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Chosen Saga #1
A Spark Of Magic
MAGIC IS STIRRING UP LUST, ROMANCE, DANGER—AND REVEALING LONG-HIDDEN TRUTHS.
Charlize, aka Charlie, is moving yet again, to a new city, a new school…new everything. Her family is always moving, but this time, it doesn’t seem so bad! Charlie is turning sixteen, finally making friends, and crushing on some seriously hot guys. Plus, said hot guys’ feelings seem to be mutual… This is the happiest Charlie has been in a very long time. But she does have a little problem.
Charlie is having bizarre, dark, eerie dreams, and she knows deep down that the feelings these dreams provoke, which seem to consume her, cannot be normal. There is a sexy male voice invading her dreams, and now it seems it is invading her waking hours too. The voice is compelling, hauntingly mesmerizing, and overwhelmingly beautiful. Charlie doesn’t care if this dream voice is good or bad; she just knows she wants to hear more.
Now, Charlie is on a journey to discover who and what she really is, and to uncover the reason her family moves so frequently. Charlie knows this is going to be one crazy, fun ride. But something big is about to happen, and it will end up changing what she believed was real and what truly is…
Charlize, aka Charlie, is moving yet again, to a new city, a new school…new everything. Her family is always moving, but this time, it doesn’t seem so bad! Charlie is turning sixteen, finally making friends, and crushing on some seriously hot guys. Plus, said hot guys’ feelings seem to be mutual… This is the happiest Charlie has been in a very long time. But she does have a little problem.
Charlie is having bizarre, dark, eerie dreams, and she knows deep down that the feelings these dreams provoke, which seem to consume her, cannot be normal. There is a sexy male voice invading her dreams, and now it seems it is invading her waking hours too. The voice is compelling, hauntingly mesmerizing, and overwhelmingly beautiful. Charlie doesn’t care if this dream voice is good or bad; she just knows she wants to hear more.
Now, Charlie is on a journey to discover who and what she really is, and to uncover the reason her family moves so frequently. Charlie knows this is going to be one crazy, fun ride. But something big is about to happen, and it will end up changing what she believed was real and what truly is…
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2014
24 people are currently reading
822 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Clayton
15 books322 followersI currently have three full length novels, and two short story's in the Chosen Saga published. I also have contributed to several anthologies. I'm always busy doing something with writing. Keep an eye out.
Things about me I love:
I love my family & friends:They are my rock.
I love the color blue: I have ever since I saw my eyes, I don't think that's conceded it's just the truth... I was like five years old, so I'm sure you can't really be considered conceded that young.
I love to read: Any and all books except nonfiction.
I love to laugh and make people smile: Laughter is good for the soul, plus I laugh very easily.
I love to be silly and do random things: All the time, especially around my daughter.
I love embarrassing people: Its fun and funny, but I can get embarrassed easily too.
I love tattoos: I have some, but I wouldn't go crazy.
I love piercings: I have some, again I wouldn't go too crazy.
I love life and doing new things: I'm always up for a challenge.
I love to hug and be hugged: Hugs make me feel good, but it has to be a good one... Not a pat on the back. Those I do not love.
~J.L.Clayton~
Things about me I love:
I love my family & friends:They are my rock.
I love the color blue: I have ever since I saw my eyes, I don't think that's conceded it's just the truth... I was like five years old, so I'm sure you can't really be considered conceded that young.
I love to read: Any and all books except nonfiction.
I love to laugh and make people smile: Laughter is good for the soul, plus I laugh very easily.
I love to be silly and do random things: All the time, especially around my daughter.
I love embarrassing people: Its fun and funny, but I can get embarrassed easily too.
I love tattoos: I have some, but I wouldn't go crazy.
I love piercings: I have some, again I wouldn't go too crazy.
I love life and doing new things: I'm always up for a challenge.
I love to hug and be hugged: Hugs make me feel good, but it has to be a good one... Not a pat on the back. Those I do not love.
~J.L.Clayton~
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
November 25, 2017
You just know there is going to be a huge paranormal twist coming, but it remains just out of touch for most of this angst and attitude filled young adult tale. A SPARK OF MAGIC by J.L. Clayton is a literal roller coaster of reading from start to finish, so buckle in, and keep a firm grip on the lap bar because this read will change pace and direction at a page’s notice!
Charlies is that teen with an attitude, maybe because she never gets to set down roots because her parents seem to move at the drop of a hat. Why? Because they know a secret and they are doing everything they can to keep it from Charlie for as long as possible. At least this time she is liking her new home, new school and even a couple of the boys in class. Yes, the love triangle of doom for someone…but wait, there is a mystery boy/man who keeps flashing through Charlies’ nightmares and just maybe he is showing up in her life, too. Never keep secrets from a child, because when they fall into the truth, it is not going to be pretty… it could be dangerous, and even deadly and Charlie is about to find out she knew nothing about the world she lives in.
If you are looking for a teen whose mental dialogue alone is so frighteningly spot on at times, Charlie is your girl! Even in times of grave danger, her inner dialogue can be seen as a show of bravado as it is a brilliant shield. Sixteen is when hormones are raging, confusion in high-tension situations are the norm and to have to discover your life has been a lie, well, any teen would have a hard time of it.
J.L. Clayton had me smirking at Charlie’s dialogue, even when it seemed totally inappropriate, because we are deep into Charlie’s mind, and the situations she gets caught up in are often anything but funny.
This is a quick read, filled with starts, stops and chaos of the heart as one teen gets caught up in a whirlwind of changes she could never dream would happen to anyone!
Series: Chosen Saga - Book 1
Publisher: Outskirts Press, Inc. (May 1, 2014)
Publication Date: May 1, 2014
Genre: YA Paranormal
Print Length: 346 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Charlies is that teen with an attitude, maybe because she never gets to set down roots because her parents seem to move at the drop of a hat. Why? Because they know a secret and they are doing everything they can to keep it from Charlie for as long as possible. At least this time she is liking her new home, new school and even a couple of the boys in class. Yes, the love triangle of doom for someone…but wait, there is a mystery boy/man who keeps flashing through Charlies’ nightmares and just maybe he is showing up in her life, too. Never keep secrets from a child, because when they fall into the truth, it is not going to be pretty… it could be dangerous, and even deadly and Charlie is about to find out she knew nothing about the world she lives in.
If you are looking for a teen whose mental dialogue alone is so frighteningly spot on at times, Charlie is your girl! Even in times of grave danger, her inner dialogue can be seen as a show of bravado as it is a brilliant shield. Sixteen is when hormones are raging, confusion in high-tension situations are the norm and to have to discover your life has been a lie, well, any teen would have a hard time of it.
J.L. Clayton had me smirking at Charlie’s dialogue, even when it seemed totally inappropriate, because we are deep into Charlie’s mind, and the situations she gets caught up in are often anything but funny.
This is a quick read, filled with starts, stops and chaos of the heart as one teen gets caught up in a whirlwind of changes she could never dream would happen to anyone!
Series: Chosen Saga - Book 1
Publisher: Outskirts Press, Inc. (May 1, 2014)
Publication Date: May 1, 2014
Genre: YA Paranormal
Print Length: 346 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
February 4, 2016
Where do I start?
it all began when once again Charlie's parents told her they were moving again to a new city, a new school, new everything!!
Charlie is finally about to turn sixteen , she's started making new friend, seriously crushing on some HOT guys, then theirs the little fact both of the hot guys in question have mutual feelings.
Charlie's never been happier but will it stay that way for long?
I loved and hated this book. BUT in a good way I swear!!
Sweet Charlie has multiple guys vying for her attention but who will she choose is the million dollar question.
There's Jace who's sweet but cocky, Tru who's also a cocky but is sweet and both are madly and deeply in like with Charlie ;) and then there's Nikko whom I personally like the most because he's a little shy, sweet, and just a little bit cocky the perfect guy right?
I wonder if things would have changed if she met one of the others first, maybe but maybe not.
I'm seriously in love with Nikko!!
Girls be ready for your guydars to go off the charts and then they will probably break I'm pretty sure mine did! Thanks a lot Jennifer! lol
This book made me laugh a lot, (even when I probably shouldn't have) and I also wanted to throttle a couple of the characters a few times as well.
This is the perfect book if you're looking for a fun new read with some great plots, hot guys and best friends by a great author!
~ Morgan.
it all began when once again Charlie's parents told her they were moving again to a new city, a new school, new everything!!
Charlie is finally about to turn sixteen , she's started making new friend, seriously crushing on some HOT guys, then theirs the little fact both of the hot guys in question have mutual feelings.
Charlie's never been happier but will it stay that way for long?
I loved and hated this book. BUT in a good way I swear!!
Sweet Charlie has multiple guys vying for her attention but who will she choose is the million dollar question.
There's Jace who's sweet but cocky, Tru who's also a cocky but is sweet and both are madly and deeply in like with Charlie ;) and then there's Nikko whom I personally like the most because he's a little shy, sweet, and just a little bit cocky the perfect guy right?
I wonder if things would have changed if she met one of the others first, maybe but maybe not.
I'm seriously in love with Nikko!!
Girls be ready for your guydars to go off the charts and then they will probably break I'm pretty sure mine did! Thanks a lot Jennifer! lol
This book made me laugh a lot, (even when I probably shouldn't have) and I also wanted to throttle a couple of the characters a few times as well.
This is the perfect book if you're looking for a fun new read with some great plots, hot guys and best friends by a great author!
~ Morgan.
July 18, 2015
I found this book totally enthralling from the start. The author takes you straight into the mind of a sixteen year old girl, with all the flip-flopping thoughts and angst that goes with it. It was such a refreshing and energetic style that I kept reading until it was finished. One late night later and onto Book 2 straight away.
There are a lot of different characters and the paranormal sub plot builds up as you get into it, tantalising but never giving you too much. As the plot began to take precedence over Charlies' everyday life, the descriptive got even better. The only thing I struggled with was that I really liked both Jace and Tru and couldn't decide who I wanted Charlie to choose. I realised that this dilemma was a taste of exactly what Charlie was feeling, so respect to the Author for getting me to feel that. I still want her to get them both.
I will have to stop there or I will spoil Book 2 for you.
Suffice it to say that this series rocks so read it and enjoy.
There are a lot of different characters and the paranormal sub plot builds up as you get into it, tantalising but never giving you too much. As the plot began to take precedence over Charlies' everyday life, the descriptive got even better. The only thing I struggled with was that I really liked both Jace and Tru and couldn't decide who I wanted Charlie to choose. I realised that this dilemma was a taste of exactly what Charlie was feeling, so respect to the Author for getting me to feel that. I still want her to get them both.
I will have to stop there or I will spoil Book 2 for you.
Suffice it to say that this series rocks so read it and enjoy.
March 8, 2015
Charlie and her parents move to a bunch of new places and houses meaning that they have to meet new people, even though Charlie isn't happy about it and she thinks her parents are hiding things from her and don't trust her. I really enjoyed this book personally and I could relate to Charlie. I really liked all of the characters that we were introduced to too! Great book, I totally recommend people to read this book. 5/5 :)
December 1, 2015
Although overall I did enjoy this book it did leave me a little disappointed.
I was hoping for more answers about why she hears and see Crispin, I know it will progress in the remainder of the series, I just wish we got a little more depth on that story.
I thought the love triangle was just weird, (although I am routing for Tru).
The writing style was laughable, forced and all over the place at times.
I do want to see how the series ends so I will read the next instalments.
I was hoping for more answers about why she hears and see Crispin, I know it will progress in the remainder of the series, I just wish we got a little more depth on that story.
I thought the love triangle was just weird, (although I am routing for Tru).
The writing style was laughable, forced and all over the place at times.
I do want to see how the series ends so I will read the next instalments.
January 5, 2016
This is an excellent read, a great YA novel. Many times throughout this book Charlie reminded me of my daughter and what she was like in her school days. I also liked the way the author used 1st person perspective as it added to the story for me. The Cherokee references were very interesting to me as that is part of my heritage. Just a really nice work by a very stylish and personable author. I look forward to reading more of her stories.
July 10, 2014
Charlie and her parents move all the time to new places, and the reason is never explained to Charlie. She just gets dragged along regardless of her feelings. When they move to a new town, Charlie is surprised to find herself fitting in. She also learns her parents have secrets that she never would have guessed, and she is at the heart of it.
I liked that this book was a mix of romance, supernatural, teen angst, Native American myth, and evilness. Everything was thrown together to create a unique new story that I haven't seen before. Some of the mystery elements of the story I saw coming ahead of time, but that did not take away from my enjoyment of the book.
I had a love hate relationship with Charlie. At times I loved her attitude and snarky commentary, but at other times I was confused about her. She was so incredibly sexual, that it made me feel a little icky that she was only 15. Yes I understand that maybe 15 year old have strong sexual urges and have sex, but I really don't want to think about it. I would have loved this story more if Charlie had been 17 going on 18, where I could have justified her feelings to myself as almost an adult. But on the other hand, she had moments of complete immaturity, like her attitude about certain things, needing her mom to wake her up, her internal monologue...These traits seemed in conflict with the sexual prowess she exhibited and more in line with the 15 year old naive girl with no experience that she was. The big reveal that her parents had for her, Charlie had already thought the same thing a few times at the beginning of the story, so it makes me wonder why she did not really catch on. Also, she had random bursts of rage directed towards her father, which were never really resolved in this book that confused me.
And as this is a teen book, so of course there just so happens to be a love triangle. Jace is the mature, mysterious boy who she feels an instant lustful attraction to, but firmly resists. I really did not like him when he was first introduced to the story, mainly because he seemed so slimy and a user. But as the book went on, I absolutely love him. I don't care if he has secrets, he obviously wants to do right for Charlie. He ends up pretty dang swoony, and I want them to have a love connection. The other love interest is Tru, the Native American boy next door type, who is gentle and sweet, and Charlie liked instantly. He was ok in my opinion, but if he called her Dudette one more time I may have to kill someone! I did enjoy his few outbursts of alpha-maleness when it came to Charlie, when he in general had a laid back attitude. I was a little irritated by the suddenness of her feelings and relationship with Tru. They really did not get time to know each other before things like love were thrown around. I could understand the connection to Jace being instant, but that has a supernatural feel to it.
Overall this was an interesting new teen supernatural book, that I suspect will have more books to come because there were lots of things left open. I look forward to what Charlie will be able to do it the future.
I received this book from the Author and Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.
I liked that this book was a mix of romance, supernatural, teen angst, Native American myth, and evilness. Everything was thrown together to create a unique new story that I haven't seen before. Some of the mystery elements of the story I saw coming ahead of time, but that did not take away from my enjoyment of the book.
I had a love hate relationship with Charlie. At times I loved her attitude and snarky commentary, but at other times I was confused about her. She was so incredibly sexual, that it made me feel a little icky that she was only 15. Yes I understand that maybe 15 year old have strong sexual urges and have sex, but I really don't want to think about it. I would have loved this story more if Charlie had been 17 going on 18, where I could have justified her feelings to myself as almost an adult. But on the other hand, she had moments of complete immaturity, like her attitude about certain things, needing her mom to wake her up, her internal monologue...These traits seemed in conflict with the sexual prowess she exhibited and more in line with the 15 year old naive girl with no experience that she was. The big reveal that her parents had for her, Charlie had already thought the same thing a few times at the beginning of the story, so it makes me wonder why she did not really catch on. Also, she had random bursts of rage directed towards her father, which were never really resolved in this book that confused me.
And as this is a teen book, so of course there just so happens to be a love triangle. Jace is the mature, mysterious boy who she feels an instant lustful attraction to, but firmly resists. I really did not like him when he was first introduced to the story, mainly because he seemed so slimy and a user. But as the book went on, I absolutely love him. I don't care if he has secrets, he obviously wants to do right for Charlie. He ends up pretty dang swoony, and I want them to have a love connection. The other love interest is Tru, the Native American boy next door type, who is gentle and sweet, and Charlie liked instantly. He was ok in my opinion, but if he called her Dudette one more time I may have to kill someone! I did enjoy his few outbursts of alpha-maleness when it came to Charlie, when he in general had a laid back attitude. I was a little irritated by the suddenness of her feelings and relationship with Tru. They really did not get time to know each other before things like love were thrown around. I could understand the connection to Jace being instant, but that has a supernatural feel to it.
Overall this was an interesting new teen supernatural book, that I suspect will have more books to come because there were lots of things left open. I look forward to what Charlie will be able to do it the future.
I received this book from the Author and Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.
March 2, 2015
Charlie Leyland Fox (f, 15, Charlize) lived in Turtle Creek, AL, with her dad Sam & mom Janet.
Charlie went shopping with her mom.
Avani (Cherokee, sales clerk, Past & Present) held a blue stone & was telling Charlie the legend that her father Kamal had handed down to her.
Certain Native Americans were descendants of wolves.
Isha (Cherokee Leader) wolf was named Little One. Isha had come across the aka Traveler.
Tru Hock Clayton (16, NA) meets Charlie. Avani is Tru’s mother. Tru’s grandfather is the protector, when he passes Tru will be the next in line.
Charlie was having dreams or were they nightmares or premonitions?
What about Jace Flint (17, son) & Charlie relationship?
Tru Clayton offers Charlie (aka Dudette, C) a ride to school He introduces her to Zitkala (sister, aka Z), Dee (f), Stevens, Paco (NA), Wing, Jolon (NA), & Hutchins.
What’s going on with Tru & Charlie?
They all go to Turtle Creek HS. Their mascot is the Snappers.
1st day of class Charlie is greeted by Ms. Johnson (teacher). 4 students introduce their selves to Charlie; Tammin Fray (f), Simon Jones, Nolan Smith, & Nikko Knight.
Crispin (Traveller, Sorcerer-Wizard-Mage) appears in Charlie’s dreams quite frequently. Is he a stalker or a predator? Maybe a savior.
Nkko picked Charlie up to go to the dance. Tammin, Simon, Dee, Nolan, Paco & Z were in his carpool also.
Jolon (m), Tru & Jace were at the dance.
What happened to Charlie that night?
Fast forward its Charlie’s 16th birthday. Jace was not coming. Her mom, dad, Tru, Tammin, Simon, Nikko, Dee, Noland, Jolon, Paco, & Zitkala were all there.
Who is Crispin?
I remember this when I was a teen “Pig-Latin.”
I can really relate to Charlie, I lived in 13 different states & went to 23 different schools as I can figure. When my step-mom called me by my real name I knew I was in trouble.
Nobody says these anymore: “Kay” “Peachy” ”Puhleeze” “you think” “Tada” “Hey back at-cha” “FYI” “duh” that’s funny.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written YA HS romance book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make great older HS romance movie, animated cartoon, mini TV series. To be continued? A very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Charlie went shopping with her mom.
Avani (Cherokee, sales clerk, Past & Present) held a blue stone & was telling Charlie the legend that her father Kamal had handed down to her.
Certain Native Americans were descendants of wolves.
Isha (Cherokee Leader) wolf was named Little One. Isha had come across the aka Traveler.
Tru Hock Clayton (16, NA) meets Charlie. Avani is Tru’s mother. Tru’s grandfather is the protector, when he passes Tru will be the next in line.
Charlie was having dreams or were they nightmares or premonitions?
What about Jace Flint (17, son) & Charlie relationship?
Tru Clayton offers Charlie (aka Dudette, C) a ride to school He introduces her to Zitkala (sister, aka Z), Dee (f), Stevens, Paco (NA), Wing, Jolon (NA), & Hutchins.
What’s going on with Tru & Charlie?
They all go to Turtle Creek HS. Their mascot is the Snappers.
1st day of class Charlie is greeted by Ms. Johnson (teacher). 4 students introduce their selves to Charlie; Tammin Fray (f), Simon Jones, Nolan Smith, & Nikko Knight.
Crispin (Traveller, Sorcerer-Wizard-Mage) appears in Charlie’s dreams quite frequently. Is he a stalker or a predator? Maybe a savior.
Nkko picked Charlie up to go to the dance. Tammin, Simon, Dee, Nolan, Paco & Z were in his carpool also.
Jolon (m), Tru & Jace were at the dance.
What happened to Charlie that night?
Fast forward its Charlie’s 16th birthday. Jace was not coming. Her mom, dad, Tru, Tammin, Simon, Nikko, Dee, Noland, Jolon, Paco, & Zitkala were all there.
Who is Crispin?
I remember this when I was a teen “Pig-Latin.”
I can really relate to Charlie, I lived in 13 different states & went to 23 different schools as I can figure. When my step-mom called me by my real name I knew I was in trouble.
Nobody says these anymore: “Kay” “Peachy” ”Puhleeze” “you think” “Tada” “Hey back at-cha” “FYI” “duh” that’s funny.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written YA HS romance book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make great older HS romance movie, animated cartoon, mini TV series. To be continued? A very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
October 22, 2015
First of all, JL Clayton is one of the kindest people I've ever met. She interacts with her fans and followers like no other author I've seen. I don't normally read too many books in the fantasy genre, but I like the author so much I was psyched to read it! The book was brilliant. I was so invested in the characters, especially Charlie. Charlie is a fifteen year old girl dealing with normal teenage struggles, but JL did an amazing job of putting us in the MC's head. I felt what she felt; saw what she saw. I was emotionally invested, for sure. And then we find out that Charlie is not so normal. In fact, there's something quite magical and mysterious about her dreams and behavior...But you'll have to read it to find out!!! This is a series and I can't wait to read on. There's love, drama, adventure, suspense, and...a spark of magic. This is a must read! And if you're a reader looking for an awesome author who will interact with you and discuss her work openly, you need look no further.
October 21, 2015
A Spark of Magic isn't my usual style of book to read, so I wasn't sure of what to expect. What I found was thorough enjoyment. I found myself catapulted (in a pleasant way) back many years, seeing through the eyes of a girl and experiencing her thoughts and feelings, which were delivered perfectly. Moreover, the narrator had character and some of the phrases caused me to chuckle. Throughout the tale, you suspect that something big is going to happen, and when it does, it is dramatic.
It certainly held my attention, and I'm sure the books that follow will do so as well. A Spark of Magic is charming, atmospheric and addictive. I would recommend this book to anyone, and am looking forward to the sequel. Excellent stuff - a magical story, literally.
It certainly held my attention, and I'm sure the books that follow will do so as well. A Spark of Magic is charming, atmospheric and addictive. I would recommend this book to anyone, and am looking forward to the sequel. Excellent stuff - a magical story, literally.
March 10, 2016
A Spark Of Magic! Oh yeah, I loved this book. First in the series and I can't wait to read the next one. A few tears, a few laughs, a lot of anxiety. Not the guy I thought she'd have picked but something tells me that the next book will have her switching. At least,I kinda hope she does.
November 28, 2015
Good book! Though the narration was not particularly to my taste, the story arc was great and it made for a fun read. A very nice addition to the YA market.
June 16, 2015
One thing that I love about writing book reviews is the wonderful new connections that I have made as a result of the social media outlets that I have developed Segnalibro with. Twitter, in particular, has been brilliant for this and has led to me reading some wonderful books following tweets from authors. Over the last few weeks, I have developed a lovely Twitter friendship with Jennifer Clayton, and downloaded her two books to read and review. Now, I've mentioned in previous reviews that fantasy based novels are not usually my cup of tea, but I loved chatting to Jennifer so much, I couldn't help but give her books a read. First up was A Spark of Magic, the first book in the Chosen Saga.
The opening is very enigmatic as we are given a very poetic hint at what is to come and what the themes of this novel will be. It reads like a prophecy and gives the reader a delicious sense of trepidation of what is to come. When we are introduced to Crispin in the prologue, the dark, magical traveller who takes great pleasure at ending the lives of his followers when they displease him, the beginning of the novel starts to make sense. Yet any potential thoughts about the plot are blown out of the water when, in Chapter One, Charlie, a clumsy 15-year-old girl is introduced as the main protagonist. Written in first person narrative, Charlie is a bundle of contradictions and mixed up teenage angst. Clayton captures the stressed out teenager perfectly, as Charlie flits from one thought to the next, her emotions all over the place and laid bare for the reader to know.
A Spark of Magic tells Charlie's story as she arrives in yet another new town after moving house for the umpteenth time. Charlie knows her Mum and Dad have not been completely honest with her and her anger at this ebbs and flows throughout. She describes her thoughts as they occur, playing out conversations in her head and is quite self-deprecating about herself. Initially, this is a bit irritating but as you rationalise that you are effectively in the head of a 15-year-old hormonal teenage girl, it works really well. I had been warned that it was a slow starter but to stick with it although I think the slow build up to a gripping climax works very well in this plot.
Charlie ultimately finds herself in a quandary as she finds herself attracted to two boys. Tru is the handsome Native American boy who befriends her outside his mother's shop, after Charlie has been told a haunting story about Isha, the head of a Native American tribe, and his wolf companion, and about how a man only know as the Traveller wiped out Isha's entire tribe and ripped the heart out of Isha's wolf. The reason the Traveller lets Isha live is so that Isha can tell the rest of his people about the Traveller's power and strength, so that they would always fear him. Charlie is spellbound by this story, as she is about the sweet, handsome Tru. He offers to give her a ride to school on her first day, but unbeknownst to Charlie, her mother has arranged for the son of a family friend to pick her up. Jace is also a handsome boy who infuriates and enchants Charlie with his confident flirtation, right from the moment he meets her. Charlie doesn't want to be attracted to Jace, but finds that she is. Again, Charlie is confused and bewildered and we are privy to her every thought.
However, there is a third person who seems to invade Charlie's dreams, or are they dreams? Charlie isn't sure and neither are we as readers at first. However, it becomes clear that Crispin,who we are introduced to in the Prologue, is the traveller from Tru's mother's story and that he is, for some strange reason, manifesting himself in Charlie's dreams. As we get Crispin's point of view too, we are allowed to know more than our main protagonist, and the juxtaposition of the two viewpoints works really well to build up the tension. As readers, we know the danger, to a point, before Charlie does, but we are also aware that Charlie is having more of an effect on Crispin than he thought he would and it appears that Charlie unwittingly has a hold on him too.
Charlie is also experiencing some weird changes in her behaviour that she does not seem to be able to control. I'm not going to elaborate further on this because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who reads it, but something is definitely amiss as Charlie struggles to get a grip on her thoughts and doubts. It also becomes obvious that Jace knows more than he is letting on and that Tru may not be all he appears either, though whether this is in a malevolent way or not, you'll have to read to find out, and I'm not sure you'll know all the answers by the end of this novel either!
Sometimes, it is easy to forget that Charlie is only nearly sixteen. As she experiences the feelings of first love, she doesn't know what to do and the uncertainties in her life continue to overwhelm her for a lot of the narrative, yet at other times, she appears quite grown up in her approach and the adult themes of some of the chapters add to this sense that she is older than her years at times. The dynamic between Charlie and the other characters is really well written so that the reader knows there is more than meets the eye, but only clues are given about how this will manifest.
Personally, I could understand how Charlie was torn between Tru and Jace and my opinion changed a few times in the novel. However, the enigmatic Crispin was the character who I found most intriguing and I felt that he had a Christian Grey feel about him, a detached curiosity about someone who he should be able to overpower easily but is strangely under her spell, much like Christian with Ana.
If I had one minor complaint about this book it would be that the proof-reading could be better, but I think that has more to do with my personal anally retentive approach to spelling and grammar than anything else. It certainly doesn't detract from what a brilliant book this is. Clayton's analysis of a teenage girl's mind is absolutely spot on and as I have a fifteen year old daughter myself, I am only too aware of how changeable they can be! I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did, mainly because of the fantastical element of it, but I cannot wait to read the sequel, A Blaze of Magic. There are so many open ends left begging for answers that I am really keen to know what happens next, and it has been left with one humdinger of a cliffhanger. Even at the end of this book it is still hard to tell how everything links up at the moment but I hope that by reading A Blaze of Magic, I'll be enlightened. Most of all, though, I am in awe at the writing skills of my new friend Jennifer Clayton, as she seamlessly flits between the deep, mysterious narrative of Crispin, to the self-doubting, yet tougher than she appears, Charlie.
http://segnalibro.co.uk/a-spark-of-ma...
