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Haven Awakening #1
Haven Awakening
Some things are better left unseen. The kids at Haven have been waiting. Legend foretold the veil-seer would lead them to victory over their sworn enemy Helm. With her arrival comes the shocking realization that she is the one thing they never a mortal. Verity didn't want the cornea transplant for her sixteenth birthday. She couldn't have imagined it would make her the veil-seer, a coveted weapon in an ancient feud. Now she's stuck trying to master her new powers, make friends, and stay alive. Being saved by Helm too many times for comfort, Verity wonders which side she should be fighting for. The problem is something evil lurks in Haven, and the only thing it wants is for the new veil-seer to die. Haven Awakening shows that turning sixteen isn't always sweet. Gryffyn Phoenix takes the YA scene by storm with the first book in the Haven Awakening series—a supernatural fantasy filled with life-threatening conflicts, heartbreaking betrayal, peer pressure, and the dangers of finding true love.
244 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2013
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 19, 2013
I started reading this book and instantly had a feeling it was going to be a good read, it really didn't disappoint.
The story centres around a 16yr old girl, Verity, who has just had an eye transplant having been blind since a car accident a few years previously. However whens she opens her eyes for the first time she gets more than she bargains for. It turns out her new eyes are a bridge to the veil, hence her new title veil-seer.
She is taken off to a sanctuary of sorts known as Haven where people who can be classed as 'special' go. However Verity soon realises that gift of sight can, at times, be more of a curse. She ends up having to be trained by elementals, witches and boring dwarves to name but a few, the only saving grace to this new life seems to be the droolworthy Kaydn. You also have the rival faction of Haven known as the Shades who have their own sanctuary called Helm. Unfortunately for Verity this also includes Kaydn's twin brother Haydn leading to some interesting confrontations between the two brothers.
Through all this add in some interesting monsters to battle and an evil . . . person (politest word I could come up with), Cass, who has some kind of power trip and some kind of claim on Kaydn. This along with all the 'special' people taking an intense liking to Verity leads to an angry Cass and a true page turner.
In summary this is a great first book in a series. Only bad side is that I want to now know more about the alternative sanctuary Helm and what the 'deal' is with Cass. More please!!
Please note I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story centres around a 16yr old girl, Verity, who has just had an eye transplant having been blind since a car accident a few years previously. However whens she opens her eyes for the first time she gets more than she bargains for. It turns out her new eyes are a bridge to the veil, hence her new title veil-seer.
She is taken off to a sanctuary of sorts known as Haven where people who can be classed as 'special' go. However Verity soon realises that gift of sight can, at times, be more of a curse. She ends up having to be trained by elementals, witches and boring dwarves to name but a few, the only saving grace to this new life seems to be the droolworthy Kaydn. You also have the rival faction of Haven known as the Shades who have their own sanctuary called Helm. Unfortunately for Verity this also includes Kaydn's twin brother Haydn leading to some interesting confrontations between the two brothers.
Through all this add in some interesting monsters to battle and an evil . . . person (politest word I could come up with), Cass, who has some kind of power trip and some kind of claim on Kaydn. This along with all the 'special' people taking an intense liking to Verity leads to an angry Cass and a true page turner.
In summary this is a great first book in a series. Only bad side is that I want to now know more about the alternative sanctuary Helm and what the 'deal' is with Cass. More please!!
Please note I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2013
Haven Awakening by Gryffyn Phoenix is a YA paranormal romance, with a lot of action. The story follows Verity (or Very), a sixteen year old girl, who is given the gift of sight through an eye transplant. But she doesn't get normal eyes and she becomes a veil-seer. She is taken to Haven by Cass and is trained and taught about the supernatural world.
This story was extremely interesting and the book was hard to put down. The plot moved quickly and had some twists that I wasn't expecting. The story was well-written, although there were a few editing issues.
The characters in the story were amazing. There were so many different paranormal creatures mentioned in the book and each creature was briefly explained. Since Verity was new to the supernatural world, the reader was able to learn about it with her. Verity was a great character. The book was written in such a way that the reader is basically inside Verity's head and can totally relate to everything that shey is dealing with. I loved being able to hear her inner thoughts and reactions. Cass was such a B**** (with a capital B). She's definitely a character that you love to hate. Kaydn and Haydn twins on opposite side - Kaydn is the leader at Haven and Haydn is the leader at Helm. They are both sexy and appealing...until one of them shows his true colors. I can't say which because I don't want to spoil it, but I'm definitely happy that Very picked who she picked.
I highly recommend this book and I am eagerly waiting for the sequel.
This story was extremely interesting and the book was hard to put down. The plot moved quickly and had some twists that I wasn't expecting. The story was well-written, although there were a few editing issues.
The characters in the story were amazing. There were so many different paranormal creatures mentioned in the book and each creature was briefly explained. Since Verity was new to the supernatural world, the reader was able to learn about it with her. Verity was a great character. The book was written in such a way that the reader is basically inside Verity's head and can totally relate to everything that shey is dealing with. I loved being able to hear her inner thoughts and reactions. Cass was such a B**** (with a capital B). She's definitely a character that you love to hate. Kaydn and Haydn twins on opposite side - Kaydn is the leader at Haven and Haydn is the leader at Helm. They are both sexy and appealing...until one of them shows his true colors. I can't say which because I don't want to spoil it, but I'm definitely happy that Very picked who she picked.
I highly recommend this book and I am eagerly waiting for the sequel.
June 13, 2013
What are people saying about this book ...
"A star is born. Gryffyn Phoenix's Haven is absolutely fabulous. The author's voice is pitch perfect as we are introduced to gutsy teen heroine, Verity. Full of heart and humor, Haven is impossible to set aside, whether you normally read YA novels or not. Phoenix has given us something fresh and new and very exciting. I'll be first in line to read the rest of this unique and entertaining series!"
-Tamara Thorne, international bestselling author of Candle Bay, the Sorority series, and Eternity
"Deftly weaving ancient tales into a luxurious tapestry, author Gryffyn Phoenix, has created a fresh mythology rife with peril. Blinded in an accident, Verity has adapted to a world of darkness. When surgery restores her sight she learns that she alone can see through the fragile veil that separates mortals and myth. Verity is a wonderfully clever and quirky hero in a world in which the concepts of friend, foe and family are turned upside down, often with terrifying results. Haven is a delicious roller coaster ride with plenty of surprises from the first page to the last."
-Q. L. Pearce, author of Scary Stories for SleepOvers
"A promising writer! One to surely watch and read. Definitely read!"
—M.J. Rose
International bestselling author
I say please read it and let me know what you think.
"A star is born. Gryffyn Phoenix's Haven is absolutely fabulous. The author's voice is pitch perfect as we are introduced to gutsy teen heroine, Verity. Full of heart and humor, Haven is impossible to set aside, whether you normally read YA novels or not. Phoenix has given us something fresh and new and very exciting. I'll be first in line to read the rest of this unique and entertaining series!"
-Tamara Thorne, international bestselling author of Candle Bay, the Sorority series, and Eternity
"Deftly weaving ancient tales into a luxurious tapestry, author Gryffyn Phoenix, has created a fresh mythology rife with peril. Blinded in an accident, Verity has adapted to a world of darkness. When surgery restores her sight she learns that she alone can see through the fragile veil that separates mortals and myth. Verity is a wonderfully clever and quirky hero in a world in which the concepts of friend, foe and family are turned upside down, often with terrifying results. Haven is a delicious roller coaster ride with plenty of surprises from the first page to the last."
-Q. L. Pearce, author of Scary Stories for SleepOvers
"A promising writer! One to surely watch and read. Definitely read!"
—M.J. Rose
International bestselling author
I say please read it and let me know what you think.
July 27, 2013
Haven: Awakening is the kind of story that makes you insane waiting for the sequel. Sixteen-year-old Verity receives the gift of sight from an organ transplant, but she receives so much more than she bargained for. Now, as the cover tells us, she can see those things that truly go bump in the night. Verity is a strong character: a real smart a$$, but an endearing one (think of your favorite older cousin times a million). She’s got the perfect personality for all she endures—and there’s quite a lot. I was surprised at times by the level of terror we the readers were subjected to. Author Phoenix pulls no punches as she throws Verity into one horrible predicament after another, some quite nasty (be warned!). There’s some powerful stuff in here, especially for a “YA” novel. Once this book sucks you in, there’s no coming up for air. And you’ll love every minute of it.
January 26, 2014
Did you enjoy Harry Potter, the Hobbit? Then you'll love this great read. A fresh voice and captivating story. Be it of a fierce and independent heroine not afraid of physical attraction, realistic teen life (even for the mythical creatures), teenage girl angst, multi-racial mix, black gay half-fae, lesbian fairies, a fascinating perspective of the world, you'll find your place in this story! A wonderfully woven tapestry, bravo. Enjoy!
July 29, 2016
I absolutely adored this novel! Phoenix’s Haven sounds absolutely irresistible! With a prefect balance of humor and magical realism, Phoenix provides readers with a refreshing and insightful tale that everyone is bound to fall in love with! In addition, Phoenix is able to truly able to capture the teenage mind and voice. In short, you should read this. You’ll get your fill of laughs, as well as a touch of magic!
September 7, 2016
If you are looking for an original, creative story to read this is the perfect book for you. The 16 year-old female narrator is spot on. This book will make all of your emotions come out. The world created in this book has so much depth and is incredibly intriguing. Also, the plot twists make for a perfectly paced story. Haven Awakening is a must read.
April 10, 2020
The book is a good teen and young adult paranormal romance read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good. The story is an enjoyable fantasy filled read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 2, 2020
I enjoyed this story very much so. It had a well-thought out premise with plenty of extremely interesting characters. The main character was increasingly fascinating and I never found myself wanting to quit reading the story. I finished it all rather quickly and would definitely recommend this book to others wanting to try this author out.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 26, 2016
***This Review and More can be found at my blog Love at First Write***
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This novel was set at the perfect pace with a character I could understand and relate to, on top of being told in a great writing style. The plot is about Verity/Very/ Lucky Flower who was blinded in an accident at the age of 12. At the age of 16 her parents sign her up for an eye transplant where she doesn’t get normal eyes. Verity acquires magical eyes that see through all of the different dimensions. She can see the paranormal oogey bogeys and the creatures that go bump in the night. Naturally this freaks her out and a girl named Cass (who I thought was really cool at her fist impression but slowly devolved into a terrible person) take Verity to Haven to train her in how to use her eyes. The teens at Haven are all magical/paranormal in some way and use their abilities to fight evil creatures and maintain balance in the world. The only problem is that they need Verity’s eyes to see the monsters. So not only does Verity need to learn how to use her eyes, she needs to learn the lore to identify these creatures, and she needs to survive the fight in order to keep seeing for Haven. However, in these fights Haven’s enemy, a group named Shade, was doing the majority of the Verity-saving. Pretty unsettling if you ask me that this supposedly evil group is doing more of the honorable protecting than her ‘friends’. This kindles a romance between Verity and Haydn, a member of the Shade who wants her to change sides and live at Helm instead of Haven.
I was glued to the pages of this book while reading it. I was so involved that I almost forgot to give my dog is lunch! I can’t remember the last time I’ve read a book in less than 12 hours. Normally I take at least two days because I have to put the book down and do other things. This was not the case with Haven Awakening. Over the course of several months, Verity befriends some of the citizens of Haven which was really cool to read about. So many mythological creatures appeared throughout the book and had such great interactions with Very, it was such an enjoyable read. I was reading about elementals, wraiths, afrits, unicorns, dwarves, nephilim, elves, spiritual energy in trees and rocks, wiccans, the whole shebang and it was awesome. It sort of felt like a mix between Percy Jackson, and The Companions Quartet by Julia Golding (though I never finished the quartet). Both are also great on the mythical creatures’ front and these are my favorite kind of stories. I even learned about some new creatures such as Zoroastrians which seems to be a sort of rock entity, and a Tsiatko which is a sick Native American spirit. Drawing from different cultures only improved the book in my eyes. Diversity and the American melting pot is something too many people are trying to erase and forget about these days.
On top of the magical creatures there’s lessons about friendship, family, trust and betrayal sprinkled in for good measure. Good stuff, good stuff. While the book started off a bit cliqued, right on page one was cringe-worthy, just past that was were the good stuff starts and it never stopped. While debating between staying in Haven or switching to Helm’s side, Verity’s friends in Haven were with her the whole way. Even when faced with leaving them, her friends supported her. I was SOOO happy I didn’t have to read a scene about Verity leaving and all of her friends now becoming her enemies just because they were on different ‘sides’. It was also nice to read about our hero returning to their family and trying to make both lives work instead of disappearing and never contacting their family again. That was refreshing. Haven Awakening was perfectly blended and balanced between all of the different themes romance and action, and the author’s writing style was unique and gratifying. I’ve got Book 2, Helm’s Abomination lined up to read next!
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This novel was set at the perfect pace with a character I could understand and relate to, on top of being told in a great writing style. The plot is about Verity/Very/ Lucky Flower who was blinded in an accident at the age of 12. At the age of 16 her parents sign her up for an eye transplant where she doesn’t get normal eyes. Verity acquires magical eyes that see through all of the different dimensions. She can see the paranormal oogey bogeys and the creatures that go bump in the night. Naturally this freaks her out and a girl named Cass (who I thought was really cool at her fist impression but slowly devolved into a terrible person) take Verity to Haven to train her in how to use her eyes. The teens at Haven are all magical/paranormal in some way and use their abilities to fight evil creatures and maintain balance in the world. The only problem is that they need Verity’s eyes to see the monsters. So not only does Verity need to learn how to use her eyes, she needs to learn the lore to identify these creatures, and she needs to survive the fight in order to keep seeing for Haven. However, in these fights Haven’s enemy, a group named Shade, was doing the majority of the Verity-saving. Pretty unsettling if you ask me that this supposedly evil group is doing more of the honorable protecting than her ‘friends’. This kindles a romance between Verity and Haydn, a member of the Shade who wants her to change sides and live at Helm instead of Haven.
I was glued to the pages of this book while reading it. I was so involved that I almost forgot to give my dog is lunch! I can’t remember the last time I’ve read a book in less than 12 hours. Normally I take at least two days because I have to put the book down and do other things. This was not the case with Haven Awakening. Over the course of several months, Verity befriends some of the citizens of Haven which was really cool to read about. So many mythological creatures appeared throughout the book and had such great interactions with Very, it was such an enjoyable read. I was reading about elementals, wraiths, afrits, unicorns, dwarves, nephilim, elves, spiritual energy in trees and rocks, wiccans, the whole shebang and it was awesome. It sort of felt like a mix between Percy Jackson, and The Companions Quartet by Julia Golding (though I never finished the quartet). Both are also great on the mythical creatures’ front and these are my favorite kind of stories. I even learned about some new creatures such as Zoroastrians which seems to be a sort of rock entity, and a Tsiatko which is a sick Native American spirit. Drawing from different cultures only improved the book in my eyes. Diversity and the American melting pot is something too many people are trying to erase and forget about these days.
On top of the magical creatures there’s lessons about friendship, family, trust and betrayal sprinkled in for good measure. Good stuff, good stuff. While the book started off a bit cliqued, right on page one was cringe-worthy, just past that was were the good stuff starts and it never stopped. While debating between staying in Haven or switching to Helm’s side, Verity’s friends in Haven were with her the whole way. Even when faced with leaving them, her friends supported her. I was SOOO happy I didn’t have to read a scene about Verity leaving and all of her friends now becoming her enemies just because they were on different ‘sides’. It was also nice to read about our hero returning to their family and trying to make both lives work instead of disappearing and never contacting their family again. That was refreshing. Haven Awakening was perfectly blended and balanced between all of the different themes romance and action, and the author’s writing style was unique and gratifying. I’ve got Book 2, Helm’s Abomination lined up to read next!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews