Obsidian

Mystic Stones

by Kayla Curry

It turns out the first guy I date in a long time is a vampire. Not just any vampire, but an important one who is determined to help his vampire-run company take over the world. They've already started phase one by taking out all modern technology with a virus that spreads to any device connected to the internet. Of course, they haven't revealed their identity to the public yet, but my fellow islanders are already panicked as our isolation makes food scarce. How do I know Psytechs plan before all the other humans of the world? Well, that date I mentioned ended up kidnapping me and attempting to turn me. Before escaping, I learned as much as I could about what they were and how they were taking over. Their Deprive humans of technology, let us twist in the wind, then force us to give our blood freely in exchange for virus blockers. My Load up with obsidian, use it to kill the vampires taking over our island, and take the virus blockers by force. Of course, finding out that I'm not exactly human can mess up any agenda.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Vampires, New Adult, Young Adult

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 30, 2012

About the author

Kayla Curry’s creative mind never sleeps. Literally.

At night, her active imagination produces dreams all night long. It’s those dreams that provide much of the inspiration for her stories which have a little Victorian charm mixed with a fairy tale flair.

Her works include Where the Carnies Are, Obsidian (Mystic Stones Series #1), and many short stories.

She lives in North Platte, Nebraska with her husband and two sons and she plans to keep writing and creating for the rest of her life.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for something different, Obsidian is definitely the book for you. The idea behind this book is unique from any other book I've read. There are so many fun and interesting characters introduced. Ava is lively and easy to like. Up until the point where we are introduced to her, she has lived a pretty ordinary life. She carries that view of herself through the story, which makes her feelings and emotions throughout the story more realistic. Tom is pretty complex. At any given point in the story you're really not sure how you're supposed to be feeling about him…love him, hate him? You can decide for yourself. Jesse is another complex guy. I would like to learn more about him.

The story telling is great. I love that the author was able to incorporate so much of the Hawaiian setting and folklore into the story, including the language. It was a really fun way to tie the characters into the story.

The dynamics of the vampire world is pretty complex in this book, and we don't really get to learn a whole lot about them, which is okay, since we're learning as Ava learns. The way the book ended leaves no doubt in my mind that there will be another, and I'm looking forward to learning more about Ava, Jesse, their friends, and the vampires.

[Juli. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one I would re-read, and I did re-read, I'm probably going to re-read it again in my weird re-reading future. Run on sentences yay

Ava Tanner was having a normal life in Hilo, Hawaii until vampires came too close for comfort, literally like- they were everywhere. Her client, Tom Walker, was one of them, and Ava found out the hard way. Now she has to fight to rid the world of these "mosquitoes" (-Hiu) before they turn humanity into their personal entrees.

Ava Tanner
She had a client who was head of the Hawaiian branch of Pcytech, while her work resided in Herrick-Peyton. Her life took the weirdest turn when she found out Herrick-Peyton would be no more because of lifeless, bloodsucking vampires. She later finds that vamps aren't the only immortal things on this planet... she only wishes her mother could have been there to help her through this craziness.

Tom Walker
Cunning, Gentelman, Over a hundred years old. Oh- also a vampire planning to turn the world to chaos along with the rest of the non-sleepers. Jeez. Did he love her? Maybe not. Probably not. Yeah- no.

Jesse Sutton
Honestly, seems like one heck of an introvert at first, then sHe HaD tO cOmE aNd MaKe HiM fAlL iN lOvE. We're ok with that though. He owns the house which will become the new safe house for Ava and all her friends. Jesse's character development went from "ima stare at you from this chair" to "what am i gonna do without you". Nice change of pace.

Nalani, Alani, Hiu, and Moana
Grandmother, Nalani | Mother, Moana | Sister, Alani | Brother, Hiu
Nalani and Moana only find common ground when it comes to the safety of Alani and Hiu. Alani, the best friend and sister figure to Ava. Hiu, the one whos had a crush on Ava since she moved to Hawaii from LA (i think). Moana, A movie star. Quite ironic. Nalani, the wise. She knows everything, well- almost.

Overall this wonderful masterpiece kept my attention and had a good amount of aCtIoN.
FiVe StArS hUeHuEhUe

[Louann Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the not too distant future, Ava, who has led a fairly normal life, has her world turned upside down and inside out. She meets her challenges with good will and humor, remaining likable throughout. She falls in love quite easily, as all girls do, yet there is enough strength of character to see her through the tough times.

Tom is a complex character and I couldn't decide whether I liked him or hated him, same with Jesse, though he does come with an abundance of testosterone. *grin*

Obsidian is more than your average vampire tale. Curry has interwoven a magical world where mythology abides in ways you've never before dreamed. The Hawaiian dimension only adds to the story with the islands abundant foliage and mysterious past.

A complex plot, we don't learn all we want to when it comes to vampire life. I assume that will take place in the next book in the series. Will Ava find what she needs? Will love sustain her?

Curry has a delightful way of telling stories. As this is her first novel, I was taken by surprise at the depth of challenge she took on in world building We learn as Ava learns, which can make you frustrated because you have so many questions.

Then again, if she answered all my questions would I want to read the next book?

Probably not. That's why I'm waiting, anxiously tapping my fingers to read her next novel.

[Brooke ♥booklife4life♥ · Rating 1 out of 5]

**Short "end of month" Review**

I should really learn to not read Free Kindle books. Just bad.

Love Hexagon, yah that's right. 5 people fighting over each other.

One dude is a vampire. The other turns into a statue at night, every night. The girl is a Siren.

Nothing is wrapped up.

Sex scenes everywhere.

The one guy speaks some weird broken English slash Hawaiian and it bothered the crap out of me.

[Richard Flores IV · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a big contest, and I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I wasn’t familiar with Curry or the book. But the back cover blurb had my attention. The idea of vampires in a time of complete technological collapse seemed new and unique to me.
Ava is a human who thinks the biggest issue she now faces is the sudden lack of any real tech. She soon finds that there are bigger problems in the world and she is forced to be a hero even if she doesn’t want to be. Sounds like it will be a fun read, and for the most part it was.
I’ll be honest though, the first few chapters had me ready to call it quits. They are a bit drawn out and it takes a long time to really start the story. I’m glad I pushed forward and by about halfway through the book is hard to put down.
I liked Ava. Her character is strong and I really wanted her to succeed. The vampire society and its rules seem thought out. But we don’t spend much time in their culture. And the plot of the novel is good. Once you really get into the novel, the story makes for an enjoyable read. Especially for those who might enjoy the young adult vampire genre of today. But the novel does have a few pitfalls.
First, I just don’t understand why every character in the book was so accepting of vampires. Until Ava knew of them, no one in the world did. But everyone Ava tells about the vampires just simply accepts that they must exist. Ava falls in love very easily without much cause. And there were a few times where is seemed obvious something was added in at the last minute just to move the plot forward.
I struggled with the ending. The ending clearly implies there will be more books (the title of the book also tells us that), but I would in no way call it a cliff hanger ending. The issue I have is that I don’t feel like any of the character’s conflicts were really resolved. They made little progress on the quest to stop the vampires, Ava didn’t find any personal revenge, and they really didn’t solve anything. It that respect, I was left a bit hanging.
Don’t get my disparaging remarks wrong, no novel is perfect. Curry shows a lot of talent and I really did like the book. The read was enjoyable. The book is worth reading. If you love vampire novels with that romance spin, you are likely going to enjoy this. Even with the things that bothered me, I would likely read the next book in the series.

[Thomas Winship · Rating 4 out of 5]

In “Obsidian,” the first installment of Kayla Curry’s Mystic Stones Series, readers are introduced to a future world that doesn’t look and feel all that different from the present. And just as this familiarity lulls the reader into a false sense of security, Curry unleashes of a series of plot twists and surprises that continue until the end of the novel.

Ava, the main character, has her world turned upside down on so many occasions that it’s a wonder she remains upright. And while I thought she fell in love a bit too easily, I had to remind myself that she’s at an age where love often comes easily.

I’m still not convinced we’ve got the whole story on Tom. Or Jesse, for that matter … although that may be because he stays erect all night without the benefit of Viagra or Cialis. ;o

Joking aside—Curry delivers a tale that is original and innovative. “Obsidian” is more than a vampire story. There’s magic, mystery, and mythology woven throughout (sorry, no spoilers here), in ways that are unexpected, imaginative, and masterfully executed.

For those tempted by its appealing cover or the presence of vampires, let me assure you: “Obsidian” is no siren song. Check it out and you won’t be disappointed.

I highly recommend “Obsidian” to fans of YA, NA, PNR, and vampires.

[David Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can say what you like about Kayla Curry's new novel, Obsidian, but you won't be bored reading it. Pure action is never further than a page or two. Protagonist, Ava, is about to go on the ride of her life. This fast paced plot has Ava, a seemingly normal young woman, brought into the world of the paranormal. Enlisting the aid of several friends, in their own right different than what they first appear to be, she battles the enemies of the human race.

Curry does an excellent job in interweaving the feelings and romantic notions of her main character with the action packed plot. Neither gets tiring or over-blown.

I usually advise aspiring authors in my writing lectures not to attempt to mimic dialects unless they are good at it (or if their name is Mark Twain). This author is the exception. She handles Hawaiian dialect and slang in a remarkable manner which led me to designate my favorite character as Hiu.

This is a high entertainment thriller based on the basic theme of good versus evil, which I am sure you will enjoy.

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book by the Author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity!


Ava’s world is turned upside down the day the satellites stop working and with not much else to do, she finally accepts a date with one of her client’s, Tom Walker. Finding the truth behind the satellite failures and discovering the legends of vampires are true, Ava must chose to trust Tom or grab her family and flee before it’s too late.

Obsidian, by Kayla Curry, is an intriguing story full of fresh ideas and unique characters. Ms. Curry does a wonderful job pulling your into her world and throws in just the right mix of twists and turns to always keep you guessing.


“I realized I was kissing a dangerous creature. I was kissing a vampire.”

“Becoming a vampire is not in my five year plan.”

“I’d rather try to find love than die alone.”

The story starts out slow, I was about to give up and mark as a DNF but I’m so glad I didn’t, it was worth the wait. Stick it out to the 25% mark and you’re in for a world of fun! The storyline picks up once they leave the island and my pages kept turning into the wee hours of the night - I couldn’t put it down!

I’m torn between liking and loving this book. I rounded up to 4-stars to give it the benefit of the doubt. I enjoyed the storyline, the idea is fascinating! Though I tend to care for more character driven stories and while these characters are likable, they could’ve been a little more developed.

[Hannah Segan · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Ava Turner finds out that there is no satellite technology she wants to figure out what happened. But the truth is harder to believe than she realizes. And a person she thought was her friend, Tom, turned out to be a vampire. And so did his colleagues.
When he kidnaps her, she has to find a way out. But when she does, she realizes Tom is more dangerous than she first believed. Now, on the run from Tom and his goonies with her friends, Ava finds some things about herself that she never realized.
But will she be able to beat Tom and get the satellites working? Or will she die in the process?
I honestly didn't really like this book.The only reason I read it is because I know the author's sister and I wanted to see if the author was a good writer. And I saw the plot twist coming. It should have a lot more surprises.
It wasn't very interesting to me. There wasn't a lot of good word usage, but most grammar was correct. I recommend this book to people who enjoy vampires and mythical creatures. I don't recommend it to people that don't like fictional books or vampires and mythical creatures.

[Jen McConnel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ava has the worst taste in men. She hasn't been on a date in years, but Tom, the charming business mogul she knows from work, chips away at her defenses. It turns out that Tom is taking over not only Ava's company, but the world: he's a vampire, and he's dying to have Ava join him.

Sensibly, Ava goes on the run: Tom's not the sparkly kind of vampire, and it's obvious that despite their emotional attachment, he's predatory and dangerous. The vampires have zapped all satellite communication as part of their world domination plan, so Ava and her friends escape from Hawaii via boat. In California, they team up with some mortals and immortals who aren't willing to succumb to the vampires and begin fortifying themselves. Ava is distracted from the fight by Jesse, the aloof, rich man with a secret who funds the rebellion, and the reader is left wondering when the bottom will fall out of Ava's next relationship.

Curry weaves a tale of myth, magic, and danger. I can't wait to see what she does with the rest of the series!

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is going to be a really hard review to write. The author is from a small-ish town not too far from me and I REALLY wanted to love this book and tell everyone about it. The first half of the book was fantastic, interesting and very well written. The last half not so much. I enjoyed reading about Ava and I have always liked the vampire twist. I didn't like however that Ava was so wishy washy that by the time we get to the meat of the story I was pretty much done with her. I felt like Tom was an annoying side detail instead of the evil mastermind he was supposed to be. I felt like there was no emotional depth in the last part of the book with Jesse and Ava, she mentioned Tom way too much for the actual love story to be as real. Then every time you turn around another person was in love with Ava or Jesse or something. I am sorry that I ended up disappointed, but I hope that if you do decide to give this book a go, that you end up liking it better.

[Valerie King · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gobbled up Obsidian! I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing this novel before most, and I have to say it was REALLY good! The author has great character voice throughout the story, and amazing descriptions to capture the overall view through the character's eyes.

The love interest between Ava and Tom...mesmerizing! Then Jesse was introduced...I'll leave that open ended! I certainly don't want to give too much away.

I love the premise of this novel, and can't wait for her to continue the series. It's new, fresh and leaves you longing for more...much more!

One of my favorite quotes in the book: "The only thing that mattered now was the fate of the
world. Anything else had to be put on the back burner."

[Mashkai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Technology meltdown, vampires, humor, romance. So many fantastic parts to this story.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. The interplay between Ava with both Tom and Jesse was fun and engaging. Of course Tom, being the dangerous villain, quickly became one of my favorites. The more dangerous they are, the more I seem to adore them.

I am not very happy with the idea of putting spoilers in a review so I won't. Between drama and plot twists, it was hard to put down. Obsidian was both a great first novel and a lovely start to a series that I will definitely be reading. While there were a few parts that I found a bit slow, there were still plenty of things that I enjoyed enough so that it didn't matter overall.

[C.M. Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Hawaii, this short novel, Obsidian, by Kayla Curry deals with a vampire takeover of the island, when they organize to bring down technology and push Hawaii into chaos!

Ava Tanner, the MC in Obsidian, thinks she finds love, but is fortunate enough to learn her mistake, before she becomes too deeply involved.

The elements in this story are pleasantly surprising, and although somewhat farfetched add to the storyline. Kayla has put together a reasonable vampire story. Although, my thoughts would be that the book needs a little more editing, to make it a better read, I would not hold it against Kayla's capabilities, with this being her first book.

[Jacob Donley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kayla Curry did a great job of intertwining romance and action in this tale of vampires and paranormal entities. Strong characters and a remarkable use of slang dialect added a great quality to the text that the linguist in me adored. I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes to see a twist on paranormal creatures and vampires done in an intelligent and unique way and also to those who like to see a good, complex romance unfold as well.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not turn the pages quick enough! I loved it form start to finish. There isn't too much I cant about Obsidian without posting a bunch of spoilers, and I really don't want to ruin it for anyone.

I am completely excited for the Mystic Stones Series, next installment. This is going to be a wild ride!

[H.M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting concept

This was an interesting story. I liked how the author incorporated Hawaii in it. I liked the vampires’ plan for controlling humanity, but I highly doubt if technology were to fail that humanity would be as helpless as this book suggests. The story had an interesting take on vampires. I don’t know if the vampires in this book are in legends, but the author made it seem like that’s where the knowledge of vampires and their weaknesses came from. I did have some problems with it though. The romantic parts of the story seem unrealistic and almost forced. All technology being taken out by a simple computer virus that’s being carried on the internet is not realistic. Cars and other things like that being taken out by this virus makes no sense. Another thing that makes no sense are the “virus blockers.”

There were several spots where the book went from first person to third person in the same paragraph/page. Also, there were multiple parts where the words were choppy and didn’t flow well. Getting an editor to review this book would be beneficial.

[Ahnah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Had such a great start.....

I was so disappointed in this book.....I was so excited for the first 4 chapters that I had discovered an author with original ideas for once! And it went downhill from there. Aside from the double words and spelling errors that a good editor of even ARC's would catch quickly, this plot went south so quick I had to re-read parts to make sure it was the same book!

We went from intelligently written fiction to Twilight-esque drama. Sigh..... Any STRONG female who has a great job, nice house and lives in Hawaii would (realistically speaking of course!) Would find herself "involved" with two separate immortal beings and sleeping with them both within a period of 10 days right? If course!

Vampires who (GASP!!) go against the norm (never seen that before!) a man who was cursed with immortality and a siren, sounds so interesting! Until you read it. The story went up and down and had so many cliched moments I found myself rolling my eyes.

Apologies to the author for being so harsh but you had such a great idea and I was so let down.....

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A worthy read!

I'm SLIGHTLY obsessed with reading most paranormal stories, that includes vampires, fairies, sirens, witches, mermaids, were-creatures, etc... Most anything with a great plot and characters, as well as if it is wonderfully written. This one passes the test,... Other than the occasionally missing word or the sentence would be slightly of example, one sentence started with "I she....." However it was easily to realize one word was accidentally added and to disregard it. Great story plot, wonderful characters, I just wish the " read on for book 2" would have continued with the characters already introduced instead of new ones with a different story. It felt as if there was no ending, no closure. Thank you

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obsidian

I'm not sure how I feel about this story. Great story line great characters but just couldn't get into the story. I hope others find it easier to read

[miss linda ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

mystic stones

Brilliant read couldn’t put down reading till early hours look forward to reading number 2 of mystic stones really good book

[Nai · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Blogger Book Fair Review
What is the blogger book fair? It's two weeks every year that I get to make myself go crazy with contest, reviews, blog posts, and have the ability to meet hundreds of new authors all in one week. So clearly, you should check out the picture up there links to. It's a great week to be exposed to not only new authors, but new titles to add to your every growing library.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="184"] The above picture links to goodread where you can read a description and find out more about the author. Click here to buy on Amazon :)[/caption]

Third in this weeks review - and hey - it's Wednesday, so I'm right on track, is a review of Kayla Curry's Obsidian. I might not start where you expect, but I promise there will be lots of speculative fiction along the way. I often get asked "How do you decide what to read?" Second to that is "How do you find all that time to read?" So where to start? A) Obsidian was quite frankly the most relevant book I've read in a while. Not only did it deal with just how dark a path technology could take, it also dealt with all the power issues that go along with it. I think it's safe to say that in 175* short pages, Obsidian managed to make my brain fan out into a hundred different futures possible, and dream a little about what could be and what should never be. The role of technology in our every day lives is increasing exponentially, and I think the way Obsidian was written really plays to just how far we might take it. Perhaps how far too far and too much a part of our lives can be. Mac/Apple/Microsoft - Psytech - they're all the same really. Be wary of the 'blood sucking' (obvious or just beneath the surface) that can hook you into dependency on technology in the real world.

*I'm never sure about the page count. I use FB Reader as my main ebook reader. It's free, and comes with tons of flexibility, and I think there have only been 2 books with DRM it couldn't open. If you've never tried it, you should - even if its just for the ability to customize font, color and highlighting schemes. It's my trick to reading more than I think I am. Smaller font = less pages = brain tricked! B) The character development and relationship development between Ava and Tom is quite astounding. Curry makes the main characters come alive in the pages of the book, and develops a real connection between Ava and Tom. (For better or worse...) C) There are vampires - and in a good way. At the first mention, I groaned (about chapter 3) thinking "OH GAWD, here's another trashy vampire story. SO glad I was wrong. Kayla Curry dealt with all the vampire myths that we've become accustomed to in 20th/21st century writing. It wasn't a horrible trashy vampire-sex novel, and the vampires had structure, and a pecking order, and their own personalities. D) After I read the short story, my one remaining question was: "Why the Stones theme?" It's answered, quite well, and the journey and symbolism of the stones and Swarmi's intertwined well within the bounds of this story. Finally some food for thought, that might just make you hungry for more. More what? Books, technology? Both I hope. How much money do you spend on a monthly/yearly basis on apps? Could you survive without technology? For a day, week, month, forever? I could, and just might write an entire post about this. I only recently stepped into the world of cell phones (because I had to for work. Grrr.) and I have to say, it's still a love/hate relationship, but one that I acknowledge as necessary. At the other extreme, one whole wall of our living room is devoted to multiple desktops, servers, monitors and hard drives and various accessories. What ebook reader do you use and why? I really hope you'll go out and grab a copy, or enter to win one in the Blogger Book Fair. If you like True Blood (books or TV series) and anything Ann Rice wrote, you'll enjoy this series. I personally hope there's lots more coming from Curry!

[Amanda Belikov · Rating 3 out of 5]

It ok

Its OK just too many squirrel moments and if you expect a good romance this girl jumps from one guy to the next in literally two days I mean come on and if u love paranormal action there isn't much its actually quite dull it took me 3 days to read a book I could have finished in 2hours but it was seriously boring. Usually the boring affect is brought by too many details but this lack details and focus as well as action, romance, and any mystery. Spoiler alert even the part where the main character and her friend get SHOT lasted two seconds and he and she are both fine and then she through a tantrum and not one that makes her look badass. In general for an adult the book makes her look naive and as horny and "in love" as a 15yearold girl it says a lot when a 15 year old can acknowledge this trait of bad judgement on an adult. To summarize I did not enjoy this book.

[Pat Raab · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unusual setting for supernaturals vying for world dominion... Interesting.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took a chance with this book. Had completely no idea what this was even about, since the link that provided a short synopsis wasn't working on my end. Kayla Curry had posted in a group I belong to looking for ARC reviewers. I thought why not, I'll try something new. So I offered to give an honest review for an advanced copy of the book. I was blown away! The book drew me right in from the start. I loved the concept she used "blood for technology" honestly made me think. Then as I delved more and more into the story I had to know more. The anticipation of what was going to happen next kept me wanting more!

[Gea · Rating 4 out of 5]

What chaos it would be when almost all technology was infected with some virus!
Throw in vampires and other mythological beings and us humans don't stand much of a chance.
But fortunately we have some strong allies.
Among them is Ava.
Ava has some really special powers which she is only just starting to develop.
Also there are some objects which can help protecting the good guys and force back the bad ones. But this will take time.
Has to be partly in another book.

The Hawaiian lines weren't always understandable which I found a little frustrating.
But it didn't stop me from being in the story.
Almost can't wait to start the rest of it.
But I have some other obligations too ;-).

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do not judge this book by its cover! In a moment of blind lust, Ava, gives in to a date that will change her life forever. When things become strange and those around you are not what you expect them to be what do you do? You run, you get help and then you fight back but the problem is finding the right way to fight without destroying any innocent lives. When Ava finds what she thinks she needs, it confuses her and makes her wonder if it is all real. Really good book and now I have to move on to book 2!!!

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received a copy for my honest review

Not your average vampire book. It was pretty good. Liked the story line of it. The main character Ava bugged me for some reason. The dialogue seemed a little stiff. There were a few times when it would change from first person to third person point of view. I received an ARC so the spelling issues and verbage issues that I had were hopefully caught in the final draft.

[Lisa P · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover art drew me in. I'm feeling kind of neutral about this book. There are many things working in favor of it- the setting, the tech concept, the types of characters, to name a few. The one thing that really brings it down though is THE fastest insta-love ever, followed very quickly with another. If it wasn't for that, I would probably rate this a 4, mainly for the very plausible tech aspect (supernatural or not).

[Rayann Seager · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought that the idea was very original, in the beginning. However, as the story went along, things just got busier and busier, with new supernatural things, while the main story kind of faded into the background for many chapters.
The writing was very hard to get through, and the main character was kind of annoying.

I was thoroughly disappointed because I read some good reviews about the book and also was very interested in the story. At least it was free.