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Soul Saver #1
Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver
In a sleepy, little village in the west of Ireland, Claire Daly is learning how to deal with her newly discovered supernatural powers. But she isn’t the only one interested in her powers. An Unholy has Claire in his sights. She has something he wants and he’ll stop at nothing to get it with terrifying consequences. In order to protect everything she her family, her home, and the boy next door, Claire must turn her back on them and leave. She goes into isolation with a mentor to learn the ways of the Illuminata. But the new ways bring with it more questions than answers and also the arrival of Ari Vasilious, to whom Claire feels a strong attraction. But he has his own secrets. Secrets that involve Claire. On a full-blown rogue mission to Hell and armed only with her wits, Claire comes face to face with not only the demon, but her own past. And it isn’t long before she realizes everything she believed was based on a lie. If you love paranormal romance, urban fantasy, soulmates, demons, and angels, then this first book of the exciting Soul Saver series awaits you.
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2015
19 people are currently reading
937 people want to read
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November 13, 2015
3.5 Stars
'Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver' is an exciting young adult paranormal novel that brings a breath of fresh air to the genre. The story follows our main character - Claire - a normal teenage girl who can't wait to graduate high school and start college in the fall majoring in library studies, so she can be a librarian - her dream job since she was a kid. Claire has normal teen issues - self esteem problems, a huge crush on one of her best friends for the past several years, a snotty co-worker, and family troubles. Claire has had her life planned out for a long time - to become a librarian, get married - hopefully to Chas - and then live happily ever after. All of that changes when Claire learns the truth of who - and what - she really is: an Illuminata. She's destined to fight evil itself and to save the souls of others - literally. Although she gets some pretty cool supernatural abilities to go along with her new purpose, Claire has a hard time believing everything she's been told about her fate. When her co-worker is attacked and Claire's family is threatened, she realizes that she has no choice but to accept her destiny and join the fight against the Unholy.
This sounded like a very original book and it immediately piqued my interested when I first read about it. There's always been a lot of YA books dealing with good versus evil, angels and demons, and so on; but the author's inclusion of the Illuminatae, the Unholy, and all of the fascinating history and information surrounding both of them, along with how Claire fits into the picture and a lot of other intriguing details - really sets it apart from the others in the genre. The story is full of action, adventure, the supernatural and paranormal, and even some romance - at the same time, it touches on deep topics and makes the reader stop and think for a bit. I loved that there was the underlying tough subject matter - it gives the book a deeper and more complex feel that it wouldn't have gotten otherwise. Mixing the two - the main story line and the serious concepts - made this book entirely unique and a compelling read that makes you stop and really think about important topics that effect everyone.
Claire was a great main character for the book. She's down to earth, determined, and very loving of her friends and family. She has her whole life pretty much planned out - until everything gets turned upside down. We get to see Claire mature and grow a lot throughout the book, and I enjoyed watching her accept her destiny and then grow into who she was meant to become. The book is written in the first person from Claire's perspective, which I loved. First person POV is by far my favorite writing style because the reader gets to know the narrator on such a deeply personal level that can't be achieved any other way. We get to learn Claire's hopes, dreams, fears, doubts, inner thoughts, and so much more. It's this intimate bond with the main character that allows the reader to truly connect and slip inside of the character's world. The writing was well done with great imagery and detailed descriptions that made it easy for me to imagine myself alongside Claire during the story. The pace of the story continues to quicken throughout the book and I found myself eagerly reading as fast as I could to see what was going to happen next. I definitely recommend this book to fans of the YA paranormal genre, as well as readers who enjoy fantasy, supernatural fiction, action/adventure, and romance.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
'Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver' is an exciting young adult paranormal novel that brings a breath of fresh air to the genre. The story follows our main character - Claire - a normal teenage girl who can't wait to graduate high school and start college in the fall majoring in library studies, so she can be a librarian - her dream job since she was a kid. Claire has normal teen issues - self esteem problems, a huge crush on one of her best friends for the past several years, a snotty co-worker, and family troubles. Claire has had her life planned out for a long time - to become a librarian, get married - hopefully to Chas - and then live happily ever after. All of that changes when Claire learns the truth of who - and what - she really is: an Illuminata. She's destined to fight evil itself and to save the souls of others - literally. Although she gets some pretty cool supernatural abilities to go along with her new purpose, Claire has a hard time believing everything she's been told about her fate. When her co-worker is attacked and Claire's family is threatened, she realizes that she has no choice but to accept her destiny and join the fight against the Unholy.
This sounded like a very original book and it immediately piqued my interested when I first read about it. There's always been a lot of YA books dealing with good versus evil, angels and demons, and so on; but the author's inclusion of the Illuminatae, the Unholy, and all of the fascinating history and information surrounding both of them, along with how Claire fits into the picture and a lot of other intriguing details - really sets it apart from the others in the genre. The story is full of action, adventure, the supernatural and paranormal, and even some romance - at the same time, it touches on deep topics and makes the reader stop and think for a bit. I loved that there was the underlying tough subject matter - it gives the book a deeper and more complex feel that it wouldn't have gotten otherwise. Mixing the two - the main story line and the serious concepts - made this book entirely unique and a compelling read that makes you stop and really think about important topics that effect everyone.
Claire was a great main character for the book. She's down to earth, determined, and very loving of her friends and family. She has her whole life pretty much planned out - until everything gets turned upside down. We get to see Claire mature and grow a lot throughout the book, and I enjoyed watching her accept her destiny and then grow into who she was meant to become. The book is written in the first person from Claire's perspective, which I loved. First person POV is by far my favorite writing style because the reader gets to know the narrator on such a deeply personal level that can't be achieved any other way. We get to learn Claire's hopes, dreams, fears, doubts, inner thoughts, and so much more. It's this intimate bond with the main character that allows the reader to truly connect and slip inside of the character's world. The writing was well done with great imagery and detailed descriptions that made it easy for me to imagine myself alongside Claire during the story. The pace of the story continues to quicken throughout the book and I found myself eagerly reading as fast as I could to see what was going to happen next. I definitely recommend this book to fans of the YA paranormal genre, as well as readers who enjoy fantasy, supernatural fiction, action/adventure, and romance.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
January 28, 2016
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Okay so I saw this and read the blurb and was like "eff yeah, a YA novel that is going to be similar to Buffy". But it wasn't really that. It was more of a look at religion and faith in the battle of "good" versus "evil" and I wasn't really feeling it. I liked the premise of the book and a lot of the aspects of it, but it was a little too preachy for me.
The world building was pretty great, I liked the idea of the Illuminata and their quest to save souls. I also liked the Unholy and have high hopes for them as villains. I would like to see a bit more of Claire really kicking ass and using what she knows or believes in to save the day. Whether or not that is Christianity faith or not.
I liked both Chas and Ari and honestly I don't really care which one of them she ends up with because they both seem like genuine guys. I also kind of like that even though Ari rides a motorcycle he isn't stereotyped as the "bad boy" since he always comes when Claire calls for him and just wants to make sure she is safe. You get the hint that Chas is into her from how he talks about other girls when she is with him in the beginning, so that was pretty obvious to me too.
If you are looking for a book that has good world building and realistic power depictions, this is the one for you. But be forewarned that it is more God-centric and less Buffy.
Books and Ladders | Queen of the Bookshelves | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
Okay so I saw this and read the blurb and was like "eff yeah, a YA novel that is going to be similar to Buffy". But it wasn't really that. It was more of a look at religion and faith in the battle of "good" versus "evil" and I wasn't really feeling it. I liked the premise of the book and a lot of the aspects of it, but it was a little too preachy for me.
The world building was pretty great, I liked the idea of the Illuminata and their quest to save souls. I also liked the Unholy and have high hopes for them as villains. I would like to see a bit more of Claire really kicking ass and using what she knows or believes in to save the day. Whether or not that is Christianity faith or not.
I liked both Chas and Ari and honestly I don't really care which one of them she ends up with because they both seem like genuine guys. I also kind of like that even though Ari rides a motorcycle he isn't stereotyped as the "bad boy" since he always comes when Claire calls for him and just wants to make sure she is safe. You get the hint that Chas is into her from how he talks about other girls when she is with him in the beginning, so that was pretty obvious to me too.
If you are looking for a book that has good world building and realistic power depictions, this is the one for you. But be forewarned that it is more God-centric and less Buffy.
Books and Ladders | Queen of the Bookshelves | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
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January 18, 2025This book's summary intrigued me and I enjoyed the story for the most part although I'm not sure I would say after reading it that I would consider it memorable to me. The pacing is decent and the action compelled me to keep reading so I found the writing well done. I did find myself skimming some of the parts with the description as I wasn't as interested in those details. I loved the idea of a book nerd gaining powers, I just think the execution didn't quite do the idea justice.
I quite enjoyed the setting and location as I've never been to Ireland. It was kind of fun to be able to read the dialogue in a slight accent. It's not strong, but it's enough to change the dialect in my head.
The characters were fairly likable but I feel like there were still several unknowns that weren't addressed in the book that frustrated me. I also felt that not all the characters were used to their maximum capacity and just ended up fading to the background. I liked learning more about the history of her past, the little glimpses we got, but again, I felt like it was too little for me. I wanted to know more that what was given because I was hardly satisfied with the information given. So many questions ran through my mind trying to sort it all out. Still, the things we did learn intrigued me and I wanted to know more and felt that Claire didn't ask enough questions but then again she was resistant of her path which makes sense. As a reader I had a need to know more, but maybe I'm just greedy.
A warning to some readers, I didn't realize this based on the description but this book is heavily focused on faith and belief in a higher power. Namely Catholicism, which was fine for me but I didn't expect that diving into this book so it may be something other readers may or may not be interested in reading.
I do feel that this book was the end of a first part story arc, which was fine but I feel like although I read a whole book, not a lot happened. It was slow paced and I kept checking my location to see how far I was in the book. Even at the end I was wondering if I was at the climax. Although once the climax hit, then everything came tumbling after which I enjoyed.
Overall, this is an interesting read that one may find fun if you like reading stories about learning about being a chosen one with super powers. Those who have strong beliefs in God and the Archangel Michael might particularly love this book.
3 out of 5 rating for me!
(A copy was provided for an honest review. I was not compensated in any other way.)
I quite enjoyed the setting and location as I've never been to Ireland. It was kind of fun to be able to read the dialogue in a slight accent. It's not strong, but it's enough to change the dialect in my head.
The characters were fairly likable but I feel like there were still several unknowns that weren't addressed in the book that frustrated me. I also felt that not all the characters were used to their maximum capacity and just ended up fading to the background. I liked learning more about the history of her past, the little glimpses we got, but again, I felt like it was too little for me. I wanted to know more that what was given because I was hardly satisfied with the information given. So many questions ran through my mind trying to sort it all out. Still, the things we did learn intrigued me and I wanted to know more and felt that Claire didn't ask enough questions but then again she was resistant of her path which makes sense. As a reader I had a need to know more, but maybe I'm just greedy.
A warning to some readers, I didn't realize this based on the description but this book is heavily focused on faith and belief in a higher power. Namely Catholicism, which was fine for me but I didn't expect that diving into this book so it may be something other readers may or may not be interested in reading.
I do feel that this book was the end of a first part story arc, which was fine but I feel like although I read a whole book, not a lot happened. It was slow paced and I kept checking my location to see how far I was in the book. Even at the end I was wondering if I was at the climax. Although once the climax hit, then everything came tumbling after which I enjoyed.
Overall, this is an interesting read that one may find fun if you like reading stories about learning about being a chosen one with super powers. Those who have strong beliefs in God and the Archangel Michael might particularly love this book.
3 out of 5 rating for me!
(A copy was provided for an honest review. I was not compensated in any other way.)
November 19, 2015
I totally went in blind with this one. I had no idea what it was about, where it took place, or anything. Once again I saw a pretty cover and went for it.
Thank you pretty cover!
This book takes place in the place I most want to visit some day in my life - Ireland. I couldn't help but imagine green landscape with rocky ruins of castles as I read. Thanks Michele Brouder, you only made me want to visit Ireland even more than I already did.
So what is this book about you ask?
It is about Claire Daly. She is a teenager who is getting ready to go off to college. She has been in love with her best friend since forever, but he doesn't know it, and she works in a bookstore.
What is so special about this Claire Daly?
Well let me tell you! This story starts off with a bang! Claire is off with her grandmother, who is extremely religious, doing something to a local holy spot. Claire gets a little bit of holy water on her hands and BAM a beam of light comes out of her hands and chops down an extremely old and very important tree!
Uh, what?
You read me right! She had a burning bright beam of light come straight out of her hand! Needless to say, Claire kind of freaked out. Not long after the incident, she has a sit down with her grandma and mom where they tell her she is actually a member of the Illuminati.
What's an Illuminati?
Great question! A member of the Illuminati is actually a soul that long ago decided that it would serve to protect the world from evil. You know...demons and such. They actually do a lot more than just that, but I will let you read the story to discover exactly what it is they do!
So, is Claire happy about this?
As you can probably guess by the title of this book....NOPE! She is not. She doesn't even believe in God herself really, so how can she be fighting evil in his name? She just wants to go off to college to study to be a librarian and to continue to pine over her best friend. Too bad. Now that her powers have manifested there are demons and such out to get her!
Can you tell me more?
Nope! I could, but I won't! I want you to read this absolutely wonderful and engaging story for yourself. You really should be going to Amazon or something right now and buying it. Or at least adding it to your Goodreads TBR shelf.
A major theme in this book is religion, did you find that off putting?
I will be honest. I don't normally read religion based books (I really sound like a liar to myself right now because one of my current reads at the time of writing this happens to have religion as a huge focus once again). But it was done well and I really liked it. I thought the whole concept and story line were great and well written. So my answer is no, it didn't end up bothering me at all.
Will you be reading the sequel?
OH HECK YES I WILL BE! I want that bad boy in my hands RIGHT NOW! But, alas, I can't. So I will sit and wait rather impatiently for it.
My rating
4.5 Stars!
This review is based on a copy provided by Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Find more of my reviews here:
http://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com/
November 20, 2015
4 1/2 stars
Claire Daly was just your typical teenage girl whose life ambition was to become a librarian and to hopefully get her crush, Chas, to finally notice her outside the friend zone. Unfortunately for her, those dreams flew out the window when one day she discovers that she is an Illuminata – “a soul that has been chosen by God and entrusted to Saint Michael for special work across the different dimensions”. The Illuminatae are a holy army that not only fights demons on earth, but in Hell as well. So you see Claire’s destiny is far from the life she thought she had and to make matters more difficult for her to understand, it seems she chose this path for herself before she was even born. Of course, Claire being Claire does not want anything to do with the soul saving business and she is not going down without a fight. That is until her family and friends are threatened by a nasty memory-stealing demon named Raif whose main goal is to get the precious amulet that contains the light of Heaven from Claire and take her soul. As she is whisked away to her aunt’s house to begin training, life as Claire knows will forever be changed. But will she finally accept her Destiny or turn her back on all that depend on her?
This book was an absolute fun and intriguing read for me. Right from the start, I loved Claire's character not only for her love of books but her snarky attitude which made this really fun to read. The thrill of traveling with Claire through the many layers of Hell was tense kept me turning the pages to make sure she succeeded in her task. No story would be complete if there weren't secrets among the family and her past that have been kept from Claire and oh my gosh what a shock she had when she learned what they were.
This book really surprised me on how good it was! I really did not know what to expect as Michele Brouder is a new author for me, but I was completely blown away by her storytelling abilities and could not put it down. A thrilling and fascinating tale of angels and demons, Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver is one book that I would highly recommend. It’s a fast-paced, creative, and an extremely well-written book that will appeal to any age reader that enjoys fantasy with an underlining theme of good versus evil. Although book one ended without a cliffhanger, I will be eagerly anticipating the next installment of this amazing series to see what’s in store for Claire as she continues this wild and crazy journey of saving souls and perhaps reconnecting with the love of her life.
See more at: The Avid Book Collector
*I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Claire Daly was just your typical teenage girl whose life ambition was to become a librarian and to hopefully get her crush, Chas, to finally notice her outside the friend zone. Unfortunately for her, those dreams flew out the window when one day she discovers that she is an Illuminata – “a soul that has been chosen by God and entrusted to Saint Michael for special work across the different dimensions”. The Illuminatae are a holy army that not only fights demons on earth, but in Hell as well. So you see Claire’s destiny is far from the life she thought she had and to make matters more difficult for her to understand, it seems she chose this path for herself before she was even born. Of course, Claire being Claire does not want anything to do with the soul saving business and she is not going down without a fight. That is until her family and friends are threatened by a nasty memory-stealing demon named Raif whose main goal is to get the precious amulet that contains the light of Heaven from Claire and take her soul. As she is whisked away to her aunt’s house to begin training, life as Claire knows will forever be changed. But will she finally accept her Destiny or turn her back on all that depend on her?
This book was an absolute fun and intriguing read for me. Right from the start, I loved Claire's character not only for her love of books but her snarky attitude which made this really fun to read. The thrill of traveling with Claire through the many layers of Hell was tense kept me turning the pages to make sure she succeeded in her task. No story would be complete if there weren't secrets among the family and her past that have been kept from Claire and oh my gosh what a shock she had when she learned what they were.
This book really surprised me on how good it was! I really did not know what to expect as Michele Brouder is a new author for me, but I was completely blown away by her storytelling abilities and could not put it down. A thrilling and fascinating tale of angels and demons, Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver is one book that I would highly recommend. It’s a fast-paced, creative, and an extremely well-written book that will appeal to any age reader that enjoys fantasy with an underlining theme of good versus evil. Although book one ended without a cliffhanger, I will be eagerly anticipating the next installment of this amazing series to see what’s in store for Claire as she continues this wild and crazy journey of saving souls and perhaps reconnecting with the love of her life.
See more at: The Avid Book Collector
*I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2015
This review was originally posted on [www.125pages.com]
I was not expecting Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver to be as good as it was. It had a good premise, but I was afraid it would life up to the synopsis. I'm glad I was wrong. Claire is a seventeen-year-old who discovers she is an Illuminate, a warrior in the battle between Heaven and Hell. Fighting against her legacy with all that she has, Claire resists all help and pushes her family away. Adding to her troubles, Claire is an atheist and is told she needs to build a strong faith to successfully wield her powers. Now I have read and come across a lot of YA paranormal with similar premises and most were so-so. Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver is an example of a good YA paranormal, along the lines of Kelley Armstrong or Rachel Vincent. A solid world was created with characters that fit, an atmosphere that created needed tension and a cast that I genuinely cared about rounded out this book. There was a strong religious undertone with the need for Claire to believe, but it was not forced or pushy. It added to the story as Claire did not instantly conform and even to the end of the book still held on to her personal beliefs. Sometimes first books in a series spend the whole first book world building with very little action, and this was built well but still had action and tension. I look forward to the second book in the Soul Savers series.
Favorite lines - "But there's more to it than that. Claire, you have to understand that there is hierarchy everywhere: within the Church, with angels, with everything. It's the way it is, even among the Illuminate. It's to prevent chaos and disorder."
Biggest cliché - "Oh I'm so special, but I don't want to be. Special sucks."
Have you read Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver or added it to your TBR?
There is a Kindle Countdown deal for Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver by Michele Brouder that runs from November 12 to November 19, and it will be available for 99¢! Click here to go to Amazon.com.
Tour Schedule
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I was not expecting Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver to be as good as it was. It had a good premise, but I was afraid it would life up to the synopsis. I'm glad I was wrong. Claire is a seventeen-year-old who discovers she is an Illuminate, a warrior in the battle between Heaven and Hell. Fighting against her legacy with all that she has, Claire resists all help and pushes her family away. Adding to her troubles, Claire is an atheist and is told she needs to build a strong faith to successfully wield her powers. Now I have read and come across a lot of YA paranormal with similar premises and most were so-so. Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver is an example of a good YA paranormal, along the lines of Kelley Armstrong or Rachel Vincent. A solid world was created with characters that fit, an atmosphere that created needed tension and a cast that I genuinely cared about rounded out this book. There was a strong religious undertone with the need for Claire to believe, but it was not forced or pushy. It added to the story as Claire did not instantly conform and even to the end of the book still held on to her personal beliefs. Sometimes first books in a series spend the whole first book world building with very little action, and this was built well but still had action and tension. I look forward to the second book in the Soul Savers series.Favorite lines - "But there's more to it than that. Claire, you have to understand that there is hierarchy everywhere: within the Church, with angels, with everything. It's the way it is, even among the Illuminate. It's to prevent chaos and disorder."
Biggest cliché - "Oh I'm so special, but I don't want to be. Special sucks."
Have you read Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver or added it to your TBR?
There is a Kindle Countdown deal for Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver by Michele Brouder that runs from November 12 to November 19, and it will be available for 99¢! Click here to go to Amazon.com.
Tour Schedule
a Rafflecopter giveaway
January 3, 2016
What would you do if the world as you knew it changed in the blink of an eye? If one day, you were a regular teen doing regular teen things, and then BAM, you find out that you have supernatural powers and that basically you are destined to help God in his crusade against evil?
Well, for Claire Daly, that. Just. Happened. One day, she’s helping her Gram with holy water by a well, and the next minute she’s got powerful white beams coming out of her hands. And that’s not even the half of it! It’s at this time when her Gram and her mom decide that the time has come to tell Claire what the what is all about.
Apparently, Claire is destined for greatness…way before she was born. She finds out that she has always been destined to become a part of the Illuminata, and save lost souls in the deeper circles of Hell. To fight alongside Michael, the Archangel. But Claire is just not quite ready to accept this fate.
But when a dark evil seems to be hunting her down, and hurting anyone who is close to her, Claire knows that she needs to learn how to harness this power she has been given. Enter Aunt Julia. A woman she thought long dead, but is actually one of the best people to teach her how to become what she was meant to be.
All the while, a mysterious stranger named Ari seems to have a destiny with Claire as well. A destiny that has transcended time. (Gosh, I loved Ari and Clair and am dying to know more about their story! I’m craving it!) He’s hot, he rides a motorcycle, and all it takes is a whisper of his name from Claire’s lips for him to come to her rescue. Ehrmagherd where can I get one!
With dealing with a new way of life to trying to figure out what her purpose is, Claire begins her journey and tests her faith (or lack thereof) in a game of life and death.
Claire Daly is a firecracker. I loved her character. She speaks her mind, is pretty funny, and is like a typical teenager. I can’t even begin to imagine how much the news of her new life path could affect her! One day she’s heartbroken over her lifetime crush, and the next she’s learning how to control powers that are pretty impossible to believe.
Her love for her little brother, Seth, is so endearing and had me loving her character all the more. And don’t get me started on Ari. In my mind, he was Greek Adonis who wants nothing more to ensure that Claire is completely safe, no matter the cost.
Author, Michele Brouder, does an excellent job grasping the reader’s attention, and maintaining it for the duration of the read. I flew through the pages, and was in need of more when the last page was turned. I especially want more of Claire and Ari. Give us more! Give us more!
Fans of reads involving good and evil will thoroughly enjoy Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver by Michele Brouder. I cannot wait to dig in to the next installment of this series.
Well, for Claire Daly, that. Just. Happened. One day, she’s helping her Gram with holy water by a well, and the next minute she’s got powerful white beams coming out of her hands. And that’s not even the half of it! It’s at this time when her Gram and her mom decide that the time has come to tell Claire what the what is all about.
Apparently, Claire is destined for greatness…way before she was born. She finds out that she has always been destined to become a part of the Illuminata, and save lost souls in the deeper circles of Hell. To fight alongside Michael, the Archangel. But Claire is just not quite ready to accept this fate.
But when a dark evil seems to be hunting her down, and hurting anyone who is close to her, Claire knows that she needs to learn how to harness this power she has been given. Enter Aunt Julia. A woman she thought long dead, but is actually one of the best people to teach her how to become what she was meant to be.
All the while, a mysterious stranger named Ari seems to have a destiny with Claire as well. A destiny that has transcended time. (Gosh, I loved Ari and Clair and am dying to know more about their story! I’m craving it!) He’s hot, he rides a motorcycle, and all it takes is a whisper of his name from Claire’s lips for him to come to her rescue. Ehrmagherd where can I get one!
With dealing with a new way of life to trying to figure out what her purpose is, Claire begins her journey and tests her faith (or lack thereof) in a game of life and death.
Claire Daly is a firecracker. I loved her character. She speaks her mind, is pretty funny, and is like a typical teenager. I can’t even begin to imagine how much the news of her new life path could affect her! One day she’s heartbroken over her lifetime crush, and the next she’s learning how to control powers that are pretty impossible to believe.
Her love for her little brother, Seth, is so endearing and had me loving her character all the more. And don’t get me started on Ari. In my mind, he was Greek Adonis who wants nothing more to ensure that Claire is completely safe, no matter the cost.
Author, Michele Brouder, does an excellent job grasping the reader’s attention, and maintaining it for the duration of the read. I flew through the pages, and was in need of more when the last page was turned. I especially want more of Claire and Ari. Give us more! Give us more!
Fans of reads involving good and evil will thoroughly enjoy Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver by Michele Brouder. I cannot wait to dig in to the next installment of this series.
November 18, 2015
A stranger, friendship, attraction left not returned, and family history with a whole lot of souls getting in the mix.
Claire is your average young adult girl simply moseying along her young adult world when BAM! something happens that tells her all is not as it seems. I guess as YA readers one might expect this sort of thing, but you might not expect where this one goes.
I was drawn in from the opening scene, which builds a strong introduction to Claire, her family relationships, and her current world. But then comes the BAM! Lights illuminate from her palms, which is astonishing in itself; more astonishing is that her grandmother - who totally and completely saw it (Claire's mind) - doesn't seem stunned at all. Dah-dah-DAH! Thus, you keep reading....
Her family is surely close, but also ingrained in their faith - something Claire has always struggled with. Doubts of the ever-after, the great beyond, and all that plague her. Despite her family's loyalty to Holy Mass, praying the Rosary, and other rituals, she's never given it much thought ... until she realizes her BAM! was a strange reaction to holy water. And then a mysterious young guy starts popping up everywhere she is. It's like he's stalking her but ... not. Once again, the mystery in the story keeps it fueled.
Claire is a likeable girl. She's easy to relate to and youthful with a tender, shy quality. I enjoyed how she has a host of supporters. Lots of YA stories find the main character on their own or unwilling to confide in others. Don't get me wrong. Claire has her abrupt moments, especially struggling with her faith, and what she learns about herself and the world she thought she knew. But for the most part, she wants to do whats good and right. It was refreshing to see this character grow stronger as the pages turned.
The story really gets going when Aunt Julia, who Claire never knew existed, comes out of the woodwork to help her hone her divine powers. Worst of all, Claire is forced to go live with this lady she barely knows and eat all sorts of granola-like stuff Julia calls food. As you might suspect, this relationship is way more than it initially appears. Soon tension, conflict, questions, and yes, ultimately tears seep in and out of both characters. But you'll have to read to find out why. ;)
Traveling to save souls is something only found in movies; but for Claire, it turns out to be real and tests what little faith she has. And when something horrible happens to Julia, and Claire takes a risk, it ignites dangerous consequences she might not be able to handle.
Claire is your average young adult girl simply moseying along her young adult world when BAM! something happens that tells her all is not as it seems. I guess as YA readers one might expect this sort of thing, but you might not expect where this one goes.
I was drawn in from the opening scene, which builds a strong introduction to Claire, her family relationships, and her current world. But then comes the BAM! Lights illuminate from her palms, which is astonishing in itself; more astonishing is that her grandmother - who totally and completely saw it (Claire's mind) - doesn't seem stunned at all. Dah-dah-DAH! Thus, you keep reading....
Her family is surely close, but also ingrained in their faith - something Claire has always struggled with. Doubts of the ever-after, the great beyond, and all that plague her. Despite her family's loyalty to Holy Mass, praying the Rosary, and other rituals, she's never given it much thought ... until she realizes her BAM! was a strange reaction to holy water. And then a mysterious young guy starts popping up everywhere she is. It's like he's stalking her but ... not. Once again, the mystery in the story keeps it fueled.
Claire is a likeable girl. She's easy to relate to and youthful with a tender, shy quality. I enjoyed how she has a host of supporters. Lots of YA stories find the main character on their own or unwilling to confide in others. Don't get me wrong. Claire has her abrupt moments, especially struggling with her faith, and what she learns about herself and the world she thought she knew. But for the most part, she wants to do whats good and right. It was refreshing to see this character grow stronger as the pages turned.
The story really gets going when Aunt Julia, who Claire never knew existed, comes out of the woodwork to help her hone her divine powers. Worst of all, Claire is forced to go live with this lady she barely knows and eat all sorts of granola-like stuff Julia calls food. As you might suspect, this relationship is way more than it initially appears. Soon tension, conflict, questions, and yes, ultimately tears seep in and out of both characters. But you'll have to read to find out why. ;)
Traveling to save souls is something only found in movies; but for Claire, it turns out to be real and tests what little faith she has. And when something horrible happens to Julia, and Claire takes a risk, it ignites dangerous consequences she might not be able to handle.
November 11, 2015
Review can be read in its entirety at www.booklovercircumspect4.com.
Claire Daly dreams of going to college and becoming a librarian and having her crush and best friend, Chas, fall in love with her and live happily ever after. Little does Claire know that her future is not what she plans it to be when Claire suddenly learns that she has a divine gift and many other secrets that have yet to be revealed to her, including a very handsome man, Ari.
Taken under her aunt’s wing to learn more about her gifts, Claire struggles with her faith, the challenges before her, and the evil that is chasing her. Claire has little time to learn all that she needs to as her powers are greatly desired by the worst of all evil.
Helping her aunt, she is thrust into hell and its many layers. Only in hell does Claire learn of what she truly is capable of and how powerful she really is. But does Claire turn to evil to save her family? Are the secrets revealed to her to much for her to handle? Is Ari really good or is evil in disguise? You will have to read the book!
I absolutely adored Claire’s sarcasm throughout this book and it made the book that much more enjoyable for me. This is not my normal genre but I am glad that I was given the opportunity to read and review this book. Coincidence or……..
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. My review of this book is based on my personal experience of reading it and it is my opinion alone.
Claire Daly dreams of going to college and becoming a librarian and having her crush and best friend, Chas, fall in love with her and live happily ever after. Little does Claire know that her future is not what she plans it to be when Claire suddenly learns that she has a divine gift and many other secrets that have yet to be revealed to her, including a very handsome man, Ari.
Taken under her aunt’s wing to learn more about her gifts, Claire struggles with her faith, the challenges before her, and the evil that is chasing her. Claire has little time to learn all that she needs to as her powers are greatly desired by the worst of all evil.
Helping her aunt, she is thrust into hell and its many layers. Only in hell does Claire learn of what she truly is capable of and how powerful she really is. But does Claire turn to evil to save her family? Are the secrets revealed to her to much for her to handle? Is Ari really good or is evil in disguise? You will have to read the book!
I absolutely adored Claire’s sarcasm throughout this book and it made the book that much more enjoyable for me. This is not my normal genre but I am glad that I was given the opportunity to read and review this book. Coincidence or……..
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. My review of this book is based on my personal experience of reading it and it is my opinion alone.
January 18, 2016
Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver was an enjoyable read and sets up nicely for what hopefully will be a series. Claire is an average 17 year old - content in her ways with a part-time job and aspirations of college, secretly in love with her best friend, and feeling the effects of a life high in sugar and low in exercise. This all changes with the sudden manifestation of special powers that bring her into a world of good and evil. This book loosely uses themes of Christian spirituality as a basis for its fantasy, without being preachy. It is a story of a young woman coming to terms with the cards life has thrown her. Well in the category of YA fantasy, this book is an easy read that won't challenge you but will leave you wondering what her next adventure will be.
I received this book as a Goodreads First Read.
I received this book as a Goodreads First Read.
November 16, 2015
I really loved this book because it is different and very interesting. I couldn’t put the book down. I thought the characters were really believable. I thought the plot was awesome and I felt that I was right there seeing everything that happened. I could visualize it in my mind. I thought the twist in the plot was great, never saw it coming. This story had no sex and few cuss words. It did have some scary paranormal parts to it but it is still a really great book to read. I highly recommend this book if you like reading books about the paranormal. I did receive this book to read in return for an honest review and I really did enjoy reading this book.
You can find more info about this book on my blog: http://dianasbookreviews.com/book-rev...
You can find more info about this book on my blog: http://dianasbookreviews.com/book-rev...
November 9, 2015
I won the book through a good reads giveaway.. I was excited to get the book and start it promptly.. I think overall the book was good.. I think the plot was interesting as was the characters.. I wish the book would have had a tad more on books or her reading.. I have a small soft spot for Ari I think though Chas is up there too.. oh what ends up happening? The book definitely left off for more to follow..
December 11, 2016
Though I'm not a religious person at all, I was intrigued by the concept of this story. A teenage girl finds out she's an Illiminatae: a powerful being whose destiny it is to save souls from the depths of Hell itself. Yikes. Makes high school classes seem pretty paltry, huh?
Claire Daly is willful, stubborn, and at times downright obnoxious. When this bombshell gets dropped on her, she has to give up her dreams of becoming a librarian and train for her duties with her rather gruff Aunt Julia (who forces her to give up ALL her comforts: phone, TV, junk food, etc.) in a remote corner of Ireland.
Eventually, though, she must put her newfound skills to work, and that's when the story gets really exciting. The author does a fine job building suspense and throwing in a few twists and turns, ultimately leading to a satisfying conclusion. Though the story was at times a little too preachy for me, I eagerly anticipate the next book in the series.
Claire Daly is willful, stubborn, and at times downright obnoxious. When this bombshell gets dropped on her, she has to give up her dreams of becoming a librarian and train for her duties with her rather gruff Aunt Julia (who forces her to give up ALL her comforts: phone, TV, junk food, etc.) in a remote corner of Ireland.
Eventually, though, she must put her newfound skills to work, and that's when the story gets really exciting. The author does a fine job building suspense and throwing in a few twists and turns, ultimately leading to a satisfying conclusion. Though the story was at times a little too preachy for me, I eagerly anticipate the next book in the series.
March 7, 2020
an age-old battle of good versus evil
When Claire finds out she’s an Illuminata (a soul that has been chosen by God and entrusted to Saint Michael for special work across the different dimensions), her whole life changes drastically. She goes from being an ordinary teenager to someone with special powers and a special mission. And she doesn’t want that. She just wants to live her life as she had planned: become a librarian and hang out with Chas, who she has a crush on. She just wants to ignore this whole Illuminata thing. But this thing won’t be ignored. Still, Claire is defiant and reluctant. She’s also cynical and sarcastic, yet as the book continued I grew to really like her; her heart’s in the right place. She literally has to go to Hell to save souls. The story has a definite religious angle, but it’s not preachy in any way. I really liked this book. It got very suspenseful at the end. It doesn’t have a cliffhanger. It does have a promise of more battles to come.
When Claire finds out she’s an Illuminata (a soul that has been chosen by God and entrusted to Saint Michael for special work across the different dimensions), her whole life changes drastically. She goes from being an ordinary teenager to someone with special powers and a special mission. And she doesn’t want that. She just wants to live her life as she had planned: become a librarian and hang out with Chas, who she has a crush on. She just wants to ignore this whole Illuminata thing. But this thing won’t be ignored. Still, Claire is defiant and reluctant. She’s also cynical and sarcastic, yet as the book continued I grew to really like her; her heart’s in the right place. She literally has to go to Hell to save souls. The story has a definite religious angle, but it’s not preachy in any way. I really liked this book. It got very suspenseful at the end. It doesn’t have a cliffhanger. It does have a promise of more battles to come.
March 22, 2016
Today We Did
Claire Daly has just finished school and has dreams of becoming a librarian. She is tall with flaming red hair and is in love with her best friend, Chas, who is completely clueless. She is just an average teenager, living with her Mam and her brother, getting dragged to Mass and Holy sites by her Gran. That is until an extraordinary thing happens when she spills holy water on her hands, and suddenly her whole life changes. She is an Illuminata, a soul saver, it is her destiny and now she is in danger. It’s a lot to cope with, but there are more family secrets waiting to emerge, and a handsome young man called Ari keeps appearing.
This is a captivating paranormal novel with a fast plot, and a number of twists. I enjoyed it greatly, reading it quickly and staying up late because I had to know how it ended! Given the subject matter, there are plenty of references to God, Hell, demons, holy sites and souls. However, there is no need to be religious to understand or enjoy this story, everything was explained and described well. It was easy to follow and quite exciting, with some good action sequences.
The setting in Ireland sounds lovely. It must be so beautiful out on the peninsula and along the coast. The description of the landscape made me want to visit there some day.
Claire is a wonderful character! She is extremely reluctant to take on the job of an Illuminata. She wants to choose her own life path, which is fair enough, but her destiny just won’t allow it for the time being. So she is stuck spending her summer learning to utilise and control her newfound powers with her severe aunt, a much more experienced Illuminata. This leaves Claire grumpy, sarcastic and difficult, just as I picture an adolescent when they are not getting their own way. I got to know Claire quite well through the story, and I liked her a lot. Julia is quite different to Claire, and though she was very strict and unyielding, I came to like and admire her. Claire’s interaction with Ari was intriguing and exciting too.
Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver entertained me. There was a bit of romance and some violence, making it more suitable for middle high school students and up. This is only the start of the Soul Saver series, and I am very much looking forward to Claire’s next challenge.
*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.
Claire Daly has just finished school and has dreams of becoming a librarian. She is tall with flaming red hair and is in love with her best friend, Chas, who is completely clueless. She is just an average teenager, living with her Mam and her brother, getting dragged to Mass and Holy sites by her Gran. That is until an extraordinary thing happens when she spills holy water on her hands, and suddenly her whole life changes. She is an Illuminata, a soul saver, it is her destiny and now she is in danger. It’s a lot to cope with, but there are more family secrets waiting to emerge, and a handsome young man called Ari keeps appearing.
This is a captivating paranormal novel with a fast plot, and a number of twists. I enjoyed it greatly, reading it quickly and staying up late because I had to know how it ended! Given the subject matter, there are plenty of references to God, Hell, demons, holy sites and souls. However, there is no need to be religious to understand or enjoy this story, everything was explained and described well. It was easy to follow and quite exciting, with some good action sequences.
The setting in Ireland sounds lovely. It must be so beautiful out on the peninsula and along the coast. The description of the landscape made me want to visit there some day.
Claire is a wonderful character! She is extremely reluctant to take on the job of an Illuminata. She wants to choose her own life path, which is fair enough, but her destiny just won’t allow it for the time being. So she is stuck spending her summer learning to utilise and control her newfound powers with her severe aunt, a much more experienced Illuminata. This leaves Claire grumpy, sarcastic and difficult, just as I picture an adolescent when they are not getting their own way. I got to know Claire quite well through the story, and I liked her a lot. Julia is quite different to Claire, and though she was very strict and unyielding, I came to like and admire her. Claire’s interaction with Ari was intriguing and exciting too.
Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver entertained me. There was a bit of romance and some violence, making it more suitable for middle high school students and up. This is only the start of the Soul Saver series, and I am very much looking forward to Claire’s next challenge.
*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.
November 4, 2016
Claire Daly is a typical, geeky Irish teenager. Her only wish is to make it through her bookshop-job-working-summer so she can start going to college to become a librarian. If she gets up the nerve to tell the boy next door she is in love with him, even better. But when an accident at a holy well reveals she has mysterious powers only worthy of a group called the Illuminatae, her world is turned upside down.
Suddenly, her family is at risk by the Unholy, the group that hunt down and try to stop budding Illuminatae. Her mysterious aunt arrives to help her train against these forces. They are trying to stop her from reaching her full potential. But will she be able to have enough confidence and interest in her new life as an Illuminatae before she has to face the forces of Hell?
Wow! This book really sucked me in. I really enjoyed the setting in Ireland. I've visited twice now. It's such a beautiful country. There were references to Imperial soap and other things that make me know the author either has visited or been to Ireland.
The whole Illuminatee twist is interesting too. I love anything that has a strong woman with superpowers. It reminded me of The DaVinci Code with a love triangle laced through. The theme of good versus evil and questioning ones faith mirrored Dan Brown's book. Overall, I'd recommend it for someone that wants a little faith in their paranormal read.
**Note: My blog received a review copy for an honest review of this book.
Suddenly, her family is at risk by the Unholy, the group that hunt down and try to stop budding Illuminatae. Her mysterious aunt arrives to help her train against these forces. They are trying to stop her from reaching her full potential. But will she be able to have enough confidence and interest in her new life as an Illuminatae before she has to face the forces of Hell?
Wow! This book really sucked me in. I really enjoyed the setting in Ireland. I've visited twice now. It's such a beautiful country. There were references to Imperial soap and other things that make me know the author either has visited or been to Ireland.
The whole Illuminatee twist is interesting too. I love anything that has a strong woman with superpowers. It reminded me of The DaVinci Code with a love triangle laced through. The theme of good versus evil and questioning ones faith mirrored Dan Brown's book. Overall, I'd recommend it for someone that wants a little faith in their paranormal read.
**Note: My blog received a review copy for an honest review of this book.
December 7, 2015
I loved this book. It was exciting, well paced and I read it in two sittings. Without giving away too much, Clare is a very special young lady with a gift. Set in Ireland, you really get a feel for the location through the writing and the characterization in this book is superb.
You're in for some surprises with this reluctant soul saver, can't wait for the next one!
You're in for some surprises with this reluctant soul saver, can't wait for the next one!
November 27, 2016
Fast read. Having ones faith tested can take many forms. For Claire Daly it is completely life changing. Nothing will be the same for her. Can't wait to read more. The action was just right, felt like we slid head long into the ending wanting more. Thanks to the author, won this in a Facebook drawing.
January 30, 2017
Wonderful
There is so much I could say about this book, but to say it all would spoil the story. It's hard to put down. Well written, funny, sad and eye opening.
There is so much I could say about this book, but to say it all would spoil the story. It's hard to put down. Well written, funny, sad and eye opening.
Read
April 14, 2018Don’t be reluctant to read this one!!!
The first Couple Chapters Were slow going. Once hit Chapter 4 it was full steam ahead!!
The starts out introducing vs to 17 year old. Claire Daly, and her finding out she is ah Illuminate. Part of the Army of Light.
Without giving to much spoilers, Claire ends up going to stay with her Aunt Julia. Also an Illuminate. Julia Shows Claire how to use her abilities that come with being an Illuminate. (Which are pretty awesome!
The writing in this book is great! Claire was well written and relatable as a 17 year old who has her own dreams and life. The writing was fantastic when trying to visualize in your head.
The first Couple Chapters Were slow going. Once hit Chapter 4 it was full steam ahead!!
The starts out introducing vs to 17 year old. Claire Daly, and her finding out she is ah Illuminate. Part of the Army of Light.
Without giving to much spoilers, Claire ends up going to stay with her Aunt Julia. Also an Illuminate. Julia Shows Claire how to use her abilities that come with being an Illuminate. (Which are pretty awesome!
The writing in this book is great! Claire was well written and relatable as a 17 year old who has her own dreams and life. The writing was fantastic when trying to visualize in your head.
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