The opening is very enigmatic as we are given a very poetic hint at what is to come and what the themes of this novel will be. It reads like a prophecy and gives the reader a delicious sense of trepidation of what is to come. When we are introduced to Crispin in the prologue, the dark, magical traveller who takes great pleasure at ending the lives of his followers when they displease him, the beginning of the novel starts to make sense. Yet any potential thoughts about the plot are blown out of the water when, in Chapter One, Charlie, a clumsy 15-year-old girl is introduced as the main protagonist. Written in first person narrative, Charlie is a bundle of contradictions and mixed up teenage angst. Clayton captures the stressed out teenager perfectly, as Charlie flits from one thought to the next, her emotions all over the place and laid bare for the reader to know.
A Spark of Magic tells Charlie's story as she arrives in yet another new town after moving house for the umpteenth time. Charlie knows her Mum and Dad have not been completely honest with her and her anger at this ebbs and flows throughout. She describes her thoughts as they occur, playing out conversations in her head and is quite self-deprecating about herself. Initially, this is a bit irritating but as you rationalise that you are effectively in the head of a 15-year-old hormonal teenage girl, it works really well. I had been warned that it was a slow starter but to stick with it although I think the slow build up to a gripping climax works very well in this plot.
Charlie ultimately finds herself in a quandary as she finds herself attracted to two boys. Tru is the handsome Native American boy who befriends her outside his mother's shop, after Charlie has been told a haunting story about Isha, the head of a Native American tribe, and his wolf companion, and about how a man only know as the Traveller wiped out Isha's entire tribe and ripped the heart out of Isha's wolf. The reason the Traveller lets Isha live is so that Isha can tell the rest of his people about the Traveller's power and strength, so that they would always fear him. Charlie is spellbound by this story, as she is about the sweet, handsome Tru. He offers to give her a ride to school on her first day, but unbeknownst to Charlie, her mother has arranged for the son of a family friend to pick her up. Jace is also a handsome boy who infuriates and enchants Charlie with his confident flirtation, right from the moment he meets her. Charlie doesn't want to be attracted to Jace, but finds that she is. Again, Charlie is confused and bewildered and we are privy to her every thought.
However, there is a third person who seems to invade Charlie's dreams, or are they dreams? Charlie isn't sure and neither are we as readers at first. However, it becomes clear that Crispin,who we are introduced to in the Prologue, is the traveller from Tru's mother's story and that he is, for some strange reason, manifesting himself in Charlie's dreams. As we get Crispin's point of view too, we are allowed to know more than our main protagonist, and the juxtaposition of the two viewpoints works really well to build up the tension. As readers, we know the danger, to a point, before Charlie does, but we are also aware that Charlie is having more of an effect on Crispin than he thought he would and it appears that Charlie unwittingly has a hold on him too.
Charlie is also experiencing some weird changes in her behaviour that she does not seem to be able to control. I'm not going to elaborate further on this because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who reads it, but something is definitely amiss as Charlie struggles to get a grip on her thoughts and doubts. It also becomes obvious that Jace knows more than he is letting on and that Tru may not be all he appears either, though whether this is in a malevolent way or not, you'll have to read to find out, and I'm not sure you'll know all the answers by the end of this novel either!
Sometimes, it is easy to forget that Charlie is only nearly sixteen. As she experiences the feelings of first love, she doesn't know what to do and the uncertainties in her life continue to overwhelm her for a lot of the narrative, yet at other times, she appears quite grown up in her approach and the adult themes of some of the chapters add to this sense that she is older than her years at times. The dynamic between Charlie and the other characters is really well written so that the reader knows there is more than meets the eye, but only clues are given about how this will manifest.
Personally, I could understand how Charlie was torn between Tru and Jace and my opinion changed a few times in the novel. However, the enigmatic Crispin was the character who I found most intriguing and I felt that he had a Christian Grey feel about him, a detached curiosity about someone who he should be able to overpower easily but is strangely under her spell, much like Christian with Ana.
If I had one minor complaint about this book it would be that the proof-reading could be better, but I think that has more to do with my personal anally retentive approach to spelling and grammar than anything else. It certainly doesn't detract from what a brilliant book this is. Clayton's analysis of a teenage girl's mind is absolutely spot on and as I have a fifteen year old daughter myself, I am only too aware of how changeable they can be! I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did, mainly because of the fantastical element of it, but I cannot wait to read the sequel, A Blaze of Magic. There are so many open ends left begging for answers that I am really keen to know what happens next, and it has been left with one humdinger of a cliffhanger. Even at the end of this book it is still hard to tell how everything links up at the moment but I hope that by reading A Blaze of Magic, I'll be enlightened. Most of all, though, I am in awe at the writing skills of my new friend Jennifer Clayton, as she seamlessly flits between the deep, mysterious narrative of Crispin, to the self-doubting, yet tougher than she appears, Charlie.
http://segnalibro.co.uk/a-spark-of-ma...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2018
Author J.L. Clayton brings us the revamped version of the Chosen Saga Book One. The story opens up with the series main villain Crispen killing a native american human/wolf then it flashes forward to the first time that we meet Charlie a young woman who is the hero of this story. Her parents move her to a new town and a new house and there she meets Tru and Jace both fight for her love but while this is going on she gets attacked by Max who tries to take her and kill her only to run away after a fight with Crispen. Charlie survives the attack but at a great cost, only to be attacked again in the hospital. But She hurts Max this time which let things get quite for her. This is a great jumping off point for this series and I highly recommend that you pick up a copy and continue on I know that I will.
March 17, 2016
I liked the story line. The author described the characters very well in the beginning (or when they were first introduced in the story) which made them easy to picture in my mind when mentioned again later. From chapter 1, I was easily able to relate with the main character, Charlie, since I was moved around A LOT when I was her age. I could feel the resentment she had with her parents for always uprooting her just when she was starting to make friends. Turns out that all the moving was for good reason (as was the case in real life for me as well), but it doesn't help when you're a teenager just trying to fit in. Having someone push the reset button on you over and over simple makes life that much more difficult, on top of the normal day to day teenage issues. This is the main reason I forgave the fact that Charlie is 15 years old. Normally, my mind wouldn't calculate well with a main character being introduced as so young and so strong simultaneously.. however, given my own experience, I can attest that moving around so much and having to constantly adapt to new environments actually does mature you faster.
This book is written in first person, from Charlie's point of view. It is also written as though you are reading her diary or journal. She wrote the entries describing what she felt, thought, saw, experienced and you are reading them after the fact. Once my mind applied the idea of a journal or diary to the book, the writing style didn't bother me as much. She is constantly going off on mental tangents (like thoughts she has about what is going on in the story) and she always writes like a teenager speaks. It is not proper English.. but again it was acceptable once I pictured myself reading a journal or diary entry.
The only reason I deducted one star from my review is for the grammatical errors that somehow slipped past the editor. The constant issue of "you're" when it should have been "your" and "where" when it should have been "were" drove me insane. I have stopped reading books for this same problem, but those either hadn't grabbed me or interested me enough to deal with the errors and continue. However, I pushed through and finished the book as the plot had me intrigued to know what would happen next. I also do not care for love triangles or indecisiveness when it comes to "who should I pick" or "which one do I truly love". But, again, this is a 15 year old girl so of course she is going to have raging hormones and lack the brain power to sort through them very well. Hence the reason looking at this as her journal really did help - on multiple levels.
