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Arden St. John #1
Superstition
What happens when your childhood nightmares of being bitten by strange creatures in a dark wood aren’t just dreams? Sixteen-year-old Arden St. John’s life takes a strange turn when she finds an unusual animal injured near her new house on the south east coast of Australia. When she takes it to the local vet, a terrible truth is inadvertently exposed to her. She discovers a secret underworld, where witches are commonplace and trolls masquerade as queen bees, terrorising the other students with impunity. A world where vampires traffic in the lives of children, draining their bodies once they reach maturity. Where adults auction their own children to extend their lives. Arden finds out she’s one of those kids, her life traded by the mother she never knew. Now she’s caught up in this ancient and corrupt economy operating just below the surface of modern society. She’s a hot commodity, and it’s only a matter of time before the vampire who bought her comes to claim his prize. But Arden’s not going down without a fight.
328 pages, Paperback
First published July 26, 2015
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666 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 20, 2016
I received this book in an exchange for an honest review, kind regards to YA Book Tours and the Author
Hm...this book is full of surprises and twists and turns along the way. The cover is freaking gloomy awesome though!
Arden is very fierce, strong and a courageous character. She is someone who does not go down without a fight! I really loved her character and admired her ferocity very much. She was a fighter, I think this is what was a core integral in her and what kept the story going. I really found it amusing how she would never smile or laugh in the book, maybe......you will have to read the book to find out if she does or doesn't ;). It is really sad what happens to her at the beginning and how she is thrown in to the situation she never wanted to be in, but then again she is shown to be constantly wishing to be special it makes me think of wishful thinking and how we should careful of what we wish for.
Anyways, she finds out a devasting truth about her life capacity and what will happen to her. The story revolves around Arden finding out who she is along the way and accepting who she is as well as fighting for her destiny. I think this sends a strong message to everyone to be who they are (including me!).
I find it intriguing how she is depicted as a 'beserker' and feeds on negativity and chaos, that is freaking awesome and odd at the same time.
There are some characters who I did not like; Georgia being one of them, she is the typical 'mean bitch' who thinks she owns the school (the mystery becoming as to why everyone turns the cheek whenever she does something spiteful and no one notices? Strange right!) Nick is the nice, hot guy in the book. I love how he is willing to have a relationship with Arden despite the odds. The only I dislike the book, I felt the pace to be a bit slow at times and it dragged a bit in some places. I wanted more action.
Reminds you of Elena from the The Vampire Diaries doesn't it? It does for me!
Hm...this book is full of surprises and twists and turns along the way. The cover is freaking gloomy awesome though!
Arden is very fierce, strong and a courageous character. She is someone who does not go down without a fight! I really loved her character and admired her ferocity very much. She was a fighter, I think this is what was a core integral in her and what kept the story going. I really found it amusing how she would never smile or laugh in the book, maybe......you will have to read the book to find out if she does or doesn't ;). It is really sad what happens to her at the beginning and how she is thrown in to the situation she never wanted to be in, but then again she is shown to be constantly wishing to be special it makes me think of wishful thinking and how we should careful of what we wish for.
Anyways, she finds out a devasting truth about her life capacity and what will happen to her. The story revolves around Arden finding out who she is along the way and accepting who she is as well as fighting for her destiny. I think this sends a strong message to everyone to be who they are (including me!).
I find it intriguing how she is depicted as a 'beserker' and feeds on negativity and chaos, that is freaking awesome and odd at the same time.
There are some characters who I did not like; Georgia being one of them, she is the typical 'mean bitch' who thinks she owns the school (the mystery becoming as to why everyone turns the cheek whenever she does something spiteful and no one notices? Strange right!) Nick is the nice, hot guy in the book. I love how he is willing to have a relationship with Arden despite the odds. The only I dislike the book, I felt the pace to be a bit slow at times and it dragged a bit in some places. I wanted more action.
Reminds you of Elena from the The Vampire Diaries doesn't it? It does for me!
September 6, 2016
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Superstition is an ambitious novel. There’s a lot going on and I respect the author for what she tried to do.
Arden is a teenage girl who has moved with her dad to a seaside town, what she soon discovers is that she’s actually a witch. There are also vampires. And she falls for a boy, who happens to be dating the resident mean girl, who happens to be a total troll. (Seriously.)
All of that sounds fabulous, doesn’t it? It is. And the author tackles each subplot just fine. The trouble I have is that it felt like I was reading pieces of multiple books. The subplots weren’t woven together as seamlessly as I’d have liked. First we deal with the witch thing, then the mean girl, then the vampires, add in some ghosts, then back to the witch thing, and so on. It felt like when Arden was dealing with one problem, all of the other problems ceased to exist. They conveniently moved to the back burner. Weaving together so many subplots is not easy though, so I give her points for the effort. I know she must have worked her butt off at it.
I also had trouble connecting with Arden, especially because we’re told that she’s sort of gloomy and never smiles. Somehow she had friends at her old school, but can’t figure out why she doesn’t have friends at her new school. It actually took me by surprise when Arden realizes why nobody wants to be her friend, there really wasn’t much foreshadowing, which sort of blindsided me. Ultimately, I just really couldn’t connect with Arden at all.
Despite not connecting with Arden, I loved her interactions with Nick. He was a genuinely nice guy, and I think he was the Yin to her Yang. I loved their friendship / relationship / connection / whatever. I really don’t see what Nick sees in her, but I like her better when he’s with her.
What I did love was the lore the author has written into this book. The witches powers are awesome. Each witch is different, their powers unique to them. It was really interesting to see this unique take on magic. It was also super cool when Arden’s powers were finally unleashed. I also loved her version of vampires (no, they don’t sparkle, but they’re also not Dracula!)
My favorite character was probably the resident mean girl, Georgia. I loved to hate her. I loved her interactions with Arden, especially…. Well, I can’t reveal my favorite part, because it’s kind of spoilery. ;) But ultimately, I think Georgia was the most developed character.
I think readers who love paranormal YA novels and can overlook an overabundance of exclamation marks and other editing issues would probably enjoy this book. It really left me with mixed feelings in the end, so I would consider reading the next book in the series, but I wouldn’t put it at the top of my TBR pile.
Superstition is an ambitious novel. There’s a lot going on and I respect the author for what she tried to do.
Arden is a teenage girl who has moved with her dad to a seaside town, what she soon discovers is that she’s actually a witch. There are also vampires. And she falls for a boy, who happens to be dating the resident mean girl, who happens to be a total troll. (Seriously.)
All of that sounds fabulous, doesn’t it? It is. And the author tackles each subplot just fine. The trouble I have is that it felt like I was reading pieces of multiple books. The subplots weren’t woven together as seamlessly as I’d have liked. First we deal with the witch thing, then the mean girl, then the vampires, add in some ghosts, then back to the witch thing, and so on. It felt like when Arden was dealing with one problem, all of the other problems ceased to exist. They conveniently moved to the back burner. Weaving together so many subplots is not easy though, so I give her points for the effort. I know she must have worked her butt off at it.
I also had trouble connecting with Arden, especially because we’re told that she’s sort of gloomy and never smiles. Somehow she had friends at her old school, but can’t figure out why she doesn’t have friends at her new school. It actually took me by surprise when Arden realizes why nobody wants to be her friend, there really wasn’t much foreshadowing, which sort of blindsided me. Ultimately, I just really couldn’t connect with Arden at all.
Despite not connecting with Arden, I loved her interactions with Nick. He was a genuinely nice guy, and I think he was the Yin to her Yang. I loved their friendship / relationship / connection / whatever. I really don’t see what Nick sees in her, but I like her better when he’s with her.
What I did love was the lore the author has written into this book. The witches powers are awesome. Each witch is different, their powers unique to them. It was really interesting to see this unique take on magic. It was also super cool when Arden’s powers were finally unleashed. I also loved her version of vampires (no, they don’t sparkle, but they’re also not Dracula!)
My favorite character was probably the resident mean girl, Georgia. I loved to hate her. I loved her interactions with Arden, especially…. Well, I can’t reveal my favorite part, because it’s kind of spoilery. ;) But ultimately, I think Georgia was the most developed character.
I think readers who love paranormal YA novels and can overlook an overabundance of exclamation marks and other editing issues would probably enjoy this book. It really left me with mixed feelings in the end, so I would consider reading the next book in the series, but I wouldn’t put it at the top of my TBR pile.
September 2, 2015
Love, love, loved this one. It was definitely a new take on the paranormal world and I really intrigued the conundrum of pseudo-human trafficking in years. I can tell the politics of the whole situation have been thought out, which lended itself to being believable.
I wish the circumstances around a “familiar” had been explained a little better though as I found that somewhat distracting and confusing. I also found it odd that her dad was gone all the time. They did briefly mention a potential reason why mid-way through the book, but I was assuming that he had been kidnapped at points because he was never around.
Mild confusion at times aside, I generally was pleased with this book and it was one of the better paranormal reads I’ve had in a while. I’d certainly continue the series.
Warning: Contains violence
Who should read it? Paranormal fans looking for a modern twist.
Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review courtesy of YA Bound Blog Tours.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract
I wish the circumstances around a “familiar” had been explained a little better though as I found that somewhat distracting and confusing. I also found it odd that her dad was gone all the time. They did briefly mention a potential reason why mid-way through the book, but I was assuming that he had been kidnapped at points because he was never around.
Mild confusion at times aside, I generally was pleased with this book and it was one of the better paranormal reads I’ve had in a while. I’d certainly continue the series.
Warning: Contains violence
Who should read it? Paranormal fans looking for a modern twist.
Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review courtesy of YA Bound Blog Tours.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract
October 30, 2015
*** Reviewed for #HashtagMinxes Love Books ***
Superstition - Lucy Fenton - 4.5 Stars
Wow! what an unusual and brilliantly written story, I was drawn in and completely hooked from the beginning. I must say I was slightly nervous to read this after reading the blurb - in particular with the reference to the babies being sold and I have to say the story was not at all how I expected - in a good way. This book is well written and not nearly as dark as I thought it was going to be.
It's so hard to re-cap on this book without giving everything away, this is a must read for any paranormal YA lovers it has lots of twist and turns, witches, vampires and trolls. I loved Arden's strange character and the strength she finds to deal with all that's thrown at her, also this time the vampires are not the hot and sexy type !
A really great read with a unusual angle. I also love how there's no cliffhanger however this book leaves me wanting so much more ! I'll definitely be looking for more from Lucy Fenton.
Superstition - Lucy Fenton - 4.5 Stars
Wow! what an unusual and brilliantly written story, I was drawn in and completely hooked from the beginning. I must say I was slightly nervous to read this after reading the blurb - in particular with the reference to the babies being sold and I have to say the story was not at all how I expected - in a good way. This book is well written and not nearly as dark as I thought it was going to be.
It's so hard to re-cap on this book without giving everything away, this is a must read for any paranormal YA lovers it has lots of twist and turns, witches, vampires and trolls. I loved Arden's strange character and the strength she finds to deal with all that's thrown at her, also this time the vampires are not the hot and sexy type !
A really great read with a unusual angle. I also love how there's no cliffhanger however this book leaves me wanting so much more ! I'll definitely be looking for more from Lucy Fenton.
March 18, 2016
ATTENTION: This contains SPOILERS.
I received this book in a giveaway, and was very excited to read this as I am a fan of all things fantasy.
ALSO, free book so that's always good.
However I was a bit disappointed. The book contains many aspects that it doesn't need. (SPOILERS) I mean we learn in just about 300 pages that she is sold to vampires, she's a witch, she can destroy things, that she's adopted, that she's a Berserker, that she is haunted, and all those other things that are a bit too much. (END OF SPOILERS) I felt like the author didn't know how to slow down a bit, and kept adding and adding things that we could really do without.
At first the book looked like it had a purpose and a solid storyline but then it sidetracked to this other thing/villain/character whatever, and then the original plot is just referred a bit towards the end once more..
I still finished the book, but as getting towards the end I was like "oh there's this thing too".
Finally, it's a book I would be kind of disappointed if I had purchased myself and it ended up like that
I received this book in a giveaway, and was very excited to read this as I am a fan of all things fantasy.
ALSO, free book so that's always good.
However I was a bit disappointed. The book contains many aspects that it doesn't need. (SPOILERS) I mean we learn in just about 300 pages that she is sold to vampires, she's a witch, she can destroy things, that she's adopted, that she's a Berserker, that she is haunted, and all those other things that are a bit too much. (END OF SPOILERS) I felt like the author didn't know how to slow down a bit, and kept adding and adding things that we could really do without.
At first the book looked like it had a purpose and a solid storyline but then it sidetracked to this other thing/villain/character whatever, and then the original plot is just referred a bit towards the end once more..
I still finished the book, but as getting towards the end I was like "oh there's this thing too".
Finally, it's a book I would be kind of disappointed if I had purchased myself and it ended up like that
March 11, 2017
Wonderful story, this isn't your usual run of the mill vampire or witch story. It has a very unique story line with drama, danger and of course paranormal The lead character is Arden, a teenage girl who discovers that she's a witch and then the problems begin. But you'll have to read it to find out what happens cause I don't give spoilers. If you like YA Paranormal then you should read this book. Definitely recommend.
September 9, 2015
I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.
Arden lost her mom and now it is just her and her dad. Her dad comes home from work one day and announces that he has been offered a new job and he has decided to take it. He thinks it will be better for both of them. I imagine her father is very sad with losing the love of his life. He probably works all the time because he doesn’t want to come home, knowing that is wife will never be there waiting for him. He probably hates being in that house and everywhere he looks he sees his wife or he sees something that reminds him of her or of the things they use to do together. He also probably thinks that it would be better for Arden as well to live somewhere else.
But of course sixteen year old Arden doesn’t want to leave her old school she has finally stopped being so weird and was starting to make friends. She doesn’t want to leave but she has no choice in the matter at least not for another two years. She hopes that maybe everyone at her new school will be different and she can make more friends and it will be easier for her at the new school. But it is not as easy as she so hoped for.
One day at her new school Arden is minding her own business when a girl comes up to her and tells her leave that no one wants her there. That she is not welcome at their school and if she doesn’t leave she will be very sorry. Arden stands up to her and tells her that she is not going to fight her but this bully doesn’t care what Arden wants and slams her against the wall. She jumps Arden so fast and quickly that Arden has no idea what is happening with no chance to fight back. After it is all over Arden is sent to the office and gets in trouble. But the other girl Georgia does not get in trouble. Arden is very curious as to what is going at this place. She was attacked in front of a lot of other students and no one helped her or took up for her. They just watched this girl beat her up and never did nor said a word.
Arden has to spend a lot of time alone at her new home because her dad is always working. He is gone when she gets up to go to school most days and he isn’t home by the time she goes to bed either. She hates spending all that time alone so she decides to go to the beach and learn how to surf. After all they do live on the beach. She meets this very hot guy on the beach that talks to her sometimes and gives her tips on her surfing. Arden would like very much to get to know this guy a little better but she learns that his girlfriend is the bully at school who beat her up. So no hot boyfriend for Arden, bomber….
But things start looking up for her when she meets two girls at school and she finds out that there is a whole other world out there that most people know nothing about. She finds out that witches, vampires, trolls ect… do actually exist plus other paranormal creatures as well. She also finds out that she has powers of her own and that she is very powerful.
When she learns of this secret world and what she is. She also learns that her life is in danger and she may not have long to live. But she has no intentions of just lying down without a fight. She will not go down easily. She has finally got herself a backbone not that she has a choice in the matter. She doesn’t have anything to lose if she doesn’t fight for her life she is probably more than likely going to die so she may as well give it her best shot and hope she wins.
I love reading about witches and vampires. Each author has their own brilliant imagination when it comes to vampires and witches and I just love reading how different each one is. I have never read anything quite like Superstition before and if you have not read it then I highly suggest you do ASAP!
Arden lost her mom and now it is just her and her dad. Her dad comes home from work one day and announces that he has been offered a new job and he has decided to take it. He thinks it will be better for both of them. I imagine her father is very sad with losing the love of his life. He probably works all the time because he doesn’t want to come home, knowing that is wife will never be there waiting for him. He probably hates being in that house and everywhere he looks he sees his wife or he sees something that reminds him of her or of the things they use to do together. He also probably thinks that it would be better for Arden as well to live somewhere else.
But of course sixteen year old Arden doesn’t want to leave her old school she has finally stopped being so weird and was starting to make friends. She doesn’t want to leave but she has no choice in the matter at least not for another two years. She hopes that maybe everyone at her new school will be different and she can make more friends and it will be easier for her at the new school. But it is not as easy as she so hoped for.
One day at her new school Arden is minding her own business when a girl comes up to her and tells her leave that no one wants her there. That she is not welcome at their school and if she doesn’t leave she will be very sorry. Arden stands up to her and tells her that she is not going to fight her but this bully doesn’t care what Arden wants and slams her against the wall. She jumps Arden so fast and quickly that Arden has no idea what is happening with no chance to fight back. After it is all over Arden is sent to the office and gets in trouble. But the other girl Georgia does not get in trouble. Arden is very curious as to what is going at this place. She was attacked in front of a lot of other students and no one helped her or took up for her. They just watched this girl beat her up and never did nor said a word.
Arden has to spend a lot of time alone at her new home because her dad is always working. He is gone when she gets up to go to school most days and he isn’t home by the time she goes to bed either. She hates spending all that time alone so she decides to go to the beach and learn how to surf. After all they do live on the beach. She meets this very hot guy on the beach that talks to her sometimes and gives her tips on her surfing. Arden would like very much to get to know this guy a little better but she learns that his girlfriend is the bully at school who beat her up. So no hot boyfriend for Arden, bomber….
But things start looking up for her when she meets two girls at school and she finds out that there is a whole other world out there that most people know nothing about. She finds out that witches, vampires, trolls ect… do actually exist plus other paranormal creatures as well. She also finds out that she has powers of her own and that she is very powerful.
When she learns of this secret world and what she is. She also learns that her life is in danger and she may not have long to live. But she has no intentions of just lying down without a fight. She will not go down easily. She has finally got herself a backbone not that she has a choice in the matter. She doesn’t have anything to lose if she doesn’t fight for her life she is probably more than likely going to die so she may as well give it her best shot and hope she wins.
I love reading about witches and vampires. Each author has their own brilliant imagination when it comes to vampires and witches and I just love reading how different each one is. I have never read anything quite like Superstition before and if you have not read it then I highly suggest you do ASAP!
November 7, 2015
Reviewed @ Confessions From Romaholics
Review copy kindly provided by author in exchange for a honest review
You know those books when you got into it thinking it going to be one thing but instead become that and more leaving you hooked and wondering if there is going to be more stories about these characters. I had inkling this was going to be YA Paranormal about vampires but never expected this richly complex story about Arden as discovers her true destiny.
Arden has just lost her mother and her father has decided to move on , not wanting to be constantly remaindered of his late wife. With a offer of a new job on the coast they leave thinking a fresh start will be the best. They are both are loss and it is affecting their way of life. However neither of them realise that this change is going to open Pandora’s box for Arden.
As everything is not what seems for Arden, she might think she has her life all figured out and has a typical normal teenager life. But her life is about to become far from normal. Whilst she may be consider weird, she always had friends and a new school isn’t on a high priority, she wants to stay where she is .
Moving to the coast means a whole new life, figuratively but Arden is about to become reality as this place isn’t nothing like her old school. From the moment steps, it is obvious she going not to fit in. As the author has painted as such an unique character and the fact that she is different is something that would always make her stand out. It makes hwe a blinking light here in the new school, as the queen bee hates new people
Though she never though she would be told to leave the school and she not welcome. Arden is no pushover, she can’t stand the girl who wants to be a bully. Nevertheless the girl in question Georgia does just that and it not her who gets in trouble but Arden. All on her first day on school as all the teachers believes she perfect and should be given a wide gap considering her circumstances.
Questions already forming about this story as the synopsis painted a different picture and only a couple of chapters in. I could feel the tone of the book changing as there was secrets amiss this town . Secrets that would unlock the mysterious of the town…
However things are looking up with Arden discovering life this area isn’t all bad and soon makes friends and has love interest. Though she may be happier , she has no idea that all the pieces are coming together and she about to thrown into a world there isn’t nothing that she ever expected.
Will Arden be able to handle things?
Superstition is about those things that don’t make sense and more. Arden was perfect protagonist for this novel. She unaware of this world and the fact that her past is tied to everything was a clever touch. It was the perfect blend of what you want in a young adult novel. A author that has a vivid imagination, young love, a great storyline line and intriguing characters.
If anything was wrong was the book. it was minor. I found it weird that she called her Dad , Dad but his name was mentioned just before she called him or mention him It a bit weird considering that she only ever known him as her father and why was it necessary for us to know his name. It not like it had any impact on the story like other adult characters that we meet in the story who do .
If you love your vampires and want to see them in a whole new light, try this book out is well worth the read.
For more of my reviews, visit Confessions From Romaholics.And drop by the blog's Facebook page
Review copy kindly provided by author in exchange for a honest review
You know those books when you got into it thinking it going to be one thing but instead become that and more leaving you hooked and wondering if there is going to be more stories about these characters. I had inkling this was going to be YA Paranormal about vampires but never expected this richly complex story about Arden as discovers her true destiny.
Arden has just lost her mother and her father has decided to move on , not wanting to be constantly remaindered of his late wife. With a offer of a new job on the coast they leave thinking a fresh start will be the best. They are both are loss and it is affecting their way of life. However neither of them realise that this change is going to open Pandora’s box for Arden.
As everything is not what seems for Arden, she might think she has her life all figured out and has a typical normal teenager life. But her life is about to become far from normal. Whilst she may be consider weird, she always had friends and a new school isn’t on a high priority, she wants to stay where she is .
Moving to the coast means a whole new life, figuratively but Arden is about to become reality as this place isn’t nothing like her old school. From the moment steps, it is obvious she going not to fit in. As the author has painted as such an unique character and the fact that she is different is something that would always make her stand out. It makes hwe a blinking light here in the new school, as the queen bee hates new people
Though she never though she would be told to leave the school and she not welcome. Arden is no pushover, she can’t stand the girl who wants to be a bully. Nevertheless the girl in question Georgia does just that and it not her who gets in trouble but Arden. All on her first day on school as all the teachers believes she perfect and should be given a wide gap considering her circumstances.
Questions already forming about this story as the synopsis painted a different picture and only a couple of chapters in. I could feel the tone of the book changing as there was secrets amiss this town . Secrets that would unlock the mysterious of the town…
However things are looking up with Arden discovering life this area isn’t all bad and soon makes friends and has love interest. Though she may be happier , she has no idea that all the pieces are coming together and she about to thrown into a world there isn’t nothing that she ever expected.
Will Arden be able to handle things?
Superstition is about those things that don’t make sense and more. Arden was perfect protagonist for this novel. She unaware of this world and the fact that her past is tied to everything was a clever touch. It was the perfect blend of what you want in a young adult novel. A author that has a vivid imagination, young love, a great storyline line and intriguing characters.
If anything was wrong was the book. it was minor. I found it weird that she called her Dad , Dad but his name was mentioned just before she called him or mention him It a bit weird considering that she only ever known him as her father and why was it necessary for us to know his name. It not like it had any impact on the story like other adult characters that we meet in the story who do .
If you love your vampires and want to see them in a whole new light, try this book out is well worth the read.
For more of my reviews, visit Confessions From Romaholics.And drop by the blog's Facebook page
September 4, 2015
It should be no secret now that I’m a sucker for witchcraft or occult based stories. The world building in Superstition was a neat take on traditional witches and vampires. I appreciate that the vampires are scary monsters and not sparkling hunks – I’m not at all worried that Arden might fall for one in the future. What was most interesting was the currency of lives or years, being able to buy and sell them, or even selling your children’s years instead! I know that our society surely would be doing that if they could. (If not already, but that’s a political essay for another day.)
Arden was a likable main character. The narration was dependable and consistent all of the way through. I admire her determination and grit, but some times she gets what she want way too easily. Her friends were loyal throughout, even when things got tough; and the teen heart throb Nick, well – he was your perfect boy next door. I hope things will work out for them.
I enjoyed the debate on what is good and evil, creation and destruction, and all of the grey areas in between. You can’t have one without the other, but being raised in a Western/ Christian society, if someone is labeled as destructive, they immediately related that with being evil. I like that Arden is determined to use her powers to right wrongs and fight evil.
Over all, the editing for this book was strong, however I feel like it could have been longer. The pacing was off, and some scenes seemed too rushed. The fight scenes could have been fleshed out better, they all seemed to end to easily and too quickly. For a witch with such destructive powers, I was hoping for a bit more blood and gore! The story could have easily filled another 100 pages and not been a drag.
The title fell flat for me. There are so many books out there with the title Superstition (or some close variable) that it makes it harder to search for it. I would have recommended something a bit more unique for a first novel, but naming books is something I also have trouble with. *cough cough*
I will be checking out the play Gaslight to see how it ties into this novel. It seemed like a not so subtle name drop, and Fenton seems to be a reader of plays so I will be checking that out soon.
I was pleased to find out from the author’s Goodreads page that a sequel was in the works. She noted that it takes her a year or more to write a book, which is totally understandable and I was grateful that she wrapped up the end perfectly – leaving you wanting more but not hanging over a cliff!
*disclaimer* – I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
Arden was a likable main character. The narration was dependable and consistent all of the way through. I admire her determination and grit, but some times she gets what she want way too easily. Her friends were loyal throughout, even when things got tough; and the teen heart throb Nick, well – he was your perfect boy next door. I hope things will work out for them.
I enjoyed the debate on what is good and evil, creation and destruction, and all of the grey areas in between. You can’t have one without the other, but being raised in a Western/ Christian society, if someone is labeled as destructive, they immediately related that with being evil. I like that Arden is determined to use her powers to right wrongs and fight evil.
Over all, the editing for this book was strong, however I feel like it could have been longer. The pacing was off, and some scenes seemed too rushed. The fight scenes could have been fleshed out better, they all seemed to end to easily and too quickly. For a witch with such destructive powers, I was hoping for a bit more blood and gore! The story could have easily filled another 100 pages and not been a drag.
The title fell flat for me. There are so many books out there with the title Superstition (or some close variable) that it makes it harder to search for it. I would have recommended something a bit more unique for a first novel, but naming books is something I also have trouble with. *cough cough*
I will be checking out the play Gaslight to see how it ties into this novel. It seemed like a not so subtle name drop, and Fenton seems to be a reader of plays so I will be checking that out soon.
I was pleased to find out from the author’s Goodreads page that a sequel was in the works. She noted that it takes her a year or more to write a book, which is totally understandable and I was grateful that she wrapped up the end perfectly – leaving you wanting more but not hanging over a cliff!
*disclaimer* – I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
November 6, 2015
Holy hell, what a story!! I haven't read a paranormal book in a while now and I think I have grown to be distant from them earlier on just because they weren't my cup of tea.. But. Here we have SUPERSTITION that makes me want to pick up MORE! As we speak I am going through my kindle trying to find more of my paranormal stories.
This book was just too good not to get your hands on it. It's a fast and easy read which isn't usually what happens with these types of stories, or at least as far as I can recall, it can often be slower in pace and interest to continue to read.. The world building among the vampires, and all sorts of paranormal creatures can take up a lot of space that may make the story drag on. Not with Superstition though. Every element of the world building was balanced out by the action, the heartbreak, the sadness, the confusion, the smiles.. it had everything to make it as good as it can be!!
Loved it!!
Here we have a girl who lost her mother and a father that has in turn lost his own piece of soul.. He takes too much time to block out the pain in losing his wife, and so they end up moving to a different place..
As most of us that have moved to a new place, it's hard as it is to adjust to the new lifestyle not to mention having to start a new life with friends, neighbors and everything in between. I mean, EVERYBODY knows you're new so standing out might not be such a difficult thing. For Arden, it only gets tougher..
Settling into this new city isn't the hardest part. Nor is finding friends. What can be even tougher? Finding out there is a world hidden within he own. Wanting to have a normal life within this new place might be harder than she expected.. and lets not forget that she has her own powers that will set a war when it comes to vampires, witches and all things paranormal.
Can she fight to keep her life at bay? Can she prove to be more powerful that she ever dream to be?
What happens when the people she loves and new ones that she has grown to love, are in danger??
Full of SUSPENSE, ACTION, ROMANCE, LOVE, HATE, CONFUSION..
You have to read this book!! I recommend it even if you have the afternoon off, it will be one of the fastest reads that will make you heart grown bigger and your mind to smile :) I only ever wish that it was a little longer so that we get to know some of the characters better. Other than that, PERFECT.
Thank you Lucy Felton for the ARC which has now officially made me crave a little more paranormal in my reading life!
xx
This book was just too good not to get your hands on it. It's a fast and easy read which isn't usually what happens with these types of stories, or at least as far as I can recall, it can often be slower in pace and interest to continue to read.. The world building among the vampires, and all sorts of paranormal creatures can take up a lot of space that may make the story drag on. Not with Superstition though. Every element of the world building was balanced out by the action, the heartbreak, the sadness, the confusion, the smiles.. it had everything to make it as good as it can be!!
Loved it!!
Here we have a girl who lost her mother and a father that has in turn lost his own piece of soul.. He takes too much time to block out the pain in losing his wife, and so they end up moving to a different place..
As most of us that have moved to a new place, it's hard as it is to adjust to the new lifestyle not to mention having to start a new life with friends, neighbors and everything in between. I mean, EVERYBODY knows you're new so standing out might not be such a difficult thing. For Arden, it only gets tougher..
Settling into this new city isn't the hardest part. Nor is finding friends. What can be even tougher? Finding out there is a world hidden within he own. Wanting to have a normal life within this new place might be harder than she expected.. and lets not forget that she has her own powers that will set a war when it comes to vampires, witches and all things paranormal.
Can she fight to keep her life at bay? Can she prove to be more powerful that she ever dream to be?
What happens when the people she loves and new ones that she has grown to love, are in danger??
Full of SUSPENSE, ACTION, ROMANCE, LOVE, HATE, CONFUSION..
You have to read this book!! I recommend it even if you have the afternoon off, it will be one of the fastest reads that will make you heart grown bigger and your mind to smile :) I only ever wish that it was a little longer so that we get to know some of the characters better. Other than that, PERFECT.
Thank you Lucy Felton for the ARC which has now officially made me crave a little more paranormal in my reading life!
xx
October 31, 2015
This is my first witch paranormal read and won't be the last!!! I've read about vampire's before so I couldn't wait to get started and I wasn't disappointed!!!
Arden has recently lost her mother and her father has just informed her that he's accepted a job near the beach as he thinks a fresh start is what they both need, Arden comes round to the idea and starts to think she could make a fresh start in her new school but things go from bad to worse as the school bully takes an instant dislike to Arden and attacks her in front of the whole school and no one intervenes.
As Arden finds making friends hard she thinks of a new hobby to fill her time so starts Surfing on the way back on day she finds an injured animal and takes it to the local vets this is where she finds out her life isn't so normal and she has powers not only that but witches, vampires and trolls exist and her life is in danger and needs to fight to save it.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, Arden was ballsy and stood up and fought for what's right, the storyline was really good even though it was slow paced in the beginning but the pace soon picked up to the point I couldn't put it down.
Arden has recently lost her mother and her father has just informed her that he's accepted a job near the beach as he thinks a fresh start is what they both need, Arden comes round to the idea and starts to think she could make a fresh start in her new school but things go from bad to worse as the school bully takes an instant dislike to Arden and attacks her in front of the whole school and no one intervenes.
As Arden finds making friends hard she thinks of a new hobby to fill her time so starts Surfing on the way back on day she finds an injured animal and takes it to the local vets this is where she finds out her life isn't so normal and she has powers not only that but witches, vampires and trolls exist and her life is in danger and needs to fight to save it.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, Arden was ballsy and stood up and fought for what's right, the storyline was really good even though it was slow paced in the beginning but the pace soon picked up to the point I couldn't put it down.
November 5, 2015
This was a refreshing new take on vampires and witches. I really enjoyed how the story unfolded.
Arden has never fit in and she doesn't understand why. When her father tells her they are moving to a new town Arden accepts it without argument knowing it would do no good when he is still grieving her mother. Arden eventually makes a few friends in the small town but what brings them together is not at all what she expected.
Arden is a strong, independent, and somewhat sad character. I loved her! Arden doesn't let the disappointment of her possible future deter her from fighting for what she wants and believe she deserves.
Arden has never fit in and she doesn't understand why. When her father tells her they are moving to a new town Arden accepts it without argument knowing it would do no good when he is still grieving her mother. Arden eventually makes a few friends in the small town but what brings them together is not at all what she expected.
Arden is a strong, independent, and somewhat sad character. I loved her! Arden doesn't let the disappointment of her possible future deter her from fighting for what she wants and believe she deserves.
November 19, 2015
Wow! What an amazing story. This story has trolls, vampires, witches, humans, ghosts and familiars. There are no "adult" scenes so it would be a great read for teens and adults alike who enjoy a good paranormal story.
Take a journey with Arden as she learns all about a world that she doesn't know exists. She discovers that she is a witch and has a familiar when she moves to a new house after the death of her mother.
As a baby, her biological father sold her to a vampire but all this is news to Arden until she meets another witch at school.
This book will suck you in and leave you wanting to know what happens next.
Take a journey with Arden as she learns all about a world that she doesn't know exists. She discovers that she is a witch and has a familiar when she moves to a new house after the death of her mother.
As a baby, her biological father sold her to a vampire but all this is news to Arden until she meets another witch at school.
This book will suck you in and leave you wanting to know what happens next.
August 23, 2016
This book is chock full of paranormal creatures, most of which seem strange and very dark. Triska, Arden's familiar was super weird and didn't really seem very helpful. Her friends, however, were great supporting characters and I really liked Sophie. I even liked the cranky, frustrated man named Guy who was her "teacher" of all things witchy. The realization of what Arden truly was wasn't something I was expecting. Nice surprise. But either way, this chick is dark and she has a hard time embracing who she is. The end really made me wonder about a few things. Fascinating read!
July 25, 2016
Creative and Exciting
Life is not going well for Arden. She's always alone and shunned. A new school makes it even worse. She finds out who she is and how dangerous her life will be, however, she doesn't give up, no matter how dark things get. With a few friends, she learns that she may not be as powerless as she thinks. Imaginative, engrossing and creative.
Life is not going well for Arden. She's always alone and shunned. A new school makes it even worse. She finds out who she is and how dangerous her life will be, however, she doesn't give up, no matter how dark things get. With a few friends, she learns that she may not be as powerless as she thinks. Imaginative, engrossing and creative.
November 1, 2015
***Read and revised on behalf of Fictional Men's Page For Book Ho's***
September 9, 2015
What an interesting book this was.. I was able to read it in about 4-5 hours. I did truly enjoy this book. This is a book I wished that could go on a bit more. I just did not want it to end.
I really liked Arden. Finding out she was witch and her wanting to fight the things that were not fair in her world. I also like how strong of a character she was. Even though she learns that is dark and the word "evil" comes to mind she still wants to right the wrongs.
I liked that the vampires were not anything like other vampire books. They were ugly and they were exactly like I would think a vampire would look like. The selling of ones baby for more life was an interesting twist for the vampires. To be able to have complete control over the human baby.
One aspect of the book I thought that Ms Fenton did was to breech the subject of the "v-card". I feel that since this is a young adult book that many of her readers can understand this aspect of the book. She approached the subject with class. She underlines the difficult decision a young adult would be facing. Wanting to do something but at the same time knowing that they are not comfortable about it. Showing that this character also has to make these decisions and standing up for herself was a good conflict within the book. It shows that you don't have to give in no matter what and you can stick to your guns. I applaud her writing this in.
I wish that there were more details within the book. Especially the fight scenes. Also, more of what is going on. I like details so I can picture what is going on in my mind.
This is a great book I am so happy I read this book. I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in this series. I highly recommend this book to anyone. I am also a new fan!
I really liked Arden. Finding out she was witch and her wanting to fight the things that were not fair in her world. I also like how strong of a character she was. Even though she learns that is dark and the word "evil" comes to mind she still wants to right the wrongs.
I liked that the vampires were not anything like other vampire books. They were ugly and they were exactly like I would think a vampire would look like. The selling of ones baby for more life was an interesting twist for the vampires. To be able to have complete control over the human baby.
One aspect of the book I thought that Ms Fenton did was to breech the subject of the "v-card". I feel that since this is a young adult book that many of her readers can understand this aspect of the book. She approached the subject with class. She underlines the difficult decision a young adult would be facing. Wanting to do something but at the same time knowing that they are not comfortable about it. Showing that this character also has to make these decisions and standing up for herself was a good conflict within the book. It shows that you don't have to give in no matter what and you can stick to your guns. I applaud her writing this in.
I wish that there were more details within the book. Especially the fight scenes. Also, more of what is going on. I like details so I can picture what is going on in my mind.
This is a great book I am so happy I read this book. I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in this series. I highly recommend this book to anyone. I am also a new fan!
September 2, 2015
I received an ARC when I signed up and was selected to host the book tour. I made no guarantee of a favorable review and the opinions are my own.
Arden has recently lost her mother and now her dad has informed er that they will be moving so that means she'll be attending a new school. Unfortunately, the hopes she had for the new school are quickly dampered as the school bully zones in on her and to make matters even more difficult she discovers sh'es a witch and that supernatural beings like trolls and vampires exist.
This is the first book written by this author that I've read and I loved every single minute of it. This spellbinding book pulls you in from the start and you'll find it difficult to put down. Well written story with beautiful characters and I cannot wait for the next one.
Arden has recently lost her mother and now her dad has informed er that they will be moving so that means she'll be attending a new school. Unfortunately, the hopes she had for the new school are quickly dampered as the school bully zones in on her and to make matters even more difficult she discovers sh'es a witch and that supernatural beings like trolls and vampires exist.
This is the first book written by this author that I've read and I loved every single minute of it. This spellbinding book pulls you in from the start and you'll find it difficult to put down. Well written story with beautiful characters and I cannot wait for the next one.
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