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Sin
My name is Sin. I killed a man in self-defense when I was sixteen. Not something a girl wants to brag about. My dad wanted to lock me up in the nut house, but Mom sent me packing to my great aunts in St. Charles, IL. They’re ancient druid priestesses, and they make me look like a pacifist. I’d barely unpacked before the aunts sent me to find the stolen hellhounds. Without the hounds to herd them to the underworld, the souls of the dead are flocking to the cities in murders of crows. If they’re still hanging around after three days, they’ll turn into flesh eating, brain feasting zombies. Van, an annoying but uber-hot Fey Prince, joins us in the hunt to find the hounds before the zombies overrun St. Charles and turn the cities into cemeteries.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 13, 2014
2 people are currently reading
629 people want to read
About the author
Sharron Riddle
11 books53 followersSharron lives on a mini-farm in Virginia with her husband, her chickens, and her spoiled dog, Dr. Watson. She loves reading almost as much as she does writing. She wrote her first story at the age of four. Once she began typing, she never stopped.
Sharron loves all things eerie, and shares her love of the wild and weird in her adult and young adult fantasy adventures.
Sharron loves all things eerie, and shares her love of the wild and weird in her adult and young adult fantasy adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 13, 2014
I read an advanced reading copy of SIN by Sharron Riddle last year and was blown away! This is young adult fantasy adventure at its very best.
I'm generally not a fan of YA but there was something about the vision and scope of the fantasy world presented in SIN that made it impossible to put down. I devoured the entire thing over two days. I recommend you do the same!
I'm generally not a fan of YA but there was something about the vision and scope of the fantasy world presented in SIN that made it impossible to put down. I devoured the entire thing over two days. I recommend you do the same!
January 23, 2014
Author Sharron Riddle creates a little magic of her own with this book.
First off, I want to note that I was given a free copy of this book to do a review on.
Rating: If it were possible, I would give this a rating of four and three fourths stars. However, since it’s not I rounded it up to five. There are a very few minor reasons why I subtracted points from the five star review and I will talk about them below.
First, however, I wanted to talk about some of the things I really enjoyed about this story. One of those is the writing style. Typically, I despise first person POV in writing, and I don't know if I'm just getting used to it or what, but Riddle did hers in a way that hardly noticed that it was in first person. So, in my mind that means she did a hell of a job on it.
Another thing I really liked were the zombies. I don't care for normal zombie stories as well they kinda scare me and generally speaking, the books and or movies are full of gore. These zombies however were much more entertaining to read about. Mind you they are not typical zombies, for example in this case if they bite you, you don't become infected and eventually turn into a zombie. These are the much older (and much more fun in my opinion) magic based zombies that have deep roots in ancient cultural lore. I commend Ridden for using these specific zombies when she easily could have used the more popular "modern" zombie and spun her book into an apocalypse. In my opinion that might have gotten her book noticed, but it wouldn't have left such a lasting impression on me.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the main character Sin, she is quite the fun character to read about and quite honestly, she reminds me of the type of girl I would have wanted to be friends with in high school. An outcast. In the beginning of the book, on the dedication page. Ridden states that the book is dedicated to her two daughters and how they helped inspire the characters. If either of them fueled Sin's personality, I can only imagine how full Ridden's hands must be.
Now for the few minor things I didn't like about the book. The one major one is the books cover art. I feel that it doesn't do a good job displaying what this story is about. The book is a modern fantasy with zombies and druids, Fey and magic. Yet this cover art, while it does show references to the story, the crow feathers for hair as an example, it does little to alert me to the what the book is. I feel that this should be the cover art for a glam magazine not a fantasy slash zombie story. Unfortunately, I know a lot of traditionally published authors don't have any control over the cover art so in this case I blame the publisher not the author.
Another very minor negative was that I did see a few missing words or typos. But it was very few, like one in twenty pages. In one instance, she had a question mark instead of a period, or another was "a" instead of "as." Extremely minor in the grand scheme of things. Otherwise, the book was very well edited and easy to read through.
So to end this review I want to say that highly recommend the book to any fan of modern fantasy. If you enjoyed Harry Potter or Percy Jackson then I strongly feel that this one would appeal to you too. If this review doesn't state it plainly enough, let me say it here. So far, of all the books I have reviewed, this one is by far the best I have read. With Supernatural Hero being a semi close second. I truly hope Ridden finds success with this book, because I honestly think it could be a movie someday, and that's something I would like to see.
First off, I want to note that I was given a free copy of this book to do a review on.
Rating: If it were possible, I would give this a rating of four and three fourths stars. However, since it’s not I rounded it up to five. There are a very few minor reasons why I subtracted points from the five star review and I will talk about them below.
First, however, I wanted to talk about some of the things I really enjoyed about this story. One of those is the writing style. Typically, I despise first person POV in writing, and I don't know if I'm just getting used to it or what, but Riddle did hers in a way that hardly noticed that it was in first person. So, in my mind that means she did a hell of a job on it.
Another thing I really liked were the zombies. I don't care for normal zombie stories as well they kinda scare me and generally speaking, the books and or movies are full of gore. These zombies however were much more entertaining to read about. Mind you they are not typical zombies, for example in this case if they bite you, you don't become infected and eventually turn into a zombie. These are the much older (and much more fun in my opinion) magic based zombies that have deep roots in ancient cultural lore. I commend Ridden for using these specific zombies when she easily could have used the more popular "modern" zombie and spun her book into an apocalypse. In my opinion that might have gotten her book noticed, but it wouldn't have left such a lasting impression on me.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the main character Sin, she is quite the fun character to read about and quite honestly, she reminds me of the type of girl I would have wanted to be friends with in high school. An outcast. In the beginning of the book, on the dedication page. Ridden states that the book is dedicated to her two daughters and how they helped inspire the characters. If either of them fueled Sin's personality, I can only imagine how full Ridden's hands must be.
Now for the few minor things I didn't like about the book. The one major one is the books cover art. I feel that it doesn't do a good job displaying what this story is about. The book is a modern fantasy with zombies and druids, Fey and magic. Yet this cover art, while it does show references to the story, the crow feathers for hair as an example, it does little to alert me to the what the book is. I feel that this should be the cover art for a glam magazine not a fantasy slash zombie story. Unfortunately, I know a lot of traditionally published authors don't have any control over the cover art so in this case I blame the publisher not the author.
Another very minor negative was that I did see a few missing words or typos. But it was very few, like one in twenty pages. In one instance, she had a question mark instead of a period, or another was "a" instead of "as." Extremely minor in the grand scheme of things. Otherwise, the book was very well edited and easy to read through.
So to end this review I want to say that highly recommend the book to any fan of modern fantasy. If you enjoyed Harry Potter or Percy Jackson then I strongly feel that this one would appeal to you too. If this review doesn't state it plainly enough, let me say it here. So far, of all the books I have reviewed, this one is by far the best I have read. With Supernatural Hero being a semi close second. I truly hope Ridden finds success with this book, because I honestly think it could be a movie someday, and that's something I would like to see.
September 20, 2014
3.5Stars!
I feel like I just stepped out from a different world.
It's Harry Potter meets The Mortal Instrument.
SIN was the kind of book that after you finished it, you have to sit and let your mind digest it. There was a lot going on in this book. To the point that you have to pause for a minute to let it all sink in.
I think that SIN has a very well thought plot. But! The pacing was too fast. There's a lot of things that happened and the time frame seems so so unbelievable.
I have to say though, Sharon Riddle is a brilliant writer! Her characters are hilarious. Sin was one of the most witty and frustrating characters I've encountered so far. She's stubborn but she always thinks of others well being. Then there's Fea who you might think as your typical blond but very badass. I totally get why she and Sin always clash.
The two guys are intense! And though I understand why anyone can easily fall to those boys, Sin irritated me immensely when the two boys are introduced. She was so focused to the boys that she was almost obsessed.
I had a very hard time understanding the Plot. There's just a lot of things going on and they're all happening all at the same time! But thumbs up for Sharon Riddle for the way she ended Sin's story. Though I'm not a complete fan of it's ending, the twist surprised me.
All in all, I recommend SIN to all paranormal/fantasy lovers out there. Especially if they want it with an intense love triangle.
*Thanks Curiosity Quills!*
I feel like I just stepped out from a different world.
It's Harry Potter meets The Mortal Instrument.
SIN was the kind of book that after you finished it, you have to sit and let your mind digest it. There was a lot going on in this book. To the point that you have to pause for a minute to let it all sink in.
I think that SIN has a very well thought plot. But! The pacing was too fast. There's a lot of things that happened and the time frame seems so so unbelievable.
