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Hidden #1
Hidden
Sixteen-year-old Leah Grant has given up on being normal. She’d settle for stopping the voices in her head, intrusive visions of the future, and better odds of making it to her seventeenth birthday.
That’s the thing about pretending to be human in a world where magic used to exist – at any moment, her cover could be blown and she’ll be burned to death like the rest of the witches.
Everything changes when she loses control of her powers and flees the orphanage she grew up in. She desperately wants to be invisible but finds her face plastered on every news channel as humans panic over the possible resurgence of her kind. And now the hunters won’t give up until they find her.
Making friends for the first time in her life and falling in love with one of them drives her to discover why she is unlike any being she’s ever met – human or otherwise. The dangerous powers inside of her that would repel Nathan, her new, handsome reason for living, are priceless to some. The locked up forever kind of priceless. And to others, they are too dangerous to allow her to live.
Let’s hope she can stay hidden.
That’s the thing about pretending to be human in a world where magic used to exist – at any moment, her cover could be blown and she’ll be burned to death like the rest of the witches.
Everything changes when she loses control of her powers and flees the orphanage she grew up in. She desperately wants to be invisible but finds her face plastered on every news channel as humans panic over the possible resurgence of her kind. And now the hunters won’t give up until they find her.
Making friends for the first time in her life and falling in love with one of them drives her to discover why she is unlike any being she’s ever met – human or otherwise. The dangerous powers inside of her that would repel Nathan, her new, handsome reason for living, are priceless to some. The locked up forever kind of priceless. And to others, they are too dangerous to allow her to live.
Let’s hope she can stay hidden.
350 pages, Paperback
First published November 11, 2012
423 people are currently reading
3025 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
October 24, 2013
Leah has grown up in a Catholic orphanage, where her peers all bully her relentlessly and the nuns teach them all about how the witches and their evil powers were destroyed. But Leah has powers. She must be the last of the witches, she thinks, and therefore evil. She prays, desperately and daily, that she will not use her powers to harm her bullies. And then one day she gets too close to the edge...and a strange woman in a flash of light appears and takes her away.
And that's where things begin to get complicated. Leah is taken to a luxurious house, hundreds of miles from the orphanage. There are a few other teens there, other witches, and for the first time in her life she begins to have friends...and maybe even a boyfriend. But every time she turns round, almost, the truth about her seems to change and everything she thought she knew has to be re-evaluated.
Some of the changes and twists I saw coming. Some I didn't. But they all work within the story. The ending felt a little rushed, and the book could rather have done with a competent proofreader (repeated instances of the "between X and I" mistake were particularly irritating), but overall it was a good read.
And that's where things begin to get complicated. Leah is taken to a luxurious house, hundreds of miles from the orphanage. There are a few other teens there, other witches, and for the first time in her life she begins to have friends...and maybe even a boyfriend. But every time she turns round, almost, the truth about her seems to change and everything she thought she knew has to be re-evaluated.
Some of the changes and twists I saw coming. Some I didn't. But they all work within the story. The ending felt a little rushed, and the book could rather have done with a competent proofreader (repeated instances of the "between X and I" mistake were particularly irritating), but overall it was a good read.
February 3, 2018
Bullet Review:
DNF at 9% or Chapter 3.
This certainly isn’t the worst freebie I’ve read, but there’s only so much emo angsty teenaged crap I can deal with. The massive amounts of abuses that marked the 9% I read along with Sophia’s total ignoring of it and refusal to do anything (although she’d been watching Leah/Christine TWO YEARS) was too much.
I gave Harry Potter a LOT of flak for the Dursleys’ abuse of Harry and Dumbledore doing nothing about it; here I daresay it is FAR WORSE.
And can we get anymore Mary Sue than our special snowflake learning she has 52 million bucks?
Goodbye!
DNF at 9% or Chapter 3.
This certainly isn’t the worst freebie I’ve read, but there’s only so much emo angsty teenaged crap I can deal with. The massive amounts of abuses that marked the 9% I read along with Sophia’s total ignoring of it and refusal to do anything (although she’d been watching Leah/Christine TWO YEARS) was too much.
I gave Harry Potter a LOT of flak for the Dursleys’ abuse of Harry and Dumbledore doing nothing about it; here I daresay it is FAR WORSE.
And can we get anymore Mary Sue than our special snowflake learning she has 52 million bucks?
Goodbye!
November 25, 2013
This ended up better than I expected. It's a bit teeny-angsty but it at least has the virtue of setting itself a situation that warrants the emotional rollercoaster. There were some elements that simply don't work, but that can be excused as part of the genre if you want to cut it a break. Surprisingly, I didn't mind doing so. I'm not sure if I'll pursue the series (it is certainly setup for a series), but this book was enjoyable and the twists and turns at least made sense, emotionally as well as rationally.
October 14, 2013
*Copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
FIVE MAGICALLY HIDDEN STARS
This book was the epitome of AMAZING. It flowed so good, and the development/pace was good. From the first page onwards, I was captivated.
I was hypnotized.
AND I LOVE IT! :d
Ms. Lathan created a wonderful world. It was an emotional ride to be honest. I felt it for Leah/Christine...It sucked with what she went through, the self loathing, the bullying. I loved how true it was, but it still heart to read it, knowing she was all alone and no one - not even the nuns - tried to understand her and help her cope.
But despite her feeling that way - she was struck. The Christine in her came when we were introduced to Nathan..
Who I might add, had me at "woof" and made me swoon each time he opened his mouth to say something. No one should be THAT amazing! OMG His confession made me feel like I had a seizure in bed. LOL... and I kept reliving it over and over and over...
Nathan was the most patient with her...well I guess to some extent everyone was...except Remi... buuuut - They say actions speak louder...and his? They were blaring!
I enjoyed their times together and the way she slowly opened up, and embraced Christine...What I really love was how she went back and forth between the identities. Since at the orphanage she was named Leah - who she linked it as the self loathing, lonely and unworthy girl who just thought of inflicting pain and death on those who bully her. But then as Christine, she's the complete opposite, the happy, fun, giggling girl who embraced friends and things such has laughter and companions.
The mysteries in this book was wonderful. I loved the guessing game it had me doing...AND when everything unfolded?
This book owned my emotions... and Oh yeah...Can I say I LOVE Paul??? He had me LOL'ing so much! He's the kind of laid back guy who you know would be serious with the snap of a finger once someone he love affects him. I love those kind of guys.
I just freakin' love this book and I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read it and give my honest rambling.
FIVE MAGICALLY HIDDEN STARS
This book was the epitome of AMAZING. It flowed so good, and the development/pace was good. From the first page onwards, I was captivated.
I was hypnotized.
AND I LOVE IT! :d
Ms. Lathan created a wonderful world. It was an emotional ride to be honest. I felt it for Leah/Christine...It sucked with what she went through, the self loathing, the bullying. I loved how true it was, but it still heart to read it, knowing she was all alone and no one - not even the nuns - tried to understand her and help her cope.
But despite her feeling that way - she was struck. The Christine in her came when we were introduced to Nathan..
Who I might add, had me at "woof" and made me swoon each time he opened his mouth to say something. No one should be THAT amazing! OMG His confession made me feel like I had a seizure in bed. LOL... and I kept reliving it over and over and over...
Nathan was the most patient with her...well I guess to some extent everyone was...except Remi... buuuut - They say actions speak louder...and his? They were blaring!
I enjoyed their times together and the way she slowly opened up, and embraced Christine...What I really love was how she went back and forth between the identities. Since at the orphanage she was named Leah - who she linked it as the self loathing, lonely and unworthy girl who just thought of inflicting pain and death on those who bully her. But then as Christine, she's the complete opposite, the happy, fun, giggling girl who embraced friends and things such has laughter and companions.
The mysteries in this book was wonderful. I loved the guessing game it had me doing...AND when everything unfolded?
This book owned my emotions... and Oh yeah...Can I say I LOVE Paul??? He had me LOL'ing so much! He's the kind of laid back guy who you know would be serious with the snap of a finger once someone he love affects him. I love those kind of guys.
I just freakin' love this book and I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read it and give my honest rambling.
June 27, 2015
Hidden is a very interesting paranormal young adult novel that has a shaky start but picks up and has some unique qualities, making it a nice refresher from the norm. It's a fun enjoyable read with some great OMG moments.
(Although I sound a little harsh about the beginning of this book, I want you to know that it gets better and I really did enjoy reading it.) Now I’m going to be completely honest, this book was kind of a drag at first and a little confusing. I wasn’t a fan of the main character Leah, she had such low self-esteem it drove me crazy, it was due to her raising and having no knowledge of who she really was, but it was hard for me to read about her at first. Also, she is bullied relentlessly by mean girls at the orphanage and no one does anything about it, this drove me crazy since you would think the Sisters at the orphanage would have done something, anything. I was worried because I wasn’t enjoying the first 30ish pages, but then something happened that completely changed my mind.
There is a turning point in the book, when she leaves the orphanage, and this is when the book gets really really good and I start to really like Leah. We get to meet more supernatural people and Leah finally starts to get some answers about who she is. I love her friends and find all the secondary characters interesting, complex, and the friends that Leah really need.
Hidden features a world where witches aren’t a secret but were deemed evil and gotten rid of, giving Hidden a unique edge in the paranormal genre. There is way more than meets the eye in this novel. There are some good action scenes, fun moments with friends, and shocking secret reveals, basically a whole lot of stuff is going on in this first novel in this series, keeping me very entertained. The ending left me wanting more and I can’t wait to get a hold of the next book, which comes out later this month. I want to see how everything plays out.
This is a good investment for fans of young adult paranormal books that love action and romance, not to mention some pretty memorable characters.
** Thank you Xpresso Book Tours and M. Lathan for a free copy of this book! This in no way affected my honest review.
(Although I sound a little harsh about the beginning of this book, I want you to know that it gets better and I really did enjoy reading it.) Now I’m going to be completely honest, this book was kind of a drag at first and a little confusing. I wasn’t a fan of the main character Leah, she had such low self-esteem it drove me crazy, it was due to her raising and having no knowledge of who she really was, but it was hard for me to read about her at first. Also, she is bullied relentlessly by mean girls at the orphanage and no one does anything about it, this drove me crazy since you would think the Sisters at the orphanage would have done something, anything. I was worried because I wasn’t enjoying the first 30ish pages, but then something happened that completely changed my mind.
There is a turning point in the book, when she leaves the orphanage, and this is when the book gets really really good and I start to really like Leah. We get to meet more supernatural people and Leah finally starts to get some answers about who she is. I love her friends and find all the secondary characters interesting, complex, and the friends that Leah really need.
