XODUS

Souls Untethered Saga #1

by K.J. McPike

**This book has been rebranded as Souls Untethered.**

All Lali Yavari wanted for her sixteenth birthday was for her mom to come back. Instead, she starts flashing between realities and seeing people disappear before her very eyes. Then the unsettling Kai Awana shows up at school, and Lali soon discovers she has inherited the ability to astral project—with a surprising twist. When Kai offers to use his own unique ability to help Lali find her mother in exchange for her help on a misguided mission, she can't refuse...even if she's not quite sure she can trust him.

In her thrilling urban fantasy debut, multi-award-winning author K.J. McPike takes us on a ride with "enough tantalizing twists and turns to captivate readers, transforming them into instant fans" (SPR). Don't miss this whirlwind adventure, where what one girl learns about her mother's past will make her question everything she thought was true—and just might put her family in even more danger.


"A modern YA classic in the making."

-- Apex Reviews

"An intriguing story driven equally by plot, characters, and angst."

-- Kirkus Reviews

"Includes enough tantalizing twists and turns to captivate readers, transforming them into instant fans."

-- SPR

"I fell in love with this series almost instantly. This book had me hooked from the very first chapter and I was left on the edge of my seat until the very last page."

-- In a Wonderland They Lie

"This book had me on the edge of my seat with every twist and turn from the very beginning . . . I cannot wait for the next installment in The Astralis Series."

-- T.L. McDonald, author of the MARKED series

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy, Adventure

390 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 19, 2015

About the author

Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author K.J. McPike lives out of a carry-on size suitcase and a backpack. (Mostly the backpack.) After growing up in rural Virginia, she embraced the nomad life and has since lived in nearly a dozen countries across five continents. No matter where she is around the globe, she is likely consuming too much caffeine and spending more time in coffee shops than her own apartment.


Want a free short story from K.J.? Join her newsletter by copying and pasting this link into your browser: www.kjmcpike.com/freebie

Reviews

[Donita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This, I think, is the first ever book I've read about Astral Projection, and I must say that this is a breathe of fresh air in all of the paranormal fantasy book I've read lately.



I did enjoy reading the imaginative take on astral projection in this book, but I also found myself frustrated at times, no scratch that, a lot of times reading XODUS so it was quite a bit hard for me to rate this book.

The story practically revolves around the disappearance of Lali's mother and her quest to find answers why. I would've admired Lali's bravery and loyalty to her family. Her determination to find her mother even after believing that they abandoned them for good.

"Maybe it was naive, but I still believed she had a good reason for leaving."

It could have been really touching. However, reading from Lali's perspective, to put it mildly is frustrating and exhausting.

I want to understand her distress, the pressure of being the eldest among the 5 children, to act like a mother now that the position has been vacated.. but I can't and I did try. Her recklessness and to assuming attitude was so frustrating I would've slap reason on her face if I could. All of the responsibilities force upon her on the disappearance of her mother should've matured her a little bit, would've made her thought things over, be cautious. Oh but no, she did everything the first thing that came out of her mind, I have no problem thinking she would've been long dead if there was no Kai Awana to save her.

I can't help but think that the main reason of Lali's desperation to save her mother was so the responsibility can be lifted out of her, so she didn't have to act parent anymore. I don't really think that was a bad thing- i would've wanted the same thing if it was me, Lali should've atleast admitted it from the start, I guess it will make it less frustrating and a little bit realistic. I guess in someway, it should've been a good thing. I mean, the MC having a flaw and everything for her to have room to grow, I however, just didn't see that happen until the end of the book. Maybe on the sequel?

The world building was quite lacking, I don't know if it was just me but after all the information about this whole new world about Astralis, I just can't seem to envision the world and the more information there is the more confusing it gets to me.

"Great. Every time I felt like I was starting to grasp things, something else popped up that I didn't understand."

Funny, that exactly what I was thinking about.

"For obvious reasons, don't tell anyone else. Not even your closest friends. No matter how much you think you can trust people, there's always the chance they'll slip."

On the other hand, I did enjoy the unexpected twists and turn of the story. Although I didn't quite like the MC, Kai Awana, the love interest, is a different story. Kai is somewhat the exact opposite of Lali. I love how we notice the exact same thing I thought of Lali but still manage to love and care for her in his own way. One of the best thing as well in this book was that there wasn't unnecessary and annoying romance in the book. Both of them knows how to sort out their priorities - which was to saved their loved once. All the side characters in the story was also charming, and can we all take a moment to appreciate the creativeness of their name?

X - Xitlali Marie Yavarie
O - Oxanna Yavarie
D - Dixon Yavarie
U - Ulyxses Yavarie
S - Salaxia Yavarie

I don't know with you and it probably doesn't matter to the story, but I liked it anyway. Also, believe me, the title of this book doesn't just stand on the main characters name. It stands waay more than that which adds up to the creativeness of the book.

All in all, XODUS was a great and entertaining read regardless of the fact that I didn't quite like the MC. The pacing was also great - a plus point. I would definitely anticipate the next book and see where the story goes as I believe that this book has potential to be more than a great read.

Thank you to the author for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her mother disappeared only months before, leaving Lali to become the backbone of her floundering family. When most teens have visions of new cars and parties for their sixteenth birthday, all Lali wanted was her mother and answers to why she is seeing things and finding herself transported to different “realities,” or at least to find out if she is going crazy. There is the man she keeps seeing, and the teen who has just enrolled in her school and a world that is terrifying her. Her father has enough on his plate and he doesn’t believe her anyway.

When the new boy, Kai has answers for her about her gift for astral projection, he dangles them from his superior attitude by offering a deal, she can help find his sister and he will help find her mother and tell her all about her new powers. Will they become unlikely allies or will Lali discover that Kai has been using her for his own benefit, treating her like a mushroom or a starving dog begging for crumbs of information about her mother?

Laws have been broken in a world far beyond human knowing and in that world, Lali is a half-breed, making her powers unique and her existence tenuous, yet it is her very power that makes her the best person to save Kai’s sister. What about her mother? Has Kai been keeping something from her? Something is not adding up and Lali is determined to get to the bottom of it all, and find her mother. Is she sure of whom she can trust? How can Kai both repel her and draw her in? Are they developing a love-hate relationship? The world is full of dishonesty and Lali has placed her bet on trusting Kai…like him or not, he is her only hope at finding her mother…Lali is about to find more than she bargained for as she enters a race for survival and no one gave her the rules.

K.J. Pike’s XODUS has a determined teen in distress making some dangerous moves all in the name of love and family. Follow Lali’s tale, pay attention to Kai’s motives, gasp at the shocking truths revealed and puzzle out WHY these events happened, then ask yourself, what would you do in their situation? Great characters, some dark, some mysterious, some with their hearts on their sleeve and some you would love to open a can of whoop-a** on. Twisted plotting, non-stop action, high conflict and some teen angst, but through it all, Lali becomes a force to be reckoned with. Great writing, Ms. Pike!

I received this copy from K.J. McPike in exchange for my honest review.

Series: Astralis - Book 1
Publisher: Terracotta Rose Publishing in association with Fuzzy Hedgehog Press (September 19, 2015)
Publication Date: September 19, 2015
Genre: YA Fantasy
Print Length: 390 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Emilija · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

I really liked this book! It had twists and turns and plot twists every chapter and it really encouraged you to keep listening.
A girl, Lali, takes over as a pseudo-mother to her four siblings after their mother disappears. Lali, joined by Kai, tries to find both Lali's mother and Kai's sister.
I really liked the relationship between Lali and Kai, though I much preferred Kai as a character. Lali could be kinda annoying at time. She seemed quite immature throughout the novel, as she wasn't willing to listen to what was happening, or listen to explanations. She was reckless and jumped into things before thinking them through, and it did become quite annoying at times.
However, the novel was good enough to overlook the minor issues of Lali's characterisation, because this book was really good. There were moments of cleverness intwined in the novel and they were like gems when they came to light. It was just brilliant.

[Caron · Rating 2 out of 5]

★||Actual Rating: 1.5 stars||★

This review can also be found on my blog at: https://diminishingthoughts.wordpress...

I received this book from the author on Instafreebie in exchange for an honest review.

XODUS tells us the story of Xitlali, dealing with the fact that her mom left, and figuring out her newly found powers of astral projection.

I found the beginning of this book to be slightly fast paced which was good as I thought I’d get through it quickly. I’d never read a book about astral projection before so I was really excited and since the writing style was pretty good, I had high hopes. Turns out that the writing style ended up being the only thing I liked about this book.

My two main pet peeves regarding books are annoying MC’s and a bad writing style. Since I didn’t need to worry about the latter, the former ended up delivering an extra dose of annoying MC. I wasn’t a fan of Lali from the get go. I’d be a bit freaked too if I discovered I could have out of body experiences but I feel like Lali’s freak outs were over the top. Sometimes I’d wish that she’d cool down a bit so we could get some explanations. This is when the story started dragging for me. Every chapter brought something new to freak out about and I was sick of it already.

You know what this book was full of? Lies, lies and yep…you guessed it: more lies. As a reader, seeing all this play out, I didn’t like it. It got old really quickly and to cover up for one lie, more lies would be added. And I’m not just talking about Lali. This entire book was just one big lie.

The supporting characters…can I even talk about them? To be honest, how this book played out it was all about Lali. So do they even matter? As long as she got everything she wanted, things were okay, right? *cue eye roll* Another thing this book was: complicated. One disaster after another and nothing could fix it.

I expected a lot more from this book but that’s okay. I’m just glad I could finish it even though I was so close to DNF’ing it.

As I said above: I liked nothing about this book except the writing style. The idea was a good one and I feel like the plot could’ve gone far but it wasn’t executed very well. I will not be continuing this series.

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[Fafa's Book Corner]

DNF

Mini review:

I had heard about this book through an email, wherein I got this book for free. I was really excited to read it! I have never read about Astral Projections before. Unfortunately this was not for me.

The book had such an odd and slightly creepy beginning that I realized Astral Projections is not a topic I would enjoy. All in all this book was not for me.

Would still recommend.

[Mummy Cat Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a pretty creative story line. The book is a nice mixture of adventure, science fiction and mystery. It offers something new...at least for me.

Xodus, follows Xitali Marie Yavari or Lali for short. She is the oldest of five children. She has a sister named Oxanna, twin bothers, Dixon and Ulyxses and a younger sister named Salaxia.

Lali and her family live in a small, rural town. She has two best friends, Nelson and Paisley. Her life has been simple and fairly easy until the her mother disappears one night, leaving a note but really no explanation as to why. The family takes it hard.

"For the first time since the day my mother left, I let myself cry. Really cry. SObs racked my body, hot tears sliding along my nose and slipping between my lips. I tasted salt and anguish in each one."

After several months of her being gone, Lali turns 16 and discovers she has the power to astral project. Shortly after discovering this new development, Lali meets Kai. Since Lali's dad knows nothing about her new abilities Lali is on her own to figure out what is going on and to find her mom.

"My eyes spilled over. What was I supposed to do now? I couldn't figure out who this psycho was and stop him from finding Mom all by myself. No one would ever believe me, which meant no one would help me. I was completely on my own, and I had no idea who I was up against."

With Kai's help, Lali learns that her mother is from another relm named Astralis.

"Okay, lets start from the top. How does it work for you. What do yoyu mean? I mean powers come out differenly for semmies. He answered my next question before I could ask it: They call us semmies because we're only half Astralis."

Kai is the new boy in town. The author describes him as "six-foot-four, with wide shoulders and a muscular build - definitely not someone I wanted to make angry." Kai is also a semmie who is looking for his missing sister. Kala was kidnapped from Earth many years ago and Kai's parents were killed. Kai, has the ability to take someone and jump from one place to the next.

"That's how my power works. I can project to anyone I see, even if I only look at a picture."

He wants to team up with Lali and use her powers to help him find his sister. In exchange, he will help Lali find her mom. Kai, teaches Lali how to astral project and takes her to meet other Astrali to help her learn how to use her powers to find the entrance to Astrali.

Kai has an Uncle Cade and some other Astrali friends who help them along the way. Solstice, is an Astrali who helps the two find the entrance to Astrali so Lali can enter the relm and rescue Kai's sister. However, there is what's called the Eyes and Ears of the relm that they have to watch out for. The Astrali people are watched because having children or semmies with humans has been outlawed and is punishable by death. In fact, if caught, semmies are studied and tortured in Astrali. It's not some place Kai and Lali want to go.

From the beginning, Lali doesn't fully trust Kai. She is true to her word to help Kai, but she fears him and fights with him a lot. Sometimes, she can't wait to talk to him, then other times she tries to distance herself from him because she still doesn't trust him. In the beginning of their relationship, she just yelled at him and shut him out. They have a complicated relationship and its made even more complicated by an added romance. For me, the romance was strange. It made a little sense, because the two characters are with each other constantly. After a few months of working together, the two get to know each other and their relationship turns to friendship. Kai expresses his feelings for Lali but, for me, this came off as less genuine than I wanted it to. The romance of the book is brief. Their relationship had some good tension but then it changed to friendship and then to supposed attraction. I wanted more feeling. I didn't feel the connection between the two characters and the romance just showed up and faded out.

Lali's voice is somewhat annoying. I realize her moher is gone and she has a lot on her plate but she is super anxious all.the.time. She cannot roll with things, her anger is always ready to pounce and she is too assuming. She loved to act upon things before finding more information. She was impulsive and stubborn. She constantly made poor choices and I wanted to see her get burned. I wanted her to just pause and absorb, instead of go, go, go and mess things up. Lali was almost always yelling and angry and someone or something. Kai was able to step back and think about things before acting. He was more easy going and short to anger. Lali was not and this bothered me about her character.

"We'd been a normal family with normal problems like, Who finished the milk and put the empty carton back in the refrigerator? Now here I was about to lie to almost everyone I cared about, run off with a complete stranger, and try to learn how to control a supernatural power so I can find my runaway mother. My brain hurt just thinking about it."

After Kai and Lali meet up in the book, the story begins to slow down. There is a lot of fighting between the characters and after the initial information, things begin to slow down. The book stops offering as much information to the reader and the story progresses slowly. Lali and her ways begin to wear on me and I was starting to get bored.

In the beginning and after the slow down of the book, the author's writing was pulled me in. I felt the author really took her time to describe, not just what was going on but what things looked life. I always knew how Lali was feeling. There was an oops for me with whisper-yelled. I know what is being said here but really this description just shouldn't be.

Kai's and Lali's powers was somewhat confusing for me. It seems to be a complex ability. In the beginning of the book, he is able to jump from place to place but as the book progresses he is also able to refrain from appearing in a place so that he can survey the surroundings before appearing. Lali is able to pull herself away from her body but then she is able to completely jump from her body to another location.

Kai's Uncle Cade is a mysery throughout the book. The way the character fits into the story and relationship he has with Solstice is part of the mystery. I was pretty confused with this in the book but by the end this part of the story comes together.

Overall, the book's theme centers around forgiveness and understanding others who make bad choices. Maybe this is why the author chose a main character that had trouble with all these things. It certainly made me think.
The author includes a pronunciation guide in the back of the book. I thought this was helpful and interesting.
I liked the world the author created and I liked the way the author describes her ideas and the way she presented them. I also liked how the reader is informed but yet not, so that the mystery can unravel. The mystery was set up nicely. I was shocked with a few developments in the end and it makes me wonder what the next book has in store. This book doesn't end on a cliff hanger, but certain things are not resolved completely so you can tell there is another book.
Although, Lali got on my nerves a bit, she did learn and grow from her experiences. She still has a ways to go with some things but there was growth within the character.
I liked how the author incorporates hints or signs within the book. I felt the writing was well organized and the story was thought out. I liked this book. I found it entertaining. Although, the story slowed down in the middle, the ending was very exciting and the author did a really good job building up to it and letting things flow naturally. I was sucked in and I wanted to know what happened, I cared about what was going to happen and what the answers were to everything.
I would recommend this book to readers with a wide variety of likes. Meaning, the book blends different styles into one and it does it quite well.

I received a copy of this book from the author and through I (heart) YA books, in exchange for an honest review.

Content: some language

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

'I VOLUNTARILY REVIEWED A COPY FROM THE RACHEL E. CARTER YA BOOK CLUB ON GOODREADS.'

Well, this was definitely an interesting read!! It was different to read about something along the lines of astral projection, not typically something you get to read about every often. :p

I did enjoy the writing style a lot, it kept me interested throughout and Lali grew on me after a bit- I didn't like her all that much at the beginning.

The premise was interesting though and I enjoyed the characters, especially her family; her dad and siblings were hilarious to watch interact.

Not sure yet if I'll continue reading them, but it was definitely a good read and I would recommend them.

[Jenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Lali Yavari wanted for her sixteenth birthday was for her mom to come back. Instead, she starts flashing between realities and seeing people disappear before her very eyes. Then the unsettling Kai Awana shows up at school, and Lali soon discovers she has inherited the ability to astral project—with a surprising twist. When Kai offers to use his own unique ability to help Lali find her mother in exchange for her help on a misguided mission, she can't refuse...even if she's not quite sure she can trust him.

*Thank you to author, K.J Mcpike for sending me an electronic copy, for exchange of review *


I had never read a book that dealt with astral projection, I have heard about though. It’s nothing like I have read before. Have you ever read a book and found yourself wondering why you didn’t read it sooner? XODUS was that novel for me. I actually hand to force myself to put it down because I got so into Lali’s story and her adventures. There wasn’t a single moment within a book where it didn’t keep my attention. It had me on the edge of my seat from start to the end. I loved how dedicated Lali was to finding her mom, how she even agreed to help someone she just met, in exchange of seeing her mom again. Lali did not give up, not once , even after she found out the truth about Kai and what happened the night that their mother left. I can’t even imagine what must been going through her mind at that moment, to find out that the person that you learned to trust, turned out to be the reason that your mother went missing to begin with. I felt the pain, the betrayal and the anger that Lali felt during that time, her emotions were so vivid that I felt them along with her. Part of me felt like I was with her. Reading XODUS had me going through roller coaster of emotions. All through the book. I wanted for her to find what she was looking for. To find her mother, to have her family together again.

Kai, I wasn’t sure how to feel about him. Actually I am still not quite sure about how I feel about him. I went back and forth how I feel about him. There was times that I couldn’t stand him because of his attitude and how he treated Lali, but there were times when I saw how much he cared about her. I could see that as time passed that he started to care about her, the way that he didn’t think that he could have. To me, it felt like it was an unexpected love, something that neither of them saw coming. That’s why my heart broke for both of them when the truth came out. I had that feeling that there was a possibility that Kai was hiding something from her, but I didn’t think it would be as big as knowing where her mother was. Especially since he knew how important it was for her, to find her and to find out what happened. I couldn’t blame her for being angry with him. She was hurt. At same time I hoped that the two of them will find a way to work things out. I knew that she missed him and I knew that she missed the way that things were between two of them before. I am curious to finds out what, if anything happens between them next.

Cover, I have no words how stunning the cover is. It’s not just colorful but it has mysterious look to it as well. If an author did not contact me about review, and I came across it, cover alone would have me picking up the book. I would wonder if there story behind that beautiful cover and once I read it, that makes sense. It fits the book perfectly. When I first came across the cover, for few minutes I could not take my eyes off it. Now that’s an imagination, Just look at it. Everything about this book, the title, the cover, the story and the characters, it was spectacular. I’m looking forward to see what K.J MCPIKE comes up with next, a book that deserves more than five stars. A book that every fantasy fan should read.

[Tiffany Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I VOLUNTARILY REVIEWED A COPY FROM THE "RACHEL E. CARTER YA BOOK CLUB ON GOODREADS.**
For her sixteenth birthday, all Lali Yavari wanted was for her mom to come home. Instead, she starts to doubt her own sanity as she begins to flash back and forth between realities and seeing people disappear and reappear before her very eyes. Does this buzzing sound she's hearing mean she's having a stroke or does all this combined mean she's having a mental breakdown? Then, Kai Awana, starts at her school and teaches her that she's gained the ability to astral project, the term used to describe an intentional out of body experience, but with a twist. Kai begins to teach Lali the origins of her abilities and offers to use his own abilities to help her find her mom. It's definitely an offer Lali can't refuse, even if it's shaking up everything she knows and she's not completely sure she can trust Kai. The only thing is the more Lali learns about her mom and her mom's past, the more she begins to question everything about her life and puts her family in jeopardy. And the closer she gets to Kai, the more she wonders if he really is what he seems to be. Is he worth the risk?
This was seriously an awesome urban fantasy novel and I can't wait to read book two. The characters were well written, even the annoying ones and the villains. I loved all of the Yavari kids, especially the twins! I even loved Kai, how conflicted he is, how neither all good nor all bad he is. He also gifted me with one of my favorite book quotes, which since it's not a huge spoiler, I'll share: " Understand where I'm coming from. Understand that one bad choice doesn't define everything about me" and I'll stop there as it would be a spoiler....

[S. Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lali is a sixteen year old girl coping with the fact that her mother left the family a couple months ago. She’s the oldest of five kids, so she does her best to help with dinner and look strong for her siblings. Then strange visions make her wonder if she’s going crazy or developing super powers. I would give this story more than five stars if I could. Don’t bother reading the rest of my long rant. Just buy this book and be happy!

McPike had me from the first chapter. Normally I doubt a story and stay on the fence about if I’m going to dedicate the time necessary to finish, but not with Xodus. There was a likeable character in a weird situation right away. Then there was the amazing use of tension! I can’t recall a single lull. I don’t mean that the pace was too fast, I mean that We the Reader always had a reason to keep turning the pages. That is a silly thing to say, since I listened to the audiobook! I got a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I also got a free lesson in characterization! McPike nails it. Lali, Kai, and the gang are complicated people. Their quirks end up causing interpersonal conflict that drives the plot. As a fellow writer, it is such a joy to discover this amazing example of characterization. I had to Tweet the author right away to tell her how impressed I was. I have been focusing on my own ability to develop lovable characters on the last two books I wrote and now that I’m preparing a plot for the next, I feel like this outstanding example of writing will help me take my craft to the next level.

“No one knew what I was going through,” Lali says in one part. It’s such a believable thing for a teen to say. The fact that it’s about interdimensional motionless travel gets easily accepted along with the adolescent feelings of isolation.

The superpowers in this story were a lot of fun! McPike and I share a fondness for superpowers that are close to what people can actually do. I have had a few lucid dreams before, so astral projection as a super power sparked some immense curiosity. I enjoyed it when I read The Dreams of Philip Aisling and the Numinous Nagwaagan and even gave one of my fantasy characters a similar power in A Paleolithic Fable. Lali and Kai are half aliens so their powers take unpredictable quirks. That was another great twist.

I’m looking forward to the rest of the series. There is certainly far more of Lali’s world to explore.

[Eva Merrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Xodus is apparently the first in a planned YA trilogy and it packs interesting, even abstruse, concepts within the framework of high school angst and the ordinary concerns of adolescence and dynamics of family life. Complicated in this case, by the disappearance of Lali Yavari's mom, who has gone missing and whose disappearance, witnessed by Lali, has apparently triggered abilities in Lali herself--will they manifest in other family members? Is Lali falling into adolescent schizophrenia, as her google searches cause her to fear? In fact, thanks to a chance (?) meeting with Kai Awana a mysterious transfer student, Lali learns that her situation is not abnormal, but paranormal. McPike takes a little used trope in urban fantasy and explains it with skill and acuity, grounding Lali's powers within a believable context. We grow to enjoy figuring out what the parameters and permutations of astral travel involve for her and, possibly, for her family members. What keeps this story grounded is the ability of McPike to capture the dailyness of Lali's unusual new life. McPike absolutely nails high school student-teacher dynamics. Lali's friendships, her interactions with peers, and how she must navigate her daily world and the very different parallel worlds added into this mix, create a believable and interesting story, whose cliffhanger ending sets us up nicely for book no. 2. The symbolism, plotting and characterizations are all skillfully handled. Lali's parents tend to be a little one-dimensional, but that seems right, somehow, given the adolescent world in which astral travel, other planets, and bowling parties must all co-exist.

[Andres Olozagaste · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great book and i really liked it because it explains about the girl's life. Xodus there is a girl describing that she sees people disappearing . The book explains how a girl goes looking for her mom with a special ability . Lali did end up finding her mom before her mom was killed . Their was kidnapping when the girl was sleeping and the mom had barley gotten home from her job . as you read the book you can actually imagine what is happening . You can actually understand what and how the author is trying to tell you .

[Ankkita · Rating 5 out of 5]

XODUS revolves around the life of Lali Yavari whose life is turned upside down after her mother's disappearance. Even with everything going on in Lali's life, K.J.McPike has managed to portray her as a relatable person with real life problems. As the story unfolds, Lali must decide who she can trust knowing what's at stake. It is a beautifully written book that will keep you hooked till the end. Impossible to put down and easily at the top of my list of favorites. A must read.

[Selina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I VOLUNTARILY REVIEWED A COPY FROM THE "RACHEL E. CARTER YA BOOK CLUB ON GOODREADS.

I was so excited to read this. The premise seemed really interesting and I have always been a fan of astral projection. Unfortunately this story fell short. It wasn't all bad. There were some interesting moments but I just really couldn't stand the MC.

I HATED the MC. She was bratty, annoying, and quite frankly one of the dumbest MCs I have encountered in awhile. I went into the story expecting an intelligent, witty, and exciting heroine. What I got was an annoying, hypocritical, brat. She accepted everything way too easily. She experiences her first bout of "out of body" experience and she LOOKS UP HER SYMPTOMS ON GOOGLE. I don't know about anyone else but that is quite possibly one of the dumbest things people can do. This is probably coming from the fact that I work in healthcare but nothing is more annoying then someone coming in and saying I have blank because I looked it up on google and that's what it said. She has "hallucinations". Looks that particular symptom up and clicks on the first link she can find. Lo and behold SHE HAS SCHIZOPHRENIA! And then her father tells her something her mother told him a long time ago. She looks it up on google and lo and behold she has figured out what has been going on with her! *insert eye roll*

She continually lies to her friends and her family and yet she gets irritated and annoyed with them when they worry about her. If I were Paisley or Martin (is that it? I don't remember his name), I would never have accepted her back as a friend (or ever been friends with her in the first place honestly). She's so self centered. Everyone is always doing bad things to her. The whole world is against her! Woe is me! Ugh I had had enough of her annoying selfish little self. I honestly had to scan the majority of the book because I couldn't stand her selfishness and stupidity any longer. She had the audacity to be annoyed with her friends when they were worried about her wellbeing?! ummm ok no. Ya'll need to drop her right now. But wait! She HAD to lie to them because her mom was more important! And besides she felt bad about lying to them so it was ok in the end. She constantly "feels bad" for lying but yet she continues to do so. She only worries about herself and her mom. She treats everyone around her like they owe her something. Blaming them when something goes wrong. Speaking of people she blames... time to talk about the love interest.

What...the....hell?!?!?! I don't even know where to begin with their unhealthy relationship! He repeatedly kidnaps our bratty heroine and then tries to convince her that he loves her?! he lies to her about her mom and continually leaves important information out! He does everything that he does "because he loves her"! Can't you see that?! I kidnap you because I love you! Ummm what???

I did like the other characters of the story. Though it was mainly about the MC and what she was FEELING. Oh the feels. She has a lot of them. Not that that's necessarily bad. Just in this case. I really liked the incorporation of the title into the story and it's always fun to see the author make a mystery out of the title. It was a little AH HA moment and it was fun. But besides from that little aspect I couldn't really get into the story. Like I said the MC just ruined it for me. I found myself rolling my eyes at pretty much everything that she said and/or did. Couldn't stand her. Maybe in the next installment she grows up and doesn't act like a spoiled brat anymore. Fortunately I won't have to suffer through that as I will not be picking up the next book.

[Macy Klingerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, seriously guys. I know you're pretty accustomed to my beginning-of-the-review cover swoon... BUT LOOK AT THIS ONE. ISN'T IT GORGEOUS?

*clears throat* Anyways..

First off.. I have to say that I appreciated the pronunciation guide in the beginning of this book. Like seriously though, I can't even begin to count how many times I've read a book that had names that left me tongue tied and thoroughly confused. Pronunciation guides need to be a thing in general. (#pronunciationguiderise2k16?)

As for the story, it was awesome. Astral projection isn't something that you see in YA a lot. Actually, I'm not too sure I've seen it in YA before, but that may just be my crappy memory. Anyways, right off the bat, Xodus scored points with me for being an original concept. More points were scored when I realized just how freakin' sassy these characters were. There are some seriously funny laugh out loud moments throughout this story, even if there is a pretty tense theme overall.

But seriously guys, check this one out. It's definitely a fun, well paced read with a fresh, new concept, not to mention an interesting cast of characters. I give it a four out of five stars.

[SheReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read about astral projection. I know absolutely nothing about it. I think that's one of the many many reasons I loved this book so much. It was so very new and refreshing in a genre that can sometimes seem stale.

Lali is forced to become the woman of the family when her mother supposedly abandons her, her four siblings, and her father. So, when Lali starts to exprerience strange things, she has no one to turn to - no one that will believe her anyways. Enter Kai, a mysterious uncle, a sister in need of saving, and the chance to find her mother - and we've got ourselves a book!

I never once got bored in this story and that's saying something. It kept me on my toes and, I've got to say, I definitely didn't see any of the twists coming. I loved how the book could make me hate a certain character and then root for them and sympathize with them at the same time.

I'd definitely recommend this one.

[Amitra Jyoti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was Xodus an intensely personal read with images to cherish? NO.
Was it interesting? Yes.
It is YA and I am completely OK with the genre.The intrigue is there, the twists are there, the ‘family thing’ is there but what lacking is that intense energy that should be produced by the words. The author has done her max to make a 'world' that is different from what we have seen before and she has almost done it effectively.She is inclined more for a movie adaptation of the book I think.The book seemed to limit itself to scenes that can be depicted on screen.I think more self-indulgence is needed on the language, it seemed a bit bland.
All in all “Xodus” is a breezy read that can get you through a journey without boredom but it limits itself to that.
(the 2nd part is more than welcome, though!)

[Jes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The synopsis for this novel really had me at first read. I actually didn’t know what “Astral projecting” was before this novel. But when the author added a clear explanation in the text, I was very thankful (I was too lazy to look it up). Again, I do not read a lot of fantasy so it was great to be able to read something as unique as this.

I just have to get this out there: this novel was absolutely great...

Check out my full review here!
https://jbelkbooks.wordpress.com/2015...

[Edward Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good start to what will inevitably become a series of YA novels. The main character may not stand out from the crowd, but that's probably because there are so many supporting characters. The idea of a family of special people with special powers may not be new, but it is when it comes to YA novels which generally focus on one protagonist at a time, whereas this book quickly reveals that Lali's whole family are special. Throw in a potential love interest who is about as ambiguous as they come and you have a solid start to an enjoyable series.

[Kelly Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

How many books have you read on Astral projection? This is probably my first and the freshness of this story and setting held me riveting from the beginning to the end.
P.S. Awesome cover!

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“XODUS” the first imaginative and entertaining urban fantasy adventure in the “Astralis” trilogy begins in the small town of Browshire on Xitali (Lali) Marie Yavari’s sixteenth birthday when she dreams of a tall man with a scar threatening a woman with a black X-like tattoo under her lip. Unsettled already, when she hears a woman’s voice she fears she’s losing her sanity until one day at school she bumps into Kai Awana, a teen with his own unique ability who teaches her about astral projection (moving her spirit out of her body). Although there’s a clash of wills because she doesn’t trust him, Lali agrees to his deal, helping him find his sister in exchange for reuniting her with her mother who disappeared two months earlier.

In a fast-paced, action-packed adventure Lali must learn to control her ability so she can project to Alea where Kai believes his sister is being held. Tension builds as not only Lali works to refine her skill with Solstice, an Astralii whose rudeness towards her is fuelled with hatred and bitterness, but when faced with the “Eyes and Ears” an organization who police Alea and willingly kill any “semmie” they find. With twists and turns as Lali’s heritage begins to unfold, and she learns about her mother’s past she’s soon blindsided by lies and betrayal from someone she’s drawn close to. Intensity and suspense continually escalate as events progress and climax in an exciting cliff-hanger that has you waiting breathlessly for the sequel.

The world building in this plot is weak, probably because Lali’s trip to Alea is only a minor part of the story at this juncture. I also thought a love-triangle was brewing because of Nelson’s all too apparent affection for his friend “Lollipop” and his hostility towards Kai. But then that’s probably only wishful thinking.

In this urban fantasy K.J. McPike has created characters that are complex, spirited and believable. Lali Yavari is strong-willed, impulsive and stubborn in her determination to bring her mother home. She’s caring, responsible and loving, looking after and protecting her brothers and sisters who also want their mother back. Kai Awana haunted by the murder of his parents and wanting to find his sister Kala is an enigma at first, a charmer with a dark side as he can be aggressive, manipulative and threatening. In contrast Lali’s friend Nelson is calm, easy-going but judgmental and angry about her association with Kai. Yet it’s villains, like the cold, calculating and devious Solstice and the desperate, temperamental and deadly Cade who add a chill to this story.

I enjoyed “XODUS” with its air of mystery and fantasy adventure that keeps you captivated from the first page to the last. I look forward to reading the sequel in a trilogy I expect will get better as the adventure continues.

[Billy Buttons · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was entered and was a Silver Medal Winner in the 2016 Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:

Title: Souls Untethered (previously entitled Xodus)
Author: K J McPike
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 23
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 10/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 9/10
Of the 23 readers:
23 would read another book by this author.
22 thought the cover was good or excellent.
23 felt it was easy to follow.
23 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
15 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
8 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
22 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
23 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.

Readers’ Comments
‘I loved every page of this YA novel. The characters were interesting, and the plot was amazing.’ Girl, aged 15
‘The ending was the best. I totally intend to read book two.’ Boy, aged 14
‘This is an emotional rollercoaster. One minute, I was laughing, the next I was biting my nails with excitement. I’m now reading Nemesis.’ Female reader, aged 16
‘The paranormal/supernatural element is really excellent. Teens will like this a lot.’ Male reader, aged 15
‘Not your typical YA soppy romance. Gritty with tons of twists. Had a feeling of realism to it which I liked. The family parts were really good. Funny too in parts. Excellent read.’ Female reader, aged 17

‘Breathtakingly exciting. A SILVER MEDAL WINNER and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

[Mihlean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of XODUS by K. J. McPike from the Rachel E. Carter YA book club on Goodreads!

This was, I'm pretty sure, the first book in my whole life I've read, that involves astral projection, which was exactly why I was so excited as to starting this book. I however, can't help but feeling that the story did not live up to its full potential.

Alright, I must say, the concept of the story was also pretty awesome;
Lali, our 16-year old protagonist, who lives with her Dad and 4 younger siblings, suddenly finds out that she has some strange abilities. She can astral project because she is a semmie; half Astralis. This means though, that her powers are slightly different than your average astral projecting, aka just seperaring your spirit and body, which was so. Awesome.

But being a semmie, that means that one of her parents were full Astralis, and it definitely isn't her Dad, who doesn't believe in supernatural things like astral projection. So she got it from her Mom.
The only problem? Right, her Mom mysteriously disappeared two months ago with only leaving a goodbye note.

And so Lali sets out with Kai, a fellow semmie who teaches her the handles of astral projection, to find her mother and his sister.

What I also appreciated, was that the romance wasn't unnecessary or irrational in the way that Lali shoves everything aside because oh she loves him so, but in the end it still ended up kind of weird.

Now some of my somewhat negative opinions:
- Lali was kinda immature at times, in my opinion. She's sixteen, and I felt like she was a 12-year old kid sometimes, with the way she handled for example her emotions or her thoughts and things like that.
- The world-building, I felt like was pretty much lacking. I would've liked it very much if the whole Astralis thing had been more detailed? More, visual I guess?

But all in all, I think this book was very enjoyable, but most of all very creative so I'm giving this a 3 stars rating. I definitely do recommend everyone to at least try it out, because it was very original and a fun, light read.

[Petra · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 to 3 stars.

A story about a sixteen year old girl who finds out that her mother has been kidnapped and that she can astral project.

This was a fairly fun read. Astral Projection is a new topic for me when it comes to books and I loved reading about it. I liked the way that it was worked out and the different possibilities for astral projections. However, the main character was a bit annoying. She is sixteen, selfish and naive. She meets a guy, trusts him immediately and of course falls in love. Is it weird that all is not as it seems? She fights with her friends because they caught her in a lie but only because they care about her. What is up with that?

Also, she has 4 siblings, all with weird names, and when her father has to do some research for his work and leaves for a couple of days, all Lali can think about is getting her mom back. That was the second problem with this book for me. I had no clue how much time went by when Lali was astral projecting. How long did she leave her siblings unattended for? (it felt like days)
And when it turns out her other siblings have abilities too, which normally manifest when turning sixteen, it feels like they can control them within minutes.

So I liked the astral projection part and the little bit of world building but the characters felt off. Don't know if I will be continuing this series.

"I VOLUNTARILY REVIEWED A COPY FROM THE "RACHEL E. CARTER YA BOOK CLUB ON GOODREADS."

[Felicia [Felicia's Ink(t)] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming soon!!

[Barb VanderWel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it & Can't wait for get more of her books

[Jaylee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Xodus has an interesting premise, some great twists and turns, and the relationship between the two main characters - Kai and Lali - is full of fun sibling-like bickering. It's refreshing after so many books of instalove and characters swooning over each other left and right -- A sort-of romance does develop, but it's not your typical YA love plot.

The first half of the book moves slowly as Lali learns how to use her new powers and learns about the Astralli - a race of people who can astral project. At times, this part of the book had a hard time holding my attention. The driving force between Lali's actions is her mother, Kai's - his sister. The reader doesn't really know either of these people, or have any real interest in their wellbeing, and yet that motivation is supposed to propel the entire story forward. Besides one brief memory towards the beginning of the book, we don't even know what Lali's relationship with her mom looked like, or how she fit into the family dynamics. It was very hard to care that she was gone, when we knew absolutely nothing about her.

Around the 60% mark, the book got very complicated, and the pacing was so quick... I got really lost. Xodus has a very complicated plot, and unfortunately, the author tried to cram most of the twists, turns, betrayals, backstories, etc. into the last 40% of the book. On top of that, in the middle of this, Lali's siblings all get their powers and we're trying to understand that as well. This book would have been way better if half the "superpower boot camp" chapters had been nixed and replaced with a slower-paced version of the second half of the book.

The writing is well-edited (again, refreshing to see in a self-published book!) and solid, although many of the protagonist's emotions are told to us instead of letting us feel what she is feeling. It added another layer of distance between the reader and the story - we don't care about her mother, and are also not connecting emotionally to what is happening directly, but through an intermediary, the protagonist's thoughts.

The most interesting subplot in the book - Nelson, Paisley, and her dad's reactions to her powers and suddenly different behavior - is briefly touched on and then ignored. Nelson, to me, was the most interesting character, since he was a giant sweetheart and clearly has feelings for Lali, but he barely got any screen time. I really wish he had been more involved in the story, as the clash between her old life and her new life would have added more tension and real emotion to the book.

Overall, this is a fun adventure story full of superpowers and rescues and a complicated plot. The great ideas behind it is part of what made it frustrating for me, personally, to read. I wanted it to be done WELL, wanted so many of the opportunities presented by the characters and the plot to be used to their full potential... and they weren't. So while this was entertaining and fun, it lacked the substance needed to get a 4 or 5 star rating.

[Olivia Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this review along with others on my blog @ libroliv.com

(Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I would like to send a big thank you to K.J. McPike for this book, as well as a big congratulations for such a great novel.)

I am not a big fan of fantasy, never having my interest piqued at such a genre. I don’t know why, I’m just not bothered about it. Understandably, then, I was hesitant to read K.J. McPike’s XODUS when I was sent a copy. I did, however, decide to give it a chance. And God, am I glad I did!

XODUS is a young-adult fantasy novel circling the ability to ‘astral project’. A quick Google search taught me that such a thing is as follows:

Astral projection (or astral travel) is an interpretation of an out-of-body experience (OBE) that assumes the existence of an “astral body” separate from the physical body and capable of travelling outside it.

Just this little snippet of information managed to arouse the fantasy lover in me – who only really surfaces when reading Shadowhunter novels – and encouraged me to actually read this book. Again, good decision!

In the past, I have read 2 books concerning “out of body” experiences, both of which revolved around death. (They were If I Stay, and The Catastrophic History of You and Me.) Thus, I was expecting something similar. I was wrong, but I wasn’t disappointed.

OK, so on to the actual review!

XODUS is a roller-coaster for your emotions. You’re up, then you’re down again, and up, and down, and up, and down. This made for a really great book, because it meant I never precedented what could possibly come next. This book is full of delicious twists and turns that my bookish soul devoured – I have no criticisms for the pace, nor do I find fault with the writing style. McPike is a plot twist genius, and – as plenty of you know – I adore a good plot twist. So, if you’re the same, this is definitely the book for you!

The only critique I have for this book is that much of the romance erred on the cheesy side. Also, XODUS does not offer a romance the reader wants to root for – it’s unhealthy, and rather flat. Frankly, Kai and Lali had the kind of banter bouncing between them that came across really well for friends, but wouldn’t translate well into a romance. As a romance lover, I wasn’t impressed by this, but I was glad that it didn’t take away from the story as a whole.

Likewise, I could complain about the multitude of odd names thrown at the reader at the start of the novel, but at least they were unique! Just like this book!

Overall, XODUS is a fast-paced novel, with a vast selection of twists and turns that are endlessly surprising and entertaining. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read, and so it was consistently interesting, explaining as to why I awarded it 4/5 stars, and highly recommend you pick it up if you want to try something new.

[Pooja Kashyap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Xodus is KJ McPike's debut novel that falls into YA Sci-Fi Fantasy genre. The book is an engaging piece that revolves around a sixteen-year-old protagonist, Xitlali, who happens to discover her ability of astral projecting. Xitlali is already upset with her mother’s sudden disappearance and the discovery of outside body experience further adds fuel to her emotional disturbance. Even though she tries to convince her dad of her ‘special ability’, she becomes exasperated when he dismisses it to nothing but a state of restless mind.

Xitlali is still struggling to comprehend the strange ability when she confronts mysterious hero, Kai. He helps her in understanding and maneuvering the newly discovered powers. But there is something about him that makes her feel doubting him all the time. Yet she tries to balance her doubts by considering the fact that he is the only one who shares and understands her astral projecting ability. And who has acknowledged to help her in finding her lost mother.

Xodus hooked me from the very first chapter. It gave a three sixty-degree preview on family, friendship, evil governance, love, trust and forgiveness. The book is also sodden with many interesting elements in it for instance, it talks about Astralli and Semmies, human like species that can astral project. Different forms of astral projecting too is quite fascinating like, invisible projection, reading minds, permeating, moving between realms and so on.

Xitlali’s quest to find her mother in between realms is the motif of the entire sci-fi novel, which surely is very well constructed. The plot moves with a fast pace not to miss the names of the characters too are of great significance – Xitali, Oxanna, Dixon, Ulyxses, Salaxia, Xiomara, Kala. Initially I faced slight confusion but it was rectified by the time I touched the second half of the plot. I’d also like to add, the pronunciation guide is of great help, it deserves special thanks.

Landscape of the other realm, Alea too is quite fantastical. The description is so beautifully done that while I was reading the events of things were actually projecting in front of me, as if I’m watching a movie.

Overall, I am thoroughly impressed with K.J. McPike’s writing style. As mentioned earlier, the plot is very well crafted with realistic characters woven with a well thought out story. Although YA is not what I generally prefer but this one is an exception and am quite positive am gonna like the other book in the series too. Can’t wait for the next awesome piece from McPike’s vault.

Reproduced from: http://www.techietonics.com/thinking-...

[Adelle Yeung · Rating 5 out of 5]

XODUS was a gripping, refreshing novel that centered mostly on family dynamics rather than that of a boy and a girl. Of course, there is a boy/girl romantic relationship, but it develops over the course of the book—no insta-love! Both of them had an objective that didn’t have anything to do with each other, and they didn’t let their feelings for one another distract them from achieving it. I love that their romance didn’t derail the plot.

This was a really cool look at a secret society of people who could astral project. Even though the readers only see a brief look at their fantastical world, Alea, it was really cool and I craved more. However, most of the action takes place in our world. Even so, the reader goes through a journey with Lali in understanding how her powers, the secret society, and XODUS works. Pretty much everything was tied up nicely by the end of the book, and I was enthralled to learn exactly what “XODUS” was, but the ending is open enough for sequels.

All of her relationships felt genuine.

At the beginning of the book, I thought that Lali’s family had too much weight on the story. As I said at the start of this review, most YA books focus on the teenagers, and while for the most part Lali’s siblings are in their double digits, it feels different when the other teens involved are blood related. This is brought together by about the middle of the book, when her siblings gain a larger role in the action.

Lali also has normal friends, who give her ohhh just a little grief, but I’m relieved to say they don’t distract her too much.

I’m also glad to say that Lali pretty much keeps her head over Kai. He’s described as having fairly attractive features, and the other characters describe him as hot, but Lali never really goes gaga over him. I also love how the author handled describing Lali. She wasn’t a girl who thought she was ugly when she was in fact pretty. The other characters even make a point a few times to call her out on how crappy she’s looking.

If you’re into YA for the romance, this might not be for you, but this was just my cup of tea! Totally recommend this.

(I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.)

Check out my interview with K.J. McPike here!