Overall, a very well thought our plot (so far!) and it was an engaging read. I finished it relatively quickly - waking up many mornings to find my Kindle laying on my chest. I recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries, who doesn't mind being kept in the dark, who loves magic and finally anyone who loved reading the Twilight series of books.. this would be for you. Think Twilight plus magic. Personally, I'm on team Jace!
This book is written in first person, from Charlie's point of view. It is also written as though you are reading her diary or journal. She wrote the entries describing what she felt, thought, saw, experienced and you are reading them after the fact. Once my mind applied the idea of a journal or diary to the book, the writing style didn't bother me as much. She is constantly going off on mental tangents (like thoughts she has about what is going on in the story) and she always writes like a teenager speaks. It is not proper English.. but again it was acceptable once I pictured myself reading a journal or diary entry.
The only reason I deducted one star from my review is for the grammatical errors that somehow slipped past the editor. The constant issue of "you're" when it should have been "your" and "where" when it should have been "were" drove me insane. I have stopped reading books for this same problem, but those either hadn't grabbed me or interested me enough to deal with the errors and continue. However, I pushed through and finished the book as the plot had me intrigued to know what would happen next. I also do not care for love triangles or indecisiveness when it comes to "who should I pick" or "which one do I truly love". But, again, this is a 15 year old girl so of course she is going to have raging hormones and lack the brain power to sort through them very well. Hence the reason looking at this as her journal really did help - on multiple levels.
Overall, a very well thought our plot (so far!) and it was an engaging read. I finished it relatively quickly - waking up many mornings to find my Kindle laying on my chest. I recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries, who doesn't mind being kept in the dark, who loves magic and finally anyone who loved reading the Twilight series of books.. this would be for you. Think Twilight plus magic. Personally, I'm on team Jace!
May 30, 2016
I enjoy magic tales and when I read the blurb for this book I thought it held a lot of promise.
While there remains some possibilities there were too many things about this book that bothered me.
The biggest issue I had with the book is not really the authors fault at all but mainly my preference or age might be better way to say it. This book was clearly written for young readers and since it has been a very long time since I was a young anything, that clearly put me on the outside from the beginning.
The speech from the characters just didn't seem to ring true to today teenagers. The phrases and slang seemed to be for a generation ago instead of today's teens. The nicknames for everyone was also mildly irritating.
That was just a minor issue for me. The biggest issue was the constant, almost insentient, internal dialog of Charlie. It felt like at times every other line was more inane internal thought or feeling and the fact that this is written in the first person makes it even worse. Add to that a fair portion of those thoughts and feelings are expressed repeatedly through out the tale had me skipping through large chucks of dialog.
The first chapter starts of with a bang and really had me itching to continue but sadly the rest of the story did not follow through with that same energy.
I realize that this is a series where each book will build on the one before it but even after finishing it I can honestly say that I do not have a clear understanding of what is going on. I know that there is a very bad guy, a love triangle (which seems to be a prerequisite for books written for this age group) which takes up almost the entire book and is more annoying than interesting, a lead character that has an unknown past and hidden gift, and finally a supporting class of friends and possible enemies. We do learn some truths but they're basically all in the last few paragraphs (at least the most interesting ones) and just add to the murkiness of the story instead of clearing it up.
Because these are just my thoughts as a reader clearly not in the intended audience, I would encourage you to read the book for yourself. If you're a younger reader or these types of stories are what you love to read then you may very well love this book and be excited to find a new series to get lost in.
While there remains some possibilities there were too many things about this book that bothered me.
The biggest issue I had with the book is not really the authors fault at all but mainly my preference or age might be better way to say it. This book was clearly written for young readers and since it has been a very long time since I was a young anything, that clearly put me on the outside from the beginning.
The speech from the characters just didn't seem to ring true to today teenagers. The phrases and slang seemed to be for a generation ago instead of today's teens. The nicknames for everyone was also mildly irritating.
That was just a minor issue for me. The biggest issue was the constant, almost insentient, internal dialog of Charlie. It felt like at times every other line was more inane internal thought or feeling and the fact that this is written in the first person makes it even worse. Add to that a fair portion of those thoughts and feelings are expressed repeatedly through out the tale had me skipping through large chucks of dialog.
The first chapter starts of with a bang and really had me itching to continue but sadly the rest of the story did not follow through with that same energy.
I realize that this is a series where each book will build on the one before it but even after finishing it I can honestly say that I do not have a clear understanding of what is going on. I know that there is a very bad guy, a love triangle (which seems to be a prerequisite for books written for this age group) which takes up almost the entire book and is more annoying than interesting, a lead character that has an unknown past and hidden gift, and finally a supporting class of friends and possible enemies. We do learn some truths but they're basically all in the last few paragraphs (at least the most interesting ones) and just add to the murkiness of the story instead of clearing it up.
Because these are just my thoughts as a reader clearly not in the intended audience, I would encourage you to read the book for yourself. If you're a younger reader or these types of stories are what you love to read then you may very well love this book and be excited to find a new series to get lost in.
May 20, 2014
I just had a chance to finish it last night! I read A LOT and I will be the first to tell you that if a book isn't good or keeping my attention at all....I will put it down about halfway through and never pick it up again! I didn't have this issue with your book! What I loved the most about it was that I couldn't ever figure out what was going to happen next. Just when I thought I had it all figured out.....BAM......you threw a curve ball in there! I seriously can't wait to read the next one. I will however admit that I usually steer clear of these types of books. Yes, I have seen the Twilight movies but I never read the books because I didn't think that I would like them. I usually read Danielle Steel, James Patterson, Nicholas Sparks, and so on. You've opened my eyes to a whole new world and have encouraged me to expand my choices of reading genres! And before you even ask..... I'm a Jace fan! Tru is great, don't get me wrong, but that boy is too clingy for me....lol. Maybe not clingy but just too dependent on Charlie's love I guess. I know everyone may see Jace as the "smooth talking player" but I believe that there's more to him than that. Let's be honest..... 8 out of 10 guys always put on a tough front in front of the ladies. But once you basically convince them into "cutting the act", there is the possibility of a really good guy under that hard surface. Men just always seem to have a little trouble with letting their guard down and letting others in because they may seem a little too sincere or weak. I think there is something there with Jace! Tru is more of every girl's "dream guy" but I think once you settle in to it....the relationship would be a little stagnant. But hell, what do I know, not everyone in the world has a little freak hiding in their closet that they like to break out every now and then. Jace would definitely have that area covered!
February 8, 2016
I want to start this review by saying I have never written a book and I have to give credit and respect to anyone who has!
It has taken me months to get through this book mainly because the Main character irritated me beyond words. I actually welcomed housework and waxing my own eyebrows just to get some light relief. The character development was very poor. When Charlie first meets Tru she actually says how wonderful a friend he is within minutes of meeting him, I thought I had missed something! The same thing goes for other friendships that develop in this book.
For a book that seems to go out of it's way to avoid profanities the graphic content in the attack scenes really surprised me. I found myself skipping past pages due to how uncomfortable it made me feel. It was completely unnecessary. I agree with other reviews and would have serious concerns if I had a teenage daughter reading this book!
I also have never read a book with so many spelling errors and mistakes. I found myself re - reading passages just to make sense of it.
I was not sure what to rate this book as I will not be reading anymore in the series but I have went with 2 stars as I have read worse.
To leave on a positive note I didn't hate the parts which focused around the Legends and the heritage of Tru's tribes although I didn't like Tru's character at all. If I had to choose the man for Charlie it would be Jace as I'm always a sucker for the bad boy and Tru in my opinion is a big drip.
It has taken me months to get through this book mainly because the Main character irritated me beyond words. I actually welcomed housework and waxing my own eyebrows just to get some light relief. The character development was very poor. When Charlie first meets Tru she actually says how wonderful a friend he is within minutes of meeting him, I thought I had missed something! The same thing goes for other friendships that develop in this book.
For a book that seems to go out of it's way to avoid profanities the graphic content in the attack scenes really surprised me. I found myself skipping past pages due to how uncomfortable it made me feel. It was completely unnecessary. I agree with other reviews and would have serious concerns if I had a teenage daughter reading this book!
I also have never read a book with so many spelling errors and mistakes. I found myself re - reading passages just to make sense of it.
I was not sure what to rate this book as I will not be reading anymore in the series but I have went with 2 stars as I have read worse.
To leave on a positive note I didn't hate the parts which focused around the Legends and the heritage of Tru's tribes although I didn't like Tru's character at all. If I had to choose the man for Charlie it would be Jace as I'm always a sucker for the bad boy and Tru in my opinion is a big drip.
February 18, 2015
I gave it a 3 out of 5 stars. I received this from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I was super excited at the opportunity to read this book. Charlie is a teenage, about 15-16. The book was a bit confusing since the beginning. The prologue completely threw me off. Crispin is introduced. I continued on to the first chapters. I would say, I got hooked. I wanted to read more. The problem then was that I found myself skipping sections or quickly reading to get to the parts I felt were really important.
I did like the plot. The story had a lot of potential, but I felt lost and confused at times. There was too much dialog between Charlie and both Jace and Tru. I would have liked more story and less talking, catching the readers attention. Holding them to the climax and leave them wanting more. That would have made for a great story.
The part where Max was present in a chapter with no prior mention. I would have liked to have had it presented as the story progressed and not just a random isolated event, it obviously has something to do with the connection to Crispin.
I would have loved to have known what Charlie is? What happened to her parents? Why do they tell her now? Why is she attached to both Jace and Tru?? What is up with that!
Going to read the next book to find out!!!
I was super excited at the opportunity to read this book. Charlie is a teenage, about 15-16. The book was a bit confusing since the beginning. The prologue completely threw me off. Crispin is introduced. I continued on to the first chapters. I would say, I got hooked. I wanted to read more. The problem then was that I found myself skipping sections or quickly reading to get to the parts I felt were really important.
I did like the plot. The story had a lot of potential, but I felt lost and confused at times. There was too much dialog between Charlie and both Jace and Tru. I would have liked more story and less talking, catching the readers attention. Holding them to the climax and leave them wanting more. That would have made for a great story.
The part where Max was present in a chapter with no prior mention. I would have liked to have had it presented as the story progressed and not just a random isolated event, it obviously has something to do with the connection to Crispin.
I would have loved to have known what Charlie is? What happened to her parents? Why do they tell her now? Why is she attached to both Jace and Tru?? What is up with that!
Going to read the next book to find out!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2016
A Magical Beginning *SPOILER ALERT*
I absolutely loved this book! JL wrote a great story.
The story describes Charlie's journey becoming a young adult and trying to fit in, as everybody does when you're a fifteen year old teen like her. You have an insight into Charlie's mind, all her wonders and doubts just like any teenager. She's adjusting to a new town, new friends... Plus she discovers she's somehow different and a world she didn't imagine.
I believe that at some point Charlie finds herself confused about Tru and Jace as she has feelings for both of them. Although it's not a love triangle. She's not a spoiled girl playing with both guys. Obviously she doesn't mean to hurt anyone. She's found love and close-friendship, and I believe she can't tell the difference with so many changes in her life.
In this story, you can follow Charlie's path to learn and understand who she is and finding her place in the world and her world. JL writing is very dynamic and you get hooked from the first chapter!
Definitely, I have to and I will read the second and third books!
Lastly, I had the chance to meet JL and she's a great person. She's very kind, funny and an outgoing person! And she interacts a lot with her fans.
I absolutely loved this book! JL wrote a great story.
The story describes Charlie's journey becoming a young adult and trying to fit in, as everybody does when you're a fifteen year old teen like her. You have an insight into Charlie's mind, all her wonders and doubts just like any teenager. She's adjusting to a new town, new friends... Plus she discovers she's somehow different and a world she didn't imagine.
I believe that at some point Charlie finds herself confused about Tru and Jace as she has feelings for both of them. Although it's not a love triangle. She's not a spoiled girl playing with both guys. Obviously she doesn't mean to hurt anyone. She's found love and close-friendship, and I believe she can't tell the difference with so many changes in her life.
In this story, you can follow Charlie's path to learn and understand who she is and finding her place in the world and her world. JL writing is very dynamic and you get hooked from the first chapter!
Definitely, I have to and I will read the second and third books!
Lastly, I had the chance to meet JL and she's a great person. She's very kind, funny and an outgoing person! And she interacts a lot with her fans.
May 20, 2014
This book is absolutely amazing! I love to read so naturally when I heard that someone I personally knew had written a book...I had to have it! This book was a little slow paced at first to introduce you to the main characters! Some will argue that slow isn't the best word, but it's the one I choose to use! I know some people will put a book down if it doesn't catch your attention right off, but this book is well worth the wait! Its interesting all of the way through even if it starts out a little slow! Once I was passed the first few chapters I was hooked. I couldn't put this book down. I found myself inside the story plot. I was helping Charlie make decisions between her suitors and found myself mad when she chose the one I was dead set against. This book is AMAZING! Cannot wait for the second part. I can honestly say that the writer is an all around amazing person and now I can say she is an amazing author!!!! I recommend this book to everyone....even if you don't like to read...you will LOVE this book! Its a must! Whether you're grown or a teen...pick up a copy and support our local author...you will be pleased that you did!
April 2, 2015
This book was good, has the potential but I found the Charlie a little bit too dramatic. Yes I understand she is 15 years old turning 16 and that's when teens/pre teens reach their highest point in drama and whining and have a everything-has-to-go-there-way attitude, but in this book you barely see her as a 15 year old, or at least I didn't.
When I read her character, I found her to be a 18/19 year old not a 15 year old. She focuses her attention on 2 attractive guys, instead of her weird nightmares and the mysterious guy who keeps on showing up out of no where, has parents that don't even pay attention to her until the end of the book, and is the ultimate social butterfly. My goodness Charlie, what are we going to do with you...
I liked the plot, but the main character was just too dramatic for me; and the paranormal stuff doesn't really happen until the end of the book.
I'm still going to read the next book because I need to see what the heck Charlie and Jace are
AND THERE WAS A CLIFFHANGER!!!! NOOOOOOO -.-
When I read her character, I found her to be a 18/19 year old not a 15 year old. She focuses her attention on 2 attractive guys, instead of her weird nightmares and the mysterious guy who keeps on showing up out of no where, has parents that don't even pay attention to her until the end of the book, and is the ultimate social butterfly. My goodness Charlie, what are we going to do with you...
I liked the plot, but the main character was just too dramatic for me; and the paranormal stuff doesn't really happen until the end of the book.
I'm still going to read the next book because I need to see what the heck Charlie and Jace are
AND THERE WAS A CLIFFHANGER!!!! NOOOOOOO -.-
June 1, 2014
What an awesome book! I'm not much of a reader but this book when I started reading it I found myself not wanting to put it down. I love this book and the author had some humor in it also.. The more I read the more I felt drawn into the book its so good. As I got closer to the end I didn't want it to end I was like what else is gonna happen so I can't wait till the second book comes out its such an awesome book I believe it would make a great movie someday. I've even started reading it again its so great I find myself with the characters as you read it makes you just fall in love with them all. I can't really decide whose team I want to be on cause Jace is that playboy type and he really shows his true personality in the story to me and Tru seems a little distant but you can tell they both are really in love with Charlie girl. I just love this and would recommend everyone who hasn't to read this book you want be disappointed.
May 23, 2015
I haven't finish this book yet, i need the paperback copy of it. I can't get into it on my computer.
My comments to it.
Charlie and her parents move to a bunch of new places and houses meaning that they have to meet new people. She just gets dragged along regardless of her feelings.
Good plot-line from what i read, i did have some problems with the style or portrait of the lead female. One was her name, i didn't like it one bit but the author wanted her name like that so it became her name. Second problem was when she kept everything[ emotions about moving all the time]within herself. Most teens at that age would blow up and swear, run away or anything to gather the truth or anything.
I just found that really unrealistic. Personally i would do that if i was her age and one of my friends was like her and she flipped at her dad.
However, i did NOT finish this book, so this might change later when i do finish it.
My comments to it.
Charlie and her parents move to a bunch of new places and houses meaning that they have to meet new people. She just gets dragged along regardless of her feelings.
Good plot-line from what i read, i did have some problems with the style or portrait of the lead female. One was her name, i didn't like it one bit but the author wanted her name like that so it became her name. Second problem was when she kept everything[ emotions about moving all the time]within herself. Most teens at that age would blow up and swear, run away or anything to gather the truth or anything.
I just found that really unrealistic. Personally i would do that if i was her age and one of my friends was like her and she flipped at her dad.
However, i did NOT finish this book, so this might change later when i do finish it.
May 10, 2014
I will begin by saying I am an avid reader! I have read too many books to even count and with that being said I LOVED this book. The book begins with information bout the characters and a bit of the direction the book is headed and then you will get caught up in a whirl wind and be on the edge of your seat. I did not expect the things that happen. Every corner I turned I was so surprised because I just didn't expect it! I found myself inside the main characters head trying to make choices for her. I fell in love with all the characters even the Evil one! lol I finished this book yesterday and while I worked today I just kept thinking bout the characters and where the book was gonna take me next. I am so hooked now and can't wait to read the next one! I totally recommend this book! You will not be disappointed!! This site only allows 5 stars but I give it double that.
August 10, 2016
This is a fun book geared towards girls who enjoy reading about magic, different cultures, and flirting with attractive guys. Although I am guy, I still found this book to be quite clever and amusing!
The story is told mostly through the eyes of the main character, a teenage girl by the name of Charlie, who has just moved to a new town and is having a hard time deciding which guy she wants to date. Charlie is also faced with ongoing nightmares, relating to a part of her that she doesn’t quite understand. There is a powerful sorcerer named Crispin who shows no mercy to anyone, including his followers, and is drawn to Charlie.
I wanted to read this book because I really like stories with magic and I find young adult novels to be highly entertaining. This was a cool story so I’m looking forward to reading more in the series! Great read!
The story is told mostly through the eyes of the main character, a teenage girl by the name of Charlie, who has just moved to a new town and is having a hard time deciding which guy she wants to date. Charlie is also faced with ongoing nightmares, relating to a part of her that she doesn’t quite understand. There is a powerful sorcerer named Crispin who shows no mercy to anyone, including his followers, and is drawn to Charlie.
I wanted to read this book because I really like stories with magic and I find young adult novels to be highly entertaining. This was a cool story so I’m looking forward to reading more in the series! Great read!
May 28, 2014
You would think with the characters been 16 that this would just appeal to teenagers but, guess again. Although they seem young in human years their souls and magic are ageless. I'm so excited to see where this story goes. It pulled me in from word one.
2 hot guys fighting for Charlie's heart, 2 bad bad guy's wanting to kill her, one of which wants her power but, I think he is falling in love with her, too. Also an unlikely hero that makes you wonder where that road is going and unknown power bottled up inside Charlie....
That's just a taste of what you'll find in this book. I just don't know how I'm going to be able to stand the wait for book 2.
2 hot guys fighting for Charlie's heart, 2 bad bad guy's wanting to kill her, one of which wants her power but, I think he is falling in love with her, too. Also an unlikely hero that makes you wonder where that road is going and unknown power bottled up inside Charlie....
That's just a taste of what you'll find in this book. I just don't know how I'm going to be able to stand the wait for book 2.
February 4, 2016
Once the story began to move forward, I couldn't put it down. I tried reading throughout the night, but my eyes were too tired, and had to finally put it down. I just finished today, and I have to say, I'm hooked.
The author did a phenomenal job with character development, and created a world I related to as a teenager. It was fun to careen back to that age and remember the crazy drama of my younger years! J.L. Clayton takes you down a wild ride, filled with magic, love, darkness and chaos. I highly recommend reading this book! I can't wait to read the next two books and find out more about Charlie, Crispin, Jace and Tru!
The author did a phenomenal job with character development, and created a world I related to as a teenager. It was fun to careen back to that age and remember the crazy drama of my younger years! J.L. Clayton takes you down a wild ride, filled with magic, love, darkness and chaos. I highly recommend reading this book! I can't wait to read the next two books and find out more about Charlie, Crispin, Jace and Tru!
October 28, 2015
Poor Charlie, all she wants is a normal life. The story, told from her point of view, lets the reader in on all of the insecurities, doubts, and worries she has about starting at a new school. She is a memorable character with her own clear sense of self and her own voice. To me, the best parts of the novel are through her own descriptions of the events. Equal parts witty, sarcastic, and self-deprecating, she proves to be a good tour guide. The story itself takes place in a well developed world and despite how fantastic it gets, nothing seems totally out of place. I look forward to reading more.
June 16, 2014
This was one of the best books I have read in along time and I read alot. The way the story was wrote it made you connect with each person in the story. I even found myself pulling for Crispin to be able to meet Charlie even though he is full of dark magic. I enjoyed this book so much that I have had my whole family read it and they all agree with me it is a great book . So if you want a good book to read this boo should be the one you pick up you wont be let down by it.
Lisa Churchwell
Lisa Churchwell
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