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Smoke, Wings and Stone
This is a previously-published edition of ASIN B00CQ3RQS8. You can find all editions of this work here
Carrie and Sara Fleming are as different as two sisters can be. Both in high school, Carrie is an outgoing soccer jock, trying to navigate the minefield of Varsity sports –and dating. Sara is a talented musician, who wants to spend her senior year focusing on graduating and getting into a great music school. Both of their lives change forever when Sara inadvertently finds herself engaged to marry Lucien Gargouille, prince of an ancient race of gargoyles.
Sara has no interest in marrying anyone, but a vow spoken in the moonlight has bound her to Luc – forever. To make matters worse, there is a war brewing. For centuries, the gargoyles have protected mankind from all the dark forces in the world. But someone is making trouble, and trying to break the fragile treaty that has kept evil at bay, and Sara has become a target.
Carrie sees the danger around her sister, but can only watch and wait, hoping that Luc and his Family can keep Sara safe. After all, this is what they were born to do – protect the world from vampires, and all the other creatures, who would try to break out of their darkness. But when the enemy makes a daring move, it falls on Carrie to not only save her sister, but to keep the two worlds from crashing together.
Carrie and Sara Fleming are as different as two sisters can be. Both in high school, Carrie is an outgoing soccer jock, trying to navigate the minefield of Varsity sports –and dating. Sara is a talented musician, who wants to spend her senior year focusing on graduating and getting into a great music school. Both of their lives change forever when Sara inadvertently finds herself engaged to marry Lucien Gargouille, prince of an ancient race of gargoyles.
Sara has no interest in marrying anyone, but a vow spoken in the moonlight has bound her to Luc – forever. To make matters worse, there is a war brewing. For centuries, the gargoyles have protected mankind from all the dark forces in the world. But someone is making trouble, and trying to break the fragile treaty that has kept evil at bay, and Sara has become a target.
Carrie sees the danger around her sister, but can only watch and wait, hoping that Luc and his Family can keep Sara safe. After all, this is what they were born to do – protect the world from vampires, and all the other creatures, who would try to break out of their darkness. But when the enemy makes a daring move, it falls on Carrie to not only save her sister, but to keep the two worlds from crashing together.
- GenresFantasyParanormal
252 pages, ebook
First published May 8, 2013
5 people are currently reading
381 people want to read
About the author
Marijon Braden
5 books24 followersMarijon (also known as Dee Ernst) was born and raised in New Jersey, which may help to explain her attitude towards charlatans and idiots. She started writing stories at an early age, her first literary influences being Walter Farley, author of the ‘Black Stallion’ series, and Carolyn Keene, of ‘Nancy Drew’ fame. That’s probably why her earliest efforts involved a young girl detective who solved crime on horseback.
She had a very happy childhood, did well in school, and was a fairly obedient daughter until she went away to college. The original plan was to major in journalism. She wrote for the college paper until she realized that wasn’t the kind of writing she wanted to do when she grew up. So she switched to education. That was not, perhaps, the smartest move.
Then, life happened. Jobs, rent, husband, baby, another husband, another baby, until she found herself a stay-at-home mom, about to chew her foot off if she had to watch one more episode of ‘Barney.’ So, she started to write again.
She still lives in New Jersey with her husband, daughter, two cats and a very spoiled cocker spaniel. Her older daughter is off in Oregon, fighting the good fight for the homeless. She loves to cook – and eat – and plays RPG games on her Xbox when she needs to decompress (Skyrim alone cost her months of her life). During the past few years, she has lost, and tragically found again, the same twenty pounds. Life is all about trying, failing, and trying harder.
She writes in her downstairs office, surrounded by her growing collection of gargoyles. Smoke, Wings and Stone is her first YA novel.
Marijon Braden is the pen name for Dee Ernst, who writes adult romantic comedy, and has lived an almost identical life.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 25, 2013
4*s
review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Smoke, Wings & Stone was a good read and quite unique to me. I have only read one book with Gargoyles as characters and they were nothing like this, where a Gargoyle is more of a shifter and I found I really enjoyed this concept. All of the characters were very likable, especially Carrie & Sara – our main ladies – and the synopsis is accurate in saying they are very different with Carrie being more of a tomboy, very into sports and friends whereas Sara is a dedicated classical musician, both well grounded girls, with a good idea of where they want their lives to be headed… until Carrie introduces Sara to a mysterious young man who has declared her his intended & manages to get her to say a vow that will tie her to him in every way, not only making her his fiancé but also the future Queen of the Gargoyles - for he is a prince & next in line to the throne. But, the Gargoyles have enemies, enemies that would do anything to gain the upper hand and break the treaty, causing a war that will have disastrous consequences for the whole world and what better way that to get a Lucien than through his beloved – Sara – and in doing so, turns everyone lives upside down. What follows is a game of cat & mouse with Sara being the mouse and the only way to save her & keep the treaty intact is for her to marry Lucien and be protected by the treaty but Sara is a modern girl, she has things she wants to do, places she wants to see and marriage is not on the cards any time soon, much to the chagrin of Lucien & his council as old & new ideals collide.
So, I enjoyed this and as I said, it was quite unique for me and I love the idea of Gargoyle shifters, I don’t really want to go into that because it adds a certain something to the book but I think it’s a great idea for a new type of supernatural. I liked the whole premise, the romance, the danger, the threat, the old meets new and I loved the Gargoyle set up, with its history, politics, enemies etc. it was really interesting and I would have liked to know more. I especially liked that the book was split up into four sections, alternating with Carrie & Sara’s point of view – I think it’s the first time I’ve read anything written like that, usually it’s a chapter each but these were 5 chapters each and every time it swapped, I felt like it gave the book a lift. Both girls views were good but you could even feel the difference in their personalities as you read and I really liked that too. The pacing was good too, as they all tried to live their lives as normally as possible, they were hit with constant threats throughout leading up to a great ending, full of action – just the way I like them. I even liked the romantic complication that popped up for one of the couples…. One thing is for sure & that is, I was definitely left wanting more so I’m hoping for a sequel.
review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Smoke, Wings & Stone was a good read and quite unique to me. I have only read one book with Gargoyles as characters and they were nothing like this, where a Gargoyle is more of a shifter and I found I really enjoyed this concept. All of the characters were very likable, especially Carrie & Sara – our main ladies – and the synopsis is accurate in saying they are very different with Carrie being more of a tomboy, very into sports and friends whereas Sara is a dedicated classical musician, both well grounded girls, with a good idea of where they want their lives to be headed… until Carrie introduces Sara to a mysterious young man who has declared her his intended & manages to get her to say a vow that will tie her to him in every way, not only making her his fiancé but also the future Queen of the Gargoyles - for he is a prince & next in line to the throne. But, the Gargoyles have enemies, enemies that would do anything to gain the upper hand and break the treaty, causing a war that will have disastrous consequences for the whole world and what better way that to get a Lucien than through his beloved – Sara – and in doing so, turns everyone lives upside down. What follows is a game of cat & mouse with Sara being the mouse and the only way to save her & keep the treaty intact is for her to marry Lucien and be protected by the treaty but Sara is a modern girl, she has things she wants to do, places she wants to see and marriage is not on the cards any time soon, much to the chagrin of Lucien & his council as old & new ideals collide.
So, I enjoyed this and as I said, it was quite unique for me and I love the idea of Gargoyle shifters, I don’t really want to go into that because it adds a certain something to the book but I think it’s a great idea for a new type of supernatural. I liked the whole premise, the romance, the danger, the threat, the old meets new and I loved the Gargoyle set up, with its history, politics, enemies etc. it was really interesting and I would have liked to know more. I especially liked that the book was split up into four sections, alternating with Carrie & Sara’s point of view – I think it’s the first time I’ve read anything written like that, usually it’s a chapter each but these were 5 chapters each and every time it swapped, I felt like it gave the book a lift. Both girls views were good but you could even feel the difference in their personalities as you read and I really liked that too. The pacing was good too, as they all tried to live their lives as normally as possible, they were hit with constant threats throughout leading up to a great ending, full of action – just the way I like them. I even liked the romantic complication that popped up for one of the couples…. One thing is for sure & that is, I was definitely left wanting more so I’m hoping for a sequel.
August 21, 2013
Oh I wanted to love tis book so much! I definitely love the idea, gargoyles ? Yes, that sounds awesome and exciting.
I did like the idea, I did love the gargoyles and the magic a lot. Is also liked Carrie, one of the sisters and protagonists. She was strong, outspoken and just easy to relate to.
I think my problem begun with an instant love that I couldn't grasp. Instant love it always something hard to get, so it needs to be handled delicately to win me over. Already confused by the love made meeting Luc - on old Gargoyle prince - even worse.
I think he could have been an awesome love interest and hero, but the way he was portrayed made me not fall for him. He, as a person didn't make sense.
He's a few hundred years old, studied in universities all over Europe,yet he doesn't speak proper English?????
No.Sense.At.All!!!
Also, the Luc we meet drunk as a party crasher has nothing in common with the prince we get to know later.
Again, Luc makes no sense to me, and I felt he was developed with lots of inconsistencies.
Oh and on a side note: I won't believe it that a French Prince would praise the American fast food over the wonderful French cuisine???? Moreover, that In France he always eats the same....? Please don't tell me this! I might be biased because I'm European, but this cant just be right.
Those are all small tiny details, but they drove me nuts and I had to put the book aside a few times.
Besides Luc, I also had some problems with Sara, the chosen love interest from Luc, Carries sister and the other POV in this story. She basically was a spoiled brat. I tried to like her,, but I didn't succeed!
Another part I didn't like was the romance, I just didn't feel any love, any emotion and any romance even though there are two couples forming her.
*sigh*
Next, the pacing. There were long parts where nothing happened and then there were some dangerous moments with some bad Vampires, but then these instances were over pretty quick and didn't really get me a true feeling of danger.
Ah I'm so sorry that I couldn't get into this story, but it was just not for me. Maybe I was rattled by those small details that kept me from fully emerging into the book. There are some really glowing reviews here on goodreads who love the story, so I say check for yourself and forget my rants;-))
P.S. I got the book from the author for my honest opinion.
P.P.S I wrote this on my iPad, so excuse typos and bad grammar, I'll go over it once I slept a night..
I did like the idea, I did love the gargoyles and the magic a lot. Is also liked Carrie, one of the sisters and protagonists. She was strong, outspoken and just easy to relate to.
I think my problem begun with an instant love that I couldn't grasp. Instant love it always something hard to get, so it needs to be handled delicately to win me over. Already confused by the love made meeting Luc - on old Gargoyle prince - even worse.
I think he could have been an awesome love interest and hero, but the way he was portrayed made me not fall for him. He, as a person didn't make sense.
He's a few hundred years old, studied in universities all over Europe,yet he doesn't speak proper English?????
No.Sense.At.All!!!
Also, the Luc we meet drunk as a party crasher has nothing in common with the prince we get to know later.
Again, Luc makes no sense to me, and I felt he was developed with lots of inconsistencies.
Oh and on a side note: I won't believe it that a French Prince would praise the American fast food over the wonderful French cuisine???? Moreover, that In France he always eats the same....? Please don't tell me this! I might be biased because I'm European, but this cant just be right.
Those are all small tiny details, but they drove me nuts and I had to put the book aside a few times.
Besides Luc, I also had some problems with Sara, the chosen love interest from Luc, Carries sister and the other POV in this story. She basically was a spoiled brat. I tried to like her,, but I didn't succeed!
Another part I didn't like was the romance, I just didn't feel any love, any emotion and any romance even though there are two couples forming her.
*sigh*
Next, the pacing. There were long parts where nothing happened and then there were some dangerous moments with some bad Vampires, but then these instances were over pretty quick and didn't really get me a true feeling of danger.
Ah I'm so sorry that I couldn't get into this story, but it was just not for me. Maybe I was rattled by those small details that kept me from fully emerging into the book. There are some really glowing reviews here on goodreads who love the story, so I say check for yourself and forget my rants;-))
P.S. I got the book from the author for my honest opinion.
P.P.S I wrote this on my iPad, so excuse typos and bad grammar, I'll go over it once I slept a night..
March 15, 2014
About the Book:
The two sisters, Carrie and Sara, tell parts of this story as seen through their own eyes. Both are completely different, with Carrie being the tomboy athletic one and Sara being the creative spoiled one, and it shows within their narrative. No matter their differences, they are close as only sisters can be - fighting over space and trivialities one minute and then having each other's back the next minute. It is this kind of relationship that lands them in a dangerous world unknown to them and to most humans.
One night ,while working a wedding reception at the Country Club Ballroom, Carrie spots a young man who appears drunk. She stops to chat with him, discovering he has crashed the wedding reception. Then he says he found his wife at the reception, "So, his wife was a guest," Carrie thought. The only problem is, when Carrie asked him to point his wife out, he pointed to her sister, Sara. Luc, a self proclaimed Prince, said he simply hadn't asked Sara yet but she is his destiny.
Carrie enlists Sara's help to get Luc out of the banquet hall so there will be no trouble with the management though, in part, she thinks it funny this Prince Luc has a crush on Sara. Getting Luc out was no problem. Getting away from Luc, who intended to walk them home, is. Before he will leave he makes Sara take a vow. She speaks the words he asks her to simply to get rid of him. Little did Sara or Carrie know the impact of those words.
Sara, through her offhanded vow, is now betrothed to Luc, the prince of a vast gargoyle family, the Family Gargouille. Not only is the vow taken seriously by the Familly but it has placed Sara and all those she love's in serious danger.
There is a war brewing, a war between the vampires and the gargoyles. The only thing keeping it from happening is a truce set up between the Family Gargouille and one of the largest, most powerful vampire clans. The renegade vampires wishing to see the war begin, will stop at nothing short of being the actual first fist thrown in this struggle. If they can force Luc's family to react by kidnapping Sara BEFORE she becomes Luc's wife, the war will be on the Family Gargouille's head. Between trying to keep Sara safe from attacking vampires while preserving the pact and trying to get her to agree to fulfill her vow to him, Luc is completely overwhelmed.
My Take:
The use of Gargoyles in this story is a good choice. One of the problems I have with the Twilight series is the main male character is almost 100 years old. What could he possibly see in a teenage girl? No matter what his body looks like, his experiences would have made him older and much wiser than nineteen. Braden avoids this pitfall successfully since her main character, though quite old, hasn't had the experiences because he has been asleep as a stone gargoyle. It also explains his old world charm, grace and sensibilities. I loved the idea that the Gargoyles sleep as stone for long periods of time.
This story is relayed to the reader through the voices of both sisters. There was no confusion between the two as the voices were completely different. I was much more invested in Carrie, I suppose because she seems more like me. I loved her best friend Kevin. Luc, however, never really came through for me. He was distant but he is distant within the story as well, as if his life requires him to keep everything and everyone at arms length, even the girl he loves. Braden does a good job of giving her characters differences that keeps them separate within the mind of the reader. It makes for a more realistic story.
Some will find the setup too long. I am not the person who requires a murder on the first page to get my interest but this book would have been better served if the first 30 pages had been halved. It is a great talent to give the setup and descriptions within the text of the story. Making words count in this way takes much practice and a strong sense in how to make each word do double duty. Still, even with the long setup, I enjoyed the story itself.
The only other thing keeping this book in the middle range is the lack of consistency when it came to the rules of the pact. When can a gargoyle take action and when could they not take action? There seemed to be a lot of crossing the line and a lot more of refusing to even approach the line. In one scene, the gargoyles kill vampires, in another scene they won't even touch them to save Sara from being kidnapped. This was quite confusing, leading me to ponder their reasons instead of enjoying the story.
My Recommendation:
I liked the story. People looking for something a little different in the paranormal reading world may find this one to their liking. It is a chaste read and though there is killing afoot, I feel it is suitable for preteens to adults. It is a pleasant YA book with good characterizations.
The two sisters, Carrie and Sara, tell parts of this story as seen through their own eyes. Both are completely different, with Carrie being the tomboy athletic one and Sara being the creative spoiled one, and it shows within their narrative. No matter their differences, they are close as only sisters can be - fighting over space and trivialities one minute and then having each other's back the next minute. It is this kind of relationship that lands them in a dangerous world unknown to them and to most humans.
One night ,while working a wedding reception at the Country Club Ballroom, Carrie spots a young man who appears drunk. She stops to chat with him, discovering he has crashed the wedding reception. Then he says he found his wife at the reception, "So, his wife was a guest," Carrie thought. The only problem is, when Carrie asked him to point his wife out, he pointed to her sister, Sara. Luc, a self proclaimed Prince, said he simply hadn't asked Sara yet but she is his destiny.
Carrie enlists Sara's help to get Luc out of the banquet hall so there will be no trouble with the management though, in part, she thinks it funny this Prince Luc has a crush on Sara. Getting Luc out was no problem. Getting away from Luc, who intended to walk them home, is. Before he will leave he makes Sara take a vow. She speaks the words he asks her to simply to get rid of him. Little did Sara or Carrie know the impact of those words.
Sara, through her offhanded vow, is now betrothed to Luc, the prince of a vast gargoyle family, the Family Gargouille. Not only is the vow taken seriously by the Familly but it has placed Sara and all those she love's in serious danger.
There is a war brewing, a war between the vampires and the gargoyles. The only thing keeping it from happening is a truce set up between the Family Gargouille and one of the largest, most powerful vampire clans. The renegade vampires wishing to see the war begin, will stop at nothing short of being the actual first fist thrown in this struggle. If they can force Luc's family to react by kidnapping Sara BEFORE she becomes Luc's wife, the war will be on the Family Gargouille's head. Between trying to keep Sara safe from attacking vampires while preserving the pact and trying to get her to agree to fulfill her vow to him, Luc is completely overwhelmed.
My Take:
The use of Gargoyles in this story is a good choice. One of the problems I have with the Twilight series is the main male character is almost 100 years old. What could he possibly see in a teenage girl? No matter what his body looks like, his experiences would have made him older and much wiser than nineteen. Braden avoids this pitfall successfully since her main character, though quite old, hasn't had the experiences because he has been asleep as a stone gargoyle. It also explains his old world charm, grace and sensibilities. I loved the idea that the Gargoyles sleep as stone for long periods of time.
This story is relayed to the reader through the voices of both sisters. There was no confusion between the two as the voices were completely different. I was much more invested in Carrie, I suppose because she seems more like me. I loved her best friend Kevin. Luc, however, never really came through for me. He was distant but he is distant within the story as well, as if his life requires him to keep everything and everyone at arms length, even the girl he loves. Braden does a good job of giving her characters differences that keeps them separate within the mind of the reader. It makes for a more realistic story.
Some will find the setup too long. I am not the person who requires a murder on the first page to get my interest but this book would have been better served if the first 30 pages had been halved. It is a great talent to give the setup and descriptions within the text of the story. Making words count in this way takes much practice and a strong sense in how to make each word do double duty. Still, even with the long setup, I enjoyed the story itself.
The only other thing keeping this book in the middle range is the lack of consistency when it came to the rules of the pact. When can a gargoyle take action and when could they not take action? There seemed to be a lot of crossing the line and a lot more of refusing to even approach the line. In one scene, the gargoyles kill vampires, in another scene they won't even touch them to save Sara from being kidnapped. This was quite confusing, leading me to ponder their reasons instead of enjoying the story.
My Recommendation:
I liked the story. People looking for something a little different in the paranormal reading world may find this one to their liking. It is a chaste read and though there is killing afoot, I feel it is suitable for preteens to adults. It is a pleasant YA book with good characterizations.
October 20, 2013
*** Review originally posted to blog: Pink Fluffy Hearts: Diary of a Coffee Addict
There's a new supernatural in town and it's a.... gargoyle?
Believe me, when I first figured out that Marijon Braden's debut young adult novel, "Smoke Wings and Stone", was about gargoyles, I had my doubts. Yes, I was excited to read something besides hundreds of pages of vampires sparkling at each other, but I was also trying to reconcile the image of the stoned creatures having a teenaged love interest. All that kept going through my head was the cartooned gargoyles from Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", and I was intrigued to see where Braden was going to take this.
I was pleasantly surprised with the way the author handled these creatures. It did not seem strange at all that the story revolved around a gargoyle family that's been around for hundreds of years; but actually it all made sense. Since this is something that hasn't been done before, Braden had the ability to tell the back story of Luc and his family in a way that was all her own.
Instead of being a jarring change from the everyday life of vampires and werewolves that the young adult genre is bombarded with nowadays, the gargoyles read more like shape shifters. Although they sometimes do turn to stone (something they refer to as going to "Sleep"), they're mostly just regular people who may change into a lion or a dragon every once in awhile in order to fight off the evil vampires. That's right. We're back to vampires being the bad guys and not the mysteriously misunderstood heartthrobs!
The story was definitely what drove me to finish this book in a matter of days. I wanted to learn more about the Gargouille family and why the vampires were so keen on destroying them, and that kept me turning the page late into the night.
There were just a few things that irked me while reading and some were resolved by the end of the story. At first I had a problem with the two main characters, Carrie and Sara (the story is split into four sections, each told by one of the two girls' points of view).
Both seemed to be selfish brats at the beginning; with Sara wrapped up in her music and not learning her new bodyguards' names and Carrie not even bothering to stop playing on her phone long enough to help her mother with chores. However, the journey that Luc and the Gargouille family put these two through did wonders to their characters and I ended up enjoying both of them by the end.
Another thing that was problematic to me was how easily everyone accepted the supernatural into their lives. Mom was just told that her daughter was engaged to an ancient gargoyle and was destined to be his queen? She'll just ask a few questions and make some coffee.
Get attacked by an angry horde of vampires? That's fine; we'll just keep it our little secret. Carrie didn't seem phased either, she was more concerned at first about how all of this was going to affect her varsity soccer schedule and impact her life. I would have liked to see a bit more disbelief and more freaking out about the predicament their family was facing.
All in all, I believe that "Smoke Wing and Stone" is an enjoyable read and would recommend it to anyone searching for a new YA paranormal romance book that is out of the vampire norm. I know I'll be reading the next book Braden's working on.
** Also visit the blog to view my Interview with the Author ***
There's a new supernatural in town and it's a.... gargoyle?
Believe me, when I first figured out that Marijon Braden's debut young adult novel, "Smoke Wings and Stone", was about gargoyles, I had my doubts. Yes, I was excited to read something besides hundreds of pages of vampires sparkling at each other, but I was also trying to reconcile the image of the stoned creatures having a teenaged love interest. All that kept going through my head was the cartooned gargoyles from Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", and I was intrigued to see where Braden was going to take this.
I was pleasantly surprised with the way the author handled these creatures. It did not seem strange at all that the story revolved around a gargoyle family that's been around for hundreds of years; but actually it all made sense. Since this is something that hasn't been done before, Braden had the ability to tell the back story of Luc and his family in a way that was all her own.
Instead of being a jarring change from the everyday life of vampires and werewolves that the young adult genre is bombarded with nowadays, the gargoyles read more like shape shifters. Although they sometimes do turn to stone (something they refer to as going to "Sleep"), they're mostly just regular people who may change into a lion or a dragon every once in awhile in order to fight off the evil vampires. That's right. We're back to vampires being the bad guys and not the mysteriously misunderstood heartthrobs!
