Twisted

Deathwind Trilogy #1

by Holly Hook

This novel will be released on December 15, 2013.

Sixteen-year-old Allie isn’t like other girls. Instead of spending her summer break sitting around on the beach, she takes the epic vacation of a lifetime.

Tornado chasing.

And she’s not disappointed. Just a few miles from the town of Evansburg, Nebraska, Allie meets her dream of seeing a tornado. In person. She can’t wait to tell her friends back home. Never mind that her parents are going to kill her.

But her dream soon turns into a nightmare, and a strange event leaves her shocked. Confused. When she returns home to Wisconsin, something’s…different. Allie now bears a curse so awful, it could destroy everyone and everything she’s ever known.

With her best friend, Tommy, Allie must return to the plains to find a way to reverse it. She enters a world that she had never imagined, where she becomes a pawn in a fight to save the people of Evansburg from her fate…or to destroy them.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

ebook

First published December 1, 2013

About the author

Holly Hook is the author of the Destroyers Series, which consists of five young adult books about teens who are walking disasters...literally. She is also the author of the Rita Morse series, a young adult fantasy series still in progress, and After These Messages, a short ya comedy. Currently she is writing Twisted, a spin-off of the Destroyers Series due out in December. When not writing, she enjoys reading books for teens, especially ya fantasy and paranormal series with a unique twist.

Reviews

[megHan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. The whole storyline and concept was new and interesting. Using weather as a character is very creative. It was also exciting, from the very beginning - the description of the tornadoes was intense. The adventure that she takes afterwards is the same way. Definitely a fun read.

Note: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Claire Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisted by Holly Hook - review for Xpresso Book Tours plus WIN a kindle fire!
Publication date: 30th November 2014
 
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
ASIN: B00QFLB9ZI
 
Synopsis:
When 16 year old Allie goes on the trip of her life--storm chasing--she gets more than she ever bargained for. A supernatural experience leaves her changed forever, and when she gets home, she learns that she now bears a horrible curse. Every time a thunderstorm arrives where she's at, she turns into a tornado. Unable to control her actions and unable to hold the transformations back, she must find a way to get rid of her new affliction before she ends up killing someone--and that could end up being her parents, her neighbors, or her best friend, Tommy.
Allie must return to the plains to find those who did this to her and to find a cure. She enters a world she never knew existed, where others share her curse. Unfortunately, it turns out Allie has some unique abilities of her own that others are willing to use for their own evil purposes, and soon she finds herself caught up in a struggle for the lives of hundreds. Allie's quest to save herself is only the start of her adventure.
Twisted is the first book of the Deathwind Trilogy, a new young adult and teen paranormal romance series. The second book, Torn, is also available. Book Three of the Deathwind Trilogy, Unleashed, will be released on August 1, 2015.
 
My review:
I really like Allie; she's not typical of the teenage girls that tend to feature in books for young adults. She's neither a girly girl nor a total tomboy, she is entirely average, normal (whatever that is!)  She defies her parents and heads off onto the plains with her uncle to chase tornados, something she's wanted to do for a long time. This shows defiant determination and reveals how stubborn she can be.
 
When her life is transformed by her otherworldy experience, she sets out to rid herself of the curse, to stop herself being a danger to those she holds dear. What follows is a fast-paced race against time to beat the dreaded Deathwind. Confused? All will become clear when you read Twisted.
 
This book will appeal to adults young and not so young - it's an explosive rollercoaster ride into the eye of the hurricane. You'd better hold on tight!
 
This book is part of Holly Hook's Very Scary 10,000 Sales Challenge! For details and for a chance to win a Kindle Fire, see this page: https://hollyannehook.wordpress.com/i...
 
Find it on Goodreads
Buy it on Amazon UK  Amazon US
 
 

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was part of a set from Amazon that was Paranormal Fantasy novels and I have to say this is probably one of the strangest "paranormal" books I've ever read. People get turned into tornadoes. At first I was like 'ok, it's a little strange, but we'll see what happens', but after about the half-way point I kinda didn't care what happened because it got weirder and the main character became very "I'm a helpless girl" and I hate that crap. This is the beginning of a series and I have no intention of even remotely picking up the rest of the books to see how it turns out.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Allie has had a dream for most of her life and that dream is to chase tornadoes. So at the age of sixteen her uncle takes her on the best vacation of her life during the summer break from school. Allie knows when she gets home that her parents is going to be very upset with her for not telling them the truth about her vacation.

She is having the time of her life chasing tornadoes until something very bad goes wrong. The tornado that they are chasing turns and comes right toward them. After it is all over and she finds out that her and her uncle is fine that they both made it out of the tornado alive with no scratches anywhere on them. Allie is pretty shaking up after seeing the tornado and after everything that she went through she is not as intrigued by tornadoes as she was before. After seeing the tornado Allie’s life is forever changed and her life will never be the same again.

Without her meaning for it to happen; her best friend Tommy witnesses the change that seeing the tornado did to her. She didn’t have any control over what was happening to her because she didn’t know or understand it. She hated what she had become and would give anything to change it. But Tommy sticks right beside her and helps her with the change when it happens in any form possible.

Allie is one tough girl to go through what she did and stay sane. I don’t know if many people could if it happened to them. But there was a lot of people who got to find out before it was over. Tommy was a very good friend to Allie and cared for her very much to stick by her like he did. There are not many young men in this world who would have done what he did or could be the friend he was.

Twisted will take you on a mind blowing ride of your life that will knock you on your rear end and leave you wanting more of the same. I have never in my life read a book quiet like Twisted before. I loved the new concept of the story line. It was out of this world and it will take you from one end to the other and you will be flipping the pages so fast that they will be blown right out of your hands. Twisted is another one of those books that there is no way you can pass it up. I think you need to go out right now and pick up your own copy. Cause trust me you will not regret it at all. You will fall in love with not just the characters but the story itself. It is one amazing books that will stick with you long after you have turned that last page. This is one trilogy that I am looking forward to the next book.

[Angelina · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I received the eBook free as a review copy through Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review***

Wow, I absolutely loved this book! It is action-packed and amazing.

This book revolves around a girl called Allie, who was always fascinated with tornadoes and storms. One day Allie and her uncle sneaked away from her parents and went tornado chasing. Now, Allie has a curse that makes her dangerous and a monster she never wanted to be.

This book immediately pulls you into the story. The first chapter was already full of action which leaves no place for boredom to take place. The world building was excellently done. You don't feel overwhelmed with new information because it was introduced gradually and the concept wasn't complicated.

The characters were really diverse and the reader could feel like they connect with them. Allie was very likable. She is interested in storms and her parents always try to change her interests. There were several parts in the book when I felt sorry for her, she has to suffer through the consequences of her actions and make tough decisions. Is there a real "right" decision and stuff like that. Bethany was really annoying. She is just completely judgmental and seems like wimpy girl, which frustrated me while I was reading about her. Even the villain was crafted very well. When she revealed her reasons, as almost all villains do, I could understand them and I even felt sorry for her.

I loved the way the story was written. I never got bored reading it and I always wanted to know what will happen next.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. It was amazing and I really recommend it to people who like action and fantasy. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars!

[Courtney LaSalle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twisted
By Holly Hook
★☆.5

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Twisted is a very unique and different YA book
Not your stereotypical vampire/werewolf romance novel.
I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it
Just didn't do it for me.

First my cons
Character development, first I didnt like any of the characters. Not a single one of them were interesting to me. Even Allie our main character was flat and had no life to her. I think I liked Tommy best and believe me thats not saying much.

The execution of this book. At times there were way too many pointless details other times when you needed details there just werent enough. I was either bored or confused.

Pros
I like the idea of this novel. I like that it is different from your typical YA. It was new and refreshing


I really wanted to like this book and I will try to read the next book. I feel sometimes authors have problems with the first book in a series because your introducing the concept, characters, and giving a backstory/story just trying to cram everything into 204 pages. So hopefully thats whats wrong with this book and book 2 will redeem itself

[Ren nerdychampagne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

3.5/5

I NEED THE SECOND BOOK SO BADLY.

AND I AM SHIPPING TOMMY AND ALLIE FOREVER. DORIAN CAN SCOOCH A MOOCH.

THIS BOOK IS VERY TRAUMATIC. I'M DYING I NEED THE SECOND BOOK.

This book in one word: Twisted.

[Onna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Made it to chapter 7. I have REALLY got to start reading the descriptions of books before I buy them. 🤦🏼‍♀️

[Chanin Malley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Netgalley in return for a honest review.
I'm giving this book a 3.5/5 stars for many reason which I shall talk about below. My Pros of this book are the action scenes, the imagery, and the plot, because each was fascinating in their own way. The way the author described parts of the book had me at times on the edge of my seat and at others feeling the same fear that the main character had in regards to her turning into a tornado. I don’t think this book would have been any good if wasn't for the profound imagery used in the book. For example "It looks like a dust storm descending from the sky with swirling demons inside, waiting to devour all living in their way." Honestly when I read this sentence it gave me the chills, so props to the author because I absolutely cannot say enough how much the imagery resonated with me. She certainly has a way with words. I also enjoyed the plot ,as it was extremely original in my opinion as I have certainly never heard of or read a book in which a person could transform into a tornado much less against their will. I enjoyed the Old Outbreakers and kind of want to know even more about them more about the different characters that we dealt with. The whole Deathwind thing was also unexpected and the more I learned about the Deathwind and the potential issues that came along with it the more I slowly but steadily became sick of the main character.
The cons are the main character, the "evil" character, and the end. The reason I put the main character as a con? She went from being really interesting (I mean tornado chaser, that’s pretty cool!) to becoming a whiny and selfish person. I felt she was whiny and selfish when she was all but threw Bethany to the Deathwind for very superficial reasons in my opinion. I mean yes the girl abandoned you when you needed her but that’s who you decide to sacrifice to the Deathwind someone who if she does get turned will definitely blame you and cause issues later? Then she became annoying when she kept saying anyone but my family I mean faced with the world practically on your shoulders I don’t think she had the right to be mad at her uncle for sacrificing some to save them all. Especially when sacrificing consisted of just turning them into New Outbreakers and if a whole bunch of Outbreakers are together Nobody hurts anyone right? It just seemed like she shouldn’t have been so “you can have anybody but not these couple of people” near the end. I put the evil character in the con list because I didn’t like that I went from hating the evil character to feeling sorry for her. It seemed like in the end she wasn’t a bad person, she was just a person with flaws. So for an evil character it was hard to classify her as one, though you certainly start out thinking that way. I didn’t like the end because I felt there was a lot unresolved which I guess could be solved in the upcoming book as it’s a trilogy. All in All I did enjoy this book, I just wish I liked the main character more and hated the evil character more which was hard to do in this book. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a different sort of paranormal book and for anyone who really likes tornados.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review**

When 16 year old Allie saves all her money for the trip of a lifetime, she never thought she’d come back changed forever! Allie has a love for storms – tornadoes to be exact. She loves the way they turn and twirl – move over the ground like a lethal ballerina dancing over the ground and buildings with impressive force. But when her trip with her Uncle Cassius on a storm chasing tour goes from exciting to horrifying in less than a minute, she will never forget what a tornado looks like…because she gets one slammed into her chest by a mysterious woman during her trip. But when she wakes up, she is back with her uncle and tour guide – and the van they were driving in that is wrapped around a tree.

As the questions swirl in her head, she feels different somehow – wondering if her experience with the woman and the cyclone that ripped into her body was just a horrible panic induced dream. When she arrives back home, she has no one to talk to about her experience as he parent ground her from talking to her uncle and banished to her room for the rest of her life. So when her parents decide she needs some other “hobbies”, they put her to work at a family friends “Open house” for their daughter that is graduating high school – who of course thinks Allie is “weird”, so it’s a completely mortifying experience for her. When her two best friends Tommy and Bethany come by, she spills her story, leaving out the part about the mysterious woman. Within a few minutes, all hell breaks loose and Allie is right at the center of it. Her friends watch in horror as she actually TURNS INTO a tornado.

From that moment, Allie knows it was all real and she vows to get to the bottom of what happen to her. With Tommy’s help, she travels back to where she was turned, and finds out that she isn't the only one of her kind – she meets Dorian during her second turning, which she later finds out is called an outbreak – and during their outbreak, then actually merge and become a super tornado. Along with the other “Outbreakers” as they are called, she has to get to the bottom of this horrible curse that has been thrust upon her.

Throughout the story, Allie tries to stay strong and selfless – she doesn't want to hurt anyone or even their property. But her character is a little flat – she is predictable and likes to take the “safe” route, which is not easy when you literally turn into a tornado during storms that are attracted to you. And then there is the attached she feels for Dorian – it’s there, but it’s not. They never really put their feelings out there – and along comes Tommy who all of a sudden he has feelings for her. It was a little bit confusing, especially since she lets Tommy kiss her and she seems to enjoy it, but yet she is constantly thinking/ having dreams about Dorian. All in all, it was an enjoyable story, and I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book. Very nice change from all the vampires, angels, mermaids, etc!

[Anna McC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Holly Hook has done it again with an action packed introduction to her new Deathwind series. The author managed to immediately grab my attention by diving straight into this novels drama filled plot. This is a fast paced book which doesn’t slow down – not even on the very last page. Holly Hook has an amazing gift which allows her to keep the reader on the edge of their seat throughout. This book is full of action, suspense, betrayal and drama. The author has done a brilliant job of making this novels plot move seamlessly.

Allie is a normal teenage girl apart from her slight quirk. She loves tornadoes! During her holiday instead of spending her time at the beach with other girls her age, her uncle takes her tornado chasing. Although all seems well at the beginning of the chase Allie’s life is about to be turned upside down. After a tornado hits their truck Allie wakes up in a foreign barn with the sound of peoples voices surrounding her. Allie later awakens again only to find out she has become the very thing she has spent her whole life fascinated with. Throughout this novel Allie is faced with her uncles repeated betrayals, the reason she was turned and the discovery she is not alone in her new life. During this book there were small hints of a love triangle between Allie, Tommy her best friend and Dorian another out breaker who Allie appears to have a connection with. Although there seems to be a love triangle it is not evident as that is not what the book was about. This novel is purely about Allie herself and the new life she is forced into. The only criticism I have for this book is although there is mention of a connection being formed between Dorian and Allie very little is mentioned about it. I would have liked to have seen more reason behind it and a bigger reaction to it.

Allie was an easy character to like she had to deal with large changes in a short space of time and her uncles constant betrayals. Both Tommy and Dorian were great characters in my opinion, some parts of their personalities were quite similar. This meant if you liked one chances are you would like the other.

Overall this was a fast paced book which I enjoyed apart from one small thing. This was a fantastic start to a new series and if you likes Holly Hook’s other books you will love this one as well. I would definitely recommend people try this books as soon as it is released.

[Megan’s Endless Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Plot. The idea for this book seemed really unique and interesting. This definitely wasn’t the normal paranormal story. It was an interesting direction that the author seemed to head toward and for the most part she pulled it off.

There were several parts that seemed a little weird in the way they were written. Allie didn’t seem really close with her parents and was in good conscious able to tell them a major lie. Yet the author doesn’t really explain this in any detail and Allie seems to really care about them. Also, there were several scenes in the book that didn’t really seem to fit. It was like they were in the middle of an important part in the plot, and all of a sudden the scene changed and so did the direction of the story. These little inconsistencies made this book a weird read.

Allie. For the most part, Allie was a character that fit well with the book. She didn’t seem to have a lot of emotions or they weren’t really apart of the book and added nothing to the story. I also didn’t like how the author seemed to flip flop in Allie’s actions. Atone point I thought that she was on her uncle’s team, and then in the next chapter she was commenting on how much she hated him. Reading the book from her point of view made the book challenging to understand.

Other Characters. Allie’s parents and Uncle were an interesting addition to the story. In the beginning, it seems like her uncle really cares for her and her safety, and then all of a sudden he’s consorting with the “bad” guys. He also seemed to not really know his own mind and was willing to lie his way through any situation. I am still confused on what type of character he is.

Allie’s parents really got on my nerves because when Allie interacted with them she seemed to not really care for them. They seemed really loud and obnoxious throughout the book. It was also weird how Allie was in another state and their was no check-ins with her to see if she was safe, but when she got home they did the “concerned parent” act. Allie seemed to hate them when she was with them and miss them when she was away from them. It was a weird relationship dynamic and It still confuses me.

The End. I did like the cliff-hanger at the end of the book but I felt that it really dropped off in a irregular place. It was a nice closing to this book and it will be interesting to see where the author will take it in the next book.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisted is a young adult novel with a paranormal twist. Ha! Get it? Ok, bad puns aside, I have to admit I was curious and fascinated by the synopsis of this book. It brought back memories of watching Twister in 8th grade earth science and me wanting to be a storm chaser...or an actor who pretends to chase storms. Either one worked for me at the time.

Anyway, after reading Twisted, I was quite pleasantly surprised by how awesome it was. Not only did I get sucked into the story, but I rather enjoyed the whirlwind adventure I was taken on while reading it. (Okay, okay, no more tornado puns. I promise!)

Allie, the main character, decides to go against her parents and takes a vacation with her uncle to the Midwest to chase storms. It's exciting and thrilling...and a complete disaster. When what seems like an everyday, run-of-the-mill tornado takes an unexpected turn, Allie, her uncle, and their guide must flee for their lives. Unfortunately for them, this tornado seems to have a mind of its own. And that's not even the strangest part!

Now stuck with an awful curse, Allie must face the fact that she becomes an actual tornado every single time it storms. Unable to control herself, and unwilling to harm her friends and family, she leaves, setting out on a journey to discover the truth.

Will she learn to control her power? Will she find out what, or who, exactly, cursed her? Or will she destroy everything and everyone she loves? You'll have to read it to find out!

As I stated before, I really enjoyed Twisted. The story starts off with a bang and doesn't let up until the very end. There are a few twists and turns throughout the story, which makes the plot all the more exciting. It's fast-paced, thrilling, and will leave you dizzy and breathless.

Character-wise, I thought everyone was pretty well developed. Allie is a likeable character who reminded me of a typical, mildly rebellious teenager. Her friend Tommy is also a very likeable character. He's supportive and sticks with Allie, even when everything is spiraling out of control.

There are quite a few other characters who are very un-likeable, even if they have what seems like good intentions. I don't really want to spoil too much, so I won't say anything more.

Overall, Twisted is a unique, fun read, and I highly recommend it. I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy! Four stars!

[Tiffany (BookAndCoffeeAddict) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have one word for you: were-tornado.

Yes, you read that right; the main character of Twisted gets turned into a were-tornado – a person who, under the right circumstances (in this case, anytime she finds herself in a storm), transforms into a tornado. Needless to say, this book is a little weird, but weird in that wonderful, unique, and wholly original way – and I loved it!

The creative, imaginative plotline had me hooked from the beginning – storm-chasing teen gets turned into a force of nature herself? Yes please! The main character is named Allie which I think is funny because of the colloquial term “Tornado Alley” for the area of the U.S. where tornados are most common – she’s “Tornado Allie”. Very cute. Allie faces some tough choices in this book, some for which there are no good choices, just less bad – and she has to live with the results. I’ve never thought “What would it be like if a tornado had feelings or a conscience? What if the tornado felt bad about all the destruction left in its path, but had no other choice?”, but now I know the answer and it’s kind of sad, never thought I’d feel sympathy for a tornado before.

I loved Twisted from beginning to end. That’s not say that there weren’t a few little things that bugged me. The first was the presence of a love-triangle between the main character, her male best friend since forever who sticks by her, and a new boy she meets while trying to get some answers about her new circumstances (he understands what she’s going through in a way that best friend boy just can’t) – I pretty much dislike all love-triangles, so this is nothing against this book in particular, just a bit of a pet peeve of mine. The second thing is I was left with some questions that I felt the book kind of left hanging, but I guess that’s why it’s a series huh? I’ll have to read the other books in the Deathwind series and see if all my questions are answered.

I really enjoyed Twisted. It’s so different than other YA paranormal books out there and I definitely think it’s worth a read on that alone. I absolutely want to read the other books in The Deathwind series and I would definitely read other books by the same author.

*I received a copy of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.

[Chocolit Chick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah, yes. Another new year has arrived enabling the Choc-o-Lit Chick the opportunity to review, reflect, and resolve. But within hours I find rather imaginative ways to break those resolutions; for example, the ever-popular weight loss challenge is hosed by brushing the confetti off a swirled lollipop from last night’s New Year’s Eve party and finishing the sweet confection for breakfast. This is the method I employed upon approaching another YA supernatural title, Twisted, by Holly Hook. Thankfully, there was enough novelty in the story to keep my attention fixed.

Ms. Hook employs many of the same techniques we find in the YA genre today: a plucky, young female protagonist; possesses a unique personality (she’s a thrill seeker!); two delectable young men vie for our heroine’s love! The novel begins immediately with Allie caught up, literally, in her first storm. Kudos to the author for sucking the reader into the vortex of the plot from page one. (Haha, get it? It’s punny!) Allie’s voice is quirky and realistic for a teen and her BFF/possible love #1, Tommy, also shows a lot of courage, shuttling Allie across the flat plains of Nebraska looking for answers. An interesting aspect of the storyline is the fact that Allie’s best gal pal is immediately cut from the action—don’t worry, she doesn’t die—only making a brief appearance at the end, therefore forgoing much of the drama one languishes through in reading many YA novels that are girl-centric.

Once again, this is an entertaining YA read with a refreshing plot, but the author doesn’t spend enough time delving into the personalities and relationships between the characters, especially the main character. Allie is obviously close with her Uncle Cassius because…? Allie is consumed with storm chasing because…?There’s an immediate shift in Allie’s relationship with Tommy…he’s my BFF, wait, I think this Nebraska boy is hot, wait, I’ll make out with Tommy at the convenience store…wait, what?

Despite these shortcomings, sitting down and licking through the pages of Twisted really was a good way to start my new year.

[Lissette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Allie isn't your everyday teenager. A self-professed thrill seeker, she's decided to spend her summer doing something quite unexpected. Though she's never chased tornadoes before, she's definitely up to the task. With her uncle and trusted guide by her side, she knows she's safe in their hands. Until the moment their adventure takes an unexpected turn. It's then that everything changes.

Waking up to find herself in a strange place, Allie isn't sure as to what to make of things. She doesn't remember how she got there, nor does she know what's happened to the others. Her fractured dreams have made her question the world around her, leaving her in a state of limbo. To make things worse, the unexpected storms seem to be gathering on the horizon, headed straight for her.

Unable to make sense of what's going on, Allie does the only thing she can. She runs. She now knows she's different, and the only way to save herself and those around her is to put as much distance between herself and them. Granted, that's not the best of ideas, but it's the only one she's got going for her, then and there.

As the secrets of her new existence surface, Allie soon realizes there's more to things than meets the eye. The one person she never thought would always have her back has been keeping things from her. The kicker? He's supposed to protect her, at all costs. Determined to put a stop to the ensuing chaos, she puts her trust in those she knows she shouldn't. It's the only way to stop the coming storm. The question is, will she retain who and what she is when all is said and done?

Twisted . . . Where to begin? Holly's awesome story hooks you in from the very beginning. The nonstop action tosses you through so many twists and turns that you soon start wondering whether things actually happened. We meet Allie, footloose and fancy-free, living for the thrill of the moment. Holly has created a character that although she's unsure of what's going on, at first, she's still willing to turn things around. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing as to whether she reaches her goal. Will the Deathwind be stopped, once and for all, I wonder?

[Les Chroniques Aléatoires · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book that I read in English, the comprehension was sometimes difficult, in particular at the time as the descriptions but that remains accessible when our English is rather good. Long life to the dictionary, especially for the tornadoes lexical…

A book that make me discovered the writter, but also a different type of Young Adult books. Holly Hook approaches a topic not really use in France, that makes the reader immediately curious. Here, the stereotype of the werewolf and the vampire doesn't hold any place, which makes the writter's style unique.

Allie is a young girl who have nothing similar to the other girls. Fascinated by the tornadoes, she decides to play the tornadoes's huntress with her uncle Cassius, but at one of these huntings, nothing ends like it was envisaged. That day completely changed the Allie's life. In spite of herself, she found that she have to assume the gift to create tornadoes. Not only to create them, she become the tornadoes. Moreover, the others Outbreaker, those who releases the tornadoes, exist. Then she will seek the answers before she destroy all on her passage.

Holly Hook involves us in a frantic rythm, the reader feels grabbed by all these events that proceed at high speed. We aren't annoy at any moment. Each chapter plunges us a little more in the distress. The intensity is more present at the time as of descriptions of the tornadoes. This rhythm is elsewhere destabilizing and one would like sometimes a time of pause in the reading. The narration is concentrated too much on action and not enough on the characters. They have a personality which isn't enough developed and that is more or less the same one for each character. The story is interesting but the characters seem to be observers. We can only think that the book isn't long enough, that we'ld have like more of it, the writter could have had gave more importance to the characters.

In the end, this is an interesting book but we would have liked more implication in the characters. I will undoubtedly read the continuation because I appreciated this reading of a different kind.

[Cindy Bidwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisted by Holly Hook has a lot going for it. The execution of this, as a series has been well thought out and I can visualise how it will unfold as the additional titles are revealed. I do not mean to suggest that the story line is predictable — it’s not — but I can see that, despite this being a full length, stand alone novel, there remains plenty of plot left to engage a fan of the Paranormal YA genre.

This novel does not end on a cliff hanger. It ended, as a series instalment should, with all the current details, issues and conflicts finalised, and the future trajectory of the characters and their story available for the reader to speculate on. A brilliant and clever way to keep those who enjoyed the story, coming back for episode 2.

Holly Hook demonstrated an innate ability to visually describe the impossible. It takes talent to take a supernatural metamorphosis and portray it effectively to the audience’s imagination without the benefit of graphics. I particularly enjoyed Allie’s first transition scene.

The pacing matched the events that were described in a linear order but there were occasions were the action came across as disjointed. This was not helped by what I felt were a few errors within the story structure. I would be interested to learn if others noted these discrepancies or whether I just misunderstood or completely missed some important paragraphs.

I felt the characters, even the heroes and heroines were not overly likeable, but that did not detract too much from the story as it was obvious they had a lot to cope with. There were some circumstances that did not ring true with regard to the family dynamics. Perhaps a greater focus on the relationships and the character interactions and interpersonal responses will feature more in later books.

Overall, Twisted has great concept and Holly Hook has laid the groundwork for a potentially awesome paranormal series. An author to watch

Rating 3.5+ Stars


Disclaimer:

I obtained a copy of the novel from Xpresso Tours with a view to providing an honest review. The thoughts expressed above, are entirely my own.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows around Allie, a sixteen year old who is obsessed with storms. She has loved watching bad weather ever since she saw her first bad thunderstorm at the age of ten. She saves her money to go on a tornado watching tour with her Uncle. When the something on the trip goes horribly wrong, Allie knows something happened to her but can’t explain what. Then when helping out at an open house with her two best friends, she finds out something horrible happened that will change her life. I really liked Allie. She had so much change happen at once and she took it all in a way that I would expect someone to.

Her friend Tommy, who was probably my favorite character, takes her back to the place it all started to try and figure out what has happened to her. She finds out she is not the only one with this curse, and something far worse is about to happen if she doesn’t do something to stop it.

The story grabbed me right from the start. It is very fast paced and I had no problem getting through it in a few hours. There is action, suspense, romance, and almost constant betrayal from the one person she should be able to trust. This story has a little bit of everything! I’m a glad that romance was not a main aspect in this book either. It is definitely there but only during the times that are appropriate. It’s not a main focus. It’s not insta-love either, which is a major plus. There are hints at a possible love triangle but they never really came into play. There may be more to it in the next book.

Speaking of the next book. I will definitely be reading it! This is apparently a spin off to another series that the author has written. I didn’t know this until I started writing the review. I was never confused about anything so I think reading this without reading the Destroyer series will cause no problems. I definitely recommend it!

*This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Katherine Paschal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sixteen year old Allie convinced her uncle to lie to her parents and take her to go chase twisters. When out on a search, they find one, and it follows them. They can't get away, and next thing Allie knows, she is being kidnapped and a tornado shoved into her chest. Allie has no idea what is going on to her, or what happened that night, but she tries very hard to find out.
When I picked up this book to read, I will admit I was expecting something very different, like a parallel universe or something that Allie is transported to. But in actuality, something entirely different was what I got.
The plot of this book was very unique, a premise I have never encountered before. Allie has a tornado put inside of her, which turns her into a ticking time bomb of epic proportions. The book was non stop action, I just could not get into the story line. I think this could have been a great book, but it lacked something for me. The characters were very one dimensional, without too much emotion, and no descriptions. I really could not tell you what the characters looked like because I have no idea. On the other hand, I could tell you what the twister looked like and the destruction left behind. I felt like the book was very action driven and not character driven at all. At times, I was confused at what was going on because the writing was disjointed and a little confusing. I am sure that this book will appeal to many people, just not me. I love a good main character who I can root for and experience the book with, but I felt more like I was an observer to what happened. I was just not into the book, and it was easy to put down and not think about.
Overall, the premise was unique, it was just not the right book for me.
I received the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Heather A · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand it's a YA paranormal with a fresh and unique idea. I liked seeing a Nebraska setting and the use of tornados. Very original in respect of how the tornado powers worked. Unfortunately I found the execution and the characters to be a little flat.

On the one hand it was very fast paced. But I Didn't really feel much of a connection to the main character Allie. She was okay, faced with a very difficult power and an incomprehensible situation she tries to handle it the best she can. She finds others like her and wants answers and a cure to his power/curse. I don't want to go into too much detail over the plot and the villain and the curse/power as that would be too many big plot spoilers.

It also seemed, to me at least, that there was also a lot of tell not show. This happened, that happened and on to the next disaster. As each twist happened the were a few times when I found it hard to suspend disbelief as a reader. Allie got whiny and annoying and while I was trying to be sympathetic towards her difficult situations each one got worse and I found myself getting less interested as the plot moved on.

There were hints of a possible love triangle to emerge but I felt no connection between Allie and the boy she meets. And then there's her best friend Tommy who comes along to help. He was a pretty decent guy.

And there were other times when the plot was quite good and the descriptions reasonably okay and the tension built in were pretty good.

Over all there was something..that didn't really work for me. So thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this title, though I'm not sure this is a series I will be continuing.

[Sandi Faulconbridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from LibraryThing in exchange for a review.
Holly Hook's Deathwind trilogy is a great YA fantasy series based around a group of people called Outbreakers who turn into tornadoes. Full of action, mystery and suspense, it is a refreshing change from the vampire, zombie, dystopian genres that have been so prolific.
I really enjoyed the first book - Twisted - and will try some of the other series she has written.
----------- ----------- ------------ -------------
Allie is a teenager who loves storms and has saved for ages to go on a StormChaser trip with her uncle - unbeknownst to her parents! While on their trip they get caught in the middle of a twister and Allie is pulled out of the van. As if in a dream, she finds herself being carried to a barn, and having a tornado absorbed into her body. When she awakens she is being treated by medics and finds her uncle and their guide alive and well - or so she thinks.
A few weeks later at home, another storm strikes close to her and she feels herself turn into a tornado, coming back to herself miles away from where she was. With the help of one of her best friends she decides to leave home to keep her family safe and find out what actually happened to her. They stumble onto a township full of a number of people called Outbreakers who are born with the same abilities she has gained. With the help of Dorian, the teenage boy who finds her, the three of them join forces to find the barn where Allie was changed - with results that shock her and shake her faith in her uncle.

[Claire - The Coffeeholic Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allie thought it was just going to be one of those heart-pounding days when she went storm chasing with her Uncle Cassius. Her parents thought they were having a grand time playing with Mickey Mouse in Disneyland. Little did they know that Allie's world had come crashing down on her, sending her across the fields, flying above the trees and creating maelstrom unimaginable. When she came back, not only did she take the wrath of her parents, she was never the same again. Her life was sucked out of her and she became the Tornado.

Another catastrophic bedlam occured in Williams Town during a birthday party. Her bestfriends Tommy and Bethany witnessed her transformation, wreaking havoc everywhere. So she went out of her way to seek out the answers to her endless questions. Until she met Dorian and she learned that she's an Outbreaker. A different kind. A destructive one. And one by one, her loved ones were turning into her kind. Would she ever find a cure to this curse? Would she ever live a normal life again? Would she ever go to Disneyland for real?

Whew! That was quite a whirlwind story! I found myself rapidly perusing this book, afraid that I might get whisked away if I don't hold on to the pages. This is perhaps one of the most unique plot I've ever read. It made me curious more than ever. There is furor in my stomach, begging it to be released, much like Allie's. I would have to read Holly Hook's Destroyer series to know more about the tempestuous world she had created. She really is an asset to the writing world a turbulence to be acknowledged. Two thumbs up!

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for a new twist in the world of paranormal? Well, this one has it and a nice amount of tension too.

Sixteen-year-old Allie is a girl with special interests--adventurous ones which her parents don't really understand. Despite the first impression (Allie convinces her uncle to help her book a trip for tornado chasing behind her parents' back), Allie is a fairly level-headed girl who deeply cares for her family and those around her. That she has a little rebel in her actually makes her even more sympathetic.

There's a nice cast of friends and family. Some support her, some don't--a level mixture on both sides. Even for Allie, it's sometimes hard to know which person will back her up and which not. This definitely adds to the tension and mystery, and in most cases, works well.

The plot is quick paced and there is never a dull moment. There are twists and turns, and lots of mystery with points that could never have been guessed or foreseen. I really enjoyed the introduction of the beings with this new special type of curse but did still see a lot of holes. There's several things not well explained and some smaller section simply don't make sense, but if these are over-looked, the story is definitely fun to read.

All in all, it's a nice adventure and a great read. Despite some character trust issues I didn't quite get and some more filling in on the logic behind the talents, this was a good story, and I'll definitely be looking into the next book in the series.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kacey Vanderkarr · Rating 5 out of 5]

WARNING! SPOILERS BELOW! There’s something to be said for an original idea, and that thing is: WOOHOO!! Just when you thought the fantasy genre was full up with the vampires and the werewolves and the fairies…we get a girl who turns into a tornado. Yes, you read that correctly. She literally turns into a tornado. Talk about a bad hair day, am I right?

Allie’s dream vacation goes from awesome to oh-my-god in the matter of a few minutes. One second, she’s tornado chasing, the next she’s part of some bizarre ritual where a tornado embeds itself into her chest. Just when she thinks the worst is over, a storm blows in and Allie blows away with it, in the form of a monster tornado.

And she’s not alone.

What ensues is a horrible mystery of epic proportions. Allie, along with her best friend Tommy, are thrust into a world where turning into a tornado is the norm. However, there’s a new force in town, and Allie’s transformation is only the beginning. If Allie and Tommy can’t stop the Deathwind, soon the entire town will be tornadoes.

Filled with more turns than an eighties perm, Twisted will take you on a wild, windy ride that doesn’t let up until the very last page.

My favorite thing about Holly’s writing is her spot on teenage dialogue.It seems these days that all stories are “aging” their teenagers to sound like adults. Holly’s dialogue is refreshingly on point and hilarious.

My review? 5 Stars for the originality, dialogue, and downright fun of this story.

[Mutated Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchanged for a review. Here it goes. What an awesome book. I can't believe I haven't read more of Holly Hook's YA books. They're so awesome! People who can turn into tornadoes? How rad is that. Like the last book I read by Holly Hook, this one's about a teenage girl who can turn into a tornado. Unlike the last book, however, she doesn't have a birthmark, she isn't related to anyone else that can change, and she doesn't come by it naturally. Allie's a Storm Chaser, (how awesome is that) and on her first trip, she's in an accident. The tornado comes too close and wraps her van around a tree. Luckily, her and her uncle are safe, though not in a way you'd normally think. She's turned into a New Outbreaker, someone who changes into a tornado every time there's even a hint of a storm around. Crazy, right? This book had my attention from the moment I opened it. It's a nice change from the whole Vampires, Angels, Demons, and Magic idea in books lately, and I absolutely loved it. You definitely have to check it out, and I really think more people should know about the author.

[Jessica Surgett · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. 


I was excited to read this book as soon as I saw it. The cover grabbed my attention, and the synopsis hooked me immediately. My favorite thing about the story, was that it started off with a bang and kept up that fast pace the whole time. I never felt bored, and it kept me reading well into the night. 

The plot was good, but I did think that some of the explanations were flimsy. Maybe things will be expounded upon further in future books, but I found myself wanting more solid reasons for some of the things that happened.

I also felt that some of the decisions the characters made didn't make sense to me. I think some more character development would have helped. I didn't always understand why people did what they did. I also wasn't completely happy with the romantic elements. I couldn't really bring myself to care who Allie ended up with, and I definitely didn't feel any romantic tension. That being said, there was some great writing in it. Holly obviously has talent as a writer. I definitely enjoyed the book, and I want to read the next one. It's a great story. 

3.5 stars

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was sent to me by netgalley in return for my honest review.


The main character is Allie, who finds herself cursed. I don't want to go into a lot of detail as to how she is cursed as it is a super important detail of the book and I don't want to spoil it for anybody. But let's just say, if there's bad weather coming, you don't want to be around Allie. Hoping to find a cure for her curse, she leaves her family and friends. Along her way, she finds out she's not a lone. There are others like her in the world!

While I thought the concept was a great idea, I found myself having a hard time relating to the characters. Allie wasn't very likable to me. It may just be because I have a lot of problems with lying and Allie lies a lot to her parents and does it very easily. (I'm not talking about little white lies, I mean these are some major whoppers she tells!)

This is the first book in a new series by Holly Hook. It was a fast, fun read and I would read more in this series.

[Annie Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted (Book One of the Deathwind Trilogy) by Holly Hook
This quite a different kind so story that what I read but it is so interesting and wrote so well I could not put it down. Enjoyed it till the last and hope to read the entire series one adventure at a time.
A young girl named Allie as loved storms and spends here time saving money to go on tour of storm chasers. Ellie and her Uncle Cassius tell her parents there are going to Disneyland so they don't worry about her. There trip to Chasing storms is a major disaster as the tornado they encounter turns on them and takes them to a women would turns them into a human tornado when storms come. After two disaster events at home Ellie and her friend Tommy go looking to answers and find a group of Outbreakers as they are called one Dorian helps them to find the evil women that turned her, but things go from bad to worse as the learn about the Deathwind and what it wants and what it will do to get get. Will she and Dorian survive and save they ones they love or will the Deathwind end all there family and friends lives.

[Carrissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really like that the premise for this book is something that I have never seen before. It was new and fresh, which is nice, especially in this genre. My only real problem was with character development. I feel like I never really got to know Allie very well. I can't even tell you what color her hair or her eyes are. I can't tell you when, how, or why she became interested in storms. I was a little surprised when she and Tommy kissed, only because there was no romantic tension between them before that. All of that said, when I reached the end of the book, I really wanted to read the next one. I did want to know where this story was headed. What were they going to do? Could they fix any of this? Could they fight against something that seems so impossible? All of these questions at the end tell me that Ms. Hook definitely had a good idea and she had reeled me into the story and gotten me invested in its outcome!