I have to say though, Sharon Riddle is a brilliant writer! Her characters are hilarious. Sin was one of the most witty and frustrating characters I've encountered so far. She's stubborn but she always thinks of others well being. Then there's Fea who you might think as your typical blond but very badass. I totally get why she and Sin always clash.
The two guys are intense! And though I understand why anyone can easily fall to those boys, Sin irritated me immensely when the two boys are introduced. She was so focused to the boys that she was almost obsessed.
I had a very hard time understanding the Plot. There's just a lot of things going on and they're all happening all at the same time! But thumbs up for Sharon Riddle for the way she ended Sin's story. Though I'm not a complete fan of it's ending, the twist surprised me.
All in all, I recommend SIN to all paranormal/fantasy lovers out there. Especially if they want it with an intense love triangle.
*Thanks Curiosity Quills!*
February 12, 2014
A Rock Star Hit!!!
Why did I choose to read this book?
I am a paranormal romance addict.
My Contemplations on this Book:
To begin, the paranormal aspect is very strong and well represented. It comes in early in the novel, and remains a strong presence throughout. I will say that the paranormal is not overpowering in this book. It is tastefully done, and sometimes that is difficult to do, as there are so many ways a paranormal story can go. Kudos to Ms. Riddle for a job well done. I feel that this is a book that not only teens would like to read, but also adults as well, as there are some themes in this book that are a bit adult in nature. I adore the main character, Sin. She is young, which is to be expected, but what I did not expect, is that she is wise beyond her years, but also still shockingly innocent. That is a difficult combination to write, so once again, kudos are deserved. I found Sin to be highly relatable. I can recall as a teen feeling unsure of who I was, and Sin experiences the same in the novel, except on a more extreme level. I would like to know more about both Van and Llaw, two character introduced in the book who both play prominent roles, one a bit more than the other. Overall, I was completely enamored with this novel, and I will be looking for more from this very talented author.
Why did I choose to read this book?
I am a paranormal romance addict.
My Contemplations on this Book:
To begin, the paranormal aspect is very strong and well represented. It comes in early in the novel, and remains a strong presence throughout. I will say that the paranormal is not overpowering in this book. It is tastefully done, and sometimes that is difficult to do, as there are so many ways a paranormal story can go. Kudos to Ms. Riddle for a job well done. I feel that this is a book that not only teens would like to read, but also adults as well, as there are some themes in this book that are a bit adult in nature. I adore the main character, Sin. She is young, which is to be expected, but what I did not expect, is that she is wise beyond her years, but also still shockingly innocent. That is a difficult combination to write, so once again, kudos are deserved. I found Sin to be highly relatable. I can recall as a teen feeling unsure of who I was, and Sin experiences the same in the novel, except on a more extreme level. I would like to know more about both Van and Llaw, two character introduced in the book who both play prominent roles, one a bit more than the other. Overall, I was completely enamored with this novel, and I will be looking for more from this very talented author.
March 8, 2014
*Note: Received a free copy in exchange for an honest review
Sin totally rocked my world. I mean, really!
Sin is my perfect lead character. I love how she snaps back and gives off her sarcasm in a very witty manner. She seems not to give a damn about anything, yet cares for others. She values her family and friends and though she have difficulties controlling her feelings, she always stand her ground and doesn't just fall inlove because there's this heaven sent hunks around her, she wanted it to be real.
I also love fae, she's so funny in a way. She gives life to Sin's character. I love how they bond together, like they got their own definition of sisterhood.
I also love how the author made the love competition really strict. I felt Sin's frustrations about it. I'm also torned between Van and Llaw. At first I thought I would be on Team Llaw the whole time, because I love bad ass guys, but ohhh... Van have redeemed himself most of the time.
Action packed, tear-jerky and thrilling love triangle. Who could ask for more?
Full review here: Sin by Sharron Riddle Book Review
Sin totally rocked my world. I mean, really!
Sin is my perfect lead character. I love how she snaps back and gives off her sarcasm in a very witty manner. She seems not to give a damn about anything, yet cares for others. She values her family and friends and though she have difficulties controlling her feelings, she always stand her ground and doesn't just fall inlove because there's this heaven sent hunks around her, she wanted it to be real.
I also love fae, she's so funny in a way. She gives life to Sin's character. I love how they bond together, like they got their own definition of sisterhood.
I also love how the author made the love competition really strict. I felt Sin's frustrations about it. I'm also torned between Van and Llaw. At first I thought I would be on Team Llaw the whole time, because I love bad ass guys, but ohhh... Van have redeemed himself most of the time.
Action packed, tear-jerky and thrilling love triangle. Who could ask for more?
Full review here: Sin by Sharron Riddle Book Review
April 15, 2016
Sin is an explosion of paranormal lore packed into one action filled book. The stories focus was mainly on the Fae, but there was a bit of Mythology, and Wraiths, Dragons, Priestesses, Druids, Elves, and oh, can't forget, Zombies. Yes, all that and a little bit of a love triangle too. We also had some of the most blatantly arrogant people I've ever come across, which surprisingly I ended up liking a lot. Go figure. Then we have Sin, our heroine, she was a bit rough around the edges, which made her interesting and a good protagonist that carried the story well. I didn't take well to her anger and immaturity, even though it was clear that she did suffer a terrible experience and as it turns out her anger had a lot to do with what she is. But I thought she was a little too angsty.
What else did we get? Oh yeah, this story was go, go, go, from the get go. Pun intended. The meat of the story took only two days, the entire story would have been one day, if there wasn't such an unexpected twist at the end. Time Travel, yes I forgot time travel. Those two days that the story took place over were so long, with a lot of added info that made the plot get a little lost. Although, there was so much happening that I didn't even realize that I was still on the first day of the story until it was pointed out. The action and Sin's adventures were certainly attention grabbing.
As they say in many book reviews, there was so much happening that I don't want to give it all away. Overall, I liked this book, it's always interesting to see different takes on popular paranormal and fantasy lore's and Sin gave me a boatload of that. There were too many editing issue to ignore, but I was already enjoying the story so I tried not pay much attention to that, a lot of missing prepositions for one. Maybe it was a formatting issue? And I thought Sin was a bit of a Mary Sue character. Even though she believes everyone else is better looking (than herself), it's the opposite for everyone else. Don't understand how she can be describe herself below everyone (the typical not beautiful) but at the same time be above everyone, since all the really gorgeous guys wanted her. I don't know, confusing, but that's one of my problems with the overall story.
Sin was a spur of moment read, surprise surprise I was drawn in by that cover. I thought it was very striking and attention grabbing, couldn't pass up reading it.
What else did we get? Oh yeah, this story was go, go, go, from the get go. Pun intended. The meat of the story took only two days, the entire story would have been one day, if there wasn't such an unexpected twist at the end. Time Travel, yes I forgot time travel. Those two days that the story took place over were so long, with a lot of added info that made the plot get a little lost. Although, there was so much happening that I didn't even realize that I was still on the first day of the story until it was pointed out. The action and Sin's adventures were certainly attention grabbing.
As they say in many book reviews, there was so much happening that I don't want to give it all away. Overall, I liked this book, it's always interesting to see different takes on popular paranormal and fantasy lore's and Sin gave me a boatload of that. There were too many editing issue to ignore, but I was already enjoying the story so I tried not pay much attention to that, a lot of missing prepositions for one. Maybe it was a formatting issue? And I thought Sin was a bit of a Mary Sue character. Even though she believes everyone else is better looking (than herself), it's the opposite for everyone else. Don't understand how she can be describe herself below everyone (the typical not beautiful) but at the same time be above everyone, since all the really gorgeous guys wanted her. I don't know, confusing, but that's one of my problems with the overall story.
Sin was a spur of moment read, surprise surprise I was drawn in by that cover. I thought it was very striking and attention grabbing, couldn't pass up reading it.
February 21, 2014
You can also read the review on my blog here
http://theoutrageousjourney.weebly.co...
