Seventh Mark

Hidden Secrets #1

by W.J. May

Like most teenagers, Rouge is trying to figure out who she is and what she wants to be. With little knowledge about her past, she has questions but has never tried to find the answers. Everything changes when she befriends a strangely intoxicating family. Siblings Grace and Michael, appear to have secrets which seem connected to Rouge. Her hunch is confirmed when a horrible incident occurs at an outdoor party. Rouge may be the only one who can find the answer.

An ancient journal, a Sioghra necklace and a special mark force life-altering decisions for a girl who grew up unprepared to fight for her life or others.

All secrets have a cost and Rouge’s determination to find the truth can only lead to trouble…or something even more sinister.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Horror, Supernatural

245 pages, ebook

First published April 19, 2013

About the author

Wanita May grew up in the fruit belt of Ontario - St.Catharines. Crazy-happy childhood, she always has had a vivid imagination and loads of energy.

The youngest of six -- four older brothers, and a sister -- taught her at a young age to be competitive in all aspects of life.

At sixteen, she began competing in athletics (track and field) and before she turned seventeen, she was representing Canada in high jump. She continued to compete, breaking Canada's JR High Jump record (1.92m - 6' 3 1/2" for those metric-ly challenged). She attented University of Toronto, and Kansas State University - winning CIAU's and becoming All-American 6x - NCAA Indoors Runner Up + more.

But you're not interested in her athletic career - unless of course you're curious to know she stands 1.70m (5'7") and has jumped 20cm over her head on more than one occassion. She's represented Canada at the World Championships, World Jrs., won Francophone Games, and loved every minute of every competition. From the grueling workouts, the crazy weights she lifted on her back, the days she thought her lungs were going to spit out of her mouth for lack of oxygen, the travelling around the world and the opportunity to read - her favourite past time.

Life continued with her husband (a distance runner from Liverpool, UK, who she met at KSU) and then their first, then second and finally third child. Their house became full of more imagination and stories.

Wanita and her husband run an online business, dealing in antiques and collectables - particularly jewelry and porcelain (one of the business' website: www.wadeincanada.com ).

After her father passed away in 2009, from a six-year battle with cancer (which she still believes he won the fight against), she began to write again. A passion she'd loved for years, but realized life was too short to keep putting it off.

Her first book, Rae of Hope - from the Chronicles of Kerrigan - will be available October 2011 by kNight Romance Publishing.

She is currently represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency. Wanita is a writer of Young Adult, Fantasy Fiction and where ever else her little muses take her.

Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/3/2020)! 🎁

[Wanda Hartzenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Seventh Mark book 1 by W.J May

A good story with enough of a hook to keep the reader turning the page.
The story is only starting and in book 1 the reader is left with more questions than clear understanding, this serves to entice the reader to find out where the story is heading.

I really like it and I think you will enjoy the read as well!

WaAr

http://www.amazon.com/Seventh-Mark-Pa...

[Oana · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 20% - ups, i did it again, wrong choice.

[Seirra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A review copy was provided for an honest review. The Seventh Mark is a deeply fascinating fantasy story that unites paranormal, romance, and fairytale folklore. When I first picked up this book I didn't realize how little I actually knew going into it. A few chapters in and already I wanted to know what was going on so I continued to read only to find out the answers weren't given fast enough. I felt wholly compelled and terribly sad when the book ended. Why? Simply because I read it too quickly unraveled the secrets and still wanted more! The Seventh Mark is one of those slow burner books that keeps you enthralled till the end. The story felt like a fresh and new take on popular supernatural beings. I really enjoyed the building suspense and the mystery behind it all. The heroine Rouge is courageous, clever, and sees the world for how it really is. The male protagonist Michael is dazzling, protective and graceful. The book starts out light but the subject matter gets progressly darker and all the more gripping as history is uncovered and pasts are exposed. The world-building is intriguing and I loved the secondary characters. One of my favorites is Seth whose introduced mid-way as this dashing flirt and women-magnet. His attitude was so fun and contrasting to the story's atmosphere that I'm really hoping he'll be in the next book.

Rouge Ridding is a foster child who has never been wanted. Moving from place to place has always made her an outsider but when her current foster parents move out to Port Coquitlam, British Columbia from Niagara, Falls Canada things feel different. For starters on her first day around town she meets a way-too-attractive guy named Michael and his animated and gorgeous sister—Grace. But the more she hangs around them the more she starts to realize they are hiding something from her. One night when Rouge is at a party she's attacked by some monstrous yellow-eyed beast and everything she knows starts making less and less sense from there on out. Although she's worried about what secrets her best friend's family is keeping she has never felt more at home when she's around them. As Rouge gets more involved she learns their secrets and begins to understand the kind of danger it puts her in.

All in all I thought the Seventh Mark was creatively enticing, has a nice romance, and is very cloak and dagger. It satisfied my curiosity and left me wanting more. Fans of suspenseful fantasy and original story-telling should pick up this novel and give it a try. Inquisitive readers will enjoy the aspect of unraveling the mystery. Although there isn't much turmoil it certainly didn't lack for amusement. W.J. May delivers a satisfying read that will engross you right away.

[Emily (Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rouge has just moved to a new town with her foster parents, who could care less about her. She is one of those unlucky kids that have been tossed around the system, no family wanted her for long, and is now just stuck with the foster parents she has now. While out exploring her new town she literally runs into a gorgeous guy, Michael, who oozes charm and mystery. After there encounter she can not get him out of her head, even thinks to go as far as trying to find his house! In the mean time Rouge is befriended by a bubbly and fun girl named Grace, they become fast friends and Rouge is invited over to a sleepover at Graces house when she finds the surprise of her life….Michael is Grace’s brother! She has found him at last! After that encounter Rouge becomes immersed in the siblings’ family and their lives where she is in for even more surprises, secrets, and life-altering discoveries.


This was a wonderful fist book to this amazing fantasy saga! The synopsis gives nothing away to us about what magical discoveries this book holds. The whole fist part of the book were we are learning about Michael and Grace and their family I was running all these guesses through my mind about what they could possibly be! Vampire? Werewolf? Demons? I had no clue and I was intrigued by what I found out!!! ( I know you will be too) I was HOOKED by the first chapter! Grace is a fantastic character. She fits the best friend roll perfectly! She is so full of life and personality that its contagious. Michael is this deep and mysterious guy that you think is hard but on the inside is just a guy that just wants to love and be loved. His romance with Rouge is beautiful and endearing. It just makes you smile. Rouge is a tough cookie. She has a strong head on her shoulders, a sharp mind, and is just looking for a family that she will fit into and feel at home.


There is mystery, romance, desire, danger, love, and discovering the truth about ones self! I cannot wait to see what the next book in the saga holds. I am still asking my self so many questions about Rouge, the dangers they are facing, and what will happen between Michael and Rouge after he finds out what she is hiding from him! If fantasy is right up your alley then this book and Saga is for you!

[Carole Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been itching for a decent paranormal book and since this was just sitting there all free and whatnot on Amazon, I went ahead and grabbed it.

It is a quick read and very YA in writing, so it was easy to fly by.

Rouge is a teenage girl who is new in town. Her adoptive parents seem to be pushing her away now that she is nearly graduated from High School and they won't be able to support her if she goes to college. Kind of sad and kind of crappy of them pulling away. I think that they think she is going to peace out and never talk to them again. OR the author just wants to write the parents off so she run around unhindered by loving parents. It could go either way honestly with YA books like this.

Right...so Rouge....new girl in school. Meets hot guy. Hot guy disappears. New girl becomes bestie with weird, but hot girl. Hot girl is the twin of the got guy. There is something weird about them and their adoptive family. Weird things happen and Rouge is dragged into this supernatural world with little to no information.

The only really different part of this plot is that Rouge is strange and somehow fits into all of this. We don't know WHAT, but it is easy to guess. The truth will probably come out in the next book. I am super curious to see exactly what she is. I have my guesses (I am guessing some sort of werewolf), so I am curious. I am also intrigued in learning more about Michael (Hot guy) and his family. They are something strange and I want to understand them more.

Also, I wanted to jump for joy because Hot guy Michael was not all Edward-like and Rouge was not Bella-like. Yes, yes, there was insta-lust. But there was no insta-love. They actually became friends and are acting like normal teenagers who have a crush on each other. I huzzahed at the end because Michael was not all "she is mine! I WILL DIE FOR HER!" after knowing her for like a minute.

Interesting plot...but SO YA it hurt sometimes. The writing style was so superficial at times and the transition phases just happened.

Out of five stars, I'll give this a three, just because it was different and had me curious to read the next one. ALSO, there was no insta-love. Huzzah! Little victories like this make me have hope for this genre.

[J. Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seventh Mark is the YA paranormal novel that you didn't know you were looking for. With excellent characters, a unique plot, and lots of action, May created a new world and a truly stunning novel.
The pacing of Seventh Mark is perfect, as it is not so fast that I couldn't even remember reading it, but doesn't have any boring parts. The plot kept me flipping pages to find out what would happen next, and stayed interesting throughout the entire time.

All of the characters in Seventh Mark were well-developed. Rouge is a wonderful protagonist. Although she has lived a hard life, she continues to be strong, as well as considerate to other people. Even if the reader cannot quite relate to her situation, she is such a strong character that it is easy to feel emotionally attached to her and her story.

The romance is heart-warming, as Michael is also a wonderfully well-developed character. Still able to be clever and tough, he is also sweet. As much as I like the stereotypical bad boy, it is nice to have a love interest that is different. The scenes between the two of them were definitely some of my favorites.

The Grollics were a very interesting concept. May dove into their back story and history, which is usually left out of novels that create their own worlds. The Grollics not only had their own story, but had excellent description. It was refreshing to be able to read about a paranormal story that doesn't have the same creatures that are always used.

Seventh Mark will captivate readers from the very first page, all the way to the cliffhanger ending. Fans of the supernatural and the paranormal will devour this novel. A great start to the series, I would absolutely love to read more.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a story here, just not very smooth storytelling - the plot is highly interesting but lacks a natural pace. People just seem to “be” in all the right places at all the right times by miraculous coincidence; you don’t get the feeling there was a whole lot of planning in the execution of the story. And (sorry) there are really lousy transitions, . . . just bad. Case in point: Rouge leaves an outdoor party to go to the bathroom, stops by a tree, sees a pair of mysterious eyes accompanied by snarls, declares “This is it . . I’d walked into the den of death,” and is then rescued by a hot guy. This happens in: a half page. That’s it. A half page. And lots of editing problems (typos, misspellings, missing words). While I enjoyed the plot and twists and appreciate the alternate world of a paranormal romance, this one didn’t quite make it.

[Melisa Hamling]

I can't wait to read this one! Loved what I was lucky enough to read before, but now? Sooo excited to get the full novel :b
#2 on my TBR list!

[Kendal · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. It does need quite a bit of editing, but not enough to deter me from reading. I really enjoyed it.

[Chinarose · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good coming of age YA read.

[Korin: A Crone Running Amok · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rouge is trying to figure out who she is and what she wants to be. With little knowledge about her past, she has questions but has never tried to find the answers. Everything changes when she befriends a strangely intoxicating family. Siblings Grace and Michael, appear to have secrets which seem connected to Rouge. Her hunch is confirmed when a horrible incident occurs at an outdoor party. Rouge may be the only one who can find the answer. An ancient journal, a Sioghra necklace and a special mark force life-altering decisions for a girl who grew up unprepared to fight for her life or others.
Not a bad YA Paranormal, however the abrupt end did not make me want to buy the 2nd book.

[Dee Sk · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story. It's fun and sweet. It's a bit sad bc the English is sort of hideous, there are so many grammar mistakes and almost every saying is said wrong... and there are so many things that don't make sense or just disappear for no reason.
Why would Grace be going to school now, if she's 140 years old? There are laws in place your foster parents cannot exactly abandon you like that, even if the system doesn't work. How did Grace's smart car become a beetle suddenly? What happens to Rouge's job? Rowge is definitely not how that's pronounced.

I read the second book as well bc the story is really worth it. You just have to power through at some points.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was enjoyable.

This book, mainly the second part has some editing mistakes. That could easily be fixed. The story is interesting and the characters well developed. Overall, yes I would recommend this book. I am going to continue to follow this series.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series is heating up

And there is still plenty of action and mayhem to come in the third part of this series. W J May is cranking out some great stories in the Hidden Secrets Sags and while a YA genre most people should love it.

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read!

Excellent story line and fun characters! Dispite the sprinkle of grammer and punctuation errors, you are sucked into a drama where the characters are people you know and love!

[Shannon Nicholson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

I liked the story but unless I missed it I don't totally understand what the are. I'm thinking vampire but it never came out an said. I enjoyed reading the book but I just wish there was more to the story of what Michael, Grace and family were

[Sarah Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story!

I really enjoyed this story. The whole spin on Little Red Riding Hood is really cool. That being said there were a lot of errors that an editor should have caught. Simple things a beta should have caught. Things like using you’re instead of your.

[Karla Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the first half of the book and couldn't put it down. I'm not completely sure why but I drug on the second half of the book. I would recommend it though if you enjoy supernatural type YA books.

[kirsty esslemont · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping!!

Good story kept u have interested.great characters.liked the romanic twist. Love celeb great character.

Looking forward to the next book

[Laurie Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Truly enjoyed this book. The characters and story are so intriguing, I didn't want to put it down, read until the wee hours. Now I need to go read the next.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting mix of paranormals.

Rouge is seven generations on from a powerful leader.

She doesn't know her history because she had been abandoned... but others can sense her importance.

[Ross · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was ok. Good to read on a plane.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free download. This is a bit different from the usual paranormal books I've read. Rouge is a 17 year old girl in foster care, counting down to her 18th birthday so she can take control of her life. She moves to a new town with Jim and Sally and almost immediately meets Grace and Michael, siblings with a secret, one which Rouge learns. She is thrown into the middle without knowing how close to things she actually is. Grace is a great character and a great best friend. Rouge falls for Michael, and their romance is sweet but I get the feeling they were supposed to meet. There are a few unanswered questions and I can't help but want to find out what happens. The story is good, the plot keeps you wondering, the characters are interesting. I could use more of the romance between Michael and Rouge but I'm sure there's more to come. I'm looking forward to the rest of this series. Would recommend.

[Cassandra Elsenbroek · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another Young adult book. rings closely to twilight in my mind. difficult to get through because it wasn't very original. Made better for a younger crowd. a sickening love story that you can call the twists and turns from miles away.

[Roxanne Dugger-Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this audio book along with the next part. I enjoyed the story but the narrator wasn't very good. The characters are well thought out and enjoyable. It's an interesting take on vamps vs wolves.

[Luz Maria Valle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seventh Mark

Seventh Mark

I rated the book five stars. The story was great. Will love to see what happens next. I recommend everyone should read it.

[Shannon Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Some flaws but still a good story. I do want to read the next book in the series.

[Gemma Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in an evening. Can't wait to read the next book.