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Soul Retrievers
Banish
Alyssa has one week to destroy her enemy, save her spirit... and save her soul.
After her ex-boyfriend commits suicide and her mum’s alcoholism sparks yet another psychotic episode, seventeen-year-old Alyssa Wood flees her small hometown of Broadwater and heads to New York City to stay with her bohemian aunt — a Wicca High Priestess.
Alyssa revels in the anonymity of a big city and her new life. Her grades climb, she has a new best friend, and a new guy: the sexy geek Ronan — a saxophone player who prefers jazz to pop.
But her newfound peace is soon shattered when she sees a dead body in one of Ronan’s music clips — and she’s the only one who can see it. Worse still, Alyssa recognises the body that has been murdered a week forward!
Alyssa doesn’t believe in the supernatural...despite her family’s Wicca background. So how will she overcome evil when it’s closer than she thinks?
After her ex-boyfriend commits suicide and her mum’s alcoholism sparks yet another psychotic episode, seventeen-year-old Alyssa Wood flees her small hometown of Broadwater and heads to New York City to stay with her bohemian aunt — a Wicca High Priestess.
Alyssa revels in the anonymity of a big city and her new life. Her grades climb, she has a new best friend, and a new guy: the sexy geek Ronan — a saxophone player who prefers jazz to pop.
But her newfound peace is soon shattered when she sees a dead body in one of Ronan’s music clips — and she’s the only one who can see it. Worse still, Alyssa recognises the body that has been murdered a week forward!
Alyssa doesn’t believe in the supernatural...despite her family’s Wicca background. So how will she overcome evil when it’s closer than she thinks?
272 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2013
5 people are currently reading
900 people want to read
About the author
Nicola Marsh
414 books1,443 followersUSA TODAY bestselling and award-winning Australian author Nicola Marsh writes page-turning fiction to keep you up all night.
She has published 86 books across genres, including contemporary romance, women's fiction, domestic suspense, and fantasy.
She's a Waldenbooks, Bookscan, Amazon, iBooks and Barnes & Noble bestseller, a 2013 RBY and National Readers' Choice Award winner, and a multiple finalist for many other awards.
She loves chatting on social media!
She has published 86 books across genres, including contemporary romance, women's fiction, domestic suspense, and fantasy.
She's a Waldenbooks, Bookscan, Amazon, iBooks and Barnes & Noble bestseller, a 2013 RBY and National Readers' Choice Award winner, and a multiple finalist for many other awards.
She loves chatting on social media!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
June 26, 2015
SOOOOO.
I just read this whole book in one sitting! it blew me away.
I love my witchcraft reads and this one built up perfectly but also stayed true to the original roots of Wicca as a religion and i loved that and the respect it showed!
IM IN LOVE
If you love
MYSTERY
WITCHCRAFT
HAUNTING MURDERS
ROMANCE
TRUST ISSUES
MOTHER ISSUES
SPECIAL ABILITIES
STEAMY HOT MALE LEAD..
Then this book is for you. IT WILL NOT DISAPPOINT!
Also L.J.Smith has reviewed it... so that proves its amazingness!
I just read this whole book in one sitting! it blew me away.
I love my witchcraft reads and this one built up perfectly but also stayed true to the original roots of Wicca as a religion and i loved that and the respect it showed!
IM IN LOVE
If you love
MYSTERY
WITCHCRAFT
HAUNTING MURDERS
ROMANCE
TRUST ISSUES
MOTHER ISSUES
SPECIAL ABILITIES
STEAMY HOT MALE LEAD..
Then this book is for you. IT WILL NOT DISAPPOINT!
Also L.J.Smith has reviewed it... so that proves its amazingness!
July 15, 2013
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
Thank you Harlequin Australia for sending me this copy. No compensation was given of taken to alter this review.
'A doll that looked remarkably like me. With a hangman's noose around it's neck.'
Despite the colourful mix of genres, Banish was not quite the entertaining read I was in search for. A little dark and light, mysterious and fun, the romance and movement of this novel was lacking. Admittedly, I skimmed the last half, maybe partially due to my headed-ness, but on whole, the last half became predictable and inadequate.
In hope to get away from the craziness at home, like her mother's psychotic episodes and death of her ex-boyfriend, Alyssa Wood flees to New York where her aunt resides, who also happens to be a Wicca High Priestess. A new attempt of normal life with a new best friend, Seth, and boyfriend, Ronan, is immediately fragmented when she sees a dead corpse on a music video clip from Ronan sent. Frightened yet curious, Alyssa searches for answers and become confronted with more and more supernaturals. Completely confused, she only knows one thing for sure, someone is following her.
Surprisingly, the main character was not one of the contributing factors of my slight distaste with Banish. Alyssa was a cautious protagonist and had a discerning eye which was complimentary to the plot as sang murder mystery despite the paranormal aspects. While she had a traumatising and terrifying past with her closest relationships, she was strong and didn't take crap from anyone. I loved how Alyssa was a cogent character without bordering artificial. An easy character to relate and sympathise for.
However, the romance was an aspect that did exceed realism and into ingenuity. The romance clearly has been tampered along before entering the story as it kicked off promptly at the beginning of Banish. Nonetheless, I appreciated the two interests as individuals. Ronan, like Alyssa was indubitably authentic and had a considerate personality. However when placed together, I couldn't sense a chemistry spark at all, rather too forced.
Okay, now just one little more qualm. I feel like a broken record when I say this but where is the world building? While Banish was a murder mystery, a paranormal witchery element was present which I found missing depth and more understanding for us readers.
All in all, Banish had numerous fantastic points but lacked in certain areas like worldbuilding and realism in romance. Unfortunately, while pretty entertaining, Banish were irritatingly forgetable.
Thank you Harlequin Australia for sending me this copy. No compensation was given of taken to alter this review.
'A doll that looked remarkably like me. With a hangman's noose around it's neck.'
Despite the colourful mix of genres, Banish was not quite the entertaining read I was in search for. A little dark and light, mysterious and fun, the romance and movement of this novel was lacking. Admittedly, I skimmed the last half, maybe partially due to my headed-ness, but on whole, the last half became predictable and inadequate.
In hope to get away from the craziness at home, like her mother's psychotic episodes and death of her ex-boyfriend, Alyssa Wood flees to New York where her aunt resides, who also happens to be a Wicca High Priestess. A new attempt of normal life with a new best friend, Seth, and boyfriend, Ronan, is immediately fragmented when she sees a dead corpse on a music video clip from Ronan sent. Frightened yet curious, Alyssa searches for answers and become confronted with more and more supernaturals. Completely confused, she only knows one thing for sure, someone is following her.
Surprisingly, the main character was not one of the contributing factors of my slight distaste with Banish. Alyssa was a cautious protagonist and had a discerning eye which was complimentary to the plot as sang murder mystery despite the paranormal aspects. While she had a traumatising and terrifying past with her closest relationships, she was strong and didn't take crap from anyone. I loved how Alyssa was a cogent character without bordering artificial. An easy character to relate and sympathise for.
However, the romance was an aspect that did exceed realism and into ingenuity. The romance clearly has been tampered along before entering the story as it kicked off promptly at the beginning of Banish. Nonetheless, I appreciated the two interests as individuals. Ronan, like Alyssa was indubitably authentic and had a considerate personality. However when placed together, I couldn't sense a chemistry spark at all, rather too forced.
Okay, now just one little more qualm. I feel like a broken record when I say this but where is the world building? While Banish was a murder mystery, a paranormal witchery element was present which I found missing depth and more understanding for us readers.
All in all, Banish had numerous fantastic points but lacked in certain areas like worldbuilding and realism in romance. Unfortunately, while pretty entertaining, Banish were irritatingly forgetable.
July 29, 2013
Australian author Nicola Marsh is a bestselling romance author but this novel is her first foray into young adult fiction. Banish introduces seventeen year old Alyssa Wood who, after the deterioration of her home life and then the suicide of her ex boyfriend,Noah, has moved to New York to live with her aunt. Just as things seem to be coming together for Alyssa, with improved grades and a fledgling relationship with the gorgeous Ronan, her life begins to fall apart. It starts when she sees the body of a murdered girl trailing a music clip, and it soon becomes obvious Alyssa is being targeted by evil, but is it Noah's ghost seeking retribution or is it someone seeking revenge?
I really wanted to love Banish and the synopsis seemed promising, unfortunately I was disappointed with this novel for a number of reasons.
Firstly I was hoping Marsh, as an Australian author, would set the book in Australia, and I think it is a missed opportunity that it, live almost every other paranormal YA novel, is set in the US.
Secondly I found I didn't much like the protagonist, Alyssa, whose tantrums seemed more suited to a seven year old rather than a seventeen year old and whose constant anger, and peevish denial of the supernatural, though in part legitimate, is wearing.
Thirdly, I was annoyed by elements of repetition in the text, most noticeably that each time Alyssa thought about a character, the author seemed to feel it necessary to remind us of the same detail about them, for example 'my aunt who pushed Wicca on me', or 'my mum who started drinking when I was twelve and started hearing voices'. This contributes to the slow start of the story which doesn't really gain any momentum until three quarters of the way through.
Lastly, the identity of the 'villain' is blindingly obvious, though to be fair his motivation comes with a surprising back story.
On the positive side, the general plot of Banish is unusual and was grittier than I was expecting. I am in two minds though as to the combination of Wicca and Alyssa and her mothers talents. Though it offers interesting possibilities going forward, I'm not sure how they relate to one another.
Banish is clearly the first in a planned series of indeterminate length which will feature Alyssa. Unfortunately I don't think I am interested in continuing with the series but don't let that discourage you from giving it a try.
July 28, 2013
2.5 / 5 stars --
Overall, I enjoyed this read. It was a blend of the light and dark, humor and seriousness, death and letting go. If you’re a fan of the paranormal/ghosts, most likely you’ll enjoy this read, too.
