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Lost Souls #1
Retribution
Regan Edison has just moved from California, to enter her first year at Georgia Liberty College, the place where jacked up Chevy trucks and hunting are a way of life. Regan hopes to start a new life for herself and she thinks that Georgia is just the place to do it. That is until she meets an unexpected stranger.
Colter Hayes is a member of the Collectors, a group of wrongfully punished lost souls. Colter and the rest of his team, Finn, Kaiden and Devon, work for the Requiem Council who pass judgment on those souls that are neither tagged for Heaven nor Hell. The Council has charged the Collectors with finding the lost in exchange for a chance at redemption.
When an ex-councilmember known to pass Retribution on lost souls sets his sights on Regan, the Requiem Council dispatches the Collectors to Georgia to work as protectors for Regan. The Collectors must fight to save Regan from a fate they know all too well, but can they work to earn back their chance at redemption or are their fates sealed forever?
Who is meant for Heaven?
Who is meant for Hell?
And who is just lost?
Colter Hayes is a member of the Collectors, a group of wrongfully punished lost souls. Colter and the rest of his team, Finn, Kaiden and Devon, work for the Requiem Council who pass judgment on those souls that are neither tagged for Heaven nor Hell. The Council has charged the Collectors with finding the lost in exchange for a chance at redemption.
When an ex-councilmember known to pass Retribution on lost souls sets his sights on Regan, the Requiem Council dispatches the Collectors to Georgia to work as protectors for Regan. The Collectors must fight to save Regan from a fate they know all too well, but can they work to earn back their chance at redemption or are their fates sealed forever?
Who is meant for Heaven?
Who is meant for Hell?
And who is just lost?
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 18, 2013
375 people want to read
About the author
Amy Rachel Thompson
2 books36 followersAmy Thompson graduated from college with her B.S. in Biology. She currently works as a high school mentor and has just earned her M.S. in Higher Education. Amy is a self-published author of Retribution, a new adult, paranormal romance novel that is the first in the Lost Souls Trilogy. She lives in Southern Virginia with her family and two lazy cats. Amy Thompson is currently working on the next book in the Lost Souls Trilogy, Relinquish and continues to be an avid reader of all things books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
October 5, 2013
Regan is not starting off her first day of college the way she planned. Not only did she get called out in front of the entire class by the Professor for being late, she gets attacked on the way back to her dorm room. Thankfully some really cute guys rescue her but end up feeding her a load of bull that couldn't possibly be true. As things line up and more attacks are made, Regan realizes that these guys are serious and here to help. Now she has to trust them fully to protect her and find out why she is wanted dead. This isn't the freshman experience she signed up for.
I really enjoyed this book and its storyline, even though I felt a bit confused with the whole history and workings of the Exiles and Collectors in the beginning. But as I read on, it seemed to clear itself up and it all came together for me. I have only read a couple Reaper-like themed books, but I thought this one was done differently and I enjoyed it very much so.
The characters were really great, too. Well, most of them are. I am just not a huge fan of Colter. He is an ass that I never got that initial connection with that I usually want to have when reading a book. I never understood the attraction and thought that Regan could have done better. As for all the other guys, they were adorable and I even enjoyed hearing some of their POVs. Regan was a spunky character that I enjoyed reading about through most of the book. She did get on my nerves sometimes but I think I would have liked her more if she wouldn’t have set her sights on Colter. I wasn’t seeing the chemistry at all between them. Move on honey, move on!
Which leads me to my rant….What is it with girls fawning over guys that are a complete and utter ass to them? It is like, ah hell, he just thoroughly embarrassed and made a fool of me, so I think I am in love. Ugh! It is irritating and hard to believe. Sweetie, did you check your self-worth at the door when you got here? Come on! Man up and find a guy that actually enjoys your company. A guy that wants to be with you. Ok, rant over jackass male characters everywhere is now concluded. And I know there was more to why Colter acted the way he did and he did sort of redeem himself towards the end of the book. But I guess I am just not a fan. He ruined it for me in the beginning too much for me to fall for him in the end.
I will say that at the end I knew what was going on with Regan, but it seemed to take her about 3 chapters to realize it. So by the time she did come to the realization I was already wanting to slap her. Um, Duh! Maybe if it didn’t seem so obvious to us readers the ending would have had a bigger, better ending.
RETRIBUTION is a great book that started off a little sluggish but definitely picked up half way in. I think YA and NA readers will really enjoy this one.
I really enjoyed this book and its storyline, even though I felt a bit confused with the whole history and workings of the Exiles and Collectors in the beginning. But as I read on, it seemed to clear itself up and it all came together for me. I have only read a couple Reaper-like themed books, but I thought this one was done differently and I enjoyed it very much so.
The characters were really great, too. Well, most of them are. I am just not a huge fan of Colter. He is an ass that I never got that initial connection with that I usually want to have when reading a book. I never understood the attraction and thought that Regan could have done better. As for all the other guys, they were adorable and I even enjoyed hearing some of their POVs. Regan was a spunky character that I enjoyed reading about through most of the book. She did get on my nerves sometimes but I think I would have liked her more if she wouldn’t have set her sights on Colter. I wasn’t seeing the chemistry at all between them. Move on honey, move on!
Which leads me to my rant….What is it with girls fawning over guys that are a complete and utter ass to them? It is like, ah hell, he just thoroughly embarrassed and made a fool of me, so I think I am in love. Ugh! It is irritating and hard to believe. Sweetie, did you check your self-worth at the door when you got here? Come on! Man up and find a guy that actually enjoys your company. A guy that wants to be with you. Ok, rant over jackass male characters everywhere is now concluded. And I know there was more to why Colter acted the way he did and he did sort of redeem himself towards the end of the book. But I guess I am just not a fan. He ruined it for me in the beginning too much for me to fall for him in the end.
I will say that at the end I knew what was going on with Regan, but it seemed to take her about 3 chapters to realize it. So by the time she did come to the realization I was already wanting to slap her. Um, Duh! Maybe if it didn’t seem so obvious to us readers the ending would have had a bigger, better ending.
RETRIBUTION is a great book that started off a little sluggish but definitely picked up half way in. I think YA and NA readers will really enjoy this one.
May 15, 2014
Received a free copy from netgalley for honest review:
I was excited for the book because of the high ratings it has gotten so far but was disappointed. I think that the writing style was pretty good but I had quite a few issues with this book-
Overexplanation- it seemed like the collectors kept explaining the same thing over and over again
Explanations not making any sense- things didn't come together well
Ending- poor attempt to create drama for the next book
I just did not like reading this book that much but kept reading it for the decent writing style
I was excited for the book because of the high ratings it has gotten so far but was disappointed. I think that the writing style was pretty good but I had quite a few issues with this book-
Overexplanation- it seemed like the collectors kept explaining the same thing over and over again
Explanations not making any sense- things didn't come together well
Ending- poor attempt to create drama for the next book
I just did not like reading this book that much but kept reading it for the decent writing style
September 22, 2013
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
Actual rating 2.75 stars I will admit that this rating is slightly misleading. This wasn't a bad book and the writing style was quality but there were just far more things that I didn't like than things I did. This was an interesting take on reaper mythology with the plight of the collectors, their respective curses, and the way redemption is sought after. It was a little slow at times especially at the beginning but once you are able to establish exactly what is going on, the pace quickened up considerably.
I did like Regan. I thought she was a normal college girl with a lot of sass. She was a bit of a wild child and a drama queen but I found that to be rather endearing. She had enough charm to pull all of those traits off. The fact that Regan came off like such a normal girl but was able to get used to the four collectors and them basically taking over her life so easily was a little weird to me. There could've been a little more resistance on her part, I thought. The four collectors: Finn, Devon, Kaidan, and Colter were the guys who were charged with protecting Regan after the villain, Agro takes a vested interest in her and her soul.
I had mixed feelings about these guys but I will start with what I liked most and that was Finn. I seriously loved him. He was the slightly older academic of the group who was just a total southern gentleman. I loved how even though Finn seemed to have the harshest curse of them all, he remained a considerate and compassionate guy. He was loyal and so level headed which provided a nice balance to the group. Devon was the youngest and I really connected to him. He was a very sensitive and sweet person. Devon really did care about others and he didn't love what he had to do as a collector but he still had this really optimistic and lighthearted attitude. He was such a good guy and I felt like he deserved so much better. Kaidan was the fun one of the group. He was so cheeky and charismatic but there was so much more that went on with him beneath the surface. Kaidan had a really compelling struggle and I did feel for him.
Okay, here's where I get to everything I didn't like and that can all be summed up with the last guy, Colter. I honestly couldn't stand Colter at all. Even after learning about his particular curse, I still couldn't feel sorry for him. I really don't like characters who wear misfortune on their sleeve. Colter walked around with the biggest chip on his shoulder, acting like the world owed him something because he had a rough go of it in life which just irritated me to no end. He was the leader of the group so he had this alpha male thing going on, but he came off like a petulant child most of the time. Even though he was the team leader, his leadership skills were severely lacking and his temper tantrums were really hard to tolerate. The more Colter acted out, the more aggravated I became and reading about him was a little tiresome. Colter in general sucked all of the life out of this book with his superiority complex and overbearing attitude that only showcased his immaturity.
It would've been okay if Colter were just another character in the book but as the main love interest for Regan, these issues with him were even more problematic for me. I never felt like they were a good match because Colter spent a lot of time yelling or being frustrated with Regan because she wasn't doing things his way and Regan just found him all the more irresistible. I didn't get it. The two of them together felt incredibly forced. There were really no subtle, relationship building moments between them at all. From as early as page 23 or so, it's basically understood that Regan and Colter are going to become a couple no matter what. One of the reasons this was so disappointing was that Regan and Colter basically had no chemistry at all, not from the onset and they never developed any throughout. It really felt like they were two characters just pushed together for the story's sake. Strangely enough, Regan had far more chemistry with each of the other guys. The way she interacted with Devon, Finn, and Kaidan was far more interesting than anything and everything she did with Colter.
The romantic aspect of this book never did reach its potential because it was so incredibly typical. There were no extra layers added to make this pairing really unique or special. The brooding bad boy with a secret heart of gold and a tortured past as the love interest for the good girl is something we've all seen a million times before. I couldn't help but feel like everything that happened between Colter and Regan was very convenient especially toward the end. I could see the truth behind Colter's curse coming a mile away and that was really disappointing. I think if Regan would've been paired with any one of the other guys this book would've so much better because everything non-romantic was interesting enough to want to read about.
Overall, not a bad book by any means but just not my personal taste.
Actual rating 2.75 stars I will admit that this rating is slightly misleading. This wasn't a bad book and the writing style was quality but there were just far more things that I didn't like than things I did. This was an interesting take on reaper mythology with the plight of the collectors, their respective curses, and the way redemption is sought after. It was a little slow at times especially at the beginning but once you are able to establish exactly what is going on, the pace quickened up considerably.
I did like Regan. I thought she was a normal college girl with a lot of sass. She was a bit of a wild child and a drama queen but I found that to be rather endearing. She had enough charm to pull all of those traits off. The fact that Regan came off like such a normal girl but was able to get used to the four collectors and them basically taking over her life so easily was a little weird to me. There could've been a little more resistance on her part, I thought. The four collectors: Finn, Devon, Kaidan, and Colter were the guys who were charged with protecting Regan after the villain, Agro takes a vested interest in her and her soul.
I had mixed feelings about these guys but I will start with what I liked most and that was Finn. I seriously loved him. He was the slightly older academic of the group who was just a total southern gentleman. I loved how even though Finn seemed to have the harshest curse of them all, he remained a considerate and compassionate guy. He was loyal and so level headed which provided a nice balance to the group. Devon was the youngest and I really connected to him. He was a very sensitive and sweet person. Devon really did care about others and he didn't love what he had to do as a collector but he still had this really optimistic and lighthearted attitude. He was such a good guy and I felt like he deserved so much better. Kaidan was the fun one of the group. He was so cheeky and charismatic but there was so much more that went on with him beneath the surface. Kaidan had a really compelling struggle and I did feel for him.
Okay, here's where I get to everything I didn't like and that can all be summed up with the last guy, Colter. I honestly couldn't stand Colter at all. Even after learning about his particular curse, I still couldn't feel sorry for him. I really don't like characters who wear misfortune on their sleeve. Colter walked around with the biggest chip on his shoulder, acting like the world owed him something because he had a rough go of it in life which just irritated me to no end. He was the leader of the group so he had this alpha male thing going on, but he came off like a petulant child most of the time. Even though he was the team leader, his leadership skills were severely lacking and his temper tantrums were really hard to tolerate. The more Colter acted out, the more aggravated I became and reading about him was a little tiresome. Colter in general sucked all of the life out of this book with his superiority complex and overbearing attitude that only showcased his immaturity.
It would've been okay if Colter were just another character in the book but as the main love interest for Regan, these issues with him were even more problematic for me. I never felt like they were a good match because Colter spent a lot of time yelling or being frustrated with Regan because she wasn't doing things his way and Regan just found him all the more irresistible. I didn't get it. The two of them together felt incredibly forced. There were really no subtle, relationship building moments between them at all. From as early as page 23 or so, it's basically understood that Regan and Colter are going to become a couple no matter what. One of the reasons this was so disappointing was that Regan and Colter basically had no chemistry at all, not from the onset and they never developed any throughout. It really felt like they were two characters just pushed together for the story's sake. Strangely enough, Regan had far more chemistry with each of the other guys. The way she interacted with Devon, Finn, and Kaidan was far more interesting than anything and everything she did with Colter.
The romantic aspect of this book never did reach its potential because it was so incredibly typical. There were no extra layers added to make this pairing really unique or special. The brooding bad boy with a secret heart of gold and a tortured past as the love interest for the good girl is something we've all seen a million times before. I couldn't help but feel like everything that happened between Colter and Regan was very convenient especially toward the end. I could see the truth behind Colter's curse coming a mile away and that was really disappointing. I think if Regan would've been paired with any one of the other guys this book would've so much better because everything non-romantic was interesting enough to want to read about.
Overall, not a bad book by any means but just not my personal taste.
April 24, 2014
Thank you NetGalley, Amy R. Thompson and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This review will contain spoilers.
To be honest, paranormal isn't my thing. There is only one exception and that is anything having to do with Heaven and Hell. Even then, I'm a tad bit picky. But when I read the summary of Retribution, I HAD to have it. I HAD to read it.
Ms. Thompson chose a tough subject for her debut novel. Heaven, Hell, souls and the like aren't easy topics to create a world around. She just as easily could have written another dystopian love story to add to the ever growing pile of, well, dystopian love stories.
She didn't, though. She created a mesmerizing yet normal world with twists, turns and beautiful ideas.
Regan Edison is pretty normal. She heads to college in another state to escape her mom. She expected a culture shock and she got one, and not exactly in the way she thought.
An evil person is after her. Without giving too much away, he wants her soul. Regan is special and very valuable to Heaven and Hell equally. She just doesn't know it. She has no memory of a past life and she thinks she's just an average girl.
Due to the unique quality Regan posesses, she is assigned a group of four collectors: these guys find lost souls and return them to the Council to be tagged for Heaven or Hell. But these aren't any normal guys: they each carry a secret, a curse that cuts them to the core. In my opinion, each curse is devastating, but one guy really stood out.
His name is Devon. I loved Devon. He's so peaceful and caring, and that goes with his curse. He's the guy I'd turn to for advice and a shoulder to cry on.
Then there is Kaiden. He's fun and bouncy. He's got a thing for Regan and he's quite vocal about it. Kaiden and his brother Colter share more than a bloodline.
Next is Finn. He's book and street smart. He's tough outside and smushy inside. If it was possible, I could talk to Finn for hours.
Last is Colter. He's tough, quiet, reserved... and in pain. His curse broke my heart. I looked at my boyfriend and almost cried. I imagined having Colt's curse.
**Big spoiler here, skip the starred part if you haven't read this yet as it will give away a lot. Colt can't love. We learn why and the reason adds a twist to the story. It involves a girl named Meg, Kaiden and their life in the 1800's. Colt can CARE, and he starts to care for Regan. He protects her to an almost obsessive point. When Colt finally can love again, his fear and confusion is so real that I felt it. End spoiler. **
So much happened in this book. Ms. Thompson could easily have made this book a trilogy in it's own. Instead, she is making this a long, in-depth story and I couldn't be happier. I am so excited for the second book in this series.
The only thing I didn't like was Regan got a little boy crazy and it clouded her mind. Aside of that, Regan adapted pretty damn well to everything. She showed bravery but she also showed her fear. She didn't try to be a dragon slayer, but she wasn't a kitten cowering in the corner either. She was honest and accepted her situation. This girl is a fighter.
Something needs to be said about her name. Regan Edison is epic. I was born during the Regan Presidency and being a scientist by nature, I have a love for Mr. Thomas Edison.
Ms. Thompson is an author that needs to be read. She isn't afraid to "go there", her ideas and twists are crazy awesome and she doesn't try too hard to be awesome in her debut. Her writing made me feel what the characters were feeling. That's a hard thing to do from an author to a reader. My book journal says that I've read almost 500 books from 2012 up to Retribution, and only about 20 of them had me feeling what the characters felt.
It's also important to note that this book is written from the voices of several characters. I heard a distinct voice for each of them and I liked getting their perspectives on certain situations.
All in all, this book is very much worth the read. I recommend it to the highest degree. Thank you, Ms. Thompson, for sharing this story with the world!
This review will contain spoilers.
To be honest, paranormal isn't my thing. There is only one exception and that is anything having to do with Heaven and Hell. Even then, I'm a tad bit picky. But when I read the summary of Retribution, I HAD to have it. I HAD to read it.
Ms. Thompson chose a tough subject for her debut novel. Heaven, Hell, souls and the like aren't easy topics to create a world around. She just as easily could have written another dystopian love story to add to the ever growing pile of, well, dystopian love stories.
She didn't, though. She created a mesmerizing yet normal world with twists, turns and beautiful ideas.
Regan Edison is pretty normal. She heads to college in another state to escape her mom. She expected a culture shock and she got one, and not exactly in the way she thought.
An evil person is after her. Without giving too much away, he wants her soul. Regan is special and very valuable to Heaven and Hell equally. She just doesn't know it. She has no memory of a past life and she thinks she's just an average girl.
Due to the unique quality Regan posesses, she is assigned a group of four collectors: these guys find lost souls and return them to the Council to be tagged for Heaven or Hell. But these aren't any normal guys: they each carry a secret, a curse that cuts them to the core. In my opinion, each curse is devastating, but one guy really stood out.
His name is Devon. I loved Devon. He's so peaceful and caring, and that goes with his curse. He's the guy I'd turn to for advice and a shoulder to cry on.
Then there is Kaiden. He's fun and bouncy. He's got a thing for Regan and he's quite vocal about it. Kaiden and his brother Colter share more than a bloodline.
Next is Finn. He's book and street smart. He's tough outside and smushy inside. If it was possible, I could talk to Finn for hours.
Last is Colter. He's tough, quiet, reserved... and in pain. His curse broke my heart. I looked at my boyfriend and almost cried. I imagined having Colt's curse.
**Big spoiler here, skip the starred part if you haven't read this yet as it will give away a lot. Colt can't love. We learn why and the reason adds a twist to the story. It involves a girl named Meg, Kaiden and their life in the 1800's. Colt can CARE, and he starts to care for Regan. He protects her to an almost obsessive point. When Colt finally can love again, his fear and confusion is so real that I felt it. End spoiler. **
So much happened in this book. Ms. Thompson could easily have made this book a trilogy in it's own. Instead, she is making this a long, in-depth story and I couldn't be happier. I am so excited for the second book in this series.
The only thing I didn't like was Regan got a little boy crazy and it clouded her mind. Aside of that, Regan adapted pretty damn well to everything. She showed bravery but she also showed her fear. She didn't try to be a dragon slayer, but she wasn't a kitten cowering in the corner either. She was honest and accepted her situation. This girl is a fighter.
Something needs to be said about her name. Regan Edison is epic. I was born during the Regan Presidency and being a scientist by nature, I have a love for Mr. Thomas Edison.
Ms. Thompson is an author that needs to be read. She isn't afraid to "go there", her ideas and twists are crazy awesome and she doesn't try too hard to be awesome in her debut. Her writing made me feel what the characters were feeling. That's a hard thing to do from an author to a reader. My book journal says that I've read almost 500 books from 2012 up to Retribution, and only about 20 of them had me feeling what the characters felt.
It's also important to note that this book is written from the voices of several characters. I heard a distinct voice for each of them and I liked getting their perspectives on certain situations.
All in all, this book is very much worth the read. I recommend it to the highest degree. Thank you, Ms. Thompson, for sharing this story with the world!
December 5, 2015
Retribution follows the story of Regan. She is excited about starting a new life in Georgia. Her first day of college is off to a bad start, and just when she doesn't think her day can get worse, she is attacked.......
Colter is a part of a group called the Collectors. His team of collectors are a group of lost souls who have been wrongfully punished. They work for the Requiem Council. The Council passes judgment on those souls that are neither tagged for Heaven nor Hell. The collectors do all this in hopes for a chance of redemption. But of course things never go as planned. Colter and his team are assigned to protect Regan and that proves to be easier said than done.
Retribution had a great start. I was pulled into the story immediately and wanted to know more about the collectors, the council and why everyone was so interested in Regan's soul. Retribution was told from multiple points of view and I am a huge fan of multiple pov's.
It was fun to watch Regan and Colt's relationship grow. I thought their chemistry was great, but it was definitely not love at first sight. This story had a good paranormal element to it, action, romance and some twists along the way.
The end of the story was pretty good. There was a couple of twists thrown in there and even though things sort of wrapped up, you were left with a bit of a cliffhanger at the end. I am definitely curious as to what will happen with Regan next!
****I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review****
Colter is a part of a group called the Collectors. His team of collectors are a group of lost souls who have been wrongfully punished. They work for the Requiem Council. The Council passes judgment on those souls that are neither tagged for Heaven nor Hell. The collectors do all this in hopes for a chance of redemption. But of course things never go as planned. Colter and his team are assigned to protect Regan and that proves to be easier said than done.
Retribution had a great start. I was pulled into the story immediately and wanted to know more about the collectors, the council and why everyone was so interested in Regan's soul. Retribution was told from multiple points of view and I am a huge fan of multiple pov's.
It was fun to watch Regan and Colt's relationship grow. I thought their chemistry was great, but it was definitely not love at first sight. This story had a good paranormal element to it, action, romance and some twists along the way.
The end of the story was pretty good. There was a couple of twists thrown in there and even though things sort of wrapped up, you were left with a bit of a cliffhanger at the end. I am definitely curious as to what will happen with Regan next!
****I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review****
July 9, 2014
3.5 stars
Regan Edison wanted to have a fresh start when she moved from California to Georgia. She was supposed to attend College away from her cold mother and have a normal life as a student. She liked to be independant and take care of herself but then, she didn't know she'd have to fight for her life.
Right from her first days at school, she's being attacked by Exiles (soulless bodies working for the bad guy named Agro). Fortunately, four Collectors has been given the task to protect her at all cost. They all work for the Council and are supposed to collect the lost souls so they can be judged.
Colter, Finn, Devon and Kaiden are specials. They've been cursed in different ways by Agro who was in the Council, a long time ago. Now, their only hope to be judged again and go to heaven is to protect Regan no matter what. Agro has his sights on her for a very specific reason that they ignore at first. The only thing they know is that she isn't a lost soul like any other and that she doesn't remember her past life like she sould.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. They were lots of twists and turns that kept me interested. I loved the characters but I felt bad at the end, though. It left me a little sad when I think of how it ended and what will probably happen in the next instalment. I wish it had more of a happy ending.
***ARC received through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review***
Regan Edison wanted to have a fresh start when she moved from California to Georgia. She was supposed to attend College away from her cold mother and have a normal life as a student. She liked to be independant and take care of herself but then, she didn't know she'd have to fight for her life.
Right from her first days at school, she's being attacked by Exiles (soulless bodies working for the bad guy named Agro). Fortunately, four Collectors has been given the task to protect her at all cost. They all work for the Council and are supposed to collect the lost souls so they can be judged.
Colter, Finn, Devon and Kaiden are specials. They've been cursed in different ways by Agro who was in the Council, a long time ago. Now, their only hope to be judged again and go to heaven is to protect Regan no matter what. Agro has his sights on her for a very specific reason that they ignore at first. The only thing they know is that she isn't a lost soul like any other and that she doesn't remember her past life like she sould.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. They were lots of twists and turns that kept me interested. I loved the characters but I felt bad at the end, though. It left me a little sad when I think of how it ended and what will probably happen in the next instalment. I wish it had more of a happy ending.
***ARC received through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review***
May 13, 2014
Wow what a read!
This was my first paranormal non-vampire book ever and it didn't disappoint. One strong yet stubborn and sweet heroin. Four very hot men. One creepy villain.
I really loved this book. I was extremely confused at first with all the details and not being familiar with paranormal reads it was a lot to take in but once I got into the story I couldn't put it down. In the first few chapters you get a lot of information at once and that's what confused me the most but once the story really starts and the characters interacts it gets really really good!
As things went on I really could enjoy and understand the story and get sucked into it and the more details you get the better you understand the characters and why they did or acted the way they did.
This is part one in the series and it leaves with a cliff-hanger and loads of questions left unanswered. I can't wait to pick up the next book and know what happens to Regan and the boys. Will they get their redemption? Will they be tagged to Heaven or Hell or will they just be lost souls doomed to reincarnate and roam the earth forever?
Make sure to pick up this amazing read!
This was my first paranormal non-vampire book ever and it didn't disappoint. One strong yet stubborn and sweet heroin. Four very hot men. One creepy villain.
I really loved this book. I was extremely confused at first with all the details and not being familiar with paranormal reads it was a lot to take in but once I got into the story I couldn't put it down. In the first few chapters you get a lot of information at once and that's what confused me the most but once the story really starts and the characters interacts it gets really really good!
As things went on I really could enjoy and understand the story and get sucked into it and the more details you get the better you understand the characters and why they did or acted the way they did.
This is part one in the series and it leaves with a cliff-hanger and loads of questions left unanswered. I can't wait to pick up the next book and know what happens to Regan and the boys. Will they get their redemption? Will they be tagged to Heaven or Hell or will they just be lost souls doomed to reincarnate and roam the earth forever?
Make sure to pick up this amazing read!
April 26, 2014
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. The plot is very original having people collect lost souls to earn their redemption because of the retribution that was handed out to them unfairly makes for a very interesting story. There are secrets, and unexpected twists around every corner to keep you on your toes. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series when it come out.I wanna see what happens with Colter and Regan and the rest of the collectors. I would definitely recommend this book to family and friends.
I really enjoyed this book. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. The plot is very original having people collect lost souls to earn their redemption because of the retribution that was handed out to them unfairly makes for a very interesting story. There are secrets, and unexpected twists around every corner to keep you on your toes. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series when it come out.I wanna see what happens with Colter and Regan and the rest of the collectors. I would definitely recommend this book to family and friends.
September 28, 2013
Of course I would give my own book 5 stars!
August 17, 2014
Find my review (also) on my Blog Bettgeschichten
I received a free copy of Riot from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“Never, ever, ever, invite strangers into your room; they will be psychotic serial killers. You know what? Scratch that. Never, ever, ever go to college, apparently that’s where dreams, and young girls, go to die. Or maybe that’s just me.” (Regan)
When I first read the synopsis of Retribution on NetGalley I was intrigued and knew I wanted to read it. I don’t know if it’s because of my expectations of this book or if other people feel the same way, but honestly I was kind of disappointed by it. Unfortunately.
I really didn’t like how ‘easily’ Regan accepted everything the guys told her, about the Collectors, the Exiles or Agro. She showed some resistance yet still accepted in relatively fast. Somehow that seemed very unrealistic and it somehow bugged me. And speaking of the whole business with the Soul business. I don’t know if I’m too stupid to understand it or what but I found it all very confusing and somewhat poorly and confusingly explained. At first I thought that it was done this way to underline how confused Regan was by it all, but even toward the end of the book I still didn’t quite get it, though the characters tried to explain it all a few times. Oh well, maybe that’s just me.
When it comes to the main characters, I liked Regan, at least most of the time, not always though. She seemed like an all right narrator and person, though she doesn’t belong to my favorites. Sometimes her train of thoughts just made me stop and ask myself, or rather the book, “are you serious right now?” because she just made weird decision sometimes and would jump over into being stubborn and reckless for no reason whatsoever.
Then there is Colter, who to say the least pissed me off constantly. His temper was extremely unnerving and straight out unfriendly. He was angry most of the times, to a point where it wasn’t even funny anymore. I mean, I understand WHY, because the book will eventually tell you why, but that didn’t change my opinion about him.
“After centuries together, I unfortunately have grown accustomed to Colt’s temper. I think anger is the only emotion he has, or at least knows how to express.” (Kaiden)
Then there the other guys, Finn, Kaiden and Devon. They all seemed like the opposite of Colter. They were very friendly, funny and helpful. I really liked them all and I did feel bad for them, more than I did for Colter.
No matter how I look at it, I never really came to like or really care about all these characters enough to really be sad or happy when something happened to them. For example, toward the end of the book something BIG and sad happens and I must say it rather annoyed me how much they were whining about it. I mean I understand why but yeah that was just my lack of caring for what happens to them, which I found very sad.
But, in general, at first I thought I would give Retribution 4 stars, because it started out quite good and interesting but, the further I read and the closer I got, the more my rating started to decrease. Somewhere around 75% through I was already at a point where I said I’ll only give it 2.5 Stars.
All in all, maybe if you are more into the whole soul business reads, this might be a story for you, but for me personally it was a rather disappointing read. I enjoyed reading this book only up until maybe 50% in, the rest was rather a ‘continuing to read just to see how it end and be able to write a review for it’ type of thing.
“Shit man, I think you broke my nose.”
“Yeah, well, you broke my patience.” (Colter)
I received a free copy of Riot from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“Never, ever, ever, invite strangers into your room; they will be psychotic serial killers. You know what? Scratch that. Never, ever, ever go to college, apparently that’s where dreams, and young girls, go to die. Or maybe that’s just me.” (Regan)
When I first read the synopsis of Retribution on NetGalley I was intrigued and knew I wanted to read it. I don’t know if it’s because of my expectations of this book or if other people feel the same way, but honestly I was kind of disappointed by it. Unfortunately.
I really didn’t like how ‘easily’ Regan accepted everything the guys told her, about the Collectors, the Exiles or Agro. She showed some resistance yet still accepted in relatively fast. Somehow that seemed very unrealistic and it somehow bugged me. And speaking of the whole business with the Soul business. I don’t know if I’m too stupid to understand it or what but I found it all very confusing and somewhat poorly and confusingly explained. At first I thought that it was done this way to underline how confused Regan was by it all, but even toward the end of the book I still didn’t quite get it, though the characters tried to explain it all a few times. Oh well, maybe that’s just me.
When it comes to the main characters, I liked Regan, at least most of the time, not always though. She seemed like an all right narrator and person, though she doesn’t belong to my favorites. Sometimes her train of thoughts just made me stop and ask myself, or rather the book, “are you serious right now?” because she just made weird decision sometimes and would jump over into being stubborn and reckless for no reason whatsoever.
Then there is Colter, who to say the least pissed me off constantly. His temper was extremely unnerving and straight out unfriendly. He was angry most of the times, to a point where it wasn’t even funny anymore. I mean, I understand WHY, because the book will eventually tell you why, but that didn’t change my opinion about him.
“After centuries together, I unfortunately have grown accustomed to Colt’s temper. I think anger is the only emotion he has, or at least knows how to express.” (Kaiden)
Then there the other guys, Finn, Kaiden and Devon. They all seemed like the opposite of Colter. They were very friendly, funny and helpful. I really liked them all and I did feel bad for them, more than I did for Colter.
No matter how I look at it, I never really came to like or really care about all these characters enough to really be sad or happy when something happened to them. For example, toward the end of the book something BIG and sad happens and I must say it rather annoyed me how much they were whining about it. I mean I understand why but yeah that was just my lack of caring for what happens to them, which I found very sad.
But, in general, at first I thought I would give Retribution 4 stars, because it started out quite good and interesting but, the further I read and the closer I got, the more my rating started to decrease. Somewhere around 75% through I was already at a point where I said I’ll only give it 2.5 Stars.
All in all, maybe if you are more into the whole soul business reads, this might be a story for you, but for me personally it was a rather disappointing read. I enjoyed reading this book only up until maybe 50% in, the rest was rather a ‘continuing to read just to see how it end and be able to write a review for it’ type of thing.
“Shit man, I think you broke my nose.”
“Yeah, well, you broke my patience.” (Colter)
September 19, 2013
I was asked to read this book for an honest review. As always, I try to write an honest review. I was tittering on 3-4 stars. Really I would like to give it a 3.5. The idea behind the story is great. For me it really didn't take off until our main MC was attacked the first time on her way back to her dorm. There were a few flaws, but nothing that took away from the plot or storyline.
Regan is just a normal girl who decided to move far away to start college. She hasn't had the most loving upbringing. Despite that she means well and wants to try her best to fit in. The life as she knows it changes one night as she heads back to her dorm by herself. Let alone is she attacked; she is saved by a group of guys. They claim that they are her protectors. As the story progresses, you learn more about each character, giving them depth. You find out about their 'jobs' and how if the do a good enough job perhaps they will be granted allowance into Heaven(Hell?).
Souls that are reincarnated remember their past lives. All of them except Regan. As the story unfolds, we find out why. Then on top of all this, their is the attraction between her and Colt. Colt is the lead protector and has a cold hearted exterior, though Regan sees beneath it. Just as things finally seem to be going well, Regan's life in danger again.
The end of the story was good. It had me on my toes waiting so see what would happen, once they met head on with the villain, the ex council member. It wrapped up most of the questions that were laid out during the story, but left a few hanging. We will have to wait until the next story to see how Regan(and the team) will deal with the problem.
There were two flaws. One, there were a couple of grammar errors. Nothing that would throw you off though. The second, there were places where there wasn't an indication that there was a time skip. Such as a -------- between the paragraphs. Rather than that, it want pretty smoothly.
Questions that involve a little spoiler.
Regan is just a normal girl who decided to move far away to start college. She hasn't had the most loving upbringing. Despite that she means well and wants to try her best to fit in. The life as she knows it changes one night as she heads back to her dorm by herself. Let alone is she attacked; she is saved by a group of guys. They claim that they are her protectors. As the story progresses, you learn more about each character, giving them depth. You find out about their 'jobs' and how if the do a good enough job perhaps they will be granted allowance into Heaven(Hell?).
Souls that are reincarnated remember their past lives. All of them except Regan. As the story unfolds, we find out why. Then on top of all this, their is the attraction between her and Colt. Colt is the lead protector and has a cold hearted exterior, though Regan sees beneath it. Just as things finally seem to be going well, Regan's life in danger again.
The end of the story was good. It had me on my toes waiting so see what would happen, once they met head on with the villain, the ex council member. It wrapped up most of the questions that were laid out during the story, but left a few hanging. We will have to wait until the next story to see how Regan(and the team) will deal with the problem.
There were two flaws. One, there were a couple of grammar errors. Nothing that would throw you off though. The second, there were places where there wasn't an indication that there was a time skip. Such as a -------- between the paragraphs. Rather than that, it want pretty smoothly.
Questions that involve a little spoiler.
November 5, 2013
I would like to thank the author and Lovers of Paranormal for offering me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This was one of those books that I knew I needed to read once I read the summary. Since I'm a huge paranormal fan, I'm always reading books with witches, vampires, and fairies... but lost souls don't normally make a big appearance in my reading list. I really enjoyed the story, and would recommend it to anyone looking for something a little different from the usual paranormal read.
Retribution was a unique story with a quick pace that kept me intrigued the entire time. It jumped right into the action and just kept going. The book centers around Regan as she tries to get a fresh start at a college in Georgia. She's looking for something normal until The Collector's come in to the picture after they're assigned to protect her from a Council member gone Rogue. Regan spends a lot of time fighting the protection that they offer her (which is one of my slight pet peeves about her character... it was one of those open your eyes situations!). The Collector's (Colter, Kaiden, Finn, and Devon) are struggling with the situation just as much as she is because it is definitely not their normal type of assignment.
I loved most of the characters in the book, and my only little peeve was that I wish there was a little more back story on some of them. Throughout the story each chapter is by a different character, although it was mostly based on Colter and Regan, I liked that there were some parts that gave a new perspective from a different character. Colter, the leader of the team, was the perfect combination of mysterious, brooding, and sexy... his only issue is that he continues to blame himself for every little thing that happens. Kaiden was spunky, fun, and up front about everything... he added the perfect amount of comic relief. Finn made a great fatherly/older brother type of character, and Devon was the young and kind one that you couldn't help but just love.
Although I tried my best to guess what was going to happen throughout the story I was kept on my toes most of the time... just when I thought I had it figured out I would realize that I was completely wrong; I don't want to spoil anything so I won't say anything more about the twists and realizations, but I liked it even more because it kept me guessing. There were a few typos here and there, but nothing too major and they didn't really distract me from the story line. Overall it was a great book and I plan on continuing the series... especially after the little twist Regan has to deal with at the end!
This was one of those books that I knew I needed to read once I read the summary. Since I'm a huge paranormal fan, I'm always reading books with witches, vampires, and fairies... but lost souls don't normally make a big appearance in my reading list. I really enjoyed the story, and would recommend it to anyone looking for something a little different from the usual paranormal read.
Retribution was a unique story with a quick pace that kept me intrigued the entire time. It jumped right into the action and just kept going. The book centers around Regan as she tries to get a fresh start at a college in Georgia. She's looking for something normal until The Collector's come in to the picture after they're assigned to protect her from a Council member gone Rogue. Regan spends a lot of time fighting the protection that they offer her (which is one of my slight pet peeves about her character... it was one of those open your eyes situations!). The Collector's (Colter, Kaiden, Finn, and Devon) are struggling with the situation just as much as she is because it is definitely not their normal type of assignment.
I loved most of the characters in the book, and my only little peeve was that I wish there was a little more back story on some of them. Throughout the story each chapter is by a different character, although it was mostly based on Colter and Regan, I liked that there were some parts that gave a new perspective from a different character. Colter, the leader of the team, was the perfect combination of mysterious, brooding, and sexy... his only issue is that he continues to blame himself for every little thing that happens. Kaiden was spunky, fun, and up front about everything... he added the perfect amount of comic relief. Finn made a great fatherly/older brother type of character, and Devon was the young and kind one that you couldn't help but just love.
Although I tried my best to guess what was going to happen throughout the story I was kept on my toes most of the time... just when I thought I had it figured out I would realize that I was completely wrong; I don't want to spoil anything so I won't say anything more about the twists and realizations, but I liked it even more because it kept me guessing. There were a few typos here and there, but nothing too major and they didn't really distract me from the story line. Overall it was a great book and I plan on continuing the series... especially after the little twist Regan has to deal with at the end!
June 14, 2014
Retribution blends the real world with a paranormal world. Stay with me while I try and give you some background. It is complex but Amy Thompson explains it in an easy to understand way through her characters. So, this story is based on the premise that souls go to heaven or hell, depending on how their lives were lived. But for some it is not clear cut and these souls are tagged by the Requiem Council and reincarnated to give them an opportunity to redeem themselves. However, Agro, who was a member of the Requiem Council, felt that the balance was weighted towards heaven, which was something that he disagreed with. He broke with the Council but not without leaving a parting gift by acting out his revenge on these lost souls and sentencing them to an eternity of retribution. These are called Collectors and are forced to protect lost souls and deliver them to the Council for judgment. Agro and his team of Exiles set out to steal as many of these lost souls as possible to strengthen his position.
Colter is one such Collector, destined to spend an eternity helping lost souls be tagged and taken to the Requiem Council for judgment, along with Finn, Kaiden, and Devon. They have lifetimes of experience and are as strong as they come. Each has their own unique story to tell as how they ended up as a Collector and each is determined to earn their entry into heaven so all follow the Council's orders.
Regan is your average College student, new on campus, with her own past of woes. Her father abandoned his family when she was a child and she has never got on well with mother. College is her chance to start a fresh and live the life that she wants to. But all is not as it seems as Agro is determined to get his hands on her and the Council sending the Collectors in to protect her. Who is she really and why does Agro want her?
This is a fast paced story, with lots of action and plot twists along the way. It becomes clear that not everything is as it seems. The twists will leave you reeling and shedding a tear along the way. Agro's plan is audacious and the consequences if he succeeds will shift the balance between light and dark so that darkness will reign supreme. You become connected with the characters as the story weaves its magic and very occasionally leaves you wanting to slap them around the head and to tell them to stop being so stupid. It is told from multiple POVs and each character's voice is unique and comes across strongly. All in all, this is a really good read.
Colter is one such Collector, destined to spend an eternity helping lost souls be tagged and taken to the Requiem Council for judgment, along with Finn, Kaiden, and Devon. They have lifetimes of experience and are as strong as they come. Each has their own unique story to tell as how they ended up as a Collector and each is determined to earn their entry into heaven so all follow the Council's orders.
Regan is your average College student, new on campus, with her own past of woes. Her father abandoned his family when she was a child and she has never got on well with mother. College is her chance to start a fresh and live the life that she wants to. But all is not as it seems as Agro is determined to get his hands on her and the Council sending the Collectors in to protect her. Who is she really and why does Agro want her?
This is a fast paced story, with lots of action and plot twists along the way. It becomes clear that not everything is as it seems. The twists will leave you reeling and shedding a tear along the way. Agro's plan is audacious and the consequences if he succeeds will shift the balance between light and dark so that darkness will reign supreme. You become connected with the characters as the story weaves its magic and very occasionally leaves you wanting to slap them around the head and to tell them to stop being so stupid. It is told from multiple POVs and each character's voice is unique and comes across strongly. All in all, this is a really good read.
May 6, 2014
More of my reviews can be read on my blog Reviews For The Living And The Undead . Feel free to follow me. I love when people follow my blog.
Netgalley gave me this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Retribution by Amy Thompson
Regan has just started college and she is looking forward to making new friends and starting a brand new life. However, not long after she starts she is attacked by someone and finds out that exiles are trying to kill her for some reason that no one knows. Luckily, four men are sent to protect her until they can come up with some other way to keep her safe. Regan wants to find out why people are after her since she considered herself normal before that. She also wants to keep herself from falling for the gorgeous Colter who is supposed to be keeping her safe, but is far from being nice.
I did this thing was an interesting concept, and I was looking forward to reading a good NA book. There aren't enough NA books that aren't pure romance. I think that one day there will be lots of fantasy and sci-fi books in this genre, but I don't know how long that will take.
This book had a few good characters, too. Even though Regan's roommate is only in a few scenes. I loved her. She is funny and I thought she was a likable character. I also liked Kaiden.
However, I couldn't stand Colter and I didn't much like Regan either. I don't understand why girls in YA and NA novels always fall for guys who are complete jerks. Just because Colter is hot doesn't mean that Regan should want to be with him right away. Regan also had tons of guys falling all over her which was annoying. It's not really realistic to have every guy who you meet want to date you.
Another thing that annoyed me were the names of the characters. Some of the characters have had the same names for hundreds of years even though names like Kaiden are modern and were there for not used until recently. They should have more old fashioned names and not super trendy ones.
There were also quite a few grammar mistakes, especially when it came to commas which was annoying.
Finishing this book was also hard. The plot twists I found to be fairly predictable and the novel just didn't grab me.
Overall I would give it 2.5 but I will round it up to three since I am feeling nice today.
Netgalley gave me this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Retribution by Amy Thompson
Regan has just started college and she is looking forward to making new friends and starting a brand new life. However, not long after she starts she is attacked by someone and finds out that exiles are trying to kill her for some reason that no one knows. Luckily, four men are sent to protect her until they can come up with some other way to keep her safe. Regan wants to find out why people are after her since she considered herself normal before that. She also wants to keep herself from falling for the gorgeous Colter who is supposed to be keeping her safe, but is far from being nice.
I did this thing was an interesting concept, and I was looking forward to reading a good NA book. There aren't enough NA books that aren't pure romance. I think that one day there will be lots of fantasy and sci-fi books in this genre, but I don't know how long that will take.
This book had a few good characters, too. Even though Regan's roommate is only in a few scenes. I loved her. She is funny and I thought she was a likable character. I also liked Kaiden.
However, I couldn't stand Colter and I didn't much like Regan either. I don't understand why girls in YA and NA novels always fall for guys who are complete jerks. Just because Colter is hot doesn't mean that Regan should want to be with him right away. Regan also had tons of guys falling all over her which was annoying. It's not really realistic to have every guy who you meet want to date you.
Another thing that annoyed me were the names of the characters. Some of the characters have had the same names for hundreds of years even though names like Kaiden are modern and were there for not used until recently. They should have more old fashioned names and not super trendy ones.
There were also quite a few grammar mistakes, especially when it came to commas which was annoying.
Finishing this book was also hard. The plot twists I found to be fairly predictable and the novel just didn't grab me.
Overall I would give it 2.5 but I will round it up to three since I am feeling nice today.
June 2, 2014
I have an inner struggle with Retribution because I enjoyed the overall point of the story, but there were some aspect that I didn't enjoy as well. I struggled with rating this book, but I finally settle upon three stars because I do want to give the sequel a try. The main character Regan is a freshman in college and decided to go to a school across the country, from California to Georgia. She's barely gotten the chance to settle in before things start to go down south for her. When it comes to Retribution I thought the book did have some great action packed scenes, but I do feel as though some things in the story was not touched on enough. Retribution does switch povs, but the main pov is with Regan.
In this book, we meet four guys who are there to protect Regan from the Exiles that are trying to kill her for her soul. Colter, Kaiden, Finn, and Devon were some fun characters and each one of them brought a different personality to the book. Colter, of course, was my favorite of the four. He has that personality that I can't help but love. The other guys were great as well and I loved the friendship that was developed between them all.
I enjoyed the story and I flew through it. It was fast paced and simple to grasp, but my main issue and the reason I drop the rating was Regan. I could not connect with her. She annoyed me from the very beginning. She was whinny and her character was very hot and cold. I started getting really frustrated as I was reading the story. One minute she's fine and then the next she's all bitchy. Also, the romance of the book was not that great. Once the connection develop between the final guy it started to get good. But from the beginning of the book Regan was a flip flopper. One minute she likes Colter, but then the next she's flirting and hanging out with Kaiden. Insert Max, and she's dancing all up on him at parties and it was just so frustrating. By the end of the book she FINALLY settled for one guy and things were good, but before that it was a mess.
Overall, the story was okay. If my annoyance of Regan wasn't so strong I would have given the book a higher rating. I am very curious to see what happens in the sequel so I do want to check that out.
In this book, we meet four guys who are there to protect Regan from the Exiles that are trying to kill her for her soul. Colter, Kaiden, Finn, and Devon were some fun characters and each one of them brought a different personality to the book. Colter, of course, was my favorite of the four. He has that personality that I can't help but love. The other guys were great as well and I loved the friendship that was developed between them all.
I enjoyed the story and I flew through it. It was fast paced and simple to grasp, but my main issue and the reason I drop the rating was Regan. I could not connect with her. She annoyed me from the very beginning. She was whinny and her character was very hot and cold. I started getting really frustrated as I was reading the story. One minute she's fine and then the next she's all bitchy. Also, the romance of the book was not that great. Once the connection develop between the final guy it started to get good. But from the beginning of the book Regan was a flip flopper. One minute she likes Colter, but then the next she's flirting and hanging out with Kaiden. Insert Max, and she's dancing all up on him at parties and it was just so frustrating. By the end of the book she FINALLY settled for one guy and things were good, but before that it was a mess.
Overall, the story was okay. If my annoyance of Regan wasn't so strong I would have given the book a higher rating. I am very curious to see what happens in the sequel so I do want to check that out.
October 8, 2013
Wow 5 great eye candies for her to look at!!! So jealous!!!
The characters in the story were great especially the guys!! I know the main character was Elsa…I mean Regan but I generally tend to check out the males in the stories, and I usually insert myself as the leading kick butt lady. Lol… As I was saying the male characters were great to imagine. I wanted to slap Regan a few times but other than that she didn’t get on my nerves too much, she was witty at times and funny.
The pace is pretty fast with a few twists and unexpected turns, the flow was fast and the editing was great (I only noticed like two errors). The chapters POV alternate between the two main characters Regan and Colter but there is at least one chapter for each of the guys, Kaiden, Finn and Devon’s POV. Nothing nice and sweet about this story, it was non stop action with the sexual tension going through the roof.
Several spots in the story that were very touching and several quotes I really liked.
“I thought I heard Colt’s voice calling to me. OK, this drug was good shit” (Regan being funny)
“Someone you’ll remember not to F with, someone whose girlfriend you’ll remember not to F with” (Colt being the night in shining armor)
Another great new author for me, I will be adding her to my favorite author’s list. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series which as of today I have no idea when that will be, I just hope it’s soon. I need me some more of that steamy pile of sex on a stick and I need it now! So I’m hoping Amy Thompson it writing and working on the second one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
Title: Retribution (Lost Souls #1)
Author: Amy Rachel Thompson (GR Author)
Format: eBook
Length: 27 Chapters 280 e-pgs
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Published: 6/18/2013
Cover: 3 stars
Tense: First Person Present
Setting: Present day Georgia
Characters: Regan & Colt
Rating: 4 stars
Series: Yes
https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/retri...
The characters in the story were great especially the guys!! I know the main character was Elsa…I mean Regan but I generally tend to check out the males in the stories, and I usually insert myself as the leading kick butt lady. Lol… As I was saying the male characters were great to imagine. I wanted to slap Regan a few times but other than that she didn’t get on my nerves too much, she was witty at times and funny.
The pace is pretty fast with a few twists and unexpected turns, the flow was fast and the editing was great (I only noticed like two errors). The chapters POV alternate between the two main characters Regan and Colter but there is at least one chapter for each of the guys, Kaiden, Finn and Devon’s POV. Nothing nice and sweet about this story, it was non stop action with the sexual tension going through the roof.
Several spots in the story that were very touching and several quotes I really liked.
“I thought I heard Colt’s voice calling to me. OK, this drug was good shit” (Regan being funny)
“Someone you’ll remember not to F with, someone whose girlfriend you’ll remember not to F with” (Colt being the night in shining armor)
Another great new author for me, I will be adding her to my favorite author’s list. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series which as of today I have no idea when that will be, I just hope it’s soon. I need me some more of that steamy pile of sex on a stick and I need it now! So I’m hoping Amy Thompson it writing and working on the second one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
Title: Retribution (Lost Souls #1)
Author: Amy Rachel Thompson (GR Author)
Format: eBook
Length: 27 Chapters 280 e-pgs
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Published: 6/18/2013
Cover: 3 stars
Tense: First Person Present
Setting: Present day Georgia
Characters: Regan & Colt
Rating: 4 stars
Series: Yes
https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/retri...
October 22, 2013
Regan Edison is entering her first year at Georgia Liberty College.
New to the South her Californian ways stand out but wanting to start a new life and put distance between her and her Mum she embraces the southern ways.
On meeting an unexpected group of strangers after being attacked just outside campus she struggles to cope with their revelations.
Colter Hayes is the leader of a group of soul collectors. Working for the Requiem Council, an amalgamation of members from Heaven & Hell.
When an ex council member sets his sights on Regan the council despatch Colter and his team to protect her.
What happens next will change both their lives and souls forever.
I really did enjoy this story, Colter is definitely the type of hero character I look for in stories. Strong, determined with a softer side he won’t freely admit to.
Regan is obviously a typical attractive college girl with no idea of her beauty and appeal to the male school population. Strong but unassuming.
Together with the support of some fun and some slightly disturbing surrounding characters this story completely drew me in.
The fight scenes are described well enough for me to imagine every move, feeling and fear of the scene.
There are many aspects to this story that make it work, it isn’t about just one character, each has their own story to tell with their own personal hell to deal with, all connecting this story together.
I’m sure further into the series we could learn more about them.
The constant battle between Heaven and Hell has been told many times in a variation of ways but this I find unique.
I suppose it does offer up the same question we have at some point asked ourselves.
What does happen to our soul after death?
This book offers a new insight into that question with a College backdrop.
Despite some grammatical mistakes this is a really good story with a blossoming romance that I was just willing to happen.
I really am looking forward to the next part of this series.
Copy Supplied For Review.
New to the South her Californian ways stand out but wanting to start a new life and put distance between her and her Mum she embraces the southern ways.
On meeting an unexpected group of strangers after being attacked just outside campus she struggles to cope with their revelations.
Colter Hayes is the leader of a group of soul collectors. Working for the Requiem Council, an amalgamation of members from Heaven & Hell.
When an ex council member sets his sights on Regan the council despatch Colter and his team to protect her.
What happens next will change both their lives and souls forever.
I really did enjoy this story, Colter is definitely the type of hero character I look for in stories. Strong, determined with a softer side he won’t freely admit to.
Regan is obviously a typical attractive college girl with no idea of her beauty and appeal to the male school population. Strong but unassuming.
Together with the support of some fun and some slightly disturbing surrounding characters this story completely drew me in.
The fight scenes are described well enough for me to imagine every move, feeling and fear of the scene.
There are many aspects to this story that make it work, it isn’t about just one character, each has their own story to tell with their own personal hell to deal with, all connecting this story together.
I’m sure further into the series we could learn more about them.
The constant battle between Heaven and Hell has been told many times in a variation of ways but this I find unique.
I suppose it does offer up the same question we have at some point asked ourselves.
What does happen to our soul after death?
This book offers a new insight into that question with a College backdrop.
Despite some grammatical mistakes this is a really good story with a blossoming romance that I was just willing to happen.
I really am looking forward to the next part of this series.
Copy Supplied For Review.
October 30, 2013
I got this book from the author, free of cost, in exchange of an honest review from my side.
Firstly I would like to thank Amy Rachel Thompson, author of Retribution, for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this book.
I got this book from Lovers of Paranormal Group of Goodreads under the Read to review scheme.
In this story we meet Regan who moved from California to start her first year at Georgia Liberty College with dreams of starting a new life afresh but little she knew about her future then and when she meet a stranger named Colter, her life goes upside down. Colter is one of the group member of wrongfully punished souls who are charged with the responsibility of finding out the lost souls, that is the souls who don’t have any predestined fate of going to hell or heaven and in return the collectors get a chance at redemption. Colter and his team members gets the charge of protecting Regan from an ex-councilmember who has set his sights on Regan. Will they succeed in protecting Regan? What would happen between Regan and Colter?
I really enjoyed this story. It’s full of action, drama and mystery. The concept of lost souls and the wrongfully damned of getting a chance at redemption really spiced up the whole experience for me. Seeing Regan and Colter together I somewhat recalled reading Meg Cabot’s Mediator Series. This concept is still fresh and it interests me quite a lot. The characterization is awesome and the side characters were full of live and were an important part of the story, enhancing the story’s awesomeness. I liked Colter’s character the most because though Regan behaved maturely for most part of the book still at some places she seem to take utterly stupid decisions which irritated me. I adored Kaiden as well; he is humorous and full of life. There is mystery and suspense which spiced up the read for me and I liked the occasional witty comments or humorous scenes which lightened the mood as well. Over all a great story and would definitely recommend it to ya all and hope that you guys will enjoy it as well.
Firstly I would like to thank Amy Rachel Thompson, author of Retribution, for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this book.
I got this book from Lovers of Paranormal Group of Goodreads under the Read to review scheme.
In this story we meet Regan who moved from California to start her first year at Georgia Liberty College with dreams of starting a new life afresh but little she knew about her future then and when she meet a stranger named Colter, her life goes upside down. Colter is one of the group member of wrongfully punished souls who are charged with the responsibility of finding out the lost souls, that is the souls who don’t have any predestined fate of going to hell or heaven and in return the collectors get a chance at redemption. Colter and his team members gets the charge of protecting Regan from an ex-councilmember who has set his sights on Regan. Will they succeed in protecting Regan? What would happen between Regan and Colter?
I really enjoyed this story. It’s full of action, drama and mystery. The concept of lost souls and the wrongfully damned of getting a chance at redemption really spiced up the whole experience for me. Seeing Regan and Colter together I somewhat recalled reading Meg Cabot’s Mediator Series. This concept is still fresh and it interests me quite a lot. The characterization is awesome and the side characters were full of live and were an important part of the story, enhancing the story’s awesomeness. I liked Colter’s character the most because though Regan behaved maturely for most part of the book still at some places she seem to take utterly stupid decisions which irritated me. I adored Kaiden as well; he is humorous and full of life. There is mystery and suspense which spiced up the read for me and I liked the occasional witty comments or humorous scenes which lightened the mood as well. Over all a great story and would definitely recommend it to ya all and hope that you guys will enjoy it as well.
June 12, 2014
Goodreads Synopsis: Regan Edison has just moved from California, to enter her first year at Georgia Liberty College, the place where jacked up Chevy trucks and hunting are a way of life. Regan hopes to start a new life for herself and she thinks that Georgia is just the place to do it. That is until she meets an unexpected stranger.
Colter Hayes is a member of the Collectors, a group of wrongfully punished lost souls. Colter and the rest of his team, Finn, Kaiden and Devon, work for the Requiem Council who pass judgment on those souls that are neither tagged for Heaven nor Hell. The Council has charged the Collectors with finding the lost in exchange for a chance at redemption.
When an ex-councilmember known to pass Retribution on lost souls sets his sights on Regan, the Requiem Council dispatches the Collectors to Georgia to work as protectors for Regan. The Collectors must fight to save Regan from a fate they know all too well, but can they work to earn back their chance at redemption or are their fates sealed forever?
Who is meant for Heaven?
Who is meant for Hell?
And who is just lost?
My Review: I'm sorry, I'm not going to lie about this book. It definitely wasn't my favourite. Honestly, I can't remember the first half. But the ending was... Interesting. About the last hundred or so pages I remember, and it was pretty cool. A good story, just wasn't one of my favourites. The characters were cool, some of them, but the story seemed like it just didn't jump out at me. I couldn't really get into until that second half. I couldn't really connect with any of the characters, and that resulted in me skimming probably half the book, which isn't always fun. I mean it makes the book go faster, but I can't really keep my mind on it. I received this book from netgalley.com in exchange for a review, and that's what I'm doing. I'll probably check out the second book in the series, however, in hopes that it will be more fun than this one. I think that's all I have to say. Thanks for reading!
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
Colter Hayes is a member of the Collectors, a group of wrongfully punished lost souls. Colter and the rest of his team, Finn, Kaiden and Devon, work for the Requiem Council who pass judgment on those souls that are neither tagged for Heaven nor Hell. The Council has charged the Collectors with finding the lost in exchange for a chance at redemption.
When an ex-councilmember known to pass Retribution on lost souls sets his sights on Regan, the Requiem Council dispatches the Collectors to Georgia to work as protectors for Regan. The Collectors must fight to save Regan from a fate they know all too well, but can they work to earn back their chance at redemption or are their fates sealed forever?
Who is meant for Heaven?
Who is meant for Hell?
And who is just lost?
My Review: I'm sorry, I'm not going to lie about this book. It definitely wasn't my favourite. Honestly, I can't remember the first half. But the ending was... Interesting. About the last hundred or so pages I remember, and it was pretty cool. A good story, just wasn't one of my favourites. The characters were cool, some of them, but the story seemed like it just didn't jump out at me. I couldn't really get into until that second half. I couldn't really connect with any of the characters, and that resulted in me skimming probably half the book, which isn't always fun. I mean it makes the book go faster, but I can't really keep my mind on it. I received this book from netgalley.com in exchange for a review, and that's what I'm doing. I'll probably check out the second book in the series, however, in hopes that it will be more fun than this one. I think that's all I have to say. Thanks for reading!
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
September 12, 2013
I enjoyed this book, I liked that it was not the same kind of paranormal romance book I have read in the past, it is new and different. I really like Regan, she is independent and does not play the little victim. I like that the action starts right away within the first chapter. There is a lot of information to take in about the council, the exiles, Argo, the collectors but once you learn that then you follow along with the story without any difficulty. I love Colter right from the start, I can tell he is a strong, cocky, sexy man. I think Kaiden is fun and cute and what we find out about Colter and Kaiden later in the book was quite the surprise. It is crazy that each of them are cursed and what they are cursed with is terrible. I like that it is a mixture of action, them fighting against Argo, but then also showing Regan trying to be involved in normal college activities, and then certain characters fighting their attraction for each other. The author at times switches between different characters points of view, I enjoy this, I like hearing what the others involved think or feel about certain things that occur. The chemistry between Regan and Colter is so strong but they both go back and forth in denial. Towards the end the action gets revved up, something devastating occurs, and then I am saddened, I should be happy because what I have wanted all along looks like it is going to work out but instead something terrible is brewing from within one of the characters that is stopping anything good from happening and sure enough the end of the book clearly destroys any hope I had of a HEA during this book at least. I didn't realize when I agreed to read this story that it is a series because now I have to wait for the next book to find out what happens and I am not very patient lol. I hope it doesn't take too long for the next book to be available. Thanks Amy for the ARC
June 10, 2014
Firstly I want to thank Amy's PR team for kindly providing me with a copy of Retribution to read and review...
I love it when you find a book to read and then your so engrossed in the storyline you drop everything to complete it....yeah that was me with this...I finished it in one day, I couldn't put it down.
I love the thought of the soul collectors & the Exiles...oh and they are soooooo HOT
We have:
Collectors:
Finn ~ The older brother type who is headstrong
Devon ~ The youngest, keen trainer and loveable
Kaiden ~ The hot blonde surfer type...loves the ladies
Colter ~ The Dark, mysterious and absolutely domineering
Exiles
Agro ~ Ex council chairman, worst of his kind
The collectors work for the Requiem council.... bringing lost souls to the council for them to be judged..... Heaven or Hell?
After delivering their latest soul, these four are given a task like no other, to protect a woman from Agro, with little information as to why he wants to get his hands on Raegans soul before her time, the collectors are against time trying to figure it out, whilst protecting her and themselves...
Raegan has somehow got mixed up in all this mess, her character is a breath of fresh air, she is a strong and independent woman who has a mean and feisty side when needed.
You see Regan and Colter’s relationship grow as Regan life is thrown more into a world she is trying to understand.
Colter was confusing but I liked him, his whole demeanour in this changes from hot to cold.!
The chapters are set between multiple POV's, which as you know I looooovvveee!
This was a great read, not once did I feel a lull or boredom. The story line flows so well.
The ending though......I am totally BUMMED about the ending....I can't believe that, that character was one of the most loveable and enjoyable characters....I do hope they got their retribution and went to Heaven :)
I love it when you find a book to read and then your so engrossed in the storyline you drop everything to complete it....yeah that was me with this...I finished it in one day, I couldn't put it down.
I love the thought of the soul collectors & the Exiles...oh and they are soooooo HOT
We have:
Collectors:
Finn ~ The older brother type who is headstrong
Devon ~ The youngest, keen trainer and loveable
Kaiden ~ The hot blonde surfer type...loves the ladies
Colter ~ The Dark, mysterious and absolutely domineering
Exiles
Agro ~ Ex council chairman, worst of his kind
The collectors work for the Requiem council.... bringing lost souls to the council for them to be judged..... Heaven or Hell?
After delivering their latest soul, these four are given a task like no other, to protect a woman from Agro, with little information as to why he wants to get his hands on Raegans soul before her time, the collectors are against time trying to figure it out, whilst protecting her and themselves...
Raegan has somehow got mixed up in all this mess, her character is a breath of fresh air, she is a strong and independent woman who has a mean and feisty side when needed.
You see Regan and Colter’s relationship grow as Regan life is thrown more into a world she is trying to understand.
Colter was confusing but I liked him, his whole demeanour in this changes from hot to cold.!
The chapters are set between multiple POV's, which as you know I looooovvveee!
This was a great read, not once did I feel a lull or boredom. The story line flows so well.
The ending though......I am totally BUMMED about the ending....I can't believe that, that character was one of the most loveable and enjoyable characters....I do hope they got their retribution and went to Heaven :)
September 6, 2013
Reviewed by Inna @my link text">Inna's Little Bookshelves
*** I was given a copy of this book for review***
When I read the first chapter for this book I was really interested. The whole idea of Lost Souls wanting redemption and council members from heaven and hell arguing where a souls belongs is really awesome. This is perhaps the best part of the novel. The fact the plot is pretty original. Also playing on the whole out-there-plot we have a mystery that is pretty hard to figure out ans furthermore we have character turmoil and plenty of drama to make the plot of this novel interesting, fast paces and intense.
The characters is where i found this book a little difficult to get through. Mainly, our heroine,Regan. I liked her in some moments but in others I just wanted to shake the girl. She acted a but childish and immature at times and had her selfish moments. Now I'm not saying she was a total Mary Sue, but she made the situation worse for herself plenty of times. There were moments when I really liked her and then BOOM the girl goes and ruins it by saying or doing something really stupid.
Colter was confusing but I liked him. He certainly had his a**whole moments, but his background and what he went through really added depth to his character. I especially loved all the supporting characters. They were funny and made the story very realistic.
Overall this was a great read and the plot was amazing my only issue was with the heroine. However, I'm hoping our heroine will mature and that little detail will make the next book and amazing read.
*** I was given a copy of this book for review***
When I read the first chapter for this book I was really interested. The whole idea of Lost Souls wanting redemption and council members from heaven and hell arguing where a souls belongs is really awesome. This is perhaps the best part of the novel. The fact the plot is pretty original. Also playing on the whole out-there-plot we have a mystery that is pretty hard to figure out ans furthermore we have character turmoil and plenty of drama to make the plot of this novel interesting, fast paces and intense.
The characters is where i found this book a little difficult to get through. Mainly, our heroine,Regan. I liked her in some moments but in others I just wanted to shake the girl. She acted a but childish and immature at times and had her selfish moments. Now I'm not saying she was a total Mary Sue, but she made the situation worse for herself plenty of times. There were moments when I really liked her and then BOOM the girl goes and ruins it by saying or doing something really stupid.
Colter was confusing but I liked him. He certainly had his a**whole moments, but his background and what he went through really added depth to his character. I especially loved all the supporting characters. They were funny and made the story very realistic.
Overall this was a great read and the plot was amazing my only issue was with the heroine. However, I'm hoping our heroine will mature and that little detail will make the next book and amazing read.
September 30, 2013
Thank you to Amy Rachel Thompson for giving me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review.
When i first read the book description the concept of collectors and lost souls got my attention, paranormal books tend to be a lot alike lately so an original concept was definitely something i was craving for and i got exactly what i was looking for with that one!
I fell in love with the whole collectors group, they are all so different but likable at the same time...well ok maybe i wanted to give a good smack to some of them from time to time, but hey, nobody's perfect!
As for Reagan i have to admit i had a hard connecting with her at the beginning, she acted so childish sometimes that i started to think the girl had a death wish. I mean you almost got killed several times but still, your sneaking out like the worst that can happen to you is being grounded!
Also i really enjoyed the multiple POV through the story. In a lot of book the narrator is changing but when your reading you still feel like your reading from the same voice, everything seems the same but the author did it brilliantly and you can see throught the different characters eyes.
The cliffhanger at the end is killing me and i hope we won't have to wait too long for the next one. I'm definitely looking forward to it because it was a great debut novel so i'm pretty sure that the next will be even better!
So if you're looking at some new paranormal serie to get addicted to you're definitely looking at the right place. Give it a try to won't regret it.
When i first read the book description the concept of collectors and lost souls got my attention, paranormal books tend to be a lot alike lately so an original concept was definitely something i was craving for and i got exactly what i was looking for with that one!
I fell in love with the whole collectors group, they are all so different but likable at the same time...well ok maybe i wanted to give a good smack to some of them from time to time, but hey, nobody's perfect!
As for Reagan i have to admit i had a hard connecting with her at the beginning, she acted so childish sometimes that i started to think the girl had a death wish. I mean you almost got killed several times but still, your sneaking out like the worst that can happen to you is being grounded!
Also i really enjoyed the multiple POV through the story. In a lot of book the narrator is changing but when your reading you still feel like your reading from the same voice, everything seems the same but the author did it brilliantly and you can see throught the different characters eyes.
The cliffhanger at the end is killing me and i hope we won't have to wait too long for the next one. I'm definitely looking forward to it because it was a great debut novel so i'm pretty sure that the next will be even better!
So if you're looking at some new paranormal serie to get addicted to you're definitely looking at the right place. Give it a try to won't regret it.
September 25, 2013
**This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
I have to say that I felt a bit bipolar towards this book. The first chapter is so enticing and caught me instantly. Then the next chapters were about explanation of the Retribution and Lost Souls, Collectors and so on, that I got so confused, but tried to follow the lead. After a while it got very interesting, but then it got a little bit boring (maybe too much detail for me?). Towards the ends this book is AMAZING! I was very sad when . Nevertheless this is a book with a lot of feelings and hence... my bipolarity (?)
Some characters were great, others, not so much (like Colter, for example. When he wanted to be grumpy or angry, he just looked like a spoiled young adult with issues). But don't get me wrong, I LOVE COLTER HAYES, I understood his situation and cut him some slack! Finn was awesome as well as Kaiden and Devon! I had my issues with Regan though. But like with Colt, I understood her situation.
I so want to know more about this story. It was so interesting.
I'm so thankful that Amy was sweet and kind to let me know and read her debut novel!
I have to say that I felt a bit bipolar towards this book. The first chapter is so enticing and caught me instantly. Then the next chapters were about explanation of the Retribution and Lost Souls, Collectors and so on, that I got so confused, but tried to follow the lead. After a while it got very interesting, but then it got a little bit boring (maybe too much detail for me?). Towards the ends this book is AMAZING! I was very sad when . Nevertheless this is a book with a lot of feelings and hence... my bipolarity (?)
Some characters were great, others, not so much (like Colter, for example. When he wanted to be grumpy or angry, he just looked like a spoiled young adult with issues). But don't get me wrong, I LOVE COLTER HAYES, I understood his situation and cut him some slack! Finn was awesome as well as Kaiden and Devon! I had my issues with Regan though. But like with Colt, I understood her situation.
I so want to know more about this story. It was so interesting.
I'm so thankful that Amy was sweet and kind to let me know and read her debut novel!
September 30, 2013
Thank you to Amy Rachel Thompson for giving me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review.
When i first read the book description the concept of collectors and lost souls got my attention, paranormal books tend to be a lot alike lately so an original concept was definitely something i was craving for and i got exactly what i was looking for with that one!
I fell in love with the whole collectors group, they are all so different but likable at the same time...well ok maybe i wanted to give a good smack to some of them from time to time, but hey, nobody's perfect!
As for Reagan i have to admit i had a hard connecting with her at the beginning, she acted so childish sometimes that i started to think the girl had a death wish. I mean you almost got killed several times but still, your sneaking out like the worst that can happen to you is being grounded!
Also i really enjoyed the multiple POV through the story. In a lot of book the narrator is changing but when your reading you still feel like your reading from the same voice, everything seems the same but the author did it brilliantly and you can see throught the different characters eyes.
The cliffhanger at the end is killing me and i hope we won't have to wait too long for the next one. I'm definitely looking forward to it because it was a great debut novel so i'm pretty sure that the next will be even better!
So if you're looking at some new paranormal serie to get addicted to you're definitely looking at the right place. Give it a try to won't regret it.
When i first read the book description the concept of collectors and lost souls got my attention, paranormal books tend to be a lot alike lately so an original concept was definitely something i was craving for and i got exactly what i was looking for with that one!
I fell in love with the whole collectors group, they are all so different but likable at the same time...well ok maybe i wanted to give a good smack to some of them from time to time, but hey, nobody's perfect!
As for Reagan i have to admit i had a hard connecting with her at the beginning, she acted so childish sometimes that i started to think the girl had a death wish. I mean you almost got killed several times but still, your sneaking out like the worst that can happen to you is being grounded!
Also i really enjoyed the multiple POV through the story. In a lot of book the narrator is changing but when your reading you still feel like your reading from the same voice, everything seems the same but the author did it brilliantly and you can see throught the different characters eyes.
The cliffhanger at the end is killing me and i hope we won't have to wait too long for the next one. I'm definitely looking forward to it because it was a great debut novel so i'm pretty sure that the next will be even better!
So if you're looking at some new paranormal serie to get addicted to you're definitely looking at the right place. Give it a try to won't regret it.
June 10, 2014
While Retribution certainly has an interesting idea behind it, I found the execution to be a little off. My first problem was that this story is meant to be set in first person present, which is extremely hard to write well and kind of awkward and confusing when the story is told from multiple POVs, but there are a number of jarring slips into third person which disrupt the flow of the story.
My second problem is with the main character, Regan. I hate her. I just flat hate her. Reading the parts of the story through her point of view was an awful experience. She has this ridiculous inner monologue which constantly interrupts the story, in which she basically repeats things over and over again, blatantly stating information which has already been delivered through the narrative. I found it highly annoying.
I liked the other characters well enough, with sweet and soft spoken Devon being my favorite even though he didn't get a lot of page time. Colter is very intense and has the bad boy sort of thing going on. Kaiden is cocky and funny. Finn was a bit flat in my opinion, but he was all right. Agro was really slimy and horrible. He's a villain through and through, with no redeemable qualities at all and for this story that works.
The story itself is unique in many ways, and I found the idea of the guys being cursed throughout multiple lifetimes interesting. But so many things were wrong with the book that I had a hard time enjoying it. Maybe I would feel differently if Regan hadn't been so annoying, but as it stands this is a two star book for me.
My second problem is with the main character, Regan. I hate her. I just flat hate her. Reading the parts of the story through her point of view was an awful experience. She has this ridiculous inner monologue which constantly interrupts the story, in which she basically repeats things over and over again, blatantly stating information which has already been delivered through the narrative. I found it highly annoying.
I liked the other characters well enough, with sweet and soft spoken Devon being my favorite even though he didn't get a lot of page time. Colter is very intense and has the bad boy sort of thing going on. Kaiden is cocky and funny. Finn was a bit flat in my opinion, but he was all right. Agro was really slimy and horrible. He's a villain through and through, with no redeemable qualities at all and for this story that works.
The story itself is unique in many ways, and I found the idea of the guys being cursed throughout multiple lifetimes interesting. But so many things were wrong with the book that I had a hard time enjoying it. Maybe I would feel differently if Regan hadn't been so annoying, but as it stands this is a two star book for me.
January 18, 2015
***I got Retribution from Netgalley for exchange of a fair review***
OK ... where do I start? I really did not like this book.I had high hopes for it! I love the cover and the title, but it did not work for me. Did not work at all that I could not finish it.
There was too much information thrown at us at the beginning, all at once. But the thing is that it didn't stop there, on every page I read there was another explanation about the Collectors, the Exiles, Agro, the Council,the souls, it was so confusing, I was like STOP PLEASE!
This is also another book about a girl going to college very far from home to start another new and happy life to leave behind her miserable past; you know, this kind of story is getting old. Anyway She got attacked by Agro's exiles, right? her life was in extreme danger! Oh God someone help her! And that is when the Collectors, Colter and the other dudes, came to the rescue. While they were all fighting to save Reagan's life, she stood there and she said that all she felt when she saw Colter was lust! Yes! she was about to die and she was thinking about to have a good time with Colter.
Another thing that bothered me a lot is that Reagan said all the time: "Wait, what?" That was so annoying!
After that fight she took the Collector to her dorm, wrong! you do not take strangers to your dorm! Colter was an ass all the time, mean, rude to Reagan. If the Author's intention was to create a sexy tough guy she did it wrong. Being mean, rude and ass to a girl or anyone does not mean to be tough.
OK ... where do I start? I really did not like this book.I had high hopes for it! I love the cover and the title, but it did not work for me. Did not work at all that I could not finish it.
There was too much information thrown at us at the beginning, all at once. But the thing is that it didn't stop there, on every page I read there was another explanation about the Collectors, the Exiles, Agro, the Council,the souls, it was so confusing, I was like STOP PLEASE!
This is also another book about a girl going to college very far from home to start another new and happy life to leave behind her miserable past; you know, this kind of story is getting old. Anyway She got attacked by Agro's exiles, right? her life was in extreme danger! Oh God someone help her! And that is when the Collectors, Colter and the other dudes, came to the rescue. While they were all fighting to save Reagan's life, she stood there and she said that all she felt when she saw Colter was lust! Yes! she was about to die and she was thinking about to have a good time with Colter.
Another thing that bothered me a lot is that Reagan said all the time: "Wait, what?" That was so annoying!
After that fight she took the Collector to her dorm, wrong! you do not take strangers to your dorm! Colter was an ass all the time, mean, rude to Reagan. If the Author's intention was to create a sexy tough guy she did it wrong. Being mean, rude and ass to a girl or anyone does not mean to be tough.
February 9, 2014
I am giving Retribution 4.5 stars! I really enjoyed this book. I think it is an excellent beginning for this series. I honestly didn't want the story to end. I will definitely be reading book two.
Regan is just starting out at college. She is finally going to start a new life for herself, but an unexpected attack changes everything.
Colter is a collector who helps to protect lost souls. He is accompanied by Finn, Devon and Kaiden who are also working towards possible redemption. They have been sent to protect Regan from an ex-council member, who is the one that passed retribution against them.
I couldn't help but fall for Colter, even though he was moody and even cruel at times. As the story progressed I began to understand his behavior and the torment he had endured. I have a soft spot for tortured souls, especially hot ones.
I also loved each of the guys in the story. Who wouldn't want to be guarded by 4 handsome guys who each had their own charming qualities? Devon is sweet and the youngest of the collectors. Finn is the older fatherly type. Kaiden is the silly, fun loving guy. Then of course we have the brooding Colter. *sigh
I found Retribution to be quite an addicting story. The concept of having collectors to protect the lost souls was brilliant. Totally different than any of the books I have read to date. Action, mystery and did I mention hot guys? Great book!
Regan is just starting out at college. She is finally going to start a new life for herself, but an unexpected attack changes everything.
Colter is a collector who helps to protect lost souls. He is accompanied by Finn, Devon and Kaiden who are also working towards possible redemption. They have been sent to protect Regan from an ex-council member, who is the one that passed retribution against them.
I couldn't help but fall for Colter, even though he was moody and even cruel at times. As the story progressed I began to understand his behavior and the torment he had endured. I have a soft spot for tortured souls, especially hot ones.
I also loved each of the guys in the story. Who wouldn't want to be guarded by 4 handsome guys who each had their own charming qualities? Devon is sweet and the youngest of the collectors. Finn is the older fatherly type. Kaiden is the silly, fun loving guy. Then of course we have the brooding Colter. *sigh
I found Retribution to be quite an addicting story. The concept of having collectors to protect the lost souls was brilliant. Totally different than any of the books I have read to date. Action, mystery and did I mention hot guys? Great book!
January 23, 2014
I liked the story line. I found it inventive and engaging, so much so that I read the entire book in one evening. I am likely not the target demographic (40 something). Although I enjoy Young Adult and New Adult fiction, something about the college student antics would probably play better with a younger person. On the whole, though, I really liked the characters and their relationships. There were certain sections that I feel could have been fleshed out more smoothly, especially transitions from one activity to a later activity. Sometimes it just wasn't clear and I had to re-read a section.
I have to mention that there are many editing issues in this book. Although I tend to be pretty sensitive to such things, I was interested enough in the story to get past them, but they did make the reading a bit bumpy at times. I tend to want to give a new writer a break with such things; hopefully her next effort will show improvement in this area.
All in all, I honestly am anxious to read the next book in the series.
**I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my impartial and honest review. However, I did buy the book after I read it. This author deserves to be paid for her work and I want to encourage her future efforts.**
I have to mention that there are many editing issues in this book. Although I tend to be pretty sensitive to such things, I was interested enough in the story to get past them, but they did make the reading a bit bumpy at times. I tend to want to give a new writer a break with such things; hopefully her next effort will show improvement in this area.
All in all, I honestly am anxious to read the next book in the series.
**I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my impartial and honest review. However, I did buy the book after I read it. This author deserves to be paid for her work and I want to encourage her future efforts.**
May 6, 2014
Did not finish at 106 pages
I just can't emphasise enough how badly this book was written. There's always a bit of leeway you have to give to ARCs, because they're not always the final draft before publishing. But there's a difference between the odd typo and grammatical mistakes littered throughout. Lowercase letters where there shouldn't be, commas randomly placed but never where they're needed, and the inconsistency in tense. It just drove me nuts to read it.
Not only that, but the characters are very shallowly drawn, and were just quite annoying.
But what made me finally quit the book was the slut-shaming. It was bad enough when she assumed he was calling her 'slutty' because of his criticism of her outfit, but then she called the person Colter danced with a 'whore' and let off a complete rant about how much classier she was than this girl, though she was doing the exact same thing. It just disgusted me too much to continue.
There's potential with the story, but the premise wasn't explained very well, and I was getting bored with it.
I wouldn't recommend this book. Obviously, take my review with a pinch of salt because I didn't finish it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this book.
I just can't emphasise enough how badly this book was written. There's always a bit of leeway you have to give to ARCs, because they're not always the final draft before publishing. But there's a difference between the odd typo and grammatical mistakes littered throughout. Lowercase letters where there shouldn't be, commas randomly placed but never where they're needed, and the inconsistency in tense. It just drove me nuts to read it.
Not only that, but the characters are very shallowly drawn, and were just quite annoying.
But what made me finally quit the book was the slut-shaming. It was bad enough when she assumed he was calling her 'slutty' because of his criticism of her outfit, but then she called the person Colter danced with a 'whore' and let off a complete rant about how much classier she was than this girl, though she was doing the exact same thing. It just disgusted me too much to continue.
There's potential with the story, but the premise wasn't explained very well, and I was getting bored with it.
I wouldn't recommend this book. Obviously, take my review with a pinch of salt because I didn't finish it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this book.
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