Hidden features a world where witches aren’t a secret but were deemed evil and gotten rid of, giving Hidden a unique edge in the paranormal genre. There is way more than meets the eye in this novel. There are some good action scenes, fun moments with friends, and shocking secret reveals, basically a whole lot of stuff is going on in this first novel in this series, keeping me very entertained. The ending left me wanting more and I can’t wait to get a hold of the next book, which comes out later this month. I want to see how everything plays out.
This is a good investment for fans of young adult paranormal books that love action and romance, not to mention some pretty memorable characters.
** Thank you Xpresso Book Tours and M. Lathan for a free copy of this book! This in no way affected my honest review.
December 4, 2016
I wanted to like this... and for the most part I really did, I guess - I mean shit, I finished it, right? It was just.... okay though. The relationship between Christine and Nate, I just couldn't take it. I hate insta-romance, and I LOATHE when couples call each other "babe" every sentence. While I liked the overall idea of the plot, I just don't think it exceeded my expectations at all. It wasn't awful, but at the same time I just feel so meh about it. I don't see myself finishing the series.
June 1, 2014
Really great book. I loved the plot twists and the realistic and in depth characters that were easy to connect to.
September 28, 2013
From http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....
At A Glance
I was drawn in right from the beginning with all the mystery, and my eyes wouldn't leave the page as I was shocked by the many reveals. Hidden is an exciting read.
The Good
Many may say the beginning was slow and confusing but I thought it was perfect. I literally had to pry myself away from this book just so I could tell people how much I was loving it. I loved the world Lathan created. Leah (who will become Christine as the story goes on) is supposedly the only witch left in the world after the supernatural war where the humans won. Now Leah lives everyday in an orphanage in fear of killing the bullies who torment her every day. Because Leah is scary talented with her magic and she feels like any second she can snap and finally hurt someone. But a witch, Sophia, comes and rescues Leah before she does something she'll regret. She is offered shelter and friends of the witch and shapeshifter sort. But nothing is as it seems. There are people looking for her. Some want to help her, some want to kill her. The question is, who can she trust, especially after she finds out who she really is?
Leah is such a lost soul. She is an introvert to the extreme. She thinks she is the last witch on earth and fears that she will reveal her powers one day. She can read people's minds so she knows when the horrible girls at the orphanage are going to torment her. I was so excited when she was saved. But it took her a long time to come out of her shell. After all those years of abuse, who could blame her? She really grew as a person in this book. When she starts spending time with Nathan, a shapeshifter, she finally gets to feel what it's like to have a friend. But they become so much closer than that because of their similar pasts. Leah is put through the ringer in Hidden. She learns that there is so much to the supernatural community than she first thought. She learns the truth about her parents, and she learns what true evil really is. She did very well handling tough situations considering her social anxiety. I can see Leah becoming a continuously stronger person as she gets more comfortable with herself and her magic.
Nathan was so cute in the beginning. He's like a little puppy (literally). He sees what Leah needs and helps her to step out of her comfort zone but in a safe way. I totally understood why they became such fast friends. They really only have each other in a world that hates who they are. They see the beauty in each other even when others don't. I was sad to see his huge character flaw the popped up about two-thirds into the book. I thought he was better than what he did to Leah, but I also understood his discrimination came from something that had been ingrained into him from the beginning.
The first half of Hidden was the best part for me because I loved not knowing exactly what was going on. That edge-of-your-seat feeling is awesome. And when things started to get revealed I was thrilled that I never once saw in coming. Hidden has a complex plot that will keep you guessing. The characters were both fun and well fleshed out. There were light parts that made you feel hope and extremely dark parts that left you depressed right along with Leah. I literally can't say much more about this book since I would reveal too much.
I am very excited to see what happens next in this series. There is still a lot to be covered, especially with how Hidden ended.
The Bad
Hidden felt a little disjointed to me. The first half was slow (in a good way) and flowed well, then the second half felt like so much happened it was hard to keep up and got a little jumbled.
Leah and Nathan's relationship developed waaaaaaay to fast.
The Snuggly
Leah and Nathan both suffer from absent parents so they click right away. But a couple days of friendship turns into love that's way to fast for me. It felt like they were obsessed with each other. Then Nathan fell out of that love way to fast at the first sign of trouble. They are both too immature to be with each other.
There is some great sexual tension. Expect kissing and touching and a little bumping and grinding. One scene gets pretty steamy, but still appropriate for the YA audience.
Final Thoughts
If you love being surprised, then this is the book for you. Hidden will keep your brain working as the mystery thickens and the characters reveal their true selves. Very much recommended.
Quote
Sienna snatched last week’s Chemistry test from my desk. I hadn’t turned it over. I knew it was a D minus.
She cackled and passed it around.
“Leah, you would think someone who spends most of her time alone would have better grades,” she said. Her birds laughed on cue. “What do you do all day? Obviously not study.” She gasped slowly like she’d gotten a revelation in that blonde head of hers. “You fantasize about us, don’t you? You probably sleep in Whit’s old bed to feel close to her.”
Laughter spread around the room like an airborne disease. Disease. I shivered. That was an intriguing thought; I could almost hear the sound their bodies would make against the floor when it hit.
*Free book from blog tour for honest review*
At A Glance
I was drawn in right from the beginning with all the mystery, and my eyes wouldn't leave the page as I was shocked by the many reveals. Hidden is an exciting read.
The Good
Many may say the beginning was slow and confusing but I thought it was perfect. I literally had to pry myself away from this book just so I could tell people how much I was loving it. I loved the world Lathan created. Leah (who will become Christine as the story goes on) is supposedly the only witch left in the world after the supernatural war where the humans won. Now Leah lives everyday in an orphanage in fear of killing the bullies who torment her every day. Because Leah is scary talented with her magic and she feels like any second she can snap and finally hurt someone. But a witch, Sophia, comes and rescues Leah before she does something she'll regret. She is offered shelter and friends of the witch and shapeshifter sort. But nothing is as it seems. There are people looking for her. Some want to help her, some want to kill her. The question is, who can she trust, especially after she finds out who she really is?
Leah is such a lost soul. She is an introvert to the extreme. She thinks she is the last witch on earth and fears that she will reveal her powers one day. She can read people's minds so she knows when the horrible girls at the orphanage are going to torment her. I was so excited when she was saved. But it took her a long time to come out of her shell. After all those years of abuse, who could blame her? She really grew as a person in this book. When she starts spending time with Nathan, a shapeshifter, she finally gets to feel what it's like to have a friend. But they become so much closer than that because of their similar pasts. Leah is put through the ringer in Hidden. She learns that there is so much to the supernatural community than she first thought. She learns the truth about her parents, and she learns what true evil really is. She did very well handling tough situations considering her social anxiety. I can see Leah becoming a continuously stronger person as she gets more comfortable with herself and her magic.
Nathan was so cute in the beginning. He's like a little puppy (literally). He sees what Leah needs and helps her to step out of her comfort zone but in a safe way. I totally understood why they became such fast friends. They really only have each other in a world that hates who they are. They see the beauty in each other even when others don't. I was sad to see his huge character flaw the popped up about two-thirds into the book. I thought he was better than what he did to Leah, but I also understood his discrimination came from something that had been ingrained into him from the beginning.
The first half of Hidden was the best part for me because I loved not knowing exactly what was going on. That edge-of-your-seat feeling is awesome. And when things started to get revealed I was thrilled that I never once saw in coming. Hidden has a complex plot that will keep you guessing. The characters were both fun and well fleshed out. There were light parts that made you feel hope and extremely dark parts that left you depressed right along with Leah. I literally can't say much more about this book since I would reveal too much.
I am very excited to see what happens next in this series. There is still a lot to be covered, especially with how Hidden ended.
The Bad
Hidden felt a little disjointed to me. The first half was slow (in a good way) and flowed well, then the second half felt like so much happened it was hard to keep up and got a little jumbled.
Leah and Nathan's relationship developed waaaaaaay to fast.
The Snuggly
Leah and Nathan both suffer from absent parents so they click right away. But a couple days of friendship turns into love that's way to fast for me. It felt like they were obsessed with each other. Then Nathan fell out of that love way to fast at the first sign of trouble. They are both too immature to be with each other.
There is some great sexual tension. Expect kissing and touching and a little bumping and grinding. One scene gets pretty steamy, but still appropriate for the YA audience.
Final Thoughts
If you love being surprised, then this is the book for you. Hidden will keep your brain working as the mystery thickens and the characters reveal their true selves. Very much recommended.
Quote
Sienna snatched last week’s Chemistry test from my desk. I hadn’t turned it over. I knew it was a D minus.
She cackled and passed it around.
“Leah, you would think someone who spends most of her time alone would have better grades,” she said. Her birds laughed on cue. “What do you do all day? Obviously not study.” She gasped slowly like she’d gotten a revelation in that blonde head of hers. “You fantasize about us, don’t you? You probably sleep in Whit’s old bed to feel close to her.”
Laughter spread around the room like an airborne disease. Disease. I shivered. That was an intriguing thought; I could almost hear the sound their bodies would make against the floor when it hit.
*Free book from blog tour for honest review*
November 21, 2013
Fantastic.
This book had a depth of history, and an ultra-lush magical world that was just surprising, and SMART. Leah thought she was evil because she could use magic. The psychological impact of her life was so thoughtful, and disturbing, and that was just the first chapter! I loved this one early on. It broke my heart, and then healed me as Leah/Chistine healed.
The romance was both sweet and blush inducing. The dialog between Nathan and Christie was just SO honest, and felt like friendship. It felt like real love, and not lust, but those kisses. Dang. Those were not friendship kisses.
SPOILERS* I did think the fight seemed a bit contrived, like, "I need to go save the world right now, and if you're here I'll just be making out with you all the time, and then the world will die. So...Break up with me." I also thought they got back together too easily. I mean... I was glad, because they were too sweet together, but IMO I'd prefer her to have a bit more Leah in that initial moment, and be at the very least annoyed, and then, "Okay, sure. I'll forgive you." Christie was a bit too perfect for me, and I preferred Leah. Oh, and the ending. What?! Was that really necessary? I mean I get it, and I kinda love it, but it's just so sad. It did feel like justice though. If that makes sense. *END SPOILER
This book is painted with dark and light colors. It probably has swear words and bad stuff in it, but I didn't care and a week later I don't remember.
I LOVED it. Highly recommend (and it's FREE!) I bought the sequel, and I'm excited to read it.
This book had a depth of history, and an ultra-lush magical world that was just surprising, and SMART. Leah thought she was evil because she could use magic. The psychological impact of her life was so thoughtful, and disturbing, and that was just the first chapter! I loved this one early on. It broke my heart, and then healed me as Leah/Chistine healed.
The romance was both sweet and blush inducing. The dialog between Nathan and Christie was just SO honest, and felt like friendship. It felt like real love, and not lust, but those kisses. Dang. Those were not friendship kisses.
SPOILERS* I did think the fight seemed a bit contrived, like, "I need to go save the world right now, and if you're here I'll just be making out with you all the time, and then the world will die. So...Break up with me." I also thought they got back together too easily. I mean... I was glad, because they were too sweet together, but IMO I'd prefer her to have a bit more Leah in that initial moment, and be at the very least annoyed, and then, "Okay, sure. I'll forgive you." Christie was a bit too perfect for me, and I preferred Leah. Oh, and the ending. What?! Was that really necessary? I mean I get it, and I kinda love it, but it's just so sad. It did feel like justice though. If that makes sense. *END SPOILER
This book is painted with dark and light colors. It probably has swear words and bad stuff in it, but I didn't care and a week later I don't remember.
I LOVED it. Highly recommend (and it's FREE!) I bought the sequel, and I'm excited to read it.
April 11, 2014
The story is about Leah aka Christine who was left at the orphanage as a baby. She was different than all the other girls at the orphanage. They called the orphanage a boarding school. She was bullied by the girls from the orphanage. Christine was an outcast, she felt insecure and she hated herself. Christine has powers and believes that she is a witch. The nuns at the orphanage told Christine that magic is evil and someone practising magic doesn’t have a soul, therefore Christine believes that she does not have a soul, resulting in her struggling with depression. Christine was abducted by Sophia, a witch, to prevent her from falling into the hands of witch hunters. Sophia brought other gifted teenagers, a wizard and 2 shifters, to the house to stay with her and Christine. Christine fell in love with Nathan, a shape shifter. Christine did not do a lot of magic in the book, only at the very end she starts moving things around, I expected more use of her powers and a lot more backbone from her...
August 27, 2014
I'm not even completely sure what I just read. The story line had so much potential but I was so disappointed! First of all, the mean girls, such a cliche. I feel like every book I read like this always has the main character as some shy, helpless girl who "finds herself" and returns powerful and confident. Why can't she be normal or even popular? Be original people. Second of all, while Leah/Christine complains about her mother being so over-dramatic when it comes to love, yet she was the exact same way! She would have jumped off a cliff if Nathan had to her it would make him happy! And to forgive him so easily after he said all those horrible things about her? What's that about? Grow a spine sweetheart.
I was so thoroughly disappointed with this book. I only gave it a 2 because of the story line. But the way it was executed was just awful.
I was so thoroughly disappointed with this book. I only gave it a 2 because of the story line. But the way it was executed was just awful.
June 10, 2014
I loved the beginning of this book. I was in Leah's corner in the orphanage, wanted her OUT, wanted her to stand up for herself... And then she got out and went to live in a house full of horny teenagers and went from, "I've never had any friends and have NO idea how to behave around them..." to "Let me rip my clothes off and take Nate on the rug, the couch, in the pool..."
Seriously? The girl could barely SPEAK to other kids her age a week before!
The childish, over-dramatic "romance" cancelled out anything that could have possibly been good in this story. I read the entire thing, hoping the author would find his/her roots again and bring the book back around. It didn't happen.
Seriously? The girl could barely SPEAK to other kids her age a week before!
The childish, over-dramatic "romance" cancelled out anything that could have possibly been good in this story. I read the entire thing, hoping the author would find his/her roots again and bring the book back around. It didn't happen.
October 19, 2018
Bravo! A good fast read! now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
May 7, 2016
I liked the idea but it dragged. The ending was good and leaves it open for a follow up book.
December 19, 2019
Hidden has an interesting premise, but the execution of the story I found to be only so so. Leah, a girl with magical powers, is hidden away in a Catholic orphanage when magic is seen to be a bad thing. She doesn't know much about her magic and tries to keep herself in check and get rid of the voices in her head, but she can't. The mean girls at school keep tormenting her until finally she has enough and almost takes them out when she loses it. Good thing someone comes to save her and spirits her away to a safe house.
Now that whole first part was alright. Learning about Leah in the orphanage, trying to figure out what is happening, it was fun. But once she is hidden away in the safe house the story really went downhill for me. She has been so sheltered her whole life she can't seem to talk to anyone else who is living there, but then she meets Nathan and it is apparently insta-love. She would do anything for him because she loves him so. I didn't see it. It was way too sudden. Plus there is a mean girl there in the safe place - why is she allowed to stay? I mean you needed her for the story to go where it does, but it didn't make a lot of sense. If you can't be kind to your peers why should they help you? She was really terrible to Leah and I didn't understand why no one did anything about it. Then the story just meandered down this meh path, Nathan and Leah in love, mean girl being mean, and things happening.
Like I said it was an interesting premise, but I didn't like how it suddenly turned into teen insta-love hour. That and Nathan says some pretty terrible things about Leah when all is said and done, and she just takes him back in an instant. It was lame. She should at least have made him work to get her back. So an interesting idea, but not a very good execution.
Now that whole first part was alright. Learning about Leah in the orphanage, trying to figure out what is happening, it was fun. But once she is hidden away in the safe house the story really went downhill for me. She has been so sheltered her whole life she can't seem to talk to anyone else who is living there, but then she meets Nathan and it is apparently insta-love. She would do anything for him because she loves him so. I didn't see it. It was way too sudden. Plus there is a mean girl there in the safe place - why is she allowed to stay? I mean you needed her for the story to go where it does, but it didn't make a lot of sense. If you can't be kind to your peers why should they help you? She was really terrible to Leah and I didn't understand why no one did anything about it. Then the story just meandered down this meh path, Nathan and Leah in love, mean girl being mean, and things happening.
Like I said it was an interesting premise, but I didn't like how it suddenly turned into teen insta-love hour. That and Nathan says some pretty terrible things about Leah when all is said and done, and she just takes him back in an instant. It was lame. She should at least have made him work to get her back. So an interesting idea, but not a very good execution.
May 18, 2025
I found this story to be an entertaining addition to the young adult paranormal genre. The story follows sixteen-year-old Leah Grant, who's been hiding her magical abilities in a world where witches are hunted and killed. Lathan creates an interesting premise - a society where magic once openly existed but is now violently suppressed.
What I enjoyed most was the character of Leah herself. Her struggle with voices in her head and unwanted visions of the future made her immediately sympathetic, and the constant threat of discovery added genuine tension to her everyday life. The concept of a witch in hiding who suddenly loses control of her powers is compelling, and when she flees her orphanage and finds her face all over the news, the stakes feel appropriately high.
The relationship dynamics that develop when Leah makes friends for the first time, particularly her romance with Nathan, added some welcome emotional depth to the story. Discovering why she's different from other magical beings created an interesting mystery that kept me reading.
However, I found the pacing to be somewhat slow, particularly in the middle sections. There were parts where the story seemed to drag, and I found myself wishing for more forward momentum in the plot. Some scenes could have been tightened to maintain better tension throughout.
Overall, while "Hidden" had some pacing issues, the intriguing premise, sympathetic protagonist, and the underlying mystery about Leah's unique powers made for an entertaining read. If you enjoy YA paranormal stories with a touch of romance and don't mind a slightly slower pace, this book is worth checking out.
What I enjoyed most was the character of Leah herself. Her struggle with voices in her head and unwanted visions of the future made her immediately sympathetic, and the constant threat of discovery added genuine tension to her everyday life. The concept of a witch in hiding who suddenly loses control of her powers is compelling, and when she flees her orphanage and finds her face all over the news, the stakes feel appropriately high.
The relationship dynamics that develop when Leah makes friends for the first time, particularly her romance with Nathan, added some welcome emotional depth to the story. Discovering why she's different from other magical beings created an interesting mystery that kept me reading.
However, I found the pacing to be somewhat slow, particularly in the middle sections. There were parts where the story seemed to drag, and I found myself wishing for more forward momentum in the plot. Some scenes could have been tightened to maintain better tension throughout.
Overall, while "Hidden" had some pacing issues, the intriguing premise, sympathetic protagonist, and the underlying mystery about Leah's unique powers made for an entertaining read. If you enjoy YA paranormal stories with a touch of romance and don't mind a slightly slower pace, this book is worth checking out.
August 13, 2019
What an awesome book, couldn't put it down!
I was a little sad at the development at the end, it feels like it needed a little more, but I guess it leaves an end for a good beginning in a second book.
This book was great. The description/development of the story and characters was good. It took me a little while to get into the story, but I was quickly captivated and was sucked into the story. The story is about Leah/Christine as the teller of the story and I loved how she developed, how she doesn't have friends in the beginning but finds them in the end. How she struggles to deal with her powers and to find out who or what she is. What she afraid is she might be. I didn't know this writer and it was on my Kindle since 2016, why did I wait to read it? I have to get part two asap! Thanks for telling this story!!!
I was a little sad at the development at the end, it feels like it needed a little more, but I guess it leaves an end for a good beginning in a second book.
This book was great. The description/development of the story and characters was good. It took me a little while to get into the story, but I was quickly captivated and was sucked into the story. The story is about Leah/Christine as the teller of the story and I loved how she developed, how she doesn't have friends in the beginning but finds them in the end. How she struggles to deal with her powers and to find out who or what she is. What she afraid is she might be. I didn't know this writer and it was on my Kindle since 2016, why did I wait to read it? I have to get part two asap! Thanks for telling this story!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2018
This book...this series...is incredibly addictive. I was pulled in from the start with Christine/Leah's story. Being trapped in a school with bullies, she has more magic than she knows what to do with, and yet, she doesn't use it against them. Her life changes in an instant when rage takes over, and she finds herself in a whole new world, one where magic isn't the enemy.
The story is fast-paced, and though there is a quick beginning to the teenage love story, I didn't find it distracting at all. I think Christine had never felt that type of love before so it makes sense that when she fell, she would fall hard.
Overall, a great YA fantasy romance with a ending hook that had me immediately buying Book 2.
The story is fast-paced, and though there is a quick beginning to the teenage love story, I didn't find it distracting at all. I think Christine had never felt that type of love before so it makes sense that when she fell, she would fall hard.
Overall, a great YA fantasy romance with a ending hook that had me immediately buying Book 2.
September 12, 2025
The way I had been searching for this book!!! This series was one of my favorite reads when I first got a kindle in middle school. I don’t have that kindle anymore and recently have been wanting to reread my favorite books that shaped me in childhood. I spent so long trying to find this book with just a basic memory of the plot. No title, no author name. I couldn’t remember anything but that there was witches, animal shifters and the love interests name started with N. But I found it!!
This book has brought me so much nostalgia and joy. I can’t wait to reread the rest of the series.
This book has brought me so much nostalgia and joy. I can’t wait to reread the rest of the series.
November 24, 2018
Leah was left at a school where no one likes her. She feels alone and often has thoughts of killing the other students who bully her. Unexpectedly a strange woman helps her get away. All of a sudden she's asking herself about her family, the new people surrounding her, and if her new fortune is real. Will Sophie help her figure out who she is and where she belongs or is she forever doomed to hide from the world?
October 19, 2013
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Leah is a girl convinced that she is an abomination. She lives in a world where the paranormal tried to overthrow the humans and lost. At least that is what she has been told at the orphanage slash catholic school she has been at since her parents died. They have indoctrinated the children with their version of good and evil and what happened in their recent history.
Leah is full of loathing for herself. She keeps away from others because she knows what she is truly capable of. She is bullied for being anti social and knows she could easily make them all pay but not without risking her powers being revealed resulting in her imprisonment and death. She is well aware of the consequences if she were to use her unusual capabilities.
When she finally snaps and has decided to burn down the mean girls she's stopped and whisked away by a woman and quickly becomes the topic of kidnapping and possible ransom.
Leah prays often hoping God will find grace and forgiveness for her being an evil creature. She asks for forgiveness for her evil thoughts about revenge.
The woman who whisked her away is Sophia, she has brought other teens to her home where she rescues their kind. She meets new people and has to learn to interact with others.
She meets Nathan and he relaxes her and helps her to break out of her shell at least a little.
She learns from Nathan about the hunters and how evil they really are even though they are humans.
She tries her best but with the ultimate Hunter on her missing person case it's a challenge for her to stay hidden.
She finds she has more emotions than she ever thought she could. She has struggled with knowing she was different. She now has a chance to fit in and things seem to get flipped and twisted just when they start getting good!
Just when you think you have it all figured out BAM! Nope! You were dead wrong! I LOVE IT!
I absolutely am loving this series. It has every element I love my YA reads to have with the perfect amount of paranormal in there.
So glad I have book 2 to read right after.
I like Leah and her cynical demeanor it's something I love about her and the fact that she knows she could annihilate Sienna and doesn't definitely makes her the better person. I like the depth and the fact that I can vividly picture every moment of this book. I was not disappointed in any part of this book and there was never a moment that I wished I could move on already. Even Sienna's character was a believable one along with her cronies.
I definitely like Sophia although I was a little miffed at first about her husband not making an appearance. It's just a bit shady!
And about Nathan, well he is a great character, everything you want in swoon worthy YA read. Good looking and good natured. All of the characters are well developed and well thought out. I love characters with depth and these are jam packed!
I like the storyline and plot as well it kept me engaged and reading until I couldn't hold my eyes open anymore. Life got in the way but I made time for this undeniably GOOD READ!!!
This books has it all!
Mystery, intrigue, love, hate, friends, enemies, good guys, bad guys and hotness a plenty.
(That Shaw chic gives me the heebie jeebies like Jeanine Matthews from Divergent until we find out the truth about her... OMG!)
You must read this next!
Leah is a girl convinced that she is an abomination. She lives in a world where the paranormal tried to overthrow the humans and lost. At least that is what she has been told at the orphanage slash catholic school she has been at since her parents died. They have indoctrinated the children with their version of good and evil and what happened in their recent history.
Leah is full of loathing for herself. She keeps away from others because she knows what she is truly capable of. She is bullied for being anti social and knows she could easily make them all pay but not without risking her powers being revealed resulting in her imprisonment and death. She is well aware of the consequences if she were to use her unusual capabilities.
When she finally snaps and has decided to burn down the mean girls she's stopped and whisked away by a woman and quickly becomes the topic of kidnapping and possible ransom.
Leah prays often hoping God will find grace and forgiveness for her being an evil creature. She asks for forgiveness for her evil thoughts about revenge.
The woman who whisked her away is Sophia, she has brought other teens to her home where she rescues their kind. She meets new people and has to learn to interact with others.
She meets Nathan and he relaxes her and helps her to break out of her shell at least a little.
She learns from Nathan about the hunters and how evil they really are even though they are humans.
She tries her best but with the ultimate Hunter on her missing person case it's a challenge for her to stay hidden.
She finds she has more emotions than she ever thought she could. She has struggled with knowing she was different. She now has a chance to fit in and things seem to get flipped and twisted just when they start getting good!
Just when you think you have it all figured out BAM! Nope! You were dead wrong! I LOVE IT!
I absolutely am loving this series. It has every element I love my YA reads to have with the perfect amount of paranormal in there.
So glad I have book 2 to read right after.
I like Leah and her cynical demeanor it's something I love about her and the fact that she knows she could annihilate Sienna and doesn't definitely makes her the better person. I like the depth and the fact that I can vividly picture every moment of this book. I was not disappointed in any part of this book and there was never a moment that I wished I could move on already. Even Sienna's character was a believable one along with her cronies.
I definitely like Sophia although I was a little miffed at first about her husband not making an appearance. It's just a bit shady!
And about Nathan, well he is a great character, everything you want in swoon worthy YA read. Good looking and good natured. All of the characters are well developed and well thought out. I love characters with depth and these are jam packed!
I like the storyline and plot as well it kept me engaged and reading until I couldn't hold my eyes open anymore. Life got in the way but I made time for this undeniably GOOD READ!!!
This books has it all!
Mystery, intrigue, love, hate, friends, enemies, good guys, bad guys and hotness a plenty.
(That Shaw chic gives me the heebie jeebies like Jeanine Matthews from Divergent until we find out the truth about her... OMG!)
You must read this next!
July 19, 2017
Hm.
It had me interested....riiiiiight up until she told Nate who she was. Then it was a jumbled mess and I found myself skipping entire pages. Didn't finish it. Maybe I will some day.
3 stars because it held my attention for 1/2 the book at least.
It had me interested....riiiiiight up until she told Nate who she was. Then it was a jumbled mess and I found myself skipping entire pages. Didn't finish it. Maybe I will some day.
3 stars because it held my attention for 1/2 the book at least.
February 16, 2023
More people need to know about this
I've read this book countless times and I love it over and over, the writing is perfect and the storyline, I've been reading it for years and it still remains one of my favorites as an adult.
I've read this book countless times and I love it over and over, the writing is perfect and the storyline, I've been reading it for years and it still remains one of my favorites as an adult.
February 1, 2017
If I could give it half stars it would be 2.5. It was an easy ready, moving on to the second book to see if it gets better.
June 9, 2017
Definitely enjoyed reading!
I enjoyed reading Leah/Christine's story. I can not wait to read the rest of the Hidden series. 5 star read!
I enjoyed reading Leah/Christine's story. I can not wait to read the rest of the Hidden series. 5 star read!
August 17, 2017
AWESOME BOOK!
May 17, 2018
3.5 stars. Enjoyable start to the series, with a main character I loved. Interesting twist on magic systems. Will hopefully be continuing the series!
- Rachel
- Rachel
October 23, 2018
Enjoyed very much
Nice read! Interesting plot that keeps you hooked with plenty of twist that keep you intensely occupied. I recommend this be made a movie.
Nice read! Interesting plot that keeps you hooked with plenty of twist that keep you intensely occupied. I recommend this be made a movie.
February 19, 2022
Not bad but not for me.
June 16, 2013
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as a part of the blog tour.
Okay… this review is going to be a tough one. It’s SO hard to explain this book without spoilers that I don’t even know if I’ll be able to tell you much of anything… I’ve been trying and trying to write and rewrite this thing for over an hour, so here it goes my best attempt.
Hidden is the story of a sixteen-year-old girl living at St. Catalina Orphanage since her parents died on a terrible war. She’s always felt different and the kids she lives with had made clear that she is, so Leah is depressed, lonely and angry. Sound sad but pretty normal, right?
Now… enter the most amazing superpowers ever, a whole new group of people who understand our main character, a lot of magic and paranormal stuff (including shape-shifters, witches, hunters, copies, etc), huge revelations and betrayal. There you go! That’s more like it!
The story is told in first person from Leah/Christine (yeah, two names, it’s kinda complicated, you should read the book…) POV and there was like a LOT going on. It was a little hard to keep up, especially at the beginning of the book, because we are thrown in this sort of dystopian world (after a huge war between humans and supernatural beings occurred) and we have to figure it out to understand what is happening to our protagonist. There’s a lot of information to take in and try to wrap your mind around. So the beginning is a little slow and kind of depressing because our main character is clearly depressed and it shows –which I think is good because she’s entirely believable. The slow pace normally would be a problem for me, but strangely this time it didn’t bother me that much… I was so intrigued by the prologue, captivated by the writing style and just trying to figure out what the hell was going on that I didn’t mind the beginning being slow because I wanted answers and I was getting them a one at a time.
But, the slow pace didn’t last much longer than a few chapters… Because then, everything starts to get out of control. Leah has been rescued from the orphanage by a witch named Sophia and she meets a bunch of “people” who are like her (kind of. Seriously… read the book). Between that crowd is Nate, a cute shape-shifter who quickly becomes Leah’s best friend since they both have a lot in common. This guy is the one that helps Leah out of her shell. He shows her that she’s not the monster she believed and makes her understand that she’s worth loving. And in the middle of that, they fell for each other.
And here’s where I had some issues… The romance was developed way too fast for my taste. And about two thirds into the story turns out that adorable, good Nate wasn’t that good after all and he’s pretty harsh and mean to Leah who he’s supposed to love… So, things don’t make much sense in this aspect of the story.
The thing I really liked about this book was that it had the most unexpected plot twists ever. I mean, seriously… I’m really good at predicting outcomes in books but I swear that I didn’t see most of the big twist in this story coming my way, so my mind was blown away multiple times through the story and that was fantastic!
Overall, I think Hidden is a great addition to the Paranormal genre. The author did a great job at creating an original and captivating story that would keep you at the edge of your seat trying to guess what’s coming next and rooting for a really well written main character. I’m definitely looking forward to read Lost, the next book in this series.
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