It wasn’t what I quite expected it to me. Though a quick read – it took me some time to actually get into the story, and I’ll admit that I was a tad disappointed in it. When I see gorgeous covers like that, I generally have massively high expectations that aren’t often reached. I liked the majority of the characters, though Alyssa’s blatant refusal of the paranormal, even when she was faced with it, irked me a little. But aside from that she was a strong main character dealing with some seriously tough issues. With a dead ex-boyfriend, an alcoholic mother, Alyssa fled to New York to say with her Aunt – well, let’s just say I don’t envy her position.
The ending chapters were perhaps a little...flat — that’s the only word I can think of to describe them — as there was nothing truly shocking about them. One of my biggest pet-peeves in books is when I can guess the ending, without any twists and turns that blow my socks off. I’ve read a crap-load of paranormal stories in the past years, and the writing style of the novel wasn’t anything that stood out from the pack. However, the plot was much more original than most YA Paranormal you see these days.
In saying all that, if Nicola Marsh published another YA book, I would definitely read it.
Thank you HarlequinTeen Australia/Goodreads for my copy of the book.
Overall, I enjoyed this read. It was a blend of the light and dark, humor and seriousness, death and letting go. If you’re a fan of the paranormal/ghosts, most likely you’ll enjoy this read, too.
It wasn’t what I quite expected it to me. Though a quick read – it took me some time to actually get into the story, and I’ll admit that I was a tad disappointed in it. When I see gorgeous covers like that, I generally have massively high expectations that aren’t often reached. I liked the majority of the characters, though Alyssa’s blatant refusal of the paranormal, even when she was faced with it, irked me a little. But aside from that she was a strong main character dealing with some seriously tough issues. With a dead ex-boyfriend, an alcoholic mother, Alyssa fled to New York to say with her Aunt – well, let’s just say I don’t envy her position.
The ending chapters were perhaps a little...flat — that’s the only word I can think of to describe them — as there was nothing truly shocking about them. One of my biggest pet-peeves in books is when I can guess the ending, without any twists and turns that blow my socks off. I’ve read a crap-load of paranormal stories in the past years, and the writing style of the novel wasn’t anything that stood out from the pack. However, the plot was much more original than most YA Paranormal you see these days.
In saying all that, if Nicola Marsh published another YA book, I would definitely read it.
Thank you HarlequinTeen Australia/Goodreads for my copy of the book.
September 23, 2013
I'd reached the first room, bare bar a fireplace, when I heard it.
The faintest squeak of a rubber sole hitting liquid behind me.
As if in slow motion, my head came up and I locked gazes with a killer.
Banish thrusts you right into the middle of the story from the very first page. The story starts in the present and then we go back a week in time and take the journey of how things came to be. And let me tell you, a whole lot happens in the space of that week.
Alyssa Wood has escaped the town of Broadwater after the suicide of her ex boyfriend Noah and her mothers escalation of psychotic episodes and continued spiral into the depths of alcoholism. After the reversal of roles over the last few years and her taking on the role as carer to her mother, Alyssa loves her life in New York, where she lives with her Wiccan High Priestess Aunt. Free from her previous burdens, Alyssa has settled into school, made an amazing friend in Seth, has been crushing on hot musician Ronan who has finally taken her on a first date and her Aunt has stopped trying to thrust her Wiccan beliefs down her throat. Life is looking up.
That is until she receives a video clip from her new boyfriend Ronan of a song he has written for her and at the end there is what appears to be a dead body. The trouble is, she is the only one that can see it. As things escalate over the next few days and Alyssa comes to the realisation that she knows who the dead girl is in the video, she makes the decision to return home to Broadwater and get to the bottom of just what exactly is going on.
Banish is filled with mystery, intrigue and suspense. Yes, there were aspects of the story that I guessed at before the details were finally revealed, but the suspense was not reduced at all because of it. I really enjoyed watching everything unfold and seeing how Alyssa would deal with it all.
Alyssa has such a deep seated belief that the supernatural doesn't exist. It's almost what drives her throughout the story. It doesn't matter what she's witnessed her mum going through or any of the Wiccan rituals that her Mum has practised or her Aunt has tried to get her to believe, Alyssa remains strong in what she believes. She was a strong character. In the face of everything that she is experiencing, she faces it head on. She's determined to get answers and find out the truth. I really liked that about her. Her grief over Noah's death was so raw. It was such a huge weight for a girl so young to be carrying around on her shoulders. But for the most part Alyssa seems much older than her seventeen years. Yes, she had her moments of freak out but I'm pretty sure if I was seeing a dead body that nobody else could see I'd be freaking out as well.
My illicit crush had entered a new category all together, where gawky seventeen year olds could end up dating hot twenty-one year old musicians.
In my dreams.
The romance between Alyssa and Ronan wasn't the main focus of the story but it was a really nice sideline to everything else. It was by no means smooth sailing for the two of them. There's a lot for a new couple to be dealing with and I was glad that they questioned each other. They got angry with each other and they fought. For me, it all seemed to flow fairly naturally between them.
I loved the supernatural aspect of Banish. While Wicca is mentioned throughout and there are a few rituals and spells, it was never overwhelming to the point that I had no clue what was going on. It was explained just enough for me to wrap my head around and feel that it fit into Alyssa's world perfectly.
Banish is the first YA book published by Nicola Marsh and I found it to be a really enjoyable read and I hope that she dips her toes into the young adult world again.
4.25/5 Stars.
I received Banish for review via Netgalley from HarlequinTeen Australia
The faintest squeak of a rubber sole hitting liquid behind me.
As if in slow motion, my head came up and I locked gazes with a killer.
Banish thrusts you right into the middle of the story from the very first page. The story starts in the present and then we go back a week in time and take the journey of how things came to be. And let me tell you, a whole lot happens in the space of that week.
Alyssa Wood has escaped the town of Broadwater after the suicide of her ex boyfriend Noah and her mothers escalation of psychotic episodes and continued spiral into the depths of alcoholism. After the reversal of roles over the last few years and her taking on the role as carer to her mother, Alyssa loves her life in New York, where she lives with her Wiccan High Priestess Aunt. Free from her previous burdens, Alyssa has settled into school, made an amazing friend in Seth, has been crushing on hot musician Ronan who has finally taken her on a first date and her Aunt has stopped trying to thrust her Wiccan beliefs down her throat. Life is looking up.
That is until she receives a video clip from her new boyfriend Ronan of a song he has written for her and at the end there is what appears to be a dead body. The trouble is, she is the only one that can see it. As things escalate over the next few days and Alyssa comes to the realisation that she knows who the dead girl is in the video, she makes the decision to return home to Broadwater and get to the bottom of just what exactly is going on.
Banish is filled with mystery, intrigue and suspense. Yes, there were aspects of the story that I guessed at before the details were finally revealed, but the suspense was not reduced at all because of it. I really enjoyed watching everything unfold and seeing how Alyssa would deal with it all.
Alyssa has such a deep seated belief that the supernatural doesn't exist. It's almost what drives her throughout the story. It doesn't matter what she's witnessed her mum going through or any of the Wiccan rituals that her Mum has practised or her Aunt has tried to get her to believe, Alyssa remains strong in what she believes. She was a strong character. In the face of everything that she is experiencing, she faces it head on. She's determined to get answers and find out the truth. I really liked that about her. Her grief over Noah's death was so raw. It was such a huge weight for a girl so young to be carrying around on her shoulders. But for the most part Alyssa seems much older than her seventeen years. Yes, she had her moments of freak out but I'm pretty sure if I was seeing a dead body that nobody else could see I'd be freaking out as well.
My illicit crush had entered a new category all together, where gawky seventeen year olds could end up dating hot twenty-one year old musicians.
In my dreams.
The romance between Alyssa and Ronan wasn't the main focus of the story but it was a really nice sideline to everything else. It was by no means smooth sailing for the two of them. There's a lot for a new couple to be dealing with and I was glad that they questioned each other. They got angry with each other and they fought. For me, it all seemed to flow fairly naturally between them.
I loved the supernatural aspect of Banish. While Wicca is mentioned throughout and there are a few rituals and spells, it was never overwhelming to the point that I had no clue what was going on. It was explained just enough for me to wrap my head around and feel that it fit into Alyssa's world perfectly.
Banish is the first YA book published by Nicola Marsh and I found it to be a really enjoyable read and I hope that she dips her toes into the young adult world again.
4.25/5 Stars.
I received Banish for review via Netgalley from HarlequinTeen Australia
August 11, 2013
See this review and more on The Moonlight Library!
Alyssa Woods ran away from a small town, an alcoholic mother, and a town favourite ex-boyfriend who commit suicide because she dumped him. Joining her high priestess aunt in New York city, she shuns the Wicca lifestyle, preferring to remain a ‘mundane’. When her crush, hot saxophone player Ronan shows her a music video, she’s the only one to see the dead body – and she recognises the victim. She has a week to find out who – or what – is messing with her: is it her new crush, her aunt trying to convince her to practice Wicca, or something more sinister, like her dead ex-boyfriend?
Banish is your regular everyday paint by numbers YA paranormal romance thriller. There is absolutely nothing original in its pages and it’s exactly the kind of things you’d expect. No great prose, although there’s nothing wrong with the writing or narrative. Although Alyssa does wonder why anyone would be interested in a thin blonde with blue eyes (gee, I wonder who?) the pace and exposition both built decently and by approximately 38% I was hooked on the mystery of who was messing with her, and trying to figure it out along with her. Luckily for us, Alyssa is not a stupid girl and often cover her tracks and looks for backup in her investigation.
What this novel has going for it, and what makes it different to all the other paranormal romance novels is that Alyssa is much more mature than your regular Too Stupid To Live heroine. She confronts those she suspects, and she suspects everyone. There’s no, ‘Oh, I don’t trust him/her so I’m going to do my own sleuthing/stalking.’ There’s no ‘Oh, I love him so he couldn’t possibly hurt me.’ The conflict on Lyss and Ronan’s relationship comes from their miscommunication.
But I’m not sure that because this book is a little better than your average paranormal romance that it makes it worthy of better praise. It’s a solid effort and it’s clearly handled by someone who knows how to write books. If you like YA paranormal romance thrillers I’d definitely recommend it because by about halfway through I was hooked and didn’t want to put it down to go to sleep. This book is not part of a series but it is definitely set up to be.
Thanks to HarlequinTeen Australia and Netgalley for providing this advanced reader copy for an honest review.
Alyssa Woods ran away from a small town, an alcoholic mother, and a town favourite ex-boyfriend who commit suicide because she dumped him. Joining her high priestess aunt in New York city, she shuns the Wicca lifestyle, preferring to remain a ‘mundane’. When her crush, hot saxophone player Ronan shows her a music video, she’s the only one to see the dead body – and she recognises the victim. She has a week to find out who – or what – is messing with her: is it her new crush, her aunt trying to convince her to practice Wicca, or something more sinister, like her dead ex-boyfriend?
Banish is your regular everyday paint by numbers YA paranormal romance thriller. There is absolutely nothing original in its pages and it’s exactly the kind of things you’d expect. No great prose, although there’s nothing wrong with the writing or narrative. Although Alyssa does wonder why anyone would be interested in a thin blonde with blue eyes (gee, I wonder who?) the pace and exposition both built decently and by approximately 38% I was hooked on the mystery of who was messing with her, and trying to figure it out along with her. Luckily for us, Alyssa is not a stupid girl and often cover her tracks and looks for backup in her investigation.
What this novel has going for it, and what makes it different to all the other paranormal romance novels is that Alyssa is much more mature than your regular Too Stupid To Live heroine. She confronts those she suspects, and she suspects everyone. There’s no, ‘Oh, I don’t trust him/her so I’m going to do my own sleuthing/stalking.’ There’s no ‘Oh, I love him so he couldn’t possibly hurt me.’ The conflict on Lyss and Ronan’s relationship comes from their miscommunication.
But I’m not sure that because this book is a little better than your average paranormal romance that it makes it worthy of better praise. It’s a solid effort and it’s clearly handled by someone who knows how to write books. If you like YA paranormal romance thrillers I’d definitely recommend it because by about halfway through I was hooked and didn’t want to put it down to go to sleep. This book is not part of a series but it is definitely set up to be.
Thanks to HarlequinTeen Australia and Netgalley for providing this advanced reader copy for an honest review.
February 7, 2015
2.5 stars.
It was lighthearted and fast paced. That's not always a bad thing, however because of the constant flicker of new events and pages of information loaded in one big chunk at a time, I found myself very distanced from this book. The characters lacked depth because everything was rushed. The mystery did have clues, but again the author didn't take their time and build suspense, instead everything kind of just overloaded when the book was finishing and then just abruptly ended.
Now enough with the bad, because there was some good. First of all ill state my shallow thought and that is that the beautiful cover made this book just so much better. I also enjoyed the plot and I think if the series continues the story will build into something good. This book has a lot of potential, I think I will continue the series.
It was lighthearted and fast paced. That's not always a bad thing, however because of the constant flicker of new events and pages of information loaded in one big chunk at a time, I found myself very distanced from this book. The characters lacked depth because everything was rushed. The mystery did have clues, but again the author didn't take their time and build suspense, instead everything kind of just overloaded when the book was finishing and then just abruptly ended.
Now enough with the bad, because there was some good. First of all ill state my shallow thought and that is that the beautiful cover made this book just so much better. I also enjoyed the plot and I think if the series continues the story will build into something good. This book has a lot of potential, I think I will continue the series.
August 2, 2013
Banish is a wonderful mix of genres – YA, romance, mystery and thriller – and being Nicola Marsh’s first YA book (she has published many other novels), I have to say that I was extremely impressed with her ability to write YA characters, and her ability to understand the teenage mind – their thought process, their actions and reactions.
Banish follows Alyssa, who has recently moved to New York to live with her Aunty after her own mother’s alcoholism becomes too much to handle, and her ex-boyfriend committed suicide. Alyssa loves her life in New York – nobody knows her, she seems to be able to avoid the strong Wicca connections in her family even though her Aunty is a Wicca High priestess, and she has started dating the older, sexy saxophone player, Ronan. Everything is going great in Alyssa’s new life, until Ronan sends her a music clip and she sees a dead body in the clip – a dead body that no one else can see.
Alyssa needs to figure out why she is seeing dead people in her boyfriend’s music clip, so she sets out on a frightening adventure to find the truth. As she starts to uncover the dark truth, she learns that sometimes you trust the wrong people, don’t trust in the right ones and she may just have to accept a destiny that she never wanted. – that is, if she survives.
Banish is a unique concept in YA by incorporating a couple of different paranormal aspects into this book, as well the mystery and thriller aspects. The thriller aspects to this book will keep you on the edge of your seat; it is chilling and disturbing (in a good way).
The protagonist, Alyssa, is blunt, impulsive, socially awkward and sometimes even selfish. I loved the realism in the characters and their actions, and especially loved the sarcasm in Banish. What you would expect a character to say in a certain situation, was said… and sometimes, even when things may not have been said, Alyssa tended to say them anyway.
I liked the fact that this book was set over the period of 1 week, as it didn’t feel like it was dragging out. The relationships in this book were also were on “track” for the period that the characters had known each other (ieAlyssa and Ronan knew each other before the beginning of Banish) and things didn’t seem to move too fast, which is something that YA books can suffer from. Although, I have to say, that Ronan did seem a little too perfect.
Although I found the “bad guy” aspect a little predictable, but there was lots of intrigue in Banish to keep me interested – I may have thought I knew the “who” but I could not work out the “why”, so that kept it very interesting. The thriller aspect of this book is fantastic, especially considering it is YA – it is dark, creepy and very well done. There is definitely some spine-chilling moments in this book J
The one thing that I didn’t like about Banish was there was something towards the end of the book that bugged me – I won’t say exactly what it is as I don’t want it to affect anyone else, but I will say it was just one word. I understand why Nicola went down this track, but for me, it was a little distracting (if something bugs me, it sticks in my head no matter how much I try to forget it). This one little thing, caused me confusion in an already confusing situation – and that was the purpose of it – but my head would not let it go, and unfortunately, it affected my reading enjoyment. I hope this does not happen to anyone else – as without that, this would have been a solid 4 star book for me.
Quotes:
Easy for him to say. He hadn’t seen his mom dance naked in the moonlight on Samhain.
“Are mundanes like Muggles?”
His lips touched mine and my world lurched. I strained towards him, my hands clinging to his shoulders, desperate for an anchor. His lips were firm and warm and skilful. Either he’d done this a lot or playing the sax was a prerequisite for seriously hot making out.
I’d built up an entire cosy scenario in my head that was now clouded by distrust and suspicion and compunction.
“You could try talking to me rather than throwing a temper tantrum.”
I liked having him cuddle me from behind; it felt safe, like he had my back and…
“Oh my god, is that a boner?” I wrenched free of his embrace and turned around in time to see his sheepish shrug.
“I’m a guy. You were rubbing against me. Do the math.”
More reviews at www.booknerdreviews.com
Banish follows Alyssa, who has recently moved to New York to live with her Aunty after her own mother’s alcoholism becomes too much to handle, and her ex-boyfriend committed suicide. Alyssa loves her life in New York – nobody knows her, she seems to be able to avoid the strong Wicca connections in her family even though her Aunty is a Wicca High priestess, and she has started dating the older, sexy saxophone player, Ronan. Everything is going great in Alyssa’s new life, until Ronan sends her a music clip and she sees a dead body in the clip – a dead body that no one else can see.
Alyssa needs to figure out why she is seeing dead people in her boyfriend’s music clip, so she sets out on a frightening adventure to find the truth. As she starts to uncover the dark truth, she learns that sometimes you trust the wrong people, don’t trust in the right ones and she may just have to accept a destiny that she never wanted. – that is, if she survives.
Banish is a unique concept in YA by incorporating a couple of different paranormal aspects into this book, as well the mystery and thriller aspects. The thriller aspects to this book will keep you on the edge of your seat; it is chilling and disturbing (in a good way).
The protagonist, Alyssa, is blunt, impulsive, socially awkward and sometimes even selfish. I loved the realism in the characters and their actions, and especially loved the sarcasm in Banish. What you would expect a character to say in a certain situation, was said… and sometimes, even when things may not have been said, Alyssa tended to say them anyway.
I liked the fact that this book was set over the period of 1 week, as it didn’t feel like it was dragging out. The relationships in this book were also were on “track” for the period that the characters had known each other (ieAlyssa and Ronan knew each other before the beginning of Banish) and things didn’t seem to move too fast, which is something that YA books can suffer from. Although, I have to say, that Ronan did seem a little too perfect.
Although I found the “bad guy” aspect a little predictable, but there was lots of intrigue in Banish to keep me interested – I may have thought I knew the “who” but I could not work out the “why”, so that kept it very interesting. The thriller aspect of this book is fantastic, especially considering it is YA – it is dark, creepy and very well done. There is definitely some spine-chilling moments in this book J
The one thing that I didn’t like about Banish was there was something towards the end of the book that bugged me – I won’t say exactly what it is as I don’t want it to affect anyone else, but I will say it was just one word. I understand why Nicola went down this track, but for me, it was a little distracting (if something bugs me, it sticks in my head no matter how much I try to forget it). This one little thing, caused me confusion in an already confusing situation – and that was the purpose of it – but my head would not let it go, and unfortunately, it affected my reading enjoyment. I hope this does not happen to anyone else – as without that, this would have been a solid 4 star book for me.
Quotes:
Easy for him to say. He hadn’t seen his mom dance naked in the moonlight on Samhain.
“Are mundanes like Muggles?”
