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The Adept Cycle #1
Rising
What do you get when you combine a no-nonsense federal agent, a high-profile murder and a demon turf war? Special Agent Kessa St. James is about to find out.Kessa's life takes an unexpected twist when the FBI sends her to Gig Harbor, Washington. Her orders are to keep the media off the case and assist profiler Danny Harmon. She just wants to find the senator's killer and go home. She doesn't expect that elements from her past would become central to the investigation, nor did she ever dream she'd wield magic. Will Kessa set logic aside and rise to her role as Adept of the Ancients, or will the demons win the war and take the world?"Rising hooked me from the beginning and I had to keep reading. The setting and the characters made me want to stick around and live in their world. This is the reason that I read, to immerse myself in an alternate reality for a bit. Shanan Winters delivers that experience in her debut novel." - Hillary Norton, Amazon Reviewer "The strong female protagonist in Rising coming to discover hidden strengths all while learning to be vulnerable is completely relatable. Completely badass." - Abby Fischer-Hess, Writer & Journalist
- GenresThriller
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 24, 2014
1 person is currently reading
255 people want to read
About the author
Shanan Winters
2 books13 followersShanan Winters is a freelance writer, editor, and novelist. She has avid interests in geek topics and fandoms, parenting, and technology. She loves archery, cats, aviation, and board games, and has performed in a variety of Irish folk bands over the years playing flute and hammered dulcimer. She also plays fiddle—poorly. She lives with her husband, girl-child, boy-child and two cats in the Phoenix metropolitan sea-of-beige. When not working on projects, Shanan can be found writing about writing at ShananWinters.wordpress.com.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 10, 2017
This is a very enjoyable detective / supernatural cross over. What starts as a murder investigation for FBI Special Agent Kessa St James reveals something altogether more ancient and dangerous.
In this increasingly crowded genre what sets Rising apart is the snappy dialogue between Kessa and the childhood friend she reluctantly takes as her FBI partner, Danny. The characters are strong, and through it all Winters weaves the landscape of the Pacific North West, which joins the cast as an additional character.
The magic fits the environment, and it feels natural that there are monsters lurking amidst the mist and the trees. Basically it works, it hooks you in, and leaves you wanting to read the next one at the end.
In this increasingly crowded genre what sets Rising apart is the snappy dialogue between Kessa and the childhood friend she reluctantly takes as her FBI partner, Danny. The characters are strong, and through it all Winters weaves the landscape of the Pacific North West, which joins the cast as an additional character.
The magic fits the environment, and it feels natural that there are monsters lurking amidst the mist and the trees. Basically it works, it hooks you in, and leaves you wanting to read the next one at the end.
January 9, 2016
Shanan Winters’s debut novel, Rising: Book One of the Adept Cycle, is a fun ride. With believable characters, an interesting premise, a strong setting, and a well-constructed plot, it pulls you in from the start. A mixture of crime thriller, science fiction/fantasy, and supernatural, it breaks many genre conventions while staying true to many others. There are werewolves and demons aplenty, and not a single one of them are sexualised, which is a huge bonus.
The story centres on Kessa St. James, an FBI media relations expert from San Francisco. She is sent to Gig Harbor, Washington, to assist in the murder investigation of a senator. She is partnered with Seattle FBI profiler Danny Harmon. Her main role is to keep the media away from the case during their investigation, but she gets a bit more than she bargained for when she realises that supernatural forces are at work in the small community. The two have history together, as well, having met each other fifteen years ago during what Kessa believes was a prank that drove her away from the Pacific Northwest for as many years and forced her to try to block the events from memory. Those memories come racing back and threaten to change her perception of the world once more. Only this time, there are some clues and people that help confirm there is something darker at play along the way. Kessa soon discovers she is Adept , and she has the power of a natural magic. Harmon and Kessa also discover that they are in the middle of a demon turf war, and though they are both well out of their depth, they are thrust straight into this new world with very little in the way of Cliff’s notes.
Kessa is a relatable character (it does help that you are reading the book through her perspective), and you pick up straight away that she is pragmatic and firmly seated in reality. She butts heads with her temporary partner, Danny, as he is overzealous, compulsive, and believes in the extraordinary. As two main characters go, they are definitely polar opposites, and it makes for more than a few amusing scenes. There are supporting characters aplenty, but I will not go into the finer details of these, as half the fun of reading the book is seeing the world unfold.
The location of the story is firmly set in the Pacific Northwest, and you get transported there from the first page. As you go further into the book, the supernatural or fantasy elements bring on a more defined state, and you do feel like you are walking alongside Kessa. There are worlds outside our own, and this is where a lot of the book shines. There is no heavy description in these parts, which makes it easier to paint the picture in your own mind.
In terms of story and pacing, the book travels along very well, especially for a debut novel. As it is the first in a series, it is information heavy, as the building of the world is really important. However, Shanan has done a great job of mixing in this information between action sequences, and it does not slow very much throughout the story. The first quarter of the book sets up the location and characters, the second quarter starts to ramp up the tension and add the right mix of action and exposition, and the last half is all go-go-go. To put it in perspective, I started the book on Monday. By Thursday, I was halfway through the book. Then on Friday I finished it. It went so fast, I was surprised when it ended, despite having that little indicator at the bottom of my Kindle app telling me how far along I was. The book takes place across two days, basically, so that is part of the reason it feels so fast-paced.
In regards to the story’s bigger surprises, there were plenty of hints throughout to give you an idea what may be occurring, and for me, that was a good thing. There’s nothing worse than a big reveal coming from left-field, and I appreciated that Shanan spent so much effort building that part of the story.
Due to some minor errors, it’s not quite the perfect novel. I had a tough time believing some of the finer details. Kessa was sent to Gig Harbor specifically to handle the media. She keeps thinking to herself that she needs to address them, but she doesn’t for quite some time. Additionally, Kessa’s actions and thoughts sometimes do not reflect her history of being a FBI agent, as she is often found in situations she wouldn’t go into if she had the level of training she attests to. Lastly, Shanan does do a great job building the world, but there are some unnecessary descriptions that do sometimes slow the story. Early in the book, Kessa and Harmon arrive at the witness’s house. We go inside only the once through the book, but half a page is spent on describing the house’s interior. There are around 3 other times that this occurs, and unfortunately, it feels a bit like padding to make the book that much bit longer. Overall, these things barely hinder the story. I mention them only to provide some constructive criticism to an otherwise great book.
Rising makes for a fantastic time, especially if you’re after something unconventional. The characters make the piece believable, while the setting and themes are deeply rooted in both reality and fantasy. I enjoyed the book immensely, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the supernatural. For a debut novel, Shanan has crafted a polished and believable piece, and I cannot wait to see more from the Adept Cycle.
The story centres on Kessa St. James, an FBI media relations expert from San Francisco. She is sent to Gig Harbor, Washington, to assist in the murder investigation of a senator. She is partnered with Seattle FBI profiler Danny Harmon. Her main role is to keep the media away from the case during their investigation, but she gets a bit more than she bargained for when she realises that supernatural forces are at work in the small community. The two have history together, as well, having met each other fifteen years ago during what Kessa believes was a prank that drove her away from the Pacific Northwest for as many years and forced her to try to block the events from memory. Those memories come racing back and threaten to change her perception of the world once more. Only this time, there are some clues and people that help confirm there is something darker at play along the way. Kessa soon discovers she is Adept , and she has the power of a natural magic. Harmon and Kessa also discover that they are in the middle of a demon turf war, and though they are both well out of their depth, they are thrust straight into this new world with very little in the way of Cliff’s notes.
Kessa is a relatable character (it does help that you are reading the book through her perspective), and you pick up straight away that she is pragmatic and firmly seated in reality. She butts heads with her temporary partner, Danny, as he is overzealous, compulsive, and believes in the extraordinary. As two main characters go, they are definitely polar opposites, and it makes for more than a few amusing scenes. There are supporting characters aplenty, but I will not go into the finer details of these, as half the fun of reading the book is seeing the world unfold.
The location of the story is firmly set in the Pacific Northwest, and you get transported there from the first page. As you go further into the book, the supernatural or fantasy elements bring on a more defined state, and you do feel like you are walking alongside Kessa. There are worlds outside our own, and this is where a lot of the book shines. There is no heavy description in these parts, which makes it easier to paint the picture in your own mind.
In terms of story and pacing, the book travels along very well, especially for a debut novel. As it is the first in a series, it is information heavy, as the building of the world is really important. However, Shanan has done a great job of mixing in this information between action sequences, and it does not slow very much throughout the story. The first quarter of the book sets up the location and characters, the second quarter starts to ramp up the tension and add the right mix of action and exposition, and the last half is all go-go-go. To put it in perspective, I started the book on Monday. By Thursday, I was halfway through the book. Then on Friday I finished it. It went so fast, I was surprised when it ended, despite having that little indicator at the bottom of my Kindle app telling me how far along I was. The book takes place across two days, basically, so that is part of the reason it feels so fast-paced.
In regards to the story’s bigger surprises, there were plenty of hints throughout to give you an idea what may be occurring, and for me, that was a good thing. There’s nothing worse than a big reveal coming from left-field, and I appreciated that Shanan spent so much effort building that part of the story.
Due to some minor errors, it’s not quite the perfect novel. I had a tough time believing some of the finer details. Kessa was sent to Gig Harbor specifically to handle the media. She keeps thinking to herself that she needs to address them, but she doesn’t for quite some time. Additionally, Kessa’s actions and thoughts sometimes do not reflect her history of being a FBI agent, as she is often found in situations she wouldn’t go into if she had the level of training she attests to. Lastly, Shanan does do a great job building the world, but there are some unnecessary descriptions that do sometimes slow the story. Early in the book, Kessa and Harmon arrive at the witness’s house. We go inside only the once through the book, but half a page is spent on describing the house’s interior. There are around 3 other times that this occurs, and unfortunately, it feels a bit like padding to make the book that much bit longer. Overall, these things barely hinder the story. I mention them only to provide some constructive criticism to an otherwise great book.
Rising makes for a fantastic time, especially if you’re after something unconventional. The characters make the piece believable, while the setting and themes are deeply rooted in both reality and fantasy. I enjoyed the book immensely, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the supernatural. For a debut novel, Shanan has crafted a polished and believable piece, and I cannot wait to see more from the Adept Cycle.
February 23, 2020
What I Did Like:
-The ending. Like I just alluded to, this ending was well written. You get enough answers to be happy with this one even if it does end up standing alone.
-Kessa as a character was well written. She’s interesting and she’s smart, two of my favorite things in a lead character.
-The marrying of FBI characters on a case with mythological creatures and magic is brilliant. I loved the direction this one took.
Who Should Read This One:
-If the idea of warring factions of mythological creatures appeals to you but you’re looking for a book written for and marketed to adults, this one is for you.
-If you like strong female lead characters who have the brains to take a story in the right direction, give this one a try.
My Rating: 3 stars. This was exactly what I was looking for in a mystery thriller with a paranormal twist.
For Full Review (including what I didn’t like): https://youtu.be/-uz-hGXEi7w
-The ending. Like I just alluded to, this ending was well written. You get enough answers to be happy with this one even if it does end up standing alone.
-Kessa as a character was well written. She’s interesting and she’s smart, two of my favorite things in a lead character.
-The marrying of FBI characters on a case with mythological creatures and magic is brilliant. I loved the direction this one took.
Who Should Read This One:
-If the idea of warring factions of mythological creatures appeals to you but you’re looking for a book written for and marketed to adults, this one is for you.
-If you like strong female lead characters who have the brains to take a story in the right direction, give this one a try.
My Rating: 3 stars. This was exactly what I was looking for in a mystery thriller with a paranormal twist.
For Full Review (including what I didn’t like): https://youtu.be/-uz-hGXEi7w
March 5, 2017
Kept my attention and I have a feeling this author might know a thing or two about being pagan...
April 28, 2016
FBI Agent Kessa St. James is pragmatic, driven, and career-minded. She left Gig Harbor when she was a child, hoping never to return. But return she does when she is called in to investigate the grisly murder of a U.S. Senator, and she is more than a little surprised when she is paired with Danny Harmon, a childhood friend with whom she shared an experience that caused her to leave Gig Harbor in the first place.
Danny is Kessa's opposite: he's wisecracking, outgoing and flies by the seat of his pants. Kessa wants no part of him. But when a second murder hits really close to home, they are forced to turn to each other for support. And that's when the REALLY freaky stuff starts to happen.
I won't go too much into the details, but suffice it to say that otherworldly powers come into play. Kessa is thrown headlong into a world that would make Mulder and Scully run screaming into the night, and both Kessa and Danny, unsure of whom to trust, must rely on each other in order to stop a demon turf war that could have dire consequences for humanity.
The first third of the book was a little bit dry for me, but once the weird stuff started happening, it picked up a lot. The entire book takes place over only a couple of days, and it is a roller-coaster, let me tell you. Ms. Winters has a charming flair and a snarky sense of humor that is very endearing, and I look forward to reading more of this series!
Danny is Kessa's opposite: he's wisecracking, outgoing and flies by the seat of his pants. Kessa wants no part of him. But when a second murder hits really close to home, they are forced to turn to each other for support. And that's when the REALLY freaky stuff starts to happen.
I won't go too much into the details, but suffice it to say that otherworldly powers come into play. Kessa is thrown headlong into a world that would make Mulder and Scully run screaming into the night, and both Kessa and Danny, unsure of whom to trust, must rely on each other in order to stop a demon turf war that could have dire consequences for humanity.
The first third of the book was a little bit dry for me, but once the weird stuff started happening, it picked up a lot. The entire book takes place over only a couple of days, and it is a roller-coaster, let me tell you. Ms. Winters has a charming flair and a snarky sense of humor that is very endearing, and I look forward to reading more of this series!
March 7, 2017
Wonderful mystery, I never wanted to to end.
I felt immersed in a land of several dimensions. There is fantasy, mystery, magic and love all bound up in a beautifully written book. I can't wait to read then next one in the series.
I felt immersed in a land of several dimensions. There is fantasy, mystery, magic and love all bound up in a beautifully written book. I can't wait to read then next one in the series.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews