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The Highly Capable
What would you do if you could control objects with your mind?
Would you be able to choose between right and wrong?
Eighteen-year-old Ruby Dawson was born with the powers to move things with her mind. She thought she was the only one of her kind until she met Tristan-a self-destructive drug addict and a crew of super-powered thieves. Working in the shadows, the crew follows their fire conjuring leader, Madison, as they descend further and further into the world of organized crime.
Ruby finds herself in a whirlwind of wrong decisions, lies, murder, and realizations she isn’t ready to face. As Ruby watches Tristan disappear further into his drug addiction and her team fight for more money and territory, she struggles with who she has become. Can Ruby walk away from the closest thing she has to a family and be the hero she is actually meant to be?
The Highly Capable- Volume One of the Ruby Dawson Saga, an urban fantasy, is a tormenting and emotional tale of self-discovery.
Would you be able to choose between right and wrong?
Eighteen-year-old Ruby Dawson was born with the powers to move things with her mind. She thought she was the only one of her kind until she met Tristan-a self-destructive drug addict and a crew of super-powered thieves. Working in the shadows, the crew follows their fire conjuring leader, Madison, as they descend further and further into the world of organized crime.
Ruby finds herself in a whirlwind of wrong decisions, lies, murder, and realizations she isn’t ready to face. As Ruby watches Tristan disappear further into his drug addiction and her team fight for more money and territory, she struggles with who she has become. Can Ruby walk away from the closest thing she has to a family and be the hero she is actually meant to be?
The Highly Capable- Volume One of the Ruby Dawson Saga, an urban fantasy, is a tormenting and emotional tale of self-discovery.
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
162 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 2, 2015
12 people want to read
About the author
Jayme Beddingfield
5 books30 followersJayme Beddingfield has been crafting stories since her third-grade assignment to write her own fairy tale. She prefers to work from the sofa with her dogs by her feet. Originally from Northern New Jersey she now lives in Seattle, the city of her dreams. She lives with her husband, two children, and a slew of adopted pets. Her new urban fantasy novel, The Highly Capable, will be available in stores November 13th.
Follow me on Twitter @jaymebeddingfield
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February 3, 2016I received this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited to receive this book as it had a lot of aspects which, on the surface, would be a good fit for me. However, the further I got into the book the more obvious it became that it was a total mismatch.
The Highly Capable is a redemptive story with very strong X-men undertones. (IE: Our heroine is a red-headed telekinetic who is developing telepathic and empathetic powers as well and she eventually meets a guy named Charlie who runs a comic book store and is an option for a way out of her current life.). We are introduced to Ruby, an 18 year old telekinetic who is running with a gang of similarly powered individuals who go from using their powers to pick pocket the tourists to robbing homes and then businesses and then taking on drug gangs and other such things. Their leader, Madison, has some kind of manifest destiny in mind for them, not that she'll tell anyone what that is and spends much of her time threatening to kill one member or another. However, the stuff with Madison is kind of background while much of the immediate plot circles around Ruby's changing powers, her relationships with three men and her slowly growing desire to get out of the life she's in the middle of.
So why did I stop reading? I like paranormal books. I like redemption arcs. I don't even mind the heavy X-men influence. But the biggest problem? I had no one to root for. I didn't like or empathize with a single character, Ruby included and especially. She's wishy washy and often stupid. She blames her indecision on bad self control and begs people to take her away from her life, even when she says on the next breath that she's perfectly capable of taking care of herself...except that she's not and she doesn't. Things happen TO Ruby, she doesn't do anything proactive to change it. She kills without mercy or remorse except for the occasions where she doesn't, which is only when it's plot pivotal and when it starts to physically and emotionally hurt her because she's experiencing what she's putting others through, which feels like a very heavy handed way to try to push her towards choosing a better life.
The other characters aren't better.
For me, in order to enjoy a story of redemption I have to believe the character wants it and I have to have someone to cheer for who I want redeemed. Unfortunately this book didn't do it for me.
POV Information: This is in first person present tense.
Content warning: Sex, drugs, drinking, language, violence... Most of it isn't explicit, but it's all there.
I was excited to receive this book as it had a lot of aspects which, on the surface, would be a good fit for me. However, the further I got into the book the more obvious it became that it was a total mismatch.
The Highly Capable is a redemptive story with very strong X-men undertones. (IE: Our heroine is a red-headed telekinetic who is developing telepathic and empathetic powers as well and she eventually meets a guy named Charlie who runs a comic book store and is an option for a way out of her current life.). We are introduced to Ruby, an 18 year old telekinetic who is running with a gang of similarly powered individuals who go from using their powers to pick pocket the tourists to robbing homes and then businesses and then taking on drug gangs and other such things. Their leader, Madison, has some kind of manifest destiny in mind for them, not that she'll tell anyone what that is and spends much of her time threatening to kill one member or another. However, the stuff with Madison is kind of background while much of the immediate plot circles around Ruby's changing powers, her relationships with three men and her slowly growing desire to get out of the life she's in the middle of.
So why did I stop reading? I like paranormal books. I like redemption arcs. I don't even mind the heavy X-men influence. But the biggest problem? I had no one to root for. I didn't like or empathize with a single character, Ruby included and especially. She's wishy washy and often stupid. She blames her indecision on bad self control and begs people to take her away from her life, even when she says on the next breath that she's perfectly capable of taking care of herself...except that she's not and she doesn't. Things happen TO Ruby, she doesn't do anything proactive to change it. She kills without mercy or remorse except for the occasions where she doesn't, which is only when it's plot pivotal and when it starts to physically and emotionally hurt her because she's experiencing what she's putting others through, which feels like a very heavy handed way to try to push her towards choosing a better life.
The other characters aren't better.
For me, in order to enjoy a story of redemption I have to believe the character wants it and I have to have someone to cheer for who I want redeemed. Unfortunately this book didn't do it for me.
POV Information: This is in first person present tense.
Content warning: Sex, drugs, drinking, language, violence... Most of it isn't explicit, but it's all there.
January 21, 2016
This eBook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Ruby Dawson is a tough eighteen-year old girl who has lived on the streets and is now in league with a 'talented' group of individuals. These talents are actual mutant powers and she possesses the ability to move things with her mind and also inflict pain [even death,] on an individual with just her mind.
In the crew there is Tristan, a boy she met when she was living on the streets and has taken to dating, there is also his best friend, Brody. Tristan gets involved with drugs and begins to spiral and Brody is there to scoop Ruby up when she needs someone most.
The gang of talented individuals rob houses, and their leader, Madison, wants to grow and she has big plans for this group of talented people. Except Ruby is tired of killing, tired of stealing, tired of this life and when she spares the life of not one, but two people things begin to change.
Overall, this book was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages because I'm a huge fan of X-Men and this is X-Men-ish.
What I found hard for me was that there seemed to be so much focus on Tristan and Brody that it left no room for actual plot development or rather character development even. None of them are terribly likeable or if they are you soon find you're not so keen on them [in my case.] I found myself really just blinking at Ruby at times, but I think that's the entire point. She's trying to discover herself and she's making stupid mistakes - just on a broader scale given the circumstances.
Once Ruby meets Darcy, a young talented girl and Charlie, a comic book store owner, things take a twist. We also meet yet another love interest. So now there are three guys involved in Ruby's life - to me that was a little much and it distracts from what could have been a broader plot - it seems like the action, the battling and what Madison is up to is just a background story when it should be at the forefront.
In the end, it was a quick, decent read. It kept me wanting to know what happened, it left off at a good place. Altogether deserving of a 3. :}
Book Savvy
Ruby Dawson is a tough eighteen-year old girl who has lived on the streets and is now in league with a 'talented' group of individuals. These talents are actual mutant powers and she possesses the ability to move things with her mind and also inflict pain [even death,] on an individual with just her mind.
In the crew there is Tristan, a boy she met when she was living on the streets and has taken to dating, there is also his best friend, Brody. Tristan gets involved with drugs and begins to spiral and Brody is there to scoop Ruby up when she needs someone most.
The gang of talented individuals rob houses, and their leader, Madison, wants to grow and she has big plans for this group of talented people. Except Ruby is tired of killing, tired of stealing, tired of this life and when she spares the life of not one, but two people things begin to change.
Overall, this book was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages because I'm a huge fan of X-Men and this is X-Men-ish.
What I found hard for me was that there seemed to be so much focus on Tristan and Brody that it left no room for actual plot development or rather character development even. None of them are terribly likeable or if they are you soon find you're not so keen on them [in my case.] I found myself really just blinking at Ruby at times, but I think that's the entire point. She's trying to discover herself and she's making stupid mistakes - just on a broader scale given the circumstances.
Once Ruby meets Darcy, a young talented girl and Charlie, a comic book store owner, things take a twist. We also meet yet another love interest. So now there are three guys involved in Ruby's life - to me that was a little much and it distracts from what could have been a broader plot - it seems like the action, the battling and what Madison is up to is just a background story when it should be at the forefront.
In the end, it was a quick, decent read. It kept me wanting to know what happened, it left off at a good place. Altogether deserving of a 3. :}
Book Savvy
February 11, 2016
★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
If Jamie Schultz's Arcane Underworld were an HBO show, this would be the TNT or USA Network equivalent (this is a description, not a criticism) -- it's not quite a gritty, or dark -- but it deals with the same kind of characters, in similar pressures.
Ruby Dawson is telekenetic, her drug-addled boyfriend can turn invisible, her best friend, Brody can walk through walls, one other member of the team has super-strength and another can climb walls like a certain Web-Slinger. Their boss, Madison, is pyrokenetic (and a secretive control-freak, but that's beside the point). Ruby used to be a pick-pocket, but the team specializes in residential B & A. They're pretty successful at it, but Madison wants more -- and Ruby's thinking it's time to leave. Obviously, there's a little trouble brewing there
In addition to the professional conflict (if you can call it a profession), there's a love triangle, a couple of addicts racing toward rock-bottom, and and almost complete lack of trust amongst the team. I could tell right away that this pegs a little higher on the lovey-dovey/romantic intrigue meter than I prefer (I write that fully aware of the hypocrisy involved, as I'm currently waiting for my wife to finish a Gail Carriger Parasol Protectorate book so I can read it), but I got sucked in anyway.
The combination of problems, the mixture of the personal, professional and both make the plot steam ahead with such drive you just hang on for dear life. Ruby's situation reminded me of Patricia Briggs' Anna Cornick or Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville when we meet them for the first time -- the way she addresses her situation is all her, though. It wasn't just the plot that engaged me, it was the way that Ruby worked through it emotionally, the choices she made; I wanted to know what happened to Brody and her non-criminal friends, too, but on a lesser extent -- and yeah, I really wanted to see Madison get her comeuppance.
All the powers here a pretty generic if you've read 1 X-Men issue (or virtually any other title), and Beddingfield utilized them like a seasoned pro. I'm not sure that I've ever seen her take on telekenesis before, though -- the way she described it was gripping. And when Ruby's powers start to develop in new ways, Beddingfield describes that perfectly, too -- and Ruby's reactions to the changes.
On the one hand, I'd have like a little more background with the crew -- to see them (in flashback) get to the point they are at the beginning of the book, to see the little cracks that got Ruby (and to lesser extent Brody??) to begin to question Madison. At the same time, I kind of liked just being thrown in at the point we are -- where everything's just starting to unravel, the foundation cracking -- having to assume that Ruby has good reason for what she's doing. Not that it takes long for us to get plenty of evidence to justify her actions.
This is a quick read, with a plot that keeps driving forward and an engaging protagonist that makes you want to keep moving. I don't mean this the way it probably sounds, but I can't account for how much I found myself liking this. Beddingfield wrote a good novel, don't get me wrong, but when I stopped to think about it, my appreciation for it was greater than the sum of its parts -- there's something ineffable about this that drew me in. I was so hooked that when I was about 2/3 through, I started looking around on Beddingfield's website for any clues as to the release of Volume 2, I'm already ready for it.
Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of this by the author in exchange for an honest review -- and I'm really glad she did that.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
If Jamie Schultz's Arcane Underworld were an HBO show, this would be the TNT or USA Network equivalent (this is a description, not a criticism) -- it's not quite a gritty, or dark -- but it deals with the same kind of characters, in similar pressures.
Ruby Dawson is telekenetic, her drug-addled boyfriend can turn invisible, her best friend, Brody can walk through walls, one other member of the team has super-strength and another can climb walls like a certain Web-Slinger. Their boss, Madison, is pyrokenetic (and a secretive control-freak, but that's beside the point). Ruby used to be a pick-pocket, but the team specializes in residential B & A. They're pretty successful at it, but Madison wants more -- and Ruby's thinking it's time to leave. Obviously, there's a little trouble brewing there
In addition to the professional conflict (if you can call it a profession), there's a love triangle, a couple of addicts racing toward rock-bottom, and and almost complete lack of trust amongst the team. I could tell right away that this pegs a little higher on the lovey-dovey/romantic intrigue meter than I prefer (I write that fully aware of the hypocrisy involved, as I'm currently waiting for my wife to finish a Gail Carriger Parasol Protectorate book so I can read it), but I got sucked in anyway.
The combination of problems, the mixture of the personal, professional and both make the plot steam ahead with such drive you just hang on for dear life. Ruby's situation reminded me of Patricia Briggs' Anna Cornick or Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville when we meet them for the first time -- the way she addresses her situation is all her, though. It wasn't just the plot that engaged me, it was the way that Ruby worked through it emotionally, the choices she made; I wanted to know what happened to Brody and her non-criminal friends, too, but on a lesser extent -- and yeah, I really wanted to see Madison get her comeuppance.
All the powers here a pretty generic if you've read 1 X-Men issue (or virtually any other title), and Beddingfield utilized them like a seasoned pro. I'm not sure that I've ever seen her take on telekenesis before, though -- the way she described it was gripping. And when Ruby's powers start to develop in new ways, Beddingfield describes that perfectly, too -- and Ruby's reactions to the changes.
On the one hand, I'd have like a little more background with the crew -- to see them (in flashback) get to the point they are at the beginning of the book, to see the little cracks that got Ruby (and to lesser extent Brody??) to begin to question Madison. At the same time, I kind of liked just being thrown in at the point we are -- where everything's just starting to unravel, the foundation cracking -- having to assume that Ruby has good reason for what she's doing. Not that it takes long for us to get plenty of evidence to justify her actions.
This is a quick read, with a plot that keeps driving forward and an engaging protagonist that makes you want to keep moving. I don't mean this the way it probably sounds, but I can't account for how much I found myself liking this. Beddingfield wrote a good novel, don't get me wrong, but when I stopped to think about it, my appreciation for it was greater than the sum of its parts -- there's something ineffable about this that drew me in. I was so hooked that when I was about 2/3 through, I started looking around on Beddingfield's website for any clues as to the release of Volume 2, I'm already ready for it.
Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of this by the author in exchange for an honest review -- and I'm really glad she did that.
December 1, 2015
I received an advanced reader’s copy of The Highly Capable in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this story because subjects about the paranormal peek my interest. This story begins with a girl named Ruby. She has a powerful mind, one that she can use to control objects with. Ruby has a few problems though, even though she is “highly capable” of controlling other objects—her emotions are out of her control. She must decide whether to stay with the group who took her in and helped her control her powers…or to leave. The group that she is with, each individual also has a special ability…but they use them to manipulate “regulars” and commit crimes. Once Ruby’s powers start to grow, she not only hears what others are thinking, but she feels the pain that she inflicts on them. Will she be able to leave the group without being hunted down herself or will the pain she causes—ultimately break her?
My favorite characters in this story are Ruby and Charlie. Ruby is smart, sensible, pretty and wickedly powerful. She knows that her powers can kill—she has done it countless times to protect the group and their secrets. When Madison, the group leader, decides that they must become criminals—or worse, drug dealers…Ruby must make a choice. She is smart, she understands what drugs can do to people—mainly her ex-boyfriend who she is forced to take care of time and time again. The guilt that she feels after every kill finally leads her to Charlie and Darcy. Charlie is the first “regular” that she has let get away after finding out about her secret. Charlie is very trusting, shy and has an easy going personality. He cares about Ruby in a way that she has never known and at first, it scares her. She is afraid for her life, but when the she meets Darcy—she knows that she can’t be scared forever. She needs to boost her confidence and get her priorities straight before she is led down a path that she cannot come back from.
I really liked reading this book and I found it to be one of those, edge of my seat reads. I instantly wanted to know what was next after almost every scene. I did notice that there were a few inconsistencies, like hair color and grammatical content. Overall, the story was pretty interesting and I would definitely recommend it to friends and fans of the paranormal and science fiction genres. Her writing style is wonderful and the pace is quick, which I enjoy. This author does a superb job with character development and everything was easy to picture. I rate this story with five stars, due to originality and creativity along with other aspects already mentioned. After reading this, I can totally see myself picking up another book by this author.
My favorite characters in this story are Ruby and Charlie. Ruby is smart, sensible, pretty and wickedly powerful. She knows that her powers can kill—she has done it countless times to protect the group and their secrets. When Madison, the group leader, decides that they must become criminals—or worse, drug dealers…Ruby must make a choice. She is smart, she understands what drugs can do to people—mainly her ex-boyfriend who she is forced to take care of time and time again. The guilt that she feels after every kill finally leads her to Charlie and Darcy. Charlie is the first “regular” that she has let get away after finding out about her secret. Charlie is very trusting, shy and has an easy going personality. He cares about Ruby in a way that she has never known and at first, it scares her. She is afraid for her life, but when the she meets Darcy—she knows that she can’t be scared forever. She needs to boost her confidence and get her priorities straight before she is led down a path that she cannot come back from.
I really liked reading this book and I found it to be one of those, edge of my seat reads. I instantly wanted to know what was next after almost every scene. I did notice that there were a few inconsistencies, like hair color and grammatical content. Overall, the story was pretty interesting and I would definitely recommend it to friends and fans of the paranormal and science fiction genres. Her writing style is wonderful and the pace is quick, which I enjoy. This author does a superb job with character development and everything was easy to picture. I rate this story with five stars, due to originality and creativity along with other aspects already mentioned. After reading this, I can totally see myself picking up another book by this author.
March 1, 2016
I really liked The Highly Capable by Jayme.
Eighteen-year-old Ruby Dawson was born with the powers to move things with her mind and has two choices to choose from evil or good, light or darkness.
Ruby ends up finding herself in a whirlwind of messed up decisions, more lies, murders, and comes to the realization that she isn’t ready to face what her life has become.
Ruby wants to do good but will she be able to stick to her guns or will she end up being caught in everything.
Ruby watches the guy she thought she loved get lost in his addiction to drugs slipping further out of her reach.
Can she save him before it's too late?
Better yet can she get herself out of this mess safely?
I got lost in Ruby's story and did not want to leave!!
I can't wait for book two!
I hate that I have to wait to be able to read it!!
As soon as Jayme writes book two I'm one-clicking!
If you haven't one-clicked already I suggest you do!
~Morgan.
Eighteen-year-old Ruby Dawson was born with the powers to move things with her mind and has two choices to choose from evil or good, light or darkness.
Ruby ends up finding herself in a whirlwind of messed up decisions, more lies, murders, and comes to the realization that she isn’t ready to face what her life has become.
Ruby wants to do good but will she be able to stick to her guns or will she end up being caught in everything.
Ruby watches the guy she thought she loved get lost in his addiction to drugs slipping further out of her reach.
Can she save him before it's too late?
Better yet can she get herself out of this mess safely?
I got lost in Ruby's story and did not want to leave!!
I can't wait for book two!
I hate that I have to wait to be able to read it!!
As soon as Jayme writes book two I'm one-clicking!
If you haven't one-clicked already I suggest you do!
~Morgan.
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