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Secret Salem #1
Stalked
Highland Academy is a private school where the secrets are juicier than who has the cheat sheets, who stayed out all night, and who’s kissing who. They’re down right deadly.
Rubi McHale had a safe, boring life until a spot opened up for her at Highland Academy in Salem, Massachusetts. The teachers are mean, the students are meaner, and there’s one hell of a creepiness factor rolling around campus.
McCollum Davenport is the clear leader of the unnaturally beautiful elite who are hiding something Rubi can’t quite figure out. He’s also utterly drool worthy with wild midnight hair, piercing jade eyes, flawless skin, and sinewy muscles.
While trying to fit in, discover their secret, and sustain from attacking McCollum with her lips, Rubi finds herself in the middle of murder, obsession, and the supernatural. The closer she gets to revealing what’s really going on at Highland Academy the closer she gets to certain death—but at the hands of who or what?
**Intended for audiences 16+**
Rubi McHale had a safe, boring life until a spot opened up for her at Highland Academy in Salem, Massachusetts. The teachers are mean, the students are meaner, and there’s one hell of a creepiness factor rolling around campus.
McCollum Davenport is the clear leader of the unnaturally beautiful elite who are hiding something Rubi can’t quite figure out. He’s also utterly drool worthy with wild midnight hair, piercing jade eyes, flawless skin, and sinewy muscles.
While trying to fit in, discover their secret, and sustain from attacking McCollum with her lips, Rubi finds herself in the middle of murder, obsession, and the supernatural. The closer she gets to revealing what’s really going on at Highland Academy the closer she gets to certain death—but at the hands of who or what?
**Intended for audiences 16+**
267 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2014
44 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
J.N. Colon
46 books303 followersUSA Today Bestselling author J.N. Colon writes fast-paced paranormal romance and urban fantasy. As a bona fide bookworm and paranormal junkie, she’ll snatch readers from their cozy couches and drop them in a perilous world ripe with mystery, danger, and romance. While sipping mocha lattes and devouring sweets, she crafts chilling adventures starring snarky heroines and brooding bad boys. Binge-watching reruns of Supernatural and Vampire Diaries help her create the perfect blend of thrilling action and epic romance. Subscribe to J.N.’s newsletter for a free book and dive into a spine-tingling journey today. www.jncolon.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 26, 2018
Rubi is sent to a snotty private school in Salem where strange and violent things happen. Murders and vampires.
It was a pretty quick read. I liked the basic premise and setting. I was frustrated a LOT though by the fact this is a private school where multiple students have been killed and there are no police, no media, no upset parents, no raised security and a bunch of rather superficial underdeveloped characters with no real grief for their murdered friends. So I say, the ideas are there but more time needs to be spent on character development - honestly all the rich kids could have been one and the same for all the individuality I saw, releasing clues along the way so the reader can feel involved and not just holding them ALL out for the grand reveal scene (which was interesting).
It was a pretty quick read. I liked the basic premise and setting. I was frustrated a LOT though by the fact this is a private school where multiple students have been killed and there are no police, no media, no upset parents, no raised security and a bunch of rather superficial underdeveloped characters with no real grief for their murdered friends. So I say, the ideas are there but more time needs to be spent on character development - honestly all the rich kids could have been one and the same for all the individuality I saw, releasing clues along the way so the reader can feel involved and not just holding them ALL out for the grand reveal scene (which was interesting).
August 7, 2016
I had previously read JN Colon's Blood in Iron series and absolutely loved it so when I found out she had a backlog of books, I had to check them out. I was definitely not disappointed! The author's writing style is so vivid with detailed descriptions of the scenery and characters that you can't not get sucked into the story. Rubi was a fun quirky character and I couldn't wait to see what happened next as the mysterious deaths unfolded in the story. And of course there was the mandatory hot guy - McCollum Davenport and watching their romance develop was my favorite part. This is just the first in the series so I'm looking forward to reading the next and seeing what happens now in the spooky Salem world!
May 7, 2017
Kindle Unlimited series
March 27, 2022
2.5/3 Stars
February 19, 2015
I love reading YA fiction with a paranormal or thriller slant, so for me 'Stalked' was a more than enjoyable read. Like other popular books in the genre (Twilight comes to mind) it manages to successfully combine the teen high school and the supernatural elements seamlessly, which was key to drawing me into the story. Rubi is a fascinating character, awkward and a little shy on the surface, but with a hard edge beneath.
The story sees her arrive at Highland Academy, a private school, where she's to live and study for a few months. The author does a great job of portraying the 'fish out of water' scenario, with Rubi's role as a misfit made all the more compelling by the fact that most of her schoolmates are rich and snobbish and all too ready to make fun of her. This makes it even more interesting to see her develop into a confident and popular person herself, and her blossoming (but complicated) romance with Mac - who's at the very top of the social ladder - is very gripping, and it was genuinely hard to see where it would lead.
As for the plot twists, it's difficult to not give anything away, but suffice to say Rubi discovers that there's something not altogether right about the more elite members of Highland Academy. When unexplained things begin happening -including several murders - the book plays like a fascinating mystery, with Rubi on a journey to discover the truth while trying to stay alive. It's definitely a page-turner, and would recommend it to anyone who's remotely interested in this genre.
The story sees her arrive at Highland Academy, a private school, where she's to live and study for a few months. The author does a great job of portraying the 'fish out of water' scenario, with Rubi's role as a misfit made all the more compelling by the fact that most of her schoolmates are rich and snobbish and all too ready to make fun of her. This makes it even more interesting to see her develop into a confident and popular person herself, and her blossoming (but complicated) romance with Mac - who's at the very top of the social ladder - is very gripping, and it was genuinely hard to see where it would lead.
As for the plot twists, it's difficult to not give anything away, but suffice to say Rubi discovers that there's something not altogether right about the more elite members of Highland Academy. When unexplained things begin happening -including several murders - the book plays like a fascinating mystery, with Rubi on a journey to discover the truth while trying to stay alive. It's definitely a page-turner, and would recommend it to anyone who's remotely interested in this genre.
January 19, 2015
The story begins with a hint of the supernatural before it introduces the main character, Rubik. She moves to Salem, Massachusetts with her family and is sent to Highland Academy. The description of the school sets the tone for the rest of the story. It's a school of rich kids with creepy faculty and strange students. The building itself is creepy with gargoyles and towers.
Rubik finds an enemy in Paisley but a friend in Madison. She is drawn to the too-perfect looking McCollum or Mac, but dark and strange Brant is the one who follows her around to taunt her, even though he's dating her roommate.
One day, Rubik falls and Mac finds her and begins to flirt with her. She's stunned and tongue-tied. After he leaves, she finds the dead body of a classmate, ripped open and shredded. The horror for Rubik begins. She soon finds a lot of strange things going on school. Secrets that turn out to be dangerous to her health.
This is a good story with interesting characters. It reminds me a little of Twilight but darker.
Rubik finds an enemy in Paisley but a friend in Madison. She is drawn to the too-perfect looking McCollum or Mac, but dark and strange Brant is the one who follows her around to taunt her, even though he's dating her roommate.
One day, Rubik falls and Mac finds her and begins to flirt with her. She's stunned and tongue-tied. After he leaves, she finds the dead body of a classmate, ripped open and shredded. The horror for Rubik begins. She soon finds a lot of strange things going on school. Secrets that turn out to be dangerous to her health.
This is a good story with interesting characters. It reminds me a little of Twilight but darker.
March 2, 2017
Between the wrong word, etc., errors and the drooling over a vampire who mostly treats her like dirt, this book just isn't worth my time! Quit at 67%
May 20, 2018
3.5 stars
Typical YA boarding school/paranormal where the average new girl is obsessed with the mysterious super hot popular guy with a secret which is not a secret to any readers off YA fiction. Naturally he is all hot n cold. The story is kinda obvious but was still fun if you like that kind of thing which i do. I was annoyed by how unrelentingly stuck on Mac Rubi was given he was a dick to her in public and never explained what was going on. I did like the
Typical YA boarding school/paranormal where the average new girl is obsessed with the mysterious super hot popular guy with a secret which is not a secret to any readers off YA fiction. Naturally he is all hot n cold. The story is kinda obvious but was still fun if you like that kind of thing which i do. I was annoyed by how unrelentingly stuck on Mac Rubi was given he was a dick to her in public and never explained what was going on. I did like the
July 9, 2022
Having read the majority of Ms. Colon’s later works, and loving them, I wanted to go back and check out her previous series, and I’m so glad I did. While I did come across several spelling and grammar issues, it really didn’t take away from the story. I found myself fully intrigued by the mystery of Highland Academy and its students. The characters and world were well fleshed out and detailed, so the story played out like a movie in my head. I enjoyed discovering things right along with Rubi, as her world slowly turned upside down in scary ways. I can’t wait to discover what happens in book two.
September 15, 2018
Too cliche..
The writing was good but I couldn't connect with the characters. I couldn't stand the mc. She was so weak and always crying. The book started with the cliche of the h being constantly bullied. All she did was cry and run away. Got tiring after having to read the same repetitive scenes. Just gave up. DNF for sure. If you d mind reading about a wimpy mc being bullied, you might like this. Two stars for the nice book cover and decent writing.
The writing was good but I couldn't connect with the characters. I couldn't stand the mc. She was so weak and always crying. The book started with the cliche of the h being constantly bullied. All she did was cry and run away. Got tiring after having to read the same repetitive scenes. Just gave up. DNF for sure. If you d mind reading about a wimpy mc being bullied, you might like this. Two stars for the nice book cover and decent writing.
October 16, 2018
Rubi is a spunky thing through into a world of secrets and murder. Add an untouchable guys with a hot and cold personality and you got a great story full of unexpected twist. I could have finished this in one day if I didn't have to work. I'll be starting the next one right now.
June 11, 2017
😻
Ok first off the book was a bit to descriptive. But, it got way better at the end. So much so that I stayed up all night reading. I'm now looking forward to the next book.
Ok first off the book was a bit to descriptive. But, it got way better at the end. So much so that I stayed up all night reading. I'm now looking forward to the next book.
March 1, 2024
so good!
Started a little slow but already in love with the story and with Rubi and Mac! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Can’t wait to see what happens next!
Started a little slow but already in love with the story and with Rubi and Mac! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Can’t wait to see what happens next!
December 14, 2014
I read this book to leave an honest review for the author. I’m a huge fan of paranormal mysteries and I have to say that I enjoyed Secret Salem – Stalked by J.N Colon very much. A story can become boring if the lead character isn’t engaging, however, J.N was able to create an interesting character in Rubi or Rubiks MoonGem McHale. She’s an awkward teenager and the first person POV was the right choice by the author to take the readers in an unfamiliar boarding school and experience everything that Rubi experienced. The dream sequence at the start of the book is what hooked me and I found myself turning page after page to find out what happens next.
The Highland Academy really is a creepy school, think Hogwarts but with very rich and snobby kids, and everybody is way too good looking. CW would probably have fun turning this story into a TV series. There’s a lot of boarding school drama in the story and I enjoyed it because of the humor that was present. The atmosphere in the book is perfect for Ya readers and especially Rubi, as a sixteen year old character that’s becomes the eyes and ears for the readers as they tag along for the ride. It’s through her we get to know about Highland Academy, the teachers, the students, and the secrets.
J.N does a great job describing the academy and giving readers a good idea about the different students Rubi meets. It can be tough to show a lot of characters on pages but J.N’s able to do an impressive job when it comes to giving them their own distinct looks and personalities, even the names of all the students in the story sound elite.
Stalked is the first book in the Secret Salem series. I highly recommend this book as well as the series itself for Ya, mystery and paranormal lovers. It will surely keep you hooked!
The same review can be found on Amazon and Amazon uk.
The Highland Academy really is a creepy school, think Hogwarts but with very rich and snobby kids, and everybody is way too good looking. CW would probably have fun turning this story into a TV series. There’s a lot of boarding school drama in the story and I enjoyed it because of the humor that was present. The atmosphere in the book is perfect for Ya readers and especially Rubi, as a sixteen year old character that’s becomes the eyes and ears for the readers as they tag along for the ride. It’s through her we get to know about Highland Academy, the teachers, the students, and the secrets.
J.N does a great job describing the academy and giving readers a good idea about the different students Rubi meets. It can be tough to show a lot of characters on pages but J.N’s able to do an impressive job when it comes to giving them their own distinct looks and personalities, even the names of all the students in the story sound elite.
Stalked is the first book in the Secret Salem series. I highly recommend this book as well as the series itself for Ya, mystery and paranormal lovers. It will surely keep you hooked!
The same review can be found on Amazon and Amazon uk.
November 23, 2014
Absolutely loved this book! Rubi is a wonderful and relatable character and the humorous prose of the book keeps you smiling. I couldn't put the book down wanting to find out more and the author did an excellent job pacing the story and distracting us just enough to unveil the shocker at the end! I loved every minute of this book and it's a wonderful blend of teenage love and supernatural mystery. Highly recommended for the YA crowd :)
August 10, 2015
Dark intrigue that keeps you turning pages.
The author does a masterful job of painting scenes--uncanny imagery. I love the use of first person when done well and in this case I felt immersed in J.N. Colon's wickedly entertaining boarding school. The characters are developed well and possess charm and wit.
There's dark intrigue at play within the walls of the academy and the mystery keeps you up late turning pages.
Very fun book, I would definitely recommend it.
The author does a masterful job of painting scenes--uncanny imagery. I love the use of first person when done well and in this case I felt immersed in J.N. Colon's wickedly entertaining boarding school. The characters are developed well and possess charm and wit.
There's dark intrigue at play within the walls of the academy and the mystery keeps you up late turning pages.
Very fun book, I would definitely recommend it.
April 13, 2015
I wanted to try something different. The book was well written as you are drawn in from the beginning. Set in a ritzy school. The story is peppered with humor, suspense with a few dose of self-loathing. It reminded me of Stephanie Mayer twilight series. If you are into those types of book, I believe you will enjoy this one as well. I would recommend it for young girls ages 14 and older.
February 15, 2016
It was a great book. Have started the 2nd book. The first one kept your
interest and you had to read it to see what was going to happen. Hopefully
the 2nd one holds your interest as well. I'll let you know when I'm
finished.
interest and you had to read it to see what was going to happen. Hopefully
the 2nd one holds your interest as well. I'll let you know when I'm
finished.
August 16, 2016
It is a great book to read
August 9, 2020
I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
April 22, 2017
Dark intrigue that keeps you turning pages.
The author does a masterful job of painting scenes--uncanny imagery. I love the use of first person when done well and in this case I felt immersed in J.N. Colon's wickedly entertaining boarding school. The characters are developed well and possess charm and wit.
There's dark intrigue at play within the walls of the academy and the mystery keeps you up late turning pages.
Very fun book, I would definitely recommend it.
The author does a masterful job of painting scenes--uncanny imagery. I love the use of first person when done well and in this case I felt immersed in J.N. Colon's wickedly entertaining boarding school. The characters are developed well and possess charm and wit.
There's dark intrigue at play within the walls of the academy and the mystery keeps you up late turning pages.
Very fun book, I would definitely recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews