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Reborn
Lily Westbrook discovers that being half witch and half vampire is more of a challenge than she thought. When her powers mature on her eighteenth birthday, she unlocks a mystery that many witches thought was a legend.
After moving back to her birthplace in Cedar Creek, MA to attend Kensington University, Lily is instantly pulled deeper into the world she was kept from—the world of witches and vampires—uncovering the truth about her past and discovering who she is meant to be.
After moving back to her birthplace in Cedar Creek, MA to attend Kensington University, Lily is instantly pulled deeper into the world she was kept from—the world of witches and vampires—uncovering the truth about her past and discovering who she is meant to be.
ebook
First published May 26, 2011
69 people want to read
About the author
Ley Mesina
3 books76 followersLey Mesina spent most of her childhood and young adult life writing short stories. She planned to teach after she graduated with her Master’s in Psychology but, instead, decided to pursue her passion for writing.
Ley lives in Southern California with her husband and children and is a frequent visitor of her own imagination.
For more information on her upcoming books, follow her blog at http://www.leymesina.com
Ley lives in Southern California with her husband and children and is a frequent visitor of her own imagination.
For more information on her upcoming books, follow her blog at http://www.leymesina.com
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 7, 2011
I enjoyed reading this, but I also have a few issues with it. There were quite a few grammar mistakes, and it was a little distracting at times. I was able to look past that though especially since it's self-published. There were also times where I felt the writing was rushed. A lot of things were summarized quickly when I feel they could have been described and talked about more. I think I would have gotten a lot more into the story if more time had been taken to describe everything that happens. I also felt that the ending was very abrupt. I'm pretty sure that went along with the summarizing a lot though. It just seemed to end at a weird spot for me. This is a novella, but I really think it would have worked better as a novel. There needed to be more room to explain things and go into detail.
Now that I've gotten all of that out of the way, I do want to say that I enjoyed reading this. I found the characters and the mythology to be really interesting. I really want to read the next book and see what happens to all of the characters.
I loved reading a story that focuses on vampires and witches since that's not a combination that's seen too often unless you throw in some other creatures too. I'm not a huge vampire fan, but I love reading about witches. I think the mythology in Reborn was awesome. The Goddess of the Night was also a really interesting idea.
Even though I had a number of problems with this novella, I found it very interesting overall, and I look forward to any future books in the series.
Review can also be found here:
http://hmweasley-blog.blogspot.com/20...
Now that I've gotten all of that out of the way, I do want to say that I enjoyed reading this. I found the characters and the mythology to be really interesting. I really want to read the next book and see what happens to all of the characters.
I loved reading a story that focuses on vampires and witches since that's not a combination that's seen too often unless you throw in some other creatures too. I'm not a huge vampire fan, but I love reading about witches. I think the mythology in Reborn was awesome. The Goddess of the Night was also a really interesting idea.
Even though I had a number of problems with this novella, I found it very interesting overall, and I look forward to any future books in the series.
Review can also be found here:
http://hmweasley-blog.blogspot.com/20...
Read
June 21, 2011Reborn is a really interesting novella that features Lily who is half vampire and half witch. I haven’t read a book about vampires for quite a while so Reborn was quite good in that sense.
I like how this book was set up. It was told around quite a few different characters and also through a few diary entries and notes. I thought that the diary entries and notes were quite a good addition to the book as it added that little something extra into the book.
I don’t think that there was a lot of character building going on in Reborn but I think that Reborn was more of a setting up a really interesting story line to be carried on in the next book. Although, I did think that Lily was an intriguing character. I did find Xander to be quite interesting as well.
The concept of witches and vampires was really interesting. It also mentions Nyx who I have come across in another couple of novels so it’s always good to see how different authors approach goddesses and myths and legends.
I loved the ending; it left an opening for the next book which I really look forward to reading. If you like vampires or witches, or are just looking for a fun read, that is quite quick but has quite a lot of action and excitement, then definitely try Reborn.
I like how this book was set up. It was told around quite a few different characters and also through a few diary entries and notes. I thought that the diary entries and notes were quite a good addition to the book as it added that little something extra into the book.
I don’t think that there was a lot of character building going on in Reborn but I think that Reborn was more of a setting up a really interesting story line to be carried on in the next book. Although, I did think that Lily was an intriguing character. I did find Xander to be quite interesting as well.
The concept of witches and vampires was really interesting. It also mentions Nyx who I have come across in another couple of novels so it’s always good to see how different authors approach goddesses and myths and legends.
I loved the ending; it left an opening for the next book which I really look forward to reading. If you like vampires or witches, or are just looking for a fun read, that is quite quick but has quite a lot of action and excitement, then definitely try Reborn.
February 9, 2012
**A 2.5 Review**
Sometimes there can be too much of a good thing. Coffee for example. It’s made of awesome, but if I drink more than 3 cups in an hour my behavior resembles more of a cocaine riddled chimpanzee than a human. Cheese… great on noodles, bad on ice-cream.
My point? That sometimes writers should moderate rather than exasperate. This is something Ley Mesina, author of “Reborn” should pay very close attention to.
“Lily Westbrook discovers that being half witch and half vampire is more of a challenge than she thought. When her powers mature on her eighteenth birthday, she unlocks a mystery that many witches thought was a legend.
After moving back to her birthplace in Cedar Creek, MA to attend Kensington University, Lily is instantly pulled deeper into the world she was kept from—the world of witches and vampires—uncovering the truth about her past and discovering who she is meant to be.”
Now, I won’t go as far as to say the “story” Mesina was trying to get across to her readers was bad. It wasn’t. As a matter of fact, they story was actually quite interesting in a, “totally predictable vampire way.” Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by a bucket full of grammatical errors, some very disconnected narration, and some of the most inconsistent writing I have read in quite some time.
What do I mean? Well…Let’s talk about the narration first, (because this is what I meant by “too much of a good thing.”) I love multi-narration, and (if you haven’t been sleeping under a rock) you’ve noticed that it has become more of the norm than the exception these days, (allowing the author to dabble in intricate character building.) What I don’t like is when an author takes it too far. In Reborn, we are not just following Lily, (as the synopsis implies) instead we are following EVERYONE. That’s right… I said everyone. Each and every poor soul in this story has a voice, which I guess COULD (and that’s a really big, ginormous sized could) have been interesting, but in this instance only managed to break the story (which is only 100 pages to begin with mind you) apart. Every time we (or I…since I was the one to read it) started to feel a connection to the character or even the circumstances she (or they) found themselves in, we (as the reader) are pulled into a different perspective, and chunked, (very half heartily) into another plot-line. It makes the entire work feel scatter-brained.
But… even with 20 different people screaming for attention, the narration is NOT what finally did me in, it was the inconsistent writing.
I have zero problem making allowances for debut authors in regards to the first several chapters of their first novel, (I pretty much chalk it up to nerves,) but what I cannot accept is when the jumpiness, chopped dialogue and lack of description never settles down. This was a HUGE problem in “Reborn.” Instead of the writing flowing and connecting in one fluid movement, it felt as though I needed to take a breath between points. Almost as if the writing was asthmatic. The overuse of names (instead of conjunctures) didn’t help either, and as an end result, the few well crafted sentences felt rundown and off-putting.
I think Mesina has the ABILITY to write, and write well, I just don’t think it worked out for her with this project. Let’s hope she spends a little more time with it’s follow-up.
Read at your own risk…to me, this was an A-typical, stereotype driven, vampire story that lacked the focus to keep me going.
Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: 6 coffees a day keeps your sanity away!
Sometimes there can be too much of a good thing. Coffee for example. It’s made of awesome, but if I drink more than 3 cups in an hour my behavior resembles more of a cocaine riddled chimpanzee than a human. Cheese… great on noodles, bad on ice-cream.
My point? That sometimes writers should moderate rather than exasperate. This is something Ley Mesina, author of “Reborn” should pay very close attention to.
“Lily Westbrook discovers that being half witch and half vampire is more of a challenge than she thought. When her powers mature on her eighteenth birthday, she unlocks a mystery that many witches thought was a legend.
After moving back to her birthplace in Cedar Creek, MA to attend Kensington University, Lily is instantly pulled deeper into the world she was kept from—the world of witches and vampires—uncovering the truth about her past and discovering who she is meant to be.”
Now, I won’t go as far as to say the “story” Mesina was trying to get across to her readers was bad. It wasn’t. As a matter of fact, they story was actually quite interesting in a, “totally predictable vampire way.” Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by a bucket full of grammatical errors, some very disconnected narration, and some of the most inconsistent writing I have read in quite some time.
What do I mean? Well…Let’s talk about the narration first, (because this is what I meant by “too much of a good thing.”) I love multi-narration, and (if you haven’t been sleeping under a rock) you’ve noticed that it has become more of the norm than the exception these days, (allowing the author to dabble in intricate character building.) What I don’t like is when an author takes it too far. In Reborn, we are not just following Lily, (as the synopsis implies) instead we are following EVERYONE. That’s right… I said everyone. Each and every poor soul in this story has a voice, which I guess COULD (and that’s a really big, ginormous sized could) have been interesting, but in this instance only managed to break the story (which is only 100 pages to begin with mind you) apart. Every time we (or I…since I was the one to read it) started to feel a connection to the character or even the circumstances she (or they) found themselves in, we (as the reader) are pulled into a different perspective, and chunked, (very half heartily) into another plot-line. It makes the entire work feel scatter-brained.
But… even with 20 different people screaming for attention, the narration is NOT what finally did me in, it was the inconsistent writing.
I have zero problem making allowances for debut authors in regards to the first several chapters of their first novel, (I pretty much chalk it up to nerves,) but what I cannot accept is when the jumpiness, chopped dialogue and lack of description never settles down. This was a HUGE problem in “Reborn.” Instead of the writing flowing and connecting in one fluid movement, it felt as though I needed to take a breath between points. Almost as if the writing was asthmatic. The overuse of names (instead of conjunctures) didn’t help either, and as an end result, the few well crafted sentences felt rundown and off-putting.
I think Mesina has the ABILITY to write, and write well, I just don’t think it worked out for her with this project. Let’s hope she spends a little more time with it’s follow-up.
Read at your own risk…to me, this was an A-typical, stereotype driven, vampire story that lacked the focus to keep me going.
Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: 6 coffees a day keeps your sanity away!
August 25, 2013
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
This is a page turning read from start to finish! I loved it!
Lily Westbrook is an interesting character! She is aware that she is a half witch/half vampire, but she doesn't know the rest of it! She is a woman with a very powerful bloodline and a destiny to match; that of being the Goddess of Night. I liked her very much, and although I have only met her in print, she felt real to me!
This is an exciting novella! As I said, I found this book a page turner from the first page! This story is mainly told from Lily's point of view, but there are several characters in this short story that also have their say. This gives the story some depth to it. However, I did feel that I was literally dumped into the middle of a story. It was a bit of a shock, but that jolt gave me an insight into Lily's character I would have missed otherwise; She tends to be a risk taker and a bit hot headed. However, as she learns more of her destiny, she starts to think before leaping into dangerous situations. I liked seeing her mature in this way.
I also liked meeting the other characters in the book, especially Lily's Aunt Trudy, Arthur, Nathaniel, Xander and Drew. However, there are two characters that I didn't like. They were Samuel and Alexander. These two characters define the meaning of "bad guys". One's a witch, and the other is a vampire, but both of them made my skin crawl! There are more than a few twists in this short story, but the cliffhanger ending has me wanting to read the next novella as soon as possible!
Ley Mesina has written an amazing novella that captured my imagination, and brought the characters to life! Her story is fast paced, but not rushed, and full of danger and excitement!
I highly recommend this novella if you love YA, paranormal romances or stories about witches and vampires! - Lynn Worton
This is a page turning read from start to finish! I loved it!
Lily Westbrook is an interesting character! She is aware that she is a half witch/half vampire, but she doesn't know the rest of it! She is a woman with a very powerful bloodline and a destiny to match; that of being the Goddess of Night. I liked her very much, and although I have only met her in print, she felt real to me!
This is an exciting novella! As I said, I found this book a page turner from the first page! This story is mainly told from Lily's point of view, but there are several characters in this short story that also have their say. This gives the story some depth to it. However, I did feel that I was literally dumped into the middle of a story. It was a bit of a shock, but that jolt gave me an insight into Lily's character I would have missed otherwise; She tends to be a risk taker and a bit hot headed. However, as she learns more of her destiny, she starts to think before leaping into dangerous situations. I liked seeing her mature in this way.
I also liked meeting the other characters in the book, especially Lily's Aunt Trudy, Arthur, Nathaniel, Xander and Drew. However, there are two characters that I didn't like. They were Samuel and Alexander. These two characters define the meaning of "bad guys". One's a witch, and the other is a vampire, but both of them made my skin crawl! There are more than a few twists in this short story, but the cliffhanger ending has me wanting to read the next novella as soon as possible!
Ley Mesina has written an amazing novella that captured my imagination, and brought the characters to life! Her story is fast paced, but not rushed, and full of danger and excitement!
I highly recommend this novella if you love YA, paranormal romances or stories about witches and vampires! - Lynn Worton
July 24, 2011
Plot: Right off the bat, I knew that this book was going to have a unique plot. I've never thought about a feud between witches and vampires. Luckily, Mesina did an amazing job with it and actually made the feud seem possible. The penalties of witches and vampires mingling were harsh, but it made the plot more interesting. Because of the penalties, Lily thinks her parents are dead and she'll never see them again. Along with the feud, the history of the characters were very complex. Everything seemed to connect to one another. There were a few holes in some of the plots, but I let it go since I'm guessing this will be a continuing series. What you do learn from the first installment is a lot of secrets hidden from the characters, which shows that not many of the characters are purely good nor purely bad.
Characters: Lily - There are so many characters from the story that I will just stick with Lily. She is an awesome heroin because she's not used to the world she lives in and is slowly being shown the secrets of her family and world. She is a pretty powerful person because of her background, but she's not sure of what to do. However, by the end of the book, she's starting to grasp her purpose in life and what she needs to do to save the ones she loves.
Cover: Not the best cover, which is a shame since it's not giving the book any justice. It does show Lily, the main character, and her necklace. It doesn't show much about the plot either, which is also disappointing.
Overall Rating: I'm giving this book a three out of four. I loved the book and want to continue the series, but I was confused in some parts. There are some characters' purposes or history that I'm not fully clear on. But, hopefully, it clears it up in the next book. I'd give this book a try, it's very intriguing and unique.
Characters: Lily - There are so many characters from the story that I will just stick with Lily. She is an awesome heroin because she's not used to the world she lives in and is slowly being shown the secrets of her family and world. She is a pretty powerful person because of her background, but she's not sure of what to do. However, by the end of the book, she's starting to grasp her purpose in life and what she needs to do to save the ones she loves.
Cover: Not the best cover, which is a shame since it's not giving the book any justice. It does show Lily, the main character, and her necklace. It doesn't show much about the plot either, which is also disappointing.
Overall Rating: I'm giving this book a three out of four. I loved the book and want to continue the series, but I was confused in some parts. There are some characters' purposes or history that I'm not fully clear on. But, hopefully, it clears it up in the next book. I'd give this book a try, it's very intriguing and unique.
July 18, 2011
Original review at http://inkscratchers.blogspot.com/
Before I talk about how good this novella was, I'm going to get the bad stuff out of the way. The novella has the raw, unfinished vibe that a lot of self-published books have, meaning that there were a few spelling, grammar and vocabulary mistakes (the work momentums used instead of mementos, their instead of they're, a few issues with punctuation), but while this slightly detracts from the book it never is an issue. I also felt like the point of view jumped between characters too quickly which got very confusing as well as a few tense problems, which switched from "Lily was" to "Lily is".
Okay, so thats the big bad bits out of the way, I do have to say that I really enjoyed the concept of this novella. I like vampires and witches being enemies and I liked that Lily was half of each. This book is very short and there are no parts where you're sat on the end of the seat holding on tight, but it's still entertaining and because it's short, you can read it in one setting. All plot holes were covered and the execution of the storyline was extremely well done.
I wish there was more romantic development, as we can see that the romance is there, but it isn't built on, which, while being a change from all the love at first sight, was also a bit frustrating. There wasn't a lot of character development as well, so they didn't really feel like real people, even though I did like them, I never related to them.
The reason I'm going to give this a slightly lower rating is because I seem to be developing a thing against vampire novels and I always seem to dislike them a little more than other paranormals.
For the story and the execution, I give REBORN a B,
But taking into consideration the language errors and my personal preference against vampires, REBORN gets a reasonable
Rating: C+
Before I talk about how good this novella was, I'm going to get the bad stuff out of the way. The novella has the raw, unfinished vibe that a lot of self-published books have, meaning that there were a few spelling, grammar and vocabulary mistakes (the work momentums used instead of mementos, their instead of they're, a few issues with punctuation), but while this slightly detracts from the book it never is an issue. I also felt like the point of view jumped between characters too quickly which got very confusing as well as a few tense problems, which switched from "Lily was" to "Lily is".
Okay, so thats the big bad bits out of the way, I do have to say that I really enjoyed the concept of this novella. I like vampires and witches being enemies and I liked that Lily was half of each. This book is very short and there are no parts where you're sat on the end of the seat holding on tight, but it's still entertaining and because it's short, you can read it in one setting. All plot holes were covered and the execution of the storyline was extremely well done.
I wish there was more romantic development, as we can see that the romance is there, but it isn't built on, which, while being a change from all the love at first sight, was also a bit frustrating. There wasn't a lot of character development as well, so they didn't really feel like real people, even though I did like them, I never related to them.
The reason I'm going to give this a slightly lower rating is because I seem to be developing a thing against vampire novels and I always seem to dislike them a little more than other paranormals.
For the story and the execution, I give REBORN a B,
But taking into consideration the language errors and my personal preference against vampires, REBORN gets a reasonable
Rating: C+
August 29, 2011
The Continuing Obsession with Vampires and Witches
In REBORN: A GODDESS OF NIGHT NOVELLA BOOK ONE Ley Mesina has begun what from the cover of this book appears to be a series of stories along the lines of the immensely popular 'The Twilight Saga' of Stephenie Meyer and the innumerable films and television series such as True Blood based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris. But the difference is that Mesina's book is indeed written for the YA (Young Adult) audience instead of the twenties-something audience. It is not a challenging read, but it is brief and well structured and not too grisly for youngsters to absorb.
About to turn eighteen, Lily Westbrook, raised by her Aunt Trudy (an we hear all about the lineage of Lily's blood line from the 1600s to the present), discovers that she is an example of the impossible crossbreeding of a witch and a vampire - traditionally incompatible to the max lines of 'people'. This first volume celebrates her transformation of coming into her powers as a witch and she moves to her generations long place of origin in Cedar Creek, Massachusetts to attend college. But it is here in this active 'netherland' atmosphere that she grows to understand the peculiar combination of traits she represents, and the lines of further stories are well laid out for the reader.
While many may wonder if we really need another run for the money series about vampires and witches, the audience is out there and Ley Mesina is wise to tap into the younger age group to bring them into the obsession with these concepts. She writes well enough to pull it off. It would be more interesting if she delivered a book of short stories or a novella about some other topic to fully evaluate her skills as a writer, but maybe that will come. Incidentally, the cover art is uncredited (probably a wise move).
Grady Harp
In REBORN: A GODDESS OF NIGHT NOVELLA BOOK ONE Ley Mesina has begun what from the cover of this book appears to be a series of stories along the lines of the immensely popular 'The Twilight Saga' of Stephenie Meyer and the innumerable films and television series such as True Blood based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris. But the difference is that Mesina's book is indeed written for the YA (Young Adult) audience instead of the twenties-something audience. It is not a challenging read, but it is brief and well structured and not too grisly for youngsters to absorb.
About to turn eighteen, Lily Westbrook, raised by her Aunt Trudy (an we hear all about the lineage of Lily's blood line from the 1600s to the present), discovers that she is an example of the impossible crossbreeding of a witch and a vampire - traditionally incompatible to the max lines of 'people'. This first volume celebrates her transformation of coming into her powers as a witch and she moves to her generations long place of origin in Cedar Creek, Massachusetts to attend college. But it is here in this active 'netherland' atmosphere that she grows to understand the peculiar combination of traits she represents, and the lines of further stories are well laid out for the reader.
While many may wonder if we really need another run for the money series about vampires and witches, the audience is out there and Ley Mesina is wise to tap into the younger age group to bring them into the obsession with these concepts. She writes well enough to pull it off. It would be more interesting if she delivered a book of short stories or a novella about some other topic to fully evaluate her skills as a writer, but maybe that will come. Incidentally, the cover art is uncredited (probably a wise move).
Grady Harp
July 23, 2014
The story is about a war between Witches and Vampires. Which that alone is different from the whole werewolves/vampire rivalry so it gave it a nice little twist on the story front.
In the beginning of the story I had a really hard time keeping up with what was going on because so many characters kept showing up, and different things happening to them. Apparently, I'm easily confused. I will say on some stories that would probably work for me as long as I'm eased into it, and I can separate what's going on. Does that make sense? Don't feel bad it didn't to me either.
Once Lily was away from the person taking care of her, and at her new school that's when I started to enjoy the story a little more. I found myself being able to enjoy the characters. (at least some others I didn't like to much.) Lily was introduced to Xander and Drew who were the sons of Arthur an old friend of Lily's parents, and also Roxanne who came to find help for her parents. Like I said it was at times confusing, but I got use to it.
Part of the story consisted of The Goddess of Night, which you realize soon who she is. It's said that there's always just one and when a new one is born the other dies. Who vice versa I can't remember. I think this part intrigued because I've read different books that have used her as part of the storyline. (namely The house of Night series) So to me it was nice to see her used a little differently.
I think it has potential to be a lot more, and I was sad to just see it end so hopefully I'll be able to read more. There were errors throughout, but I'm not perfect, I'm not an editor. (I'm horrible at commas and punctuation. As you can probably tell.) so it didn't bother me as much as it did some people. I read because I enjoy the characters and the storybuilding.
In the beginning of the story I had a really hard time keeping up with what was going on because so many characters kept showing up, and different things happening to them. Apparently, I'm easily confused. I will say on some stories that would probably work for me as long as I'm eased into it, and I can separate what's going on. Does that make sense? Don't feel bad it didn't to me either.
Once Lily was away from the person taking care of her, and at her new school that's when I started to enjoy the story a little more. I found myself being able to enjoy the characters. (at least some others I didn't like to much.) Lily was introduced to Xander and Drew who were the sons of Arthur an old friend of Lily's parents, and also Roxanne who came to find help for her parents. Like I said it was at times confusing, but I got use to it.
Part of the story consisted of The Goddess of Night, which you realize soon who she is. It's said that there's always just one and when a new one is born the other dies. Who vice versa I can't remember. I think this part intrigued because I've read different books that have used her as part of the storyline. (namely The house of Night series) So to me it was nice to see her used a little differently.
I think it has potential to be a lot more, and I was sad to just see it end so hopefully I'll be able to read more. There were errors throughout, but I'm not perfect, I'm not an editor. (I'm horrible at commas and punctuation. As you can probably tell.) so it didn't bother me as much as it did some people. I read because I enjoy the characters and the storybuilding.
September 2, 2011
Reborn tells the story of half witch - half vampire Lily Westbrook. Her parents disappeared and she is living under the care of her Aunt Trudy and family friend, Arthur. But Lily always got that feeling, ya know that most supernatural main characters get, that her father is still out there. On her 18th birthday, as she's about to venture out into the world for college, built by her father centuries ago, she learns a bit of family history : it was against the witch law for her father and mother to wed, so they've been on the run ever since and they left Lily with her Aunt. Interesting.
Reborn was such a lovely novella. For one thing, it's the perfect length. There was no 100+ pages of teenage angst, or 50+ pages of Lily questioning her identity. It was nice. The author got her point across and it flowed beautifully. The only problems I did have with the writing was some spelling & grammar mistakes, and in the beginning, when changing between characters, I was pretty confused. But it evened itself out quickly.
Lily is a very determined main character, which was enjoyable. She's 18, so I guess she's more mature than if a 16 year old found out that she was a powerful witch and vampire. I liked the way she treated her family members. I'm really big on family, so when I main character isn't a whiny little brat, I really appreciate and admire them. Lily was very enjoyable to read about, and I look forward to her thoughts in the future.
Overall, Reborn is a fast read about the mind of a vampire-witch, and the family and secrets that surround her.
Reborn was such a lovely novella. For one thing, it's the perfect length. There was no 100+ pages of teenage angst, or 50+ pages of Lily questioning her identity. It was nice. The author got her point across and it flowed beautifully. The only problems I did have with the writing was some spelling & grammar mistakes, and in the beginning, when changing between characters, I was pretty confused. But it evened itself out quickly.
Lily is a very determined main character, which was enjoyable. She's 18, so I guess she's more mature than if a 16 year old found out that she was a powerful witch and vampire. I liked the way she treated her family members. I'm really big on family, so when I main character isn't a whiny little brat, I really appreciate and admire them. Lily was very enjoyable to read about, and I look forward to her thoughts in the future.
Overall, Reborn is a fast read about the mind of a vampire-witch, and the family and secrets that surround her.
July 6, 2011
4.5 stars
Wow! A great novella with so much going on. You'll finish it in one sitting!!
Lily Westbrook is half witch half vampire who has been raised by her aunt after her parents, Clarie and Nathaniel's forbidden love and marriage does not go unpunished.
We start this story with Lily about to turn 18 and come into the full use of her powers. She is moving back to her birth town to go to university where she soon learns the truth about her parents as well as herself and just how important she really is.
I love the idea of the story because in the world Mesina has created witches and vampires are sworn enemies, which is something I haven't read before. But as we know Lily is made up of both which has resulted in her becoming the Goddess of Night.
I love this book, I just wish there was more of it. I love all the characters in this book. Lily, Roxy, Drew and Xander become our main character's all helping each other in order to find answers to their own questions. The group blends well and I like the fact that the author is slowly building their relationships with each other even though the book is moving at fast pace. I can't wait to see how the characters develop in book 2!!
The story is short and so much happens that I don't want to spoil it for you so get hold of a copy any way you can and just read it!!! You will not be disappointed with the world Mesina has created!
I'm all ready looking forward to book 2!!
Wow! A great novella with so much going on. You'll finish it in one sitting!!
Lily Westbrook is half witch half vampire who has been raised by her aunt after her parents, Clarie and Nathaniel's forbidden love and marriage does not go unpunished.
We start this story with Lily about to turn 18 and come into the full use of her powers. She is moving back to her birth town to go to university where she soon learns the truth about her parents as well as herself and just how important she really is.
I love the idea of the story because in the world Mesina has created witches and vampires are sworn enemies, which is something I haven't read before. But as we know Lily is made up of both which has resulted in her becoming the Goddess of Night.
I love this book, I just wish there was more of it. I love all the characters in this book. Lily, Roxy, Drew and Xander become our main character's all helping each other in order to find answers to their own questions. The group blends well and I like the fact that the author is slowly building their relationships with each other even though the book is moving at fast pace. I can't wait to see how the characters develop in book 2!!
The story is short and so much happens that I don't want to spoil it for you so get hold of a copy any way you can and just read it!!! You will not be disappointed with the world Mesina has created!
I'm all ready looking forward to book 2!!
July 27, 2011
There are several things I absolutely loved about this story. Ley Mesina took an old lore and added her own spin. She attempted to retell a story that is very popular at the moment and she almost made it.
Reborn has a lot of potential. It’s a story of vampires and witches, yet, it’s mainly a retelling of the origin of Nyx - Greek goddess of the night.
The idea that witches and vampires are on different sides isn’t new, these stories have been around for a long time. The story of the goddess of the night isn’t new either. I liked the way Ley Mesina took those elements and created a slightly different story.
Lily is a lovable character. Xander and Drew felt a little flat, but I think in time they will be fleshed out. The story moved quickly and while I appreciated the pacing, I wished certain parts were slower and more detailed. Sometimes it felt as though I was reading about a list of events, as opposed to the events themselves. There were also a lot of issues with tenses, I wasn’t sure whether it was the copy I had or if this was the final piece, but the narrative jumped from past to present so much that I was constantly jarred out of the narrative. This book is self-published so I think that some of these issues might be due to not enough editing. If there was a good editor attached to the story, I think it would be great.
Reborn has a lot of potential. It’s a story of vampires and witches, yet, it’s mainly a retelling of the origin of Nyx - Greek goddess of the night.
The idea that witches and vampires are on different sides isn’t new, these stories have been around for a long time. The story of the goddess of the night isn’t new either. I liked the way Ley Mesina took those elements and created a slightly different story.
Lily is a lovable character. Xander and Drew felt a little flat, but I think in time they will be fleshed out. The story moved quickly and while I appreciated the pacing, I wished certain parts were slower and more detailed. Sometimes it felt as though I was reading about a list of events, as opposed to the events themselves. There were also a lot of issues with tenses, I wasn’t sure whether it was the copy I had or if this was the final piece, but the narrative jumped from past to present so much that I was constantly jarred out of the narrative. This book is self-published so I think that some of these issues might be due to not enough editing. If there was a good editor attached to the story, I think it would be great.
June 30, 2011
Reborn by Ley Mesina
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.
Lily Westbrook discovers that being half witch and half vampire is more of a challenge than she thought. When her powers mature on her eighteenth birthday, she unlocks a mystery that many witches thought was a legend. After moving back to her birthplace in Cedar Creek, MA to attend Kensington University, Lily is instantly pulled deeper into the world she was kept from—the world of witches and vampires—uncovering the truth about her past and discovering who she is meant to be. (Synopsis provided by amazon)
I really enjoyed this novella. I loved how some of the chapters began with diary entries, I always find that fascinating since it's a look into a character that the reader would not otherwise see.
I liked the originality of Lily being half vampire half witch (Which is unique since in Mesina's world vampires and witches are enemies.)
I found Lily to be a strong character and I loved Roxy! My one complaint about this novella is how short it ends which makes the ending happen several pages before I wanted it to. I think this story has a lot to offer and I look forward to the next installments.
Overall rating **** 4 out of 5 stars
Cover art I like it, I really like the necklace!
Obtained I received a copy from the author for review. Thank you.
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.
Lily Westbrook discovers that being half witch and half vampire is more of a challenge than she thought. When her powers mature on her eighteenth birthday, she unlocks a mystery that many witches thought was a legend. After moving back to her birthplace in Cedar Creek, MA to attend Kensington University, Lily is instantly pulled deeper into the world she was kept from—the world of witches and vampires—uncovering the truth about her past and discovering who she is meant to be. (Synopsis provided by amazon)
I really enjoyed this novella. I loved how some of the chapters began with diary entries, I always find that fascinating since it's a look into a character that the reader would not otherwise see.
I liked the originality of Lily being half vampire half witch (Which is unique since in Mesina's world vampires and witches are enemies.)
I found Lily to be a strong character and I loved Roxy! My one complaint about this novella is how short it ends which makes the ending happen several pages before I wanted it to. I think this story has a lot to offer and I look forward to the next installments.
Overall rating **** 4 out of 5 stars
Cover art I like it, I really like the necklace!
Obtained I received a copy from the author for review. Thank you.
September 26, 2011
Lily is just turning 18, when she will receive her full power. Lily lives in a time where witches and vampires don’t get along, they are better known to hunt and kill each other. Lily has been raised by her aunt Trudy since her parents were killed when she was a baby because they married. But now it is time for Lily to go out and learn about her powers.
At the same time, a power full witch, Samuel, has been taking powerful witches and having vampire Nathaniel turns them into vampires. The idea is that they will be more powerful than the regular vampires and will make the perfect army to eradicate vampires. But something is going wrong and most of those turned don’t survive.
Lily has gone to Kensington University where she meets Wendy, a girl from her dorm. But she starts seeing visions of Wendy being attacked by a vampire. She also stumbles upon her cousins that were waiting on their missing family that has been guarding Lily. Then Lily has a vision of her father, alive and in the cabin with the vampire that attacked Wendy.
I really liked this story. There was a great plot and action that sucked me right in. The only negative thing I can come up with is I wish it were longer. But no matter, I cannot wait to read other stories from Ley Mesina. This is a great young adult story.
At the same time, a power full witch, Samuel, has been taking powerful witches and having vampire Nathaniel turns them into vampires. The idea is that they will be more powerful than the regular vampires and will make the perfect army to eradicate vampires. But something is going wrong and most of those turned don’t survive.
Lily has gone to Kensington University where she meets Wendy, a girl from her dorm. But she starts seeing visions of Wendy being attacked by a vampire. She also stumbles upon her cousins that were waiting on their missing family that has been guarding Lily. Then Lily has a vision of her father, alive and in the cabin with the vampire that attacked Wendy.
I really liked this story. There was a great plot and action that sucked me right in. The only negative thing I can come up with is I wish it were longer. But no matter, I cannot wait to read other stories from Ley Mesina. This is a great young adult story.
July 4, 2011
When I first started reading Reborn, I was kind of confused, because the book kept switching characters, and plus the prose tended to go from past tense to present tense back to past tense, but once the main characters were established, I got into the story.
The story about the goddess of night, aka Nyx, is very interesting, and a legend I haven’t heard before. The whole concept of these supernatural half-vampire, half-witch beings was very clever; I mean, you usually hear about the rivalries between vampires and werewolves, but witches and vampires being enemies? That’s something new for sure. The one thing that I felt really detracted from the book was that it was too short.
And then I realized that Reborn is a novella, so it was supposed to end before the story really developed. But hey- there are more books after this one, so hopefully we find out more about the original goddess of night.
Reborn is exactly the kind of novel for you if you like supernatural books with a refreshing plot. I was intrigued throughout, and I only wish it’d been longer so that I got to know the characters better.
I liked the premise of this book, especially the new witch-vampire angle, and if you’re a supernatural novel fan, be sure to give Reborn a try.
The story about the goddess of night, aka Nyx, is very interesting, and a legend I haven’t heard before. The whole concept of these supernatural half-vampire, half-witch beings was very clever; I mean, you usually hear about the rivalries between vampires and werewolves, but witches and vampires being enemies? That’s something new for sure. The one thing that I felt really detracted from the book was that it was too short.
And then I realized that Reborn is a novella, so it was supposed to end before the story really developed. But hey- there are more books after this one, so hopefully we find out more about the original goddess of night.
Reborn is exactly the kind of novel for you if you like supernatural books with a refreshing plot. I was intrigued throughout, and I only wish it’d been longer so that I got to know the characters better.
I liked the premise of this book, especially the new witch-vampire angle, and if you’re a supernatural novel fan, be sure to give Reborn a try.
August 1, 2011
If you ignore the grammar and spelling mistakes – and there were a lot! – Ley Mesina’s Reborn isn’t a bad novella. The story is told in the third person but follows all of the important characters so that the reader knows what is happening to everyone even if the other characters are in the dark. The downside to this however is that it’s hard to form a really strong emotional connection to anyone, especially Lily, the main character.
The mythology Mesina created is kind of unique because unlike the traditional werewolf-vampire enmity, it is witches and vampires that are enemies in Reborn. Though a witch who gets turned into a vampire becomes stronger, the strongest witch is the Goddess of Night (aka Nyx), a half-breed born to a vampire-witch union and a girl who can’t die until another half-breed is born to take her place. Reborn does a pretty good job of setting up the world of Lily and her friends; and as the first novella of a series, it prepares the reader well for what’s to come in Book 2.
The mythology Mesina created is kind of unique because unlike the traditional werewolf-vampire enmity, it is witches and vampires that are enemies in Reborn. Though a witch who gets turned into a vampire becomes stronger, the strongest witch is the Goddess of Night (aka Nyx), a half-breed born to a vampire-witch union and a girl who can’t die until another half-breed is born to take her place. Reborn does a pretty good job of setting up the world of Lily and her friends; and as the first novella of a series, it prepares the reader well for what’s to come in Book 2.
August 16, 2012
Just wow!!! this as become my new favourite Vampire/witch series, there was nothing about this book I didn't like. I love books with vampires and I love books with witches this had the two and they blended together perfectly.
Lily's character is likeable and aside from being half witch half Vampire she is relate-able. She discovers more about her self as she is pulled deeper into the vampire/witch world after her 18th birthday and learns the truth about her parents and a legend most believe to be myth, she also discovers just how powerful she is, making friends along the way in the form of my new boy book crush Xander, Drew both Elder vampires and Roxy a witch, together they set out on a mission help Lily become her true self and rescue the people who have been captured and held against there will by Samuel a member of the high council of witches who is determined to rid the world of vampires
As soon as I finished this book Which took less than two days I had to start the next book. watch out for my review coming soon
Lily's character is likeable and aside from being half witch half Vampire she is relate-able. She discovers more about her self as she is pulled deeper into the vampire/witch world after her 18th birthday and learns the truth about her parents and a legend most believe to be myth, she also discovers just how powerful she is, making friends along the way in the form of my new boy book crush Xander, Drew both Elder vampires and Roxy a witch, together they set out on a mission help Lily become her true self and rescue the people who have been captured and held against there will by Samuel a member of the high council of witches who is determined to rid the world of vampires
As soon as I finished this book Which took less than two days I had to start the next book. watch out for my review coming soon
June 19, 2011
Reborn is an awesome first novella! Reborn follows Lily, a half witch half vampire(how awesome!), trying to find her parents that are supposedly dead while learning how to control her powers.The first couple of chapters were confusing character wise. We were introduced to many different characters in a short amount of time and at times I had to stop and think who this character was related to. Lily was great but I wish I would have gotten to know her feelings better but I think as the series progresses she will as well. I loved Aunt Trudy, she was the type of motherly person everyone wants in their life! I'm also excited to see how the romance between Roxy and Drew, and Xander and Lily progress!I wish that the book would have been longer, but it's a novella so it's supposed to be short! It's perfect for the vampire/wizard lover!My overall rating is 4 stars!
July 19, 2011
If you are sick of Edward and Bella and want a new type of blood-sucking (and spell casting) adventure, look no further. Ley Mesina weaves a complex tale featuring many different characters with their own stories. Reborn is original because it includes not only vampires, but witches, so you get double the action! I was satisfied with the title and how it related to the book. I also enjoyed how fresh and different the plot was.
While I enjoyed this thrilling novella, with so many characters and story lines introduced the book was somewhat hard to follow at certain spots. There were also some minor grammatical and spelling errors.
As Reborn unfolds, secrets are revealed and risks are taken! Reborn offers a wide range of readers a short, fast paced thriller. Grab your garlic necklace and start reading!
While I enjoyed this thrilling novella, with so many characters and story lines introduced the book was somewhat hard to follow at certain spots. There were also some minor grammatical and spelling errors.
As Reborn unfolds, secrets are revealed and risks are taken! Reborn offers a wide range of readers a short, fast paced thriller. Grab your garlic necklace and start reading!
June 23, 2011
I LOVED reading this book! Well, novella. But still, it's really good. Following Lily, as she matures both as a witch and a vampire, and not to mention as a person as well, is exciting! Mesina has given us a different view on vampires and witches. One where only certain ones can walk out into the sun, where being a female witch & vampire makes you the Goddess of the Night, where you don't know what's going to happen next. I really liked not being able to predict the outcome, let alone wondering what Lily will do next. I am going to patiently wait for book 2! Well, at least I hope that I can be patient!
August 18, 2012
I really liked this story. The plot was really good and I found myself reading it through the night until I could no longer see and had to take a break from it. I look forward to reading more as the story progress and excited to see where Ley Mesina would take it. This is a must read if you are into vampires, witches and supernatural. Bravo!!!!
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