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Evangeline Devine #1
Gifted
What really happens when we die?It wasn't a question that seventeen year old Evangeline Devine - Evie to her friends - had ever thought about much. There was no reason why she should - her life on the small island of Jersey with her family and best friend Seth was untouched by tragedy, idyllic even. Until the day that Evie nearly dies herself. When Seth pulls her from the watery depths that nearly claim her life, Evie is no longer the carefree girl she was. For now she is the recipient of an unwelcome supernatural gift. Now the dead are all around and impossible to ignore. But when someone close to her dies mysteriously, Evie is forced to embrace her new power, for she may be the only one that can prove that it was no accident. Someone is getting away with murder.With only the spirit world for guidance, Evie sets out to uncover the truth and find the vital evidence she needs to get the case re-opened.Soon she finds herself torn between her feelings for best friend Seth, who she's begun to see in a whole new light since he saved her life, and the powerfully charismatic Piers Du Pont, who she finds herself inexplicably drawn to, even though he might just be the killer that she seeks.As events unfold, dark secrets are revealed, loyalties are tested to their limits and Evie discovers that the path that Fate has chosen for her is more terrifying than she ever could have imagined.Life, should she survive, will never be the same again.........."Gifted" is the first installment in The Evangeline Devine Series, a supernatural suspense trilogy suitable for ages 12 +.
459 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2012
4 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Annalise Hulse
1 book12 followersAnnalise Hulse lives on the small island of Jersey with her husband and son. She is the author of "Gifted", the first installment of the paranormal suspense quadrilogy "The Evangeline Devine Series" which is available on Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Gifted-Evangeli...
and Amazon.co.uk
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gifted-Evange....
"Twin", the second installment of the series, is scheduled for release in Autumn 2012.
When she is not busy at her day job or writing, Annalise likes spending time with her family and friends, watching movies, drinking red wine, laughing,watching her son play football and reading, espescially Stephen King.
http://www.amazon.com/Gifted-Evangeli...
and Amazon.co.uk
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gifted-Evange....
"Twin", the second installment of the series, is scheduled for release in Autumn 2012.
When she is not busy at her day job or writing, Annalise likes spending time with her family and friends, watching movies, drinking red wine, laughing,watching her son play football and reading, espescially Stephen King.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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April 11, 2012I wrote this!! Am I allowed to give myself 5 stars??
June 12, 2012
It's about 4 1/2 stars for me.
I have to say that I loved this book. It wasn't just the plot, but also the imagery and the feelings and everything it invoked in me while I read it.
Once I started it I really couldn't stop reading it.
Evie is the seventh and last daughter of her family and has lead a happy life till now, with her sisters and two close friends, Seth and Peter. It's the end of summer and school is about to start again when Evie is almost drowned while enjoying the sun with her friends in the water.
Seth, her best friend who also shares her birthday, saves her but not before Evie has some sort of paranormal experience. While in the water she thinks she sees people on the bottom, all looking at her for what exactly she doesn't know.
Initially, after waking up in the hospital she thinks she imagined it, but not when she realizes that cheesy though it sounds, she has gained the ability to see dead people. It's not that they always talk to her, or that they all have something to say or want to, but they are there, around us, in the corners, on the margins. Some have come to terms with their fate, others haven't and Evie has no clue as to what she is expected to do. And as if that wasn't enough, her friend Seth, seems to be glowing with a white light when he gets emotional.
She has no one to confide in but her grandma and it turns out she is not surprised. Evie is clairvoyant, a Seer and her accident just made it manifest. But it's not till her best friend, Peter has an accident, a fatal one, falling to his death from a cliff that her real trouble begins.
Is it really an accident or was he murdered? And does Pete old nemesis' return, Piers Du Pont, to school after years and years in boarding school have anything to do with it? After all, Piers was always despicable to him and almost everyone...
As Evie's life gets complicated, she finds herself compelled to solve the mystery, figure out if Seth is as in love with her as she is with him and undeniably drawn to Piers, who seems changed....
I know it sounds pretty straightforward, but it isn't...
It's not even your typical love triangle... It is so much more than that.
The author did a marvelous job with the description. Seriously the scenes she creates are compelling and imposing. The imagery she creates is so powerful that especially in the scenes with Evie entering a soul's essence I was mesmerized. And the very first scene of Evie's accident is pretty vivid and intense too. I loved all the descriptions and I found that I quite enjoyed Evie's voice, who actually narrates the story.
She sounds her age, her voice is strong and clear and demands to be heard and she is a very sympathetic character.
I also thought the little chapters the author added of other people's pov were a nice addition and refreshing, but I felt that especially Seth's didn't sound that much different than Evie's and I don't know, it is difficult to explain, but I was hoping he would have a more distinct voice, which imo he didn't. but that didn't deduct from the story. :)
I have to say that all characters are likeable - even the bad ones...well maybe not one of them - the original one those who read the book will know who I'm referring to - and I had a little crush on Piers at some point, as well... Embarrassing I know..but there you have it. At some point I thought I liked him more than Seth ;) But in the end somehow I liked them both.
If you haven't read the book yet, give it a try!
I know you will love it and won't be able to wait to start the second. :)
P.S.: Thanks to Ms Hulse for providing me with a link to the book.
I have to say that I loved this book. It wasn't just the plot, but also the imagery and the feelings and everything it invoked in me while I read it.
Once I started it I really couldn't stop reading it.
Evie is the seventh and last daughter of her family and has lead a happy life till now, with her sisters and two close friends, Seth and Peter. It's the end of summer and school is about to start again when Evie is almost drowned while enjoying the sun with her friends in the water.
Seth, her best friend who also shares her birthday, saves her but not before Evie has some sort of paranormal experience. While in the water she thinks she sees people on the bottom, all looking at her for what exactly she doesn't know.
Initially, after waking up in the hospital she thinks she imagined it, but not when she realizes that cheesy though it sounds, she has gained the ability to see dead people. It's not that they always talk to her, or that they all have something to say or want to, but they are there, around us, in the corners, on the margins. Some have come to terms with their fate, others haven't and Evie has no clue as to what she is expected to do. And as if that wasn't enough, her friend Seth, seems to be glowing with a white light when he gets emotional.
She has no one to confide in but her grandma and it turns out she is not surprised. Evie is clairvoyant, a Seer and her accident just made it manifest. But it's not till her best friend, Peter has an accident, a fatal one, falling to his death from a cliff that her real trouble begins.
Is it really an accident or was he murdered? And does Pete old nemesis' return, Piers Du Pont, to school after years and years in boarding school have anything to do with it? After all, Piers was always despicable to him and almost everyone...
As Evie's life gets complicated, she finds herself compelled to solve the mystery, figure out if Seth is as in love with her as she is with him and undeniably drawn to Piers, who seems changed....
I know it sounds pretty straightforward, but it isn't...
It's not even your typical love triangle... It is so much more than that.
The author did a marvelous job with the description. Seriously the scenes she creates are compelling and imposing. The imagery she creates is so powerful that especially in the scenes with Evie entering a soul's essence I was mesmerized. And the very first scene of Evie's accident is pretty vivid and intense too. I loved all the descriptions and I found that I quite enjoyed Evie's voice, who actually narrates the story.
She sounds her age, her voice is strong and clear and demands to be heard and she is a very sympathetic character.
I also thought the little chapters the author added of other people's pov were a nice addition and refreshing, but I felt that especially Seth's didn't sound that much different than Evie's and I don't know, it is difficult to explain, but I was hoping he would have a more distinct voice, which imo he didn't. but that didn't deduct from the story. :)
I have to say that all characters are likeable - even the bad ones...well maybe not one of them - the original one those who read the book will know who I'm referring to - and I had a little crush on Piers at some point, as well... Embarrassing I know..but there you have it. At some point I thought I liked him more than Seth ;) But in the end somehow I liked them both.
If you haven't read the book yet, give it a try!
I know you will love it and won't be able to wait to start the second. :)
P.S.: Thanks to Ms Hulse for providing me with a link to the book.
Read
June 11, 2012REVIEW TO COME
May 6, 2021
I was rather bummed when I looked on the author's profile and it appeared she seemed to have disappeared and is no longer writing. I figured this would end in a cliff hanger and I would need to know what happened next but I'm good with how it ended and will gladly just leave it as is. I love when a free book turns out to be a good find!
July 30, 2012
Wow, where do I begin. I feel like I have been on such an emotional roller-coaster. Evie was such a well written character and I liked her instantly and felt connected to her, every emotion she went through I was right there along side her I felt her fear and happiness as if it was my own.
