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Soul #1
Redemption
REDEMPTION
Reya Sinclair is the last person a man sees before he dies. As a Redeemer, she offers the soon-to-be-departed one last chance to atone for their sins. It's a painful job, but it's her only shot to secure her own salvation. She won't let anyone stand in her way-not even a ruggedly sexy cop hot on her trail. Bound by her duty, Reya must shake him before he ruins her . . . but her heart can't seem to let him go.
Detective Thane Driscoll has watched too many criminals get away. The man who murdered his father was no exception. Now Thane carries out his own brand of justice, even if it means compromising his soul. When a string of deaths leads him to a beautiful woman in black, he discovers there's more to his father's murder than meets the eye.
As fate brings them closer together, Thane discovers that only Reya's touch can calm his rage. Racing to uncover an evil plot, they must fight together to stop the coming storm. But when the time comes, can Reya sacrifice her own redemption to save Thane? (87,000 words)
Reya Sinclair is the last person a man sees before he dies. As a Redeemer, she offers the soon-to-be-departed one last chance to atone for their sins. It's a painful job, but it's her only shot to secure her own salvation. She won't let anyone stand in her way-not even a ruggedly sexy cop hot on her trail. Bound by her duty, Reya must shake him before he ruins her . . . but her heart can't seem to let him go.
Detective Thane Driscoll has watched too many criminals get away. The man who murdered his father was no exception. Now Thane carries out his own brand of justice, even if it means compromising his soul. When a string of deaths leads him to a beautiful woman in black, he discovers there's more to his father's murder than meets the eye.
As fate brings them closer together, Thane discovers that only Reya's touch can calm his rage. Racing to uncover an evil plot, they must fight together to stop the coming storm. But when the time comes, can Reya sacrifice her own redemption to save Thane? (87,000 words)
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2013
2 people are currently reading
425 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Barry
16 books54 followersC.J. grew up reading science fiction novels, comic books, and her brother's Cracked magazines. In high school, a creative writing teacher told her she should be a writer, but she decided to go to college instead. In college, a writing professor told her she should be a writer, but she decided to be a computer programmer instead. A husband, a cat and two kids later, an adult education teacher told her she should be a writer. She finally gave in, and after selling the first novel she ever wrote, decided that all those teachers were right. Seven novels later, she continues to bring her unique blend of high adventure and sizzling romance to her novels.
C.J has won numerous awards for her novels, and is a member of the Romance Writers of America.
By day, she works as a web manager. By night, she co-hosts a writing podcast, dreams up adventures, and pens the books she was destined to write.
Per the author's website, this person also writes under the pen name "Samantha Graves."
Go to: http://www.cjbarry.com/
Click on Romantic Suspense and it takes you to "Samantha Graves."
http://www.samanthagraves.com/
C.J has won numerous awards for her novels, and is a member of the Romance Writers of America.
By day, she works as a web manager. By night, she co-hosts a writing podcast, dreams up adventures, and pens the books she was destined to write.
Per the author's website, this person also writes under the pen name "Samantha Graves."
Go to: http://www.cjbarry.com/
Click on Romantic Suspense and it takes you to "Samantha Graves."
http://www.samanthagraves.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
November 19, 2014
Joss Whedon, an American screenwriter, executive producer, film and television director, comic book writer, occasional composer, and actor, and the founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures, has quoted about "Redemption" as:
“Redemption is something you have to fight for in a very personal, down-dirty way. Some of our characters lose that, some stray from that, and some regain it.”
C.J.Barry, an American author has penned down a thrilling tale in her book, Redemption which happens to be the first book in the Soul series.
I'm very grateful to the author, C.J.Barry, for giving me the opportunity to read and review her book.
Reya Sinclair is a Redeemer of Souls. Her mission is to give Earth’s most depraved sinners a shot at redemption just before they are slated to die. Her own redemption is on the line as she fulfills her duties, leaving a trail of dead bodies in her wake. It’s all going perfectly well until one detective takes notice, possibly bringing her salvation to a halt. Thane Driscoll is a good cop who’s seen too many bad guys gets away, including the man who murdered his father. He exacts his own style of justice, even if it costs him his humanity. A string of mysterious deaths leads him to a woman who’s not quite human and might hold the key to finding his father’s killer. When death and shadows descend, New York City becomes a battleground for the forces of light and dark. As the body count rises and sparks fly between them, Reya and Thane race to uncover a terrible truth. Can one man hell-bent on revenge and one woman determined to save her eternal soul be enough to keep the planet from spiraling into darkness?
The book opened very smooth and with such a likable heroine, the reader's will find instant interest in the plot. Now since we know that this is a paranormal book along with romantic aspect. I was not satisfied with level of chemistry between the key characters.
Well before that, I want to force on the fact that the author has chosen a quite unique topic to pen down this book. From the book's name itself; it suggests that the book has got quite a compelling plot. Well to be honest the plot is indeed very riveting from the beginning. The twists delivered by the author are quite striking and right at the moments and moreover the plot has got some brilliant action scenes.
All through the book, as I was getting more into the core of the plot, I was losing focus from the main characters and also the flow of narration somewhat changed right in the middle of the book. And in the end, I felt it was wrong what happened between Reya and Thane. The attraction between them was quite inevitable but things didn't work out for them. Hence they failed to spark up any interest in reader's minds. Thus in the end, it became very dull.
I can only hope that the next book in the Soul series to be better than this book.
Read it for the uniqueness of the plot!
“Redemption is something you have to fight for in a very personal, down-dirty way. Some of our characters lose that, some stray from that, and some regain it.”
C.J.Barry, an American author has penned down a thrilling tale in her book, Redemption which happens to be the first book in the Soul series.
I'm very grateful to the author, C.J.Barry, for giving me the opportunity to read and review her book.
Reya Sinclair is a Redeemer of Souls. Her mission is to give Earth’s most depraved sinners a shot at redemption just before they are slated to die. Her own redemption is on the line as she fulfills her duties, leaving a trail of dead bodies in her wake. It’s all going perfectly well until one detective takes notice, possibly bringing her salvation to a halt. Thane Driscoll is a good cop who’s seen too many bad guys gets away, including the man who murdered his father. He exacts his own style of justice, even if it costs him his humanity. A string of mysterious deaths leads him to a woman who’s not quite human and might hold the key to finding his father’s killer. When death and shadows descend, New York City becomes a battleground for the forces of light and dark. As the body count rises and sparks fly between them, Reya and Thane race to uncover a terrible truth. Can one man hell-bent on revenge and one woman determined to save her eternal soul be enough to keep the planet from spiraling into darkness?
The book opened very smooth and with such a likable heroine, the reader's will find instant interest in the plot. Now since we know that this is a paranormal book along with romantic aspect. I was not satisfied with level of chemistry between the key characters.
Well before that, I want to force on the fact that the author has chosen a quite unique topic to pen down this book. From the book's name itself; it suggests that the book has got quite a compelling plot. Well to be honest the plot is indeed very riveting from the beginning. The twists delivered by the author are quite striking and right at the moments and moreover the plot has got some brilliant action scenes.
All through the book, as I was getting more into the core of the plot, I was losing focus from the main characters and also the flow of narration somewhat changed right in the middle of the book. And in the end, I felt it was wrong what happened between Reya and Thane. The attraction between them was quite inevitable but things didn't work out for them. Hence they failed to spark up any interest in reader's minds. Thus in the end, it became very dull.
I can only hope that the next book in the Soul series to be better than this book.
Read it for the uniqueness of the plot!
October 24, 2013
I got this book for free through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review!
Reya is a redeemer, her sole mission is to find the names on the papers before they die and tell them their sins, then ask them if they wanted to be forgiven before their death. Unfortunately everyone she talks to dies no sooner after and it raises red flags for the local cop Thane.
Thane is a good cop, at least in his mind he has the right purpose. Unfortunately, he goes about the wrong ways of bringing the bad people to justice.
They come together in order to find the one responsible for the mysterious deaths in their city and stop them before it's too late.
Where do I even begin?
What I liked...
Redemption is the first book in a paranormal series Soul. So Obviously it comes with good and bad. I liked the characters in this one. I actually really liked Reya, for most of the book. Some parts left me, not so sure, but she was mostly likeable. I thought her job was kind of interesting. She is a redeemer in order to guide her own soul towards the right path of redemption, so in order to get there she has to help a lot of people. Thane was just mostly your typical bad boy. He had the right intentions, but he had his ways of going about it. A hard head that did things besides people asking him not to.
The whole idea behind the book was different and I kind of liked it until it got a bit too complicated and then downright confusing. I liked that there was so much more to the world and the after life in this book. It bought in several different layers of life, enlightenment and where your souls can go and what they can reach. Especially how everything is bought on by Free Will and how people choose their life and purpose before they take on their earthly bodies.
The relationship between Reya and Thane before they got too series. I thought they where great working partners.
I was hoping there would be a little more points then that. But I guess I was wrong. To me the book seemed largely character driven and it was working great until it spun out of control.
What I wasn't so sure about...
There was romance in the book, but I honestly wasn't feeling it. I didn't feel the attraction between Thane and Reya and since the romance happened in the end of the book where everything was starting to go wrong for me, I guess it might have played a big part of it. Honestly I thought they had a better working partnership-friendship then they did as lovers. It just wasn't there for me.
Is it just me or do some of the paranormal book these days have the most irritating theme going for them...let's see.. Like when the hero gets asked to help save the world but then they don't tell him everything he needs to know, so he goes into it blindly and then get's pissed off cause they aren't telling him everything. I understand it's one thing when he learns something no one know, but seriously, Why are they always keeping secrets that are bound to come out anyway and just get the main character and the reader both angry!? Sorry, but oh gosh was I so upset in some parts of the book – especially when these secrets had no business being secrets!
Thane was a legacy, which was briefly explained by what exactly that is, but I don't feel like I knew enough about it – nor did I feel like it played the role it should have in the book. Maybe later in the series his powers will become more prominent, but given the way the book ended... I don't see how.
The ending battle was abrupt and made no sense to me. Especially since it ended with literally the snap of the fingers... uh... Maybe it just me but the entire second half of the book downright confused me.
There was also a lot of faith and I guess a bit of religious theme going on in this book, which I kind of don't mind – but I do like it being separate from my paranormal reads. Other then that, I guess it has some sort of potential. Especially if Reya grows stronger, and maybe less touchy feely.
Reya is a redeemer, her sole mission is to find the names on the papers before they die and tell them their sins, then ask them if they wanted to be forgiven before their death. Unfortunately everyone she talks to dies no sooner after and it raises red flags for the local cop Thane.
Thane is a good cop, at least in his mind he has the right purpose. Unfortunately, he goes about the wrong ways of bringing the bad people to justice.
They come together in order to find the one responsible for the mysterious deaths in their city and stop them before it's too late.
Where do I even begin?
What I liked...
Redemption is the first book in a paranormal series Soul. So Obviously it comes with good and bad. I liked the characters in this one. I actually really liked Reya, for most of the book. Some parts left me, not so sure, but she was mostly likeable. I thought her job was kind of interesting. She is a redeemer in order to guide her own soul towards the right path of redemption, so in order to get there she has to help a lot of people. Thane was just mostly your typical bad boy. He had the right intentions, but he had his ways of going about it. A hard head that did things besides people asking him not to.
The whole idea behind the book was different and I kind of liked it until it got a bit too complicated and then downright confusing. I liked that there was so much more to the world and the after life in this book. It bought in several different layers of life, enlightenment and where your souls can go and what they can reach. Especially how everything is bought on by Free Will and how people choose their life and purpose before they take on their earthly bodies.
The relationship between Reya and Thane before they got too series. I thought they where great working partners.
I was hoping there would be a little more points then that. But I guess I was wrong. To me the book seemed largely character driven and it was working great until it spun out of control.
What I wasn't so sure about...
There was romance in the book, but I honestly wasn't feeling it. I didn't feel the attraction between Thane and Reya and since the romance happened in the end of the book where everything was starting to go wrong for me, I guess it might have played a big part of it. Honestly I thought they had a better working partnership-friendship then they did as lovers. It just wasn't there for me.
Is it just me or do some of the paranormal book these days have the most irritating theme going for them...let's see.. Like when the hero gets asked to help save the world but then they don't tell him everything he needs to know, so he goes into it blindly and then get's pissed off cause they aren't telling him everything. I understand it's one thing when he learns something no one know, but seriously, Why are they always keeping secrets that are bound to come out anyway and just get the main character and the reader both angry!? Sorry, but oh gosh was I so upset in some parts of the book – especially when these secrets had no business being secrets!
Thane was a legacy, which was briefly explained by what exactly that is, but I don't feel like I knew enough about it – nor did I feel like it played the role it should have in the book. Maybe later in the series his powers will become more prominent, but given the way the book ended... I don't see how.
The ending battle was abrupt and made no sense to me. Especially since it ended with literally the snap of the fingers... uh... Maybe it just me but the entire second half of the book downright confused me.
There was also a lot of faith and I guess a bit of religious theme going on in this book, which I kind of don't mind – but I do like it being separate from my paranormal reads. Other then that, I guess it has some sort of potential. Especially if Reya grows stronger, and maybe less touchy feely.
October 26, 2013
Cool beans
Ah, fun, fun, fun. I really liked this one and am glad I picked it up. It was well-written, amusing, different, complex. All good stuff like that. Reya, our main character, is a Redeemer. A supernatural occupation I found most fascinating. It literally means that she gives people - usually murdering, raping, thieving scumbag-type people - a chance to redeem themselves before death. Or, to at least acknowledge their sins and ask for forgiveness - whether they deserve it or not. I LOVED (yes, capitals) this concept! What's more, I loved Reya's method of delivery. And, well, just about everything else about Reya.
Have you ever come across one of those characters where you just think, "Man, she's cool! I wish I had that much sass and swagger!"? Well, Reya was one such character. She filled every scene - most especially in the first half of the book before things got all serious - with this amazing devil-may-care attitude. It was slightly inappropriate, her glib casualness, considering the macabre nature of her job, but that just made it even funnier somehow.
Sadly, it's not all that much fun for Reya herself; dealing with this level of lowlife day in day out; having to see, feel, taste every sin they've ever committed before she goes after them? Not pleasant. But, of course, the plot eventually had to move away from this aspect and develop on a wider scale. And to kick that off, in steps slightly shady detective Thane Driscoll. Now Thane, quite cleverly, I thought, was very similar to Reya, in that he liked to carry out his own brand of vigilante justice on suspects who might otherwise get away with murder - literally and figuratively- under today's laws. Of course, you're not actually allowed to do that, as an officer of the law, and this brought his own soul's "goodness" into question. Something that Reya, as a Redeemer, knows a little something about.
From Thane's point of view, he senses there's something a little more going on than mere coincidence when every accidental death he's seen in the line of duty lately has featured a sighting or video surveillance capture of a mysterious but smoking hot black-haired female. When he finally tracks down said female to question her on it, her infuriating, non-committal answers, usually finished off with a big, fat, shit-eating grin, drive him to distraction. Or maybe it's just the "smoking hot" part that does that...
There was a lot of focus in the rest of the book on good and evil, dark and light, right and wrong. Some nice brain food. And the various different dimensions the human soul can exist in in its many incarnations was fascinating stuff. There was a bit of romance in there as well as you savvy readers may have guessed. When a guy's name is mentioned in the book description, it means there's a romance, right? Even if it's only a teensy one. And here, the romance was pretty good, but the sex scenes? Eh, I wanted more in that area. It felt too much like they were just meeting each other's bodily needs, whereas I need more emotional connection. I know, I'm a marshmallow. So that, and a couple of other small issues make this a 4 star read for me, but one that I still highly recommend paranormal readers add to their list!
4 Stars ★★★★
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Ah, fun, fun, fun. I really liked this one and am glad I picked it up. It was well-written, amusing, different, complex. All good stuff like that. Reya, our main character, is a Redeemer. A supernatural occupation I found most fascinating. It literally means that she gives people - usually murdering, raping, thieving scumbag-type people - a chance to redeem themselves before death. Or, to at least acknowledge their sins and ask for forgiveness - whether they deserve it or not. I LOVED (yes, capitals) this concept! What's more, I loved Reya's method of delivery. And, well, just about everything else about Reya.
Have you ever come across one of those characters where you just think, "Man, she's cool! I wish I had that much sass and swagger!"? Well, Reya was one such character. She filled every scene - most especially in the first half of the book before things got all serious - with this amazing devil-may-care attitude. It was slightly inappropriate, her glib casualness, considering the macabre nature of her job, but that just made it even funnier somehow.
Sadly, it's not all that much fun for Reya herself; dealing with this level of lowlife day in day out; having to see, feel, taste every sin they've ever committed before she goes after them? Not pleasant. But, of course, the plot eventually had to move away from this aspect and develop on a wider scale. And to kick that off, in steps slightly shady detective Thane Driscoll. Now Thane, quite cleverly, I thought, was very similar to Reya, in that he liked to carry out his own brand of vigilante justice on suspects who might otherwise get away with murder - literally and figuratively- under today's laws. Of course, you're not actually allowed to do that, as an officer of the law, and this brought his own soul's "goodness" into question. Something that Reya, as a Redeemer, knows a little something about.
From Thane's point of view, he senses there's something a little more going on than mere coincidence when every accidental death he's seen in the line of duty lately has featured a sighting or video surveillance capture of a mysterious but smoking hot black-haired female. When he finally tracks down said female to question her on it, her infuriating, non-committal answers, usually finished off with a big, fat, shit-eating grin, drive him to distraction. Or maybe it's just the "smoking hot" part that does that...
There was a lot of focus in the rest of the book on good and evil, dark and light, right and wrong. Some nice brain food. And the various different dimensions the human soul can exist in in its many incarnations was fascinating stuff. There was a bit of romance in there as well as you savvy readers may have guessed. When a guy's name is mentioned in the book description, it means there's a romance, right? Even if it's only a teensy one. And here, the romance was pretty good, but the sex scenes? Eh, I wanted more in that area. It felt too much like they were just meeting each other's bodily needs, whereas I need more emotional connection. I know, I'm a marshmallow. So that, and a couple of other small issues make this a 4 star read for me, but one that I still highly recommend paranormal readers add to their list!
4 Stars ★★★★
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2013
"You cannot judge. You cannot kill them or save them. You cannot divulge any information about yourself, your mission, or the future. Do you agree to these parameters?" Orson asked.The heroine of this story, Reya, is a Redeemer. It is her job to give wicked souls one last chance at redemption before they die. Ironically, she is doing this to redeem herself of her own past sins. As she performs the tasks of a Redeemer, her work is noticed by a detective named Thane Driscoll. Thane has been tracking the freak accidents that follow Reya's encounters with lost souls. The two end up working together to stop the bad guy with an evil plan. (Vague, I know, but I don't want to reveal any major spoilers.)
I enjoyed the beginning of the book. The heroine was likable and concept was very intriguing. Instead of having a religious theme (angels, demons, heaven, hell, etc.), this book focuses more on the souls of people and, of course, the redemption of those souls. The idea of souls getting to choose the purpose of their next life is new and refreshing. But that was about the only new and refreshing thing about this book. Which leads me to the romance part of the story.
I didn't really feel like there was any romance between Reya and Thane. They meet, find each other attractive, banter, work together, and then - BAM - they're in love. Yes, this is apparently the norm for how romances unfold but I wanted more this time. I wanted to see the two characters really connect - I wanted to believe that they were in love and not just lusting after each other. Thane himself (a sexy, revenge-seeking cop) was just okay. I didn't love him, but I didn't hate him either. One thing I noticed was that he was constantly thinking about how sexy Reya was and how being around her but not having sex with her was really hard for his body to understand. I don't know if that's how guys actually think around beautiful women that they're not having sex with but it was annoying to read about.
Overall, the concept was interesting and the writing was good but the plot was lacking. I've heard that there will be a sequel but I'm not sure if I'll be picking it up.
I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 15, 2013
Is there a point when your soul can no longer be redeemed? Will the temptations of life be too much, condemning your soul to eternal damnation? Who decides? When is your time to die? Do we all have a role in life to play that determines the destiny of others? What about the “afterlife” – what is our role there? Redemption by C. J. Barry is a dark urban fantasy revolving around two characters, one, Reya, is a “Redeemer” who offers up one last chance to save one’s soul, giving her a chance to ‘redeem’ her own soul and move on to a better eternity. The other is Thane, a detective and troubled man on a quest for revenge, but there is more to him, he plays a larger part in the balance between good and evil, but he is unaware. Can Reya bring him out of the dark and into the light? Will evil be foiled again?
After a slow build up, creating the mood, setting the stage and meeting the characters, more information is doled out slowly, creating more tension, but sometimes a little too slowly. Reya is a very strong character who becomes instantly likable and admirable. She has a darkness in her, but she fights it, she wants to do the “right thing.” Thane, is not so likable, as he drowns himself in the past, always on the lookout for the opportunity to seek his own brand of justice. He also seemed to dwell too much on Reya’s appearance, which, admittedly is remarkable! The world is in peril, Thane’s soul is in peril and he is too fixated on Reya’s fine form. It interrupted the story in my opinion.
C. J. Barry can write great Urban Fantasy, her plot took turns I was surprised to see. I liked that aspect, I just wish I had more depth at times there, and with some fascinating satellite characters. Could this be because it is the first book in a series, and the world-building had to be cemented firmly?
I received a review copy from Forever (Grand Central Publishing)in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Soul, #1
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)
ISBN: 9781455577491
Page Count: 336
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Available from: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
After a slow build up, creating the mood, setting the stage and meeting the characters, more information is doled out slowly, creating more tension, but sometimes a little too slowly. Reya is a very strong character who becomes instantly likable and admirable. She has a darkness in her, but she fights it, she wants to do the “right thing.” Thane, is not so likable, as he drowns himself in the past, always on the lookout for the opportunity to seek his own brand of justice. He also seemed to dwell too much on Reya’s appearance, which, admittedly is remarkable! The world is in peril, Thane’s soul is in peril and he is too fixated on Reya’s fine form. It interrupted the story in my opinion.
C. J. Barry can write great Urban Fantasy, her plot took turns I was surprised to see. I liked that aspect, I just wish I had more depth at times there, and with some fascinating satellite characters. Could this be because it is the first book in a series, and the world-building had to be cemented firmly?
I received a review copy from Forever (Grand Central Publishing)in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Soul, #1
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)
ISBN: 9781455577491
Page Count: 336
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Available from: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
November 11, 2013
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
This dark urban fantasy made me stop and consider whether or not I would want certain types of evil to be atoned for and forgiven. The heroine, Reya, is a Redeemer. Right before these really bad people die she shows up and gives them the chance to acknowledge their wrongs and repent so that they are able to pass on. I, personally, find comfort in the belief that God sees all and that vengeance is His. That evil is punished in the end even if the evil doer is sorry. I'm not a preachy kind of girl, but the theme of this book struck a chord in me. I don't want a habitual rapist, murderer, or abuser to be able to get off easy at the end of his/her life. Sometimes evil people need killing and eternal punishment. But, hey, that's just me and that may speak more to my character than I would like. I can hold a grudge with the best of them when it comes to outright evil. I can forgive someone for stealing from me, but if you violently assault someone through rape or any other repeated physical abuse? Forget about it. I'm not that good of a person yet.
The male protagonist in this story is Thane. Thane is a cop with a ruthless streak and is not afraid to use a little vigilante justice to bring the bad guys to heel. Thane is not opposed to using questionable and outright illegal methods to make sure that the perpetrators receive what he feels is a more appropriate punishment than what they may have otherwise received if they had moved through the legal system in a more traditional way. Thane knows that his methods are questionable but he has the "you do what you gotta do" mentality.
I usually right my reviews pretty quickly after I read a book, but I had to step back a little from this one. I may be putting more emphasis on the themes in this story than what was intended by the author. What I came away with from reading this is basically this. Is everyone deserving of redemption? And if not where would I draw the line. Do I believe that there are unforgivable sins? I admit that I was shocked that a book that I went into lightly brought these issues up for me. I didn't really like Reya or Thane, but I was truly drawn into the story. I will admit while writing this review that I still don't really know how I feel about it. This story is unique and if you don't mind walking on the darker side of urban fantasy it is definitely one you may want to delve into and see where you fall on the redemption scale. All in all I have to give this story a thumbs up. Although disturbing, the story definitely stuck with me and made me consider things that I haven't been prodded into in a while.
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This dark urban fantasy made me stop and consider whether or not I would want certain types of evil to be atoned for and forgiven. The heroine, Reya, is a Redeemer. Right before these really bad people die she shows up and gives them the chance to acknowledge their wrongs and repent so that they are able to pass on. I, personally, find comfort in the belief that God sees all and that vengeance is His. That evil is punished in the end even if the evil doer is sorry. I'm not a preachy kind of girl, but the theme of this book struck a chord in me. I don't want a habitual rapist, murderer, or abuser to be able to get off easy at the end of his/her life. Sometimes evil people need killing and eternal punishment. But, hey, that's just me and that may speak more to my character than I would like. I can hold a grudge with the best of them when it comes to outright evil. I can forgive someone for stealing from me, but if you violently assault someone through rape or any other repeated physical abuse? Forget about it. I'm not that good of a person yet.
The male protagonist in this story is Thane. Thane is a cop with a ruthless streak and is not afraid to use a little vigilante justice to bring the bad guys to heel. Thane is not opposed to using questionable and outright illegal methods to make sure that the perpetrators receive what he feels is a more appropriate punishment than what they may have otherwise received if they had moved through the legal system in a more traditional way. Thane knows that his methods are questionable but he has the "you do what you gotta do" mentality.
I usually right my reviews pretty quickly after I read a book, but I had to step back a little from this one. I may be putting more emphasis on the themes in this story than what was intended by the author. What I came away with from reading this is basically this. Is everyone deserving of redemption? And if not where would I draw the line. Do I believe that there are unforgivable sins? I admit that I was shocked that a book that I went into lightly brought these issues up for me. I didn't really like Reya or Thane, but I was truly drawn into the story. I will admit while writing this review that I still don't really know how I feel about it. This story is unique and if you don't mind walking on the darker side of urban fantasy it is definitely one you may want to delve into and see where you fall on the redemption scale. All in all I have to give this story a thumbs up. Although disturbing, the story definitely stuck with me and made me consider things that I haven't been prodded into in a while.
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November 7, 2013
(I got this book from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
Redemption was an interesting read in more than one way, dealing with themes that left fewer room to complete black and white thinking than what appeared at first.
The notion of free will permeates it, and from beginning to end, the characters remain able to make their own choices--no matter how wrong those might be. I appreciated how Reya, for instance, didn't try to force her views on Thane, knowing that whatever he chose, he had to do so himself, or it wouldn't be worth much in the eye of the universe. Thane's desire for revenge plays right into this, and leads to questioning oneself: would we seek revenge, too? Are we so sure that our motives are "pure", and not fueled despite, our best intentions, by less than stellar deeper feelings? Personnally, I found such questions interesting to delve into.
I also liked the system behind the reincarnations: souls are the ones who choose which next life to give a try to, along with a goal to fulfil, but as they're sent into these lives without memory of what they themselves decided, they find themselves 1) ignorant of whether what they're doing is the right thing or not, and 2) feeling like they don't have free will, when in fact they had all along. This is a bit of a conundrum to wrap one's mind around, but one that is definitely thought-provoking.
The writing was okay. Not particularly brilliant, efficient in some places, yet somewhat dull in others, with a little too much telling. On the other hand, it remains efficient throughout the story when it comes to bringing in new information, and avoids the pitfall of numerous exposition paragraphs.
The main problems I had with the book were the lull in the middle (it took me some time to pick it up again at some point), and the large scope that eventually made things difficult to follow. I got the bigger picture, but in several parts, the narrative seemed to jump too quickly from one event to the other, in contrast with slower moments that could've been scrapped to leave more room to explanations. I think I'd also have wanted to see more of Reya's job as a Redeemer (so many imperfections hidden behind her perfect physical facade, and so many moments when she could just stumble and fail in this life), of Thane doing his job as a kind of vigilante instead of a regular cop. The overall plot could've easily spanned over two books without dragging, considering what kind of scale it unfolded on, so it wouldn't have been impossible.
I'm not 100% sure I'll pick the next book in the series, but I can't tell either I wouldn't. I'm right in the middle with this one.
Redemption was an interesting read in more than one way, dealing with themes that left fewer room to complete black and white thinking than what appeared at first.
The notion of free will permeates it, and from beginning to end, the characters remain able to make their own choices--no matter how wrong those might be. I appreciated how Reya, for instance, didn't try to force her views on Thane, knowing that whatever he chose, he had to do so himself, or it wouldn't be worth much in the eye of the universe. Thane's desire for revenge plays right into this, and leads to questioning oneself: would we seek revenge, too? Are we so sure that our motives are "pure", and not fueled despite, our best intentions, by less than stellar deeper feelings? Personnally, I found such questions interesting to delve into.
I also liked the system behind the reincarnations: souls are the ones who choose which next life to give a try to, along with a goal to fulfil, but as they're sent into these lives without memory of what they themselves decided, they find themselves 1) ignorant of whether what they're doing is the right thing or not, and 2) feeling like they don't have free will, when in fact they had all along. This is a bit of a conundrum to wrap one's mind around, but one that is definitely thought-provoking.
The writing was okay. Not particularly brilliant, efficient in some places, yet somewhat dull in others, with a little too much telling. On the other hand, it remains efficient throughout the story when it comes to bringing in new information, and avoids the pitfall of numerous exposition paragraphs.
The main problems I had with the book were the lull in the middle (it took me some time to pick it up again at some point), and the large scope that eventually made things difficult to follow. I got the bigger picture, but in several parts, the narrative seemed to jump too quickly from one event to the other, in contrast with slower moments that could've been scrapped to leave more room to explanations. I think I'd also have wanted to see more of Reya's job as a Redeemer (so many imperfections hidden behind her perfect physical facade, and so many moments when she could just stumble and fail in this life), of Thane doing his job as a kind of vigilante instead of a regular cop. The overall plot could've easily spanned over two books without dragging, considering what kind of scale it unfolded on, so it wouldn't have been impossible.
I'm not 100% sure I'll pick the next book in the series, but I can't tell either I wouldn't. I'm right in the middle with this one.
September 25, 2014
One look at Redemption’s cover and you think “badass female heroine”; and for the most part, Reya Sinclair is. I liked her no nonsense attitude and her inability to be the dreaded damsel in distress. But there was rarely any emotion I felt from her, even as she recounted her past life experiences. What was meant to warm the reader up to this heroine, failed to get me to sympathize with her at all.
Redemption is about what the title suggests, redeeming your soul before you die in order to go unto the afterlife to a better place. Reya’s mission, and her entire role in the book is to give even the most cruel of sinners a chance to ask for forgiveness for all the wrong they have done throughout their lives. All this in order for her to have her own shot at redemption. But when Reya pays a visit to some of these men or women, and soon after they end up dead, local P.D. takes notice. So it’s up to detective Thane Driscoll to find out why every time there’s a body found dead, a mysterious woman is at the scene of the crime. And when the body count rises, and Reya is the one with the answers Thane makes it his business to find out what’s going on.
The thing about Redemption is that it didn’t start off bad. I was genuinely curious about it, and was looking forward to seeing what was in store for Reya. However, I kept finding myself either watching TV, or just bypassing the book once I’d put it down. This book is crawling with religious undertones throughout and I just about had an aneurism. With books that are about good and bad, angels vs demons, I know there will be some religion behind everything, but I would much prefer for it all to be a minor issue and not have it screaming at me from every page in the book.
Then there is the fact that there was so much information overload during the first few pages, I felt the need to grab a pen and paper to take notes just to be able to keep up. (I didn’t of course) Thane is a legacy and though it gets explained somewhat, I feel that the translation got lost over the course of the book. The romance? Well, let’s just say there’s no hot, sweaty hanky-panky here. I didn’t feel any chemistry between Reya and Thane at all for them to have me at the edge of my seat waiting for some good ol’ sexy times. It was more of a best friend vibe. Let’s not confuse friendship with romance, please.
Honestly, this book just didn’t do it for me. If you can overlook all the religious aspects, and a romance that’s less than what it’s supposed to be, give it a shot. Hopefully you’ll have better luck with it than I did.
October 11, 2013
I started off really enjoying Redemption. The main character is Reya, a woman who offers evil souls one last chance before death claims them. In the process she works for her own redemption, which plays a bigger part than is obvious at first.
The plot builds slowly in this book - I started off expecting one thing but the book went in an entirely different direction, which has both benefits and drawbacks. There was little exposition - everything is revealed in due time throughout the book, which was enough to keep me turning the page.
The main characters, Thane and Reya, are well developed and multi-faceted. Reya is a strong character, an enigma who is slowly revealed throughout the book, and I still think she's awesome. :D A kick-ass, strong woman who is fighting for her own redemption, and taking pleasure in seeing evil-doers get what's coming to them? Yes please! Yet she still has her moments of weakness, developing her from more than just a cardboard cut-out, and that's what I really enjoyed about her. I would have liked to know a bit more about her history, though.
Thane wasn't quite as well developed, but still a character I could empathise with, driven by his past and the need for justice and revenge. Through learning about his family and his history you learn more about the man. I liked the temptations that he faced, too - unlike other authors I've read, like Piers Anthony, this wasn't just based on lust and I found that refreshing.
The romance in the book was well developed too - no instant lust, which I *hate*, and it progresses slowly over the course of the book as they work together and learn about each other, each finding that their initial conclusions weren't entirely correct.
The plot broke down a bit for me in the middle, though. Past lives and ascension and dimensions are all involved, and while I find all of those things FASCINATING, they need to be well written and well thought out. It felt a bit lacking, here - there wasn't enough depth, or not enough to draw me into fully suspending my disbelief. The concepts are interesting enough, don't get me wrong, I just didn't feel like they were quite well developed enough. Because of this my interest waned a bit as I found myself thinking 'what?' and 'how?' throughout the course of the latter half of the book.
I would still say that it was an enjoyable read, but I'm not sure whether I would pick up any sequels.
The plot builds slowly in this book - I started off expecting one thing but the book went in an entirely different direction, which has both benefits and drawbacks. There was little exposition - everything is revealed in due time throughout the book, which was enough to keep me turning the page.
The main characters, Thane and Reya, are well developed and multi-faceted. Reya is a strong character, an enigma who is slowly revealed throughout the book, and I still think she's awesome. :D A kick-ass, strong woman who is fighting for her own redemption, and taking pleasure in seeing evil-doers get what's coming to them? Yes please! Yet she still has her moments of weakness, developing her from more than just a cardboard cut-out, and that's what I really enjoyed about her. I would have liked to know a bit more about her history, though.
Thane wasn't quite as well developed, but still a character I could empathise with, driven by his past and the need for justice and revenge. Through learning about his family and his history you learn more about the man. I liked the temptations that he faced, too - unlike other authors I've read, like Piers Anthony, this wasn't just based on lust and I found that refreshing.
The romance in the book was well developed too - no instant lust, which I *hate*, and it progresses slowly over the course of the book as they work together and learn about each other, each finding that their initial conclusions weren't entirely correct.
The plot broke down a bit for me in the middle, though. Past lives and ascension and dimensions are all involved, and while I find all of those things FASCINATING, they need to be well written and well thought out. It felt a bit lacking, here - there wasn't enough depth, or not enough to draw me into fully suspending my disbelief. The concepts are interesting enough, don't get me wrong, I just didn't feel like they were quite well developed enough. Because of this my interest waned a bit as I found myself thinking 'what?' and 'how?' throughout the course of the latter half of the book.
I would still say that it was an enjoyable read, but I'm not sure whether I would pick up any sequels.
October 22, 2013
I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. When I first read the description of this book, I was intrigued with the concept and was so excited when I was chosen to review it through Netgalley.
The author has thought of way to an amazing but different approach of what life and death have to offer. Different dimensions and different worlds all working at the same time. Free will controls everything and we all have it.
Reya is a Redeemer of Souls for evil people. She is the very often the last person to see them alive because she is sent moments before they are to die to give them a chance to redeem themselves and ask for forgiveness. Sadly, most of the time they do not. Reya has been at this job for a while and all was going well. She trekked on day after day getting her assignments from her mentor, Orsen. However, after she is caught on camera a number of times after some unexplained deaths detective Thane Driscoll decides that he needs to find this mysterious women in black and bring her in for questioning.
Thane is good cop that has at times done some not so good things in order to make sure that the bad guys get what they deserve. This would include planting evidence and even shooting an unarmed man. He’s now on probation for his latest stunt and is walking a the fine line of losing his job. When he does track down Reya he is determined to find out why she is often sighted as being with the deceased just moments before they die and at first believes that she has a hand in killing them. He had no idea that it would lead him to a world that he never knew existed or that it would forever change his life.
I enjoyed the main characters Reya and Thane a lot. Reya was an amazing heroine that was strong and funny but in fact was paying for her past sins as well. Being a redeemer isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. She sees and feels every sin that the person that she’s trying to save has committed, that is her redemption. Thane, while he is a good cop, because of the things that he’s done while trying to make sure that justice was served is slowly costing him his humanity. I cried like crazy towards the end and was cursing Ms. Barry but I should have known that all would be righted eventually but I couldn’t have seen the happy ending coming the way that it did. What an amazing read! I can’t wait to read more from this series!
The author has thought of way to an amazing but different approach of what life and death have to offer. Different dimensions and different worlds all working at the same time. Free will controls everything and we all have it.
Reya is a Redeemer of Souls for evil people. She is the very often the last person to see them alive because she is sent moments before they are to die to give them a chance to redeem themselves and ask for forgiveness. Sadly, most of the time they do not. Reya has been at this job for a while and all was going well. She trekked on day after day getting her assignments from her mentor, Orsen. However, after she is caught on camera a number of times after some unexplained deaths detective Thane Driscoll decides that he needs to find this mysterious women in black and bring her in for questioning.
Thane is good cop that has at times done some not so good things in order to make sure that the bad guys get what they deserve. This would include planting evidence and even shooting an unarmed man. He’s now on probation for his latest stunt and is walking a the fine line of losing his job. When he does track down Reya he is determined to find out why she is often sighted as being with the deceased just moments before they die and at first believes that she has a hand in killing them. He had no idea that it would lead him to a world that he never knew existed or that it would forever change his life.
I enjoyed the main characters Reya and Thane a lot. Reya was an amazing heroine that was strong and funny but in fact was paying for her past sins as well. Being a redeemer isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. She sees and feels every sin that the person that she’s trying to save has committed, that is her redemption. Thane, while he is a good cop, because of the things that he’s done while trying to make sure that justice was served is slowly costing him his humanity. I cried like crazy towards the end and was cursing Ms. Barry but I should have known that all would be righted eventually but I couldn’t have seen the happy ending coming the way that it did. What an amazing read! I can’t wait to read more from this series!
October 21, 2013
I got this book from the publisher (through Net galley), free of cost, in exchange of an honest review from my side.
Firstly I would like to thank C.J Barry (author) and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this awesome book.
This book is just awesome and I totally loved it. Reya is a kick-ass heroine and she stole the show for me on the other hand I liked Thane but got a little frustrated when his Legacy abilities didn’t come up for more than half of the read so I waited for the great Legacy powers to unravel but couldn’t find any such revelations regarding great Legacy powers and it seemed that he just remained a mere mortal accept for the occasional unearthly glowing of the weapons he held. Orson is awesome and sometimes his comments made me laugh while the other times it made me irritated just like Reya. And oh my God, the ending is really fabulous and breath taking and I didn’t see that coming and it surprised me as well as shocked me as hell.
The characters are developed and not sketchy at all and I liked the side characters as well like Thane’s cop friend Martin was great. The action scenes were amazing and the detail descriptions of the dimensions made the read an intriguing one. The scientific descriptions and logical explanations made the read believable and I really believed in the other dimensions, the soul council and the process of reincarnating over and over again to experience and learn from the past mistakes and for the redemption of the sins so as to save your eternal soul and move to a peaceful and perfect dimension.
The mystery regarding the ulterior motives of Surt (villain) kept me reading on and on till the end and I couldn’t stop it in between and completed it in one go. The steamy romace between Thane and Reya was really great and I enjoyed it a lot. The writing style of the author is great and the use of third person POV really made the read crisp and smooth and the dialogues were delivered perfectly without creating any confusion which often happens in case of third person POV.
A great read and would love to recommend it to ya all. Hope that you’ll like it as much as I did.
Firstly I would like to thank C.J Barry (author) and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this awesome book.
This book is just awesome and I totally loved it. Reya is a kick-ass heroine and she stole the show for me on the other hand I liked Thane but got a little frustrated when his Legacy abilities didn’t come up for more than half of the read so I waited for the great Legacy powers to unravel but couldn’t find any such revelations regarding great Legacy powers and it seemed that he just remained a mere mortal accept for the occasional unearthly glowing of the weapons he held. Orson is awesome and sometimes his comments made me laugh while the other times it made me irritated just like Reya. And oh my God, the ending is really fabulous and breath taking and I didn’t see that coming and it surprised me as well as shocked me as hell.
The characters are developed and not sketchy at all and I liked the side characters as well like Thane’s cop friend Martin was great. The action scenes were amazing and the detail descriptions of the dimensions made the read an intriguing one. The scientific descriptions and logical explanations made the read believable and I really believed in the other dimensions, the soul council and the process of reincarnating over and over again to experience and learn from the past mistakes and for the redemption of the sins so as to save your eternal soul and move to a peaceful and perfect dimension.
The mystery regarding the ulterior motives of Surt (villain) kept me reading on and on till the end and I couldn’t stop it in between and completed it in one go. The steamy romace between Thane and Reya was really great and I enjoyed it a lot. The writing style of the author is great and the use of third person POV really made the read crisp and smooth and the dialogues were delivered perfectly without creating any confusion which often happens in case of third person POV.
A great read and would love to recommend it to ya all. Hope that you’ll like it as much as I did.
October 25, 2013
4.5 STARS
The first book of the metaphysical fiction Soul Series is a unique and intriguing story of ghosts, demons and enlightened beings and a butt kicking heroine.
Reya’s only shot at redemption is to be a Redeemer, someone who offers the soon to be dead one last shot at atonement for their sins. Thane is a detective who compromises his own soul by carrying out his own brand of justice. When good people start dying the two will have to work together to uncover an evil plot.
This unique story grabs the reader’s imagination from the very beginning and doesn’t let go. The author portrays a very interesting and engaging world with an intensity that brings the world to life and makes the reader feel as if they are fighting for the souls of the human world right along with Reya and Thane.
The strong characters are captivating and draw the reader deeper into this smooth flowing plot. The emotions and charisma of the hero and heroine are vivid and breathtaking real. The reader easily gets caught up in their individual plights as well as the overall conflict. The romance between the two is slow building throughout the story and appropriately paced.
I loved this fast paced book and once I started it, I couldn’t put it down until the end. The story does have one drawback, the metaphysical content can get a little confusing if you are not paying attention, so pick a time that you are less likely to be interrupted and curl up for a great entertaining story. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I was provided this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review.
The first book of the metaphysical fiction Soul Series is a unique and intriguing story of ghosts, demons and enlightened beings and a butt kicking heroine.
Reya’s only shot at redemption is to be a Redeemer, someone who offers the soon to be dead one last shot at atonement for their sins. Thane is a detective who compromises his own soul by carrying out his own brand of justice. When good people start dying the two will have to work together to uncover an evil plot.
This unique story grabs the reader’s imagination from the very beginning and doesn’t let go. The author portrays a very interesting and engaging world with an intensity that brings the world to life and makes the reader feel as if they are fighting for the souls of the human world right along with Reya and Thane.
The strong characters are captivating and draw the reader deeper into this smooth flowing plot. The emotions and charisma of the hero and heroine are vivid and breathtaking real. The reader easily gets caught up in their individual plights as well as the overall conflict. The romance between the two is slow building throughout the story and appropriately paced.
I loved this fast paced book and once I started it, I couldn’t put it down until the end. The story does have one drawback, the metaphysical content can get a little confusing if you are not paying attention, so pick a time that you are less likely to be interrupted and curl up for a great entertaining story. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I was provided this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review.
September 19, 2013
Reya Sinclair’s character fascinated me. I don’t think I have read a character like her before. She is for all intent and purposes a grim reaper of sorts. A Redeemer of Souls is her title. Asking those soon to part the earth if the truly repent their sins before death takes them. Redemption has a Final Destination (The movie) feel about it. Many of these people meet their demise is very dramatic and unusual ways.
Due to some of the unusual deaths, Detective Thane Driscoll takes notice. A cop known for bending the law and the truth to get criminals off the street, Thane is captivated by this woman in black. He has caught her several times on camera near or after the deaths happen. After meeting Reya Thane soon discovers all he thinks he knows about the world around him is just a microscopic portion of reality.
Redemption is a story of these two reliving some of their past so that we can get to the heart of the story. The future of the world depends on it. Good verse evil, dark verses light, who will win in the end?
Romance plays in the background. Not very high on the sizzle factor though. I feel it could have used a bit more sexual tension than what we were given. I very much like these two as a couple. I just wish the buildup was more about Reya and Thane connecting and less world building. But hey, it is book one of a new series so that is to be expected. A solid start to a new series.
3.75 STARS -
T~
*Given via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
www.ktbookreviews.com
Due to some of the unusual deaths, Detective Thane Driscoll takes notice. A cop known for bending the law and the truth to get criminals off the street, Thane is captivated by this woman in black. He has caught her several times on camera near or after the deaths happen. After meeting Reya Thane soon discovers all he thinks he knows about the world around him is just a microscopic portion of reality.
Redemption is a story of these two reliving some of their past so that we can get to the heart of the story. The future of the world depends on it. Good verse evil, dark verses light, who will win in the end?
Romance plays in the background. Not very high on the sizzle factor though. I feel it could have used a bit more sexual tension than what we were given. I very much like these two as a couple. I just wish the buildup was more about Reya and Thane connecting and less world building. But hey, it is book one of a new series so that is to be expected. A solid start to a new series.
3.75 STARS -
T~
*Given via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
www.ktbookreviews.com
August 9, 2023
Reya Sinclair is a Redeemer of Souls. Her mission is to give Earth’s most depraved sinners a shot at redemption just before they are slated to die. Her own redemption is on the line as she fulfills her duties, leaving a trail of dead bodies in her wake. It’s all going perfectly well until one detective, Thane Driscoll takes notice. He exacts his own style of justice, even if it costs him his humanity. A string of mysterious deaths leads him to a woman who’s not quite human and might hold the key to finding his father’s killer. New York City becomes a battleground for the forces of light and dark. As the body count rises and sparks fly between them, Reya and Thane race to uncover a terrible truth. Can one man hell-bent on revenge and one woman determined to save her eternal soul be enough to keep the planet from spiralling into darkness?
I absolutely loved this book. The concept of light, dark, death and reincarnation is unique and a little bit inspiring.
Reya's character is unique and faces many challenges. Finding her way back into the light is a hard and horrible task, but she can do it. I really enjoyed Reya's journey throughout the novel.
Thane is a hard-headed stubborn cop with redeeming qualities. Sometimes I fully agree with his Vigilante Justice. Considering the fact that the almighty council up above seems to let earth be ravaged by all these problems with little help. BUT, the more you read, the more you realize that all these things are happening for a reason.
I enjoyed this book and I hope you enjoy it just as much as I have. :D
I absolutely loved this book. The concept of light, dark, death and reincarnation is unique and a little bit inspiring.
Reya's character is unique and faces many challenges. Finding her way back into the light is a hard and horrible task, but she can do it. I really enjoyed Reya's journey throughout the novel.
Thane is a hard-headed stubborn cop with redeeming qualities. Sometimes I fully agree with his Vigilante Justice. Considering the fact that the almighty council up above seems to let earth be ravaged by all these problems with little help. BUT, the more you read, the more you realize that all these things are happening for a reason.
I enjoyed this book and I hope you enjoy it just as much as I have. :D
April 4, 2016
From the start of Redemption by C. J. Barry I was hooked! I liked how she started with Reya. From the beginning she is intriguing, had me immediately wondering who and what she was, good or bad?
Reya and Thane are brought together because of evil. I liked how this was done, the build up of their relationship as they worked together and the attraction between them grew. It wasn't fast, but it was steady and mesmerizing - a great pace! I really liked these two main characters, separately and together...and they might have more in common than either of them initially anticipates. Both of them are strong, determined, and think for themselves. Neither of them hesitates to step outside of the lines, even at risk to themselves, if it is for what they see as the greater good. I felt like I got to know both of these characters, and with great descriptions I could see the world through their eyes.
Redemption has many layers and good depth. I really liked what C. J. did with this unique and thrilling plot. I couldn't wait to see how various parts of the plot played out, and the twists that C. J. weaves in made for an exciting read. I liked that it wasn't a religious theme, rather more about light vs dark, good vs evil, and what can overcome.
The suspenseful, paranormal plot is strong and the romance builds but doesn't take away from the overall concept of Redemption. I really enjoyed this book.
I'd recommend Redemption to any reader who likes suspense, paranormal, the what if's and a romance blended in.
Reya and Thane are brought together because of evil. I liked how this was done, the build up of their relationship as they worked together and the attraction between them grew. It wasn't fast, but it was steady and mesmerizing - a great pace! I really liked these two main characters, separately and together...and they might have more in common than either of them initially anticipates. Both of them are strong, determined, and think for themselves. Neither of them hesitates to step outside of the lines, even at risk to themselves, if it is for what they see as the greater good. I felt like I got to know both of these characters, and with great descriptions I could see the world through their eyes.
Redemption has many layers and good depth. I really liked what C. J. did with this unique and thrilling plot. I couldn't wait to see how various parts of the plot played out, and the twists that C. J. weaves in made for an exciting read. I liked that it wasn't a religious theme, rather more about light vs dark, good vs evil, and what can overcome.
The suspenseful, paranormal plot is strong and the romance builds but doesn't take away from the overall concept of Redemption. I really enjoyed this book.
I'd recommend Redemption to any reader who likes suspense, paranormal, the what if's and a romance blended in.
June 27, 2017
OMG! I really, really LOVED this book! I just have to say, AMAZING STUFF CJ! I was completely enthralled in the world she created, the characters, the mystery, the suspense, and, of course, the romance. CJ Barry is a new author to me and she has certainly got my attention. Even though this story included paranormal and futuristic/fantasy elements (forgive me if I am miscategorizing) once I was caught up in the world Reya and Thane were dealing with (which was right away, lol) it still just felt so real to me. The characters actions, reactions, and dialogue were just so well written and believable it felt like I could have been right in the middle of it. Reya and Thane's love story unfolds in such a natural way considering the troubles, dangers and times they are dealing with that even though their time together was fairly short their love didn't feel rushed. Another aspect I thoroughly enjoyed about REDEMPTION is Ms. Barry's take on heaven/hell/afterlife/reincarnation/light vs. darkness was enough to feel all her own (or the story's that is) yet not all that far-fetched. In a perfect world, as they say. It added a wonderful depth to her storyline. I know I am leaving out details, but most are included in the blurb and anything more would just take away from the experience of the reader. Which for me was so wonderful I am really hoping this is not the last I see of this world by CJ Barry.
~Complimentary copy received via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review
~Complimentary copy received via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review
December 10, 2013
Now I will be the first to admit that I have heard of CJ Barry but I hadn't read any of her works. That is until now and I have no idea what took me so long. Along with a storyline that kept me entranced, Ms.Barry shows a deft touch with her characters as they grow and become even more arresting as the tale goes on.
REDEMPTION caught my attention within the first couple pages but I couldn't even imagine the questions that this book stirs up about reincarnation and second chances. This might bother some readers who are opposed to the thought of reincarnation but it ran right along side of some of my beliefs.
Both Reya and Thane start out...well on the dark side of the scale. There are reasons for this but you will have to read the book to find those out. They both change and grow as they start to think about their decisions and the consequences of them. And then you add in a villian that comes from Reya's past. Well it is a recipe for an engrossing book that doesn't let you up for air.
I do recommend this book to any of my readers who enjoy paranormal romantic suspense with a touch of the metaphysical added in. I know that I am going to be going on a hunt for Ms. Barry's back list. I rate it a 4.6.
*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.
REDEMPTION caught my attention within the first couple pages but I couldn't even imagine the questions that this book stirs up about reincarnation and second chances. This might bother some readers who are opposed to the thought of reincarnation but it ran right along side of some of my beliefs.
Both Reya and Thane start out...well on the dark side of the scale. There are reasons for this but you will have to read the book to find those out. They both change and grow as they start to think about their decisions and the consequences of them. And then you add in a villian that comes from Reya's past. Well it is a recipe for an engrossing book that doesn't let you up for air.
I do recommend this book to any of my readers who enjoy paranormal romantic suspense with a touch of the metaphysical added in. I know that I am going to be going on a hunt for Ms. Barry's back list. I rate it a 4.6.
*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.
December 2, 2013
I just don't know where to start with this. I enjoyed the world that was set up here...angels and demons but described as dark and light with no preachiness to it at all. However, I don't see where this series can go with the way the bad guy was beaten at the end of the book, unless Some parts of this moved a little slow, the action scenes were well written, and I loved that Reya and Thane
ARC provided from the publisher via Netgalley
ARC provided from the publisher via Netgalley
December 22, 2017
***copy provided by publisher through NetGalley***
Reya Sinclair is a "redeemer"; her mission is to find people before they die and offer them redemption and forgiveness if they want it. She's not doing it for selfless reasons, though, her own redemption and salvation is on the line.
Unfortunately, her mission is thrown into peril by a detective that happens to notice the trail of dead bodies she leaves in her wake. Thane Driscoll also isn't as pure as fresh snow, exacting his own style of justice in his quest of finding his father's killer...And the woman he's tracking just might be the key to that most important investigation.
I liked the premise of this one with the whole redemption/forgiveness theme and the heroine delivering both in order to save her own soul.
Unfortunately, the execution left much to be desired. It was a little too "preachy" for me with its religious undertones, the info dump was simply that instead of sprinkling information here and there throughout the story, the suspense was lukewarm, and the characters didn't really resonate with me. Both Reya and Thane left me cold, and the romance between them was a real stretch. I felt they were more friends than lovers, and as the "romance" evolved and progressed, the whole thing felt a little icky.
Reya Sinclair is a "redeemer"; her mission is to find people before they die and offer them redemption and forgiveness if they want it. She's not doing it for selfless reasons, though, her own redemption and salvation is on the line.
Unfortunately, her mission is thrown into peril by a detective that happens to notice the trail of dead bodies she leaves in her wake. Thane Driscoll also isn't as pure as fresh snow, exacting his own style of justice in his quest of finding his father's killer...And the woman he's tracking just might be the key to that most important investigation.
I liked the premise of this one with the whole redemption/forgiveness theme and the heroine delivering both in order to save her own soul.
Unfortunately, the execution left much to be desired. It was a little too "preachy" for me with its religious undertones, the info dump was simply that instead of sprinkling information here and there throughout the story, the suspense was lukewarm, and the characters didn't really resonate with me. Both Reya and Thane left me cold, and the romance between them was a real stretch. I felt they were more friends than lovers, and as the "romance" evolved and progressed, the whole thing felt a little icky.
Read
May 6, 2021this was an awesome book! Lots of emotional ups and downs!
June 26, 2014
Redemption was one of those books that was more than meets the eye. Initially I thought I was getting a paranormal romance with some action thrown into the mix. Not only did the book provide this, but it also had another layer to its story, giving the book an unexpected depth. Aside from being just another PNR, the book was also a story about enlightenment, hope, faith, redemption and love.
What took me by surprise about Redemption was the spiritual nature of the story. As I read through the book you came to see that C.J. Barry was using Reya’s and Thane’s mission to illustrate the concept of humanity’s ability to be enlightened and having faith that everything in this world has a purpose. It doesn’t shy away from presenting the skeptical viewpoint to this belief. It recognizes how one can have difficulty in believing humanity’s capability for betterment in the midst of so much suffering and violence. But through all of it, the story maintains its hopeful tone that everything matters and does affect you place in the bigger picture. Since these messages are blended within the story’s action, it doesn’t come off as being a boring lecture. It is a part of the story and its positive message carries through to the end of the story leaving you with a good feeling.
I was really impressed with how creative the book was. Barry created a world that blended both the paranormal and the scientific. I liked how the different dimensions were organized along the hierarchies of the beings involved. Details about the worlds and how things worked were explained well, not making me feel as if I was missing something or left me confused. You can tell how much time and creativity Barry put into the book by her attention to these details.
As for the main characters, Reya and Thane, I couldn’t help but think how relatable both of them are. I think they did well in reflecting not only differing perspectives, but perspectives that you can easily believe exist in real life. Thane’s bitterness and cynicism is something that I’ve seen in these I know. His views on humanity and the way he carries himself is something that’s recognizable and relatable. It made it so easy to find him credible and sympathetic character. On the other hand, Reya acknowledges the truth of Thane’s feelings, but still maintains her own brand of faith and wisdom. This is clearly illustrated in her hope for Thane. It doesn’t waver, even when it seems that Thane has chosen the darkness. At first I thought she was going to be the familiar sharp-tongued strong heroine. But as you read further, Reya shows herself to be more than what she first appeared. Both these characters go through a journey that inevitably changes them. I appreciate the subtle shift in their attitudes as the story goes. You don’t realize just how much they’ve changed until the climax of the story and the end.
This is a unique PNR with its blend of paranormal, romance and spirituality. It all came together to create a fast paced, race-against-time hunt to save humanity. The book was an entertaining examination of the roles humans have on this planet and the strength of faith that there are things in this world worth living for even in spite of the pain and suffering that exists.
*Received Uncorrected Advanced Copy from NetGalley
What took me by surprise about Redemption was the spiritual nature of the story. As I read through the book you came to see that C.J. Barry was using Reya’s and Thane’s mission to illustrate the concept of humanity’s ability to be enlightened and having faith that everything in this world has a purpose. It doesn’t shy away from presenting the skeptical viewpoint to this belief. It recognizes how one can have difficulty in believing humanity’s capability for betterment in the midst of so much suffering and violence. But through all of it, the story maintains its hopeful tone that everything matters and does affect you place in the bigger picture. Since these messages are blended within the story’s action, it doesn’t come off as being a boring lecture. It is a part of the story and its positive message carries through to the end of the story leaving you with a good feeling.
I was really impressed with how creative the book was. Barry created a world that blended both the paranormal and the scientific. I liked how the different dimensions were organized along the hierarchies of the beings involved. Details about the worlds and how things worked were explained well, not making me feel as if I was missing something or left me confused. You can tell how much time and creativity Barry put into the book by her attention to these details.
As for the main characters, Reya and Thane, I couldn’t help but think how relatable both of them are. I think they did well in reflecting not only differing perspectives, but perspectives that you can easily believe exist in real life. Thane’s bitterness and cynicism is something that I’ve seen in these I know. His views on humanity and the way he carries himself is something that’s recognizable and relatable. It made it so easy to find him credible and sympathetic character. On the other hand, Reya acknowledges the truth of Thane’s feelings, but still maintains her own brand of faith and wisdom. This is clearly illustrated in her hope for Thane. It doesn’t waver, even when it seems that Thane has chosen the darkness. At first I thought she was going to be the familiar sharp-tongued strong heroine. But as you read further, Reya shows herself to be more than what she first appeared. Both these characters go through a journey that inevitably changes them. I appreciate the subtle shift in their attitudes as the story goes. You don’t realize just how much they’ve changed until the climax of the story and the end.
This is a unique PNR with its blend of paranormal, romance and spirituality. It all came together to create a fast paced, race-against-time hunt to save humanity. The book was an entertaining examination of the roles humans have on this planet and the strength of faith that there are things in this world worth living for even in spite of the pain and suffering that exists.
*Received Uncorrected Advanced Copy from NetGalley
October 13, 2013
I just finished reading C.J. Barry's book, Unchained, when I started this one. The writing style is so wonderful that I just couldn't put it off until the next day. I think I finished this one in 2-1/2 days, reading whenever I had a free moment and staying up late to keep the story going. Hello, awesome Urban Fantasy! This one is set in New York and is a sort-of Spiritual Urban Fantasy. The ultimate battle between good and evil, angels and demons, different dimensions, even some Atlantis thrown in. It was totally compelling and somewhat creepy. The kind of book that I need to stay up late for just because I can't leave it at a creepy part and expect to sleep.
Reya is a Redeemer. She's given the information of when/where some “bad guy” will die and it's her job to see if he'll repent before he dies. It's a very grey area sort of book. Her job is not to stop their deaths, but simply to give them the opportunity to say “sorry” before they die. She's tough, kick-a** and sexy and it appears that every person she approaches brushes her off because they're so evil.
Thane is his own sort of vigilante. He's a cop that does what's necessary to make the bad guys pay for their sins. Planting evidence, “accidental” shootings, lying on the witness stand – he will make sure the guy pays for what he's done. He's hot and sexy, but that's almost not the point. He and Reya are each other's destiny and even with free will these two are metaphysically connected.
Neither character is hugely likeable to start out with. They both walk that border between good and evil, light and dark. They fulfill their jobs in the way they see is best, but neither one is fulfilling the intention behind the job. In fact, in some cases you really want to dislike them, but they are so sympathetic that you know exactly where they're coming from and wonder if you'd have the ability to do any better than them in their situations.
The action is pretty much non-stop and nothing simple or predicable (besides the requisite “end of the world” sorts of danger). Each individual piece of the plot is not so complex that you're left feeling confused, many ideas are common enough that you've probably heard some variation, but woven together, it's a pretty awesome take on the world of urban fantasy and it definitely took some higher brain power to put the pieces together as they appear.
I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book, especially as I got closer to the end. There were a bunch of plot twists and some tears from me, but everything worked out spectacularly in the end.
I've read pretty much all of C.J. Barry's books and this one will keep me looking for more, and probably re-reading some of the others in my collection. She has an awesome voice and when you need smart, intuitive characters and a sweeping storyline, this is one of the books you should choose.
I received a complementary ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Reya is a Redeemer. She's given the information of when/where some “bad guy” will die and it's her job to see if he'll repent before he dies. It's a very grey area sort of book. Her job is not to stop their deaths, but simply to give them the opportunity to say “sorry” before they die. She's tough, kick-a** and sexy and it appears that every person she approaches brushes her off because they're so evil.
Thane is his own sort of vigilante. He's a cop that does what's necessary to make the bad guys pay for their sins. Planting evidence, “accidental” shootings, lying on the witness stand – he will make sure the guy pays for what he's done. He's hot and sexy, but that's almost not the point. He and Reya are each other's destiny and even with free will these two are metaphysically connected.
Neither character is hugely likeable to start out with. They both walk that border between good and evil, light and dark. They fulfill their jobs in the way they see is best, but neither one is fulfilling the intention behind the job. In fact, in some cases you really want to dislike them, but they are so sympathetic that you know exactly where they're coming from and wonder if you'd have the ability to do any better than them in their situations.
The action is pretty much non-stop and nothing simple or predicable (besides the requisite “end of the world” sorts of danger). Each individual piece of the plot is not so complex that you're left feeling confused, many ideas are common enough that you've probably heard some variation, but woven together, it's a pretty awesome take on the world of urban fantasy and it definitely took some higher brain power to put the pieces together as they appear.
I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book, especially as I got closer to the end. There were a bunch of plot twists and some tears from me, but everything worked out spectacularly in the end.
I've read pretty much all of C.J. Barry's books and this one will keep me looking for more, and probably re-reading some of the others in my collection. She has an awesome voice and when you need smart, intuitive characters and a sweeping storyline, this is one of the books you should choose.
I received a complementary ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 17, 2013
Rainy Dayz Reviewz
Author: C.J. Barry
Genre: Metaphysical Thriller
Source: NetGalley- (Forever) Grand Central Publishing
336 pages
Redemption is like Celestine Prophecy meets Angels and Demons. I decided the closest description for genre would be metaphysical thriller. I've read a lot of metaphysical type books and this book actually contained a lot of my personal spiritual beliefs. Yet, I had a hard time reading this one. I loved the beginning and the ending but somewhere in the middle I feel like C.J. Barry could have cut out 100 pages and the story would have been fine. Despite liking the book I felt like it dragged on once I got about halfway through. It took me almost a week to finish the second half. It picks back up at about 80%.
Redemption is not your usual good vs evil type of book. It deals with the spiritual salvation of the entire planet. Kind of serious stuff there. A little too serious for me truthfully. I tend to avoid any fictional books that touch on religion. I actually thought this was an urban fantasy book when I read the description. Redemption is about Reya who is a redeemer. Basically she tells people their sins before they die and ask them if they are sorry. She's been caught on several surveillance cameras near people right before she dies and this flags the polices attention. Namely officer Thane Driscoll. Thane has a major chip on his shoulder and a terrible attitude through most of the book. I really liked Reya a lot but most of the time Thane annoyed me.
Around the time that Reya and Thane meet up and start working together people start catching fire and burning to death. Then churches start burning down. All hell breaks loose, literally, in New York City and it's up to Reya and Thane to figure out what's going on. It turns out they work really well together. Between the two of them they know all kinds of people who help them out throughout the book. It's like a wild goose chase and a lot of it links back to Thane's past. Which of course makes Thane even more volatile than he was before. All in all this was a good book and I would recommend it to anyone looking for something different. It's not your usual urban fantasy or paranormal romance that's for sure.
Favorite Quotes:
"She was the most beautiful crazy person he'd ever met. What a waste."
"I still don't get how you have human responses, and yet make yourself thin as air," he said as he looked through the file.
"It's a gift," she said. "At least that what they keep telling me. I'm beginning to not believe them. Really, if they wanted to give me a gift, I can think of a lot better things. Like balls of fire on demand or sonic sneezes or something useful."
Author: C.J. Barry
Genre: Metaphysical Thriller
Source: NetGalley- (Forever) Grand Central Publishing
336 pages
Redemption is like Celestine Prophecy meets Angels and Demons. I decided the closest description for genre would be metaphysical thriller. I've read a lot of metaphysical type books and this book actually contained a lot of my personal spiritual beliefs. Yet, I had a hard time reading this one. I loved the beginning and the ending but somewhere in the middle I feel like C.J. Barry could have cut out 100 pages and the story would have been fine. Despite liking the book I felt like it dragged on once I got about halfway through. It took me almost a week to finish the second half. It picks back up at about 80%.
Redemption is not your usual good vs evil type of book. It deals with the spiritual salvation of the entire planet. Kind of serious stuff there. A little too serious for me truthfully. I tend to avoid any fictional books that touch on religion. I actually thought this was an urban fantasy book when I read the description. Redemption is about Reya who is a redeemer. Basically she tells people their sins before they die and ask them if they are sorry. She's been caught on several surveillance cameras near people right before she dies and this flags the polices attention. Namely officer Thane Driscoll. Thane has a major chip on his shoulder and a terrible attitude through most of the book. I really liked Reya a lot but most of the time Thane annoyed me.
Around the time that Reya and Thane meet up and start working together people start catching fire and burning to death. Then churches start burning down. All hell breaks loose, literally, in New York City and it's up to Reya and Thane to figure out what's going on. It turns out they work really well together. Between the two of them they know all kinds of people who help them out throughout the book. It's like a wild goose chase and a lot of it links back to Thane's past. Which of course makes Thane even more volatile than he was before. All in all this was a good book and I would recommend it to anyone looking for something different. It's not your usual urban fantasy or paranormal romance that's for sure.
Favorite Quotes:
"She was the most beautiful crazy person he'd ever met. What a waste."
"I still don't get how you have human responses, and yet make yourself thin as air," he said as he looked through the file.
"It's a gift," she said. "At least that what they keep telling me. I'm beginning to not believe them. Really, if they wanted to give me a gift, I can think of a lot better things. Like balls of fire on demand or sonic sneezes or something useful."
September 29, 2013
Redemption was a novel I didn’t really know a lot about until I saw it on Netgalley, but it intrigued me, so I requested. There were a lot of things/ideas that I loved about this book, but for me Redemption kind of fell flat. It’s not that I hated it, I just didn’t love it. I mean I did like it, but that isn’t enough for me.
Redemption revolves around a woman, Reya, who is trying to redeem herself and her soul in order to get to that better place. Reya meets people prior to their death and offers them redemption, but only if they are sorry for what they have done. She works with vile and despicable humans, from murders to thieving corporate CEOs to rapists. But everyone deserves redemption in Reya’s world, even if they never take it.
What did I like about Redemption? The idea behind Redeems and that humans still have free will. I loved the idea that you can mess up, but still work towards redemption. That death just isn’t black and white. That your soul recycles and with each life you learn and you try to be a better person. Redemption delves into a lot from souls to the afterlife to past lives, etc. At times it was a lot coming at you at once, but C.J. Barry did a good job at writing those parts.
Then you are swamped with the mystery of who is making good people spontaneously combust? This leads me to what I didn’t love about the book. I just didn’t connect with the characters. I didn’t dislike Reya or Thane, but I just didn’t connect with them, and as a reader I need to connect to my characters. This could because Redemption is written in third person, so you don’t get that direct feel that you do with first person point of views. Sometimes I found Reya and Thane to be a bit one dimensional. I would have liked to know a bit more about them instead of just their present being focused on, and it did feel like the romance was a bit thrown together.
Redemption would be great for your traditional Urban Fantasy reader, but that just wasn’t me in this case. It reminded me a lot of a show I used to watch called Dead Like Me , (which is a great show BTW, so go watch it. You won’t regret it). In fact it reminded me so much of the show that every scene with Orson had me picturing Rube and his Post-It notes.
The ending was super cute. I mean I loved the ending. I won’t go into details so not to spoil it for you, but it will give you warm fuzzy feelings.
Redemption revolves around a woman, Reya, who is trying to redeem herself and her soul in order to get to that better place. Reya meets people prior to their death and offers them redemption, but only if they are sorry for what they have done. She works with vile and despicable humans, from murders to thieving corporate CEOs to rapists. But everyone deserves redemption in Reya’s world, even if they never take it.
“Everyone screws up. It’s expected. It is how you learn and grow and evolve into a loving being.”
What did I like about Redemption? The idea behind Redeems and that humans still have free will. I loved the idea that you can mess up, but still work towards redemption. That death just isn’t black and white. That your soul recycles and with each life you learn and you try to be a better person. Redemption delves into a lot from souls to the afterlife to past lives, etc. At times it was a lot coming at you at once, but C.J. Barry did a good job at writing those parts.
“We always have a choice. We are free to choose our paths—right or wrong. And I was wrong to follow Surt.”
Then you are swamped with the mystery of who is making good people spontaneously combust? This leads me to what I didn’t love about the book. I just didn’t connect with the characters. I didn’t dislike Reya or Thane, but I just didn’t connect with them, and as a reader I need to connect to my characters. This could because Redemption is written in third person, so you don’t get that direct feel that you do with first person point of views. Sometimes I found Reya and Thane to be a bit one dimensional. I would have liked to know a bit more about them instead of just their present being focused on, and it did feel like the romance was a bit thrown together.
Redemption would be great for your traditional Urban Fantasy reader, but that just wasn’t me in this case. It reminded me a lot of a show I used to watch called Dead Like Me , (which is a great show BTW, so go watch it. You won’t regret it). In fact it reminded me so much of the show that every scene with Orson had me picturing Rube and his Post-It notes.
The ending was super cute. I mean I loved the ending. I won’t go into details so not to spoil it for you, but it will give you warm fuzzy feelings.
December 28, 2013
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
This is a very intriguing read and the first book in a brand new series. I loved it!
Reya Sinclair is a fascinating character. She is a Redeemer, a type of intermediary who gives souls a chance to atone for their sins, but who is also atoning for her own. She has been to Hell and back, literally. I liked her spunk, of which she has a lot! However, I also think she is rather hard on herself.
Thane Driscoll is a police detective, who has become a bit jaded and disillusioned over the years. I liked this character. He has good intentions, but his moral compass has become slightly bent. (The saying - The road to Hell is paved with good intentions - comes to mind with this character). When he meets Reya, secrets are revealed and his life will change forever.
This is a fantastic Urban Fantasy that captured my attention from the first page. There have been many books that use the concept of angels or other metaphysical beings (such as the Grim Reaper) as soul gatherer's, but this is the first book I have read that uses human souls called Redeemers to do the reaping. This is a good thing, because it gives the story a fresh twist. It's a dirty job, but someone has got to do it I suppose, and Reya is a strong, independent and resourceful woman. The story is a thrilling mix of suspense, mystery, romance and danger that takes the reader on a roller coaster ride with a metaphysical twist. The characters come alive on the page; I even like Orson, Reya's supervisor and contact with Heaven, even though his attitude bugs Reya no end. Surt is a character that I think was not as threatening as he could have been. Although power hungry, he didn't send shivers down my back as a truly evil being would have done. Nevertheless, his dark presence gave the story enough of a threat factor to keep it interesting. The Hellraiders were more scary though!
The author's use of dimensions to describe the evolution of enlightenment and peace, and the role they play in the state of things made sense to me, but may not to other readers. I think that the Earth is alive and evolving, just as we are, and has a soul too; it is no wonder that she takes exception to being used and exploited by us! The ending is bittersweet in some respects, but it is mostly a reminder that love is the biggest healer of all.
C.J. Barry has written a fabulous story that was fast paced, flowed beautifully and kept me entertained. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
I highly recommend this book if you love Paranormal Romance or Urban Fantasy genres. - Lynn Worton
This is a very intriguing read and the first book in a brand new series. I loved it!
Reya Sinclair is a fascinating character. She is a Redeemer, a type of intermediary who gives souls a chance to atone for their sins, but who is also atoning for her own. She has been to Hell and back, literally. I liked her spunk, of which she has a lot! However, I also think she is rather hard on herself.
Thane Driscoll is a police detective, who has become a bit jaded and disillusioned over the years. I liked this character. He has good intentions, but his moral compass has become slightly bent. (The saying - The road to Hell is paved with good intentions - comes to mind with this character). When he meets Reya, secrets are revealed and his life will change forever.
This is a fantastic Urban Fantasy that captured my attention from the first page. There have been many books that use the concept of angels or other metaphysical beings (such as the Grim Reaper) as soul gatherer's, but this is the first book I have read that uses human souls called Redeemers to do the reaping. This is a good thing, because it gives the story a fresh twist. It's a dirty job, but someone has got to do it I suppose, and Reya is a strong, independent and resourceful woman. The story is a thrilling mix of suspense, mystery, romance and danger that takes the reader on a roller coaster ride with a metaphysical twist. The characters come alive on the page; I even like Orson, Reya's supervisor and contact with Heaven, even though his attitude bugs Reya no end. Surt is a character that I think was not as threatening as he could have been. Although power hungry, he didn't send shivers down my back as a truly evil being would have done. Nevertheless, his dark presence gave the story enough of a threat factor to keep it interesting. The Hellraiders were more scary though!
The author's use of dimensions to describe the evolution of enlightenment and peace, and the role they play in the state of things made sense to me, but may not to other readers. I think that the Earth is alive and evolving, just as we are, and has a soul too; it is no wonder that she takes exception to being used and exploited by us! The ending is bittersweet in some respects, but it is mostly a reminder that love is the biggest healer of all.
C.J. Barry has written a fabulous story that was fast paced, flowed beautifully and kept me entertained. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
I highly recommend this book if you love Paranormal Romance or Urban Fantasy genres. - Lynn Worton
November 23, 2013
3.5 stars
Arc provided by netgalley
Where to start....
Well at the moment i'm pretty much on a urban fantasy phase, so this seemed right my alley.
And it was!
The Writing (it deserves a capital W) was pretty much perfect. Crisp, and engaging, it kept me a happy reader.
The characters, Reya is a perfect leading character. For a Soul Redeemer she has a perfect balance of humanity with "don't mess with me you schmuck" attitude.
Regarding Thane, i felt as if he was perfectly drawn. He's a messed up character. Not very trust worthy, with his own agenda.
Then there's the plot...of urban fantasy...with paranormal romance...and sci-fi??
Okay, it worked...mostly. And i liked it so much during the first half of it, that i was considering giving it a four star rating.
Mixing some metaphysical ideas in this uf scenario was a pretty brave thing to do. Supposedly we humans (as souls) choose the role we want to "play" here in earth in order to learn. Nothing i haven't heard before, but this is probably the first time i read it developed in a story.
But then _i'm sorry _ i felt as if the author went a little overboard with all that was happening. Truly, the makings of a great imagination! But there was too much happening at the same time: Soul Redeemers, Legacy's....Atlantis!!
I don't know why this happens...but every time the name Atlantis is thrown at in a plot, my concentration _just like the mythical..place _ starts to vanish! It's weird i know! I read about werewolves, but i can't deal with Atlantis?!!
And then there was magical crystals and staffs (and i started imagining Sailor Moon with her magical scepter and powers!) and then there was the lost pyramid thing (i had an Indiana Jones phase..Dirk Pitt not so much), and i was a little: Okayyyy.....
SO...if all of a sudden an unicorn were to appear, i wouldn't be surprised!
It was a little too much!!!
But the bad guy was truly evil. His plan was very "Machiavelli" and intelligent! So bonus points for that!
The ending...i liked how it "ended" ( a little code for those who have read it ;) down at the pyramid.
The romance part...well, i liked how it was played. It never overwhelmed the plot, and the characters had a good chemistry.
And like i previously said, great writing and engaging characters, this means i'm very much interested in reading the next one.
Arc provided by netgalley
Where to start....
Well at the moment i'm pretty much on a urban fantasy phase, so this seemed right my alley.
And it was!
The Writing (it deserves a capital W) was pretty much perfect. Crisp, and engaging, it kept me a happy reader.
The characters, Reya is a perfect leading character. For a Soul Redeemer she has a perfect balance of humanity with "don't mess with me you schmuck" attitude.
Regarding Thane, i felt as if he was perfectly drawn. He's a messed up character. Not very trust worthy, with his own agenda.
Then there's the plot...of urban fantasy...with paranormal romance...and sci-fi??
Okay, it worked...mostly. And i liked it so much during the first half of it, that i was considering giving it a four star rating.
Mixing some metaphysical ideas in this uf scenario was a pretty brave thing to do. Supposedly we humans (as souls) choose the role we want to "play" here in earth in order to learn. Nothing i haven't heard before, but this is probably the first time i read it developed in a story.
But then _i'm sorry _ i felt as if the author went a little overboard with all that was happening. Truly, the makings of a great imagination! But there was too much happening at the same time: Soul Redeemers, Legacy's....Atlantis!!
I don't know why this happens...but every time the name Atlantis is thrown at in a plot, my concentration _just like the mythical..place _ starts to vanish! It's weird i know! I read about werewolves, but i can't deal with Atlantis?!!
And then there was magical crystals and staffs (and i started imagining Sailor Moon with her magical scepter and powers!) and then there was the lost pyramid thing (i had an Indiana Jones phase..Dirk Pitt not so much), and i was a little: Okayyyy.....
SO...if all of a sudden an unicorn were to appear, i wouldn't be surprised!
It was a little too much!!!
But the bad guy was truly evil. His plan was very "Machiavelli" and intelligent! So bonus points for that!
The ending...i liked how it "ended" ( a little code for those who have read it ;) down at the pyramid.
The romance part...well, i liked how it was played. It never overwhelmed the plot, and the characters had a good chemistry.
And like i previously said, great writing and engaging characters, this means i'm very much interested in reading the next one.
July 18, 2014
To tell the truth, I don't know if I love this book or not. Overall it just felt neutral.
I was fascinated from the moment I laid my eyes on the blurb. I thought it would be interesting, and yes, after I read it, it is interesting. Redemption was a whole new concept about light and dark.
Our main, Reya, was a Redeemer and a total bad-ass. Before someone dies, someone (or maybe something) would read their sins and offer them a chance of redemption, and that someone was Reya. Reya's job was doing quite well, until a certain detective choose to put her up as his suspect, due to the unusual deaths that happened recently. Really, if not for the illustration on the cover and the description that Reya was hot, I would've imagined that she was something like the ghost in Woman in Black or Insidious (I'm too scared to search for the picture and attach it here). You know, wearing all black, un-touchable, ghost-like, people dying after meeting her. It's quite creepy, when they're watching a video from a CCTV (or something) and there she is, smiling at the camera then poof gone. But I love her though, her personality. She's tough.
So yeah, for me all the other characters was great and well build. Definitely love the other main character, Thane Driscoll. The writing style was okay. And the ending was beautiful. I was really fascinated at first, but somehow that pull was getting loose throughout the story. Love the concept though. I know that this book wont focus on the romance part, and I love it, but if there would be romance at all I think the story could use a bit more of Reya-Thane moment. I mean, maybe other readers would realize the 'love' between them but I don't, not really. they felt like working partners with the addition of several sex scenes and the next thing Reya told Orson (another character in the story, her envoy) that she loved Thane.
Despite my love for the story and concept, like I said before, I just felt neutral. Maybe it's because of the pull? I don't really know. Would still recommend it to Paranormal novel's lovers though! and thank you for Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the chance to read this book.
I was fascinated from the moment I laid my eyes on the blurb. I thought it would be interesting, and yes, after I read it, it is interesting. Redemption was a whole new concept about light and dark.
Our main, Reya, was a Redeemer and a total bad-ass. Before someone dies, someone (or maybe something) would read their sins and offer them a chance of redemption, and that someone was Reya. Reya's job was doing quite well, until a certain detective choose to put her up as his suspect, due to the unusual deaths that happened recently. Really, if not for the illustration on the cover and the description that Reya was hot, I would've imagined that she was something like the ghost in Woman in Black or Insidious (I'm too scared to search for the picture and attach it here). You know, wearing all black, un-touchable, ghost-like, people dying after meeting her. It's quite creepy, when they're watching a video from a CCTV (or something) and there she is, smiling at the camera then poof gone. But I love her though, her personality. She's tough.
So yeah, for me all the other characters was great and well build. Definitely love the other main character, Thane Driscoll. The writing style was okay. And the ending was beautiful. I was really fascinated at first, but somehow that pull was getting loose throughout the story. Love the concept though. I know that this book wont focus on the romance part, and I love it, but if there would be romance at all I think the story could use a bit more of Reya-Thane moment. I mean, maybe other readers would realize the 'love' between them but I don't, not really. they felt like working partners with the addition of several sex scenes and the next thing Reya told Orson (another character in the story, her envoy) that she loved Thane.
Despite my love for the story and concept, like I said before, I just felt neutral. Maybe it's because of the pull? I don't really know. Would still recommend it to Paranormal novel's lovers though! and thank you for Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the chance to read this book.
October 15, 2013
**I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, from the Author and Publisher for a honest review**
This was a good story, even though it wasn't exactly what I expected or really my type. I expected it to be more of a paranormal romance. However even if it lacked the romance that I had anticipated it was still a good paranormal book. There is romance though, just a bit.
For me this story started off strong, but then had so much background that I almost felt lost at times. But it was very thought through and well explained for the most part.
Reya is a redeemer who's job is to go to those that have been pretty evil during their life: rapists, murders, child molesters, abusers, and those you have made millions off their greed. I could go on, but basically a combination of the above and other horrific things you can think of. That is what her jobs consist of. So she goes to these evil doers before their deaths and tells them their sins, and then asks if they are sorry. This is their chance to redeem their souls, to choose the right path. Because as much as the rest of us hope these type of people will burn in Hell, everyone is able to ask for forgiveness, given a second chance.
Thane is a cop who works in the paranormal unit. Even though no one believes in paranormal happenings, the unit is basically for when the "crazies" call in and say they seen this or that. His unit is for the unexplainable crimes. Thane's soul is nor good or evil, but straddling the line. He has done things that are unmoral but most of us would see as justice. But whether justice is served or not is not what is important, it is the decisions we all make that affect our soul. If we do a bad thing for a good reason, it is still bad and goes against our soul, no matter how many lives we may save.
Thane and his partner Martin are assigned to the mysterious deaths that have been ruled accidental, however in every video Reya has been to the victim before their death. This makes her a suspect. Not to mention Thane feels in his gut that she is involved. But when he meets her and finds out what is going on he's in for a surprise. Not only is she innocent, but now he is about to wake up and face his destiny, one he never knew existed, one he never could of imagined. In the end will he find his redemption too?
This was a good story, even though it wasn't exactly what I expected or really my type. I expected it to be more of a paranormal romance. However even if it lacked the romance that I had anticipated it was still a good paranormal book. There is romance though, just a bit.
For me this story started off strong, but then had so much background that I almost felt lost at times. But it was very thought through and well explained for the most part.
Reya is a redeemer who's job is to go to those that have been pretty evil during their life: rapists, murders, child molesters, abusers, and those you have made millions off their greed. I could go on, but basically a combination of the above and other horrific things you can think of. That is what her jobs consist of. So she goes to these evil doers before their deaths and tells them their sins, and then asks if they are sorry. This is their chance to redeem their souls, to choose the right path. Because as much as the rest of us hope these type of people will burn in Hell, everyone is able to ask for forgiveness, given a second chance.
Thane is a cop who works in the paranormal unit. Even though no one believes in paranormal happenings, the unit is basically for when the "crazies" call in and say they seen this or that. His unit is for the unexplainable crimes. Thane's soul is nor good or evil, but straddling the line. He has done things that are unmoral but most of us would see as justice. But whether justice is served or not is not what is important, it is the decisions we all make that affect our soul. If we do a bad thing for a good reason, it is still bad and goes against our soul, no matter how many lives we may save.
Thane and his partner Martin are assigned to the mysterious deaths that have been ruled accidental, however in every video Reya has been to the victim before their death. This makes her a suspect. Not to mention Thane feels in his gut that she is involved. But when he meets her and finds out what is going on he's in for a surprise. Not only is she innocent, but now he is about to wake up and face his destiny, one he never knew existed, one he never could of imagined. In the end will he find his redemption too?
December 3, 2013
REDEMPTION tells the story of Reya, a redeemer, an angel-like being who comes to sinners before their deaths and asks if they would like to repent. If they do, they are allowed to ascend to another level of being (though they still die), and if not--they are sent to hell. REDEMPTION also follows Thane (sorry, but I hate that name, since it reminds me of medieval and Viking history and is usually a title, not a given name), a cop who likes to bend the rules to get justice. It turns out that Thane and Reya have a complicated history that goes back lifetimes, and Thane could be the key to saving the world or sending the entire planet into chaos.
The story isn't religious, or at least isn't Christian-religious. It's more about karma and bettering one's lot (or making it darker, perhaps). It makes you think philosophically--what if the world itself is moving toward the next plane of existence, instead of just its inhabitants? The bad guy doesn't want his comfortable, evil world to disappear, and the balance can be tipped by the choices we make. A reader will also find a mystery subplot along with the malevolent antagonist, and some well-developed side characters in Martin and Orson. Sometimes the plot moves slowly and while the worldbuilding is well done, the reader has to wait perhaps overly long before things are revealed. There is plenty of lust in this novel, but it's not a romance; the main characters do get together, but the story unfolds without them having to get into bed.
I would have liked to see more of Reya's job as a Redeemer, but the story turns into a save-the-guy, save-the-world plot, which is well done, but sort of a switch from what I expected. The ending is quite wrenching, but ends happily; a sort of turnout that I appreciate. It also doesn't leave huge plot threads dangling like a lot of first books in a series are doing nowadays--the ending leaves things open for more story, but it doesn't leave the reader teetering on a cliff. Good for urban fantasy lovers and those who like a little metaphysical philosophy in their fiction. Falls right into my three-stars category: good enough for me to finish, but I probably won't read again.
Received as a free digital ARC via Netgalley and the publisher.
The story isn't religious, or at least isn't Christian-religious. It's more about karma and bettering one's lot (or making it darker, perhaps). It makes you think philosophically--what if the world itself is moving toward the next plane of existence, instead of just its inhabitants? The bad guy doesn't want his comfortable, evil world to disappear, and the balance can be tipped by the choices we make. A reader will also find a mystery subplot along with the malevolent antagonist, and some well-developed side characters in Martin and Orson. Sometimes the plot moves slowly and while the worldbuilding is well done, the reader has to wait perhaps overly long before things are revealed. There is plenty of lust in this novel, but it's not a romance; the main characters do get together, but the story unfolds without them having to get into bed.
I would have liked to see more of Reya's job as a Redeemer, but the story turns into a save-the-guy, save-the-world plot, which is well done, but sort of a switch from what I expected. The ending is quite wrenching, but ends happily; a sort of turnout that I appreciate. It also doesn't leave huge plot threads dangling like a lot of first books in a series are doing nowadays--the ending leaves things open for more story, but it doesn't leave the reader teetering on a cliff. Good for urban fantasy lovers and those who like a little metaphysical philosophy in their fiction. Falls right into my three-stars category: good enough for me to finish, but I probably won't read again.
Received as a free digital ARC via Netgalley and the publisher.
January 2, 2014
Redemption
By C.J. Barry
Hachette Book Group, Inc.
Forever Books
Grand Central Publishing
e-book for review from NetGalley
paranormal mystery
on amazon: kindle $2.99
paperback $15.30
336 pages
published: Oct. 1, 2013
Reya is a Redeemer trying to earn her way into heaven. Not an easy job for someone seeking redemption. She’d been to hell and no way does she want to go back. She seeks the light and its safety. Her mission is to ask those who have numerous sins if they are sorry for the pain and misery they have caused. Seems the wealthy and powerful businessmen she is assigned to approach feel they haven’t done wrong, as that’s what it takes to earn your rightful place in the commercial world. Unfortunately, they’re wrong.
Detective Thane Driscoll had just landed himself in an allegation of misconduct case regarding the death of a child molester. His reputation survives, but he’s on Probation. Now he has something of a paranormal mystery to deal with. There’s been a number of “suspicious deaths” of obvious rotten human beings. According to surveillance cameras one woman has been present at the time of their deaths. Now they just have to find her, which is a bit difficult as she disappears in thin air.
Trying to get him off her path so she can continue on with her work, she allows him to question her. Things only get more complicated when she learns she has to protect him, that he’s special on the game board of good and evil. Together they seek out a deadly soul determined to take control of a prized possession. He doesn’t care who he has to kill to achieve his mission.
Redemption was a book I couldn’t put down. I loved the characters and I could understand their nearly impossible mission to overcome. The possibility of other dimensions and Earth’s energy source intrigued me. What’s decided in heaven creating the framework of our lives on Earth is believable. I can easily see this book adapted into a great paranormal adventure on the big screen. I hope C.J. has a sequel for this book in the near future.
Five redeemers out of five
Denise Fleischer
Author of Deadly Reservations
Gottawritenetwork.wordpress.com
January 2, 2014
By C.J. Barry
Hachette Book Group, Inc.
Forever Books
Grand Central Publishing
e-book for review from NetGalley
paranormal mystery
on amazon: kindle $2.99
paperback $15.30
336 pages
published: Oct. 1, 2013
Reya is a Redeemer trying to earn her way into heaven. Not an easy job for someone seeking redemption. She’d been to hell and no way does she want to go back. She seeks the light and its safety. Her mission is to ask those who have numerous sins if they are sorry for the pain and misery they have caused. Seems the wealthy and powerful businessmen she is assigned to approach feel they haven’t done wrong, as that’s what it takes to earn your rightful place in the commercial world. Unfortunately, they’re wrong.
Detective Thane Driscoll had just landed himself in an allegation of misconduct case regarding the death of a child molester. His reputation survives, but he’s on Probation. Now he has something of a paranormal mystery to deal with. There’s been a number of “suspicious deaths” of obvious rotten human beings. According to surveillance cameras one woman has been present at the time of their deaths. Now they just have to find her, which is a bit difficult as she disappears in thin air.
Trying to get him off her path so she can continue on with her work, she allows him to question her. Things only get more complicated when she learns she has to protect him, that he’s special on the game board of good and evil. Together they seek out a deadly soul determined to take control of a prized possession. He doesn’t care who he has to kill to achieve his mission.
Redemption was a book I couldn’t put down. I loved the characters and I could understand their nearly impossible mission to overcome. The possibility of other dimensions and Earth’s energy source intrigued me. What’s decided in heaven creating the framework of our lives on Earth is believable. I can easily see this book adapted into a great paranormal adventure on the big screen. I hope C.J. has a sequel for this book in the near future.
Five redeemers out of five
Denise Fleischer
Author of Deadly Reservations
Gottawritenetwork.wordpress.com
January 2, 2014
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