Chameleon

The Chameleon Sagas #1

by Edain Duguay

The Chameleon Sagas, Book I

*A tree will be planted, in a deforested area of the world, for EVERY copy sold!*

Shipton-under-Wychwood is a sleepy English village where Kate Henson arrives to study at theatre school. She meets the son of the local peerage, and they fall deeply in love, however, they come from two very different worlds.
Something is not quite right, and as more mysterious deaths occur in the nearby town of Oxford, the truth finally begins to unravel exposing a world hidden in plain sight. A world far more terrifying and deadly than anyone could imagine. Between England and Croatia the body count rises as a struggle for power emerges.
An accidental event turns the wheels of fate and our lovers find themselves caught in the middle. One finds the truth, and the other....well, vampires don't exist, everyone knows that... but the myths and legends behind them do.
Sadly, one will die, while the other remains immortal. Forced apart how can they ever be together? The answer comes from the unearthing of an ancient and frightening secret society of deadly creatures masquerading as humans. Mankind is not at the top of the food chain and hasn’t been for a very long time.
Finally, an amazing destiny is discovered from within the ancient world of the Chameleon.

368 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2013

About the author

In 2008, Edain permanently moved from Lincolnshire, in the UK, to Ontario, Canada, where she is now a full-time writer.
Edain is presently writing three series of books: The Chameleon Sagas, The Amy Grey Novels (AKA Witch Books) and Magic, Tea & Witches.
Edain's writing gravitates towards the historical, supernatural and paranormal genres and she is an author who brings an unusual English lilt and humour to her writings, no matter the genre.
You can find her books online and in all good book stores.

Reviews

[Jennifer Lewis]

Duguay’s Chameleon took me back to my teenage roots and old dreams of finding a cute boy with strange supernatural gifts who would fall madly in love with me. Her heroine, Kate, is alternately full of fire and dread, just as I remember from my own youth. She tries on different parts and personas and Duguay does a marvellous job of capturing how intimidating just being yourself can be as a teenager. Her struggles with fitting in with her rich classmates, being the new girl and finding friends are poignant and skillfully done.

Her hero, Joshua, is a perfect match, the supernatural being who only wants a little piece of normality. His intense passion lends an air of Bronte-esque danger, blending beautifully with the English setting. His care for Kate is obvious as he takes care of her when she’s sick and rescues her when she’s in danger. He clearly and consistently values her life and welfare above his own.

I enjoyed the Shakespearean reading of Much Ado About Nothing at the beginning and very much enjoyed the subtle parallels with the play throughout the story. Duguay does a fantastic job of capturing how intensely teenagers feel, both in love and pain, without tipping into melodrama. She keeps the plot flowing quickly and the tension simmering at just the right level as the reader is drawn into threats from supernatural serial killers and Kate and Joshua’s budding romance.

Joshua’s family, the Marstons, and their friends serve as Kate’s guide to the new world she has stumbled into, explaining the pitfalls for her and for them if she missteps. Kate’s alternating fascination and revulsion draw us deeper into an alternate reality where humans are seen more as food than equals.

The world of the Chameleons was well developed and explored without weighing down the story. I got a good sense of the rules of this secret society and how their morality differs from our own. Chameleons are labelled by how they feed, either feeders, bleeders or hippies, and while individuals may disapprove of another individual’s choices, they are all permitted so long as they remain secret. The Chameleon world could be jolting at times, but appropriately so. It felt alien and dangerous but also intriguing.

[Erin Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting take on vampire myths but so different and intriguing. It was an easy read and I kept reading it once I started because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. In a certain way it reminds me of Twilight and the familial relationships within and how those with different powers seem to band together and protect each other. There is also the different types of feeders just as there are in many vampire stories. I really liked the idea of auras and energy as it is something that I personally believe in as being very real and powerful, that we do exchange energies, and that people such as this could come to be. Looking forward to the next book with glee.

[Renee Caron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it - can't wait for the second book to come out!!!