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Sebastian Grey always thought he was a fairly normal teenager – good friends, decent grades and a pretty sweet job in his foster brother’s tattoo shop.
But when Romany gypsies arrive in town, Sebastian discovers that his world is not what it seems. There is an age-old feud between his family and the gypsies – and this isn’t the only secret his brother has been keeping from him. His life is not his own. The girl he’s been dreaming about has just turned up at school, and he feels compelled to protect her at all costs.
Even if that means life might never be normal again.
Sebastian Grey always thought he was a fairly normal teenager – good friends, decent grades and a pretty sweet job in his foster brother’s tattoo shop.
But when Romany gypsies arrive in town, Sebastian discovers that his world is not what it seems. There is an age-old feud between his family and the gypsies – and this isn’t the only secret his brother has been keeping from him. His life is not his own. The girl he’s been dreaming about has just turned up at school, and he feels compelled to protect her at all costs.
Even if that means life might never be normal again.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2015
23 people are currently reading
939 people want to read
About the author
Christi J. Whitney
6 books93 followersChristi J. Whitney is the author of The Romany Outcasts Series (HarperCollins/HarperVoyagerUK).
She's a former high school theatre director with a love for the dramatic. Christi lives just outside of Atlanta with her husband and two sons.
When not spending time with them or taking a ridiculous number of trips to Disney World, she is usually directing plays, geeking out over Doctor Who, making costumes for sci-fi/fantasy conventions, watching superhero movies, supporting the house of green and silver, or pretending she's a tad bit British.
Connect with her on Twitter @ChristiWhitney
She's a former high school theatre director with a love for the dramatic. Christi lives just outside of Atlanta with her husband and two sons.
When not spending time with them or taking a ridiculous number of trips to Disney World, she is usually directing plays, geeking out over Doctor Who, making costumes for sci-fi/fantasy conventions, watching superhero movies, supporting the house of green and silver, or pretending she's a tad bit British.
Connect with her on Twitter @ChristiWhitney
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 23, 2016
3.5 stars
Sebastian is a normal teenager, all he wants to do is hang out with his friends and get a decent grades in school until he's old enough to apprentice as a tattoo artist in his brother's shop. The only weird thing in his life are the recurring dreams he experiences of a gypsy girl dancing around a campfire but he's sure that is nothing to worry about. Until the day Josephine, literally the girl from his dreams, walks into his class at school that is.
Josephine is a performer in the Circe de Romany, a travelling circus owned and run by romany gypsies. The circus is stopping in Sebastian's hometown for a few months and so Josephine and her brother will be attending his school while they're in the area. The two are thrown together when they are both given main roles in the school play but Sebastian quickly notices some huge changes in himself whenever Josephine is around. It soon becomes clear that there are secrets in Sebastian's family and that nothing about his life, or his past, is quite what it seems and now Sebastian is thrown into a dark world with danger at every turn and no idea who he can trust.
For a start I have to mention how much I enjoyed reading a story from a male POV, so many YA tales are written from the girl's perspective so it was really nice to have the chance to really get inside Sebastian's head and understand what he was feeling. Initially I loved the bond he shared with his brother Hugo and the other tattoo artists that worked alongside him, they seemed like a great team and I loved how close the brothers were in spite of the age difference and the fact that Sebastian was adopted into the family. That all changed when we realised Hugo was keeping so many secrets though, poor Sebastian's whole world was being turned upside down and I found it incredibly frustrating that Hugo wouldn't tell him anything. At first I thought that Hugo was trying to protect him but before long it had me doubting Hugo's motives and it really annoyed me. I understand the need to reveal things slowly so that readers are kept in suspense but I think things were dragged out a little too far in this case and it just started to get on my nerves.
I also wasn't sold on the idea that Sebastian was in love with Josephine, he barely knows the girl, I certainly can't tell you anything about her apart from the fact that she's a gypsy and performs in a circus. I'm not even 100% sure what kind of act she has except I think it involves dancing. Sebastian spends far more time thinking about how beautiful she is and mooning over her than he does actually talking to her. In fact most of the interactions they do have consist of him behaving like a complete idiot so it's very hard to believe that she would be interested in him either. I just needed a lot more time spent showing the two together in normal situations to believe they have any hope of falling in love.
In spite of that I did like Sebastian's character, he has an awful lot thrown at him in a very short space of time and he copes with it surprisingly well. I can't really say too much because I don't want to give spoilers but his whole world is turned completely upside down and all of his plans for the future will have to go completely on hold. The world building was interesting and I am very curious to see how things play out now that Sebastian knows more about his family history. Hugo had even started to redeem himself a little towards the end so I'm hoping we'll get to see more of that protective side of him as the series continues. Grey wasn't perfect but it was enough to pull me in and leave me wanting to know more so I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the sequel to release. The series has a lot of potential and I hope it ends up living up to it.
Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review
Sebastian is a normal teenager, all he wants to do is hang out with his friends and get a decent grades in school until he's old enough to apprentice as a tattoo artist in his brother's shop. The only weird thing in his life are the recurring dreams he experiences of a gypsy girl dancing around a campfire but he's sure that is nothing to worry about. Until the day Josephine, literally the girl from his dreams, walks into his class at school that is.
Josephine is a performer in the Circe de Romany, a travelling circus owned and run by romany gypsies. The circus is stopping in Sebastian's hometown for a few months and so Josephine and her brother will be attending his school while they're in the area. The two are thrown together when they are both given main roles in the school play but Sebastian quickly notices some huge changes in himself whenever Josephine is around. It soon becomes clear that there are secrets in Sebastian's family and that nothing about his life, or his past, is quite what it seems and now Sebastian is thrown into a dark world with danger at every turn and no idea who he can trust.
For a start I have to mention how much I enjoyed reading a story from a male POV, so many YA tales are written from the girl's perspective so it was really nice to have the chance to really get inside Sebastian's head and understand what he was feeling. Initially I loved the bond he shared with his brother Hugo and the other tattoo artists that worked alongside him, they seemed like a great team and I loved how close the brothers were in spite of the age difference and the fact that Sebastian was adopted into the family. That all changed when we realised Hugo was keeping so many secrets though, poor Sebastian's whole world was being turned upside down and I found it incredibly frustrating that Hugo wouldn't tell him anything. At first I thought that Hugo was trying to protect him but before long it had me doubting Hugo's motives and it really annoyed me. I understand the need to reveal things slowly so that readers are kept in suspense but I think things were dragged out a little too far in this case and it just started to get on my nerves.
I also wasn't sold on the idea that Sebastian was in love with Josephine, he barely knows the girl, I certainly can't tell you anything about her apart from the fact that she's a gypsy and performs in a circus. I'm not even 100% sure what kind of act she has except I think it involves dancing. Sebastian spends far more time thinking about how beautiful she is and mooning over her than he does actually talking to her. In fact most of the interactions they do have consist of him behaving like a complete idiot so it's very hard to believe that she would be interested in him either. I just needed a lot more time spent showing the two together in normal situations to believe they have any hope of falling in love.