Just when I thought I had the whole thing figured out and I thought I had guessed who was behind the murder the author throws a curve ball that leaves you reeling. I though I had figured it out twice before the truth was finally revealed and wow, what a moment that was.
I loved Evie she was a well adjusted teenager and I felt the author did such a ggod job at giving Evie a teenage voice. Evie's gift may have been unexpected but she soon accepts it when she realises that she could be the only one who could find out the truth of the murders so putting her own fears aside she sets out to uncover the truth. which is what Evie does, she always puts others before herself and I loved her for it
Seth may well be my new boy book crush, and I really liked that we got to see some of the story from his Pov
My other favourite character was Esther, her story had my heartbreaking and she was such a lovely character I really enjoyed finding out about her and hearing about her life
This book in my opinion as it all, ghosts a supernatural element, romance, hot guys (What more could a girl ask for)and strong characters.
I will definitely be adding the next instalment to my to read list. A brilliant read. I loved it.
Just when I thought I had the whole thing figured out and I thought I had guessed who was behind the murder the author throws a curve ball that leaves you reeling. I though I had figured it out twice before the truth was finally revealed and wow, what a moment that was.
I loved Evie she was a well adjusted teenager and I felt the author did such a ggod job at giving Evie a teenage voice. Evie's gift may have been unexpected but she soon accepts it when she realises that she could be the only one who could find out the truth of the murders so putting her own fears aside she sets out to uncover the truth. which is what Evie does, she always puts others before herself and I loved her for it
Seth may well be my new boy book crush, and I really liked that we got to see some of the story from his Pov
My other favourite character was Esther, her story had my heartbreaking and she was such a lovely character I really enjoyed finding out about her and hearing about her life
This book in my opinion as it all, ghosts a supernatural element, romance, hot guys (What more could a girl ask for)and strong characters.
I will definitely be adding the next instalment to my to read list. A brilliant read. I loved it.
November 6, 2012
The characters the author creates are incredibly vivid and relatable. I found myself tearing up over many poignant scenes and stories that Evie has to hear. I think this is because the author sets up the background and the lives of the characters so well, that their emotion comes through so strongly. I was very impressed by how much interest there was in the stories of the ghosts that passed on.
The mystery aspect of the novel was in some ways predictable, but in most ways surprising. I loved the building of tension over the two most suspicious characters - I was almost constantly switching back and forth over who I thought was guilty. The resolution of the mystery though was perfect and I could see it was really the obvious answer.
The romance in the novel was a little overstated at times for my taste, and felt a little contrived, especially with the way they two were kept apart. It’s a very sweet romance though, and the characters, as the author does so well, were extremely well-realized. This book sets up a bigger story-line that involves the main characters needing to use their powers to combat evil in some way, and I think this novel is a great set up for the rest of the series!
The mystery aspect of the novel was in some ways predictable, but in most ways surprising. I loved the building of tension over the two most suspicious characters - I was almost constantly switching back and forth over who I thought was guilty. The resolution of the mystery though was perfect and I could see it was really the obvious answer.
The romance in the novel was a little overstated at times for my taste, and felt a little contrived, especially with the way they two were kept apart. It’s a very sweet romance though, and the characters, as the author does so well, were extremely well-realized. This book sets up a bigger story-line that involves the main characters needing to use their powers to combat evil in some way, and I think this novel is a great set up for the rest of the series!
January 26, 2013
Really liked it, seriously good book. didn't read the sneak peak into book two cause i mighta gone crazy with anticipation... got enough on-the-edge-of-my-seat-waiting-for-book-releases without craving another, my head might explode! anyway, this book is really entertaining although i would of liked a bit more wit/humor or just... something. i'm not sure, can't quite put my finger on it - i may just be tired - but there was something missing, nothing big like a plot hole, just something that i think could of make the story bigger. like i said, it might just be because i'm tired because the little story telling bits were so fantastic i felt like i was right. there. ya know? completely sucked in, and the rest of it was just as good - fantastic visuals of everything. story line was great and i would like to see what is revealed in book two about her destiny. so, apart from that little thing i can say this book is definetly up there in the Fave's :D
Want to read
May 1, 2012I'd like to read this book...but I CAN'T. It is not available through any vendor but Amazon and I do not purchase Amazon books as I don't like their practices (and I have a Nook which can not read Amazon's format). Looks good though. Too bad.
July 9, 2012
I loved this book. I read it in 2 days!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews