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Bleed #1
Bleed
LIFE IS A NIGHTMARE for Miranda. Without knowing when or why, blood oozes from her palms – an anomaly that makes her feel like a freak. But her abnormality is now the least of her worries. She’s just enrolled at “Suicide High.” Three deaths in three months – one occurring just days before her arrival.
When she bumps into a cute boy named Jake, things don’t appear so glum. Especially since Jake’s a psychic who can predict the immediate future. But his gift of sight can’t prepare her for the horrors that await.
Through Jake, Miranda meets three other extraordinary students:
Topher – who can heal by touch.
Sam – who eats the sins of the dead.
And Xyan – who speaks and understands all languages.
It’s then that Miranda learns the secret behind why she bleeds.
When it becomes evident that supernatural forces are at play, the five determined friends team up. Now it’s up to them to destroy the evil infecting their school.
When she bumps into a cute boy named Jake, things don’t appear so glum. Especially since Jake’s a psychic who can predict the immediate future. But his gift of sight can’t prepare her for the horrors that await.
Through Jake, Miranda meets three other extraordinary students:
Topher – who can heal by touch.
Sam – who eats the sins of the dead.
And Xyan – who speaks and understands all languages.
It’s then that Miranda learns the secret behind why she bleeds.
When it becomes evident that supernatural forces are at play, the five determined friends team up. Now it’s up to them to destroy the evil infecting their school.
290 pages, Paperback
First published August 13, 2015
About the author
Dax Varley
27 books78 followersDax Varley is the author of SLEEPY HOLLOW, RETURN TO SLEEPY HOLLOW, BLEED, and NIGHTMARE HOUSE. She loves humor, horror and all things paranormal.
When Dax isn't writing, she's collecting odd photos online, reading recaps of her favorite shows, or kicked back with a good book. She lives in Richmond, Texas with her husband, a shelf full of action figures, and about a dozen imaginary friends.
When Dax isn't writing, she's collecting odd photos online, reading recaps of her favorite shows, or kicked back with a good book. She lives in Richmond, Texas with her husband, a shelf full of action figures, and about a dozen imaginary friends.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 30, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Garden Gate Press and NetGalley.)
“This is why I bleed.”
This was a slightly unusual fantasy story, about teens with strange gifts, trying to stop a rash of suicides.
I have to say that these kids had some weird gifts, Miranda with her stigmata that just bled all the time must have been awful for her, Xyan spoke in tongues when she really didn’t want to, and Sam wasn’t able to eat anything without eating someone’s sins! Talk about unfortunate and odd super-powers!
The storyline in this was a little difficult to follow at first, especially with each of the first five chapters following a different character. It wasn’t immediately obvious how these kids and their weird gifts were supposed to work together to stop the suicides either, so it took a little bit of motivation to get through this book.
The ending to this was okay, and things ended relatively happily.
6 out of 10
“This is why I bleed.”
This was a slightly unusual fantasy story, about teens with strange gifts, trying to stop a rash of suicides.
I have to say that these kids had some weird gifts, Miranda with her stigmata that just bled all the time must have been awful for her, Xyan spoke in tongues when she really didn’t want to, and Sam wasn’t able to eat anything without eating someone’s sins! Talk about unfortunate and odd super-powers!
The storyline in this was a little difficult to follow at first, especially with each of the first five chapters following a different character. It wasn’t immediately obvious how these kids and their weird gifts were supposed to work together to stop the suicides either, so it took a little bit of motivation to get through this book.
The ending to this was okay, and things ended relatively happily.
6 out of 10
June 2, 2017
BLEED by Dax Varley is a teen/young adult paranormal suspense novel. Miranda comes to "Suicide High", called this because of all the suicides in the last few months. Miranda also has stigmata. She knows it is a rare thing but always wondered why her. She meets four other teens at the school that have other paranormal/supernatural traits/abilities. She soon finds out why she bleeds and what she needs to do with it and what it has to do with "Suicide High". Great plot, characters, twists, suspense, and great fantasy. This book does not promote suicide in case someone is worried about this.
October 30, 2015
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
Actual rating - 2.5
This wasn't an awful read, but I can't say I really enjoyed it. It could be quite confusing at times, and the whole thing was pretty weird.
This just couldn't keep my interest, so a lot of it dragged for me.
Overall, Not an enjoyable read for me unfortunately.
Actual rating - 2.5
This wasn't an awful read, but I can't say I really enjoyed it. It could be quite confusing at times, and the whole thing was pretty weird.
This just couldn't keep my interest, so a lot of it dragged for me.
Overall, Not an enjoyable read for me unfortunately.
December 8, 2023
The general story was interesting ,but there were so many parts that disturbed me enough to the point where I felt sick so this is NOT FOR ME !
Content : * Huge trigger warning suicide *
Very disturbing descriptions to girls killing themselves or trying to .
A demonic even kind of thing that posseses bugs and encourages and torments the characters until they kill themselves.
Very strong language .
A character who has a POV is gay , and talks about how his parents took him to some place to have the gay forced out of him , and it was such a disgusting stereotype of christians . The only people that torment someone like that are truly misguided and or in some kind of cult don't put your foot in your mouth .
The author seems to have a prejudice against Christians and Christianity she has no problem when other religions or things involving them are around her character but as soon as a character takes a quiz with Bible stuff in it all of sudden is like " WHAT HAPPENED TO SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE ?? " . See what I mean ? You have a right to state your opinion but this is not even necessary young kids are reading this and if there were slurs against Buddah it would be like " oh my gosh that is so rude we all need to live together in peace and harmony , all religions should be respected."
Content : * Huge trigger warning suicide *
Very disturbing descriptions to girls killing themselves or trying to .
A demonic even kind of thing that posseses bugs and encourages and torments the characters until they kill themselves.
Very strong language .
A character who has a POV is gay , and talks about how his parents took him to some place to have the gay forced out of him , and it was such a disgusting stereotype of christians . The only people that torment someone like that are truly misguided and or in some kind of cult don't put your foot in your mouth .
The author seems to have a prejudice against Christians and Christianity she has no problem when other religions or things involving them are around her character but as soon as a character takes a quiz with Bible stuff in it all of sudden is like " WHAT HAPPENED TO SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE ?? " . See what I mean ? You have a right to state your opinion but this is not even necessary young kids are reading this and if there were slurs against Buddah it would be like " oh my gosh that is so rude we all need to live together in peace and harmony , all religions should be respected."
June 3, 2020
Miranda has a secret: She’s a stigmatic. Wrapped in gauze and fingerless gloves, Miranda is the new girl at the school dubbed Suicide High. It’s seen three suicides in recent months. The only remotely pleasant thing at this cursed school is a boy named Jake. But Miranda’s not the only weirdo there. Jake can see into the future. Sam eat sins. Xyan personifies the talent of glossolalia. Oh, and Topher heals people. All normal, yes?
But Jake is the one who realizes all of them have more than just Latin class in common. They are all special and here for a reason. And why are so many kids at their school killing themselves in such gruesome manners? Drinking Drano in the locker room?!
Something is watching. And something is compelling students to kill themselves.
I will say, this was a completely unique concept. I love horror, and this was horror-lite. I loved the way the author wrote about the blood and some of the more gruesome scenes. It was very tastefully done. There were some funny scenes too! All in all an enjoyable read.
PS - I loved the cover! I wish more books had amazing covers!
But Jake is the one who realizes all of them have more than just Latin class in common. They are all special and here for a reason. And why are so many kids at their school killing themselves in such gruesome manners? Drinking Drano in the locker room?!
Something is watching. And something is compelling students to kill themselves.
I will say, this was a completely unique concept. I love horror, and this was horror-lite. I loved the way the author wrote about the blood and some of the more gruesome scenes. It was very tastefully done. There were some funny scenes too! All in all an enjoyable read.
PS - I loved the cover! I wish more books had amazing covers!
June 2, 2020
Well this just wasn't really for me. I didn't like how it flowed and I couldn't get connected to the characters. I did like the description throughout the book and it was dark in places so it wasn't fluffy like most books like this are. I liked the talents they were unique and the big fight at the end was good too.
June 3, 2020
3.75 star-ish?
Miranda Murphy is a stigmatic, one whose palms randomly bleed. Everyone believes she's special but for her, it seems like an unnecessary curse and hates it. She's the newest student at 'Suicide High,' where three students have taken their own lives just months within each other. First day of school, she recieves a note telling her to take her own life. Together with Jake-the seer, Sam-the sin-eater, Topher- the healer and Xyan- the speaker of tongues, Miranda must try to stay alive and determine why the students here take their own lives, before someone takes hers.
I loved the originality of the story. I've never read of a stigmatic before. Actually, I didn't even know there were people called stigmatics before reading this. I had to google stuff. We have some less popular supernaturals here and that was honestly refreshing. How many books feature a a healer or a person who can speak every language that ever existed? Very few, I'm sure. Not only that, we also have a murder-mystery theme going on here.
This book was dark, disturbing, unsettling and gross in the best way! On a scale of 1-10, this would maybe be a solid 6.5 or 7 for me on the disturbing factor. The descriptions were graphic but not overdone. But at the same time, it was enough to experience phantom feelings. Not for the squeamish people.
I really liked Xyan. Who doesn't love a sassy female? But, I always like my translations when authors introduce a language that is not English. I mean, yeah I understand what the phrase means according to the situation but translations are always good. Maybe a glossary?
Every character has their own struggle.
Good book. Original and different. I'll recommend it if you wanna try something new and out of your comfort zone( especially if you guys are traditional fantasy readers like me. Take a break from the vampires, wolf shifters and Fae and indulge yourselves in some stigmatics.)
Miranda Murphy is a stigmatic, one whose palms randomly bleed. Everyone believes she's special but for her, it seems like an unnecessary curse and hates it. She's the newest student at 'Suicide High,' where three students have taken their own lives just months within each other. First day of school, she recieves a note telling her to take her own life. Together with Jake-the seer, Sam-the sin-eater, Topher- the healer and Xyan- the speaker of tongues, Miranda must try to stay alive and determine why the students here take their own lives, before someone takes hers.
I loved the originality of the story. I've never read of a stigmatic before. Actually, I didn't even know there were people called stigmatics before reading this. I had to google stuff. We have some less popular supernaturals here and that was honestly refreshing. How many books feature a a healer or a person who can speak every language that ever existed? Very few, I'm sure. Not only that, we also have a murder-mystery theme going on here.
This book was dark, disturbing, unsettling and gross in the best way! On a scale of 1-10, this would maybe be a solid 6.5 or 7 for me on the disturbing factor. The descriptions were graphic but not overdone. But at the same time, it was enough to experience phantom feelings. Not for the squeamish people.
I really liked Xyan. Who doesn't love a sassy female? But, I always like my translations when authors introduce a language that is not English. I mean, yeah I understand what the phrase means according to the situation but translations are always good. Maybe a glossary?
Every character has their own struggle.
Good book. Original and different. I'll recommend it if you wanna try something new and out of your comfort zone( especially if you guys are traditional fantasy readers like me. Take a break from the vampires, wolf shifters and Fae and indulge yourselves in some stigmatics.)
April 17, 2016
Sometimes you find a hidden gem and Bleed by Dax Varley was exactly that. Never heard of the author or the book before, but it was triple whammy when I saw the cover, the title and the synopsis. I was very intrigued and wanted to read it. What should clue you in on how much, is that I’ve had this book for just over a week and I’ve already read it. That’s actually very rare for me, it’s been a long time since I’ve read a book so quickly after purchasing it. I was in the mood for some horror and this book was my first choice. It was not a very scary book, but I did get a little of that creep factor, as well as a lot of ‘ew’ moments.
The story follows several different POV’s. We have five protagonists whose lives have lead them to converge on the same school, a school that’s been recently experiencing a bout of suicides and have taken on the moniker of Suicide High. After working their way into forming a group, they eventually figured out they’re dealing with a Demon that’s been terrorizing civilization for centuries and it’s always been their job to send it back to hell.
Miranda
After a little prologue peek into the story, we start out following Miranda on her first day at a new school after relocating from a very small town, where her father was disgraced. Miranda was nervous, not just because she’s the new girl, but also because of her affliction as a Stigmata. The meaning of a Stigmata was re-imagined for the plot of this story, so I won’t go into what that actually is, just that it means that Miranda bleeds from holes in her palms when she comes in contact with overwhelming, I’m gonna say, situations, it varies. Right away Miranda meets Jake and then later received a threatening letter that would make me march immediately to the administrative office to turn it in. Well, that didn’t happen, so the story continues.
Jake
Then we have Jake, the confused Psychic and Miranda’s love interest. He was the level headed task master of the group. At first I couldn’t understand Jake’s psychic abilities, he seemed confused too, when it was explained it did actually makes sense and is sort of a new way to see psychic abilities. He basically has Deja Vu Psychic abilities. Very surprised the others weren’t more frustrated with him for not just being a plain old psychic.
Sam
Sam’s the Sin Eater and all around flirt and funny one in the group. The first time I heard of a Sin Eater was from a TV show, so that wasn’t new to me, but it was to the group. It caused a lot of problems for Sam, it cramped his style majorly, especially his flirting.
Topher
Healer, nerd and the one with the saddest past of the group. Topher was reluctant to join the group, but with everyone needing constant healing and his need to help, he kept getting pulled back in.
Xyan
Last but not least, we have Xyan, snarky and full of attitude, and even more reluctant to be a part of the group. Xyan was the Linguist or the Speaker of Tongues, no specific title was given for her ability. She can speak any language, but probably wishes English would be there when she needs it most.
Overall
I really like this ensemble, there were a few other secondary characters that these characters were able to play off of really well. A parent or two made appearances, but since approximately 85% of the story took place in the school, those characters were teachers and students, obviously the demon would have to be one of those. I think the author did a good job throwing me off the scent of the culprit, when I thought of who that might be, it seemed too obvious, and decided to just be surprised. I was surprised and not surprised, meaning that the twist and turns got me all turned around and made me not so sure, but my original guess was correct. The romance wasn’t all-consuming, but I thought Miranda’s and Jakes romance was very sweet and tender.
The creepy and grossed parts were when the guys had their confrontations with the demon, he terrorized them and tried to take them down one by one, and even if it was creeptastic and gross, it brought the horror and action to the story. The negative thing about this story was the naiveté of the characters. I tried to understand that they were new to this and didn’t know better. A good example that did have me scratching my head was when the guys thought that they might have found the culprit, they had him arrested and thought, good, job done. I was yelling at them, don’t be foolish, it’s a freaking demon your dealing with, you need to banish it, that means killing it. Other than that I really liked these guys and the story as a whole. I felt that the characters and more about the demon aspect could have been delved into more, but it’s a Stand-Alone and with that, it was still a really fulfilling story, and I’m left with wanting more.
The story follows several different POV’s. We have five protagonists whose lives have lead them to converge on the same school, a school that’s been recently experiencing a bout of suicides and have taken on the moniker of Suicide High. After working their way into forming a group, they eventually figured out they’re dealing with a Demon that’s been terrorizing civilization for centuries and it’s always been their job to send it back to hell.
Miranda
After a little prologue peek into the story, we start out following Miranda on her first day at a new school after relocating from a very small town, where her father was disgraced. Miranda was nervous, not just because she’s the new girl, but also because of her affliction as a Stigmata. The meaning of a Stigmata was re-imagined for the plot of this story, so I won’t go into what that actually is, just that it means that Miranda bleeds from holes in her palms when she comes in contact with overwhelming, I’m gonna say, situations, it varies. Right away Miranda meets Jake and then later received a threatening letter that would make me march immediately to the administrative office to turn it in. Well, that didn’t happen, so the story continues.
Jake
Then we have Jake, the confused Psychic and Miranda’s love interest. He was the level headed task master of the group. At first I couldn’t understand Jake’s psychic abilities, he seemed confused too, when it was explained it did actually makes sense and is sort of a new way to see psychic abilities. He basically has Deja Vu Psychic abilities. Very surprised the others weren’t more frustrated with him for not just being a plain old psychic.
Sam
Sam’s the Sin Eater and all around flirt and funny one in the group. The first time I heard of a Sin Eater was from a TV show, so that wasn’t new to me, but it was to the group. It caused a lot of problems for Sam, it cramped his style majorly, especially his flirting.
Topher
Healer, nerd and the one with the saddest past of the group. Topher was reluctant to join the group, but with everyone needing constant healing and his need to help, he kept getting pulled back in.
Xyan
Last but not least, we have Xyan, snarky and full of attitude, and even more reluctant to be a part of the group. Xyan was the Linguist or the Speaker of Tongues, no specific title was given for her ability. She can speak any language, but probably wishes English would be there when she needs it most.
Overall
I really like this ensemble, there were a few other secondary characters that these characters were able to play off of really well. A parent or two made appearances, but since approximately 85% of the story took place in the school, those characters were teachers and students, obviously the demon would have to be one of those. I think the author did a good job throwing me off the scent of the culprit, when I thought of who that might be, it seemed too obvious, and decided to just be surprised. I was surprised and not surprised, meaning that the twist and turns got me all turned around and made me not so sure, but my original guess was correct. The romance wasn’t all-consuming, but I thought Miranda’s and Jakes romance was very sweet and tender.
The creepy and grossed parts were when the guys had their confrontations with the demon, he terrorized them and tried to take them down one by one, and even if it was creeptastic and gross, it brought the horror and action to the story. The negative thing about this story was the naiveté of the characters. I tried to understand that they were new to this and didn’t know better. A good example that did have me scratching my head was when the guys thought that they might have found the culprit, they had him arrested and thought, good, job done. I was yelling at them, don’t be foolish, it’s a freaking demon your dealing with, you need to banish it, that means killing it. Other than that I really liked these guys and the story as a whole. I felt that the characters and more about the demon aspect could have been delved into more, but it’s a Stand-Alone and with that, it was still a really fulfilling story, and I’m left with wanting more.
August 15, 2015
*review copy provided by Netgalley
Bleed is an amazing novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more. Dax Varley doesn’t disappoint. The characters are unique and well developed. The plot is creative and interesting. The paranormal aspect of the story is tied together very well. The five individuals that are the ‘Chosen Ones’ are connected together and together as a team is their only shot at surviving…according to a prophecy.
An overabundance of suicides have haunted Century High, which now has the nickname Suicide High. But are these teenagers really killing themselves are is something more heinous at work. The chosen ones are destined to stop whoever, whatever it is.
Miranda moves from her very small town in Texas to a much larger one after her father had an affair with her mother’s friend. Miranda is special. She’s a stigmatic. And her spontaneous bleeding from the palms doesn’t quite land her a spot on the popular kids table. However, she makes a group of friends faster than she would have thought and they aren’t weirded out by her bleeding because they have special traits as well.
Jake who takes a liking to Miranda is a psychic. Jake ‘remembers’ things…things that haven’t happened yet. He remembers Miranda spurting blood in seventh period and how she gets dowsed in red paint in art class. Things that haven’t happened yet and confuses Miranda until they actually happen. Then she gets intrigued and the friendship between the two starts.
From her episode of gushing blood out of her palms in class she comes face to face with another chosen one, Xyan. The Linguistic. Xyan’s mother thinks god speaks through her for Xyan talks in many different languages some times without even knowing it. People constantly say, in English, but she replies to herself she is…but she’s not. Not only can she speak many languages she can read them too. But her tongues isn’t the only thing that’s special about her she can be quite the charmer as well.
During lunch on Miranda’s first day she meets the fourth chosen one, Sam. Sam is the typical, cocky teenage boy whose main focus is the most pretty popular girl at school. He also is a sin eater. He can’t eat or drink anything in the presence of another person dead or alive, because whatever he eats will be their sins. He inherited his ‘gift’ from his grandfather and before he could learn more about it his grandfather died. All he know is that he’s the dragon.
Jake knows that the suicides aren’t normal suicides. Someone is making them do it and he’s right. A mysterious force is at work worming into the students mind making them kill themselves. He knows who four of the five are, but the last one he has to draw out. Topher. The last do-gooder of the group. He has the ability to heal and when our secret murderer makes a girl kill herself during a school assembly he runs to the rescue. Topher –in my opinion- has the worst back story than any of the others. And by worse I mean heart wrenching. Getting kidnapped by a church cult that your mother and father orchestrated is awful.
It’s after that moment that Jake gets all five teenagers together and informs him of his memories. But it isn’t until Miranda does some research to who or what they’re up against. Kalziel. An ancient demon that kills people that will make a difference in the world. Long story short a war is going down.
Overall, I couldn’t put this book down. I loved it and didn’t want it to end. There is a religious aspect to it considering the main character, the only one that can fully bring down Kalziel is a stigmatic. Church and religious aspects are referenced, but they didn’t hinder the story in a bad way. I enjoyed how each of the characters had their own story line and how they all in the end became friends. There is so much more depth and action to this novel than I mentioned. It absolutely should be on everyone’s must read list!
Bleed is an amazing novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more. Dax Varley doesn’t disappoint. The characters are unique and well developed. The plot is creative and interesting. The paranormal aspect of the story is tied together very well. The five individuals that are the ‘Chosen Ones’ are connected together and together as a team is their only shot at surviving…according to a prophecy.
An overabundance of suicides have haunted Century High, which now has the nickname Suicide High. But are these teenagers really killing themselves are is something more heinous at work. The chosen ones are destined to stop whoever, whatever it is.
Miranda moves from her very small town in Texas to a much larger one after her father had an affair with her mother’s friend. Miranda is special. She’s a stigmatic. And her spontaneous bleeding from the palms doesn’t quite land her a spot on the popular kids table. However, she makes a group of friends faster than she would have thought and they aren’t weirded out by her bleeding because they have special traits as well.
Jake who takes a liking to Miranda is a psychic. Jake ‘remembers’ things…things that haven’t happened yet. He remembers Miranda spurting blood in seventh period and how she gets dowsed in red paint in art class. Things that haven’t happened yet and confuses Miranda until they actually happen. Then she gets intrigued and the friendship between the two starts.
From her episode of gushing blood out of her palms in class she comes face to face with another chosen one, Xyan. The Linguistic. Xyan’s mother thinks god speaks through her for Xyan talks in many different languages some times without even knowing it. People constantly say, in English, but she replies to herself she is…but she’s not. Not only can she speak many languages she can read them too. But her tongues isn’t the only thing that’s special about her she can be quite the charmer as well.
During lunch on Miranda’s first day she meets the fourth chosen one, Sam. Sam is the typical, cocky teenage boy whose main focus is the most pretty popular girl at school. He also is a sin eater. He can’t eat or drink anything in the presence of another person dead or alive, because whatever he eats will be their sins. He inherited his ‘gift’ from his grandfather and before he could learn more about it his grandfather died. All he know is that he’s the dragon.
Jake knows that the suicides aren’t normal suicides. Someone is making them do it and he’s right. A mysterious force is at work worming into the students mind making them kill themselves. He knows who four of the five are, but the last one he has to draw out. Topher. The last do-gooder of the group. He has the ability to heal and when our secret murderer makes a girl kill herself during a school assembly he runs to the rescue. Topher –in my opinion- has the worst back story than any of the others. And by worse I mean heart wrenching. Getting kidnapped by a church cult that your mother and father orchestrated is awful.
It’s after that moment that Jake gets all five teenagers together and informs him of his memories. But it isn’t until Miranda does some research to who or what they’re up against. Kalziel. An ancient demon that kills people that will make a difference in the world. Long story short a war is going down.
Overall, I couldn’t put this book down. I loved it and didn’t want it to end. There is a religious aspect to it considering the main character, the only one that can fully bring down Kalziel is a stigmatic. Church and religious aspects are referenced, but they didn’t hinder the story in a bad way. I enjoyed how each of the characters had their own story line and how they all in the end became friends. There is so much more depth and action to this novel than I mentioned. It absolutely should be on everyone’s must read list!
September 16, 2015
*FREE ARC FROM AUTHOR IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*
MY REVIEW
Miranda is an anomaly, her palms spurt out blood. Enrolled at a new school, she meets three other "gifted students" who can see the future, sin-eat and speak all the languages! But Miranda's new school has been nicknamed "suicide high" for a reason. Students keep committing suicide and it's up to these four to figure out why these kids are killing themselves.
Plot wise-wow! Super original! A person who shoots out blood? You gotta admit that definitely peaks your curiosity! I loved the mystery that kept going throughout the book. I kept asking myself why they kept wanting to die and who was behind it-was there even someone behind it in the first place?
Dax Vaeley is definitely an amazing writer with lots of talent! Her writing keeps you on an emotional roller coaster! I loved that there was alternating POV's so you really got to know each character individually! Sam has got to be my favorite! He's sweet and so hilarious i was laughing through almost all his dialogues! Xyan is the tough one-at first she gave the impression of a bully and i was quite wary of her but then i warmed up to her. The author keeps the suspense and twists going through the whole novel-keeping you on the edge of your seat and making you experience those nail-biting-ohmigod-what's-gonna-happen-next moments!
I just have to mention the violence in this book! AMAZING! It actually gave me chills and i loved reading it at night on my kindle with all the lights off (yeah i'm weird like that :P ) Vivid, is the only way to describe it-it felt like you were there watching the scenes unfold with all the details-just wow!
Overall a great read, for anyone who loves Christopher Pike and likes a bit of horror in there YA will absolutely love this book!
MY REVIEW
Miranda is an anomaly, her palms spurt out blood. Enrolled at a new school, she meets three other "gifted students" who can see the future, sin-eat and speak all the languages! But Miranda's new school has been nicknamed "suicide high" for a reason. Students keep committing suicide and it's up to these four to figure out why these kids are killing themselves.
Plot wise-wow! Super original! A person who shoots out blood? You gotta admit that definitely peaks your curiosity! I loved the mystery that kept going throughout the book. I kept asking myself why they kept wanting to die and who was behind it-was there even someone behind it in the first place?
Dax Vaeley is definitely an amazing writer with lots of talent! Her writing keeps you on an emotional roller coaster! I loved that there was alternating POV's so you really got to know each character individually! Sam has got to be my favorite! He's sweet and so hilarious i was laughing through almost all his dialogues! Xyan is the tough one-at first she gave the impression of a bully and i was quite wary of her but then i warmed up to her. The author keeps the suspense and twists going through the whole novel-keeping you on the edge of your seat and making you experience those nail-biting-ohmigod-what's-gonna-happen-next moments!
I just have to mention the violence in this book! AMAZING! It actually gave me chills and i loved reading it at night on my kindle with all the lights off (yeah i'm weird like that :P ) Vivid, is the only way to describe it-it felt like you were there watching the scenes unfold with all the details-just wow!
Overall a great read, for anyone who loves Christopher Pike and likes a bit of horror in there YA will absolutely love this book!
September 2, 2016
To be honest, I was worried about the book and delving into the thoughts of suicide. It wasn't like it. Then I was worried it was being glorified. It wasn't like that either. So we follow a group of teenagers with extraordinary abilities. They each get their own POV through the story. I thought that might get too much, but it was actually done well. Their mission: Find the demon that's manipulating people and end him. The blood wasn't really all that gory. I can be a little funny about blood, but it didn't bother me here.
Here's what I liked: There's humor here. Like quite a lot. I enjoyed reading the book and I laughed out loud a couple of times. Each character has an interesting background story to how they came about their abilities and they each had their own distinct personalities. Each new POV was interesting and it did not drag between the MC (Who is Miranda this time around). There was a lot of thought put into it. Xyan. She was hysterical.
Here's what I didn't like: I would have loved to see Xyan's interaction with Miranda's mom.
Overall, it's a great read that I pretty much ignored everything around me to finish in one sitting; I knew I wouldn't get to read for the next few days, so I had a good reason! I'm engaged and curious about the characters that I met. I'm going to pick up the next one in the series and have placed it in my wish list.
Here's what I liked: There's humor here. Like quite a lot. I enjoyed reading the book and I laughed out loud a couple of times. Each character has an interesting background story to how they came about their abilities and they each had their own distinct personalities. Each new POV was interesting and it did not drag between the MC (Who is Miranda this time around). There was a lot of thought put into it. Xyan. She was hysterical.
Here's what I didn't like: I would have loved to see Xyan's interaction with Miranda's mom.
Overall, it's a great read that I pretty much ignored everything around me to finish in one sitting; I knew I wouldn't get to read for the next few days, so I had a good reason! I'm engaged and curious about the characters that I met. I'm going to pick up the next one in the series and have placed it in my wish list.
August 28, 2015
This is a book that deals with 5 teenagers fighting an ancient demon who is causing teens to kill themselves. It has gotten so bad that the school that these teens attend has started being called suicide high. The thing that makes this book so unique and stand out are the gifts that these teens have. They have the gifts of being a seer, a stigmatic, speaking in tongues, a healer and a sin eater, I have seen books with individuals with one of these gifts but to put all five of these gifts in one book was awesome. I enjoyed the relationships the five characters formed and the insight into their personalities. There was a twist and the end. The writing and plot was interesting and unique and I do recommend this book. I received this book from the publishers as an ARC via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
December 8, 2016
I bought this book at a book signing. Dax Varley can tell a story well. I wasn't sure what to expect as I began reading this. With each character's realization that what they thought of as a curse is actually a gift I found myself drawn more into the impending dread of what I would discover in the character's high school. I thought I knew who the antagonist would be, but found myself surprised in the end.
August 9, 2015
Ummm. Definitely a three stars for this one. But I'm still confused on where I actually stand. It wasn't bad? But it wasn't entirely amazing either?
June 13, 2021
I want to start by saying that I wish I didn't read this one on my lunch break, my stomach was churning within the first few pages as everything that was written was so vivid.
From the start I knew this book would be one for me, it grabbed my attention with it's oddness, I've never read anything like it before, it was something special.
Our 5 main characters were so incredibly written that I felt like they were my friends! They were all from different stereotypical high school groups, but with their supernatural elements they all came together to form a tight knit group determined to get to the bottom of what was going on at their school...
The supernatural elements of these characters weren't overwhelming in any way, they still behaved like normal teenagers - which I loved.
As the book progressed I particularly enjoyed how each character got their own specific chapter and then minor plot lines following their interaction with the evil that is infecting their lives. For me, this gave the book an edge and brought something different to the story.
I didn't want this book to end because I was enjoying it so much, but even the ending was top notch, I couldn't fault it and I loved how they all had to play their part. It finished the book perfectly.
Throughout the whole book the balance of supernatural and typical teenagers was kept, and with the added horror elements, supernatural themes and the evil being, Bleed ticked all of my boxes!
I cannot rate this book highly enough, I absolutely loved it.
From the start I knew this book would be one for me, it grabbed my attention with it's oddness, I've never read anything like it before, it was something special.
Our 5 main characters were so incredibly written that I felt like they were my friends! They were all from different stereotypical high school groups, but with their supernatural elements they all came together to form a tight knit group determined to get to the bottom of what was going on at their school...
The supernatural elements of these characters weren't overwhelming in any way, they still behaved like normal teenagers - which I loved.
As the book progressed I particularly enjoyed how each character got their own specific chapter and then minor plot lines following their interaction with the evil that is infecting their lives. For me, this gave the book an edge and brought something different to the story.
I didn't want this book to end because I was enjoying it so much, but even the ending was top notch, I couldn't fault it and I loved how they all had to play their part. It finished the book perfectly.
Throughout the whole book the balance of supernatural and typical teenagers was kept, and with the added horror elements, supernatural themes and the evil being, Bleed ticked all of my boxes!
I cannot rate this book highly enough, I absolutely loved it.
February 5, 2018
What a great ride! I am so glad that I purchased this book for my teen collection. I enjoyed the whole story. It had humor, surprises, characters I loved, and blood...lots and lots of blood! I am excited for the next in the series! A lot of my horror loving teens are going to eat this one up!!!
October 9, 2019
One of the better YA type books, this is hugely enjoyable with good characters. High School at the dubbed Suicide High will never be the same for a few special teens.
Not ya norm when these teens come together for their unique powers, a prophecy and someone or something manipulating teens to kill themselves.
Not ya norm when these teens come together for their unique powers, a prophecy and someone or something manipulating teens to kill themselves.
December 3, 2019
Just OK
Interesting set of characters. There are editing and proofreading issues, and I didn't see any reason for the different points of view because they added nothing to the story.
Not great but not bad either.
Interesting set of characters. There are editing and proofreading issues, and I didn't see any reason for the different points of view because they added nothing to the story.
Not great but not bad either.
January 2, 2018
great story line and story kept me turinging pages
January 27, 2016
This review was originally posted on One Curvy Blogger
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.With a title like Bleed I should not have been surprised by the gruesome beginning of this story. I doubt I’ll ever read a prologue as shocking and disturbing as this one, and it really set my expectations for the rest of the book. I am happy to tell you I was not disappointed. Bleed wins the creepy and weird award and oh, I enjoyed every gory minute of it!
The quick of it is this: Miranda is a new student at Century High, aka Suicide High. She is stigmatic, she bleeds from her palms spontaneously and her condition has ruined her first day of school. . .and most of her life. If that’s not bad enough, she and her new group of friends must use their extraordinary abilities to find out a way to stop the supernatural force terrorizing Century High before it’s too late for all of them.
I’ve read a good amount of young adult horror and while Bleed had the makings for a predictable premise, I was really surprised by how Varley kept me on my toes. There were hints here and there that led me down the right path, but I really was taken by surprise in the end. And holy cow was the bad guy a weirdo!
It’s rare that I come across a young adult novel that has a good mixture of action, horror, and romance without a lot of drama to muddy the experience. While Bleed had its fair share of high school drama (where would YA be without it?), very little of it was the relationship drama that makes me want to slam my head against a wall repeatedly.
Jake kept an even pace, loping alongside her. “You know, you could blame me if you want.”
She cast him a questioning look. “And why would I want to do that?”
He cut his eyes to her and shrugged. “Because I’m Jewish. If my people hadn’t killed your Jesus-guy in such a ‘creative’ way, you wouldn’t be so holy.”
She held up a hand. “Is that a pun?”
Jake chuckled. “There you go. I knew under all that hemoglobin was a sense of humor.”
Each of the main characters wormed their way into my heart for one reason or another. Each of them have their own secrets, hardships and best of all – they had weaknesses like real human beings. I felt for them and I fell in love with them. They were all charming in their own ways, too!
I was fascinated by the abilities the main characters had, especially Miranda. I never knew that stigmata was a real condition, so when I googled it I was surprised by how many people have conditions like hers – though for most people who are stigmatic, the bleeding isn’t only in their hands. Yikes! Can you imagine having to live like that?
Bleed was such a fun experience for me. I am kicking myself for waiting so long to read it! I definitely want to read more from this author. I recommend this book to young adult fans who love a large helping of weird with their horror.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2016 Goodreads Reading Challenge
- 2016 New to You Reading Challenge
- 2016 Reading Bingo Challenge
January 17, 2017
Review originally posted on my blog: I Heart Fictional People
INITIAL THOUGHTS
To be honest, I had mixed feelings about the cover. While it definitely caught my attention, it kind of looked a little too sexual than I think was intended. However, the synopsis had me hooked right away. All the suicides occurring and the five students with unique gifts just sounded like something I had to read.
WHAT I LIKED
The writing. I have never read anything by Dax Varley, but based on this book, she is clearly very talented. The vivid descriptions gave me very clear images in my head, which I appreciated so much! Plus, there was surprisingly a good amount of humor. The out-of-nowhere one-liners and clever metaphors just had me laughing unexpectedly, so that was awesome!
The characters and their abilities. I really liked each of the five main characters. They were all so unique! There have been many books that I have read where the characters are just too similar, so I had a hard time distinguishing who was who at times, but I did not have that problem here. They each had very different personalities, which I absolutely loved. And their abilities were awesome! A bleeder, a psychic, a sin eater, a healer, and a speaker of all languages. Come on. That’s awesome. And I enjoyed seeing the significance of each ability play out. Very entertaining!
The creepy/graphic/violent factor. Okay, this may sound horrible, but I really enjoyed the suicide attempts and other violent scenes. The way that these people tried to kill themselves was horrifying, but it kept me on the edge of my seat. It was like a car crash that you can’t look away from. And this goes hand in hand with the author’s ability to create such vivid, realistic scenes. Awesome, awesome, awesome.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The multiple points of view. While I really liked all five characters, I kind of wish it was just from Miranda’s and Jake’s points of view. Switching between the five different ones was a little confusing and frustrating at times.
The romance. Yeah, I know. The romance is usually my favorite part in all books, but this one just seemed kind of rushed. I like the idea of Miranda and Jake as a couple, but I just didn’t feel a connection. It could have been developed a little more.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Great book! I can’t get over how brilliant the writing is! Dax Varley is definitely an author I will keep my eye on. I can’t wait to read her other books. Not only will the suspense and mystery keep you engaged the entire time, but you will also find yourself suddenly smiling and laughing. Plus, the plot is so unique that you won’t be able to put the book down because you just have to know how it turns out.
*I received an eBook copy of this book from the publisher via The Fantastic Flying Book Club in exchange for an honest review*
INITIAL THOUGHTS
To be honest, I had mixed feelings about the cover. While it definitely caught my attention, it kind of looked a little too sexual than I think was intended. However, the synopsis had me hooked right away. All the suicides occurring and the five students with unique gifts just sounded like something I had to read.
WHAT I LIKED
The writing. I have never read anything by Dax Varley, but based on this book, she is clearly very talented. The vivid descriptions gave me very clear images in my head, which I appreciated so much! Plus, there was surprisingly a good amount of humor. The out-of-nowhere one-liners and clever metaphors just had me laughing unexpectedly, so that was awesome!
The characters and their abilities. I really liked each of the five main characters. They were all so unique! There have been many books that I have read where the characters are just too similar, so I had a hard time distinguishing who was who at times, but I did not have that problem here. They each had very different personalities, which I absolutely loved. And their abilities were awesome! A bleeder, a psychic, a sin eater, a healer, and a speaker of all languages. Come on. That’s awesome. And I enjoyed seeing the significance of each ability play out. Very entertaining!
The creepy/graphic/violent factor. Okay, this may sound horrible, but I really enjoyed the suicide attempts and other violent scenes. The way that these people tried to kill themselves was horrifying, but it kept me on the edge of my seat. It was like a car crash that you can’t look away from. And this goes hand in hand with the author’s ability to create such vivid, realistic scenes. Awesome, awesome, awesome.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The multiple points of view. While I really liked all five characters, I kind of wish it was just from Miranda’s and Jake’s points of view. Switching between the five different ones was a little confusing and frustrating at times.
The romance. Yeah, I know. The romance is usually my favorite part in all books, but this one just seemed kind of rushed. I like the idea of Miranda and Jake as a couple, but I just didn’t feel a connection. It could have been developed a little more.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Great book! I can’t get over how brilliant the writing is! Dax Varley is definitely an author I will keep my eye on. I can’t wait to read her other books. Not only will the suspense and mystery keep you engaged the entire time, but you will also find yourself suddenly smiling and laughing. Plus, the plot is so unique that you won’t be able to put the book down because you just have to know how it turns out.
*I received an eBook copy of this book from the publisher via The Fantastic Flying Book Club in exchange for an honest review*
September 3, 2015
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers. There’s also potentially triggering material mentioned).
I was immediately intrigued by the blurb of this book. I like paranormal-themed books and this one sounded interesting enough to be a bit different. And as I read it, I felt it did meet my expectations really well.
The very first scene of this book did a really good job of setting the tone for the rest of the book, I felt. It was really creepy, but I felt that there was just enough left to readers’ imaginations.
I found that I actually really liked all five of the main characters in this book. I had a lot of sympathy for Miranda, seeing how badly she was affected by what was happening to her. Even though there was an explanation for what was going on, I could imagine it was still an awful experience to be bleeding from her hands. And I had a lot of sympathy for how Miranda kept trying to hide what she thought was wrong with her.
I did think there was a bit too much switching between the different points of view… and I was a bit disappointed that the book slipped into present tense a couple of times, which made those scenes a bit difficult to read… even though I did think that what they revealed was intriguing and added a bit more depth to the story.
I also thought it was interesting to see the different abilities the other characters had. I thought it was really good how Jake’s ability worked… it was a unique take on the whole seer thing. And although Xayan’s ability could have been an amusing one, I was able to understand why it was so hard for her.
I also really liked Sam and Topher. It was intriguing to see how their abilities worked and there were some lines from Sam that really amused me.
There was a lot of tension in this book and I found it really easy to care about the characters. There is a lot about suicide in the book and quite a bit that could be triggering to more sensitive readers.
I would read a sequel to this book. I’d like to see more of the world and the characters, especially since it’s implied that things aren’t over.
(This review may contain spoilers. There’s also potentially triggering material mentioned).
I was immediately intrigued by the blurb of this book. I like paranormal-themed books and this one sounded interesting enough to be a bit different. And as I read it, I felt it did meet my expectations really well.
The very first scene of this book did a really good job of setting the tone for the rest of the book, I felt. It was really creepy, but I felt that there was just enough left to readers’ imaginations.
I found that I actually really liked all five of the main characters in this book. I had a lot of sympathy for Miranda, seeing how badly she was affected by what was happening to her. Even though there was an explanation for what was going on, I could imagine it was still an awful experience to be bleeding from her hands. And I had a lot of sympathy for how Miranda kept trying to hide what she thought was wrong with her.
I did think there was a bit too much switching between the different points of view… and I was a bit disappointed that the book slipped into present tense a couple of times, which made those scenes a bit difficult to read… even though I did think that what they revealed was intriguing and added a bit more depth to the story.
I also thought it was interesting to see the different abilities the other characters had. I thought it was really good how Jake’s ability worked… it was a unique take on the whole seer thing. And although Xayan’s ability could have been an amusing one, I was able to understand why it was so hard for her.
I also really liked Sam and Topher. It was intriguing to see how their abilities worked and there were some lines from Sam that really amused me.
There was a lot of tension in this book and I found it really easy to care about the characters. There is a lot about suicide in the book and quite a bit that could be triggering to more sensitive readers.
I would read a sequel to this book. I’d like to see more of the world and the characters, especially since it’s implied that things aren’t over.
September 6, 2015
See this review and more on my blog, Lilybloombooks
When I first saw the tour invite for Bleed - I knew it was something I wanted to get my hands on. I love discovering new authors, series and books and I am happy I took a chance on it.
Bleed has such an interesting plot line. While yes, a demon wreaking havoc is nothing short of original; the characters and their powers are. And it wasn't them individually, working together and being together it what made them stronger.
Miranda - The Stigmata
Jake - The Seer
Tropher - The Healer
Sam - The Sin Eater
Xyan -- She speaks/reads all languages
Each character has their own unique gift and battling their own demons (haha, punny). Since we get all of their POV throughout the book, we get an inside look at all their characteristics and each one was written so well. They're all different - with different stories, and I loved getting to know each one.
So on top of each character getting to know each other and understand their powers, they are thrown together due to the events happening at their school. Since Jake is a seer, is uses this to bring them together to find out what/who is causing the suicides. I loved the mystery of it -- and why the demon was doing what he was.
Even though the book touches on a hard topic and has some darker content, I thought it was pretty light overall and made for a fun, entertaining story. I am wanting a sequel, since it was IMPLIED, and I especially want to see what these characters could do when they reach their full power.
When I first saw the tour invite for Bleed - I knew it was something I wanted to get my hands on. I love discovering new authors, series and books and I am happy I took a chance on it.
Bleed has such an interesting plot line. While yes, a demon wreaking havoc is nothing short of original; the characters and their powers are. And it wasn't them individually, working together and being together it what made them stronger.
Miranda - The Stigmata
Jake - The Seer
Tropher - The Healer
Sam - The Sin Eater
Xyan -- She speaks/reads all languages
Each character has their own unique gift and battling their own demons (haha, punny). Since we get all of their POV throughout the book, we get an inside look at all their characteristics and each one was written so well. They're all different - with different stories, and I loved getting to know each one.
So on top of each character getting to know each other and understand their powers, they are thrown together due to the events happening at their school. Since Jake is a seer, is uses this to bring them together to find out what/who is causing the suicides. I loved the mystery of it -- and why the demon was doing what he was.
Even though the book touches on a hard topic and has some darker content, I thought it was pretty light overall and made for a fun, entertaining story. I am wanting a sequel, since it was IMPLIED, and I especially want to see what these characters could do when they reach their full power.
February 12, 2016
Whenever I hear the term “Young Adult Fiction”, I cringe. Mainly because the majority of novels in this category lack what makes a story good. And condescension is usually in abundance. I’m very pleased to say that is not the case with Bleed.
Varley has given us five exceptional people—not characters—filled with emotions we can actually believe in. Also, Varley’s voice is arresting. The story is unique and full of great twists readers won’t see coming. Be warned: once you start reading, you’ll have trouble putting this book down. It’s very rare I get to say that about a novel.
As the great Pulp-Master, Hugh B. Cave once said: “A horror story that simply scares just won’t do.” Varley understands this very well, and readers will be treated to humor and other sub-texts which makes Bleed a stand out. That said, this is a scary novel, indeed, and Varley uses blood and gore only when necessary, and to great effect. That’s also a rarity in today’s horror fiction.
Whether you’re a young adult or not, Bleed is a novel that will smack you upside the head— delivering a story and people you won’t soon forget. Varley’s career is destined to be a long one.
Varley has given us five exceptional people—not characters—filled with emotions we can actually believe in. Also, Varley’s voice is arresting. The story is unique and full of great twists readers won’t see coming. Be warned: once you start reading, you’ll have trouble putting this book down. It’s very rare I get to say that about a novel.
As the great Pulp-Master, Hugh B. Cave once said: “A horror story that simply scares just won’t do.” Varley understands this very well, and readers will be treated to humor and other sub-texts which makes Bleed a stand out. That said, this is a scary novel, indeed, and Varley uses blood and gore only when necessary, and to great effect. That’s also a rarity in today’s horror fiction.
Whether you’re a young adult or not, Bleed is a novel that will smack you upside the head— delivering a story and people you won’t soon forget. Varley’s career is destined to be a long one.
September 3, 2015
Five teenagers possess a gift (or a curse - however you view it). A boy that "remembers" the future. A boy who can heal with his touch. A girl with the golden tongue who can speak any language, past or present. The boy that absorbs sins by eating in front of others. Lastly, the girl who bleeds from her palms. These gifts lead them on a terrifying journey to fulfill their destiny in a fight against evil.
The book inched along at the beginning. I began to doubt that I would finish it. Suicide High. Terrible, horrible suicides by teenagers. Narrative spoken through bugs. Mmm… not loving it.About the time I was going to cut my losses, the writer grabbed my attention with the depth and beauty of each individual character. Their physical and mental pain resonated off the pages in shimmering waves. I shuddered over the embarrassment, lack of understanding and the feelings of being alone. Being a teenager is tough, really tough. But being a teenager with a gift designed to save the world against nasty and dark demons? Ugh. Not sure if there is a word strong enough.
The book inched along at the beginning. I began to doubt that I would finish it. Suicide High. Terrible, horrible suicides by teenagers. Narrative spoken through bugs. Mmm… not loving it.About the time I was going to cut my losses, the writer grabbed my attention with the depth and beauty of each individual character. Their physical and mental pain resonated off the pages in shimmering waves. I shuddered over the embarrassment, lack of understanding and the feelings of being alone. Being a teenager is tough, really tough. But being a teenager with a gift designed to save the world against nasty and dark demons? Ugh. Not sure if there is a word strong enough.
August 8, 2015
I really enjoyed this story a whole lot, it was very interesting and loved these 5 very special individuals. It was interesting in regards to what each individuals special ability was. Jake and Miranda where my favorites but I really enjoyed all 5 of them. Sam's ability I sure wouldn't have wanted at all. Topher I loved his talent. At first I wasn't sure who the bad person was than I thought I knew than second guessed myself, but I shouldn't have because I was spot on. And I loved how sassy Xyan was in the book am not sure about her talent through. I guess it was definitely different. I would most definitely read more books by this Author if there as interesting as this one was.
Thanks to the Author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me this book to read just for giving my honest opinion of this book. It was definitely a fun and enjoyable book to read and I would most definitely recommend this book to other individuals to buy.
Thanks to the Author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me this book to read just for giving my honest opinion of this book. It was definitely a fun and enjoyable book to read and I would most definitely recommend this book to other individuals to buy.
September 17, 2015
Miranda's wrists gush out blood. She doesn't know why or when it will happen. As if that isn't bad enough she has just enrolled at a new school which has been nicknamed "Suicide High" thanks to the increasing amount of suicides happening lately. It's here she bumps into a cute boy named Jake and learns that he has the power to predict the immediate future. Jake's friend, Sam, eats the sins of the dead. Two of their classmates also have special powers. Topher can heal by touch. Xyan can speak and understand all languages. When it becomes apparent that something or someone is behind the suicides, these five team up to destroy the evil that's running through their school.
This isn't the kind of book I usually read but it sounded interesting. Definite points for originality. Xyan got on my nerves. I hate when I don't know what the characters are saying because of different languages. I didn't care for the last few chapters but overall the book wasn't too bad.
This isn't the kind of book I usually read but it sounded interesting. Definite points for originality. Xyan got on my nerves. I hate when I don't know what the characters are saying because of different languages. I didn't care for the last few chapters but overall the book wasn't too bad.
September 6, 2015
I can honestly say I have never read a book anything like this before. Sure you've got your suspenseful mystery elements, and certainly your paranormal, even a good bit of high school humor, but Bleed is so utterly original I can't even quite categorize it for you properly. The five main characters are a big part of the difference- the story is told from different points of view rather than solely focusing on one or two people, and instead of being confusing it gives you a well rounded look at what's going on with the kids. There were many twists and turns which threw me for a loop, thinking I knew what was happening and then, BAM, you're wrong. I enjoyed being kept on my toes and up late at night reading Bleed, maybe even with a nightlight on, I can't confirm this. If you're looking for your next "what did I just read?" book, pick up Bleed by Dax Varley!
***free copy provided for an honest review***
***free copy provided for an honest review***
October 27, 2015
A great YA Horror!
This is not your usual good vs. evil novel, as Dax Varley is an exceptional YA novelist! I’m always amazed with the skillful manner in which she connects with all ages!
Immediately, the story packs a punch! We’re given narration from several view points, including that of a very nasty culprit, with remarkable precision. The writing is so good, there is no lull, no confusion, and definitely no lack of imagination. The rag tag team representing the good is an authentic version of kids today, and the evil is concealed brilliantly.
I enjoyed this immensely, as I’m a fan of horror. There was comedic relief to balance the terror, the gory scenes were perfectly gross, and there’s even a sweet little romance involved. Highly recommend.
**I recommend for High School aged YA & above due to violence, subject matter, and language.**
This is not your usual good vs. evil novel, as Dax Varley is an exceptional YA novelist! I’m always amazed with the skillful manner in which she connects with all ages!
Immediately, the story packs a punch! We’re given narration from several view points, including that of a very nasty culprit, with remarkable precision. The writing is so good, there is no lull, no confusion, and definitely no lack of imagination. The rag tag team representing the good is an authentic version of kids today, and the evil is concealed brilliantly.
I enjoyed this immensely, as I’m a fan of horror. There was comedic relief to balance the terror, the gory scenes were perfectly gross, and there’s even a sweet little romance involved. Highly recommend.
**I recommend for High School aged YA & above due to violence, subject matter, and language.**
September 8, 2015
even though this is the first time I've ever read anything by her, I have to say that I love her writing style.As well this been the first time I've ever picked up a book that has something todo with stigmatic and I'm so glad that I did. I love how she wrote about the main characters and how each one has a different type of gift that's all their own.becouse each gift is some how special in its own way.you have one character that is stigmatic,one that heals by touching,one that is a sin eater, one that dreams of what's to come to past,and one that can talk in all of the ancient religious languages.this book was so good that it was hard for me to put it down as well as being scary at times because you didn't known what was coming or happening next at lest to me it felt that way.
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