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During WW1, a meteorite crashed, releasing a mist that changed the DNA of all who were exposed. One hundred years has passed and society is divided between the Norms and the Caelians, whose changed DNA awakened dormant gifts, called Talents.
Sadie is over it!
She’s an orphan, her boyfriend was murdered, and she’s the only Caelian at St. Vincent’s without a Talent. Once she turns 18, there will be no place for her in the world. That is, until a chance encounter with Kian, a Caelian boy who makes her feel uncomfortable and alive at the same time.
Secrets of her past are uncovered and Sadie’s latent, rare Talent is exposed. With great power comes the hunters, hired by an egomaniac who wants to use Sadie’s power to establish Caelian dominance. On the run with Kian and her friends, Sadie will have to decide: hide or fight.
Will Sadie accept her new reality or will she stay lost?
During WW1, a meteorite crashed, releasing a mist that changed the DNA of all who were exposed. One hundred years has passed and society is divided between the Norms and the Caelians, whose changed DNA awakened dormant gifts, called Talents.
Sadie is over it!
She’s an orphan, her boyfriend was murdered, and she’s the only Caelian at St. Vincent’s without a Talent. Once she turns 18, there will be no place for her in the world. That is, until a chance encounter with Kian, a Caelian boy who makes her feel uncomfortable and alive at the same time.
Secrets of her past are uncovered and Sadie’s latent, rare Talent is exposed. With great power comes the hunters, hired by an egomaniac who wants to use Sadie’s power to establish Caelian dominance. On the run with Kian and her friends, Sadie will have to decide: hide or fight.
Will Sadie accept her new reality or will she stay lost?
209 pages, Paperback
First published June 19, 2015
75 people are currently reading
946 people want to read
About the author
Donnielle Tyner
9 books278 followersHello! I’m Donnielle Tyner, writer of Science Fiction for young and new adults, reader of just about anything that catches my interests – mainly books with science fiction, paranormal/ fantasy, and romantic themes, and lover of science, tabletop games, anime, comic books, and crude humor.
I grew up in north Texas on a cattle ranch and although I have travelled extensively, I cannot seem to find myself living more than an hour away from where I was raised. Growing up, I was always the weird girl in school and luckily, I never lost my ability to always be the weirdest one in the room. You will always find me making inappropriate jokes and gigglesnorting at every double entendre.
If you want to join my Nerd Herd and be informed of new releases, possible ARC opportunities, and other important information, please sign up for my newsletter - http://eepurl.com/bpBYc9. I try to release a book every four months, but life is unpredictable when you have two small dictators living in your home.
Until next time… Stay Awesome!
I grew up in north Texas on a cattle ranch and although I have travelled extensively, I cannot seem to find myself living more than an hour away from where I was raised. Growing up, I was always the weird girl in school and luckily, I never lost my ability to always be the weirdest one in the room. You will always find me making inappropriate jokes and gigglesnorting at every double entendre.
If you want to join my Nerd Herd and be informed of new releases, possible ARC opportunities, and other important information, please sign up for my newsletter - http://eepurl.com/bpBYc9. I try to release a book every four months, but life is unpredictable when you have two small dictators living in your home.
Until next time… Stay Awesome!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
July 22, 2015
I think Donnielle Tyner has a hit for YA fantasy readers! Meteorites hit Earth all of the time, but what if when one hit, its fragments altered the DNA of some people, giving them a special talent? Totally possible, right? Fast forward about a century and meet Sadie, an orphan whose talent has not manifested yet. In a world now divided into “Norms” and “Caelians” (the talented). Where does Sadie fit in? Suffering from a tragic loss, she is vulnerable, alone and lost at the orphanage she has called home for so long. But Sadie’s life is about to change, when she meets Kian, a mysterious Caelian and her talent comes to life. Has she gone from feeling useless and displaced to being a rare find that can change the power structure of the world? She is now being hunted by evil and has no idea where to turn. Can she trust Kian? Is he part of a Caelian mob hungry for power or will he become her savior and more?
The run for survival is on and Sadie has to think on her feet and learn to trust as she finds herself caught up in mob machinations for absolute power.
Welcome to Lost by Donnielle Tyner, filled with intrigue, teen angst, insecurity and action as secrets from the past collide with the present and one girl’s rare talent could bring destruction to the world when evil wants to own it and use it. Ms. Tyner has used unique character descriptions, to mark her Caelians in vivid color! Well written, engaging and a full emotional roller coaster of adventure, each scene is dimensional, believable and well-executed! Wonderful characters round out the magic of this paranormal tale from a new author who has set her own bar high!
I received this copy in exchange for my honest review.
Series: The Caelian Cycle - Book 1
Publication Date: June 19, 2015
Publisher: Donnielle Tyner
ISBN-10: 069243299X
ISBN-13: 978-0692432990
Genre: YA Fantasy
Print Length: 208
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For More Reviews, Promotions and all things Books visit: http://tometender.blogspot.com
The run for survival is on and Sadie has to think on her feet and learn to trust as she finds herself caught up in mob machinations for absolute power.
Welcome to Lost by Donnielle Tyner, filled with intrigue, teen angst, insecurity and action as secrets from the past collide with the present and one girl’s rare talent could bring destruction to the world when evil wants to own it and use it. Ms. Tyner has used unique character descriptions, to mark her Caelians in vivid color! Well written, engaging and a full emotional roller coaster of adventure, each scene is dimensional, believable and well-executed! Wonderful characters round out the magic of this paranormal tale from a new author who has set her own bar high!
I received this copy in exchange for my honest review.
Series: The Caelian Cycle - Book 1
Publication Date: June 19, 2015
Publisher: Donnielle Tyner
ISBN-10: 069243299X
ISBN-13: 978-0692432990
Genre: YA Fantasy
Print Length: 208
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For More Reviews, Promotions and all things Books visit: http://tometender.blogspot.com
December 2, 2016
I was a little bored reading at first, but the story flowed and there's still a lot of questions to be asked about Kian and who he really is. I like his character but I want to know what's driving him also.
Sadie annoyed me at different times, but I liked her discovery of her back bone at the end of the book. The loss of Michael made me cry and cry. I do wonder what Lacy and Michael's father is up to, I understand he's upset but I think it's a little bit more than that.
I heart Madison loads. Rebecca is a great friend too.
I will definitely read book 2 because I want to see the evolution of Sadie. I'm not talking about her Talent either. Mrs. Lamotte is clearly the friend of Sadie's deceased mother. I hope she plays a big role in the next book beyond being her tutor. I also wonder who Sadie's 'new' friend is going to be.
Link is creeptastic. The way he kills with chains is as exciting as it is abhorrent. I'm looking forward to reading about him in the next series of books.
Racism is ugly. In this telling it involves norms vs Caelians.
This author has a unique vision which will get you hooked by the end of the book. Happy reading!
Sadie annoyed me at different times, but I liked her discovery of her back bone at the end of the book. The loss of Michael made me cry and cry. I do wonder what Lacy and Michael's father is up to, I understand he's upset but I think it's a little bit more than that.
I heart Madison loads. Rebecca is a great friend too.
I will definitely read book 2 because I want to see the evolution of Sadie. I'm not talking about her Talent either. Mrs. Lamotte is clearly the friend of Sadie's deceased mother. I hope she plays a big role in the next book beyond being her tutor. I also wonder who Sadie's 'new' friend is going to be.
Link is creeptastic. The way he kills with chains is as exciting as it is abhorrent. I'm looking forward to reading about him in the next series of books.
Racism is ugly. In this telling it involves norms vs Caelians.
This author has a unique vision which will get you hooked by the end of the book. Happy reading!
January 27, 2016
(PureTextuality.com) When I started this book I really didn’t know what to expect. A simple story about a girl with a power has been done over and over again. That is absolutely not what I got. Instead this is a story about a new race of humans, a new type that was born of a meteorite striking earth. When it struck during World War 1, a mysterious substance sprayed out and covered a huge number of soldiers. Those soldiers ended up with what they call a “talent” and also with altered DNA. Now the Caelian’s are born with different color eyes, skin and hair, each with their own special power. The Norms can give birth to either other norms or Caelians. If they have a Caelian baby, then more often than not, they are taken at birth and put into Caelian orphanages to be raised by one of three major Caelian families. These are not your ordinary orphanages, instead think private schools.
Sadie has recently lost her boyfriend to death due to bigotry between the Norms and the Caelians. She has been grieving for four months and finally is able to move on with her life-barely. With her best friend Madison, a fire manipulator and roomate, Rebecca, a siren, egging her on to get back into life, she accepts an invitation from her boyfriend’s norm brother and sister, Lacy and Michael, to attend a Caelian-Norm alliance party. There she meets Kian, an intense, but gorgeous, Caelian, who takes a pretty extreme interest in her. Sadie is one of those rare Caelian’s to reach her age(senior in high school) without finding her talent. When she discovers her own heritage(who her mother was), she has to fight to stay away from anything to do with it. And then one day she discovers her talent and it’s not like anyone elses.
This story ended up being quite the thriller.There’s action, murders, and Sadie ends up with even more loss in her life, as well as almost losing her own life. And she falls in love again. I kind of had a problem with how fast she is able to fall in love again. Her boyfriend has only been gone less than six months and they had pretty much been together her entire life at the orphanage; it just seemed fast to me-especially with this being a series. I know she’s a teenager, but still. And that was the only problem I had with this book. And that’s because I ended up being intrigued and yes, even fascinated, with the new race of people, the prejudice from the normal people, and all the world building the author introduces. And I actually did enjoy the romance-when it wasn’t bothering me.
Good characters(Sadie, Kian, Rebecca, Madison, Lacy, and Michael), interesting world building, and a unique premise, made this an excellent read for me. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. I would recommend this to young adult and adult readers of both urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review
Sadie has recently lost her boyfriend to death due to bigotry between the Norms and the Caelians. She has been grieving for four months and finally is able to move on with her life-barely. With her best friend Madison, a fire manipulator and roomate, Rebecca, a siren, egging her on to get back into life, she accepts an invitation from her boyfriend’s norm brother and sister, Lacy and Michael, to attend a Caelian-Norm alliance party. There she meets Kian, an intense, but gorgeous, Caelian, who takes a pretty extreme interest in her. Sadie is one of those rare Caelian’s to reach her age(senior in high school) without finding her talent. When she discovers her own heritage(who her mother was), she has to fight to stay away from anything to do with it. And then one day she discovers her talent and it’s not like anyone elses.
This story ended up being quite the thriller.There’s action, murders, and Sadie ends up with even more loss in her life, as well as almost losing her own life. And she falls in love again. I kind of had a problem with how fast she is able to fall in love again. Her boyfriend has only been gone less than six months and they had pretty much been together her entire life at the orphanage; it just seemed fast to me-especially with this being a series. I know she’s a teenager, but still. And that was the only problem I had with this book. And that’s because I ended up being intrigued and yes, even fascinated, with the new race of people, the prejudice from the normal people, and all the world building the author introduces. And I actually did enjoy the romance-when it wasn’t bothering me.
Good characters(Sadie, Kian, Rebecca, Madison, Lacy, and Michael), interesting world building, and a unique premise, made this an excellent read for me. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. I would recommend this to young adult and adult readers of both urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review
December 18, 2015
I received a free copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review, however this is no way influenced my post.
I love a good YA dystopian read, and this book did not disappoint! From the opening prologue hinting at Sadie's heritage and how she became an orphan, I was hooked. Sadie was a fantastic protagonist. Even when she's mourning the loss of her boyfriend or standing out as the only Caelian in her class without a Talent, she doesn't wallow in self pity or sit around moping. And when she discovers her Talent, she gets even better. Think Rogue from X-Men, but the kickass comic book version, not the whiney movie version! Fittingly, the book doesn't pull any punches with the violence and there a couple of surprisingly brutal moments.
The story is surprisingly brief (only clocking in at 127 pages in PDF format) and it makes for a gripping read from start to finish. There was no point where I was bored or tempted to put the book down, the pacing is spot on. When the action isn't kicking off in the plot, there's brilliant character building when Sadie is hanging out with her friends. I loved Rebecca and Madison. A lot of YA books go for the girl v girl angle so I really appreciate well-written female friendships when I read them! Sadie's friendships with John and Mike were cute too, and again, props to Donielle Tyner for writing platonic female-male relationships. Despite but when many authors seem to think, they do exist! There were lots of lovely little moments between the characters that really made me believe that they cared about each other without having to read page after page of backstory.
I was a little disappointed that the book didn't go into more detail about the Caelian v Normals world. Those with Talent have distinct physical features, like blue skin or bright red freckles which is ripe for endless potential, so I was kind of disappointed that we don't see more of the Caelians and their world. Because the book is so brief, we don't really get to learn much about Sadie's grandfather and why he's so desperate to get her onside, why her Talent is so special when presumably there are far more powerful Caelians around, but I guess that's all to be covered in book two, Bound. However I was somewhat relieved that, while there is a hook for the second book, this book had a satisfying ending. I've been stung too many times recently by book endings that cross the line from cliffhanger to unfinished stories so I'm always happy to see a story wrapped up, even if there's more story to be told. Bring on Bound!
Review originally posted at http://mikaylasbookshelf.blogspot.co.....
I love a good YA dystopian read, and this book did not disappoint! From the opening prologue hinting at Sadie's heritage and how she became an orphan, I was hooked. Sadie was a fantastic protagonist. Even when she's mourning the loss of her boyfriend or standing out as the only Caelian in her class without a Talent, she doesn't wallow in self pity or sit around moping. And when she discovers her Talent, she gets even better. Think Rogue from X-Men, but the kickass comic book version, not the whiney movie version! Fittingly, the book doesn't pull any punches with the violence and there a couple of surprisingly brutal moments.
The story is surprisingly brief (only clocking in at 127 pages in PDF format) and it makes for a gripping read from start to finish. There was no point where I was bored or tempted to put the book down, the pacing is spot on. When the action isn't kicking off in the plot, there's brilliant character building when Sadie is hanging out with her friends. I loved Rebecca and Madison. A lot of YA books go for the girl v girl angle so I really appreciate well-written female friendships when I read them! Sadie's friendships with John and Mike were cute too, and again, props to Donielle Tyner for writing platonic female-male relationships. Despite but when many authors seem to think, they do exist! There were lots of lovely little moments between the characters that really made me believe that they cared about each other without having to read page after page of backstory.
I was a little disappointed that the book didn't go into more detail about the Caelian v Normals world. Those with Talent have distinct physical features, like blue skin or bright red freckles which is ripe for endless potential, so I was kind of disappointed that we don't see more of the Caelians and their world. Because the book is so brief, we don't really get to learn much about Sadie's grandfather and why he's so desperate to get her onside, why her Talent is so special when presumably there are far more powerful Caelians around, but I guess that's all to be covered in book two, Bound. However I was somewhat relieved that, while there is a hook for the second book, this book had a satisfying ending. I've been stung too many times recently by book endings that cross the line from cliffhanger to unfinished stories so I'm always happy to see a story wrapped up, even if there's more story to be told. Bring on Bound!
Review originally posted at http://mikaylasbookshelf.blogspot.co.....
July 28, 2015
I enjoy reading Dystopian books every one in a while (I loved The Hunger Games and I have Divergent somewhere in the depths of my TBR pile) so Lost was a wonderful find for me.
Set one hundred years after a meteorite crash during WW1 some of the population have now developed Talents (special skills) due to a mist changing their DNA and are known as Caelians, whilst others have remained unaffected and are known as Norms. There is conflict between the two and their society is divided.
Sadie is a 17 year old orphan living at St Vincent's and when we meet her she's struggling with the death of her boyfriend and finding her own Talent. A chance meeting with a Calelian boy named Kian is the beginning of a chain of events that puts Sadie and her friends in grave danger but who can she trust?
This is a superb debut novel from Donnielle Tyner and I'm glad that there will be more to come. The prologue provides a brief glimpse into how Sadie came to be an orphan and once I read that, I was hooked. I had so many questions and the only way to resolve them was to read on. The characters are nicely developed, which made it easy for you to root for them when the chips were down and Sadie's character is even more appealing as she isn't your typical teenage protagonist who needs a good shake to get her to make the right decision and turns into a lump of jelly at the sight of the tall, handsome stranger. Although this is aimed at the YA market I think it makes genuinely good reading for older readers as well so don't let that tag put you off.
Overall this was an enjoyable read, the story flowed well, the characters were colourful and it was a truly engaging read. I would have like a little bit more background on Sadie's grandfather but I'm hoping that I'll find out more in the next book. There are lots of little twists and turns which kept my interest and although things came together at the end you can definitely see why there needs to be another instalment and I wish Donnielle every success with it.
With kind thanks to author Donnielle Tyner for the review copy.
Set one hundred years after a meteorite crash during WW1 some of the population have now developed Talents (special skills) due to a mist changing their DNA and are known as Caelians, whilst others have remained unaffected and are known as Norms. There is conflict between the two and their society is divided.
Sadie is a 17 year old orphan living at St Vincent's and when we meet her she's struggling with the death of her boyfriend and finding her own Talent. A chance meeting with a Calelian boy named Kian is the beginning of a chain of events that puts Sadie and her friends in grave danger but who can she trust?
This is a superb debut novel from Donnielle Tyner and I'm glad that there will be more to come. The prologue provides a brief glimpse into how Sadie came to be an orphan and once I read that, I was hooked. I had so many questions and the only way to resolve them was to read on. The characters are nicely developed, which made it easy for you to root for them when the chips were down and Sadie's character is even more appealing as she isn't your typical teenage protagonist who needs a good shake to get her to make the right decision and turns into a lump of jelly at the sight of the tall, handsome stranger. Although this is aimed at the YA market I think it makes genuinely good reading for older readers as well so don't let that tag put you off.
Overall this was an enjoyable read, the story flowed well, the characters were colourful and it was a truly engaging read. I would have like a little bit more background on Sadie's grandfather but I'm hoping that I'll find out more in the next book. There are lots of little twists and turns which kept my interest and although things came together at the end you can definitely see why there needs to be another instalment and I wish Donnielle every success with it.
With kind thanks to author Donnielle Tyner for the review copy.
July 31, 2015
While Sadie's talent is slow to reveal itself, Donnielle Tyner's talent leaps off the page right from the first page.
I will not go into great detail regarding the story in this review. It is my hope that others will approach the story with an open mind like I did. But I will say one thing about her story: as a man, there should be something about a mother experiencing labor pains that shuts down my interest from page one, and yet, the way Donnielle shrouded Sadie's birth in a mystery about her father, I was curious and wanted to keep reading.
The book takes a while to cultivate a sci-fi feel, playing more toward the teen drama crowd, but Donnielle does teen drama exceedingly well.
On the critical side, one of the issues that jumped out at me early on was Sadie describing her own features in first person. I think it could have certainly been more subtle, especially since we know from the descriptions of her hair and eye color alone (mentioned from 3rd person in the prologue) that Sadie is the girl on the cover. But I think that's a minor issue.
I definitely think teen girls will find Lost to be a very welcome page turner. I rarely read a book from cover to cover in a single sitting, but Tyner's knack for storytelling craft definitely kept me reading.
As an Independent Author myself, I know there is a certain stigma about Indie works. Certain ones who proliferate junk tend to sway the crowd. Well, throw caution to the wind. It is stories like this one that have the power to open minds to the possibility. Indie authors like Donnielle can really write.
I am very thankful that Donnielle Tyner was willing to share this exceptional story with me for an honest review.
I will not go into great detail regarding the story in this review. It is my hope that others will approach the story with an open mind like I did. But I will say one thing about her story: as a man, there should be something about a mother experiencing labor pains that shuts down my interest from page one, and yet, the way Donnielle shrouded Sadie's birth in a mystery about her father, I was curious and wanted to keep reading.
The book takes a while to cultivate a sci-fi feel, playing more toward the teen drama crowd, but Donnielle does teen drama exceedingly well.
On the critical side, one of the issues that jumped out at me early on was Sadie describing her own features in first person. I think it could have certainly been more subtle, especially since we know from the descriptions of her hair and eye color alone (mentioned from 3rd person in the prologue) that Sadie is the girl on the cover. But I think that's a minor issue.
I definitely think teen girls will find Lost to be a very welcome page turner. I rarely read a book from cover to cover in a single sitting, but Tyner's knack for storytelling craft definitely kept me reading.
As an Independent Author myself, I know there is a certain stigma about Indie works. Certain ones who proliferate junk tend to sway the crowd. Well, throw caution to the wind. It is stories like this one that have the power to open minds to the possibility. Indie authors like Donnielle can really write.
I am very thankful that Donnielle Tyner was willing to share this exceptional story with me for an honest review.
Read
August 31, 2015DNF at 40%
This story had a ton of potential and I was very excited to get a review copy! Unfortunately I just couldn't get in to the story, I didn't particularly enjoy reading about any of the characters and the love interest fell flat for me.
I love reading this genre but along with new species come a lot of unexplained background which I like to be eased in to. I found it hard to keep up with all of the new terms in LOST and had to keep stopping to remember which stilted my reading experience. Not a lot of explanations for anything.
The writing just didn't flow very well either. I wish I could have enjoyed this book and I will definitely be trying something else from this author because I like her ideas! Fingers crossed for my next try.
This story had a ton of potential and I was very excited to get a review copy! Unfortunately I just couldn't get in to the story, I didn't particularly enjoy reading about any of the characters and the love interest fell flat for me.
I love reading this genre but along with new species come a lot of unexplained background which I like to be eased in to. I found it hard to keep up with all of the new terms in LOST and had to keep stopping to remember which stilted my reading experience. Not a lot of explanations for anything.
The writing just didn't flow very well either. I wish I could have enjoyed this book and I will definitely be trying something else from this author because I like her ideas! Fingers crossed for my next try.
April 4, 2016
*I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.*
When I agreed to review this novel I had no idea I would enjoy it as much as I did. It had me hooked right from the beginning and was a fast paced, action packed read.
The story was original, well written, nicely developed and not over the top. Sadie was a likable main character and all of her friends added something essential to the story. I definitely recommend this novel.
You can read my full review here: http://courtneysreads.blogspot.com/20...
When I agreed to review this novel I had no idea I would enjoy it as much as I did. It had me hooked right from the beginning and was a fast paced, action packed read.
The story was original, well written, nicely developed and not over the top. Sadie was a likable main character and all of her friends added something essential to the story. I definitely recommend this novel.
You can read my full review here: http://courtneysreads.blogspot.com/20...
July 26, 2015
*** Gifted in exchange for an honest review ***
I wrote a great review and then Goodreads ap on my phone lost it all!
talk about frustrating but here we go again.
This is Book 1 of (I dont't know how many books there will be, but I do want to know what happens next) It is one I really enjoyed, the Main protaganist is Sadie, and I look forward to seeing how she grows as the series continues. Ms Tyner has created a character that actually acts 18 (some YA books have their female leads so immature they act like 12 yr olds!) she knows that for every action there will be a reaction, a consequence, and that was nice and refreshing.
Now I am not a teenager, but I LOVE reading YA Fantasy/Sci-fi/Paranormal stuff its is my FAVOURITE Genre, but some can be quite narrow in plot line. This book is not, there is a lot going on for you to think about, there is tension between the Norms and Caelians and these are about to get worse when Sadie finally comes into her powers after being without any hint of them since birth.
If you like the X-Men, then you will probably like this book, as we have humans that are genetically different to the majority of the population. This is due to a meteor hitting the earth in WW1, and now we have the Caelian's and the 'Norm's' humans with no powers.
The Caelian's cannot hide their differences, they have 'talents' - powers that can be anything from fire manipulation to healing. Each talent has a consequence - healing, may leave the person drained, sick from the symptoms. BUT the main thing that sets them apart is that their hair, eyes and even skin colour could be any colour of the rainbow.
Now I will pop in here and mention the thing I dislike about this book - Just the cover, Sadie is apparently golden skinned with Colbalt eyes and hair with no colour - and although the cover has bright blue eyes and blonde hair, I am disappointed that the cover artist did not give her golden skin, which is an easy thing to do with filters or a colour layer, Sadie looks human on the cover - I know its not a drastic problem but I do hate when book covers have a model that looks nothing like the character they are supposed to depict.
OK so on with the things I did enjoy...
The writing style, it is quite poetic within some of the descriptive passages
also this one I really enjoyed, I highlighted a few in this book.
I could really visualise Sadie's pain from this passage.
This is Ms Tyner's first novel, and although a wordsmith in her career as a freelance writer, I am sure that Ms Tyner will go from strength to strength and I look forward to reading the next installment of the series 'Bound' which is out Fall 2015.
I love reading YA, and this book will appeal to all YA readers young and old. There is a Love interest, Kian, he is a bit of a mystery, with Goldenrod Hair (Thats a bright yellow Flower
Sadie meets him at a party, and she feels something for him, but not knowing him very well, she is wary - I liked this as well, that she did not blindly fall for him and act all silly.
I could go on... but I won't, I will just end in saying that there are a lot of questions yet to be answered, Sadie has gone through a lot in this book and in the second book, things are going to get interesting - Roll on Fall 2015!
If you are a YA Sci-fi Fan grab a copy now, I am sure you will love it as much as I did.
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fan Site: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.NG***
I wrote a great review and then Goodreads ap on my phone lost it all!
talk about frustrating but here we go again.
This is Book 1 of (I dont't know how many books there will be, but I do want to know what happens next) It is one I really enjoyed, the Main protaganist is Sadie, and I look forward to seeing how she grows as the series continues. Ms Tyner has created a character that actually acts 18 (some YA books have their female leads so immature they act like 12 yr olds!) she knows that for every action there will be a reaction, a consequence, and that was nice and refreshing.
Now I am not a teenager, but I LOVE reading YA Fantasy/Sci-fi/Paranormal stuff its is my FAVOURITE Genre, but some can be quite narrow in plot line. This book is not, there is a lot going on for you to think about, there is tension between the Norms and Caelians and these are about to get worse when Sadie finally comes into her powers after being without any hint of them since birth.
If you like the X-Men, then you will probably like this book, as we have humans that are genetically different to the majority of the population. This is due to a meteor hitting the earth in WW1, and now we have the Caelian's and the 'Norm's' humans with no powers.
The Caelian's cannot hide their differences, they have 'talents' - powers that can be anything from fire manipulation to healing. Each talent has a consequence - healing, may leave the person drained, sick from the symptoms. BUT the main thing that sets them apart is that their hair, eyes and even skin colour could be any colour of the rainbow.
Now I will pop in here and mention the thing I dislike about this book - Just the cover, Sadie is apparently golden skinned with Colbalt eyes and hair with no colour - and although the cover has bright blue eyes and blonde hair, I am disappointed that the cover artist did not give her golden skin, which is an easy thing to do with filters or a colour layer, Sadie looks human on the cover - I know its not a drastic problem but I do hate when book covers have a model that looks nothing like the character they are supposed to depict.
OK so on with the things I did enjoy...
The writing style, it is quite poetic within some of the descriptive passages
She was girl-next-door beautiful, if your average girl next door had midnight blue skin, and pale yellow eyes and hair. She kept her hair short, but just long enough to show a little kink and curl.
also this one I really enjoyed, I highlighted a few in this book.
"Guilt poured over me like boiling oil. I cringed as the joy and hope melted away, replaced by the sour taste of guilt, and a heavy pit of remorse opened in my chest, stealing my breath."
I could really visualise Sadie's pain from this passage.
This is Ms Tyner's first novel, and although a wordsmith in her career as a freelance writer, I am sure that Ms Tyner will go from strength to strength and I look forward to reading the next installment of the series 'Bound' which is out Fall 2015.
I love reading YA, and this book will appeal to all YA readers young and old. There is a Love interest, Kian, he is a bit of a mystery, with Goldenrod Hair (Thats a bright yellow Flower
Sadie meets him at a party, and she feels something for him, but not knowing him very well, she is wary - I liked this as well, that she did not blindly fall for him and act all silly.
I could go on... but I won't, I will just end in saying that there are a lot of questions yet to be answered, Sadie has gone through a lot in this book and in the second book, things are going to get interesting - Roll on Fall 2015!
If you are a YA Sci-fi Fan grab a copy now, I am sure you will love it as much as I did.
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fan Site: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.NG***
July 10, 2015
This story is set in a different reality, where a meteorite crash during WWI has left a portion of humanity with special Talents (a type of magical power), while the other portion has remained normal. This has not only started a distrust between the two factions, but the talented themselves are divided a bit like mob families (but supposedly a kind type). This world has many similarities to our own, which made it easy to get caught up in despite differences such as colored skin.
Sadie is a senior at an orphange with a secret past, which we do get a glimpse of in the prologue (one of the few times I found a prologue helpful). Since her boyfriend was murdered in front of her eyes, she carries some baggage, but still, is a strong character who is very easy to like and cheer for. She has a big heart, is ready to dive into danger, and knows what her priorities are. But she still is a little unsure of herself and people around her...almost shy. Especially her friends added a nice flare, not only being full of energy and life, but made it easy to see the good points in Sadie. I think readers will have no trouble picturing her as a possible friend of their own.
The beginning was a bit difficult for me. It felt more like a book 2 in a series than the beginning of one. Although all necessary information is disclosed as the pages go on, I felt the urge to stop reading and grab book 1 first (which doesn't exist) so as to fill in the gaps and experiences Sadie had before. But ignoring this, the story grabbed after the first pages and didn't let go, only stumbling now and then over little plot holes.
That said, I did read this in one setting. There's a dark, mysterious guy who brings the entire thing to life, and tension mounts on every page. The evil side is evil...very violent...and Sadie gets few quiet moments as she discovers the mysteries of her past. A scene or two toward the ending seemed to be lacking a little on stakes, but the ending was able to wrap that up nicely as well.
Summed up, this is an enjoyable read. There are a few typos and a few tiny holes, but it didn't change the fact that I was swept away for most of the book and definitely will be looking forward to getting my fingers on book 2. It's times like these that I wish there was a 4.5 star possibilities.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sadie is a senior at an orphange with a secret past, which we do get a glimpse of in the prologue (one of the few times I found a prologue helpful). Since her boyfriend was murdered in front of her eyes, she carries some baggage, but still, is a strong character who is very easy to like and cheer for. She has a big heart, is ready to dive into danger, and knows what her priorities are. But she still is a little unsure of herself and people around her...almost shy. Especially her friends added a nice flare, not only being full of energy and life, but made it easy to see the good points in Sadie. I think readers will have no trouble picturing her as a possible friend of their own.
The beginning was a bit difficult for me. It felt more like a book 2 in a series than the beginning of one. Although all necessary information is disclosed as the pages go on, I felt the urge to stop reading and grab book 1 first (which doesn't exist) so as to fill in the gaps and experiences Sadie had before. But ignoring this, the story grabbed after the first pages and didn't let go, only stumbling now and then over little plot holes.
That said, I did read this in one setting. There's a dark, mysterious guy who brings the entire thing to life, and tension mounts on every page. The evil side is evil...very violent...and Sadie gets few quiet moments as she discovers the mysteries of her past. A scene or two toward the ending seemed to be lacking a little on stakes, but the ending was able to wrap that up nicely as well.
Summed up, this is an enjoyable read. There are a few typos and a few tiny holes, but it didn't change the fact that I was swept away for most of the book and definitely will be looking forward to getting my fingers on book 2. It's times like these that I wish there was a 4.5 star possibilities.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2015
I find that many authors of YA series books fail to end their novels. They tend to leave the plots up in the air hoping a reader will plunk down a few more bucks to buy book 2 or 3.
I hate that!
So when I wrote the Koolura Series I made sure each book had a satisfying ending. However, I also made sure a few strings tied the novels to nudge readers gently to pursue reading book 2 or 3.
Donnielle Tyner understands this way of thinking. In Lost: The Caelian Cycle (Book 1) she builds an excellent plot, develops superb characters, and ends with a satisfying conclusion that doesn’t beg readers to pursue the second installment of The Caelian Cycle due in the fall of 2015.
Tyner develops the world of Lost expertly. In 1916, during the great World War, a meteorite struck during a small skirmish. Its dust enveloped surviving soldiers altering their DNA providing them with a Talent. Some could manipulate sound, light, fire, a life force, or have great strength or speed. The future off spring from these troops spread quickly throughout the planet becoming known as Caelian. If a normal couple gave birth to a Caelian child, the child would be given up to a special orphanage, where the children would be raised to learn to control their Talents.
Sadie was one of those children. Abandoned at birth by her mother, Sadie was raised at the Saint Vincent’s Orphanage where her family becomes her friends. Now, at 17, Sadie’s Talent is about to be realized, but she will soon find out that her gift could leave death in its wake.
Donnielle Tyner does a superb job of characterization. From Sadie’s first person perspective, we get to know our heroine well. We also learn to love her best friends Madison and Rebecca—two other Caelians with fascinating Talents.
Tyner moves the plot at a smooth pace taking in Sadie’s surroundings in a picturesque manner. And as stated earlier, the book ends with a satisfying conclusion leaving the reading with an urge to pick up book 2 when it arrives on Amazon in the fall of 2015.
I hate that!
So when I wrote the Koolura Series I made sure each book had a satisfying ending. However, I also made sure a few strings tied the novels to nudge readers gently to pursue reading book 2 or 3.
Donnielle Tyner understands this way of thinking. In Lost: The Caelian Cycle (Book 1) she builds an excellent plot, develops superb characters, and ends with a satisfying conclusion that doesn’t beg readers to pursue the second installment of The Caelian Cycle due in the fall of 2015.
Tyner develops the world of Lost expertly. In 1916, during the great World War, a meteorite struck during a small skirmish. Its dust enveloped surviving soldiers altering their DNA providing them with a Talent. Some could manipulate sound, light, fire, a life force, or have great strength or speed. The future off spring from these troops spread quickly throughout the planet becoming known as Caelian. If a normal couple gave birth to a Caelian child, the child would be given up to a special orphanage, where the children would be raised to learn to control their Talents.
Sadie was one of those children. Abandoned at birth by her mother, Sadie was raised at the Saint Vincent’s Orphanage where her family becomes her friends. Now, at 17, Sadie’s Talent is about to be realized, but she will soon find out that her gift could leave death in its wake.
Donnielle Tyner does a superb job of characterization. From Sadie’s first person perspective, we get to know our heroine well. We also learn to love her best friends Madison and Rebecca—two other Caelians with fascinating Talents.
Tyner moves the plot at a smooth pace taking in Sadie’s surroundings in a picturesque manner. And as stated earlier, the book ends with a satisfying conclusion leaving the reading with an urge to pick up book 2 when it arrives on Amazon in the fall of 2015.
November 17, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the author for a review.
Reading the prologue left me with oodles of book feels! I could not "shake it off"! The story starts off the pace with the birth of the main protagonist. As Sadie is born, she is drawing her mother's Talent out of her in the process, thus leading to her mother's death. Her mother even feels that her baby is taking her Talent as she is being born. Now, Lucinda, Sadie's mother, has known that this would happen, because she saw it take place in a vision. To protect Sadie, Lucinda has her closest friend bring the baby to St. Vincent's, which is an orphanage for unwanted children who have a Talent. As far as the reader knows in the beginning, Sadie is the only orphan in the home who does not have a Talent.
Sadie states that she is a little introverted, even for someone living amongst "the rejected" of the community. She is not the average Caelian, as her skin and hair are different from the usual colors. Sadie is also undergoing grief-recovery after her boyfriend is murdered. Just when things look like they could either get worse, or worse than that. . . But you would have to read the book to truly find out for yourself.
I rate this book a 5 of 5 stars; the plot was brilliant! I found myself captivated. The flow of the writing was fantastic, characters were developed; the climax brought me to a place where I thought it would not have anymore to give at the ending, but it did! I have grown fond of Sadie's character. I think she is brilliantly created. The plot from start to finish was amazing! This was such a fantastic read. Thoroughly recommend that you pick it up, and be sure to give the author some love.
Reading the prologue left me with oodles of book feels! I could not "shake it off"! The story starts off the pace with the birth of the main protagonist. As Sadie is born, she is drawing her mother's Talent out of her in the process, thus leading to her mother's death. Her mother even feels that her baby is taking her Talent as she is being born. Now, Lucinda, Sadie's mother, has known that this would happen, because she saw it take place in a vision. To protect Sadie, Lucinda has her closest friend bring the baby to St. Vincent's, which is an orphanage for unwanted children who have a Talent. As far as the reader knows in the beginning, Sadie is the only orphan in the home who does not have a Talent.
Sadie states that she is a little introverted, even for someone living amongst "the rejected" of the community. She is not the average Caelian, as her skin and hair are different from the usual colors. Sadie is also undergoing grief-recovery after her boyfriend is murdered. Just when things look like they could either get worse, or worse than that. . . But you would have to read the book to truly find out for yourself.
I rate this book a 5 of 5 stars; the plot was brilliant! I found myself captivated. The flow of the writing was fantastic, characters were developed; the climax brought me to a place where I thought it would not have anymore to give at the ending, but it did! I have grown fond of Sadie's character. I think she is brilliantly created. The plot from start to finish was amazing! This was such a fantastic read. Thoroughly recommend that you pick it up, and be sure to give the author some love.
February 4, 2016
Lost by Donnielle Tyner introduces us to an alternate earth where Sadie, an apparently untalented “talent” , discovers her latent abilities in a most unfortunate and public way. As a result, she draws unwanted attention to herself both by people who wish to do her good and those who wish to do her harm. She must learn to navigate the grief and loss of her boyfriends, new relationships in light of her talent and emerging enemies who are either threatened by her or wish to use her abilities for their own means. One new friend, Kian, a rogue talent who doesn’t seem to answer to anyone, appears to be the key to helping Sadie not only navigate these obstacles but to also survive them, giving her the confidence and courage to fight. But can she navigate Kian by herself?
I loved the world that Donnielle created in Lost. There was an immensely colorful cast of both main and supporting characters. The villain, Link, had a particularly interesting signature trait. The idea of a talent as a result of DNA alteration created room for so many creative possibilities but Tyner didn't make it sound just creative, She made it sound like science. It was like X-men meets Harry Potter.
Because the world and characters are so unique and well-explained, it makes for a really interesting premise. Tyner’s not afraid to make you fall in love with all the characters and then break the reader’s heart in order to tell the story. I love that in an author. I’m looking forward to reading the next installment in the series, Bound.
I loved the world that Donnielle created in Lost. There was an immensely colorful cast of both main and supporting characters. The villain, Link, had a particularly interesting signature trait. The idea of a talent as a result of DNA alteration created room for so many creative possibilities but Tyner didn't make it sound just creative, She made it sound like science. It was like X-men meets Harry Potter.
Because the world and characters are so unique and well-explained, it makes for a really interesting premise. Tyner’s not afraid to make you fall in love with all the characters and then break the reader’s heart in order to tell the story. I love that in an author. I’m looking forward to reading the next installment in the series, Bound.
July 9, 2018
This book was interesting. On the one hand, I liked it. On the other, it felt a little…juvenile. As though it were obviously meant for a younger reading group. While the writing was decent, the plot was okay. I didn’t like how the book ended (more killing and death) and I would have liked a bit more detail about Sadie’s grandfather’s family, but overall it was a fun short read that I devoured in two hours.
There also was only snippets of the orphanage that Sadie lived at. In the beginning of the book, her mother is pregnant and tells her friend to leave Sadie at the orphanage. Her friend responds that its a horrible place for Sadie because its full of unwanted talents and norms. How it wasn’t safe for her, and how she has a caring family.
But that caring family is dangerous, as Sadie’s grandfather wants to use her talents to help wipe out all the norms of the world.
Why is it that this is always the thing in fantasy worlds? That those with power always wants to kill those who have none? It’s a tired cliche, and while this was done in an interesting way, I just wasn’t thrilled with the way it was handled.
I should also note: dramatic death scene of an eight year old boy named Bobby towards the end of the book, dramatic death scene of a friend named Michael being killed, some torture is involved, and the book leaves off on a cliffhanger.
Overall, I give this book 3.5/5 stars. I liked it, but I really think it could have been a lot better.
{Review also posted on my blog}
There also was only snippets of the orphanage that Sadie lived at. In the beginning of the book, her mother is pregnant and tells her friend to leave Sadie at the orphanage. Her friend responds that its a horrible place for Sadie because its full of unwanted talents and norms. How it wasn’t safe for her, and how she has a caring family.
But that caring family is dangerous, as Sadie’s grandfather wants to use her talents to help wipe out all the norms of the world.
Why is it that this is always the thing in fantasy worlds? That those with power always wants to kill those who have none? It’s a tired cliche, and while this was done in an interesting way, I just wasn’t thrilled with the way it was handled.
I should also note: dramatic death scene of an eight year old boy named Bobby towards the end of the book, dramatic death scene of a friend named Michael being killed, some torture is involved, and the book leaves off on a cliffhanger.
Overall, I give this book 3.5/5 stars. I liked it, but I really think it could have been a lot better.
{Review also posted on my blog}
gave-up-on
June 3, 2016DNF 60%I tried soooo hard with this one. The concept is amazing. The author has a wonderful imagination and I can tell from her writing that she is probably is an introvert with her heart on her sleeve. But, I just couldn't connect with her writing style. This happens to me sometimes when I pick up self-published books. I always give indies a bit more slack than I do a published author (which is why I pushed myself to make it through 60% of the book), but I reached the point where I had to throw in the towel. Donnielle's writing style is more "brisk", for lack of a better word, than I like. The prose seems short and heavy, while I tend to connect with writing that flows. She tended to describe things a lot (especially what people are wearing) instead of letting it come out naturally. The use of a classroom for an info-dump was an interesting choice, but I was still aware it was an info-dump while I read. If an editor could come in and polish up her writing, the book would be off the charts phenomenal. The only real issue I had beyond the writing style was the romance felt a bit too forced and insta-love for my tastes. Especially as she was still grieving the death of her former boyfriend. All in all, go ahead and give this book a try. For all I know, I'm just being a bit too picky and need to lighten up a bit.
June 23, 2016
***Review has been gifted in exchange for my honest opinion and on behalf of Kats Book Promotions/ Katsindiebookblog.*** So I’m normally not one that will even look at the synopsis of a sci-fi book. Holy cow, this book has changed my thoughts on it. It definitely was not what I expected at all and I love it! Sadie is a really great character and you will fall in love with her quickly. She is an orphaned Caelian, who not only develops her talent late, but is going through a lot in her life especially with the death of her boyfriend. We are introduced to many characters, which they all play huge parts in this series. There seems to be a battle between Caelians and Norms. Caelians basically is a group of people with talents that resulted from the meteorite hitting during WWI. You are sucked in immediately, and good luck putting the book down. My only warning is that you are left with a cliffhanger, but hey, I’m a sucker for them! The writing was excellent and the whole story just flowed so great. Yes there are things missing and leaving you with questions but this is a series, you never get full answers right away. This gives you the basic start and understanding of how this series is going to go. This is a definite MUST READ!
May 5, 2023
This book starts off in a sad place as Sadie deals with the death of her friend/boyfriend, Liam. Her other friends are trying to bring her back to the 'land of the living' as she grieves for her loss. Her friends also include the older brother and also the twin sister of Liam, Michael and Lacy. Sadie is a rare one amongst the Caelian's, in a physical way with her lack of colouring, but also in that she doesn't appear to have a 'talent'.
This story is well-written with a steady pace. It will give you an emotional connection as you empathise with the characters and situations they find themselves in.
This is a fantastic debut novel that has definitely left me wanting more. A brilliant story that grips you from start to finish, you will need to know more about Sadie and Kian. Although this story comes to a satisfying conclusion, it also leads you perfectly into the next book which is due out later this year that I have GOT to read. Highly Recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 8, 2015
This story is well-written with a steady pace. It will give you an emotional connection as you empathise with the characters and situations they find themselves in.
This is a fantastic debut novel that has definitely left me wanting more. A brilliant story that grips you from start to finish, you will need to know more about Sadie and Kian. Although this story comes to a satisfying conclusion, it also leads you perfectly into the next book which is due out later this year that I have GOT to read. Highly Recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 8, 2015
September 17, 2015
*I won this book from the Goodreads First Reads program*
In Lost we learn about what are essentially aliens. I think these aliens are pretty cool, though. They are often discriminated against in society because us humans don't like anything or anyone who is not a part of the norm. These 'Caelians' have Talents that differentiate them and prominent physical features. In the middle of the mix is Sadie. Sadie is an orphan Caelian without a Talent. She badly wants to fit in, especially after previous events have left her more alone and isolated than before. When a new boy walks into her life, Kian, it seems that things go spiraling out of control. Kian makes Sadie FEEL again. She is beginning the process of moving on when an unexpected surprise occurs. The events following lead to heart-racing action and a dash of young love. I thought this book laid some good ground-work to a new up-and-coming series. If you like fantasy/sci-fi, a little action, a lot of heartbreak, great characters with great relationships, and the discovery of new romance mixed all together, this would be a great book for you!
In Lost we learn about what are essentially aliens. I think these aliens are pretty cool, though. They are often discriminated against in society because us humans don't like anything or anyone who is not a part of the norm. These 'Caelians' have Talents that differentiate them and prominent physical features. In the middle of the mix is Sadie. Sadie is an orphan Caelian without a Talent. She badly wants to fit in, especially after previous events have left her more alone and isolated than before. When a new boy walks into her life, Kian, it seems that things go spiraling out of control. Kian makes Sadie FEEL again. She is beginning the process of moving on when an unexpected surprise occurs. The events following lead to heart-racing action and a dash of young love. I thought this book laid some good ground-work to a new up-and-coming series. If you like fantasy/sci-fi, a little action, a lot of heartbreak, great characters with great relationships, and the discovery of new romance mixed all together, this would be a great book for you!
May 16, 2017
What a wonderful debut from Donnielle Tyner! I found this book to be well written and the story flowed so nicely I never once got bored or confused even with all of the information given on the Caelian characters. Very descriptive and I could picture the characters perfectly I LOVE that!I thought the plot and characters were amazing and I loved all the little twists. I fell in love with Sadie and Kian and simply can not wait for the next book in this series! The only thing that bothered me about this book was that I was too busy to be able to sit and read it cover to cover!
June 22, 2018
Could not get into it...
I tried. However, the dialogue was immensely juvenile and bored me to tears. This goes into the category of "so many books, so little time". Sorry!
I tried. However, the dialogue was immensely juvenile and bored me to tears. This goes into the category of "so many books, so little time". Sorry!
December 11, 2017
Born amongst secrecy, Sadie is spirited off to live in an orphanage just hours after her birth. It wasn’t usual for Caelian’s to be forsaken and turned over to family sponsored orphanages, so she was able to grow up without any interference. While most Caelian’s learn what their Talent is as they go through puberty, Sadie’s remains elusive. However, when her Talent manifests at the worst possible time, her life is in danger.
Lost is a fairly short book in the grand scheme of things. However, Donnielle Tyner does a magnificent job in getting you to care about Sadie and her friends. Starting shortly after Sadie lost her boyfriend to violence, we go with her as she slowly breaks out of her shell and begins to face life again. As she does, her life takes a drastic turn and she finds herself at the center of a manhunt.
Lost is a quick read that has you turning pages as fast as you can read. I personally read it all in one sitting without once putting the book down. It’s a unique coming of age story as Sadie tries to figure out what her Talent means and how it can be used. As with many of these books, there is a love interest. Kian is an interesting young man who has worked to make his way outside of the Caelian families. It’s a great tale of true friends and the potential for true love.
It would appear there are a total of 4 books in this series. All of them are currently available on Amazon.
Lost is a fairly short book in the grand scheme of things. However, Donnielle Tyner does a magnificent job in getting you to care about Sadie and her friends. Starting shortly after Sadie lost her boyfriend to violence, we go with her as she slowly breaks out of her shell and begins to face life again. As she does, her life takes a drastic turn and she finds herself at the center of a manhunt.
Lost is a quick read that has you turning pages as fast as you can read. I personally read it all in one sitting without once putting the book down. It’s a unique coming of age story as Sadie tries to figure out what her Talent means and how it can be used. As with many of these books, there is a love interest. Kian is an interesting young man who has worked to make his way outside of the Caelian families. It’s a great tale of true friends and the potential for true love.
It would appear there are a total of 4 books in this series. All of them are currently available on Amazon.
July 15, 2017
The first of a dystopian YA series that I got because the 3 book package was offered for a dollar or something on my BookBub emails for Kindle. The story is good- the futuristic world interesting with the Caeliuns being oddly marked by weird hair, skin and eye colors and all possessing an unrealistic/supernatural talent, but still being pretty rare amongst "norms", or regular humans is a cool creation. The protagonist is an "orphan", as many of the children born as Caeliuns are left to orphanages to not ostracize their families with their existence, though in the introduction, we learn her true origins, sort of, and this first book is a lot of set up- explaining the world, the characters, the beginnings of a big story with her grandfather finding out about her existence and wanting her back to use her talent for evil. Unfortunately, the writing is TERRIBLE, filled with cliches and low level vocabulary- lots of tell, not show with the characters, and though I liked the story well enough to keep going, I was actually distracted by how crappy the actual writing was. This is a book that could have used a ghost writer- great ideas, poor execution. Two stars, but will still read the other two because I already have them and the story isn't bad and its very mindless reading for when concentration is nonexistent.
July 6, 2016
*I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review*
4 out of 5 stars.
This is what I thought of the book while and after reading it and if you are up for a fun fast read, with a world with a lot of potential, please take a copy of this book, you will be done so fast you will not know what hit you.
Please after reading my review do not think I did not liked it, I really enjoyed it, but I hope this review to be helpful to the author and can be accounted into even better works. This things did not bothered me while reading the book since I started reading with no expectations at all, but my mind wouldn't let them go unnoticed.
That being stated I may begin.
I will call this book my guilty pleasure since even tho I had some issues with it, it was very very fast paced and entertaining and i couldn't stop, also it had a certain X-men feeling to it and I love X-men.
I believe the book was too short, after I read book 2 I will let you know my feelings, and a lot of details where left out.
First of all there where many loose chains that could have helped the plot building and story building better. For example, what was Sadie's moms power (I assumed it was premonition or something like that) at the awkward beginning she states that she had a vision about her daughter and after that nothing is mentioned about what is going to happen, also the families, what and in which way a Caelian are chosen and how they help the families that chose them. Where did Kian came from and even why he was stalking Sadie is very vague, I was hoping actually for him to be the bad guy to make the story a little bit more elaborated but it never happened. What was Sadie's grandparent working in, why did his son wanted to give him away... The past is rarely mentioned on the book, also who and from which family did Sadie's mom came from. Also there is Liam, he died but we never met him even tho he is constantly mentioned in the book and the way he died again is very vague, also the relationship she had with his siblings was vague and why was Liam given away at birth and by whom...
The characters where not very developed and they where like just there for when needed, flat and useless. Even when one of them tries to help, for example the awkward scene when Sadie's room is attacked, the situation feels awkward, Rebecca's a siren and for a moment I thought she was going to have sex with the bad guy for what was described on the book. Also after the other guy "dies" the guy with Becca is kept tied on the room, as a pet? Idk really. No character development happened at all in the book.
Sadie is very naive and has no sense of survival or suspicion in her at all and she is not very smart, but given the world she is given to leave is she is able to do ok, how when a psycho is following you, you text your friend for a secret society underground shelter directions? Are you serious? Go ahead and scream the address, at least you will save them the trouble of intercepting your phone! Also this creep follows you everywhere and claims that "he wants to protect you" even tho you do not know nothing about him at all, came out of nowhere, has no business at all with you and looks very suspicious comes to you and you trust him? Sadie Sadie, if you lived in the real world you'll be raped. Constantly. And her plan in the end? What the hell was that, I feel that she was lucky only Michael was killed, if those bad guys where really bad guys Sadie would be already in the lab being genetically played around by her GF, in case that this is what he wanted her for but who knows, maybe he wanted to drink tea with her and get to know her better.
I'm going now with the relationships. The relationships on this book where very awkward and kind of forced, both friendship and romantic interest of the main character. And almost every kind and love word shared between them felt wrong and out of place. The characters are very flat and since we really do not have may background of the friendship or development of characters, we can't really relate and seemed a little forced. Sadie's relationship with Liam's siblings felt too fake and at certain point I was afraid something was going to happen between her an Michael, luckily he got killed before mayor things happened and Lacy to me feels like a backstabbing b*tch that secretly hates Sadie, but idk really I just get that feeling from her even tho she is described as a good girl xD I won't even go to her relationship with Kian, her like for him to me feels pretty physical and superficial and I think that the reason she felt in love with him was purely bc he was the first guy that approached her romantically after Liam or she had mental issues idk.
200 pages are not enough to develop a world but the author dedicated an acceptable amount of time to introducing us a little bit to it. A good job was done, but still I feel like there are too many loose chains. Also the powers, I loved the powers and how the author built them, also I love that even tho Sadie drains talents and she can sense other talents she can not use that power she gains (I think) even tho we do not know what happens to that energy or what can she do with them. I love the fact that each power has a side effect and also if it's to powerful it has a secondary effect that compliments it. Well done here.
The story was kind of predictable. I did not liked the ending, it felt like it was just there and "You will help me killed my GF" was like way to expected from Sadie. I though that they were going to get away with Sadie and GF will be like "Finally my blood has come" and the end but it felt a little bit hunger gamish.
Over all I enjoyed the book but I had to be honest with what as a constant YA, Dystopian, Fantasy, reader I think, expect and also like and dislike from the book. This things did not bothered me while reading the book since I started reading with no expectations at all, but again my mind wouldn't let them go unnoticed.
4 out of 5 stars.
This is what I thought of the book while and after reading it and if you are up for a fun fast read, with a world with a lot of potential, please take a copy of this book, you will be done so fast you will not know what hit you.
Please after reading my review do not think I did not liked it, I really enjoyed it, but I hope this review to be helpful to the author and can be accounted into even better works. This things did not bothered me while reading the book since I started reading with no expectations at all, but my mind wouldn't let them go unnoticed.
That being stated I may begin.
I will call this book my guilty pleasure since even tho I had some issues with it, it was very very fast paced and entertaining and i couldn't stop, also it had a certain X-men feeling to it and I love X-men.
I believe the book was too short, after I read book 2 I will let you know my feelings, and a lot of details where left out.
First of all there where many loose chains that could have helped the plot building and story building better. For example, what was Sadie's moms power (I assumed it was premonition or something like that) at the awkward beginning she states that she had a vision about her daughter and after that nothing is mentioned about what is going to happen, also the families, what and in which way a Caelian are chosen and how they help the families that chose them. Where did Kian came from and even why he was stalking Sadie is very vague, I was hoping actually for him to be the bad guy to make the story a little bit more elaborated but it never happened. What was Sadie's grandparent working in, why did his son wanted to give him away... The past is rarely mentioned on the book, also who and from which family did Sadie's mom came from. Also there is Liam, he died but we never met him even tho he is constantly mentioned in the book and the way he died again is very vague, also the relationship she had with his siblings was vague and why was Liam given away at birth and by whom...
The characters where not very developed and they where like just there for when needed, flat and useless. Even when one of them tries to help, for example the awkward scene when Sadie's room is attacked, the situation feels awkward, Rebecca's a siren and for a moment I thought she was going to have sex with the bad guy for what was described on the book. Also after the other guy "dies" the guy with Becca is kept tied on the room, as a pet? Idk really. No character development happened at all in the book.
Sadie is very naive and has no sense of survival or suspicion in her at all and she is not very smart, but given the world she is given to leave is she is able to do ok, how when a psycho is following you, you text your friend for a secret society underground shelter directions? Are you serious? Go ahead and scream the address, at least you will save them the trouble of intercepting your phone! Also this creep follows you everywhere and claims that "he wants to protect you" even tho you do not know nothing about him at all, came out of nowhere, has no business at all with you and looks very suspicious comes to you and you trust him? Sadie Sadie, if you lived in the real world you'll be raped. Constantly. And her plan in the end? What the hell was that, I feel that she was lucky only Michael was killed, if those bad guys where really bad guys Sadie would be already in the lab being genetically played around by her GF, in case that this is what he wanted her for but who knows, maybe he wanted to drink tea with her and get to know her better.
I'm going now with the relationships. The relationships on this book where very awkward and kind of forced, both friendship and romantic interest of the main character. And almost every kind and love word shared between them felt wrong and out of place. The characters are very flat and since we really do not have may background of the friendship or development of characters, we can't really relate and seemed a little forced. Sadie's relationship with Liam's siblings felt too fake and at certain point I was afraid something was going to happen between her an Michael, luckily he got killed before mayor things happened and Lacy to me feels like a backstabbing b*tch that secretly hates Sadie, but idk really I just get that feeling from her even tho she is described as a good girl xD I won't even go to her relationship with Kian, her like for him to me feels pretty physical and superficial and I think that the reason she felt in love with him was purely bc he was the first guy that approached her romantically after Liam or she had mental issues idk.
200 pages are not enough to develop a world but the author dedicated an acceptable amount of time to introducing us a little bit to it. A good job was done, but still I feel like there are too many loose chains. Also the powers, I loved the powers and how the author built them, also I love that even tho Sadie drains talents and she can sense other talents she can not use that power she gains (I think) even tho we do not know what happens to that energy or what can she do with them. I love the fact that each power has a side effect and also if it's to powerful it has a secondary effect that compliments it. Well done here.
The story was kind of predictable. I did not liked the ending, it felt like it was just there and "You will help me killed my GF" was like way to expected from Sadie. I though that they were going to get away with Sadie and GF will be like "Finally my blood has come" and the end but it felt a little bit hunger gamish.
Over all I enjoyed the book but I had to be honest with what as a constant YA, Dystopian, Fantasy, reader I think, expect and also like and dislike from the book. This things did not bothered me while reading the book since I started reading with no expectations at all, but again my mind wouldn't let them go unnoticed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2023
‘Everyone’s Talent has a price.’
LUV how NeuroDivergence is seen as a Talent! If only the ways our brains function were recognized IRL as having value as opposed to being considered a disorder… imagine what a world that would be.
I appreciate how the orphanage pairs up the children as roommates. It’s done according to similarities such as hair color or skin markings so that the children ‘wouldn’t feel out of place’.
Some sage advice from the author:
Don’t exploit your Talents.
Be comfortable with who you are.
Having a different Talent than others does NOT make you a freak.
Now – to go experiment with various hair colors to find out what my true Talent is.
Next in series are ‘Bound’ and ‘Shift’ as well as the novella ‘Redeem’.
LUV how NeuroDivergence is seen as a Talent! If only the ways our brains function were recognized IRL as having value as opposed to being considered a disorder… imagine what a world that would be.
I appreciate how the orphanage pairs up the children as roommates. It’s done according to similarities such as hair color or skin markings so that the children ‘wouldn’t feel out of place’.
Some sage advice from the author:
Don’t exploit your Talents.
Be comfortable with who you are.
Having a different Talent than others does NOT make you a freak.
Now – to go experiment with various hair colors to find out what my true Talent is.
Next in series are ‘Bound’ and ‘Shift’ as well as the novella ‘Redeem’.
September 2, 2017
Hooks you quickly....
A very good read that sucks you in and keeps you reading straight through to the end. Thanks for writing this great book!
A very good read that sucks you in and keeps you reading straight through to the end. Thanks for writing this great book!
November 28, 2017
Fantastic
This book held so much suspense and drama. A lot of this book is basically about unwanted children with amazing talents. Such a great book.
This book held so much suspense and drama. A lot of this book is basically about unwanted children with amazing talents. Such a great book.
May 30, 2019
Short Story
This book was different from my usual reading choices. A bit slow and not too exciting. Some fighting with other Caelians. A bit like Hitler.
This book was different from my usual reading choices. A bit slow and not too exciting. Some fighting with other Caelians. A bit like Hitler.
January 20, 2020
Fantastic
Loved the story line of the book very consistent. An also love the intensity an chemistry with the two MC. A great read
Loved the story line of the book very consistent. An also love the intensity an chemistry with the two MC. A great read
February 25, 2016
Check out my original review on my blog: Readiculously Peachy
My Review:
I received a copy from the author to read and review in return.
YES! I can finally give away my 5-stars again! Finally a book which completely thrilled and excited me! This book was a proper addiction, and as I had mentioned in my previous Teaser Tuesday, if it weren't for my full time job, this book would have been finished within a day! I absolutely loved everything this book had to offer.It had such a nice flow to it, and everything that was described in the book was done in such an immaculate and pleasant way which never at any point left me bored and longing for more.
The story starts up with full excitement from the very first page. The reader is engulfed with mystery where a dystopian world is introduced with a population split between Norms ('normal' people) and Caelians. Caelians are almost like humans but can have physical differences (like distinct and unusual skin, hair, eye color) and have an extra spark to them, in fact called a Talent. This Talent developed when a meteorite hit Rome during the WW1 and soldiers were infected by its mist. The Talent has been continually passed down to their children and so on. Each Talent is unique and personally bonded to human's essence; so if one we're to lose their Talent in any way, they would die.
And in comes Sadie, our protagonist. She is absolutely fabulous, in my opinion. She is my ideal protagonist! She is a no nonsense, to the point, brave and believable character. What I love so much about her is that when an issue arises, she addresses it immediately; when something is a mystery in her head, she gets straight to the point and asks valid and valuable questions. Since the book is written in her perspective, it made the book such an easy and fast read.
Despite Sadie's suffering (through the murder of her boyfriend and her lost feeling of not having found her Talent at the age of 17) she possesses amazing strong characteristics, such as bravery and perverseness. Also with the help of her awesome friends, Rebecca, Madison, John, Michael and Lacy and Kian, who all on their own hold magnificent Talents, Sadie crawls more and more out of her shell and let's the adventures begin. The group together are completely genuine an endearing. From the very beginning I had a deep connection with the group, as if they were my own friends, and I found myself laughing, being excited and crying along with them throughout the entire book.
The dystopian world which Ms. Tyner creating is so refreshing. Yes their is a division and partial discrimination between the two groups, but the freedom which Sadie has, being a Caelian, is very original and actually quite pleasantly unexpected. Most of the dystopian related books I have read are societies where the population, or part of the population, is (strictly) restricted to certain things. Other than the Caelian's having to stay alert due to some Norms not agreeing with their being or ways, they have quite the 'normal' life. Until... things start to alter and shift in Sadie's world and she finally discovers her fascinating but powerful and dangerous Talent...
This book just left me consistently on the edge of my seat and I fell head over heels with all of the characters. Madison is such a spunky and cool character, Rebecca ever so smart and lovable, John super comical, Michael and Lacy so familiar and genuine, and Kian... Sadie's mysterious crush... he is just absolutely AWESOME!
I really do recommend this book to everyone who loves a great YA dystopian and paranormal book! This book has it all, and I literally can't WAIT for Ms. Tyner to come out with her sequel! I miss the characters and their world already so please, Ms. Tyner, haste yourself!! :D
My Review:
I received a copy from the author to read and review in return.
YES! I can finally give away my 5-stars again! Finally a book which completely thrilled and excited me! This book was a proper addiction, and as I had mentioned in my previous Teaser Tuesday, if it weren't for my full time job, this book would have been finished within a day! I absolutely loved everything this book had to offer.It had such a nice flow to it, and everything that was described in the book was done in such an immaculate and pleasant way which never at any point left me bored and longing for more.
The story starts up with full excitement from the very first page. The reader is engulfed with mystery where a dystopian world is introduced with a population split between Norms ('normal' people) and Caelians. Caelians are almost like humans but can have physical differences (like distinct and unusual skin, hair, eye color) and have an extra spark to them, in fact called a Talent. This Talent developed when a meteorite hit Rome during the WW1 and soldiers were infected by its mist. The Talent has been continually passed down to their children and so on. Each Talent is unique and personally bonded to human's essence; so if one we're to lose their Talent in any way, they would die.
And in comes Sadie, our protagonist. She is absolutely fabulous, in my opinion. She is my ideal protagonist! She is a no nonsense, to the point, brave and believable character. What I love so much about her is that when an issue arises, she addresses it immediately; when something is a mystery in her head, she gets straight to the point and asks valid and valuable questions. Since the book is written in her perspective, it made the book such an easy and fast read.
Despite Sadie's suffering (through the murder of her boyfriend and her lost feeling of not having found her Talent at the age of 17) she possesses amazing strong characteristics, such as bravery and perverseness. Also with the help of her awesome friends, Rebecca, Madison, John, Michael and Lacy and Kian, who all on their own hold magnificent Talents, Sadie crawls more and more out of her shell and let's the adventures begin. The group together are completely genuine an endearing. From the very beginning I had a deep connection with the group, as if they were my own friends, and I found myself laughing, being excited and crying along with them throughout the entire book.
The dystopian world which Ms. Tyner creating is so refreshing. Yes their is a division and partial discrimination between the two groups, but the freedom which Sadie has, being a Caelian, is very original and actually quite pleasantly unexpected. Most of the dystopian related books I have read are societies where the population, or part of the population, is (strictly) restricted to certain things. Other than the Caelian's having to stay alert due to some Norms not agreeing with their being or ways, they have quite the 'normal' life. Until... things start to alter and shift in Sadie's world and she finally discovers her fascinating but powerful and dangerous Talent...
This book just left me consistently on the edge of my seat and I fell head over heels with all of the characters. Madison is such a spunky and cool character, Rebecca ever so smart and lovable, John super comical, Michael and Lacy so familiar and genuine, and Kian... Sadie's mysterious crush... he is just absolutely AWESOME!
I really do recommend this book to everyone who loves a great YA dystopian and paranormal book! This book has it all, and I literally can't WAIT for Ms. Tyner to come out with her sequel! I miss the characters and their world already so please, Ms. Tyner, haste yourself!! :D
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