really something you want to be banking your city's safety on. Not cool, leader dudes. Not.Cool.
I don't like to make my reviews all complainy pants but I'm having a hard time finding things that resonated with me. Between Ava's incredibly awful defense teacher (Hi, don't take out your frustrations on the kid who's never had defense lessons before!) to her family that went from worrying about her to letting her flit off with virtual strangers without saying a word to Ava's fear of killing WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BATTLE ... well, I'm struggling here. While the world was interesting, the way things would happen from scene to scene let me bewildered. Often times the answer to an issue was something that hadn't been hinted at or introduced previously and it ended up feeling very coincidental that they things Ava and her fellow Keepers needed to escape would be brought up at exactly the right moment.
Also? Keeping secrets of the sort Ava feels compelled to keep never works out well. Spill them! SPILL THEM ALL!
I'm not sure if I'm just not in the mood for this type of urban fantasy-style book right now or if the writing and character issues were the culprit but, unfortunately, this book didn't work for me.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
I was also frustrated by the way all the older Keepers dismissed Ava's very valid concerns about security issues. The "it's never happened before, therefore it will never happen in the future" defense isn't really something you want to be banking your city's safety on. Not cool, leader dudes. Not.Cool.
I don't like to make my reviews all complainy pants but I'm having a hard time finding things that resonated with me. Between Ava's incredibly awful defense teacher (Hi, don't take out your frustrations on the kid who's never had defense lessons before!) to her family that went from worrying about her to letting her flit off with virtual strangers without saying a word to Ava's fear of killing WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BATTLE ... well, I'm struggling here. While the world was interesting, the way things would happen from scene to scene let me bewildered. Often times the answer to an issue was something that hadn't been hinted at or introduced previously and it ended up feeling very coincidental that they things Ava and her fellow Keepers needed to escape would be brought up at exactly the right moment.
Also? Keeping secrets of the sort Ava feels compelled to keep never works out well. Spill them! SPILL THEM ALL!
I'm not sure if I'm just not in the mood for this type of urban fantasy-style book right now or if the writing and character issues were the culprit but, unfortunately, this book didn't work for me.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
October 11, 2013
R2R (LoP) The Keepers
I received a free copy, from LoP, in exchange for a review.
Ava finds out that there is a lot more to this world than she had thought. Who knew that magic really did exist and that there are different races of magical people. One day, she notices a strange man, sitting across from her house and she cannot shake the feeling that something is just not right. When a mysterious green stone is left on the bench, she instantly snatches it up and something strange happens. She feels as if she needs to protect this stone and not let anyone see, touch or take it away from her. Little did she know that this innocent stone was just the beginning to an introduction to this other world, one where she is accepted as a Keeper and is trying to help keep the peace, between all races of people, magical or otherwise.
' Magenta shook her head, making her long tangles hair shake in the direction of her disagreement, and pushed Ava's hand away gently. “Sorry, I can't take it. It's not really Andre's either. He was only the delivery guy. That crystal is yours, and you were chosen because you are the best for the job. This means you have two options: you can come with me and learn what we do and hot to protect yourself, or you can stay here and risk your life. Now that the Visma know about you, they will never stop attacking. Look, Ava, I'm sorry, but it's now or never. Are you coming?” '
As much as I wanted to give this a better rating, there was just something missing from the story. The characters and story line were interesting, but it lacked an overall feel to it. While I did finish reading this fairly quickly, it was a bit difficult to give it my all. I was almost bored with it, but wanted to know what happened. I'm not sure if I would be interested in reading the following books (assuming that there will be more) but, I would like to know what happens. It's just an overall strange way to feel about a story...
I received a free copy, from LoP, in exchange for a review.
Ava finds out that there is a lot more to this world than she had thought. Who knew that magic really did exist and that there are different races of magical people. One day, she notices a strange man, sitting across from her house and she cannot shake the feeling that something is just not right. When a mysterious green stone is left on the bench, she instantly snatches it up and something strange happens. She feels as if she needs to protect this stone and not let anyone see, touch or take it away from her. Little did she know that this innocent stone was just the beginning to an introduction to this other world, one where she is accepted as a Keeper and is trying to help keep the peace, between all races of people, magical or otherwise.
' Magenta shook her head, making her long tangles hair shake in the direction of her disagreement, and pushed Ava's hand away gently. “Sorry, I can't take it. It's not really Andre's either. He was only the delivery guy. That crystal is yours, and you were chosen because you are the best for the job. This means you have two options: you can come with me and learn what we do and hot to protect yourself, or you can stay here and risk your life. Now that the Visma know about you, they will never stop attacking. Look, Ava, I'm sorry, but it's now or never. Are you coming?” '
As much as I wanted to give this a better rating, there was just something missing from the story. The characters and story line were interesting, but it lacked an overall feel to it. While I did finish reading this fairly quickly, it was a bit difficult to give it my all. I was almost bored with it, but wanted to know what happened. I'm not sure if I would be interested in reading the following books (assuming that there will be more) but, I would like to know what happens. It's just an overall strange way to feel about a story...
August 20, 2013
where to begin..
The story itself is very good. I very much enjoyed the unique storyline and characters.
I did find the main char to unfitting of her roll for all but the last 5% of the book. Ava comes off as a whiny girl that’s too afraid of her own shadow to do anything. I completely understood the animosity some of the other Keepers had against her. There’s more than occasion where this character watched her companions in overwhelming fights and ran to hide instead of fight. It was disheartening when it’s a main character.
I loved how the other keepers carried themselves especially Andre.
I found a large number of errors including missing words in sentences and wrong tense words in sentences and one inconsistency involving Ava’s gem. They slightly impeded my reading because I had to make sure I was seeing correctly, I cannot speak on how they will affect other readers.
The book leaves off open, I don’t know if there is another one yet, but I’d read it.
This book has a ton of potential and a very good storyline.. However, with the amount of errors I found I can not give it the 4 I would love to give it.
I give this book 3 of 5 paw
November 13, 2013
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review. I was pleasantly surprised with this story. The Keepers is based on a hidden world of many magical races and Ava is the newest recruit in an organisation called “The Keepers” who are dedicated to the protection of all magical races.
The story line developed quite well and I felt it moved along at a steady pace. I enjoyed getting to know the different characters and also enjoyed seeing Ava grow into her role as Keeper. There were a few times when I thought “can’t Ava at least tell Jason about what she is doing”. But alas it did not ever come about. Maybe in the next book.
There were quite a few grammatical errors like some minor joining words missing and some wrong tense words, which tended to stop the flow of my reading and was a little annoying as I had to re-read to make sure I was reading correctly.
I like the authors take on the magical world. As I read the story I was a little unsure as to whether the enemy is actually the enemy. That is not resolved by the end of the book so I assume there are a few twists and turns to come in the next book of the series which by the way I cannot wait to read. I am not ready to give up Ava’s world just yet. The author gives a few hints to possible feelings between Ava and a few characters. I am intrigued with Andréa and wonder if there is anything there? This will surely cause a conflict within Ava herself as I can see the next book delving into that scenario.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys magical worlds that are not to airy fairy and also young adult.
The story line developed quite well and I felt it moved along at a steady pace. I enjoyed getting to know the different characters and also enjoyed seeing Ava grow into her role as Keeper. There were a few times when I thought “can’t Ava at least tell Jason about what she is doing”. But alas it did not ever come about. Maybe in the next book.
There were quite a few grammatical errors like some minor joining words missing and some wrong tense words, which tended to stop the flow of my reading and was a little annoying as I had to re-read to make sure I was reading correctly.
I like the authors take on the magical world. As I read the story I was a little unsure as to whether the enemy is actually the enemy. That is not resolved by the end of the book so I assume there are a few twists and turns to come in the next book of the series which by the way I cannot wait to read. I am not ready to give up Ava’s world just yet. The author gives a few hints to possible feelings between Ava and a few characters. I am intrigued with Andréa and wonder if there is anything there? This will surely cause a conflict within Ava herself as I can see the next book delving into that scenario.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys magical worlds that are not to airy fairy and also young adult.
February 9, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4 Star Story
2 Star Writing
The Keepers by J.L. Block is a creative story that is entertaining and has a clear plot line. The main character, Ava, is a young woman who is struggling to balance her home life with her new found magical one and we the readers follow her on that adventure. The magical races and cities were creative and well explained when they were explained. The Keepers city and Ava's classes were described in a way that made them seem real enough. Most of the side characters were brought to life with simple enough motivations and personalities that distinguishing between the many of them was easy to do.
That being said the writing was hard to follow and was the weakest portion of the book. In the beginning I often found myself having to re-read sentences a few time to capture their meaning and overcome some editing/typo problems and the sentence structure was lacking the flow that makes it unnoticeable when reading.
Ava was written in a way that made her feel younger than her 18/19 years and some of her decisions lacked the motivation I was expecting given the scene build up. Overall she seemed to stagnate in her growth and I was constantly waiting for her to step up to the challenges laid before her as the book progressed and as it covered almost a year in time I would have expected more of a character arc.
The main plot was straight forward and clear though often left with holes and foreshadowing I am hoping to see filled in the next book.
4 Star Story
2 Star Writing
The Keepers by J.L. Block is a creative story that is entertaining and has a clear plot line. The main character, Ava, is a young woman who is struggling to balance her home life with her new found magical one and we the readers follow her on that adventure. The magical races and cities were creative and well explained when they were explained. The Keepers city and Ava's classes were described in a way that made them seem real enough. Most of the side characters were brought to life with simple enough motivations and personalities that distinguishing between the many of them was easy to do.
That being said the writing was hard to follow and was the weakest portion of the book. In the beginning I often found myself having to re-read sentences a few time to capture their meaning and overcome some editing/typo problems and the sentence structure was lacking the flow that makes it unnoticeable when reading.
Ava was written in a way that made her feel younger than her 18/19 years and some of her decisions lacked the motivation I was expecting given the scene build up. Overall she seemed to stagnate in her growth and I was constantly waiting for her to step up to the challenges laid before her as the book progressed and as it covered almost a year in time I would have expected more of a character arc.
The main plot was straight forward and clear though often left with holes and foreshadowing I am hoping to see filled in the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2013
I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very entertaining book to read. It was filled with action and a little bit of romance, which I have a feeling may turn into a lot of romance in book two. I liked this book because it is a NA (new adult) read that is somewhat in an academy setting, but more like a training facility then a school setting, but those are my favourites. J.L. Block is so creative to have come up with this world and all of the types of (I'm saying this loosely lol), "people" that inhabit it. I loved how we slowly learn about the different types , but I want to know more about them. It is so fascinating.
Ava is very new to the world around her but she is very receptive to learn about everything, even if its gets her in trouble. She may not be familiar with her powers yet, but she is learning. She is also a brave character because despite her newness to the Keepers she is willing to run into the middle of battle if it helps someone else. I can't wait to see what a force to be reckoned with once she comes into all of her powers. I can sense a romance coming on! But that romance could also turn into a love triangle so I will have to read book two to find out.
Overall a book of an adventure to read. I would recommend it to fantasy lovers and YA/NA readers. I will definitely be continuing the series, no doubt about that. I need to see how we'll I can predict outcomes ;)
This was a very entertaining book to read. It was filled with action and a little bit of romance, which I have a feeling may turn into a lot of romance in book two. I liked this book because it is a NA (new adult) read that is somewhat in an academy setting, but more like a training facility then a school setting, but those are my favourites. J.L. Block is so creative to have come up with this world and all of the types of (I'm saying this loosely lol), "people" that inhabit it. I loved how we slowly learn about the different types , but I want to know more about them. It is so fascinating.
Ava is very new to the world around her but she is very receptive to learn about everything, even if its gets her in trouble. She may not be familiar with her powers yet, but she is learning. She is also a brave character because despite her newness to the Keepers she is willing to run into the middle of battle if it helps someone else. I can't wait to see what a force to be reckoned with once she comes into all of her powers. I can sense a romance coming on! But that romance could also turn into a love triangle so I will have to read book two to find out.
Overall a book of an adventure to read. I would recommend it to fantasy lovers and YA/NA readers. I will definitely be continuing the series, no doubt about that. I need to see how we'll I can predict outcomes ;)
October 21, 2013
*I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review*
I loved the concept of this book. Travel by crystal, a buried city, ancient races of magical people... it's all very intriguing.
Ava is a young girl fresh out of high school who is unsure of what she wants to do with her life. So she stays home and works at a grocery story. While this is classified as a NA novel, I think I might put it more into the YA category. At first, I have to admit that I wasn't too keen on Ava. She was whiny and scared of her own shadow. I kept waiting for some sort of explanation about a possible tragic event that would cause her to be so skiddish, but that's just her personality. By the end of the novel I had warmed up to her though. This novel is very wordy and carries a lot of (sort of) unnecessary explanation. There were times I felt like we were just being information dumped on, but none of the important questions were being answered. Perhaps in subsequent books all that information will be handy. A lot of time we spent on her father and step mother, but they really didn't play a large role in the book.
I know this is part of a series and I am actually excited to read the series to get some answers! I also hope that we get some backstory on some of the other Keepers in the rest of the books. I really liked learning about the different magical races.
Overall I did like this book and can't wait to read the rest of them.
I loved the concept of this book. Travel by crystal, a buried city, ancient races of magical people... it's all very intriguing.
Ava is a young girl fresh out of high school who is unsure of what she wants to do with her life. So she stays home and works at a grocery story. While this is classified as a NA novel, I think I might put it more into the YA category. At first, I have to admit that I wasn't too keen on Ava. She was whiny and scared of her own shadow. I kept waiting for some sort of explanation about a possible tragic event that would cause her to be so skiddish, but that's just her personality. By the end of the novel I had warmed up to her though. This novel is very wordy and carries a lot of (sort of) unnecessary explanation. There were times I felt like we were just being information dumped on, but none of the important questions were being answered. Perhaps in subsequent books all that information will be handy. A lot of time we spent on her father and step mother, but they really didn't play a large role in the book.
I know this is part of a series and I am actually excited to read the series to get some answers! I also hope that we get some backstory on some of the other Keepers in the rest of the books. I really liked learning about the different magical races.
Overall I did like this book and can't wait to read the rest of them.
February 25, 2017
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
Ava's directionless life finds meaning and purpose when she discovers a magic crystal and joins the Keepers; a sect dedicated to keeping magic safe for all. Of course, this puts her in imminent danger from the Visma, a society who apparently want magic for the power. Ava has trouble adjusting. Ava has trouble keeping secrets from her parents, which she doesn't seem particularly close to. Ava definitely has problems keeping her secret from her best friend (and would-be boyfriend) Jason. I found it difficult to feel much interest in the characters.
The writing was good, the characterization perhaps could use a bit work; strengthening the bond between Ava and Jason or Ava and Magenta, or Ava and practically anyone. I have to admit that I'm just over a third of the way in, but unless something major happens soon, I don't really think this will improve very much for me.
I also have to admit that I'm kind of sick of the whole "You're a wizard/alien/angel/troll and you have magical powers/can transform into a spaceship/have met god/can spit up diamonds" genre that while I was hoping that this could have a new twist on it, I was disappointed. I might pick this up again to finish it, but I can guarantee that I won't finish it in time for the deadline I was under.
Summary: Good enough to finish reading, not good enough to travel to distant lands for.
Ava's directionless life finds meaning and purpose when she discovers a magic crystal and joins the Keepers; a sect dedicated to keeping magic safe for all. Of course, this puts her in imminent danger from the Visma, a society who apparently want magic for the power. Ava has trouble adjusting. Ava has trouble keeping secrets from her parents, which she doesn't seem particularly close to. Ava definitely has problems keeping her secret from her best friend (and would-be boyfriend) Jason. I found it difficult to feel much interest in the characters.
The writing was good, the characterization perhaps could use a bit work; strengthening the bond between Ava and Jason or Ava and Magenta, or Ava and practically anyone. I have to admit that I'm just over a third of the way in, but unless something major happens soon, I don't really think this will improve very much for me.
I also have to admit that I'm kind of sick of the whole "You're a wizard/alien/angel/troll and you have magical powers/can transform into a spaceship/have met god/can spit up diamonds" genre that while I was hoping that this could have a new twist on it, I was disappointed. I might pick this up again to finish it, but I can guarantee that I won't finish it in time for the deadline I was under.
Summary: Good enough to finish reading, not good enough to travel to distant lands for.
October 18, 2013
*I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review*
I liked the concept of this story, crystals used for travel and communication choose a keeper and they fight to maintain balance between all the magical races, it was something a bit new for me. I found the beginning a bit slow and with so much information about the keepers and all the magical races I got a little lost and confused. I did like how the author explained each race through Ava's missions it seemed to help to get an inside look into each one.
Ava was a bit scattered and emotional for me at first and although she grew a lot by the end, I kinda wanted to see a bit more fight in her. The supporting crew of keepers was a neat bunch and they were a big part of what held my interest, Magenta and Dominik were my favorites. I'm still unsure about Andre and his intentions, I am also very curious about Jason and how he fits.
I feel like this book is only scratching the surface of this series, there was so much complexity and a lot of questions gone unanswered, and still many secrets left uncovered, I'm still not sure how I feel about that, I was aware it is a series so I know there will be more, but at the same time I wanted more in this one, but I guess that's just me being greedy. Can't wait to see more of this series!!
I liked the concept of this story, crystals used for travel and communication choose a keeper and they fight to maintain balance between all the magical races, it was something a bit new for me. I found the beginning a bit slow and with so much information about the keepers and all the magical races I got a little lost and confused. I did like how the author explained each race through Ava's missions it seemed to help to get an inside look into each one.
Ava was a bit scattered and emotional for me at first and although she grew a lot by the end, I kinda wanted to see a bit more fight in her. The supporting crew of keepers was a neat bunch and they were a big part of what held my interest, Magenta and Dominik were my favorites. I'm still unsure about Andre and his intentions, I am also very curious about Jason and how he fits.
I feel like this book is only scratching the surface of this series, there was so much complexity and a lot of questions gone unanswered, and still many secrets left uncovered, I'm still not sure how I feel about that, I was aware it is a series so I know there will be more, but at the same time I wanted more in this one, but I guess that's just me being greedy. Can't wait to see more of this series!!
March 2, 2014
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Here it goes:
Ava's directionless life changed when she picked up a magic crystal left by a stranger and joins a group of people called Keepers. This events leave her a secret to keep from her family and bestfriend. But when a visma, a follower of the Rogues that opposes the Keepers, keeps coming after her made it harder and harder to keep.
I found it hard to read after a not so motivating first chapter but I'm able to muddle through. Though the story itself is good there are still some things that I think needs a bit more work because it's confusing in my part; Like the transitions of the events are a bit rushed; The character sketch is a bit general for some characters because I'm not able to visualize them clearly and I feel that Ava should have a strong bond with Magenta or Andrè or anyone. It also bothered me that Ava's lessons are not given enough emphasis that it's like she's not training at all, and then she is thrust up in a very important mission, and there was a fight, and then their enemy attacked them, but after everything that happened she is is still unskilled and it's a wonder she survived! And also i keep waiting for some twist but nothing sweat inducing turn of events happened.
All in all I think it's very good because I'm able to finish it. And I Would love to know what will happen next.
Here it goes:
Ava's directionless life changed when she picked up a magic crystal left by a stranger and joins a group of people called Keepers. This events leave her a secret to keep from her family and bestfriend. But when a visma, a follower of the Rogues that opposes the Keepers, keeps coming after her made it harder and harder to keep.
I found it hard to read after a not so motivating first chapter but I'm able to muddle through. Though the story itself is good there are still some things that I think needs a bit more work because it's confusing in my part; Like the transitions of the events are a bit rushed; The character sketch is a bit general for some characters because I'm not able to visualize them clearly and I feel that Ava should have a strong bond with Magenta or Andrè or anyone. It also bothered me that Ava's lessons are not given enough emphasis that it's like she's not training at all, and then she is thrust up in a very important mission, and there was a fight, and then their enemy attacked them, but after everything that happened she is is still unskilled and it's a wonder she survived! And also i keep waiting for some twist but nothing sweat inducing turn of events happened.
All in all I think it's very good because I'm able to finish it. And I Would love to know what will happen next.
October 27, 2013
I recieved a free copy from the author for an honest review. Thank you for letting me read and review your story.
This was more a 3,5 stars. I really liked the world building in this one. There were a few editing mistakes and at times too much information that wasn't necessary for the plot.
Ava is suppose to be a Keeper, but I found her weak and scared all the time( even though she does faces her fears through the story). I just don't understand why the crystal picked her.
I didn't understand the part with her family. For one it seem as if her father didn't care, and in the next he seem overbearing.
I wonder what part Jason will play in this series.
The Keepers are a interestingg bunch of heroes , but somehow I don't to trust them. Somehow they seem organized, and then again they have no idea what is going on. Some of them are a thousand years old and act like fourteen. Not to mention the arrogance they display. Either you do what they demand or you pay with your life.
Now the Rogues are interesting, former Keepers turning against the Keepers. They have their reason going against the Keepers and I'm keen on finding out why.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book and loved the world of magic that was presented in this story.
This was more a 3,5 stars. I really liked the world building in this one. There were a few editing mistakes and at times too much information that wasn't necessary for the plot.
Ava is suppose to be a Keeper, but I found her weak and scared all the time( even though she does faces her fears through the story). I just don't understand why the crystal picked her.
I didn't understand the part with her family. For one it seem as if her father didn't care, and in the next he seem overbearing.
I wonder what part Jason will play in this series.
The Keepers are a interestingg bunch of heroes , but somehow I don't to trust them. Somehow they seem organized, and then again they have no idea what is going on. Some of them are a thousand years old and act like fourteen. Not to mention the arrogance they display. Either you do what they demand or you pay with your life.
Now the Rogues are interesting, former Keepers turning against the Keepers. They have their reason going against the Keepers and I'm keen on finding out why.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book and loved the world of magic that was presented in this story.
August 12, 2016
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
JL Block’s The Keepers is inventive and creative in rendering a world where magic and reality as we know it intersect. Her depiction of hidden cities and magical races is very engaging. Her main female character, Ava, is refreshingly free of dark secrets or feelings of unworthiness. At 18, she is struggling to find her place in life, whether it is part of a magic using secret society or working as clerk while living with her family.
Regrettably, Ava does not develop past two dimensions. I often wondered, where did that come from? The motivation behind her decisions is often minimally expressed or sometimes not all as when she initially decides to join the Keepers. We hear about her getting hurt on missions, but don’t see it and don’t see its impact on the rest of the team, again leaving the reader wondering, why is she sticking with this? The lack of development made it difficult to stick with the story despite the inventive premise.
The plot line as a whole is well thought out with decent, but not overwhelming, foreshadowing that indicates all is not what it seems. And while the stage is definitely set for a sequel, the existing narrative line wraps up sufficiently to make for a complete story.
JL Block’s The Keepers is inventive and creative in rendering a world where magic and reality as we know it intersect. Her depiction of hidden cities and magical races is very engaging. Her main female character, Ava, is refreshingly free of dark secrets or feelings of unworthiness. At 18, she is struggling to find her place in life, whether it is part of a magic using secret society or working as clerk while living with her family.
Regrettably, Ava does not develop past two dimensions. I often wondered, where did that come from? The motivation behind her decisions is often minimally expressed or sometimes not all as when she initially decides to join the Keepers. We hear about her getting hurt on missions, but don’t see it and don’t see its impact on the rest of the team, again leaving the reader wondering, why is she sticking with this? The lack of development made it difficult to stick with the story despite the inventive premise.
The plot line as a whole is well thought out with decent, but not overwhelming, foreshadowing that indicates all is not what it seems. And while the stage is definitely set for a sequel, the existing narrative line wraps up sufficiently to make for a complete story.
February 16, 2014
I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair review.
Had a preconceived perception of this book, but I was wrong. It was much better than I had anticipated. I don't usually go in for fantasy novels and I did fall asleep several times near the beginning, but it became stronger as it progressed. It ended up being quite fascinating.
The plot revolves around a teenager( 18+), Ava, basically killing time while she decides what to do with her life. She by chance is chosen to join a world wide secret magical group. created to maintain peace among its members. The Keepers, administrative body, are responsible for magic and defense training as well as peacekeeping duties. Ava is fairly naive and easily frightened and has an eventful time balancing her home life and her duties as a Keeper.
Had a preconceived perception of this book, but I was wrong. It was much better than I had anticipated. I don't usually go in for fantasy novels and I did fall asleep several times near the beginning, but it became stronger as it progressed. It ended up being quite fascinating.
The plot revolves around a teenager( 18+), Ava, basically killing time while she decides what to do with her life. She by chance is chosen to join a world wide secret magical group. created to maintain peace among its members. The Keepers, administrative body, are responsible for magic and defense training as well as peacekeeping duties. Ava is fairly naive and easily frightened and has an eventful time balancing her home life and her duties as a Keeper.
February 10, 2014
I received this book in exchange for a review.
Ava has a "stalker" that sits at the bus stop across from her house. She can't figure out what he wants. She watches him playing with an emerald crystal. She is fascinated by the crystal. Ava finds it after he leaves it at the bus stop. All she knows is she must keep it safe. This crystal is Ava's entrance into an unknown world. Ava is invited to join the Keepers. Ava enters training. Things are beginning to get dangerous. The Rogues are planning something. Will Ava be brave enough to help the Keepers fight to keep everybody safe?
I enjoyed this book. It could use some editing. Wrong words are used but I was able to figure out which word it should be. I would enjoy reading the next in the series.
Ava has a "stalker" that sits at the bus stop across from her house. She can't figure out what he wants. She watches him playing with an emerald crystal. She is fascinated by the crystal. Ava finds it after he leaves it at the bus stop. All she knows is she must keep it safe. This crystal is Ava's entrance into an unknown world. Ava is invited to join the Keepers. Ava enters training. Things are beginning to get dangerous. The Rogues are planning something. Will Ava be brave enough to help the Keepers fight to keep everybody safe?
I enjoyed this book. It could use some editing. Wrong words are used but I was able to figure out which word it should be. I would enjoy reading the next in the series.
November 5, 2013
Well, I have to admit... I was completely surprised by this book. I mean, not only did I have ZERO clue that it would be a sci-fi book (I don't know why I was thinking paranormal creatures (like vamps and fae and werewolves), but I actually enjoyed it! I don't usually care for sci-fi books, but this book definitely kept my interest. It was Men-in-Black meets The Matrix... aliens and awesome fighting skills! I'd definitely recommend the book to others, as it was action packed and full of suspense. Plus, I can't wait to see where the story goes.
I received this book from the author for free in exchange for an honest review
I received this book from the author for free in exchange for an honest review
February 11, 2014
I received this book in exchange for my review.
I really enjoyed the storyline of a young girl who feels like she doesn't know where she belongs in the world and is frustrated by having a best friend who seems to have everything mapped out for himself. When given the opportunity to join the Keepers, a group who protect the magical races, she finally feels like she's doing something worthwhile but has to keep it a secret from everyone. I would have given this a higher rating but with all the typos and grammatical errors it was a hard read for me as I kept correcting the sentences as I read. I do think with proper editing this could be a great series and look forward to the next book.
I really enjoyed the storyline of a young girl who feels like she doesn't know where she belongs in the world and is frustrated by having a best friend who seems to have everything mapped out for himself. When given the opportunity to join the Keepers, a group who protect the magical races, she finally feels like she's doing something worthwhile but has to keep it a secret from everyone. I would have given this a higher rating but with all the typos and grammatical errors it was a hard read for me as I kept correcting the sentences as I read. I do think with proper editing this could be a great series and look forward to the next book.
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