Review: Sin is not your average teenager, killing a man in self defence is just the beginning of her journey of unleashing her true identity . Instead of being send to therapy like her dad wanted, her mother sends her to her aunt who is a DRUID PRIESTESSES , interesting right? Put yourself in Sin's shoes, what would you do that you are only half human and that the dead's souls is trapped in our living world and would return if they stayed for more than three , including all the evil ones! As if knowing all about this is not enough, she always seems to be distracted by Llaw ,the dark bad boy, and Van, an annoying Fey Prince. With the help of everyone, Sin seeks to find the Hounds to send the dead back to where they belong and along she unleashes a lot of secrets about her true identity and the world she lives in and her mother. The description is beyond amazing, there are some characters, like the elves, that I have a feeling that I have to draw and send them to Sharron Riddles ! Yes, it is that creative! The plot may sound like some other YA books, but the way the book is written and with all of what is going on, it stands out from the other plots. Then, you have the Love Triangle; it is one of those in which you don't know who you want Sin to be with cause you will be curious to know more about both of the Guys. The ending was kind of rushed. I felt like for such great problems, more losses should have been made and that the solution was a bit more elaborated. I Also, I was kind of not comfortable with how the Priestesses talked, I mean I know that being immortal and ancient , they must speak in Old English, still I found their conversations annoying. However, if you are a YA fan, then this book is for you, it will take you to places you have never seen and you will not be able to put this book down. I am not sure if there is going to be a sequel, but I think there should because I am kind of curious how things are going to go and whether Sin is going to regret her choices or not . I give this boo 4 stars/5.
Check it here, on Amazon!
http://theoutrageousjourney.weebly.co...
Review: Sin is not your average teenager, killing a man in self defence is just the beginning of her journey of unleashing her true identity . Instead of being send to therapy like her dad wanted, her mother sends her to her aunt who is a DRUID PRIESTESSES , interesting right? Put yourself in Sin's shoes, what would you do that you are only half human and that the dead's souls is trapped in our living world and would return if they stayed for more than three , including all the evil ones! As if knowing all about this is not enough, she always seems to be distracted by Llaw ,the dark bad boy, and Van, an annoying Fey Prince. With the help of everyone, Sin seeks to find the Hounds to send the dead back to where they belong and along she unleashes a lot of secrets about her true identity and the world she lives in and her mother. The description is beyond amazing, there are some characters, like the elves, that I have a feeling that I have to draw and send them to Sharron Riddles ! Yes, it is that creative! The plot may sound like some other YA books, but the way the book is written and with all of what is going on, it stands out from the other plots. Then, you have the Love Triangle; it is one of those in which you don't know who you want Sin to be with cause you will be curious to know more about both of the Guys. The ending was kind of rushed. I felt like for such great problems, more losses should have been made and that the solution was a bit more elaborated. I Also, I was kind of not comfortable with how the Priestesses talked, I mean I know that being immortal and ancient , they must speak in Old English, still I found their conversations annoying. However, if you are a YA fan, then this book is for you, it will take you to places you have never seen and you will not be able to put this book down. I am not sure if there is going to be a sequel, but I think there should because I am kind of curious how things are going to go and whether Sin is going to regret her choices or not . I give this boo 4 stars/5.
Check it here, on Amazon!
February 25, 2014
4.5*s
review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
I thought Sin was a great read, fun & action packed.
The blurb is accurate and I don’t feel I can add anything so straight onto my thoughts…
I loved Sin, she’s my kind of girl, she has a good sense of humour, she is not afraid to speak her mind or fight for what she believes in. She’s slightly volatile with her temper and finds it hard to trust but is willing to give her new home a try. She gets stuck straight into an investigation on arrival and she’s in for a sharp learning curve but it brings out some good qualities in her and helps us to understand the world along with her as she is educated on all things magical. I liked her secret, the big one that could have sent her over the edge and I liked how it tied in with the bigger storyline. There are two potential love interest and she’s drawn to both, I’m always unsure about the love triangles but it’s in the early stages so I’m willing to ride that for now but I wasn’t sure who to trust and even at the end I didn’t have a preference.
I liked the world within our world that is brought to life throughout the book and all of the magical beings we meet, it sets up a premise that could have great series potential. This book is filled with action & life threatening situations that would look great visually. I loved the undead idea that brought the zombies, it was different from any other zombie story I have read and really liked how that tied to Sin. I loved her secret ancestry, loving the world that she is now immersed in and definitely the guardian & protector she is bestowed with and the story behind that. The story is full of secrets & revelations interspersed with battling the undead, learning magic and a sprinkling of romance, there are a lot of secrets going on and Sin isn’t in on a lot of stuff until it becomes necessary, so I do feel that even though we get a few secrets that it still felt like an introduction and getting to know you book but…. the fact that a prophecy was brought into it makes me excited for further books, so now I’m really curious to see where it will all go. Great, fun read though!
review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
I thought Sin was a great read, fun & action packed.
The blurb is accurate and I don’t feel I can add anything so straight onto my thoughts…
I loved Sin, she’s my kind of girl, she has a good sense of humour, she is not afraid to speak her mind or fight for what she believes in. She’s slightly volatile with her temper and finds it hard to trust but is willing to give her new home a try. She gets stuck straight into an investigation on arrival and she’s in for a sharp learning curve but it brings out some good qualities in her and helps us to understand the world along with her as she is educated on all things magical. I liked her secret, the big one that could have sent her over the edge and I liked how it tied in with the bigger storyline. There are two potential love interest and she’s drawn to both, I’m always unsure about the love triangles but it’s in the early stages so I’m willing to ride that for now but I wasn’t sure who to trust and even at the end I didn’t have a preference.
I liked the world within our world that is brought to life throughout the book and all of the magical beings we meet, it sets up a premise that could have great series potential. This book is filled with action & life threatening situations that would look great visually. I loved the undead idea that brought the zombies, it was different from any other zombie story I have read and really liked how that tied to Sin. I loved her secret ancestry, loving the world that she is now immersed in and definitely the guardian & protector she is bestowed with and the story behind that. The story is full of secrets & revelations interspersed with battling the undead, learning magic and a sprinkling of romance, there are a lot of secrets going on and Sin isn’t in on a lot of stuff until it becomes necessary, so I do feel that even though we get a few secrets that it still felt like an introduction and getting to know you book but…. the fact that a prophecy was brought into it makes me excited for further books, so now I’m really curious to see where it will all go. Great, fun read though!
February 18, 2014
Goodreads Synopsis: My name is Sin. I killed a man in self-defense when I was sixteen. Not something a girl wants to brag about. My dad wanted to lock me up in the nut house, but Mom sent me packing to my great aunts in St. Charles, IL. They’re ancient druid priestesses, and they make me look like a pacifist. I’d barely unpacked before the aunts sent me to find the stolen hellhounds. Without the hounds to herd them to the underworld, the souls of the dead are flocking to the cities in murders of crows. If they’re still hanging around after three days, they’ll turn into flesh eating, brain feasting zombies. Van, an annoying but uber-hot Fey Prince, joins us in the hunt to find the hounds before the zombies overrun St. Charles and turn the cities into cemeteries.
My review: Thanks to netgalley for this awesome book. I really did like it. This whole entire book takes place inside the time span of 2 days. Isn't it crazy when that happens? And then you can just go back in time and fix everything. I really hope there is going to be another book with these characters in it, I kind of got attached... Sin is just another 'almost' normal girl. Her mom's crazy, she's gotten in a few sketchy situations, and she's just trying to work everything out. And then, she's placed into a world filled with fairies and dragons. It's insane how the book seemed to push her into situations she definitely wasn't ready for, as a character. Most of the time I don't like it when that happens, but I did in this book. There's a sappy love triangle, some interesting things I didn't quite understand at first, but I learned about later, and some cool fighting action and adventure. You should definitely check it out. :D
Thanks for reading, Here's that link again! :P
http://radioactivebookreviews.wordpre...
My review: Thanks to netgalley for this awesome book. I really did like it. This whole entire book takes place inside the time span of 2 days. Isn't it crazy when that happens? And then you can just go back in time and fix everything. I really hope there is going to be another book with these characters in it, I kind of got attached... Sin is just another 'almost' normal girl. Her mom's crazy, she's gotten in a few sketchy situations, and she's just trying to work everything out. And then, she's placed into a world filled with fairies and dragons. It's insane how the book seemed to push her into situations she definitely wasn't ready for, as a character. Most of the time I don't like it when that happens, but I did in this book. There's a sappy love triangle, some interesting things I didn't quite understand at first, but I learned about later, and some cool fighting action and adventure. You should definitely check it out. :D
Thanks for reading, Here's that link again! :P
http://radioactivebookreviews.wordpre...
February 26, 2015
2.5 stars
I have a like/hate relationship with this book. There was moments that I liked, but the parts I did not like took over most of the book. I liked this different take of zombies and why they were making an appearance. I liked that it was some what focused on Druids because there is not a lot of books I've read on them.
I didn't like why her dad wanted to put her in the nut house. She wasn't mentally unstable, she had another issue that was a big part of why I didn't like the Sin. I didn't like waiting to find out what happened to her in the past. All the little hints frustrated me. I would have like it near the beginning as a flash back (I think that would have been best to do) than waiting until the middle of the book. When finally I found out what happened. I thought it was kinda anticlimactic and I thought by the way she kept hinting other people did it. And what the heck is a snarling smile? Because apparently one of the boys only smiled this way.
Sin. Geez, where do I start with this girl? She frustrated me to no end. I didn't get her attitude. She always had a smart ass comment or had some mean remark every time someone said something. Even when people were being nice. That was very tiresome to read. It seemed like her whole focus was more towards boys than what was happening around her.
So my question to myself, would I pick up anymore books? Probably not. I felt like it was a lot of filler writing not actually a good conclusion on the supposed storyline. I felt cheated in how it ended. The author focused more on these to boys with here and there battling and thought of a quick fix and everything was good. No, that's not how it should have ended!
*I received this through NetGalley*
I have a like/hate relationship with this book. There was moments that I liked, but the parts I did not like took over most of the book. I liked this different take of zombies and why they were making an appearance. I liked that it was some what focused on Druids because there is not a lot of books I've read on them.
I didn't like why her dad wanted to put her in the nut house. She wasn't mentally unstable, she had another issue that was a big part of why I didn't like the Sin. I didn't like waiting to find out what happened to her in the past. All the little hints frustrated me. I would have like it near the beginning as a flash back (I think that would have been best to do) than waiting until the middle of the book. When finally I found out what happened. I thought it was kinda anticlimactic and I thought by the way she kept hinting other people did it. And what the heck is a snarling smile? Because apparently one of the boys only smiled this way.
Sin. Geez, where do I start with this girl? She frustrated me to no end. I didn't get her attitude. She always had a smart ass comment or had some mean remark every time someone said something. Even when people were being nice. That was very tiresome to read. It seemed like her whole focus was more towards boys than what was happening around her.
So my question to myself, would I pick up anymore books? Probably not. I felt like it was a lot of filler writing not actually a good conclusion on the supposed storyline. I felt cheated in how it ended. The author focused more on these to boys with here and there battling and thought of a quick fix and everything was good. No, that's not how it should have ended!
*I received this through NetGalley*
February 27, 2014
I love when books take me by surprise and don't really follow much of a formula. The main character, Sin, has a bit of an attitude problem and I can see some people not liking her. When it comes down to it, she does what counts and is willing to sacrifice in order to spare others from nasty events (take as you will). Sin may not be in my top favorites of heroines (let's be honest, it's a crowded list), but she makes the list of favorites anyway. The book wasn't what I expected, but I'm so glad I read it. The fast pace suited it and that may be an issue for some (the time frame) but really? It all works.
There is one thing that doesn't quite work so well for me, but I understand it and won't mention it.
The writing and story were both solid. Works for me. 4.5*
There is one thing that doesn't quite work so well for me, but I understand it and won't mention it.
The writing and story were both solid. Works for me. 4.5*
February 18, 2014
I received a free copy to read and review. I loved it. I couldn't put it down. It has some great twists and turns. Sin is a great character. We are pulled into her life as she learns a lot of things about her and the world around her that is not so typical any longer. I look forward to reading more of Sharron's books.
February 6, 2014
The world building in this YA is a trip. The zombies didn't deter from the faerie world and the characters are real and fun to be with through this fantasy adventure. A little romance doesn't hurt either.
August 27, 2016
I thought that Sin was a very interesting book. The storyline was quite good. Although I do have to say Sin is a little annoying but it may just be me. I find it very hard to have interesting and less annoying main female characters.
April 22, 2014
Imaginative and action-packed, “Sin” ricochets around a zoo tour of other-worldly creatures with a snarky punked-out bad-A teen as a guide.
Read full review in the 2014 April issue of InD’tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2014 April issue of InD’tale Magazine.
July 26, 2016
With an urban setting, fickle Fey politics, and a school/compound where young druids are raised in the ways of magic, Sin is kind of like Harry Potter meets Holly Black’s Modern Faerie Tale series.
Sin Blackmore thought her life had been turned upside down when a betrayal has devastating consequences, like her killing someone and getting sent to a facility for anger management therapy, but then zombies happened and she learns what it really means to have everything you’ve ever known turned on its head. Suddenly she’s on a plane to Chicago and her life becomes a whirlwind of not only zombies, but wraiths, druids, fey royalty, elves, hellhounds, and dragon-like slayers.
The characters in this book were many and varied, but skillfully introduced in such a way that it never felt overwhelming. Instead every new addition of character or creature added a new layer to the story that was gladly welcomed and served to increase my fascination with the world being built around me as I read. The only character that I kind of had a problem with was the main one: Sin. I liked Sin and she was relatable, but she was rocking the Mary Sue track hardcore. One of the other characters, Fae – Sin’s new friend/sister priestess/tour guide, even throws a little fit and points out how easily everything comes to Sin (by the way Fae with her bitchy ways was my spirit animal in this book, saying the things I was thinking, and I loved her to pieces and beyond). Sin easily learns magic in a day that other druids have been learning their whole life to wield, anyone who doesn’t love her is jealous of her, she gets the best druid toys and perks just handed to her, and she get her own dreaded-triangle-of-death (or, as people who are not me call it, a love triangle) featuring supernaturally attractive guys both of whom are ready to drop to their knees in devotion pretty much on sight. All these things are explained away in the end (kind of), but I was seriously empathetic to Fae’s mounting annoyance for most of the book (it’s alright Fae, I liked you the best).
Like I said above, I liked Sin. Despite the Mary Sue-vibe (which some people enjoy, it’s a matter of personal taste, no judgment here), Sin is gutsy and determined and unique with her facial piercings and men’s’ combat boots. She doesn’t care what you think, thankyouverymuch, and she refuses to be cowed by anyone. She’s a strong female heroine and I always love a good book featuring butt-kicking, take-no-crap kind of girls.
Despite some of the parts of Sin that weren’t my favorite, I still really enjoyed this book. Overall, the writing was great, the world building and cast of characters really drew me in, and I would absolutely read more books in this series or set in this universe as well as other books written by this author.
*I received a copy of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
Sin Blackmore thought her life had been turned upside down when a betrayal has devastating consequences, like her killing someone and getting sent to a facility for anger management therapy, but then zombies happened and she learns what it really means to have everything you’ve ever known turned on its head. Suddenly she’s on a plane to Chicago and her life becomes a whirlwind of not only zombies, but wraiths, druids, fey royalty, elves, hellhounds, and dragon-like slayers.
The characters in this book were many and varied, but skillfully introduced in such a way that it never felt overwhelming. Instead every new addition of character or creature added a new layer to the story that was gladly welcomed and served to increase my fascination with the world being built around me as I read. The only character that I kind of had a problem with was the main one: Sin. I liked Sin and she was relatable, but she was rocking the Mary Sue track hardcore. One of the other characters, Fae – Sin’s new friend/sister priestess/tour guide, even throws a little fit and points out how easily everything comes to Sin (by the way Fae with her bitchy ways was my spirit animal in this book, saying the things I was thinking, and I loved her to pieces and beyond). Sin easily learns magic in a day that other druids have been learning their whole life to wield, anyone who doesn’t love her is jealous of her, she gets the best druid toys and perks just handed to her, and she get her own dreaded-triangle-of-death (or, as people who are not me call it, a love triangle) featuring supernaturally attractive guys both of whom are ready to drop to their knees in devotion pretty much on sight. All these things are explained away in the end (kind of), but I was seriously empathetic to Fae’s mounting annoyance for most of the book (it’s alright Fae, I liked you the best).
Like I said above, I liked Sin. Despite the Mary Sue-vibe (which some people enjoy, it’s a matter of personal taste, no judgment here), Sin is gutsy and determined and unique with her facial piercings and men’s’ combat boots. She doesn’t care what you think, thankyouverymuch, and she refuses to be cowed by anyone. She’s a strong female heroine and I always love a good book featuring butt-kicking, take-no-crap kind of girls.
Despite some of the parts of Sin that weren’t my favorite, I still really enjoyed this book. Overall, the writing was great, the world building and cast of characters really drew me in, and I would absolutely read more books in this series or set in this universe as well as other books written by this author.
*I received a copy of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
April 24, 2014
16 year old Sin has had a hard time recently, what with killing a man and how her father wants to lock her up in a mental institute. When the dead start rising, her unhinged mother instead sends her to her estranged family. Who just happen to be magical warriors who protect the world from evil. Sin is sucked into a whirl wind of action and hard decisions, with creatures she never even knew existed. Will she make the right choice and save those she has come to love?
Whew! This book was non stop action. I think it took place roughly over a week (at most) yet so much was thrown in. We have the dead rising, magic, fey and fey royalty, hell hounds, wraiths, treachery, seduction, friendship, mystery, turf wars, indentured servitude, mythical creatures, death...I am sure there was more, but I can't think of it right now. The book was so intense I felt like if I put it down I might miss out on something. Yes, it seems like it would be overwhelming, and yes these things don't all seem to go together, but I completely ate it up. I enjoyed every mixed up, completely unpredictable moment.
Sin was a pretty strong character. That being said, she did have a few breakdowns in the book, but I cut her some slack because seriously did you not just see the list of things she had to deal with? I loved her love-hate relationship with her "tour guide", an incredibly beautiful girl with no people skills. At all. They fought with each other as well as for each other.
And as most teen stories, there is a love triangle. Yes love triangles are terrible, but I really liked both guys. On one hand we have a powerful Fey prince who could give her the world, does equally sweet and terrible things, doesn't understand emotions, yet would give his life to help her. And then the other choice is a brooding rebel who rejects the world she lives in, risks his life daily for the greater good, and raises his siblings with out hesitation. Can they just share her? I really liked both options, and can see the draw they pose. I can't wait to see how the relationships progress.
I will admit the end of the book was anti-climatic, especially with how the story built and built, but it gave an almost fresh start for Sin. I like the direction the book took and I can't wait to read the next in what I am sure is going to be an action packed series.
I received this book from the publishers in exchange for my honest review.
Whew! This book was non stop action. I think it took place roughly over a week (at most) yet so much was thrown in. We have the dead rising, magic, fey and fey royalty, hell hounds, wraiths, treachery, seduction, friendship, mystery, turf wars, indentured servitude, mythical creatures, death...I am sure there was more, but I can't think of it right now. The book was so intense I felt like if I put it down I might miss out on something. Yes, it seems like it would be overwhelming, and yes these things don't all seem to go together, but I completely ate it up. I enjoyed every mixed up, completely unpredictable moment.
Sin was a pretty strong character. That being said, she did have a few breakdowns in the book, but I cut her some slack because seriously did you not just see the list of things she had to deal with? I loved her love-hate relationship with her "tour guide", an incredibly beautiful girl with no people skills. At all. They fought with each other as well as for each other.
And as most teen stories, there is a love triangle. Yes love triangles are terrible, but I really liked both guys. On one hand we have a powerful Fey prince who could give her the world, does equally sweet and terrible things, doesn't understand emotions, yet would give his life to help her. And then the other choice is a brooding rebel who rejects the world she lives in, risks his life daily for the greater good, and raises his siblings with out hesitation. Can they just share her? I really liked both options, and can see the draw they pose. I can't wait to see how the relationships progress.
I will admit the end of the book was anti-climatic, especially with how the story built and built, but it gave an almost fresh start for Sin. I like the direction the book took and I can't wait to read the next in what I am sure is going to be an action packed series.
I received this book from the publishers in exchange for my honest review.
April 2, 2014
*I received a copy of this book from netgalley. All opinions are mine*
Holy unique stories, Batman!!
The world, the magic, the power, the see-saw friendship, the "romance" that wasn't in any hurry to be resolved and, in fact, wasn't at all.
I thoroughly enjoyed it all.
Sharron Riddle developed a rich world that mirrored our own. Little bits of magic a "dullard" would never see, but lived everywhere. The summer in the winter, the mesh of other-worldly magic to our own. The druid history and the Priests/Priestesses was stellar.
Sin was an interesting heroine. She had her flaws and was un-trusting...with a good reason why. She carried a huge grudge and chip on her shoulder. Although I could have done without waiting as long as we did for the reason why, I understand why I, as a reader, was kept in the dark.
The two guys she was stuck between were both powerful in their own right, from the prince to the half-fey who chose to stick to his human side.
Her friendship with Fea was a seesaw. Jealousy lived in both of them, but when the chips were down they fought at each other's side, not with each other...and in the end, the friendship won.
Honestly, in the end, love, friendship, and family won for Sin...she learned about all of those things and used it to her advantage,
I felt like there was so much more story to tell, and I wanted to se it...and hope Sharron returns to this world. Because the line of her mother's about the Crone being "bad as the Fey when it comes to getting her way" left me with a whole load of suspicions over the extent of the zombie plague, especially with the handy little trick she'd already taught Sin.
However, despite wanting more story and feeling like there was so much to tell, I didn't feel let down by the ending. It left me satisfied with the wrap up...even if I'm silently crossing my fingers that this world can be brought back to life.
ETA the part about Fea
*I received a copy of this book from netgalley. All opinions are mine*
Holy unique stories, Batman!!
The world, the magic, the power, the see-saw friendship, the "romance" that wasn't in any hurry to be resolved and, in fact, wasn't at all.
I thoroughly enjoyed it all.
Sharron Riddle developed a rich world that mirrored our own. Little bits of magic a "dullard" would never see, but lived everywhere. The summer in the winter, the mesh of other-worldly magic to our own. The druid history and the Priests/Priestesses was stellar.
Sin was an interesting heroine. She had her flaws and was un-trusting...with a good reason why. She carried a huge grudge and chip on her shoulder. Although I could have done without waiting as long as we did for the reason why, I understand why I, as a reader, was kept in the dark.
The two guys she was stuck between were both powerful in their own right, from the prince to the half-fey who chose to stick to his human side.
Her friendship with Fea was a seesaw. Jealousy lived in both of them, but when the chips were down they fought at each other's side, not with each other...and in the end, the friendship won.
Honestly, in the end, love, friendship, and family won for Sin...she learned about all of those things and used it to her advantage,
I felt like there was so much more story to tell, and I wanted to se it...and hope Sharron returns to this world. Because the line of her mother's about the Crone being "bad as the Fey when it comes to getting her way" left me with a whole load of suspicions over the extent of the zombie plague, especially with the handy little trick she'd already taught Sin.
However, despite wanting more story and feeling like there was so much to tell, I didn't feel let down by the ending. It left me satisfied with the wrap up...even if I'm silently crossing my fingers that this world can be brought back to life.
ETA the part about Fea
*I received a copy of this book from netgalley. All opinions are mine*
February 14, 2014
I received "Sin" from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Sin has a temper and because of that her father is taking her to be locked up until she learns how to control it. After seeing a zombie, Sin's mother manages to help her daughter to escape so she can go stay with her aunts instead. There Sin joins her aunt's group and starts training to be their seventh priestess. She soon finds out that she is special and all that good stuff.
This novel... I do not have many words for it. I wanted to like it or at least not hate it as much as I did. I really did want to like it. I like fairies and I like zombies. I like magic, too. But this novel... Ugh.
One good thing about this novel is the world building. Riddle does do a decent job of building the world. She has lots of details and she does try to explain it and does an all right job. Sometimes, it can get confusing, but it's the most interesting part of this novel. The zombies are also interesting. They have a few differences than most zombies, but they are still awesome, and I had no problem with them even if I usually like my zombies to be like old school (not ones from four and five) Resident Evil ones.
However, the plot in this novel was crazy. THings happened too fast and a lot of it doesn't make sense. Sin often seems to forget about the plot and becomes much more worried about her love life. Her love life is very annoying. Sin is supposedly not that beautiful but of course the fairy prince likes her and so does the mysterious boy who doesn't trust fairies.
I didn't like anything about Sin after about the first quarter of the book. At first I thought she was interesting, but then I realized that she is very much a Mary Sue. All the males fall in love with her and she is apparently very special. The priestess closest to her in age is so jealous of her because of how special she is and what not. Frankly, all of this got to be very annoying fast.
I fail to understand why the priestesses in charge kept letting their newest one run into danger too. Don't they want to give her any training before they do that? It doesn't seem like they do.
Overall I give this book two stars. If it wasn't for the zombies, I probably wouldn't have even given it that but they were handled well.
Sin has a temper and because of that her father is taking her to be locked up until she learns how to control it. After seeing a zombie, Sin's mother manages to help her daughter to escape so she can go stay with her aunts instead. There Sin joins her aunt's group and starts training to be their seventh priestess. She soon finds out that she is special and all that good stuff.
This novel... I do not have many words for it. I wanted to like it or at least not hate it as much as I did. I really did want to like it. I like fairies and I like zombies. I like magic, too. But this novel... Ugh.
One good thing about this novel is the world building. Riddle does do a decent job of building the world. She has lots of details and she does try to explain it and does an all right job. Sometimes, it can get confusing, but it's the most interesting part of this novel. The zombies are also interesting. They have a few differences than most zombies, but they are still awesome, and I had no problem with them even if I usually like my zombies to be like old school (not ones from four and five) Resident Evil ones.
However, the plot in this novel was crazy. THings happened too fast and a lot of it doesn't make sense. Sin often seems to forget about the plot and becomes much more worried about her love life. Her love life is very annoying. Sin is supposedly not that beautiful but of course the fairy prince likes her and so does the mysterious boy who doesn't trust fairies.
I didn't like anything about Sin after about the first quarter of the book. At first I thought she was interesting, but then I realized that she is very much a Mary Sue. All the males fall in love with her and she is apparently very special. The priestess closest to her in age is so jealous of her because of how special she is and what not. Frankly, all of this got to be very annoying fast.
I fail to understand why the priestesses in charge kept letting their newest one run into danger too. Don't they want to give her any training before they do that? It doesn't seem like they do.
Overall I give this book two stars. If it wasn't for the zombies, I probably wouldn't have even given it that but they were handled well.
February 23, 2014
Sin is YA paranormal romance with some twists, the world building in it was brilliant but some of the flaws came with the plot. So first off, here are my issues with "Sin"...
The plot went WAY too fast, the whole events happened over...two, three days? That's the protagonist going from being untrusting and cold to drooling and in love over two men. Its a real pain with this genre when they are subjected to insta-love, it really poops in my cornflakes! She was also expected to pretty much save the world without much training by the druids, which seemed unrealistic at best. The "half-lit" family run by Llaw had potential that I didn't feel was filled, there was references to his sharp canines, being called a mutt which at one point I believe got references as "more than you know". I was fully waiting for them to be revealed as some sort of shapeshifters as well and was disappointing when it didn't happen. Also anyone who has ever done any form of self defense or combat is aware doing so in anger will get your ass handed to you, yet she is repeatedly told to use the anger to fight. A smaller issue was why on earth everyone had short little names! Fea, Sin, Llaw, Van....cmmoonn! The plot twist at the end where she went back in time felt a bit of a cop out to me, like the last twilight book, its on par with "and it was all a dream!"
And now for the good parts!
I have to say I despite all that I really enjoyed the book. I'd give it a 3.5 over a 4, but Sin was a likable and spunky heroine despite sometimes needed a bap up side the head. I loved her tattoo and Rufus most of all, having a teeny dragon that acts like an overexcited puppy is too adorable for words. The basic plot was interesting with the Fae politics and scheming and everyone loves a good zombie.
There is a lot of room for growth in the series and I feel like the author will be taking advantage of that, I imagine there might eventually even be a movie if it lives up to its full potential and straightens some of the issues out in the next novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2014
I was given this by TNT reviewers in exchange fir my honest opinion
The cover is brilliant , right up my alley and I like the feather that keeps appearing throughout the book .
The opening line caught my attention , laced with dry wit and sarcasm. ..." I saw my first zombie from the backseat of my parents' Hyundai....Ironically we were on our way out to the nut house to have me committed. "
Sin's name has Celtic roots , Sin was the patron goddess of warriors which is ironic because of the role she later plays.
Sin's mum comes across as "the wheel's turning but the hamster's dead" but as you read her character and demeanour become clearer. Sin doesn't know about her heritage and to protect her , her mum never told her anything over the years.
At first it's a bit of a sensory overload but once you'd find your feet what a treat ! It's a read filled with Fey , zombies; magic, druids, hellhounds ,seelie....the list goes on and again humans have a title this time we're dullards !
Sin gets chosen by Rhiannon , the most powerful guardian, who in the past, has only given herself to Fey royalty in guardianship so our girl is something special !
Our Fey prince Van seems rather taken with Sin but shes also attracted the attention of Llaw so we've got ourselves a paranatural love triangle !
Sin is thrown into the deep end and she quickly has to adapt to all the new info coming her way as well as combat and wand training so she's goes from normal teen to zombie slayer in a matter of hours !
Sin battles to save "our world " and the ability to do so comes at a price but Sin will not disappoint you , the action scenes are good and remember dynamite comes in small packaging! I wouldn't mind a Ruphus and a Rhianon of my own lol !
SIN was a read filled with with fantasy , horror, suspense and drama !
★★★★
The cover is brilliant , right up my alley and I like the feather that keeps appearing throughout the book .
The opening line caught my attention , laced with dry wit and sarcasm. ..." I saw my first zombie from the backseat of my parents' Hyundai....Ironically we were on our way out to the nut house to have me committed. "
Sin's name has Celtic roots , Sin was the patron goddess of warriors which is ironic because of the role she later plays.
Sin's mum comes across as "the wheel's turning but the hamster's dead" but as you read her character and demeanour become clearer. Sin doesn't know about her heritage and to protect her , her mum never told her anything over the years.
At first it's a bit of a sensory overload but once you'd find your feet what a treat ! It's a read filled with Fey , zombies; magic, druids, hellhounds ,seelie....the list goes on and again humans have a title this time we're dullards !
Sin gets chosen by Rhiannon , the most powerful guardian, who in the past, has only given herself to Fey royalty in guardianship so our girl is something special !
Our Fey prince Van seems rather taken with Sin but shes also attracted the attention of Llaw so we've got ourselves a paranatural love triangle !
Sin is thrown into the deep end and she quickly has to adapt to all the new info coming her way as well as combat and wand training so she's goes from normal teen to zombie slayer in a matter of hours !
Sin battles to save "our world " and the ability to do so comes at a price but Sin will not disappoint you , the action scenes are good and remember dynamite comes in small packaging! I wouldn't mind a Ruphus and a Rhianon of my own lol !
SIN was a read filled with with fantasy , horror, suspense and drama !
★★★★
April 20, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The cover is brilliant, right up my alley, and I like the feather that keeps appearing throughout the book.
The opening line caught my attention, laced with dry wit and sarcasm..." I saw my first zombie from the backseat of my parents' Hyundai....Ironically we were on our way out to the nut house to have me committed. "
Sin's name has Celtic roots, Sin was the patron goddess of warriors, which is ironic because of the role she later plays.
Sin's mum comes across as "the wheel's turning but the hamster's dead", but as you read, her character and demeanor become clearer. Sin doesn't know about her heritage, and to protect her, her mum never told her anything over the years.
At first it's a bit of a sensory overload, but once you'd find your feet what a treat! It's a read filled with Fey, zombies, magic, druids, hellhounds, seelie...the list goes on, and again humans have a title this time we're "dullards"!
Sin gets chosen by Rhiannon, the most powerful guardian, who in the past, has only given herself to Fey royalty in guardianship so our girl is something special!
Our Fey prince Van seems rather taken with Sin, but she's also attracted the attention of Llaw so we've got ourselves a paranatural love triangle!
Sin is thrown into the deep end, and she quickly has to adapt to all the new info coming her way as well as combat and wand training. She goes from normal teen to zombie slayer in a matter of hours!
Sin battles to save "our world " and the ability to do so comes at a price, but Sin will not disappoint you, the action scenes are good and remember dynamite comes in small packaging! I wouldn't mind a Ruphus and a Rhiannon of my own, lol!
SIN was a read filled with fantasy, horror, suspense, and drama!
★★★★
Reviewed by Heidi
The cover is brilliant, right up my alley, and I like the feather that keeps appearing throughout the book.
The opening line caught my attention, laced with dry wit and sarcasm..." I saw my first zombie from the backseat of my parents' Hyundai....Ironically we were on our way out to the nut house to have me committed. "
Sin's name has Celtic roots, Sin was the patron goddess of warriors, which is ironic because of the role she later plays.
Sin's mum comes across as "the wheel's turning but the hamster's dead", but as you read, her character and demeanor become clearer. Sin doesn't know about her heritage, and to protect her, her mum never told her anything over the years.
At first it's a bit of a sensory overload, but once you'd find your feet what a treat! It's a read filled with Fey, zombies, magic, druids, hellhounds, seelie...the list goes on, and again humans have a title this time we're "dullards"!
Sin gets chosen by Rhiannon, the most powerful guardian, who in the past, has only given herself to Fey royalty in guardianship so our girl is something special!
Our Fey prince Van seems rather taken with Sin, but she's also attracted the attention of Llaw so we've got ourselves a paranatural love triangle!
Sin is thrown into the deep end, and she quickly has to adapt to all the new info coming her way as well as combat and wand training. She goes from normal teen to zombie slayer in a matter of hours!
Sin battles to save "our world " and the ability to do so comes at a price, but Sin will not disappoint you, the action scenes are good and remember dynamite comes in small packaging! I wouldn't mind a Ruphus and a Rhiannon of my own, lol!
SIN was a read filled with fantasy, horror, suspense, and drama!
★★★★
Reviewed by Heidi
March 2, 2014
*Book source ~ Many thanks to Curiosity Quills for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sin Blackmore is sixteen and having a hard time getting a handle on her temper. Her dad decides she needs to get some psychiatric help so Sin is heading to be locked up in the nuthouse. However, on the way there they encounter some zombies. While her dad is distracted her mom races off with the car and takes Sin to the airport to get her on a plane to Chicago. Sin needs to get to her great-aunts since they are the only ones who can help her with her problem. Because Sin isn’t human and her world is about to be turned upside down.
The plot for this story is inventive, exciting and excellent. The doors between Faerie and the human world are being breached and the Hellhounds have been stolen. All hell is breaking loose, humans are becoming aware that there are other things than themselves out there and Sin is at the middle of it all though she has no idea why. The characters are wonderful, varied and detailed. This story would have easily gotten a 5 out of me if it weren’t for the execution. While the writing itself is pretty good, I think I got whiplash from the mood changes. The characters must be bipolar because their constantly switching moods, even in the same paragraph, were lightning fast and unpredictable. It was massively irritating to have no transition from one mood to the next. I love, love, love the story and I hate that the execution of it disappointed me. I mean, massively disappointed. *sigh* I can’t say that I wouldn’t pick up another book if this is to be a series because I love the world so much, but I would be wary of the same quick mood changes.
Sin Blackmore is sixteen and having a hard time getting a handle on her temper. Her dad decides she needs to get some psychiatric help so Sin is heading to be locked up in the nuthouse. However, on the way there they encounter some zombies. While her dad is distracted her mom races off with the car and takes Sin to the airport to get her on a plane to Chicago. Sin needs to get to her great-aunts since they are the only ones who can help her with her problem. Because Sin isn’t human and her world is about to be turned upside down.
The plot for this story is inventive, exciting and excellent. The doors between Faerie and the human world are being breached and the Hellhounds have been stolen. All hell is breaking loose, humans are becoming aware that there are other things than themselves out there and Sin is at the middle of it all though she has no idea why. The characters are wonderful, varied and detailed. This story would have easily gotten a 5 out of me if it weren’t for the execution. While the writing itself is pretty good, I think I got whiplash from the mood changes. The characters must be bipolar because their constantly switching moods, even in the same paragraph, were lightning fast and unpredictable. It was massively irritating to have no transition from one mood to the next. I love, love, love the story and I hate that the execution of it disappointed me. I mean, massively disappointed. *sigh* I can’t say that I wouldn’t pick up another book if this is to be a series because I love the world so much, but I would be wary of the same quick mood changes.
March 23, 2014
Enjoyable YA romp with druids, elves, and zombies, oh my -- not to mention dragons (slayers), wraiths and hellhounds. Like many YA books these days, we have a love-interest triangle, but it doesn't get overly "angst-y" and stayed below my personal irritation level. The heroine is strong, tho there are times you can definitely believe she's under 20. The events of this book are basically resolved (mini-spoiler, albeit with a rather timeworn device, haha), yet plenty of hooks are left for future action, so I'm pleased not to have a huge cliffhanger ending. I would happily read the next book. There were minor editing issues in my trade paperback edition, usually involving a missing word.
March 9, 2014
More than just a book about zombies, Sharron Riddle quickly creates a surreal world within our present day surroundings. When Sin, a teen-aged girl named for an ancient warrior goddess, suddenly finds herself in a new town under the tutelage of six Druid priestesses she is told are her aunts, she learns the truth about fairies, vampires, hellhounds, and yes, zombies. Two boys vying are far from what they seem and her new best friend can't help her sort anything out. Amongst all this she needs to figure out how to stop the zombie masses and who, if anyone, she can trust to help her. Every time I thought I had it figured out a new twist came into play.
March 31, 2014
Sin is unexpectedly thrown into a world of druids, zombies, wraiths, fey, Seelies, Unseelies, and other supernatural creatures. It turns out she may be one herself through her mother somehow. What's a girl to do?
A vivid and lushly described narrative wind through multiple mysteries with a hint of darkness and frequent humor. Action, fantasy, and a trace of horror are nicely blended to create the tale's realm.
Characters are varied, unique, and colorful.
Overall, an exciting read.
A vivid and lushly described narrative wind through multiple mysteries with a hint of darkness and frequent humor. Action, fantasy, and a trace of horror are nicely blended to create the tale's realm.
Characters are varied, unique, and colorful.
Overall, an exciting read.
March 8, 2014
I thought this was going to be a little different, but I enjoyed it anyway. The hounds are running loose, magic and mayhem abound, fairies gone wild, and a little romance thrown in for good measure.
April 17, 2014
Note: I’m giving this book 3.5 stars
I’d like to first start with a disclaimer. As much as I love science fiction and fantasy (i.e. I devoured Lord of the Rings and the Foundation Trilogy as a kid), I very quickly realized that I probably don’t fit into the demographic for this book. So, please keep that in mind as you read my review.
Sin is the girl with the tiger tattoo. She’s got issues and is, understandably, on her way to the looney bin. But along the way she gets waylaid by a kind of zombie apocalypse that puts her on the road to becoming a reluctant fairy princess while (at least in my version of this story) the Wu Tang Clan sings “Who Let the Dogs Out” in the background.
Right away the author hit upon two of my pet peeves, and I just knew I wasn’t going to like this book. As the story begins, Sin and her padres hop into a Hyundai, drive by a Sonny’s Pit Barbeque and make a pit stop at Target for some quick shopping before she’s to be tailor fitted for a beautiful new jacket with arms that wrap around the back. If a gorgeous model would have appeared, drinking a Pepsi and eating a Wendy’s hamburger – we would have had a commercial. My point being, that name dropping is incredibly annoying and often unnecessary. Sure it makes sense if it really, and I mean really, has to do with the story, but that is rare. It adds nothing to the plot, so – cut it! Just say they hopped in the car, passed a restaurant and went into a store. See? Nothing is lost, and you don’t look like a brand name brown noser; however, I do think it would have been hysterical if Heidi Klum showed up in the parking lot in a bikini eating some fast food.
The second thing that struck me was the overall language, syntax, etc. Now I realize that a lot of kids talk kind of “slangy”, but not all the time. It made things feel a little ghetto. I like an author who writes up to me rather than writing down to me, and I’m sure the young adults who are in this book’s demographic would too. An intelligently written book is a good one no matter what genre it falls into to.
Additionally, I found myself seeing rehashed ideas and themes in the story. For example, Dullards is the author’s version of Muggles, and the whole angst between Sin and Van is really Pride and Prejudice in disguise. And don’t get me started on that big ole tattoo on her back! I would have really liked it if the author could have been more original and fresh. Plus, zombies, fairies, and all the rest seems like minestrone soup. It’s too much of a mythical hodge podge. If you’re going to have a cup of tea – have a cup of tea!
Now then, all of the afore mentioned criticism being taken into account, here’s why I gave the book nearly four stars. I was bored out of my mind reading this, but by the time I got to page 45 (and I did look down at the page number), I started to get into it. So, as you’ll recall, I said I didn’t think I fell into this book’s readership, and I still don’t. But, if the author can get someone like me interested in the story – then she’s on to something. Likewise, world building is a tough bar to pole vault over, and she did a pretty good job with it. So, the wonderful thing about this is that if the author tightens some things up she could really expand the reader base for her novel and maybe have some crossover here. The story already has great potential, and she’s talented enough to pull off the task.
I’d like to first start with a disclaimer. As much as I love science fiction and fantasy (i.e. I devoured Lord of the Rings and the Foundation Trilogy as a kid), I very quickly realized that I probably don’t fit into the demographic for this book. So, please keep that in mind as you read my review.
Sin is the girl with the tiger tattoo. She’s got issues and is, understandably, on her way to the looney bin. But along the way she gets waylaid by a kind of zombie apocalypse that puts her on the road to becoming a reluctant fairy princess while (at least in my version of this story) the Wu Tang Clan sings “Who Let the Dogs Out” in the background.
Right away the author hit upon two of my pet peeves, and I just knew I wasn’t going to like this book. As the story begins, Sin and her padres hop into a Hyundai, drive by a Sonny’s Pit Barbeque and make a pit stop at Target for some quick shopping before she’s to be tailor fitted for a beautiful new jacket with arms that wrap around the back. If a gorgeous model would have appeared, drinking a Pepsi and eating a Wendy’s hamburger – we would have had a commercial. My point being, that name dropping is incredibly annoying and often unnecessary. Sure it makes sense if it really, and I mean really, has to do with the story, but that is rare. It adds nothing to the plot, so – cut it! Just say they hopped in the car, passed a restaurant and went into a store. See? Nothing is lost, and you don’t look like a brand name brown noser; however, I do think it would have been hysterical if Heidi Klum showed up in the parking lot in a bikini eating some fast food.
The second thing that struck me was the overall language, syntax, etc. Now I realize that a lot of kids talk kind of “slangy”, but not all the time. It made things feel a little ghetto. I like an author who writes up to me rather than writing down to me, and I’m sure the young adults who are in this book’s demographic would too. An intelligently written book is a good one no matter what genre it falls into to.
Additionally, I found myself seeing rehashed ideas and themes in the story. For example, Dullards is the author’s version of Muggles, and the whole angst between Sin and Van is really Pride and Prejudice in disguise. And don’t get me started on that big ole tattoo on her back! I would have really liked it if the author could have been more original and fresh. Plus, zombies, fairies, and all the rest seems like minestrone soup. It’s too much of a mythical hodge podge. If you’re going to have a cup of tea – have a cup of tea!
Now then, all of the afore mentioned criticism being taken into account, here’s why I gave the book nearly four stars. I was bored out of my mind reading this, but by the time I got to page 45 (and I did look down at the page number), I started to get into it. So, as you’ll recall, I said I didn’t think I fell into this book’s readership, and I still don’t. But, if the author can get someone like me interested in the story – then she’s on to something. Likewise, world building is a tough bar to pole vault over, and she did a pretty good job with it. So, the wonderful thing about this is that if the author tightens some things up she could really expand the reader base for her novel and maybe have some crossover here. The story already has great potential, and she’s talented enough to pull off the task.
September 12, 2015
Sin's life could be easier. Her mother is slightly crazy, seeing fairies and other mythical creatures everywhere. Sin is only 16 and she's already killed a man in self defense. Since that night, she keeps having anger management issues, losing her temper more and more often. That's why her father, a psychatriast, wants her to get professional help in an asylum. Sin isn't too fond of that idea, to say the least.
But her mother has different ideas. She sends Sin to her great aunts in a small town in Illinois, in the middle of winter. That's not that much better than the nuthouse, if you ask Sin. Because what Sin didn't know: the supposed great aunts are ancient druid priestesses and seem hell bent on driving Sin fully insane. Because suddenly the mythical creatures from her mother's crazy imagination are suddenly very, very real. Sin is supposed to help her great aunts to find the hell hounds and send the zombies back to the realm of the dead. The whole thing doesn't get any easier when she starts developing unwanted feelings for the smoking hot prince of the summer court and the equally smoking hot, but less obnoxious, boy from town.
There's lots and lots of action right from page one. On their way to the nuthouse they encounter an elderly couple. An elderly zombie couple - the real undead, brainless, flesh eating kind, that is. You get thrown right into the middle of the big mess and get no chance to feel even the least bit bored. Something's always happening here.
The author came up with some really interesting details in her world building. Looking for a dose of reality? There's a handy of mouth spray for that! One dose lasts you about fifteen minutes and you get to see the world the way it really is: filled with creatures we only know from fairy tales. Creatures us dullards are usually just too dumb to see, if you ask Sin's great aunts. And that's only one of countless little ideas that make this whole story really interesting.
Sin isn't what you usually expect a heroine of a YA urban fantasy story to be. A face full of metal, jet black hair and clothes that practically scream "rebel". Somehow, I liked her from the very beginning.
At the beginning of every chapter there's a drawing of the same feather we see on the cover. That was a very pretty detail!
While I loved the beginning and the end of this book, the middle part wasn't really all that great. Tough Sin suddenly turns into this uncertain, self conscious teenage girl that's jealous of the other "normal" girls' looks. At times that made me almost dislike her.
Other than that, the pacing was a little too fast. Within a mere 48 hours, Sin is in love with two super hot guys and the super hot guys that normally don't really do that kind of thing return her feelings. There's so much action crammed into such a short period of time. If the author had allowed a week or so for the story to unfold, it would have been far more credible.
To sum it up, "Sin" is a slightly unusual urban fantasy book with tons of action, full of little details that show the author really cared about this story and an unusual protagonist. Unfortunately, the middle part wasn't quite able to convince me and the pacing was a little too fast.
Should there be a second part to this book (which I fully expect after THAT ending), I'm definitely going to read it!
But her mother has different ideas. She sends Sin to her great aunts in a small town in Illinois, in the middle of winter. That's not that much better than the nuthouse, if you ask Sin. Because what Sin didn't know: the supposed great aunts are ancient druid priestesses and seem hell bent on driving Sin fully insane. Because suddenly the mythical creatures from her mother's crazy imagination are suddenly very, very real. Sin is supposed to help her great aunts to find the hell hounds and send the zombies back to the realm of the dead. The whole thing doesn't get any easier when she starts developing unwanted feelings for the smoking hot prince of the summer court and the equally smoking hot, but less obnoxious, boy from town.
There's lots and lots of action right from page one. On their way to the nuthouse they encounter an elderly couple. An elderly zombie couple - the real undead, brainless, flesh eating kind, that is. You get thrown right into the middle of the big mess and get no chance to feel even the least bit bored. Something's always happening here.
The author came up with some really interesting details in her world building. Looking for a dose of reality? There's a handy of mouth spray for that! One dose lasts you about fifteen minutes and you get to see the world the way it really is: filled with creatures we only know from fairy tales. Creatures us dullards are usually just too dumb to see, if you ask Sin's great aunts. And that's only one of countless little ideas that make this whole story really interesting.
Sin isn't what you usually expect a heroine of a YA urban fantasy story to be. A face full of metal, jet black hair and clothes that practically scream "rebel". Somehow, I liked her from the very beginning.
At the beginning of every chapter there's a drawing of the same feather we see on the cover. That was a very pretty detail!
While I loved the beginning and the end of this book, the middle part wasn't really all that great. Tough Sin suddenly turns into this uncertain, self conscious teenage girl that's jealous of the other "normal" girls' looks. At times that made me almost dislike her.
Other than that, the pacing was a little too fast. Within a mere 48 hours, Sin is in love with two super hot guys and the super hot guys that normally don't really do that kind of thing return her feelings. There's so much action crammed into such a short period of time. If the author had allowed a week or so for the story to unfold, it would have been far more credible.
To sum it up, "Sin" is a slightly unusual urban fantasy book with tons of action, full of little details that show the author really cared about this story and an unusual protagonist. Unfortunately, the middle part wasn't quite able to convince me and the pacing was a little too fast.
Should there be a second part to this book (which I fully expect after THAT ending), I'm definitely going to read it!
March 9, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a sort of mix of zombie/fairy/witch love triangle book. Totally not what I expected, but interesting nonetheless.
Sin is an angsty teen who has been through a lot in her short number of years. After killing a man in self defense, she is on her way to a psych ward when her mother derails their journey and throws her on a plane. She's headed to a group of druid priestesses to train and learn how to defend their world. Admittedly, Sin is a little skeptical, but anything is better than the nut house. Lucky for her, this ends up throwing her into a war against zombies, a traitor in their midst, and into a hottie love triangle. She's got gifts she didn't even know about and a lot of weight on her shoulders, but she seems to manage okay.
A lot of this book involved Sin fighting against her love triangle and generally being angsty. This was a bit of a set up book for what's to come, no doubt. There was a lot of action and gore, but it didn't really take away from the heart of the story at all. No real cliffhanger, but there will be a lot of work that has to be done in the next book.
This book was a sort of mix of zombie/fairy/witch love triangle book. Totally not what I expected, but interesting nonetheless.
Sin is an angsty teen who has been through a lot in her short number of years. After killing a man in self defense, she is on her way to a psych ward when her mother derails their journey and throws her on a plane. She's headed to a group of druid priestesses to train and learn how to defend their world. Admittedly, Sin is a little skeptical, but anything is better than the nut house. Lucky for her, this ends up throwing her into a war against zombies, a traitor in their midst, and into a hottie love triangle. She's got gifts she didn't even know about and a lot of weight on her shoulders, but she seems to manage okay.
A lot of this book involved Sin fighting against her love triangle and generally being angsty. This was a bit of a set up book for what's to come, no doubt. There was a lot of action and gore, but it didn't really take away from the heart of the story at all. No real cliffhanger, but there will be a lot of work that has to be done in the next book.
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