In spite of that I did like Sebastian's character, he has an awful lot thrown at him in a very short space of time and he copes with it surprisingly well. I can't really say too much because I don't want to give spoilers but his whole world is turned completely upside down and all of his plans for the future will have to go completely on hold. The world building was interesting and I am very curious to see how things play out now that Sebastian knows more about his family history. Hugo had even started to redeem himself a little towards the end so I'm hoping we'll get to see more of that protective side of him as the series continues. Grey wasn't perfect but it was enough to pull me in and leave me wanting to know more so I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the sequel to release. The series has a lot of potential and I hope it ends up living up to it.
Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review
April 17, 2015
I got this ARC from HarperCollins UK in return of an honest review.
Well...I think it's safe to say that i really liked this one!
I have never really delved into the world of Gypsies and before. So this was pretty awesome in terms of the paranormal/fantasy theme it embodied.
I actually love the relationship that Sebastian and Hugo had. Who said that love portrayed in Young Adults fiction can't be about the love an older brother feels for his younger brother? Or vise versa. I really loved that.
but you're probably really confused right now. Allow me to go into plot details:
Sebastian Grey one day woke up feeling sick.
He didn't know what it was, he didn't understand why sudden bursts of aggression caught him off guard when he's a pacifist.
He has no idea why everyone around him, including his Older Foster Brother Hugo, has been keeping a wary eye on him.
Things turn stranger and stranger.
Sebastian begins to feel so ill, he thinks he may be dying.
His salvation and curse comes one day, when the girl he's had images flashing through his mind appears.
Just her name is enough to make him fall to his knees.
Josephine.
The one person his entire being is screaming at him to protect, protect, protect!
What is happening to him?
Why is Josephine so important?
But most importantly...
What is he?
I really enjoyed this story, no joke.
The characters were nicely portrayed and not cheesy. The writing was also wonderful and engaging, i actually didn't want to stop reading!
Sure there are some cliches in here, but then again...what book doesn't?
It's really hard to pinpoint, but there's just something really cool about this story. As in, usually i wouldn't be that into this kind of book, but I...i don't know there's just something about it.
I liked that there was an understated romance in here, but a lot of the love factors stemmed from friendships and family. I don't know, it's just refreshing from the whole instant i-love-you gig we read today.
"You didn't always protect something you loved by holding it close.
Sometimes, you had to let it go."
I think that despite this story leaving me with more questions than answers, this book was pretty awesome in the sense that it's a great start for a new series.
I definitely want to know what's going to happen to Sebastian now, i want to know more about the gypsies too. Also the bad guy, who doesn't appear a whole lot yet, but I'm intrigued enough to pine away for the second book.
We've got a good one here! :P
Stay wonderful!
-The Book Herald
tweet me @thebookherald
Well...I think it's safe to say that i really liked this one!
I have never really delved into the world of Gypsies and before. So this was pretty awesome in terms of the paranormal/fantasy theme it embodied.
I actually love the relationship that Sebastian and Hugo had. Who said that love portrayed in Young Adults fiction can't be about the love an older brother feels for his younger brother? Or vise versa. I really loved that.
but you're probably really confused right now. Allow me to go into plot details:
Sebastian Grey one day woke up feeling sick.
He didn't know what it was, he didn't understand why sudden bursts of aggression caught him off guard when he's a pacifist.
He has no idea why everyone around him, including his Older Foster Brother Hugo, has been keeping a wary eye on him.
Things turn stranger and stranger.
Sebastian begins to feel so ill, he thinks he may be dying.
His salvation and curse comes one day, when the girl he's had images flashing through his mind appears.
Just her name is enough to make him fall to his knees.
Josephine.
The one person his entire being is screaming at him to protect, protect, protect!
What is happening to him?
Why is Josephine so important?
But most importantly...
What is he?
I really enjoyed this story, no joke.
The characters were nicely portrayed and not cheesy. The writing was also wonderful and engaging, i actually didn't want to stop reading!
Sure there are some cliches in here, but then again...what book doesn't?
It's really hard to pinpoint, but there's just something really cool about this story. As in, usually i wouldn't be that into this kind of book, but I...i don't know there's just something about it.
I liked that there was an understated romance in here, but a lot of the love factors stemmed from friendships and family. I don't know, it's just refreshing from the whole instant i-love-you gig we read today.
"You didn't always protect something you loved by holding it close.
Sometimes, you had to let it go."
I think that despite this story leaving me with more questions than answers, this book was pretty awesome in the sense that it's a great start for a new series.
I definitely want to know what's going to happen to Sebastian now, i want to know more about the gypsies too. Also the bad guy, who doesn't appear a whole lot yet, but I'm intrigued enough to pine away for the second book.
We've got a good one here! :P
Stay wonderful!
-The Book Herald
tweet me @thebookherald
May 27, 2016
I enjoyed very much getting to be apart of this world of Gypsies and more. You have to read it to know what the more is. You may guess as you go along and then again it may not be within your grasp until the very end.
Different. Unique. Captivating. Romany. Gypsies. This one young man had his whole life in front of him. Then almost over night his world starts to change. With no one being forthcoming with answers he finds his way to the one place he had been told not to go. Sebastian Grey had been a typical normal teenage boy with friends, family, work, and a social life. All this changes with the changes that are beginning n him. These changes are accelerated by the presence of one beautiful green-eyed girl, Josephine. Sebastian began to develop protective urges for her. He was at the point of sacrificing everything for her.
He did not understand the things he was experience and needed answers. The feeling that everyone around him was not being completely honest with him. Nagged at him in many ways. He goes out to find answers of his own. That takes him to the Romany encampment. There are secrets, mysteries, threats, deceptions, entanglements, and more. There was adventure in the pages that will lead to more discoveries with the next installment.
There was so much more to this world than the book gave this time around. It almost felt like an introduction to the more that is to come. I felt like the players, the plots, and plots within plots were being developed to allow for hints at what's to come. Christi Whitney has written a well developed world of the Romany and what lies within in great detail and careful depiction of Sebastian Grey.
I look forward to Shadow. The next in The Romany Outcast series.
**This ARC was provided via Bewitching Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.**
Different. Unique. Captivating. Romany. Gypsies. This one young man had his whole life in front of him. Then almost over night his world starts to change. With no one being forthcoming with answers he finds his way to the one place he had been told not to go. Sebastian Grey had been a typical normal teenage boy with friends, family, work, and a social life. All this changes with the changes that are beginning n him. These changes are accelerated by the presence of one beautiful green-eyed girl, Josephine. Sebastian began to develop protective urges for her. He was at the point of sacrificing everything for her.
He did not understand the things he was experience and needed answers. The feeling that everyone around him was not being completely honest with him. Nagged at him in many ways. He goes out to find answers of his own. That takes him to the Romany encampment. There are secrets, mysteries, threats, deceptions, entanglements, and more. There was adventure in the pages that will lead to more discoveries with the next installment.
There was so much more to this world than the book gave this time around. It almost felt like an introduction to the more that is to come. I felt like the players, the plots, and plots within plots were being developed to allow for hints at what's to come. Christi Whitney has written a well developed world of the Romany and what lies within in great detail and careful depiction of Sebastian Grey.
I look forward to Shadow. The next in The Romany Outcast series.
**This ARC was provided via Bewitching Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.**
May 28, 2016
When I read the information about this author, I just knew I was going to thoroughly enjoy her book! No, nothing to do with her high school theatre director work but more to do with her fandoms, especially Doctor Who - yes, I'm a Whovian, too! Now, whilst this novel isn't science fiction, it is a brilliant fantasy with the main character, eighteen year old Sebastian Grey, having weird dreams about a dancing Romany girl, strange pains and much more than normal teenage growing up difficulties. I really don't want to reveal any spoilers here, so will refrain from giving more details about the very different and totally engaging plot!
The characters are well developed and their interactions emotively portrayed. I particularly liked how the relationship between Sebastian and Hugh, his older foster brother and carer, were depicted. The struggles Sebastian has uncovering information make him understandably anxious and testy. As the Romany girl from his dreams actually joins his school and his protective instincts to her develops but it is all just the start of other strange events that will help keep readers turning pages, enthralled in the unfolding saga.
This is a well crafted paranormal mystery that takes readers on a journey into the society of the travellers, their outcasts, rules and myths. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading of alternative societies, paranormal abilities and chivalrous behaviour - I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to read the other books in this trilogy soon!
Thank you to the author, publishers and Bewitching Book Tours for gifting me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
The characters are well developed and their interactions emotively portrayed. I particularly liked how the relationship between Sebastian and Hugh, his older foster brother and carer, were depicted. The struggles Sebastian has uncovering information make him understandably anxious and testy. As the Romany girl from his dreams actually joins his school and his protective instincts to her develops but it is all just the start of other strange events that will help keep readers turning pages, enthralled in the unfolding saga.
This is a well crafted paranormal mystery that takes readers on a journey into the society of the travellers, their outcasts, rules and myths. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading of alternative societies, paranormal abilities and chivalrous behaviour - I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to read the other books in this trilogy soon!
Thank you to the author, publishers and Bewitching Book Tours for gifting me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
April 22, 2015
Well what do you know? This was just an awesome book. As far as YA stories go this one ticked all the boxes for me. Plus i like the fact that it revolved around the Gypsies which was just something different. Their world is one that is surrounded by a lot of secrecy and this leads to them being pretty misunderstood. I liked Sebastian as the main character although i felt he was a bit too naive, but he showed an amount of strength and wasn't as whinny as most of the teenage characters in most stories. But like every other teen he just wanted to be normal, have friends, feel loved and liked by the prettiest girl in school. I was sad when it ended as i was wishing it could keep going on. The moments of unrequited love were really sad and heart felt. I honestly can't wait for book 2 to see what eventually happens to Sebastian.
Full review is on my blog. theangelspearl.wordpress.com
Full review is on my blog. theangelspearl.wordpress.com
March 29, 2016
Originally Posted at: https://readerinareverie.wordpress.com/
First of all, thank you to the author for sending me a copy of Grey in exchange for an honest review!
Unique, refreshing, engrossing, intriguing, different, fun. All the words that come to mind when I think of Grey.
Sebastian seems to be just a normal teenage boy; hanging out with friends, getting on with school work, living with his tattoo artist brother in their studio. But deep inside, he knows something is different. He can’t remember the majority of his past, and he is beginning to have recurring dreams of a gypsy girl dancing by a camp-fire. He pushes the dreams aside, until one day, the very same gypsy girl, Josephine Romany, enrols at his school. Sebastian tries to push his dreams aside, but his feelings around her become so painfully strong, that he begins to suspect that certain secrets are being kept from him, and knowledge of his past and purpose have been concealed. As answers are slowly revealed, Sebastian realises a more dangerous world than he thought he knew, and he must work out who he can trust in amongst it all!
What a fantastic book! From the outset, the story sets out an atmosphere different to that of any YA book I have read. Questions plague the reader and protagonist alike from the beginning, and I found myself so enthralled and gripped by the mysteries that I just had to know what was going on! This book takes such an interesting turn, and had me flying through the pages, from about half way in. Even when I had to put the story down, it was playing through my mind!
The characters were strong, especially the main protagonist: Sebastian Grey. His character actually reminded me a little of a John Green character, in his speech and mannerisms (obviously if you read the book you will see where that comparison ends!). And I really appreciated a YA fantasy from a male POV – in a big YA fantasy sea of female perspectives! I also thought the friendships and relationships built up in the story had just the perfect mix of being relatable and realistic, as well as the right amount of the unbelievable and different, which made this book so unique and interesting.
And the writing style is great. It makes me so happy when character dialogue sounds like real people talking, and teenagers sound like actual teenagers! The descriptions are beautifully crafted too…
“The moon cast a silvery sheen on the water, capping the rapids in halos of white. A soft breeze whispered through the trees and swirled across the bridge. It caressed my face and chest.”
Overall it was such a fun read, and I’m very intrigued to see where the story will go next. And I’m secretly hoping for more of the Circe de Romany, because I want to read more about that setting and those characters!
First of all, thank you to the author for sending me a copy of Grey in exchange for an honest review!
Unique, refreshing, engrossing, intriguing, different, fun. All the words that come to mind when I think of Grey.
Sebastian seems to be just a normal teenage boy; hanging out with friends, getting on with school work, living with his tattoo artist brother in their studio. But deep inside, he knows something is different. He can’t remember the majority of his past, and he is beginning to have recurring dreams of a gypsy girl dancing by a camp-fire. He pushes the dreams aside, until one day, the very same gypsy girl, Josephine Romany, enrols at his school. Sebastian tries to push his dreams aside, but his feelings around her become so painfully strong, that he begins to suspect that certain secrets are being kept from him, and knowledge of his past and purpose have been concealed. As answers are slowly revealed, Sebastian realises a more dangerous world than he thought he knew, and he must work out who he can trust in amongst it all!
What a fantastic book! From the outset, the story sets out an atmosphere different to that of any YA book I have read. Questions plague the reader and protagonist alike from the beginning, and I found myself so enthralled and gripped by the mysteries that I just had to know what was going on! This book takes such an interesting turn, and had me flying through the pages, from about half way in. Even when I had to put the story down, it was playing through my mind!
The characters were strong, especially the main protagonist: Sebastian Grey. His character actually reminded me a little of a John Green character, in his speech and mannerisms (obviously if you read the book you will see where that comparison ends!). And I really appreciated a YA fantasy from a male POV – in a big YA fantasy sea of female perspectives! I also thought the friendships and relationships built up in the story had just the perfect mix of being relatable and realistic, as well as the right amount of the unbelievable and different, which made this book so unique and interesting.
And the writing style is great. It makes me so happy when character dialogue sounds like real people talking, and teenagers sound like actual teenagers! The descriptions are beautifully crafted too…
“The moon cast a silvery sheen on the water, capping the rapids in halos of white. A soft breeze whispered through the trees and swirled across the bridge. It caressed my face and chest.”
Overall it was such a fun read, and I’m very intrigued to see where the story will go next. And I’m secretly hoping for more of the Circe de Romany, because I want to read more about that setting and those characters!
August 23, 2016
This book was actually really good! I'm surprised it hasn't had more exposure, what with coming from a major publisher. It was so different... When was the last time you read about gypsies and gargoyles??? And there was so much to love! Like the fact that a guy and a girl could best friends without it being complicated with feelings. Or the gradual change and reveal of information. Yup, this was a good'un!
August 7, 2015
4*s
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Grey is the first book in The Romany Outcasts series and what a mystery it turned out to be.
The blurb doesn’t really give anything away in this book so I’m going to have to try really hard not to because the book is based upon the knowledge that you will find out throughout the story.
So, Sebastian is in his final year of school with no worries, he has a good bunch of friends, a job in the tattoo shop run by his foster brother which will become an apprenticeship on leaving school and a surrogate family in the other tattooists that work there. Apart from his massive appetite – things are pretty sweet….. Until a mysterious green eyed girl enrols at school. This isn’t just any girl though, this is the girls of his dreams – literally – and he’s never felt more drawn to a person in his whole life. BUT, just as the girl turns up, Sebastian starts to get sick, his body aches with unimaginable pain, his hair changes colour overnight, his first tattoo heals superfast…. What is going on?
When more strangers arrive in their usually quiet town and a sense of foreboding comes over Sebastian, he is forced to search for answers which lead him straight into the world of the Roma or Gypsies, a world he knows nothing about but is about to take a crash course in. whatever is happening is still not telling him what’s happening with him and it’s definitely not telling him why he has an innate need to protect the green eyed girl with his life.
I really enjoyed this book, it was different, it was unique and it was mysterious. Sebastian was a very relatable character that I found very easy to read about, he had a great personality, good attitude to life and was well rounded which was a credit to his foster brother. You get the feeling pretty much straight away that the guys at the shop aren’t really telling him everything but you maybe assume that they’re up to something illegal. Changes start happening to his health pretty much straight away too which gets the curiosity flowing but when Josephine arrives, it really speeds up and affects him which also amped up the curiosity again. His brother Hugo isn’t really forthcoming with the information he needs other than to let him in on Gypsy secret which leaves him frustrated and searching for answers. As he gets sicker, his relationships with his friends start to suffer as does his school work but the need to protect Josephine becomes consuming. Sebastian also becomes more withdrawn as his appearance is affected by his ill health. A lot hinges on what is happening to Sebastian, it’s a huge chunk of the plot and believe me – you will wrack your brains trying to work out what is going on.
The story majorly revolves around what is happening with Sebastian, some people are in on the secret and want to manipulate him, some people don’t want him around their people, some are jealous, some are trying to help, some want him to do their bidding and more than one set of people want his allegiance – but who will he give it to? There are also hints of unrest among the Roma, with different clans and different families there will always be strife but you get the feeling that something big is coming and sides are being drawn with Sebastian stuck in the middle and being pulled in all directions. It was a great start to the series but very much a ‘setting the scene’ book that introduces the players, gives the hint of war and also a feel of forbidden love…. It remains to be seen what will happen next but I’d read it without a doubt.
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Grey is the first book in The Romany Outcasts series and what a mystery it turned out to be.
The blurb doesn’t really give anything away in this book so I’m going to have to try really hard not to because the book is based upon the knowledge that you will find out throughout the story.
So, Sebastian is in his final year of school with no worries, he has a good bunch of friends, a job in the tattoo shop run by his foster brother which will become an apprenticeship on leaving school and a surrogate family in the other tattooists that work there. Apart from his massive appetite – things are pretty sweet….. Until a mysterious green eyed girl enrols at school. This isn’t just any girl though, this is the girls of his dreams – literally – and he’s never felt more drawn to a person in his whole life. BUT, just as the girl turns up, Sebastian starts to get sick, his body aches with unimaginable pain, his hair changes colour overnight, his first tattoo heals superfast…. What is going on?
When more strangers arrive in their usually quiet town and a sense of foreboding comes over Sebastian, he is forced to search for answers which lead him straight into the world of the Roma or Gypsies, a world he knows nothing about but is about to take a crash course in. whatever is happening is still not telling him what’s happening with him and it’s definitely not telling him why he has an innate need to protect the green eyed girl with his life.
I really enjoyed this book, it was different, it was unique and it was mysterious. Sebastian was a very relatable character that I found very easy to read about, he had a great personality, good attitude to life and was well rounded which was a credit to his foster brother. You get the feeling pretty much straight away that the guys at the shop aren’t really telling him everything but you maybe assume that they’re up to something illegal. Changes start happening to his health pretty much straight away too which gets the curiosity flowing but when Josephine arrives, it really speeds up and affects him which also amped up the curiosity again. His brother Hugo isn’t really forthcoming with the information he needs other than to let him in on Gypsy secret which leaves him frustrated and searching for answers. As he gets sicker, his relationships with his friends start to suffer as does his school work but the need to protect Josephine becomes consuming. Sebastian also becomes more withdrawn as his appearance is affected by his ill health. A lot hinges on what is happening to Sebastian, it’s a huge chunk of the plot and believe me – you will wrack your brains trying to work out what is going on.
The story majorly revolves around what is happening with Sebastian, some people are in on the secret and want to manipulate him, some people don’t want him around their people, some are jealous, some are trying to help, some want him to do their bidding and more than one set of people want his allegiance – but who will he give it to? There are also hints of unrest among the Roma, with different clans and different families there will always be strife but you get the feeling that something big is coming and sides are being drawn with Sebastian stuck in the middle and being pulled in all directions. It was a great start to the series but very much a ‘setting the scene’ book that introduces the players, gives the hint of war and also a feel of forbidden love…. It remains to be seen what will happen next but I’d read it without a doubt.
July 24, 2016
*Provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
So going into this book I thought it would be a typical boy transforms into a werewolf thing, he finds the transformation difficult etc. however this is not what this book is about at all. Yes the main character Sebastian is transforming however it is not into a werewolf.
I liked this book, I didn't realise how hooked I was until I realised I'd finished the entire book in two days. At the start of the book Sebastian is having recurring dreams about a gypsy girl dancing however he shrugs it off thinking it's nothing however the girl then walks into his class and everything changes for Sebastian.
The characters in this book were so interesting, I liked that we were told just enough to know what is happening but still being kept in the dark so you had to keep reading to find out what happened. I think the information was given out at the right moments because after all Sebastian is still at school therefore if you told a child they were transforming into a monster they probably wouldn't take it too well so his older brother feeds him (and the reader) titbits of information and I think the author does this really well.
To read more of this review visit my blog at: https://bookgeek2015.wordpress.com/
So going into this book I thought it would be a typical boy transforms into a werewolf thing, he finds the transformation difficult etc. however this is not what this book is about at all. Yes the main character Sebastian is transforming however it is not into a werewolf.
I liked this book, I didn't realise how hooked I was until I realised I'd finished the entire book in two days. At the start of the book Sebastian is having recurring dreams about a gypsy girl dancing however he shrugs it off thinking it's nothing however the girl then walks into his class and everything changes for Sebastian.
The characters in this book were so interesting, I liked that we were told just enough to know what is happening but still being kept in the dark so you had to keep reading to find out what happened. I think the information was given out at the right moments because after all Sebastian is still at school therefore if you told a child they were transforming into a monster they probably wouldn't take it too well so his older brother feeds him (and the reader) titbits of information and I think the author does this really well.
To read more of this review visit my blog at: https://bookgeek2015.wordpress.com/
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February 25, 2017Sebastian lives with his brother, Hugo, the owner of a tattoo parlor, and his brothers' friends, in the U.S. town of Sixes. He has a group of close friends himself and lives a good life. Then the circus arrives, and Sebastian's world changes as his true nature begins to emerge.
With elements inspired by The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Grey is a unique twist on the teen monster tale. The gypsy folklore arrives in the form of the Romany, the family who own the circus. Their daughter, Josephine, is the star, and Sebastian immediately feels drawn to her, despite being warned off by her elegant and alpha boyfriend.
Told in the first person by Sebastian, Grey is a contemporary fantasy about a young man realizing his entire life was a lie. As Sebastian learns what he is, and meets others of his kind, the urgency ramps up, ending in a devastating betrayal. Sebastian and Josephine are charismatic teens, as are Sebastian's friends. Can't wait to read more about this world.
With elements inspired by The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Grey is a unique twist on the teen monster tale. The gypsy folklore arrives in the form of the Romany, the family who own the circus. Their daughter, Josephine, is the star, and Sebastian immediately feels drawn to her, despite being warned off by her elegant and alpha boyfriend.
Told in the first person by Sebastian, Grey is a contemporary fantasy about a young man realizing his entire life was a lie. As Sebastian learns what he is, and meets others of his kind, the urgency ramps up, ending in a devastating betrayal. Sebastian and Josephine are charismatic teens, as are Sebastian's friends. Can't wait to read more about this world.
May 27, 2016
Can you still love with a heart of stone?
Sebastian Grey always thought he was a fairly normal teenager – good friends, decent grades and a pretty sweet job in his foster brother’s tattoo shop.
But when Romany gypsies arrive in town, Sebastian discovers that his world is not what it seems. There is an age-old feud between his family and the gypsies – and this isn’t the only secret his brother has been keeping from him. His life is not his own. The girl he’s been dreaming about has just turned up at school, and he feels compelled to protect her at all costs.
Even if that means life might never be normal again.
Rating: 4.75/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: awesome characters; unique world-building; intriguing, complex plot; engaging story-telling; fantastical, magical characters; I haven't read anything quite like this; CIRCUS! (because you all know the circus holds a special place in my heart); insta-love...but for a reason; I did not see that ending coming
Huge thanks to Christi J. Whitney, Harper Voyager Publishing, and Xpresso Book Tours for sending me an egalley of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.
What I felt as I stared at James and Kris, what I'd felt when I'd almost attacked Alex in rehearsal; these emotions had a life of their own. They were wild animals, trapped inside me, clawing at my lungs and threatening to scale their way up my throat.
Penguins, this book is fantastic! No, really—I can't even right now.
Christi J. Whitney pulled on Roma culture and folk lore to weave a beautiful, captivating tale—and create some unique, awe-inspiring characters at the same time. I have never read anything quite like this—it enthralled and ensnared, it crept across my skin like mist and stuck there like glue... This book, for lack of a better word, was magical for me. And that? That doesn't happen very often.
My entire body was unmistakably gray—not pale, not sallow—but gray. Eery contour in my face and neck, every bulge of muscle and bone in my chest was outlined in charcoaled shadows. My eyebrows, the hollows under my eyes, and even my lips were a darker shade of the same color.
The plot is fast-paced and unique. I had NO IDEA where this story were headed, when I stepped into this read—and I'm going to leave it that way for you all, as well. The less you know about this book, the better. Trust me. There aren't plot twists, necessarily...but there's no way to know what's coming next. This book took the path NEVER traveled by, and leads readers into wild and unknown territory. Christi J. Whitney started this book with huge secrets, and reveals them just a little at a time. No, scratch that—she dangles readers on a hook of mystery and bewilderment, and only reels them in enough to keep them tantilized. I was enticed throughout...and am now drooling to dive into book two. It's a good thing I have a copy of it waiting for me.
There IS insta-love. There are TWO special snowflake characters. But. BUT. These tropes are so warped and twisted to fit this story, I think you'll forgive their use. The insta-love? Has a much deeper, farther-reaching momentum...and doesn't lead quite the place you'll expect it to. And the special snowflakes? Well...this book IS magical, and part of the magic is that this trope is muted. Watered-down. I'm sure book two will at least help to clear a few things up, in regards to this specific trope.
My need to be with Josephine had clouded my vision. But now, things were clear. In that one moment, everything changed, and I realized the truth.
You didn't always protect something you loved by holding it close.
Sometimes, you had to let it go.
I just...GAAAAH! I will be immediately jumping into book two—I can't wait to see what the future has waiting these awesome characters! I definitely recommend this to lovers of fantasy/magical realism, unique and engaging story-telling, and well-written literary tropes. This book reeled me in like a penguin on a hook; maybe you should bite, too!
April 18, 2016
Sebastian wants to be apprenticed to his tattoo artist brother, Hugo, when a whole lot of weirdness steps into his life. Sebastian finds out that his brother is a part of the Corsi gypsy clan, and he’s made an honorary member. This is around the time the Romany clan and their performing circus comes back into town with the alluring Josephine, who Sebastian feels a strange urge to protect.
This is a story that was, for me personally, was a bizarre read. This isn't because the book was bad, but because it did several things that ultimately make it difficult for me to judge a book (more on those below). By about ~25% of the way through a book, I ask myself what I'd rate the book. At about ~2/3 of the way through the book, I check back in and ask myself if that rating still holds. For most books, it does, and to me, the ending is usually inconsequential if the set-up works. (An ending has to be horrendous for me to rage-quit a book.) However, I knew whether I loved this book or found it 'meh' would hang solely on the ending. I vacillated between finding this book tedious and being unable to put it down within the same freaking chapter.
The voice of Sebastian is engaging. Sebastian's personality isn't particularly original in YA, but it kept me hooked. The 'I-want-a-normal-life' plot works because it's obvious this story is careening into crazy, and the horror of Sebastian's transformation drives this aspect of the story. I felt bad for Sebastian for 100% of this story, but some people might find aspects of his self-depreciating personality grating.
The secretive element of the gypsy clans are played up early in the novel, and that slows it down. However, I didn’t want to stop reading this piece because I hoped those secrets would pay off. The risk of using secrets is that they can make/break an ending. I'm not sure all of these secrets paid off, specifically in the case of Josephine and her past, but the ending didn't end up relying on the gypsy clan secrets to make it work. This was a massive relief for me because the 'we can't talk about this now' moments early on made me wary that there was going to be a half-baked plot drop at the end. There's not! It's more of a straight-forward action climax with a surprise, low-key coda ending, which paid off the main, emotional plot elements well, ignoring the vaguely defined gypsy mysteries that could've bogged down this ending.
This story reminded me of Horns, but in a good way, in that it kept the focus on Sebastian and his struggles. Josephine is underdeveloped as a love interest, but this doesn't destroy the story because it's apparent that this relationship is designed to be unrequited and one-sided. This means that Sebastian's longing for Josephine doesn't rely on her being developed or returning his affections. Most of Sebastian's friends didn't get a lot of novel time, but Katie stood out as a solid choice for a best-friend. Katie didn’t feel like a stereotype. None of these characters did, which is refreshing in YA, and this novel never descends into high school cliche verses high school cliche.
Didn’t particularly care for the gargoyle characters. They could’ve been fleshed out more. They seemed out of place, which was weird, considering the rest of the cast felt like they fit into the story well. They're basically there to serve as mooks at the end, but being that this is the first book in a trilogy, I'm sure their leader, Augustine, is going to play a major part in the next part(s) of this series.
Full review at Throw This book at Me
This is a story that was, for me personally, was a bizarre read. This isn't because the book was bad, but because it did several things that ultimately make it difficult for me to judge a book (more on those below). By about ~25% of the way through a book, I ask myself what I'd rate the book. At about ~2/3 of the way through the book, I check back in and ask myself if that rating still holds. For most books, it does, and to me, the ending is usually inconsequential if the set-up works. (An ending has to be horrendous for me to rage-quit a book.) However, I knew whether I loved this book or found it 'meh' would hang solely on the ending. I vacillated between finding this book tedious and being unable to put it down within the same freaking chapter.
The voice of Sebastian is engaging. Sebastian's personality isn't particularly original in YA, but it kept me hooked. The 'I-want-a-normal-life' plot works because it's obvious this story is careening into crazy, and the horror of Sebastian's transformation drives this aspect of the story. I felt bad for Sebastian for 100% of this story, but some people might find aspects of his self-depreciating personality grating.
The secretive element of the gypsy clans are played up early in the novel, and that slows it down. However, I didn’t want to stop reading this piece because I hoped those secrets would pay off. The risk of using secrets is that they can make/break an ending. I'm not sure all of these secrets paid off, specifically in the case of Josephine and her past, but the ending didn't end up relying on the gypsy clan secrets to make it work. This was a massive relief for me because the 'we can't talk about this now' moments early on made me wary that there was going to be a half-baked plot drop at the end. There's not! It's more of a straight-forward action climax with a surprise, low-key coda ending, which paid off the main, emotional plot elements well, ignoring the vaguely defined gypsy mysteries that could've bogged down this ending.
This story reminded me of Horns, but in a good way, in that it kept the focus on Sebastian and his struggles. Josephine is underdeveloped as a love interest, but this doesn't destroy the story because it's apparent that this relationship is designed to be unrequited and one-sided. This means that Sebastian's longing for Josephine doesn't rely on her being developed or returning his affections. Most of Sebastian's friends didn't get a lot of novel time, but Katie stood out as a solid choice for a best-friend. Katie didn’t feel like a stereotype. None of these characters did, which is refreshing in YA, and this novel never descends into high school cliche verses high school cliche.
Didn’t particularly care for the gargoyle characters. They could’ve been fleshed out more. They seemed out of place, which was weird, considering the rest of the cast felt like they fit into the story well. They're basically there to serve as mooks at the end, but being that this is the first book in a trilogy, I'm sure their leader, Augustine, is going to play a major part in the next part(s) of this series.
Full review at Throw This book at Me
February 28, 2018
***3***
The story is told through Sebastian's perspective. He undergoes some pretty rough changes throughout the book and we get to see how it starts to affect his relationship with his friends and his family. The author did a good job with character growth.
I adored the interactions between Sebastian and his foster brother, Hugo, as well as his friendship with Katie. They were the ones that I really took a liking to and I'm glad that there was enough focus on them.
Sebastian's love interest, Josephine, is a character that I didn't really find myself connecting with at the start. The fact that he felt compelled to protect her at all costs was something I understood (all things considered), but I just couldn't buy into his insta-attraction to her. I would have liked it if they had been friends first or if he had gotten to know her a little better, especially because of what was happening to him. But I can't say more without revealing too much, and that's really the only issue I have with this book.
I've never read anything featuring gypsy characters before so that's something I really enjoyed. There were enough explanations regarding the lifestyles and history of the different gypsy clans and how they've survived in secret, and how they continue to do so in this day and age, but I do hope we'll be able to find out more about them as the series develops.
Fair warning: this book has a pretty slow build up, but the storyline is interesting, and it just keeps getting better and better. So stick with it.
I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of this series because the ending to this was a good one. I'm also somewhat invested in the main character and would really like to see how he fares in the next book.
RATING
Characters - ★★★☆☆
Setting - ★★★☆☆
Writing - ★★★☆☆
Plot - ★★★☆☆
Overall - ★★★☆☆
________________________
Received a copy of this in e-book format in exchange for an honest review.
________________________
Add me on Twitter!
The story is told through Sebastian's perspective. He undergoes some pretty rough changes throughout the book and we get to see how it starts to affect his relationship with his friends and his family. The author did a good job with character growth.
I adored the interactions between Sebastian and his foster brother, Hugo, as well as his friendship with Katie. They were the ones that I really took a liking to and I'm glad that there was enough focus on them.
Sebastian's love interest, Josephine, is a character that I didn't really find myself connecting with at the start. The fact that he felt compelled to protect her at all costs was something I understood (all things considered), but I just couldn't buy into his insta-attraction to her. I would have liked it if they had been friends first or if he had gotten to know her a little better, especially because of what was happening to him. But I can't say more without revealing too much, and that's really the only issue I have with this book.
I've never read anything featuring gypsy characters before so that's something I really enjoyed. There were enough explanations regarding the lifestyles and history of the different gypsy clans and how they've survived in secret, and how they continue to do so in this day and age, but I do hope we'll be able to find out more about them as the series develops.
Fair warning: this book has a pretty slow build up, but the storyline is interesting, and it just keeps getting better and better. So stick with it.
I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of this series because the ending to this was a good one. I'm also somewhat invested in the main character and would really like to see how he fares in the next book.
RATING
Characters - ★★★☆☆
Setting - ★★★☆☆
Writing - ★★★☆☆
Plot - ★★★☆☆
Overall - ★★★☆☆
________________________
Received a copy of this in e-book format in exchange for an honest review.
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Add me on Twitter!
July 15, 2015
Sebastian Grey is just your normal, average high school senior. He's in the drama club at school - strictly as a 'behind-the-scenes' set designer - he has a circle of good friends, gets fairly decent grades, and has a pretty sweet job at his foster brother's tattoo shop: 'The Gypsy Ink'. All in all, Sebastian's life is going great for him. At least he's always thought so, and as long as nobody knows about Sebastian's strange dreams, his life will continue to be terrific.
For the past several months, Sebastian has dreamed of a girl - a Gypsy girl dancing around a nightly campfire somewhere deep in the forest. He doesn't think that much of his recurring dream, until his dream girl turns up at school. Then Sebastian begins to realize that his dream is not just some typical teenage fantasy.
When a caravan of strangers arrives in town, Sebastian soon realizes that nothing about his world is what it seems. The caravan is filled with members of a carnival troupe - the 'Circe de Romany' - performers who come into town every two years. Suddenly, Sebastian finds himself surrounded by secretive gypsies, stalked by shadowy figures, feeling inexplicably strange and more volatile as time passes.
Sebastian has no idea what is happening to him, all he knows is that he's changing somehow. He also knows is that he needs to protect the girl at all costs. In fact, that's something that is becoming imperative. And Sebastian intends to protect her to the best of his ability, even if it means that he will never be normal again.
I absolutely loved reading this book. I usually do like reading anything that has to do with the Gypsy culture, and really felt a connection with the characters. In my opinion, this was quite an excellent start to the series, and I look forward to finding out where the story goes from here. I give this book a definite A!
For the past several months, Sebastian has dreamed of a girl - a Gypsy girl dancing around a nightly campfire somewhere deep in the forest. He doesn't think that much of his recurring dream, until his dream girl turns up at school. Then Sebastian begins to realize that his dream is not just some typical teenage fantasy.
When a caravan of strangers arrives in town, Sebastian soon realizes that nothing about his world is what it seems. The caravan is filled with members of a carnival troupe - the 'Circe de Romany' - performers who come into town every two years. Suddenly, Sebastian finds himself surrounded by secretive gypsies, stalked by shadowy figures, feeling inexplicably strange and more volatile as time passes.
Sebastian has no idea what is happening to him, all he knows is that he's changing somehow. He also knows is that he needs to protect the girl at all costs. In fact, that's something that is becoming imperative. And Sebastian intends to protect her to the best of his ability, even if it means that he will never be normal again.
I absolutely loved reading this book. I usually do like reading anything that has to do with the Gypsy culture, and really felt a connection with the characters. In my opinion, this was quite an excellent start to the series, and I look forward to finding out where the story goes from here. I give this book a definite A!
June 17, 2016
Sebastian Grey is a Senior High School student. He focuses hard on his classes and works part time in his brother Hugo Corsi's tattoo shop, "The Gypsy Tattoos." He has a core group of friends that he hangs out with and eats lunch with. He finds himself getting lost in some daydreams, or are they nightmares, during the school day and getting in trouble in class. He is having what he thought were dreams at nights and not sleeping well at all. One day, there's a hubbaloo going on at school about the Circe De Romany coming to town. It has been a couple of years since Josephine and Francis have been at their school, as that was the last time the Circe was in town. What happens to Sebastian when his friends start talking about the twins? Sebastian's friend Mitchell, not sure how much of a friend he is, signs Sebastian up for trying out for 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. What happens at the tryouts for the play? What does he realize about Josephine when he actually looks at her and sees her at the tryouts? About the same time that the Romany family comes to town, some changes start happening for Sebastian. What are those changes? What does he do about them? What does he tell people and how does he feel? You're going to have to read to find out what is going on. This is a great young adult book for reading and I look forward to starting on book two in a couple of days.
RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M.Brennan.
RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M.Brennan.
June 18, 2015
I received this book from NetGalley as part of a blog tour to give an honest review.
I was torn on this book I read the blurb and I kept thinking do I want to read this book? Would I even enjoy this book? Then I decided to give it a try I mean the worse is I don't enjoy it, but I was very surprised. This was a book like no other that I have read before. It is also perfect for teens to read as there is nothing graphic or remotely for adults only read in my opinion. This isn't only about gypsies but something even more and I have never read about this before so I was very surprised at how quickly my attention was caught and held. The author did a great job with the story line and the characters. Sebastian is a normaly teenage boy minus being very hungry all the time he has friends, he does good in school, and he helps in his brothers tattoo shop all that is out of place is the weird dreams he has about a young girl he has never met before. You all know where this is going right? Well when a group of strangers pull up into town that is when things start going weird for Sebastian and he has to figure out who to trust. He learns all sorts of things that link him to his past but will it be too much for him? I think the author is going to turn this into a great series as I have never read anything like this before and I will be looking for book two to come out soon. I want to know what is going to happen to Sebastian what other secrets are out there, will he even get the answers he needs. The Romany world is one that different and unique.
I was torn on this book I read the blurb and I kept thinking do I want to read this book? Would I even enjoy this book? Then I decided to give it a try I mean the worse is I don't enjoy it, but I was very surprised. This was a book like no other that I have read before. It is also perfect for teens to read as there is nothing graphic or remotely for adults only read in my opinion. This isn't only about gypsies but something even more and I have never read about this before so I was very surprised at how quickly my attention was caught and held. The author did a great job with the story line and the characters. Sebastian is a normaly teenage boy minus being very hungry all the time he has friends, he does good in school, and he helps in his brothers tattoo shop all that is out of place is the weird dreams he has about a young girl he has never met before. You all know where this is going right? Well when a group of strangers pull up into town that is when things start going weird for Sebastian and he has to figure out who to trust. He learns all sorts of things that link him to his past but will it be too much for him? I think the author is going to turn this into a great series as I have never read anything like this before and I will be looking for book two to come out soon. I want to know what is going to happen to Sebastian what other secrets are out there, will he even get the answers he needs. The Romany world is one that different and unique.
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January 21, 2016This was a really good book!
I really enjoyed having a male POV. Sometimes, I found Sebastian’s character to be a little too soft and sweet; I like my male characters to lean more toward a bad boy. There was something really special about him, though! I enjoyed his character a lot.
I loved the concept of gypsies! It’s not really a theme that you see a lot in the YA genre (or any genre, for that matter, ) and I found it very intriguing! I’m interested to see how this concept will progress and develop as the story continues. Very interesting!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I’d definitely recommend this for paranormal fans! A must read!
I really enjoyed having a male POV. Sometimes, I found Sebastian’s character to be a little too soft and sweet; I like my male characters to lean more toward a bad boy. There was something really special about him, though! I enjoyed his character a lot.
I loved the concept of gypsies! It’s not really a theme that you see a lot in the YA genre (or any genre, for that matter, ) and I found it very intriguing! I’m interested to see how this concept will progress and develop as the story continues. Very interesting!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I’d definitely recommend this for paranormal fans! A must read!
May 6, 2016
This book starts off with Sebastian Grey who is a normal high school student. He is a foster kid who was adopted by a family who isn't like other families. But every family has it's secrets... Their secrets go back hundreds of years.. They are gypsies.
And Sebastian isn't a normal teenage boy.
He finds things out about himself and why he was adopted and why he feels so drawn to a female friend. Sebastian just wants to work at his brother's tattoo shop and graduate high school. But as he learns more about the secrets and his true purpose of his life... High school seems trivial compared to his changing.
I felt this book got really good in the middle. Wish the second book was out now!
And Sebastian isn't a normal teenage boy.
He finds things out about himself and why he was adopted and why he feels so drawn to a female friend. Sebastian just wants to work at his brother's tattoo shop and graduate high school. But as he learns more about the secrets and his true purpose of his life... High school seems trivial compared to his changing.
I felt this book got really good in the middle. Wish the second book was out now!
May 28, 2015
Most high school boys dream about girls but for Sebastian he is shocked to find out that the girl of his dreams is real! When a caravan of gypsies turn up in Sixes, Sebastian is faced with the girl of his dreams. But about the same time that she shows up strange things start happening to him. It’s hard enough being a teenager without weird and unusual things happening at the same time!
Whitney brings to the table an imaginative and secretive story that will hold your attention until the end and will keep you guessing. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Whitney brings to the table an imaginative and secretive story that will hold your attention until the end and will keep you guessing. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
December 17, 2015
For full review please go to: 5girlsbookreviews.blogspot.com, Twitter @camartinez and Facebook "5 Girls Book Reviews"
REVIEW BY: Angel, age 13 years, 1 month
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
This book was a great excitement to me. The Grey was a twisted delight with suspenseful action. This is a great start to a wonderful series.
This book was about a teenage boy named Sebastian Grey, who lives with his brother named Hugo in a tattoo shop. When Hugo sees a sign of a grey legend, he is forced to reveal who he is to Sebastian. He is a guardian.
REVIEW BY: Angel, age 13 years, 1 month
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
This book was a great excitement to me. The Grey was a twisted delight with suspenseful action. This is a great start to a wonderful series.
This book was about a teenage boy named Sebastian Grey, who lives with his brother named Hugo in a tattoo shop. When Hugo sees a sign of a grey legend, he is forced to reveal who he is to Sebastian. He is a guardian.
June 6, 2015
A refreshing and unusual love story, with lots of interesting unexpected twists. A real page turner. I was very impressed with the way the characters jumped off the page.
I do not know the author personally, but we have made contact through SCWBI. I'm happy to pass the book on to my two teenage daughters.
I do not know the author personally, but we have made contact through SCWBI. I'm happy to pass the book on to my two teenage daughters.
March 29, 2016
The premise of this book is delightfully fresh, and the world building backs it up smoothly and solidly. Whitney's visceral, emotionally charged prose keeps the reader right with Sebastian as he tries to figure out what's happening to him and who he should trust. I enjoyed meeting him and his intriguing supporting cast and look forward to re-connecting with them in the second installment.
March 16, 2016
What a great YA read. The relationships are wonderful, as well as the world of the gypsies. Really enjoyed it.
deals
February 5, 20165 February 2016: $2.99 on Kindle
May 7, 2016
Innovative, mysterious, and tense, Grey braves new territory in fantasy, neatly mixing reality and nightmare! Can't wait to read the second installment!
September 13, 2016
I thought this was an excellent book! Love the unique mythology surrounding the characters & look forward to reading the entire series!
December 30, 2017
Such a thrill! Action. Emotion. Romantic. Fantastic! I zoomed through it, and enjoyed it to the core. I heard the next one is even better :)
March 9, 2021
I’m not usually a person for high fantasy books, but this one is so freaking good! I found out about the author on TikTok where she cosplays as Snape from Harry Potter. I loved her cosplays and I saw that she wrote books. Knowing that information, I immediately started looking up stores in my area that had the first book in the Romany Outcast series. None of them had it in paperback, unfortunately, so I went to Apple Books. They not only had that book, they had every book in the series! I read the sample of the book and immediately after finishing it, I bought the whole series and I’m so glad I did! This book is my favorite book series ever, and that includes Harry Potter. This book made laugh out loud so hard that my sister had to see if I was okay! It was so funny, but there’s also a few moments where I’m not ashamed to say that I cried.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
From the moment I started reading the book, I had so many theories and ideas about where the book might go. That’s one thing I always look for in books. I love the feeling of wondering what happens next! This was one book I literally couldn’t put down for that reason!
When I first read about Sebastian, I loved him so much! He’s so sarcastic and I love that about him! When I first read about Sebastian meeting Josephine, I was so eager to figure out how their relationship was going to turn out. I love how their relationship comes to life through the book. They have a friendship with each other that is so amazing!
And Quentin.....don’t even get me started on him...Imagine Umbridge and how much people hate her, I hate Quentin 100000% more than Umbridge! It’s so fun to hate him! I always rant to my family whenever I read a part about Quentin that just made me so mad and they always say something along the lines of, “he’s not real!” I don’t care, though. He’s a very well thought out character and I love to hate him.
The last thing I have to say about this book is something amazing. I’ve wanted to be an author since I was 5 years old. I tried writing a book in 7th grade, but I gave up on it when I saw how close it was to another story. I forgot about writing and focused on other things. After reading her book, my passion for writing just exploded. I don’t know how or why, but I have this book to thank for me writing again.
I think it’s pretty clear why I gave this five stars, and I would give it more if there was an option to! I highly recommend reading it!
SPOILERS AHEAD!
From the moment I started reading the book, I had so many theories and ideas about where the book might go. That’s one thing I always look for in books. I love the feeling of wondering what happens next! This was one book I literally couldn’t put down for that reason!
When I first read about Sebastian, I loved him so much! He’s so sarcastic and I love that about him! When I first read about Sebastian meeting Josephine, I was so eager to figure out how their relationship was going to turn out. I love how their relationship comes to life through the book. They have a friendship with each other that is so amazing!
And Quentin.....don’t even get me started on him...Imagine Umbridge and how much people hate her, I hate Quentin 100000% more than Umbridge! It’s so fun to hate him! I always rant to my family whenever I read a part about Quentin that just made me so mad and they always say something along the lines of, “he’s not real!” I don’t care, though. He’s a very well thought out character and I love to hate him.
The last thing I have to say about this book is something amazing. I’ve wanted to be an author since I was 5 years old. I tried writing a book in 7th grade, but I gave up on it when I saw how close it was to another story. I forgot about writing and focused on other things. After reading her book, my passion for writing just exploded. I don’t know how or why, but I have this book to thank for me writing again.
I think it’s pretty clear why I gave this five stars, and I would give it more if there was an option to! I highly recommend reading it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2020
Let me start this review by saying...I had NO IDEA this book was going to be about GARGOYLES!! What a wonderful and refreshing surprise.
This lack of knowledge on my part lent an even greater air of mystery and enjoyment to an already intriguing story. There is so much to love about Grey: the setup, the mythology, the ever-elusive character motives, and the character relationships. All so richly-developed and interesting!
I had such a good time reading this book. My only complaint is that I let it languish on my TBR pile for over a year instead of reading it sooner! Count me in for Book 2. :)
This lack of knowledge on my part lent an even greater air of mystery and enjoyment to an already intriguing story. There is so much to love about Grey: the setup, the mythology, the ever-elusive character motives, and the character relationships. All so richly-developed and interesting!
I had such a good time reading this book. My only complaint is that I let it languish on my TBR pile for over a year instead of reading it sooner! Count me in for Book 2. :)
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