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The Enchantlings #1
Destiny Calling
Hope only wants to find out if her ability to infuse euphoria or despair with her touch makes her the devil's spawn, or his exterminator. But when the woman who raised her is murdered by something not human, she loses the only family she knew and discovers one she might wish she hadn’t. Drawn back to the home town she vowed never to return to, her ability is seen as an asset to everyone but Hope, and she doesn't know who to trust. Her family wants her to help them overcome an enemy oppressing the human population, while the man of her dreams is courting her for the Underworld. Time is running out, and Hope’s choice may be made for her, as she discovers she’s a pawn in a bigger game played by a merciless ruler who doesn't lose.
- GenresParanormalFiction
310 pages, Paperback
First published November 18, 2014
1 person is currently reading
404 people want to read
About the author
Maureen L. Bonatch
15 books318 followersIn most of my writing I like to look for the extraordinary in the ordinary, maybe even a little magic. Then I add a dash of humor, because life shouldn’t be so serious ( Although I do enjoy throwing in the horrific, or heavily sarcastic, villian now and again, because that’s just fun).
I live in Pennsylvania with the love of my life, and wildly imaginative twin daughters.
I live in Pennsylvania with the love of my life, and wildly imaginative twin daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 4, 2019
Wow
Wow. What a fun story. Drawn in from page one, I couldn’t get enough of Destiny Calling. Funny, quirky, snarky Hope and her hot, sexy, love interest set the stage for a great romance. Add a touch of power that exudes agony or ecstasy, a creepy, spooky town, triplets, and a dash of paranormal... what’s not to love? Maureen Bonatch’s richly drawn characters will keep you reading way past bed time! Well done!
Wow. What a fun story. Drawn in from page one, I couldn’t get enough of Destiny Calling. Funny, quirky, snarky Hope and her hot, sexy, love interest set the stage for a great romance. Add a touch of power that exudes agony or ecstasy, a creepy, spooky town, triplets, and a dash of paranormal... what’s not to love? Maureen Bonatch’s richly drawn characters will keep you reading way past bed time! Well done!
March 20, 2015
This paranormal story is one that I will definitely keep thinking about. Hope is a very interesting character, forged through a life with almost no breaks. A child who’s view of themselves was of unwanted, unloved, a burden to her parents, Hope has always been different in a way that is hard to miss. In an attempt to keep her safe, she’s given to a nuns’ orphanage, the downside being these women have always told her she was evil.
Hope has lost the one person she’s ever loved, Tessa, her adoptive mother. Although they’d always been on the run, Tessa has been her only ray of sunshine. Her murder forces her to go back to her hometown where she seeks answers and revenge. What she discovers is different layers to what she believes reality to be. Family, dangers, and a choice she has to make, just to play along in a game designed by a being who likes to use others as her pawns.
The mystery around Hope and what’s really going on is beautifully written. You discover it bit by bit as the heroine does, feeling her restlessness, frustration, anger, fear, and hope. Only when you’re half way through the story, do you get a clearer picture of what’s going on. Glimpses you’ve sneaked turn into facts and morph into an explanation that the reader, as well as Hope, is clearly dying to have by now.
Griffith and his interactions with Hope are also interesting to watch. They move from having dreamed of each other to meeting in real life, their actions, together and alone, having more impact on the future that those of a normal pairing. All in all, a very enjoyable read and quite a page turner.
Hope has lost the one person she’s ever loved, Tessa, her adoptive mother. Although they’d always been on the run, Tessa has been her only ray of sunshine. Her murder forces her to go back to her hometown where she seeks answers and revenge. What she discovers is different layers to what she believes reality to be. Family, dangers, and a choice she has to make, just to play along in a game designed by a being who likes to use others as her pawns.
The mystery around Hope and what’s really going on is beautifully written. You discover it bit by bit as the heroine does, feeling her restlessness, frustration, anger, fear, and hope. Only when you’re half way through the story, do you get a clearer picture of what’s going on. Glimpses you’ve sneaked turn into facts and morph into an explanation that the reader, as well as Hope, is clearly dying to have by now.
Griffith and his interactions with Hope are also interesting to watch. They move from having dreamed of each other to meeting in real life, their actions, together and alone, having more impact on the future that those of a normal pairing. All in all, a very enjoyable read and quite a page turner.
February 20, 2015
DESTINY CALLING is an intriguing paranormal novel written in a layered technique with each chapter exposing more and more information until the story culminates in a surprise, but fulfilling ending.
Hope, a female Enchantling, embarks on a journey to revenge the death of Tessa who was responsible for rescuing her from the orphanage when she was thirteen years old, but who was mysteriously killed. Along the way, she uses her supernatural powers to instill hope in others, even though it takes a toll on her physically.
Like a tight ball of yarn, the story slowly unravels to reveal the Enchantlings are responsible for helping other to achieve their destiny while battling the Oppressors who are determined to make sure no on forgets his/her shortcomings. Oppressors thrive off fear, hate, violence, and death, making people they encounter feel bad, worthless, and hopeless. Their leader, Hecate, is responsible for managing them and controlling their passage from the Underworld to Earth.
As Hope plows through a dangerous world of Oppressors to find her family, she slowly learns it's the duty of Enchantlings to ensure everyone achieves their full potential in life and no one lives with any regret for eternity. Along the way, she meets and is attracted to handsome Griffith who once saved her life. But is he on her side or is he an Oppressor? Author Maureen Bonatch will keep you guessing until the end.
Good versus evil is the central them of DESTINY CALLING. It's a theme which is old and universal, but when taken to a paranormal level, it's exciting and distinctive.
Hope, a female Enchantling, embarks on a journey to revenge the death of Tessa who was responsible for rescuing her from the orphanage when she was thirteen years old, but who was mysteriously killed. Along the way, she uses her supernatural powers to instill hope in others, even though it takes a toll on her physically.
Like a tight ball of yarn, the story slowly unravels to reveal the Enchantlings are responsible for helping other to achieve their destiny while battling the Oppressors who are determined to make sure no on forgets his/her shortcomings. Oppressors thrive off fear, hate, violence, and death, making people they encounter feel bad, worthless, and hopeless. Their leader, Hecate, is responsible for managing them and controlling their passage from the Underworld to Earth.
As Hope plows through a dangerous world of Oppressors to find her family, she slowly learns it's the duty of Enchantlings to ensure everyone achieves their full potential in life and no one lives with any regret for eternity. Along the way, she meets and is attracted to handsome Griffith who once saved her life. But is he on her side or is he an Oppressor? Author Maureen Bonatch will keep you guessing until the end.
Good versus evil is the central them of DESTINY CALLING. It's a theme which is old and universal, but when taken to a paranormal level, it's exciting and distinctive.
December 22, 2014
>Review - Destiny Calling
>I received this book from the author and from Paranormal Romance and Authors that Rock. I am an independent reviewer. This is the first book in the Enchantlings Series and ends in an HEA.
>Hope has experienced strange experiences her whole life, first in an orphanage and then with her beloved Aunt Tessa. When Tessa is killed by something not real, Hope feels the need to go to a small town near her old orphanage. She meets all sorts of strange characters there, including a man she has been having dreams about, Griffith. She gets a job in a bar and stays in a small room owned by one of the servers, Ruth, who turns out to be Tessa's sister. In this town, Hope finds her family and must make a choice that will affect everyone.
>The story was very imaginative, but very slow moving. If things did happen, Hope and the reader were not allowed to fully understand them. A majority of the scenes were of Hope begging to understand what was happening. Ruth, especially, was annoying in her cryptic answers. Nothing made sense. Even at the very end of the story, the events were confusing. Did Hope win or just delay the inevitable?
>This story had a lot of action, but very little of it made sense. It was still an enjoyable read. I hope the next book will explain more.
> This book is for a young adult (14+) audience.
February 22, 2017
Review Courtesy of: Books That Hook
4.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Destiny Calling is a well written and edited story. This is an original paranormal tale with a unique mythology. It is fast paced and keeps the reader’s attention.
I liked how it jumped right into the midst of things at the beginning. However, it seemed almost an abrupt beginning. Don’t get me wrong; it’s good that it didn’t get bogged down in backstory like some books do. I can’t really put my finger on why it felt too quickly jumped into. I guess it’s just that there was a lot of information I needed to know and it took me a while to get caught up.
Normally I don’t write about covers of books, but I feel I need to say something about this one. It doesn’t let readers know what to expect from the book. It didn’t seem to fit the story or the genre. Fear wasn’t the dominant emotion Hope experienced, nor did the book have anything to do with graveyards. And if it’s a paranormal romance, I would expect something sexier or more romantic.
The only other negative thing I can say about it is that it seemed at times that characters withheld information for no good reason other than to keep the suspense going. I didn’t buy the explanations the characters gave for why they weren’t telling the main character things.That’s not a big deal, though.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Destiny Calling. I would recommend it to paranormal romance fans who like more action and suspense rather than lots of ooey-gooey stuff or lots of sex. The romance is there; it just isn’t the main focus for most of the book. Also, I think this is a good book for readers who want something other than vampires and shapeshifters.
4.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Destiny Calling is a well written and edited story. This is an original paranormal tale with a unique mythology. It is fast paced and keeps the reader’s attention.
I liked how it jumped right into the midst of things at the beginning. However, it seemed almost an abrupt beginning. Don’t get me wrong; it’s good that it didn’t get bogged down in backstory like some books do. I can’t really put my finger on why it felt too quickly jumped into. I guess it’s just that there was a lot of information I needed to know and it took me a while to get caught up.
Normally I don’t write about covers of books, but I feel I need to say something about this one. It doesn’t let readers know what to expect from the book. It didn’t seem to fit the story or the genre. Fear wasn’t the dominant emotion Hope experienced, nor did the book have anything to do with graveyards. And if it’s a paranormal romance, I would expect something sexier or more romantic.
The only other negative thing I can say about it is that it seemed at times that characters withheld information for no good reason other than to keep the suspense going. I didn’t buy the explanations the characters gave for why they weren’t telling the main character things.That’s not a big deal, though.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Destiny Calling. I would recommend it to paranormal romance fans who like more action and suspense rather than lots of ooey-gooey stuff or lots of sex. The romance is there; it just isn’t the main focus for most of the book. Also, I think this is a good book for readers who want something other than vampires and shapeshifters.
January 26, 2015
This is such an interesting story! This one is about a girl who was different, always has something strange happening around her. She was an orphan and lived in an orphanage until her wonderful Aunt Tessa found her, and even then strange things still happened. But then the wonderful Tessa is killed, and by something that just isn't supposed to be. And then Hope runs back to the small town near her orphanage. And along the way, she meets the man she's been dreaming about. Oh Griffith. And she meets Ruth. And then things really start to unravel and Hope has some choices she has to make and things she has to do, but these choices won't only affect just her.
This is a battle of good and evil, and filled with lots of twists and plot turns. I will say that sometimes I thought the pace was a little slow. And sometimes, when Hope was confused, so was I, maybe because we're reading from Hope's POV. But a lot of people talk of things, and keep secrets, and you have to figure them out with Hope, not have an inside view. It's got some good creep factors, with a little romance, some mystery, and humor added in to round out the story.
Overall I enjoyed this story. I know it has an ending, no cliff hangers, but it's the first of the series, so I am looking forward to seeing where this one is going to go. I liked the writing style, just maybe wanted a little more faster pacing, but that's something that comes in time, especially with the first books of a series, when you are building things. I going to say I look forward to reading book 2!! 4 PAWS!
This is a battle of good and evil, and filled with lots of twists and plot turns. I will say that sometimes I thought the pace was a little slow. And sometimes, when Hope was confused, so was I, maybe because we're reading from Hope's POV. But a lot of people talk of things, and keep secrets, and you have to figure them out with Hope, not have an inside view. It's got some good creep factors, with a little romance, some mystery, and humor added in to round out the story.
Overall I enjoyed this story. I know it has an ending, no cliff hangers, but it's the first of the series, so I am looking forward to seeing where this one is going to go. I liked the writing style, just maybe wanted a little more faster pacing, but that's something that comes in time, especially with the first books of a series, when you are building things. I going to say I look forward to reading book 2!! 4 PAWS!
December 22, 2014
A Good vs Evil story.
This story is filled with more twists than a mountain road. Told through Hope’s point of view, at times it seems confusing because she is confused. People hint at scary things yet don’t give her the full story. Worse, she has no idea if she can trust the man of her dreams—the one others warn her about. The main characters—especially Hope—are vulnerable but can be strong when they have to be. Then there’s her flighty landlady/mentor who adds enough humor to lighten this spooky story.
Ms. Bonatch writes a complex plot with page-turning chapter endings with a ticking clock to add more suspense. Fans of the supernatural will love this book.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This story is filled with more twists than a mountain road. Told through Hope’s point of view, at times it seems confusing because she is confused. People hint at scary things yet don’t give her the full story. Worse, she has no idea if she can trust the man of her dreams—the one others warn her about. The main characters—especially Hope—are vulnerable but can be strong when they have to be. Then there’s her flighty landlady/mentor who adds enough humor to lighten this spooky story.
Ms. Bonatch writes a complex plot with page-turning chapter endings with a ticking clock to add more suspense. Fans of the supernatural will love this book.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
September 16, 2015
The beginning was a little slow, though the story picked up toward the end. The ending had a surprise twist. Be aware some parts could be a little confusing about Hope's past and what is going on, especially regarding her family. Story is about good and evil and choices we make. Different from other good vs. evil stories I've read in the past.
November 24, 2014
I really loved Destiny Calling. It combines the spookiness I love in a paranormal with the quirk and wit reminiscent of Charlaine Harris. Ms. Bonatch sucked me in with three dimensional characters and a plot full of twists and turns. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
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March 24, 2019Hope dreams about a tall dark and mysterious man who saves her life. With her mother gone, she decides to pursue this mystery man and finds her way to a dark and dirty bar in an off the beaten path town in Pennsylvania.
Griffith is sipping a drink when Hope walks in the door and he’s taken off guard. This woman is not who or what he was told to expect. Even with her bad hair cut and color, he sees the simmering beauty and feels the inescapable optimism that comes with her name.
Hope and Griffith come from opposite ends of the magical spectrum. She’s good, he’s a bad, and his brother is even worse. Hope fights the attraction, as does Griffith.
Can Faith and Griffith overcome this magnetic attraction and go on their opposite ways? Or will their worlds be turned upside down and sideways when dark family secrets are revealed?
No spoilers from me! You must read this this spooky thriller to find out what happens. I give it 5 witchy stars and 5 gold stars!
Griffith is sipping a drink when Hope walks in the door and he’s taken off guard. This woman is not who or what he was told to expect. Even with her bad hair cut and color, he sees the simmering beauty and feels the inescapable optimism that comes with her name.
Hope and Griffith come from opposite ends of the magical spectrum. She’s good, he’s a bad, and his brother is even worse. Hope fights the attraction, as does Griffith.
Can Faith and Griffith overcome this magnetic attraction and go on their opposite ways? Or will their worlds be turned upside down and sideways when dark family secrets are revealed?
No spoilers from me! You must read this this spooky thriller to find out what happens. I give it 5 witchy stars and 5 gold stars!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews