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Hidden #2
Broken Bargain
When you know magic is real, complacency is not an option.
It’s a new school year and ten months since Kim’s sister died. She wants to forget about magic, rebuild her life and start fresh. But it’s not easy when she has to lie to everyone: her family, best friend, Sophie, and secretive new guy, AJ.
But when Sophie’s grandmother falls ill, Kim can’t help but notice the parallels to Charley’s death. Convinced she’s the only one who can help, Kim sets out to discover what’s really wrong with Sophie’s grandmother.
It’s a new school year and ten months since Kim’s sister died. She wants to forget about magic, rebuild her life and start fresh. But it’s not easy when she has to lie to everyone: her family, best friend, Sophie, and secretive new guy, AJ.
But when Sophie’s grandmother falls ill, Kim can’t help but notice the parallels to Charley’s death. Convinced she’s the only one who can help, Kim sets out to discover what’s really wrong with Sophie’s grandmother.
204 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
147 people want to read
About the author
Clare Davidson
13 books84 followersClare Davidson is a character driven fantasy writer, teacher and mother, from the UK. Clare was born in Northampton and lived in Malaysia for four and a half years as a child, before returning to the UK to settle in Leeds with her family. Whilst attending Lancaster University, Clare met her future husband and never left. They now share their lives with their young daughter and a cranky grey cat, called Ash. Clare juggles family life with writing, teaching and a variety of fibre craft hobbies.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 1, 2014
Clare Davidson has done it again!
First off, I was a little worried what I might find in Broken Bargain. In the end of Reaper's Rhythm, we are left with an unrequited love. It is a great book, ended well, but I wasn't sure how Kim's relationship with Mathew would continue. I was nervous for a pending heartbreak in the future, but I was nervous for nothing!
Broken Bargain grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go until the end. Kim is off to a new year, new life and she's got her best friend, Sophie, by her side. Right away we are introduced to the cute new guy, and I KNEW we were going to see more of him. Then Sophie gets a phone call, and Kim watches as her best friend's life begins to unravel. But Kim cannot and will not stand aside, especially if she thinks magic might be involved.
Who doesn't love a strong heroine? I'm like, where does this chick get the audacity to be herself? Ha! To not be swayed by other's opinions, to think for herself, to be honest. Yet she isn't all in your face with her strength either, and she might disagree if you think she is self-confident. She reminds me of another character I just finished reading about. Merlin. A quiet, determined strength. No matter what, Kim is true to herself, and because of that she definitely puts herself into some interesting situations.
I'm not big on high school settings with all the teenage drama, but we don't have that here. Instead, we have a beautiful story of a girl coming of age and healing. It takes such great courage to tell it like it is. To write without compromise. To stare life and all its messiness in the face and keep going. To be real and to deal with real issues that so many people face, teens and adults alike. But this is what Clare Davidson does. I love her transparency in her writing. Like I mentioned in my review of Reaper's Rhythm, these books handle real and challenging issues that many teens face such as suicide, sex, divorce and dealing with grief.
That said, I know I have a wide-range of readers on my blog, so I want to take that into consideration when I review and recommend books. I point these things out not to diminish the quality of the story, but rather to let parents know what they might expect if they are reviewing it for their teens. That said, in Broken Bargain, you'll find some profanity and sexual content.
Overall, very satisfied with this story. It left me wishing to be included in the characters' circle of friends and to just relish in the perfect ending. Five stars!
*I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.*
First off, I was a little worried what I might find in Broken Bargain. In the end of Reaper's Rhythm, we are left with an unrequited love. It is a great book, ended well, but I wasn't sure how Kim's relationship with Mathew would continue. I was nervous for a pending heartbreak in the future, but I was nervous for nothing!
Broken Bargain grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go until the end. Kim is off to a new year, new life and she's got her best friend, Sophie, by her side. Right away we are introduced to the cute new guy, and I KNEW we were going to see more of him. Then Sophie gets a phone call, and Kim watches as her best friend's life begins to unravel. But Kim cannot and will not stand aside, especially if she thinks magic might be involved.
Who doesn't love a strong heroine? I'm like, where does this chick get the audacity to be herself? Ha! To not be swayed by other's opinions, to think for herself, to be honest. Yet she isn't all in your face with her strength either, and she might disagree if you think she is self-confident. She reminds me of another character I just finished reading about. Merlin. A quiet, determined strength. No matter what, Kim is true to herself, and because of that she definitely puts herself into some interesting situations.
I'm not big on high school settings with all the teenage drama, but we don't have that here. Instead, we have a beautiful story of a girl coming of age and healing. It takes such great courage to tell it like it is. To write without compromise. To stare life and all its messiness in the face and keep going. To be real and to deal with real issues that so many people face, teens and adults alike. But this is what Clare Davidson does. I love her transparency in her writing. Like I mentioned in my review of Reaper's Rhythm, these books handle real and challenging issues that many teens face such as suicide, sex, divorce and dealing with grief.
That said, I know I have a wide-range of readers on my blog, so I want to take that into consideration when I review and recommend books. I point these things out not to diminish the quality of the story, but rather to let parents know what they might expect if they are reviewing it for their teens. That said, in Broken Bargain, you'll find some profanity and sexual content.
Overall, very satisfied with this story. It left me wishing to be included in the characters' circle of friends and to just relish in the perfect ending. Five stars!
*I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.*
January 30, 2014
“Broken Bargain” picks up almost a year after the events in book 1, “Reaper’s Rhythm”. Kim is starting a new year at school. Though she is clearly still affected by the death of her sister, her own near death experience, and the startling knowledge that Shamari and Baneem, or angels and demons, are real. She also knows that magic is real, but that’s not something she can tell anyone, ever. Most of her classmates think she’s crazy anyway, after her meltdown when her sister Charley died. The only person who doesn’t think she’s crazy is her best friend, Sophie. And maybe the mysterious new boy, AJ.
Kim does her best to forget the secrets she cannot share and the trauma of the previous year. She has a full schedule of classes and a cute boy to distract her, but it’s hard not to look over her shoulder for signs of the dangerous world she knows is hidden beneath the surface. When Sophie’s grandmother suddenly falls ill and the details don’t add up, Kim begins to suspect magic. Especially when Matthew, the Shamari who came to her rescue when Charley died, appears to warn her away from investigating for herself. Not that she listens to him. How can she, when her best friend’s family is suffering?
This was such a great read! I could really feel Kim’s inner turmoil as she worked through some very serious issues she was left with after “Reaper’s Rhythm”. The details and emotion were fantastic! There were some really delightful and unexpected twists. The editing was top notch too, as was the cover design! This novel is 5 stars all the way around. I can’t wait for the next one in the Hidden series!!!
Kim does her best to forget the secrets she cannot share and the trauma of the previous year. She has a full schedule of classes and a cute boy to distract her, but it’s hard not to look over her shoulder for signs of the dangerous world she knows is hidden beneath the surface. When Sophie’s grandmother suddenly falls ill and the details don’t add up, Kim begins to suspect magic. Especially when Matthew, the Shamari who came to her rescue when Charley died, appears to warn her away from investigating for herself. Not that she listens to him. How can she, when her best friend’s family is suffering?
This was such a great read! I could really feel Kim’s inner turmoil as she worked through some very serious issues she was left with after “Reaper’s Rhythm”. The details and emotion were fantastic! There were some really delightful and unexpected twists. The editing was top notch too, as was the cover design! This novel is 5 stars all the way around. I can’t wait for the next one in the Hidden series!!!
February 13, 2014
Broken Bargain starts after a few months have passed since the events of Reaper's Rhythm, and Kim is trying to go on with a normal life, even if the weight of the secrets she keeps from everyone are heavier than she expected at the beginning. Her mother protectiveness is also getting heavier with the start of the new school year, fearing Kim will succumb to the stress that was the "official" reason of Charley's "suicide".
Kim grows in this book, and although she's still very much the typical teenager, feeling smothered by her parents and running away from having any sort of conversation with them. Her voice felt so genuinely true, and even though I felt like smacking her on occasion, she always sounded very real. Be it with her interactions with her best friend, her parents or AJ. AJ was a bit of an odd character at first, but once we discover the reasons for his behaviour, it started making more sense.
Their relationship is a very sweet one, with a few very serious conversations that are quite welcome, talking about issues instead of simply focusing on the swoony scenes.
The world building in this book shows us that there's more than the black and white of the Shamari and the Baneem as opposing sides, but there are also greys, and we're eventually more defined by our choices and actions than our origins.
With action and quite a few unexpected twists this book was a satisfying enough read, despite the very genuine teenager voice of Kim getting on my nerves on occasion. 3 to 3.5 stars for this one.
Kim grows in this book, and although she's still very much the typical teenager, feeling smothered by her parents and running away from having any sort of conversation with them. Her voice felt so genuinely true, and even though I felt like smacking her on occasion, she always sounded very real. Be it with her interactions with her best friend, her parents or AJ. AJ was a bit of an odd character at first, but once we discover the reasons for his behaviour, it started making more sense.
Their relationship is a very sweet one, with a few very serious conversations that are quite welcome, talking about issues instead of simply focusing on the swoony scenes.
The world building in this book shows us that there's more than the black and white of the Shamari and the Baneem as opposing sides, but there are also greys, and we're eventually more defined by our choices and actions than our origins.
With action and quite a few unexpected twists this book was a satisfying enough read, despite the very genuine teenager voice of Kim getting on my nerves on occasion. 3 to 3.5 stars for this one.
February 4, 2014
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC ebook copy of the Broken Bargain for an honest review and a for my Reaper's Rhythm blog tour stop for my blog on February 12th, 2014.
I finished reading the first book, Reaper's Rhythm, within a couple days and I enjoyed it very much. I loved the fast-paced plot, enjoyable characters and especially the narrator! There were a few obvious parts in the book I was able to pick up, but it left me wanting to read more.
The Broken Bargain was a good sequel, and we get a lot of action, romance and mystery in the book. I found that I liked the Broken Bargain much better because I just found the plot nicer, and the characters developed more.
The Broken Bargain takes place a year (well, a couple months actually) after the events of the Reaper's Rhythm. Kimmie has lived a fairly normal life, trying to forget what happened a few months prior, but she knows she can't, because learning about magic distorts a person's reality.
I liked her more in this book as well, and I loved how we got to see Matthew again! I thought he was gone for good! And I really enjoyed AJ as well. Overall, the book was okay, but once again, even with a nicer plot, I was still able to figure things out quite easily.
I received an ARC ebook copy of the Broken Bargain for an honest review and a for my Reaper's Rhythm blog tour stop for my blog on February 12th, 2014.
I finished reading the first book, Reaper's Rhythm, within a couple days and I enjoyed it very much. I loved the fast-paced plot, enjoyable characters and especially the narrator! There were a few obvious parts in the book I was able to pick up, but it left me wanting to read more.
The Broken Bargain was a good sequel, and we get a lot of action, romance and mystery in the book. I found that I liked the Broken Bargain much better because I just found the plot nicer, and the characters developed more.
The Broken Bargain takes place a year (well, a couple months actually) after the events of the Reaper's Rhythm. Kimmie has lived a fairly normal life, trying to forget what happened a few months prior, but she knows she can't, because learning about magic distorts a person's reality.
I liked her more in this book as well, and I loved how we got to see Matthew again! I thought he was gone for good! And I really enjoyed AJ as well. Overall, the book was okay, but once again, even with a nicer plot, I was still able to figure things out quite easily.
June 23, 2014
(I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.)
This is a minireview, full review can be found here. I didn't actually add a lot to the full review.
I really enjoyed the first book (Reaper's Rhythm) but I'm not sure if I enjoyed the second one just as much. Kim is still the brave and determined protagonist from the first book, but this one features the addition of the cute new guy in town. What I loved about the first book is that the story stayed firmly on track without all the crazy teenage hormones getting in the way. This one, it kind of ventures into that territory.
Maybe it can be seen as a natural progression? Kim slowly learning to trust others again after the events of the first book. I just wasn't sure if their love story was completely necessary, couldn't they just be really good friends until they knew each other a little more? Ah, but AJ did call this out, and I'm pretty grateful for that.
Pacing was good, story was nicely done, and I liked learning more about the Baneem and Shamari.
This is a minireview, full review can be found here. I didn't actually add a lot to the full review.
I really enjoyed the first book (Reaper's Rhythm) but I'm not sure if I enjoyed the second one just as much. Kim is still the brave and determined protagonist from the first book, but this one features the addition of the cute new guy in town. What I loved about the first book is that the story stayed firmly on track without all the crazy teenage hormones getting in the way. This one, it kind of ventures into that territory.
Maybe it can be seen as a natural progression? Kim slowly learning to trust others again after the events of the first book. I just wasn't sure if their love story was completely necessary, couldn't they just be really good friends until they knew each other a little more? Ah, but AJ did call this out, and I'm pretty grateful for that.
Pacing was good, story was nicely done, and I liked learning more about the Baneem and Shamari.
June 16, 2014
If you enjoyed the first book, I expect you'll like this follow-up. I sure did.
This time around, we have a love-interest on the scene. And do you know what I like most about that? It's that we get to know him, and we're not constantly reminded how amazingly amazing he looks, or how perfectly shaped his lips are, or how stunning and smoulderingly intense his eyes are... our new love interest is "just a guy", so the developing romance follows more closely to what a teenage girl might experience in real life when a new, kinda cute classmate arrives in town.
We carry on with the theme of people being hurt and the mystery that must be solved to find out why and how to stop it... It's a clever mix of genres, really. A paranormal mystery. Kim is a great character; strong, but not inhuman. The rest of the characters hold their own, too.
Again, I read the book quite fast (given that I was rather busy with other things at the time), and that's a testament to the easy flow of the writing and how well the story drew me in.
Yeah... I'm looking forward to the next.
This time around, we have a love-interest on the scene. And do you know what I like most about that? It's that we get to know him, and we're not constantly reminded how amazingly amazing he looks, or how perfectly shaped his lips are, or how stunning and smoulderingly intense his eyes are... our new love interest is "just a guy", so the developing romance follows more closely to what a teenage girl might experience in real life when a new, kinda cute classmate arrives in town.
We carry on with the theme of people being hurt and the mystery that must be solved to find out why and how to stop it... It's a clever mix of genres, really. A paranormal mystery. Kim is a great character; strong, but not inhuman. The rest of the characters hold their own, too.
Again, I read the book quite fast (given that I was rather busy with other things at the time), and that's a testament to the easy flow of the writing and how well the story drew me in.
Yeah... I'm looking forward to the next.
September 19, 2015
I found this sequel to Reaper's Rhythm to be a bit mixed. As in the first book, the characters' emotions and motivations are handled and described very well; Kim's personal torment feels like a natural continuation. I also liked the character of Matthew better: you can understand how difficult his job is in spite of all his power, and I liked how his relationship with Kim progressed (i.e. non-romantically), though their scenes together sometimes felt a bit repetitive. The story as a whole wasn't as exciting, though still a compelling read overall.
March 26, 2014
Loved the first book in this series and couldn’t wait to read the second. Not only I wasn’t disappointed, but I couldn’t put it down. Broken Bargain is well written and truly engaging. I loved how new characters were introduced and how Kim deals with a reality straight from a nightmare while still being a teenager. I found the budding love story very sweet and yet realistic.
August 3, 2016
Actual rating: 2.5 stars.
I really liked Reaper's Rhythm, but this one was kind of a disappointment for me.
I really liked Reaper's Rhythm, but this one was kind of a disappointment for me.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews