Struck

by Clarissa Johal

Struck by lightning...claimed by shadows.

Caught in a terrible storm, Gwynneth is struck by lightning. She wakes in the hospital with a vague memory of a mysterious stranger. Following her release, the stranger visits her at will and offers Gwynneth a gift—one that will stay the hands of death. She is uncertain whether Julian is a savior or something sinister... for as he shares more of this gift, his price becomes deadly.

Genres: Paranormal, Horror, Fantasy, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary

255 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2014

About the author

Clarissa Johal is the bestselling author of paranormal novels, THE LIGHTHOUSE, WHISPERS IN THE WOOD, POPPY, THE ISLAND, VOICES, STRUCK, and BETWEEN. When she's not listening to the ghosts in her head, she's swinging from a trapeze, or taking pictures of gargoyles.

Reviews

[Carolyn Spear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me warn you... Don't read this when you have anything pressing because you will not want to put this book down once you start it. Oh, and maybe don't finish it right before bed. This story gets in your head and every shadow becomes so much more than a shadow.

I won't summarize, that's what the rest of the post is for, and I don't want to spoil the read. What I will say is I read this in one day, with several unwilling breaks. Ms. Johal grabs you by the fears and immerses you in her boiling cauldron of seething spiritual oppression. Heart pounding, breath holding, fist clenching scenes made shivers run up and down my spine more than I care to remember. Throughout, I rooted for the good guys and kept an eye out for the bad guys.

Ms. Johal created realistic, likeable characters. Most books I don't like result from unlikeable heroes or heroines but Gwynneth is a girl after my own heart. She's sweet, sensitive, and broken. Her motivations for her actions are unselfish as she struggles with a full on spiritual attack.

Throughout the story, I was never sure what was coming next. Who was helping Gwen, who was hindering her, who she'd end up with? Hell, would she even survive? The pace was perfect: gave me just enough detail to satisfy my need to create an image in my head while keeping me on the edge of my seat, needing to turn the page. Turn the page!

I loved the characters, especially best friend Seth. I mean, really, hot best friend who's neat, tidy and cooks like a Parisian chef? What's not to like? Fenton, her good friend and co-worker, kicked her ass or hugged her, whatever the situation called for. Every woman needs a friend like that.

Horror is not my usual pick. I love paranormal but I've got a pretty active imagination and Ms. Johal did such a superb job painting the story, giving life to the shadows, that I have to admit having trouble falling asleep. Actually prayed a little harder, a little longer than usual. And maybe I had to sleep with the light on in the bathroom. Not that I really needed it. (Totally needed it!)

This. Is. A. Must. Read!

[Two Nerds With Words · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewer: Tina
Disclosure: This ebook was provided by the author in exchange for an HONEST and not necessarily positive review.

This is a spooky thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You won't be able to put it down because you must finish it to see what happens, even if it keeps you up late at night to do so.

Gwen has had a string of bad luck but then she moved to her new town only to get struck by lighting. When this happens, she starts seeing all kinds of things that aren't natural. Little does she know, she isn't crazy. Her roommate begins seeing her change and is afraid he is going to lose her but to what, he doesn't know. Seth tries to get her to open up and tell him but Gwen thinks she is starting to go crazy.

This is a story that will have you feeling all the strange things that happen to Gwen and you start to hope she can fight the things so she can survive. Everything that happens to her is real and not in her head. Once her friends step in, they all learn about her battles and she finally excepts that she doesn't have to fight alone.

Is this a battle of other world beings, something that Gwen can fight? Is she strong enough to really overcome this battle and not lose everything she loves? These questions are answered but you won't get those answers until the very end. Loved this spooky, mysterious, thriller until the last page. Don't think about it to much or you won't be able to sleep at night. The shadows may get you!

[Elsa Carrion · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this without bothering to read any reviews/burbs/or summaries. My buddy picked it for me for this month (November) so I didn't know what to expect, except that the cover was nice. I first started reading it I thought, darn another third person read, bummer. I was surprised that I was actually enjoying it as much as I was. It did seem to drag at times.

Stuck by lightning .... claimed by shadows really does sum it up, I get it now!

She's an artist who's heart was broken and Seth is a computer geek, but a very cute one, who has been her BFF since childhood. I really liked Gwynneth in the beginning, she came off as a strong heroine. However as she started to lose her marbles and she started to get annoying and mean. Seth, like I said, was her BFF and her shoulder to cry on after her heart was broken. You have to love a man who can cooked, cleaned, and allowed her to stay with him in his apartment in San Francisco after she left her ex in Oregon. The only negative aspect of Seth was that he did come off as a lost puppy, a little to soft/wimpy but I still liked him. I have to mention her very happy gay friend Fenton who worked with her at the nursing home with her and was a perfect friend. There was another male character in the story his name was Dante he worked for the funeral home. He had his part to play in the beginning of the story, after that besides bring out Seths feelings, not sure if Dante was really needed after that. It just seemed a little odd when he was mentioned, he was a little odd.

Next book is out continues with Dante and Poppy's story, maybe that's why the author decided to keep him in the story.

Story had 44 chapters
Set in San Francisco
New author for me
Paranormal Read
3 stars

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

I was completely blown away by this book. I had no idea what to expect when I picked it up and I was glued to the pages the entire time. There was so much going on and all of it was hidden and Clarissa only allows you to see small snippets. I couldn't figure out what was going on, if Julian was a good guy or a bad guy, or whether Gwen was going nuts. I was definitely intrigued by the story and didn't form an opinion until towards the end.

Speaking of the end, I did have a bit of an issue with the end. There is a moment that I cannot speak about because it will be a spoiler, but it kind of irked me because it was too quick. It seemed like It could have been written a little differently and it would have been much better and more believable. But, I understand why it happened and I know that it was the right decision. I just didn't like the execution of it. Is it enough for me to not like it or not recommend it? No. It's just a personal irritation of mine that most people may not even pick up on.

This story has a lot of different aspects in it: there is humor, romance, suspense, action, and drama. This is a read that will keep you on the edge of your seat for the entire time. Clarissa will take you on a roller coaster of a ride that will leave you breathless and your heart pounding. It is a very hard read to put down once you start. I absolutely loved her gay friend Fenten and loved how doting Seth was. The book made me hungry all the time because Seth liked to cook so he was always cooking some yummy food. It made me wish I had a Seth in my life. I give this 4.5 books.

[Star · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gwynneth (Gwen) works at a retirement home and lives with her best friend, Seth. After Gwen gets a call about one of her favorite residents dying, she goes to the funeral home to pay her last respects. Leaving the funeral home, she’s struck by lightning. Waking in the hospital, Gwen has a faint memory of an unknown man rescuing her and an odd burn mark on her back. Gwen’s mysterious rescuer comes back to her and offers her the ability to hold back death – but will the price she’ll pay be worth this so-called gift? STRUCK will get beneath your skin from the very beginning. Gwen’s a likable character with a difficult past and tenuous future after meeting Julian. I liked the secondary characters, especially Fenten and Poppy. The characters were definitely all well-developed and engaging. While I understood some of Gwen’s choices, I wished she’d have been more open with her friends about Julian because there is power in numbers. STRUCK flowed well, with no choppiness or dangling plot strings. Following along with Gwen as she explores and delves into this new darkness, you’ll be intrigued and entranced. STRUCK is a good book with a solid plot and great characters.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5.0

A fascinating combination of horror and fantasy with a dash of romance, this tale will have one eyeing thunderstorms with extreme wariness.

Read full review in the 2014 August issue of InD’tale Magazine.

[H.L. Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Subtle and spooky, with the chill level ratcheted up at just the right speed. Realistic, likable hero, slowly awakening to the horror overtaking her. Read the book initially a couple of years ago; re-discovered it on the e-reader recently and got sucked into the story again.

[Ricki · Rating 4 out of 5]

More horror than paranormal romance, this was a real page-turner.

[Anita · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out strong with a lot of promise. Then after the first 50-60 pages I just didn't get what was going on. Was hoping for a strong finish that never came.

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd give this closer to 2.5 stars if I could. I really loved the premise and I loved reading it until really the last chapter. I just felt like the last chapter was waaaaaaay rushed to tie up all the ends and then BAM. It's over. Like the last chapter could really of been split over a few more chapters, with more explanations and detail. It was entertaining, but it ended so abruptly and I still had so many questions. The rest of the review is behind a spoiler warning :)


I don't know if some of these questions were answered and I just didn't see the answer, or I forgot they answered them, but here are some questions I was left with.

- Julian. Who was he? He was just some other person like Gwen who's soul was taken from another shadow dude before him? Why would he save Gwen from the lightning? So does the lightning kind of mark the person for the shadows to find? If the shadows were controlling him, why were they taking over Gwen when she was painting? I don't see why the shadows needed Julian. Does he go around looking for victims of lightning strikes, saves them and then slowly steals their soul? I wish there was more backstory to him, he just didn't seem real.

- The full story on the shadows. Were they evil entities that prey on people through lightning strikes? If they were stealing parts of Gwen's soul when she was painting, why did they need Julian? If they could get to Gwen's and Hannah's friends (who weren't struck by lightning) to kill or kidnap them, what does the lightning strike have to do with it? Why couldn't they find random people? In the epilogue, a dark entity escaped during a lightning strike. Was that another Julian...someone who's being controlled by the shadows? Or was it a single shadow looking to find a Julian? But then again, why would it need a Julian?

- So Gwen's love for Seth saved them from the shadows? She just had to not accept them and feel her love super strongly, and they went away? That just seems to easy.

Maybe their could be a prequel with Julian as the main character to help answer some of these questions. Please comment and let me know if some of these were answered in the book and I just didin't figure it out lol, I really do love the whole idea :)

[Donna Zink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delighted I gave this book a try! Became so engrossed with the mystery and danger the heroine, Gwynneth (Gwen) finds herself entangled in that once I began reading could not put the book down. This can be read as a standalone novel as there is no cliffhanger at the end.

Gwynneth moves to San Francisco after a bad break up. Her best friend, Seth, encouraged her to make the move and be his roommate. Seth even has a friend that helps her obtain a job at Homestead, a retirement home. Gwen is well liked by everyone at the retirement home, but becomes especially good friends with Fenten, a fellow employee. One of the residents, Mrs. Hannah Engel, becomes a favorite with Gwen to the point of spending extra time together even if it’s not Gwen’s day to work. Everything seems to be falling into place until the night Hannah dies unexpectedly. Her death sets in motion a chain of events that changes Gwen’s hold on reality as well as endangering anyone that she deeply cares for.

I was so mad a Gwen (as if she was my BFF) a number of times for not being open with old and new friends that could have been a huge help in her struggles against the evil that is trying to claim her. At the same time it’s easy to understand why Gwen is afraid everyone would think she is crazy if she tells them about the stranger, Julian, and the horrible things he shows her. Seth is so concerned and protective how can Gwen resist him. Heck, I couldn’t! Fenten and Poppy, friends of Gwen, are wonderful sub-characters! Would love to see a couple of books with them as the main protagonist, they are that engaging.

There is a flow to the story that works. Characters are very authentic making it easy to be pulled into their lives and even believe the craziness. Ms. Johal does a great job with the dialogue. There is a natural rhythm to the interaction between characters. The storyline was a new one for me which made it that much more intriguing. All in all was a very entertaining book.

Happily RECOMMEND to anyone 16 and older.

[books are love · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one great freaky story. A perfect halloween creepy tale. Gwenneth feels all is lost and moves in with SEth, who loves her as more than a friend. As they get closer thn friends and Gwenneth fights it she has a few life altering moments. One is a patient where she works who is ornary to all but her, than she is struck by lightning and than a darkness takes over her and she gives in. It isn’t until her friends Fin and Seth pull her away that she realizes what is happening. She is almost lost to the darkness and Seth’s love and light brings her to fight and try to win. The story is dark in its undertones and the story has a huge creep factour. A good creep factour but one none the less. The writing is addictive and it makes the story come alive and at times give you the creepy crawley heebie jeebies when you read about the darkness and what it does. It wants Gwenneth to be their master but she doesn’t want to be consumed anymore. The story is about her first surrendering to the darkness so she can be a artist that succeeds and than to protect her loved ones and than about her fight against the darkness so she can be with Seth. The story elements are up there with dark stories from Poe. Johal gives the eeriness that the story needs in a slow buildup from the undertaker and his employee to the man who controls or thinks he controls the darkness to the effects of the darkness itself and your hair never goes off of standing on end. She finds a way to bring about the darkness that keeps you entranced and wanting dare i say more. More creep and more heebie jeebie. A dark enticing book that will keep you looking over your shoulder and wanting nothing more than to read more of this type of story.

[Lisa Cresswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just so you know up front, I did receive a free copy of Struck by Clarissa Johal in exchange for an honest review. I don't do a lot of book reviews on the blog, mainly because I don't read fast enough to meet blog tour time frames, but this was one opportunity I'm glad I didn't pass up.

I enjoyed Struck. It's well written and suspenseful till the bitter end. It's the story of a struggling artist struck by lightning who begins to have increasingly terrifying visions she can't explain, nor can the reader. For someone like myself who doesn't read a lot of suspense, I found the book maddening at times because I wanted more information than I was getting, but it kept me reading, which is the point of suspense, right? Although I must admit I began to despair when I was 75-85% done with still no explanation in sight. At that point, the main character lost all my sympathy by shoving away all her friends for some still unexplained reason. I got that she thought she needed to protect them, but it seemed like it was out of her control at that point.

I liked the secondary characters, especially Fenton, but I couldn't help wondering if he was a bit too much the stereotypical sassy BFF. And I did have one nit pick toward the end when the characters start burning sage to ward off evil spirits and make comments about the smell of burning roasts. The sage Native Americans burn is a wild plant very different from culinary sage. I've never burned culinary sage, but I doubt it smells like the sweet sage Native Americans burn. Overall, I found Struck to be a well crafted, suspenseful read. I give it four stars!

[Bob Boze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Struck is listed under Horror, Dark Fantasy but I think Paranormal Fantasy might be a better description since it’s not terribly dark.

The stories main character is Gwen, who during a storm, is struck by lightning. She survives the strike and remembers very little about it until she’s visited by Julian: A ghostly vestige of the devil (?) who apparently found and saved her after she was struck.

Julian’s visits soon become demanding as he tries to take control of her, only to be thwarted by Gwen as she struggles to keep control of her life and protect her friends. In doing so, she finds that a woman she cared for at the nursing home she works at has left her a warning.

I’ll not go into more detail because it’s too easy to unintentionally throw in a spoiler and give part of the complex plot away.

I found the story line and characters in Struck to be very well developed. The plot was complex, did not have a lot of twists and turns but the ones it did have were very well done. Overall, it held my interest and the characters were believable, likable and mysterious and dark when they should be.

One thing I found a little hard to believe was Gwen’s refusal to confide in anyone or, ask for help. That was especially true where Seth, her roommate, was concerned and I kept waiting for her to tell him what was happening and ask for his help.

Finally, the ending seemed to be rushed and left me hanging.

While it wasn’t a page turner for me, Struck is a very well written story that held my interest from front to back. I also found it to be just the right shade of dark.

A very good read that I’m sure will hold your interest.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a spooky triller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You won't be able to put it down because you must finish it to see what happens, even if it keeps you up late at night to do so. Gwen has had a string of bad luck but then she moved to her new town only to get struck by lighting. When this happens, she starts seeing all kinds of things that aren't natural. Little does she know, she isn't crazy. Her roommate begins seeing her change and is afraid he is going to lose her but to what, he doesn't know. Seth tries to get her to open up and tell him but Gwen thinks she is starting to go crazy. This is a story that will have you feeling all the strange things that happen to Gwen and you start to hope she can fight the things so she can survive. Everything that happens to her is real and not in her head. Once her friends step in, they all learn about her battles and she finally excepts that she doesn't have to fight alone. Is this a battle of other world beings, something that Gwen can fight? Is she strong enough to really overcome this battle and not lose everything she loves? These questions are answered but you won't get those answers until the very end. Loved this spooky, mysterious, thriller until the last page. Don't think about it to much or you won't be able to sleep at night. The shadows may get you!!

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This spooky tale entertained and frightened me. The idea of being struck by lightning, living through it, then being changed by that experience has always fascinated me. I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to read and review this book.

Gwynneth is a kind-hearted person who is a bit naïve. I liked how the story unfolded but I just wanted to clobber Gwynneth a few times when she continually made stupid choices. She is fortunate to have a few really good friends but she seems intent on her dangerous and foolhardy course of action in her zeal to protect those closest to her. As her sanity and physical health takes a beating, Gwynneth struggles to understand the darkness that encroaches, slowing consuming her. As the truth is revealed, her desperation mounts. This is a different kind of ghost story. It kept me wide awake in the middle of the night because I just had to find out the ending.

The book was given to me in exchange for my honest review.

Reviewed by Laurie-J

[Cheap and Lazy · Rating 5 out of 5]

STRUCK is Dean Koontz-type horror/suspense, with two differences that made it more enjoyable for me than his books. The first is that I didn’t have to skim over loathsome gory details (I’m not going to tell you the second because I don’t want to spoil the ending, but both are big for me). Ms. Johal writes with a stealthy subtlety; my sense of foreboding grew alongside my affection for the characters (who were well-developed and spoke in a nice, natural dialog). The chill just crept further and further up my spine until I ended up having a nightmare somewhere around the middle! I was so worried about Gwynneth, I had a hard time putting the book down—in case something happened while I wasn’t looking. On a side note, time constraints forced me to read this book in small chunks :<(. Fortunately, the book is laid out with many shorter scenes which made it easier to tell myself “just one more bit” several times without breaking the clock. I loved BETWEEN too, and hope I don’t have to wait too long for Ms. Johal’s next book.

[Jeanette A · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed my interest immediately and then whipped me through the rest of the story in about a day. And every-time I had to put it down some serious pouting happened. I really enjoyed the characters, from Gwyennth the painter in her the tie-dye underwear, to the blond body builder picking fights over her at the bar. All of the main characters were nicely fleshed out and the best kind of quirky. My favorite one, by far, was the pink-loving psychic-mortician Poppy.So much quirk in one awesome red-headed package. I'd love to read an enter book based just on her. But I digress. The horror aspect with the things in the dark and mysterious stranger are nicely paired with the budding love interest and a slow unraveling of our heroine's sanity. One big thing I will say about this book, it makes me want to read more romance- and that's saying something, because it's not generally my favorite genre, but this one did it right.

Also, this book managed to cultivate a fear of dressing rooms for me, the same way IT did for my fear of clowns.

[Arlene Mullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book and I could not put it down. Gwynneth is such a relatable main character. She moves in with her friend Seth after a horrible break up. She works at a nursing home with the awesome Felton.
She comes into work to find out one of her favorite residents has passed. She goes to the funeral home to pay her respects and gets struck by lighting. Thats when she meets Julian. It seems at first like he is helping but it is not what it seems.
Seth and Gwyn are great together and its fun seeing them explore feelings. Then Fenton who is just my favorite.
My Biggest issue was that it took to long to figure out anything. By the 9th chapter I still wasn't exactly sure what was going on. I loved the story and wanted to keep reading but I was starting to lose interest. Besides that I thought it was a great book.

[Librarian Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Johal shares with us a tale of darkness and evil. Gwynneth finds herself involved with a strange man and shadows that she doesn't understand-- are they evil or are they helping her with her art?

The characters are well drawn and likeable. The relationships between the characters are believable. It is obvious that Gwynneth and her best friend, Seth, are fond of each other--even more than fond. However, it's not quite that obvious to them.

The secondary characters are also delightful and I would love to see them again, especially Poppy. She is delightful and, as an aside, sees spirits.

The action is fast paced-- I read the book in one sitting and look forward to reading more by this author.

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol)]

3.5

A fascinating combination of horror and fantasy with a dash of romance, this tale will have one eyeing thunderstorms with extreme wariness.

Full review can be found in the 2014 August issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkly entertaining, Ms. Johal grabs you by the throat with this tale, and I suggest keeping the light on.

Read the rest of the review at http://www.ismellsheep.com/2015/01/bo...

[A. Giacomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! I loved the characters so so much! I'm very pleased that two of them will be returning in Poppy, which I can't wait to read!! This book was supernatural at its very best!

[Janine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great, unsettling thriller from Johal, perfectly blending psychological horror with paranormal and fantasy elements.