The story was definitely what drove me to finish this book in a matter of days. I wanted to learn more about the Gargouille family and why the vampires were so keen on destroying them, and that kept me turning the page late into the night.
There were just a few things that irked me while reading and some were resolved by the end of the story. At first I had a problem with the two main characters, Carrie and Sara (the story is split into four sections, each told by one of the two girls' points of view).
Both seemed to be selfish brats at the beginning; with Sara wrapped up in her music and not learning her new bodyguards' names and Carrie not even bothering to stop playing on her phone long enough to help her mother with chores. However, the journey that Luc and the Gargouille family put these two through did wonders to their characters and I ended up enjoying both of them by the end.
Another thing that was problematic to me was how easily everyone accepted the supernatural into their lives. Mom was just told that her daughter was engaged to an ancient gargoyle and was destined to be his queen? She'll just ask a few questions and make some coffee.
Get attacked by an angry horde of vampires? That's fine; we'll just keep it our little secret. Carrie didn't seem phased either, she was more concerned at first about how all of this was going to affect her varsity soccer schedule and impact her life. I would have liked to see a bit more disbelief and more freaking out about the predicament their family was facing.
All in all, I believe that "Smoke Wing and Stone" is an enjoyable read and would recommend it to anyone searching for a new YA paranormal romance book that is out of the vampire norm. I know I'll be reading the next book Braden's working on.
** Also visit the blog to view my Interview with the Author ***
January 28, 2015
*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
When I was sent a copy of Smoke, Wings and Stone, I loved the cover, I loved the synopsis and I really wanted to enjoy the book.
The plot was so intriguing – I can’t say I’ve ever read a book about gargoyles, and I don’t imagine there’s too many about. I was a little concerned that it would be hard to connect to the gargoyle element, but Marijon Braden wrote it so well; it was really interesting learning about their history and abilities.
We were brought into the lives of Carrie and Sara really quickly – no half a book full of building up their lives before it all changes and turns into one big dramatic mess. Smoke, Wings and Stone was written in four main parts, alternating between Carrie and Sara’s perspective. I thought this was a great way of drawing the readers in because there was so much going on, it would have been a bit hard to keep up had there only been one perspective.
There were a lot of characters but somehow Marijon Braden defined them in a way that I didn’t get confused and have to check back because I’d forgotten who one of the characters was.
The flow of Smoke, Wings and Stone was really appealing too. I can’t recall a part of the book which I thought should have been left out, or which made the book boring. It was entertaining throughout.
I did, however, find a couple of little niggles.
Although I liked some of the humour in Smoke, Wings and Stone, it did seem so unrealistic for everyone to become so accepting upon learning about the gargoyles, vampires, and how they were now a part of their lives. At points, the danger seemed to be treat like a game which I just found strange. I didn’t get why it seemed like they were mocking certain events instead of worrying.
I also thought Luc should have been more involved too, since he was the prince and introduced the gargoyles to the book. He seemed to disappear too often, and whilst I don’t think he was necessarily missed, I found it unusual that the book was meant to focus on him and Sara when really, they weren’t involved together all that much.
Smoke, Wings and Stone was a fun read though. I loved the build-up of characters and the action. I liked most of the characters, especially Carrie – she was loyal, funny and intelligent (all ideal traits!).
I read this book in three sittings and will be raving about it a lot. Smoke, Wings and Stone amassed my expectations and if it is continued, I will definitely read more.
4/5.
(review also seen at http://beentherereadthatreviewedthebo...)
When I was sent a copy of Smoke, Wings and Stone, I loved the cover, I loved the synopsis and I really wanted to enjoy the book.
The plot was so intriguing – I can’t say I’ve ever read a book about gargoyles, and I don’t imagine there’s too many about. I was a little concerned that it would be hard to connect to the gargoyle element, but Marijon Braden wrote it so well; it was really interesting learning about their history and abilities.
We were brought into the lives of Carrie and Sara really quickly – no half a book full of building up their lives before it all changes and turns into one big dramatic mess. Smoke, Wings and Stone was written in four main parts, alternating between Carrie and Sara’s perspective. I thought this was a great way of drawing the readers in because there was so much going on, it would have been a bit hard to keep up had there only been one perspective.
There were a lot of characters but somehow Marijon Braden defined them in a way that I didn’t get confused and have to check back because I’d forgotten who one of the characters was.
The flow of Smoke, Wings and Stone was really appealing too. I can’t recall a part of the book which I thought should have been left out, or which made the book boring. It was entertaining throughout.
I did, however, find a couple of little niggles.
Although I liked some of the humour in Smoke, Wings and Stone, it did seem so unrealistic for everyone to become so accepting upon learning about the gargoyles, vampires, and how they were now a part of their lives. At points, the danger seemed to be treat like a game which I just found strange. I didn’t get why it seemed like they were mocking certain events instead of worrying.
I also thought Luc should have been more involved too, since he was the prince and introduced the gargoyles to the book. He seemed to disappear too often, and whilst I don’t think he was necessarily missed, I found it unusual that the book was meant to focus on him and Sara when really, they weren’t involved together all that much.
Smoke, Wings and Stone was a fun read though. I loved the build-up of characters and the action. I liked most of the characters, especially Carrie – she was loyal, funny and intelligent (all ideal traits!).
I read this book in three sittings and will be raving about it a lot. Smoke, Wings and Stone amassed my expectations and if it is continued, I will definitely read more.
4/5.
(review also seen at http://beentherereadthatreviewedthebo...)
October 30, 2013
We are thrown right into the lives of high school students and sisters Carrie and Sara. One night Sara and Carrie meet the mysterious and handsome Lucien Gargouille. He says he’s a prince and comes proclaiming his love for Sara and would like for her to love him forever. Just to get the creep away from them Sara says she will love him forever, there is a ripple in the air and the girls go on with their night thinking of how much fun it will be to tell this story tomorrow. Little do they know that their lives are changed forever just by Sara uttering those words. The most powerful family of Gargoyles have heard the proclamation and now they must protect Sara from the evils that wish to destroy the prominent family. As things get more and more dangerous Carrie is the only one capable to save her sister and time is not on her side.
Smoke Wings, and Stone is an interesting and new twist on Gatgoyles! I must say that my favorite parts were the bit of history thrown into the story on how the Gargoyles came to be! Wonderfully done! We are given 2 POV’s, one form Sara and one from Carrie, (I find Carries much more entertaining). The story is not about Carrie its about Sara and her new bound love Lucien but we get most of our info from Carries POV and I found myself always looking to her to puzzle out what the others were missing. Sara is a talented musician who always wanted a man to take care of her and as luck would have it he comes in the form of Lucien. After being bound to him for eternity she has to learn to open up, be more understanding of other people, and grow a backbone. It was nice to see her grow as the story progressed because for the first couple chapters she drove me nuts. Carrie on the other hand is the firecracker in the family. She is a star soccer player, sharp as a tack, and has a deep loyalty to family and friends. She was by far my favorite character. Lucien is the aloof but loving man that only wants to see his love happy. There are also marvelous characters such as Chris (another Gargoyle), Carries BFF’s Kevin and Becca, and Ethan. Its a well rounded group of people and they pushed me along in the story...wanting to find out if they all came out of it ok.
The author did a great job at giving us a new take on Gargoyles, love, and dark forces in the world. I would say this is first a love story and the action and adventure comes in second. I was captivated by the characters and I think there will be another book in store for us! It was an enjoyable read and if you are looking for something new this is for you!
Smoke Wings, and Stone is an interesting and new twist on Gatgoyles! I must say that my favorite parts were the bit of history thrown into the story on how the Gargoyles came to be! Wonderfully done! We are given 2 POV’s, one form Sara and one from Carrie, (I find Carries much more entertaining). The story is not about Carrie its about Sara and her new bound love Lucien but we get most of our info from Carries POV and I found myself always looking to her to puzzle out what the others were missing. Sara is a talented musician who always wanted a man to take care of her and as luck would have it he comes in the form of Lucien. After being bound to him for eternity she has to learn to open up, be more understanding of other people, and grow a backbone. It was nice to see her grow as the story progressed because for the first couple chapters she drove me nuts. Carrie on the other hand is the firecracker in the family. She is a star soccer player, sharp as a tack, and has a deep loyalty to family and friends. She was by far my favorite character. Lucien is the aloof but loving man that only wants to see his love happy. There are also marvelous characters such as Chris (another Gargoyle), Carries BFF’s Kevin and Becca, and Ethan. Its a well rounded group of people and they pushed me along in the story...wanting to find out if they all came out of it ok.
The author did a great job at giving us a new take on Gargoyles, love, and dark forces in the world. I would say this is first a love story and the action and adventure comes in second. I was captivated by the characters and I think there will be another book in store for us! It was an enjoyable read and if you are looking for something new this is for you!
August 6, 2013
**Original review posted on Gin's Book Notes (http://ginsbooknotes.com)
I love that this book focuses on a different type of paranormal creature. I’ve read some adult paranormal books that featured this same type of creature but not young adult; so I applaud Mrs. Braden for thinking outside of the box. ((clap, clap))
The story begins by introducing us to two of the main characters: sisters, Carrie and Sarah. I will admit that at first the sister’s attitudes rubbed me the wrong way. They are total opposites of each other and initially came across as bratty and spoiled but in completely different ways. I am happy to say I was wrong and grew to love Carrie and really like Sarah…I guess you can tell which one is my favorite. Smile
Carrie is sixteen, soon to be a sophomore in high school, and a soccer jock. She is smart, witty, and outspoken. As you read the story you will learn she is fiercely loyal and is willing to do whatever is needed to protect and support her family and friends.
Sarah is eighteen, a senior in high school, and a flute prodigy with a princess complex. She comes across as snobbish and superior but the way that Marijon tells the story helps you to see that there is more to Sarah than meets the eye.
The story is broken into parts/Seasons with alternating points of view between Carrie and Sarah. (Another clap here) I loved getting to hear the story from different perspectives and getting to know each of the characters inner dialogue helped me to understand them better.
Part 1-Summer: Carrie / Part 2-Spring: Sarah / Part 3-Fall: Carrie / Part 4-Winter: Sarah
The story has action, drama, and romance. Several characters begin to fall in love and start to establish themselves as couples. There is a hint of a love triangle in one of the romances but only a hint and I am curious to see where that goes in Book 2. Around page 35 the action and drama kick in and from that point on I was lost in the world of Smoke, Wings, and Stone.
I would feel completely comfortable recommending this book to my 15 year old niece or to my older young adult paranormal book friends. It is a great start to what promises to be a fantastic series.
I love that this book focuses on a different type of paranormal creature. I’ve read some adult paranormal books that featured this same type of creature but not young adult; so I applaud Mrs. Braden for thinking outside of the box. ((clap, clap))
The story begins by introducing us to two of the main characters: sisters, Carrie and Sarah. I will admit that at first the sister’s attitudes rubbed me the wrong way. They are total opposites of each other and initially came across as bratty and spoiled but in completely different ways. I am happy to say I was wrong and grew to love Carrie and really like Sarah…I guess you can tell which one is my favorite. Smile
Carrie is sixteen, soon to be a sophomore in high school, and a soccer jock. She is smart, witty, and outspoken. As you read the story you will learn she is fiercely loyal and is willing to do whatever is needed to protect and support her family and friends.
Sarah is eighteen, a senior in high school, and a flute prodigy with a princess complex. She comes across as snobbish and superior but the way that Marijon tells the story helps you to see that there is more to Sarah than meets the eye.
The story is broken into parts/Seasons with alternating points of view between Carrie and Sarah. (Another clap here) I loved getting to hear the story from different perspectives and getting to know each of the characters inner dialogue helped me to understand them better.
Part 1-Summer: Carrie / Part 2-Spring: Sarah / Part 3-Fall: Carrie / Part 4-Winter: Sarah
The story has action, drama, and romance. Several characters begin to fall in love and start to establish themselves as couples. There is a hint of a love triangle in one of the romances but only a hint and I am curious to see where that goes in Book 2. Around page 35 the action and drama kick in and from that point on I was lost in the world of Smoke, Wings, and Stone.
I would feel completely comfortable recommending this book to my 15 year old niece or to my older young adult paranormal book friends. It is a great start to what promises to be a fantastic series.
October 4, 2013
(I received a free copy of this book after entering a blog giveaway for it).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I was pretty intrigued by this book after reading that it was about gargoyles. Most paranormal creatures are getting to be over-used now - vampires, werewolves... even fairies are slowly getting to that stage.
I really liked this book. The characters were very quickly likable, though I wasn't completely sure about Luc at first. (His actions towards Sara seemed very possessive and I wasn't sure I liked him to begin with).
I did like all of the relationships in the book, though I'm not sure I'm completely happy with the way everyone was paired off. I felt that, with all of the action going on as well, not enough time was devoted to the individual relationships.
It was interesting how the gargoyles changed reflecting on their nature. I liked the three cousins who acted as Sara's bodyguards and I also liked Chris. It was nice to see a group of normal humans mixed up in the situation - and the fact that they were pretty resourceful, even without having any special powers of their own.
The book itself was really well-written, with only a few errors ('thru' is used in one instance instead of 'through'). I could see a lot of the action happening inside my head.
Unlike a lot of books written from more than one first person perspectives, I knew immediately when the narrator changed from Carrie. The author did a really good job in writing the two sisters quite differently from each other and it was interesting to see the other from their points of view, as well as the other characters and how they perceived them.
I'd definitely be interested in reading more books from this author. I did like this and I liked meeting the characters. I'm eager to see what will happen next.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I was pretty intrigued by this book after reading that it was about gargoyles. Most paranormal creatures are getting to be over-used now - vampires, werewolves... even fairies are slowly getting to that stage.
I really liked this book. The characters were very quickly likable, though I wasn't completely sure about Luc at first. (His actions towards Sara seemed very possessive and I wasn't sure I liked him to begin with).
I did like all of the relationships in the book, though I'm not sure I'm completely happy with the way everyone was paired off. I felt that, with all of the action going on as well, not enough time was devoted to the individual relationships.
It was interesting how the gargoyles changed reflecting on their nature. I liked the three cousins who acted as Sara's bodyguards and I also liked Chris. It was nice to see a group of normal humans mixed up in the situation - and the fact that they were pretty resourceful, even without having any special powers of their own.
The book itself was really well-written, with only a few errors ('thru' is used in one instance instead of 'through'). I could see a lot of the action happening inside my head.
Unlike a lot of books written from more than one first person perspectives, I knew immediately when the narrator changed from Carrie. The author did a really good job in writing the two sisters quite differently from each other and it was interesting to see the other from their points of view, as well as the other characters and how they perceived them.
I'd definitely be interested in reading more books from this author. I did like this and I liked meeting the characters. I'm eager to see what will happen next.
June 5, 2014
Gargoyles, vampires, werewolves, old myths and magic . . . none of these exist, do they? This book beats The Twilight Saga hands down, as, for me, it was a far more realistic version of what would happen if these things did exist in the world.
There’s fear, fun, adventure, kidnap, a lot of coffee (!), massive riches and a fairytale love story with attitude that’s all brought to life by some of the most thoughtfully written characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading. I felt there was a wonderful balance of adventurous, spoilt, warm, kind, honest, moral, bold and fun personalities spread liberally through the characters, who, as I read them, all came to life in my head. I’m taking that as good sign because sometimes when I’m reading a book, I find it hard to bring the story and people to life but Smoke Wings and Stone was running through my head in full Technicolor and surround-sound and it was awesome.
I loved the boldness with which the story was written; it grabs you by the hand and shows you there are dark and creepy things to fear in this world, then pulls you along through the adventure, keeping you feeling just on the edge of safe by showing you the strength good holds over evil – I mean, come on, good always has to triumph, doesn’t it?
The end allows the series to continue, if the writer chooses to do so, by leaving a few loose ends. Personally, I want more and hope it’s already written and waiting at the publishers . . .?
review by Noemie T Verlan on behalf of BestChickLit.com
There’s fear, fun, adventure, kidnap, a lot of coffee (!), massive riches and a fairytale love story with attitude that’s all brought to life by some of the most thoughtfully written characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading. I felt there was a wonderful balance of adventurous, spoilt, warm, kind, honest, moral, bold and fun personalities spread liberally through the characters, who, as I read them, all came to life in my head. I’m taking that as good sign because sometimes when I’m reading a book, I find it hard to bring the story and people to life but Smoke Wings and Stone was running through my head in full Technicolor and surround-sound and it was awesome.
I loved the boldness with which the story was written; it grabs you by the hand and shows you there are dark and creepy things to fear in this world, then pulls you along through the adventure, keeping you feeling just on the edge of safe by showing you the strength good holds over evil – I mean, come on, good always has to triumph, doesn’t it?
The end allows the series to continue, if the writer chooses to do so, by leaving a few loose ends. Personally, I want more and hope it’s already written and waiting at the publishers . . .?
review by Noemie T Verlan on behalf of BestChickLit.com
October 1, 2013
Carrie was at work catering for a wedding when she saw him. Luc was crashing a wedding and appeared to be drunk. That was when she asked her sister Sara to help get this poor french speaking young man out of the reception room and get him out without incident. Luc, showed interest in Sara and made her make a vow to love him forever. To get this stranger away from her, Sara agreed. That was when her life had changed.
Sara had no idea the man she promised to love was from royalty and also a shape-shifter. She also had no idea she was bound to him by the sacred vow she took to love him forever, and that a war was about to begin all because of her. With the help of her sister Carrie and friends she hoped she would have a great future as a princess.
This was a great Young Adult book. It has Vampires, shape-shifters, young romance and so much more. The book was interesting kept me constantly entertained and ended on a good note with room for more books in the future. I enjoyed watching the many relationships blossom. I loved this book I hope we hear more about the characters with a second book. I would recommend to young adults and not so young adults. I feel anyone in between that age group could love this story as much as I did.
Rating: 4.5
Heat Rating: Sweet
Reviewed By: Rae
Courtesy Of My Book Addiction And More
Sara had no idea the man she promised to love was from royalty and also a shape-shifter. She also had no idea she was bound to him by the sacred vow she took to love him forever, and that a war was about to begin all because of her. With the help of her sister Carrie and friends she hoped she would have a great future as a princess.
This was a great Young Adult book. It has Vampires, shape-shifters, young romance and so much more. The book was interesting kept me constantly entertained and ended on a good note with room for more books in the future. I enjoyed watching the many relationships blossom. I loved this book I hope we hear more about the characters with a second book. I would recommend to young adults and not so young adults. I feel anyone in between that age group could love this story as much as I did.
Rating: 4.5
Heat Rating: Sweet
Reviewed By: Rae
Courtesy Of My Book Addiction And More
July 14, 2013
To be honest, I'm not exactly in the age category the book is written for, but I still enjoyed the story and the characters a lot.
The fact that you bring in gargoyles was something completely new to me, have been used to seeing them sitting around on the buildings where I grew up, but never would have had the idea to write a story about them!
The story has really funny parts, shows what true friendship is all about and has some action in it. And then of course vampires as that seems to be the topic that interests young people these days. At least they're not sparkling in this story ;-)
As this story is clearly a first part of a series, you have a lot of introduction material, some of it could have been a bit less for my taste, but I think the author was making sure that younger readers would get into the story too.
So if you have a teenage child at home, I would recommend this book to them if they like fantasy and young people together.
I was gifted a free copy by the author, this has in no way influenced the outcome of this review!
The fact that you bring in gargoyles was something completely new to me, have been used to seeing them sitting around on the buildings where I grew up, but never would have had the idea to write a story about them!
The story has really funny parts, shows what true friendship is all about and has some action in it. And then of course vampires as that seems to be the topic that interests young people these days. At least they're not sparkling in this story ;-)
As this story is clearly a first part of a series, you have a lot of introduction material, some of it could have been a bit less for my taste, but I think the author was making sure that younger readers would get into the story too.
So if you have a teenage child at home, I would recommend this book to them if they like fantasy and young people together.
I was gifted a free copy by the author, this has in no way influenced the outcome of this review!
July 26, 2013
I won this book through Goodreads First Reads giveaway. In no way has this influenced my rating or opinion of this book.
To me, this was a quick read with an interesting plot twist. I mean, gargoyles? How many books have gargoyles in them?
Answer: None that I've read.
The sisters of this book are complete opposites, and because of that I think almost everyone can relate to one or the other.
The gargoyles' enemies, the vampires, was an interesting concept in this book. Most of the YA books out there have the vampires as the good guys, protecting humanity, falling in love with the heroine, or something along those lines. This put a different perspective on that, which I really enjoyed.
To me, this was a quick read with an interesting plot twist. I mean, gargoyles? How many books have gargoyles in them?
Answer: None that I've read.
The sisters of this book are complete opposites, and because of that I think almost everyone can relate to one or the other.
The gargoyles' enemies, the vampires, was an interesting concept in this book. Most of the YA books out there have the vampires as the good guys, protecting humanity, falling in love with the heroine, or something along those lines. This put a different perspective on that, which I really enjoyed.
July 26, 2013
I won this book through Goodreads First Reads giveaway. In no way has this influenced my rating or opinion of this book.
To me, this was a quick read with an interesting plot twist. I mean, gargoyles? How many books have gargoyles in them?
Answer: None that I've read.
The sisters of this book are complete opposites, and because of that I think almost everyone can relate to one or the other.
The gargoyles' enemies, the vampires, was an interesting concept in this book. Most of the YA books out there have the vampires as the good guys, protecting humanity, falling in love with the heroine, or something along those lines. This put a different perspective on that, which I really enjoyed.
To me, this was a quick read with an interesting plot twist. I mean, gargoyles? How many books have gargoyles in them?
Answer: None that I've read.
The sisters of this book are complete opposites, and because of that I think almost everyone can relate to one or the other.
The gargoyles' enemies, the vampires, was an interesting concept in this book. Most of the YA books out there have the vampires as the good guys, protecting humanity, falling in love with the heroine, or something along those lines. This put a different perspective on that, which I really enjoyed.
July 27, 2013
I have to say this is a great read for young adults and old adults! Great characters, witty banter, and love the gargoyles!!! So different! While you do finish the book and it ends nicely, there still is so much more I need to know!!!! So I read the bio and it is her first YA book, excellent job Marijon! Can not wait for the next installment, well, I hope there is one!!!
February 23, 2014
Slow start, hanger ending
This book had a very boring start but once you got into it it was half decent. There are two vp characters which leaves a lot of things unexplained. It was free for me so I would say worth a read but not a great book.
This book had a very boring start but once you got into it it was half decent. There are two vp characters which leaves a lot of things unexplained. It was free for me so I would say worth a read but not a great book.
June 3, 2014
I enjoyed this young adult novel. It was different from the normal sappy teen mythical novel which made me enjoy it more for that reason. Gargoyles were something I would have never thought of but was great. I can't wait to see what my daughter thinks of it.
July 12, 2013
3.5 Stars. This paranormal, adventure/romance was suitable for Older YA. Well written with a good storyline it kept my interest and kept me reading.
August 2, 2013
its was really good thank you.
August 9, 2013
So far it's really good. Can't wait to finish reading it! :)
July 23, 2013
Gargoyles. O___O
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