His lips touched mine and my world lurched. I strained towards him, my hands clinging to his shoulders, desperate for an anchor. His lips were firm and warm and skilful. Either he’d done this a lot or playing the sax was a prerequisite for seriously hot making out.
I’d built up an entire cosy scenario in my head that was now clouded by distrust and suspicion and compunction.
“You could try talking to me rather than throwing a temper tantrum.”
I liked having him cuddle me from behind; it felt safe, like he had my back and…
“Oh my god, is that a boner?” I wrenched free of his embrace and turned around in time to see his sheepish shrug.
“I’m a guy. You were rubbing against me. Do the math.”
More reviews at www.booknerdreviews.com
July 16, 2013
*I was provided with an electronic copy of this book from the author and HarlequinTEEN Australia in return of an honest review. No monetary compensation was provided in this exchange.*
Also found on Moonlight Gleam's Bookshelf.
Both residents and visitors of The Greatest City In The World often comment on it's anonymity; the city's constant buzz and activity allows for them to fade into the background within it's streets, to be able to escape from one's history and the mistakes that they have made. For 17 year old Alyssa Wood, that reason in particular is what lead her to abandon her alcoholic and seemingly borderline insane mother in Broadwater for the bright lights of New York City and her well-known and often eccentric priestess aunt. For Alyssa, New York is a getaway. An escape from the past and the guilt that she is desperate to forget after her ex-boyfriend committed suicide... The day after she broke up with him.
Six months into the move, and things seem to start looking up for Alyssa. Her aunt is supportive, but not overbearing. She finds a best friend and school study partner in Seth who, like Alyssa, comes from a small town and seems to have secrets of his own. Alyssa even finds romance, companionship and acceptance in Ronan, a musician and IT geek. Ronan culminates their first date by sending Alyssa a video of him performing a song that he had written for her... only when she watches it, she sees a body. A bloody body. A bloody and possibly dead body. Her worries only tenfold when she determines that she is the only one who can see the body. As more and more pieces of Alyssa's hidden past show up in her new life, she must accept the possibility that her family's Wicca beliefs may not necessarily be beliefs and the past that she has tried so desperately to hide... and somehow save the familiar girl in the video, and herself, in the process.
Banish is a very interesting read that approaches urban magic in a distinct way. It is quite different from the typical paranormal stories that are often released, and I really liked Marsh's approach on the soul and the possibility of communicating with the dead who find themselves with unfinished business on Earth. Marsh did this in a way that wasn't terrifying or disturbing, yet still believable. I also enjoyed the little pieces of Alyssa's history that were shared with us, as she was a character that I had difficulty understanding and providing empathy for. I enjoyed seeing the details of Wicca magic and some of the beliefs that they have, as well as the spells that were shown to us readers. I LOVED the last 3/4 of the story, I couldn't put it down until the very last page. Nicola Marsh has a lot of potential with the thriller genre. On the other hand, I was not convinced of the romance between Ronan and Alyssa. I felt little chemistry or connection between them and their relationship development was quite lacking. I actually think the story would have gone better without the romance.
When stripped of the thrill and the mystery, Banish is a simple story of a girl who is trying to find her identity, of redefining oneself regardless of one's past and the mistakes that they may have made. It is simply a teenage girl, torn between her cultural roots and the expectations that society has placed on her. And I think that's what I enjoyed the most about it. Alyssa's character development soars in the last 3/4 of the book. She is no longer the blind child of her past. But even with the thrill and mystery, Banish shows the story of loss. Of desperation and guilt and anger. Of horrors that are not necessarily Wiccan and how one's actions can affect so many other people. And it is a really good story.
For her first venture into YA and thriller, Nicola Marsh provides a very solid read in the form of Banish. I quite enjoyed it, and will definitely look forward to any follow ups and any other YA stories she chooses to share with us. For readers of YA paranormal and thriller, as well as lovers of urban fantasy and magic, Banish is a book worth checking out this summer.
Also found on Moonlight Gleam's Bookshelf.
Both residents and visitors of The Greatest City In The World often comment on it's anonymity; the city's constant buzz and activity allows for them to fade into the background within it's streets, to be able to escape from one's history and the mistakes that they have made. For 17 year old Alyssa Wood, that reason in particular is what lead her to abandon her alcoholic and seemingly borderline insane mother in Broadwater for the bright lights of New York City and her well-known and often eccentric priestess aunt. For Alyssa, New York is a getaway. An escape from the past and the guilt that she is desperate to forget after her ex-boyfriend committed suicide... The day after she broke up with him.
Six months into the move, and things seem to start looking up for Alyssa. Her aunt is supportive, but not overbearing. She finds a best friend and school study partner in Seth who, like Alyssa, comes from a small town and seems to have secrets of his own. Alyssa even finds romance, companionship and acceptance in Ronan, a musician and IT geek. Ronan culminates their first date by sending Alyssa a video of him performing a song that he had written for her... only when she watches it, she sees a body. A bloody body. A bloody and possibly dead body. Her worries only tenfold when she determines that she is the only one who can see the body. As more and more pieces of Alyssa's hidden past show up in her new life, she must accept the possibility that her family's Wicca beliefs may not necessarily be beliefs and the past that she has tried so desperately to hide... and somehow save the familiar girl in the video, and herself, in the process.
Banish is a very interesting read that approaches urban magic in a distinct way. It is quite different from the typical paranormal stories that are often released, and I really liked Marsh's approach on the soul and the possibility of communicating with the dead who find themselves with unfinished business on Earth. Marsh did this in a way that wasn't terrifying or disturbing, yet still believable. I also enjoyed the little pieces of Alyssa's history that were shared with us, as she was a character that I had difficulty understanding and providing empathy for. I enjoyed seeing the details of Wicca magic and some of the beliefs that they have, as well as the spells that were shown to us readers. I LOVED the last 3/4 of the story, I couldn't put it down until the very last page. Nicola Marsh has a lot of potential with the thriller genre. On the other hand, I was not convinced of the romance between Ronan and Alyssa. I felt little chemistry or connection between them and their relationship development was quite lacking. I actually think the story would have gone better without the romance.
When stripped of the thrill and the mystery, Banish is a simple story of a girl who is trying to find her identity, of redefining oneself regardless of one's past and the mistakes that they may have made. It is simply a teenage girl, torn between her cultural roots and the expectations that society has placed on her. And I think that's what I enjoyed the most about it. Alyssa's character development soars in the last 3/4 of the book. She is no longer the blind child of her past. But even with the thrill and mystery, Banish shows the story of loss. Of desperation and guilt and anger. Of horrors that are not necessarily Wiccan and how one's actions can affect so many other people. And it is a really good story.
For her first venture into YA and thriller, Nicola Marsh provides a very solid read in the form of Banish. I quite enjoyed it, and will definitely look forward to any follow ups and any other YA stories she chooses to share with us. For readers of YA paranormal and thriller, as well as lovers of urban fantasy and magic, Banish is a book worth checking out this summer.
August 25, 2013
Banish is a murder mystery with a supernatural twist and a little bit of romance thrown in. Nicola Marsh presents a story that is fast paced and has you on the edge of your seat. Marsh kept me flipping the pages to see what new horror Alyssa would have to contend with next.
Banish is centred on Alyssa Wood and the events of her past. Alyssa has an interesting upbringing. She comes from a family who have Wiccan beliefs. Her mother and aunt are practicing witches. However Alyssa does not hold the same sentiments as her family and wants nothing to do with magic. After having a rough time with her mother’s alcoholism and her ex-boyfriends death, she leaves town to live with her aunt in Ney York. In the new city she escapes her past and move on with new friends. She also starts falling for jazz musician Ronan. When she opens a video clip that Ronan sends her, she witnesses a murder. From the moment she witnesses the murder, it becomes clear that someone is out to get her. Alyssa has to get to the bottom of who’s haunting her and come to terms with a past she thought she had left behind.
Marsh has a great unique voice that captures the teenage spirit and all the emotions that go with being a teenager. Told over the course of a week Banish is choc-a-block full of unexpected events that plague Alyssa. The book has great momentum, which keeps the story moving towards its conclusion. Although the story was predictable and I knew who the culprit was before the revel, the great part of this story was reading how it all unfolds and the investigative journey Alyssa takes to find her tormentor. The ending of the book takes a very dark turn and is quite disturbing so consider yourselves warned.
Alyssa truly gets harassed in this book and the events that cause her turmoil are very creepy. Despite all the threats being made, She holds herself together really well. She confronts her problems and the people around her instead of just hiding. She is very much an independent lady with a snarky straightforward personality. Ronan was an ok love interest and appeared to be a little too polished. At times it seemed as through he was just there, as a red herring. The romance in this book was portrayed as a very realistic and did not take over the story, but was present at the right intervals.
The Wiccan elements infused into this story were fantastic. They added another layer to this book and bought it to life. The rituals and traditions of the Wicca were explained in great detail that made it easy to understand how it was all part of Alyssa’s upbringing and how it all tied in with the murder mystery. Alyssa’s commentary about Hollywood’s interpretation of magic compared to Wiccan magick was very entertaining.
Although this book was set in New York with an American protagonist, there was an Aussie element present in this book. Nicola March is an Australian author and I loved her little shout out to vegemite. Also some of the slang that March used was Australian, such as ‘rocking up’. It’s a phrase that I use quite often and when I used to say it to my friend who was from overseas she would look at me and go what? I liked all the little Australian quicks that ended up in this book and I hope that Marsh writes a book that is set in Australia in the future.
Banish is a good read with a captivating murder mystery, supernatural elements, and witchy ways.
This review also appears at Ink Pages & Words
Banish is centred on Alyssa Wood and the events of her past. Alyssa has an interesting upbringing. She comes from a family who have Wiccan beliefs. Her mother and aunt are practicing witches. However Alyssa does not hold the same sentiments as her family and wants nothing to do with magic. After having a rough time with her mother’s alcoholism and her ex-boyfriends death, she leaves town to live with her aunt in Ney York. In the new city she escapes her past and move on with new friends. She also starts falling for jazz musician Ronan. When she opens a video clip that Ronan sends her, she witnesses a murder. From the moment she witnesses the murder, it becomes clear that someone is out to get her. Alyssa has to get to the bottom of who’s haunting her and come to terms with a past she thought she had left behind.
Marsh has a great unique voice that captures the teenage spirit and all the emotions that go with being a teenager. Told over the course of a week Banish is choc-a-block full of unexpected events that plague Alyssa. The book has great momentum, which keeps the story moving towards its conclusion. Although the story was predictable and I knew who the culprit was before the revel, the great part of this story was reading how it all unfolds and the investigative journey Alyssa takes to find her tormentor. The ending of the book takes a very dark turn and is quite disturbing so consider yourselves warned.
Alyssa truly gets harassed in this book and the events that cause her turmoil are very creepy. Despite all the threats being made, She holds herself together really well. She confronts her problems and the people around her instead of just hiding. She is very much an independent lady with a snarky straightforward personality. Ronan was an ok love interest and appeared to be a little too polished. At times it seemed as through he was just there, as a red herring. The romance in this book was portrayed as a very realistic and did not take over the story, but was present at the right intervals.
The Wiccan elements infused into this story were fantastic. They added another layer to this book and bought it to life. The rituals and traditions of the Wicca were explained in great detail that made it easy to understand how it was all part of Alyssa’s upbringing and how it all tied in with the murder mystery. Alyssa’s commentary about Hollywood’s interpretation of magic compared to Wiccan magick was very entertaining.
Although this book was set in New York with an American protagonist, there was an Aussie element present in this book. Nicola March is an Australian author and I loved her little shout out to vegemite. Also some of the slang that March used was Australian, such as ‘rocking up’. It’s a phrase that I use quite often and when I used to say it to my friend who was from overseas she would look at me and go what? I liked all the little Australian quicks that ended up in this book and I hope that Marsh writes a book that is set in Australia in the future.
Banish is a good read with a captivating murder mystery, supernatural elements, and witchy ways.
This review also appears at Ink Pages & Words
August 13, 2013
Just look at that cover – extremely eye-catching pink (have you seen my nails today?) with close-up of a gorgeous blond-blue-eyed chick. Yea, I am totally a sucker for pretty covers. I’ve not read any other of Nicola Marsh’s works though she seemed to be a prolific author; mostly adult romance novels which I rarely touch. This particular work in the YA / thriller / paranormal fits right within my comfort zone though so it was a snap decision to pick this up.
Alyssa came to New York to live with her aunt in order to escape from a painful past. However, just as she thinks that things are settling down, she’s moving on and is starting to dare to grasp happiness once again, the past came back to haunt her. It’s driving her crazy because she refused to believe in the supernatural… She believes someone’s got it bad for her and her logical head is pushing for a realistic answer. Is she going to get the result she wanted and will it be free of the supernatural?
[Alyssa describing herself] …beanpole strawberry blonde with blah-blue eyes, no curves and a nasty habit of picking at her cuticles
Alyssa was an easily likeable character though I really get the feeling that all her refusal to believe in the supernatural was a little too forced. The lady doth protest too much, methinks. However, she really is a mature character as is evident by her dating older guys. And Ronan! Well, I’ve to say that not only is he HOT, he sounds to be really mature for a 21 year old musician! It was lovely to read a relationship where both sides knew the need to communicate and tried hard at it – a refreshing change in a romance! And let’s not forget the sizzles!
His knuckles grazed my cheek in a strangely intimate gesture that had me wanting to leap into his arms and wrap my legs around him, like some corny scene out of a romantic movie…. He stared at my mouth for another few seconds before he shook his head slightly, as if trying to clear the fog. I know the feeling. Confused, befuddled and totally in lust.
The book opens with a Prologue that was quite thrilling then the book started the week previous to explore events leading up to the prologue. I don’t usually find this type of start annoying but this particular one, I actually did. The start was pretty explosive that I found it hard to settle to read the book. I kept getting distracted and was really impatient to get to that part so I can move onto the next exciting bit but it turns out to be the ending of the book and it was repeated word for word which was somewhat disappointing. I skimmed that couple of pages to read the closing of the book.
Despite the above slight disappointment and the predictability of the mystery (I figured it out midway), I still quite enjoyed the book. Primarily due to the turn of language and the suspense was still there though hubz dared to show up (to pick me up from the station) when I was 5 pages from the end! Arrgh! Banish is a good-easy-read with enough sweetness and suspense to spice it up. I’d recommend it if you’re after some sweet brain-fluff to while away a summer’s day. This is the perfect book to read out in the sunshine.
Thank you, HarlequinTeen Australia, for providing copy of book in exchange of honest review
Alyssa came to New York to live with her aunt in order to escape from a painful past. However, just as she thinks that things are settling down, she’s moving on and is starting to dare to grasp happiness once again, the past came back to haunt her. It’s driving her crazy because she refused to believe in the supernatural… She believes someone’s got it bad for her and her logical head is pushing for a realistic answer. Is she going to get the result she wanted and will it be free of the supernatural?
[Alyssa describing herself] …beanpole strawberry blonde with blah-blue eyes, no curves and a nasty habit of picking at her cuticles
Alyssa was an easily likeable character though I really get the feeling that all her refusal to believe in the supernatural was a little too forced. The lady doth protest too much, methinks. However, she really is a mature character as is evident by her dating older guys. And Ronan! Well, I’ve to say that not only is he HOT, he sounds to be really mature for a 21 year old musician! It was lovely to read a relationship where both sides knew the need to communicate and tried hard at it – a refreshing change in a romance! And let’s not forget the sizzles!
His knuckles grazed my cheek in a strangely intimate gesture that had me wanting to leap into his arms and wrap my legs around him, like some corny scene out of a romantic movie…. He stared at my mouth for another few seconds before he shook his head slightly, as if trying to clear the fog. I know the feeling. Confused, befuddled and totally in lust.
The book opens with a Prologue that was quite thrilling then the book started the week previous to explore events leading up to the prologue. I don’t usually find this type of start annoying but this particular one, I actually did. The start was pretty explosive that I found it hard to settle to read the book. I kept getting distracted and was really impatient to get to that part so I can move onto the next exciting bit but it turns out to be the ending of the book and it was repeated word for word which was somewhat disappointing. I skimmed that couple of pages to read the closing of the book.
Despite the above slight disappointment and the predictability of the mystery (I figured it out midway), I still quite enjoyed the book. Primarily due to the turn of language and the suspense was still there though hubz dared to show up (to pick me up from the station) when I was 5 pages from the end! Arrgh! Banish is a good-easy-read with enough sweetness and suspense to spice it up. I’d recommend it if you’re after some sweet brain-fluff to while away a summer’s day. This is the perfect book to read out in the sunshine.
Thank you, HarlequinTeen Australia, for providing copy of book in exchange of honest review
August 3, 2013
BOOK REVIEW by Michelle 26th July 2013:
RATING: 3.75 RONAN STARS!
This was a great start to this YA series. I am assuming it is a series with the lead in at the end of Banish for further instalments.
Alyssa Wood and Ronan are a great couple. In YA reads we are more often than not watching a couple get to know each other and a relationship happens over the course of the book. In this book, we kind of skip that part as they have known each other and the next step is more subtle as there is more going on with Alyssa. We aren’t watching a romance in this story as much as we are watching a villain mentally harassing Alyssa with threats that are escalating.
I am not a huge fan of the sobbing , hissy fit female lead and Alyssa did have a tendency to cry. She is a character who is seventeen but as Ronan said to her, he thought she acted older, seventeen going on thirty. Maybe sometimes, but then the sobbing girl came through. I do like my female leads to be tougher unless I am reading a contemporary or an emotionally sad read.
I liked her mother, Aurora. Her character had growth and I got an understanding of the why of her. Aunt Angie is still quite mysterious as to what she gets up to when she isn’t doing her day job, still more to learn with the two sisters.
I am going to be honest and admit I did see through a little too easily who the villain of the story was, but not the motivation. I think when an author points the reader far too readily in the direction of other characters as being the baddie, it makes it extra easy. I had my suspicions and the more Nicola would use her characters to accuse other characters, I knew I was on the right track. No big surprise at the end for me but in saying that Nicola still gave some great twists.
I am a huge fan of an author giving me twists that I could not possibly see coming. Nicola did this well.
I loved Ronan’s choice of instrument and music. It isn’t often we get a read where the guy isn’t a rock star. I liked that very much. Ronan didn’t have the guitar, he chose the saxaphone.
Cool.
This is more a thriller, so we are watching Alyssa get stalked with threats and we see a little into the possibilities of the future, Alyssa Wood.
We are currently looking at Alyssa 1.0. She has more to discover about herself.
Ronan is currently the eye candy of the book. I am looking forward to him being pulled more into the story and used as a stronger character. He felt more like her sidekick. There to help out. We got glimpses of the romantic side of Ronan, but as I said this story isn't about the romance. It is about a stalker and the intrigue of what is actually going on in Alyssa's life.
Seeds are dropped in this book ready to come to fruition down the track.
Noah, I really like him. I would love him to serve more purpose in future reads. He may not be able to due to what went on in this book, but I like him and I would love to see him hang about, so to speak.
A good start to this series by Nicola. A stunning cover. This was nearly a 4 star read for me. I did hover between 3.75 and 4 stars. I am looking forward to watching Alyssa discover herself in future reads.
Michelle
RATING: 3.75 RONAN STARS!
This was a great start to this YA series. I am assuming it is a series with the lead in at the end of Banish for further instalments.
Alyssa Wood and Ronan are a great couple. In YA reads we are more often than not watching a couple get to know each other and a relationship happens over the course of the book. In this book, we kind of skip that part as they have known each other and the next step is more subtle as there is more going on with Alyssa. We aren’t watching a romance in this story as much as we are watching a villain mentally harassing Alyssa with threats that are escalating.
I am not a huge fan of the sobbing , hissy fit female lead and Alyssa did have a tendency to cry. She is a character who is seventeen but as Ronan said to her, he thought she acted older, seventeen going on thirty. Maybe sometimes, but then the sobbing girl came through. I do like my female leads to be tougher unless I am reading a contemporary or an emotionally sad read.
I liked her mother, Aurora. Her character had growth and I got an understanding of the why of her. Aunt Angie is still quite mysterious as to what she gets up to when she isn’t doing her day job, still more to learn with the two sisters.
I am going to be honest and admit I did see through a little too easily who the villain of the story was, but not the motivation. I think when an author points the reader far too readily in the direction of other characters as being the baddie, it makes it extra easy. I had my suspicions and the more Nicola would use her characters to accuse other characters, I knew I was on the right track. No big surprise at the end for me but in saying that Nicola still gave some great twists.
I am a huge fan of an author giving me twists that I could not possibly see coming. Nicola did this well.
I loved Ronan’s choice of instrument and music. It isn’t often we get a read where the guy isn’t a rock star. I liked that very much. Ronan didn’t have the guitar, he chose the saxaphone.
Cool.
This is more a thriller, so we are watching Alyssa get stalked with threats and we see a little into the possibilities of the future, Alyssa Wood.
We are currently looking at Alyssa 1.0. She has more to discover about herself.
Ronan is currently the eye candy of the book. I am looking forward to him being pulled more into the story and used as a stronger character. He felt more like her sidekick. There to help out. We got glimpses of the romantic side of Ronan, but as I said this story isn't about the romance. It is about a stalker and the intrigue of what is actually going on in Alyssa's life.
Seeds are dropped in this book ready to come to fruition down the track.
Noah, I really like him. I would love him to serve more purpose in future reads. He may not be able to due to what went on in this book, but I like him and I would love to see him hang about, so to speak.
A good start to this series by Nicola. A stunning cover. This was nearly a 4 star read for me. I did hover between 3.75 and 4 stars. I am looking forward to watching Alyssa discover herself in future reads.
Michelle
August 2, 2013
BOOK REVIEW by Michelle 26th July 2013:
RATING: 3.75 RONAN STARS!
This was a great start to this YA series. I am assuming it is a series with the lead in at the end of Banish for further instalments.
Alyssa Wood and Ronan are a great couple. In YA reads we are more often than not watching a couple get to know each other and a relationship happens over the course of the book. In this book, we kind of skip that part as they have known each other and the next step is more subtle as there is more going on with Alyssa. We aren’t watching a romance in this story as much as we are watching a villain mentally harassing Alyssa with threats that are escalating.
I am not a huge fan of the sobbing , hissy fit female lead and Alyssa did have a tendency to cry. She is a character who is seventeen but as Ronan said to her, he thought she acted older, seventeen going on thirty. Maybe sometimes, but then the sobbing girl came through. I do like my female leads to be tougher unless I am reading a contemporary or an emotionally sad read.
I liked her mother, Aurora. Her character had growth and I got an understanding of the why of her. Aunt Angie is still quite mysterious as to what she gets up to when she isn’t doing her day job, still more to learn with the two sisters.
I am going to be honest and admit I did see through a little too easily who the villain of the story was, but not the motivation. I think when an author points the reader far too readily in the direction of other characters as being the baddie, it makes it extra easy. I had my suspicions and the more Nicola would use her characters to accuse other characters, I knew I was on the right track. No big surprise at the end for me but in saying that Nicola still gave some great twists.
I am a huge fan of an author giving me twists that I could not possibly see coming. Nicola did this well.
I loved Ronan’s choice of instrument and music. It isn’t often we get a read where the guy isn’t a rock star. I liked that very much. Ronan didn’t have the guitar, he chose the saxaphone.
Cool.
This is more a thriller, so we are watching Alyssa get stalked with threats and we see a little into the possibilities of the future, Alyssa Wood.
We are currently looking at Alyssa 1.0. She has more to discover about herself.
Ronan is currently the eye candy of the book. I am looking forward to him being pulled more into the story and used as a stronger character. He felt more like her sidekick. There to help out. We got glimpses of the romantic side of Ronan, but as I said this story isn't about the romance. It is about a stalker and the intrigue of what is actually going on in Alyssa's life.
Seeds are dropped in this book ready to come to fruition down the track.
Noah, I really like him. I would love him to serve more purpose in future reads. He may not be able to due to what went on in this book, but I like him and I would love to see him hang about, so to speak.
A good start to this series by Nicola. A stunning cover. This was nearly a 4 star read for me. I did hover between 3.75 and 4 stars. I am looking forward to watching Alyssa discover herself in future reads.
Michelle
RATING: 3.75 RONAN STARS!
This was a great start to this YA series. I am assuming it is a series with the lead in at the end of Banish for further instalments.
Alyssa Wood and Ronan are a great couple. In YA reads we are more often than not watching a couple get to know each other and a relationship happens over the course of the book. In this book, we kind of skip that part as they have known each other and the next step is more subtle as there is more going on with Alyssa. We aren’t watching a romance in this story as much as we are watching a villain mentally harassing Alyssa with threats that are escalating.
I am not a huge fan of the sobbing , hissy fit female lead and Alyssa did have a tendency to cry. She is a character who is seventeen but as Ronan said to her, he thought she acted older, seventeen going on thirty. Maybe sometimes, but then the sobbing girl came through. I do like my female leads to be tougher unless I am reading a contemporary or an emotionally sad read.
I liked her mother, Aurora. Her character had growth and I got an understanding of the why of her. Aunt Angie is still quite mysterious as to what she gets up to when she isn’t doing her day job, still more to learn with the two sisters.
I am going to be honest and admit I did see through a little too easily who the villain of the story was, but not the motivation. I think when an author points the reader far too readily in the direction of other characters as being the baddie, it makes it extra easy. I had my suspicions and the more Nicola would use her characters to accuse other characters, I knew I was on the right track. No big surprise at the end for me but in saying that Nicola still gave some great twists.
I am a huge fan of an author giving me twists that I could not possibly see coming. Nicola did this well.
I loved Ronan’s choice of instrument and music. It isn’t often we get a read where the guy isn’t a rock star. I liked that very much. Ronan didn’t have the guitar, he chose the saxaphone.
Cool.
This is more a thriller, so we are watching Alyssa get stalked with threats and we see a little into the possibilities of the future, Alyssa Wood.
We are currently looking at Alyssa 1.0. She has more to discover about herself.
Ronan is currently the eye candy of the book. I am looking forward to him being pulled more into the story and used as a stronger character. He felt more like her sidekick. There to help out. We got glimpses of the romantic side of Ronan, but as I said this story isn't about the romance. It is about a stalker and the intrigue of what is actually going on in Alyssa's life.
Seeds are dropped in this book ready to come to fruition down the track.
Noah, I really like him. I would love him to serve more purpose in future reads. He may not be able to due to what went on in this book, but I like him and I would love to see him hang about, so to speak.
A good start to this series by Nicola. A stunning cover. This was nearly a 4 star read for me. I did hover between 3.75 and 4 stars. I am looking forward to watching Alyssa discover herself in future reads.
Michelle
August 3, 2013
Banish is Nicola Marsh's début YA novel, a who-done-it mystery combined with Wiccan supernatural elements that kept me engaged and amused throughout. I liked the novel a lot, and although I think the story is perfect on its own, wouldn't mind a follow-up book or two!
The YA aspect of the novel is handled very well, in my opinion, with the protagonist, Alyssa, painted as a mature, fiercely independent young woman who didn't have the best parental support growing up. Now living with her maternal aunt, she's trying to make a normal life for herself and get over the death of her ex-boyfriend. However, coming from a family that believes in Wicca and the supernatural, and not believing any of it herself, Alyssa's hard pressed to figure out who she is. It's this struggle for a sense of self that I found the most intriguing about her, and I identified with her in a lot of ways: she won't let anyone get in her way, and is infuriating and stubborn at times!
I think the book is somewhat let down by the murder-mystery aspect - it's painfully obvious who the perpetrator is from about half way, after which we get treated to Alyssa turning a blind eye to the clues, until the climax where she's confronted with the facts. It wasn't particularly surprising, but I did find that the motivation of the 'enemy' to be very interesting, and it was cool to see the pieces slowly come together.
My favourite aspect of the novel is definitely the romance - simply because the whole 'oh there's a cute guy' and 'omg he looked at me / touched me briefly' stages have firmly passed by the time the novel begins. Ronan and Alyssa clearly have feelings towards one another, and begin to explore them early on, which is awesome, because I'm sick of the formulaic way YA protagonists go about falling in love these days. And no love triangle (although I was, briefly, very afraid there would be one). Perhaps some readers will dislike the book because of the way the romance is handled, preferring to witness the butterflies in the tummy and rushing heat propagating out from where they touch, and all that, but I loved it!
I really like YA novels inspired by Wicca and witches, but inevitably end up comparing them to my personal favourites, Cate Tiernan's Wicca (or Sweep in the US), series. I think Banish does an admirable job of living up to this standard, although I would have loved for the supernatural aspect to be explained more in-depth. There are terms thrown around fairly carelessly and the implications of Alyssa's supernatural journey are left too open-ended for my liking.
I recommend Banish to readers who are looking for a read that combines light-hearted humour with mystery and a hint of the supernatural. I really enjoyed it, and will be looking out for more of Nicola's books in the future.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .
The YA aspect of the novel is handled very well, in my opinion, with the protagonist, Alyssa, painted as a mature, fiercely independent young woman who didn't have the best parental support growing up. Now living with her maternal aunt, she's trying to make a normal life for herself and get over the death of her ex-boyfriend. However, coming from a family that believes in Wicca and the supernatural, and not believing any of it herself, Alyssa's hard pressed to figure out who she is. It's this struggle for a sense of self that I found the most intriguing about her, and I identified with her in a lot of ways: she won't let anyone get in her way, and is infuriating and stubborn at times!
I think the book is somewhat let down by the murder-mystery aspect - it's painfully obvious who the perpetrator is from about half way, after which we get treated to Alyssa turning a blind eye to the clues, until the climax where she's confronted with the facts. It wasn't particularly surprising, but I did find that the motivation of the 'enemy' to be very interesting, and it was cool to see the pieces slowly come together.
My favourite aspect of the novel is definitely the romance - simply because the whole 'oh there's a cute guy' and 'omg he looked at me / touched me briefly' stages have firmly passed by the time the novel begins. Ronan and Alyssa clearly have feelings towards one another, and begin to explore them early on, which is awesome, because I'm sick of the formulaic way YA protagonists go about falling in love these days. And no love triangle (although I was, briefly, very afraid there would be one). Perhaps some readers will dislike the book because of the way the romance is handled, preferring to witness the butterflies in the tummy and rushing heat propagating out from where they touch, and all that, but I loved it!
I really like YA novels inspired by Wicca and witches, but inevitably end up comparing them to my personal favourites, Cate Tiernan's Wicca (or Sweep in the US), series. I think Banish does an admirable job of living up to this standard, although I would have loved for the supernatural aspect to be explained more in-depth. There are terms thrown around fairly carelessly and the implications of Alyssa's supernatural journey are left too open-ended for my liking.
I recommend Banish to readers who are looking for a read that combines light-hearted humour with mystery and a hint of the supernatural. I really enjoyed it, and will be looking out for more of Nicola's books in the future.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .
July 30, 2013
Alyssa’s boyfriend committed suicide just after she dumped him, and on top of her mum’s strange behaviour and alcoholism this is all just too much. She flees to New York City to live with her aunt, who is a Wicca High Priestess. She loves living in the city and she is settling in to her new school. She has even been asked out by the hot music tutor, Ronan. But something strange starts to happen to Alyssa – one of Ronan’s music clips contains footage of a murdered person at the end, and when things relating to her dead ex-boyfriend Noah start showing up, Alyssa is seriously freaked out. Is there someone out to get her, or is there something more supernatural at work?
Banish is a rather creepy paranormal thriller. The story takes a little while to get going, with Alyssa only gradually revealing what happened to her before coming to New York City, but once things get going the tension is high all the way through.
Sadly, the characters annoyed me. Ronan was too perfect and a rather creepy older guy – I kept thinking he would make a great psycho killer, even though it was rather obvious who the real baddie was going to be. Alyssa was just extremely selfish all the way through – she gets back home to find her mother feeling much better than she was before Alyssa left, and rather than be happy for her mum, she feels angry and upset that her mum is doing so much better without her. It’s not until the very end of the story that she matures slightly, enough to realise that the world doesn’t revolve around her and that she might have dealt with things differently. Also, she is a die-hard skeptic, even after paranormal events happen to her. As the child of a Wiccan, even as a supposed non-believer I thought that she might be slightly more open-minded than she was stubbornly being. I dunno, it’s probably just me being rubbed the wrong way!
Despite my character dislikes I did enjoy the overall storytelling style. I don’t know a lot about Wicca as a belief system but the elements of it within this book are well-written. It’s obvious that Nicola Marsh’s previous works are romances – the romantic scenes in Banish are rather swoony. The end of the story is left wide open for a sequel, so there’s a good chance I’ll pick up the next book in the series.
This review was originally posted on The Oaken Bookcase as part of the Discover Aussie Fantasy feature in July 2013.
Banish is a rather creepy paranormal thriller. The story takes a little while to get going, with Alyssa only gradually revealing what happened to her before coming to New York City, but once things get going the tension is high all the way through.
Sadly, the characters annoyed me. Ronan was too perfect and a rather creepy older guy – I kept thinking he would make a great psycho killer, even though it was rather obvious who the real baddie was going to be. Alyssa was just extremely selfish all the way through – she gets back home to find her mother feeling much better than she was before Alyssa left, and rather than be happy for her mum, she feels angry and upset that her mum is doing so much better without her. It’s not until the very end of the story that she matures slightly, enough to realise that the world doesn’t revolve around her and that she might have dealt with things differently. Also, she is a die-hard skeptic, even after paranormal events happen to her. As the child of a Wiccan, even as a supposed non-believer I thought that she might be slightly more open-minded than she was stubbornly being. I dunno, it’s probably just me being rubbed the wrong way!
Despite my character dislikes I did enjoy the overall storytelling style. I don’t know a lot about Wicca as a belief system but the elements of it within this book are well-written. It’s obvious that Nicola Marsh’s previous works are romances – the romantic scenes in Banish are rather swoony. The end of the story is left wide open for a sequel, so there’s a good chance I’ll pick up the next book in the series.
This review was originally posted on The Oaken Bookcase as part of the Discover Aussie Fantasy feature in July 2013.
July 21, 2013
Alyssa is not your typical 17 year old girl. Alyssa’s father deserted the family years ago, her mother is an alcoholic Wiccan, and her Aunt is the High Priestess of a witch’s’ coven. Alyssa’s Aunt Angie desperately wants Alyssa to follow the ways of the Wiccan, but Alyssa does not want any part of it. Aunt Angie and her sister, Aurora (Alyssa’s mother), believe in spirits, demons, possessions, and every other staple of the Wiccan faith. Alyssa thinks that these beliefs are just superstitions and that her family is a bit off, mentally. Alyssa is currently living with her aunt in New York City; she could not stand to live with her alcoholic mother anymore. Aurora started hearing spirits and stayed in an almost catatonic and drunken state. After Alyssa’s boyfriend committed suicide after their break-up, Alyssa could not stand to remain in the same town; she thought it would be better to start over elsewhere, hence New York City.
At first, New York City was a great escape for Alyssa. She had a friend, Seth, and a new hot boyfriend named Ronan. Everything was fine until Ronan emailed a music video to her. At the end of the video, there was a clip of a murdered girl. Alyssa was the only person who could see the clip. Other strange happenings started to occur around Alyssa and she began to wonder if she was going crazy. Is Alyssa losing her mind like her mother has? Does Alyssa have the powers of a witch like her Aunt believes? Is there a more rational reason for the strange occurrences? You will have to read the book to find out:)
This novel started off slow for me. It was so slow that I stopped reading it. After a few days, I decided to give it another try, and I am thankful that I did. There are some twists in this story that I did not see coming. Characters are well-developed and the author keeps you guessing. I would definitely recommend this book.
**Review posted on Goodreads, Amazon, and The Accidental Adventures of a Librarian blog**
May 23, 2015
Banish by Nicola Marsh is a very refreshing read within the YA Paranormal genre. I personally felt that Banish is more a mystery, psychological thriller with a slight paranormal twist. Nicola wrote Banish very well, in that I didn't guess who the culprit was. The slow manifestation of clues was well timed, and the conclusion was definitely one of the story's strong points. Banish is a nail biting, page-turning experience and it's definitely a fantastic start to a much anticipated series. I'm so happy that there's another fantastic YA Aussie Author to add to my list of favourites!
17 year old Alyssa's life is thrown into even more turmoil when her ex-boyfriend, Noah, is found dead hanging from a tree the day after she breaks up with him. The entire town turns against Alyssa, blaming her for Noah's death. Wanting to start a fresh and new life Alyssa goes to live with her High Priestess, Wicca-practicing Aunty Angie in New York City. However, the past is hard to run from and before Alyssa is fully settled into her new home, pieces of her old life starts haunting her.
Banish is a really engrossing, nail-biting read and it's definitely a refreshing read with all of it's original elements. I really enjoyed Nicola Marsh's writing, the mystery unfolded in a well timed manner and the culprit wasn't easily guessed, let alone the reason behind it. This is definitely a fantastic mystery/thriller novel.
Despite the fact that Alyssa wasn't a likeable character for me at the start, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. I think that the fantastic mystery shrouding the story and the thrilling aspect of each revelations is what had me gripping the edge of my seat whilst I ferociously turned the pages. I'm certainly going to be seeking the remainder of the books in this series as I'd love to see more of the Alyssa that grew within the last few chapters of the books, and I'd also like to see how she welcomes her new found and newly accepted "powers".
17 year old Alyssa's life is thrown into even more turmoil when her ex-boyfriend, Noah, is found dead hanging from a tree the day after she breaks up with him. The entire town turns against Alyssa, blaming her for Noah's death. Wanting to start a fresh and new life Alyssa goes to live with her High Priestess, Wicca-practicing Aunty Angie in New York City. However, the past is hard to run from and before Alyssa is fully settled into her new home, pieces of her old life starts haunting her.
Banish is a really engrossing, nail-biting read and it's definitely a refreshing read with all of it's original elements. I really enjoyed Nicola Marsh's writing, the mystery unfolded in a well timed manner and the culprit wasn't easily guessed, let alone the reason behind it. This is definitely a fantastic mystery/thriller novel.
Despite the fact that Alyssa wasn't a likeable character for me at the start, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. I think that the fantastic mystery shrouding the story and the thrilling aspect of each revelations is what had me gripping the edge of my seat whilst I ferociously turned the pages. I'm certainly going to be seeking the remainder of the books in this series as I'd love to see more of the Alyssa that grew within the last few chapters of the books, and I'd also like to see how she welcomes her new found and newly accepted "powers".
June 29, 2015
What I liked: I liked the way the story weaved together with its magic and mystery aspects. While, yes, there is romance in the book it is not the central focus of the story and is more of a side to it than anything (which is good for this book because I really think it would have just taken away from the actual plot of the story instead of adding anything to it), allowing the mystery that Alyssa gets swept up into be the part that was ever lurking and something that I looked forward to finding the end out. With so many Young Adult paranormal books featuring witches out there (which always tend to be a little more on the romance side than the mystery) it was nice that this book was so much more captivating than some of the ones I have read, and add in that the mystery was strong enough I wasn't able to get things right when I did try to and it made for a good mix in my opinion. I also really appreciated most of the Wicca aspects to the story, especially when the religion was involved.
What I didn't like: So for me, the romance didn't work. The characters just didn't really have that "spark" that goes off that gives the chemistry between two characters a more authentic and believable feel to it. So I just didn't really get into their romance.
Overall Review: I feel like Alyssa was a great character, even though she was stubborn through many parts because she didn't always want to believe what was true. This gave her a realistic quality in ways because it would undoubtedly be a little hard to believe at times. Her growth was a good thing to see in the book, seeing how the events changed her by the end. Despite a little drawback in the story it ended up being an enjoyable read.
Recommend?: Looking for a YA witchy read with mystery that might be interesting? Check this one out and see how it works for you!
What I didn't like: So for me, the romance didn't work. The characters just didn't really have that "spark" that goes off that gives the chemistry between two characters a more authentic and believable feel to it. So I just didn't really get into their romance.
Overall Review: I feel like Alyssa was a great character, even though she was stubborn through many parts because she didn't always want to believe what was true. This gave her a realistic quality in ways because it would undoubtedly be a little hard to believe at times. Her growth was a good thing to see in the book, seeing how the events changed her by the end. Despite a little drawback in the story it ended up being an enjoyable read.
Recommend?: Looking for a YA witchy read with mystery that might be interesting? Check this one out and see how it works for you!
July 31, 2013
Magick, wicca, spells and witches with suspense, mystery, angst and a splash of romance ... if that gets your toes tingling then I think you'll enjoy Banish.
17 year old Alyssa wasn't easy to like, well not for me anyway. Her attitude towards her mother and Aunt bugged me but I'm trying to give her a break ... knowing the mystery shrouding her family and the trauma in her life, her snakiness was understandable, but then again she's not a stranger to drama or unaware of her family's Wiccan beliefs so her cynicism and way of expressing it got old quickly. I guess I was expecting her behaviour to reflect some level of maturity.
On the plus side you can really see Alyssa's growth in the last 1/4 of the book and when push comes to shove that's what matters. I'm keen to see what Nicola Marsh has in store for Alyssa ... will she embrace her burgeoning powers? Will hot muso boyfriend Ronan remain on the scene? Will I even grow to like her??
Banish is really a 'finding oneself' themed story, nicely enhanced by the Wiccan world and slightly sinister undercurrent. The magick and mystery kept me turning the pages and there were enough well written twists to keep this suspense/thriller girl intrigued.
Overall I think Banish is a promising start to the series.
17 year old Alyssa wasn't easy to like, well not for me anyway. Her attitude towards her mother and Aunt bugged me but I'm trying to give her a break ... knowing the mystery shrouding her family and the trauma in her life, her snakiness was understandable, but then again she's not a stranger to drama or unaware of her family's Wiccan beliefs so her cynicism and way of expressing it got old quickly. I guess I was expecting her behaviour to reflect some level of maturity.
On the plus side you can really see Alyssa's growth in the last 1/4 of the book and when push comes to shove that's what matters. I'm keen to see what Nicola Marsh has in store for Alyssa ... will she embrace her burgeoning powers? Will hot muso boyfriend Ronan remain on the scene? Will I even grow to like her??
Banish is really a 'finding oneself' themed story, nicely enhanced by the Wiccan world and slightly sinister undercurrent. The magick and mystery kept me turning the pages and there were enough well written twists to keep this suspense/thriller girl intrigued.
Overall I think Banish is a promising start to the series.
July 28, 2013
"But all logic's in he world didn't change facts.
And now this.
I didn't believe in magick.
I didn't believe in ghosts
So how the hell could I explain how
anonymous medium had connected my ex?"
I won this fantastic book of Goodreads Firstreads. It is one of my best books I have won and is on the top of my list of favourites. I loved the beautiful cover it really stood out. The story from beginning to end had me captivated, I don't normally like ghost stories but this one was written well and I loved it. Everything about the book I loved. The characters all played good parts. Ronan was a hot older jazz star boyfriend and excellent boyfriend material in the end he showed that more. Seth surprised me but when you think back about the book you can see the clues. Alyssa has a long journey a head off her now wish their was another book to follow her with. I just loved this book. Wagick, ghosts, betrayal, suicide, murder, earing the dead, and love.
I highly recommend this book its a great read. I wouls surely read it again and again.
And now this.
I didn't believe in magick.
I didn't believe in ghosts
So how the hell could I explain how
anonymous medium had connected my ex?"
I won this fantastic book of Goodreads Firstreads. It is one of my best books I have won and is on the top of my list of favourites. I loved the beautiful cover it really stood out. The story from beginning to end had me captivated, I don't normally like ghost stories but this one was written well and I loved it. Everything about the book I loved. The characters all played good parts. Ronan was a hot older jazz star boyfriend and excellent boyfriend material in the end he showed that more. Seth surprised me but when you think back about the book you can see the clues. Alyssa has a long journey a head off her now wish their was another book to follow her with. I just loved this book. Wagick, ghosts, betrayal, suicide, murder, earing the dead, and love.
I highly recommend this book its a great read. I wouls surely read it again and again.
July 22, 2014
Banish is the kind of book that while vaguely enjoyable at the time, will probably be forgotten before much time has passed. There isn't very many 'bad' aspects to this book, but it isn't particularly fast paced, and is mainly predictable. For example, at one point Alyssa discovers a list of things that will occur if you're being haunted by a dark spirit. Then the things happen, practically in the order described. I guess as well as that was which character was behind it all or whether it was supernatural became a guessing game of epic proportions. I knew there was something suss about one certain character, but the back story and family connection was blatantly ridiculous.
Glad I raced through this one, and it only cost five bucks (on that note, I love reading how three cups of coffee and a stack of pancakes cost $7 in America. That is insane) Probably won't hurry to read a sequel, but who knows? The supernatural element was so basic and unexplored, denied by the main character so much, that it might be interesting. We'll see! Three stars!
Glad I raced through this one, and it only cost five bucks (on that note, I love reading how three cups of coffee and a stack of pancakes cost $7 in America. That is insane) Probably won't hurry to read a sequel, but who knows? The supernatural element was so basic and unexplored, denied by the main character so much, that it might be interesting. We'll see! Three stars!
September 1, 2022
“You will hear when you least expect it.”
This was bought to me as a gift when I was thirteen by my grandma who hasn't the slightest idea what the book was about. I only just read the book, at 22, consuming every chapter and finishing the book in just a day!
Banish has it all with its superb story-telling that haunts you and confuses you with its plot twists. It makes you wanna lean into the story more and more with every page. The characters are developed well. As you dive along with Alyssa's journey, it somehow lures you in her world— imagining what it would be like if you were in her position.
This was bought to me as a gift when I was thirteen by my grandma who hasn't the slightest idea what the book was about. I only just read the book, at 22, consuming every chapter and finishing the book in just a day!
Banish has it all with its superb story-telling that haunts you and confuses you with its plot twists. It makes you wanna lean into the story more and more with every page. The characters are developed well. As you dive along with Alyssa's journey, it somehow lures you in her world— imagining what it would be like if you were in her position.
August 16, 2013
http://divainpyjamas.blogspot.com.au/...
Banish is a young adult psychological thriller with a paranormal twist. Although slow to start, as the storyline unravels you'll find yourself increasingly skittish. It's intense and unpredictable, not to mention creepy and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Even being a young adult release, it scared me senseless in parts, definitely not one to read alone at night.
It felt unfinished, so I wonder if there will be a follow up to tie up lose ends. If there is, sign me up.
Banish is a young adult psychological thriller with a paranormal twist. Although slow to start, as the storyline unravels you'll find yourself increasingly skittish. It's intense and unpredictable, not to mention creepy and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Even being a young adult release, it scared me senseless in parts, definitely not one to read alone at night.
It felt unfinished, so I wonder if there will be a follow up to tie up lose ends. If there is, sign me up.
November 7, 2013
***SPOILER ALERT****
I knew it! I was right! I cannot express enough how happy I am Ronan was let of the hook! I could tell Seth was no good... Even knowing Tabitha had something to do with it and Massimo, even that I knew Noah would become a huge part in it, it all fit perfectly- well plotted. The start was a tad boring, most starts are I guess. I give it a four of five stars for Nicola Marsh! It would have been nice for Noah and Alyssa to get on good terms with each other, the whole 'I'm sorry' thing. But it's led me to imagine my own ending for the two, so it's good in a way :)
I knew it! I was right! I cannot express enough how happy I am Ronan was let of the hook! I could tell Seth was no good... Even knowing Tabitha had something to do with it and Massimo, even that I knew Noah would become a huge part in it, it all fit perfectly- well plotted. The start was a tad boring, most starts are I guess. I give it a four of five stars for Nicola Marsh! It would have been nice for Noah and Alyssa to get on good terms with each other, the whole 'I'm sorry' thing. But it's led me to imagine my own ending for the two, so it's good in a way :)
July 15, 2013
Review coming soon
July 6, 2013
Review to be posted on July 24
September 20, 2013
Great storyline. Written so well its almost convinced me to believe
February 25, 2014
It was really addictive but it was a bit creepy. I really enjoyed it though.
July 12, 2020
I enjoyed this book.
I liked that throughout it, you weren't sure if what was happening was actually happening and that is quite a fun thing to discover.
I liked that throughout it, you weren't sure if what was happening was actually happening and that is quite a fun thing to discover.
October 5, 2015
Amazing
If you love some creepy story, this is for you. Niccola does a great work. I didn't felt bored at all. This is my first witchy story and Im loving it !
If you love some creepy story, this is for you. Niccola does a great work. I didn't felt bored at all. This is my first witchy story and Im loving it !
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