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Ceruleans #1
Death Wish
This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN B00TCK487U.
IN SEARCH OF THE MEANING OF DEATH, SHE’LL FIND THE MEANING OF LIFE.
The Ceruleans: mere mortals infused with power over life and death. Five books; one question: If the might of the heavens were in your hands, would you be sinner or saint?
Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake is haunted by death. Her estranged sister has made the ultimate dramatic exit. Running away from school, joining a surfing fraternity, partying hard: that sounds like Sienna. But suicide? It makes no sense.
Following in her sister’s footsteps, Scarlett comes to an isolated English cove with grand plans to uncover the truth. Alone. But she hasn’t reckoned on meeting two boys who are determined to help her. Luke: the blue-eyed surfer who’ll see the real Scarlett, who’ll challenge her, who’ll save her. And Jude: the elusive drifter with a knack for turning up whenever Scarlett’s in need.
As Scarlett’s quest for the truth unravels, so too does her grip on reality as she’s always known it. Because there’s something strange going on in this little cove. A dead magpie circles the skies. A dead deer watches from the undergrowth. Hands glow with light. Warmth. Power.
What transpires is a summer of discovery. Of what it means to conquer fear. To fall in love. To choose life. To choose death.
To believe the impossible.
IN SEARCH OF THE MEANING OF DEATH, SHE’LL FIND THE MEANING OF LIFE.
The Ceruleans: mere mortals infused with power over life and death. Five books; one question: If the might of the heavens were in your hands, would you be sinner or saint?
Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake is haunted by death. Her estranged sister has made the ultimate dramatic exit. Running away from school, joining a surfing fraternity, partying hard: that sounds like Sienna. But suicide? It makes no sense.
Following in her sister’s footsteps, Scarlett comes to an isolated English cove with grand plans to uncover the truth. Alone. But she hasn’t reckoned on meeting two boys who are determined to help her. Luke: the blue-eyed surfer who’ll see the real Scarlett, who’ll challenge her, who’ll save her. And Jude: the elusive drifter with a knack for turning up whenever Scarlett’s in need.
As Scarlett’s quest for the truth unravels, so too does her grip on reality as she’s always known it. Because there’s something strange going on in this little cove. A dead magpie circles the skies. A dead deer watches from the undergrowth. Hands glow with light. Warmth. Power.
What transpires is a summer of discovery. Of what it means to conquer fear. To fall in love. To choose life. To choose death.
To believe the impossible.
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 7, 2015
14 people are currently reading
1418 people want to read
About the author
Megan Tayte
13 books225 followersOnce upon a time a little girl told her grandmother that when she grew up she wanted to be a writer. Or a lollipop lady. Or a fairy princess. ‘Write, Charlie,’ her grandmother advised. So that’s what she did.
Many stories later, Charlie is a writer, a book editor and a writing coach. She’s the author of six young-adult novels, published under her pen name Megan Tayte. Stories about love and loss, light and darkness. And sometimes, cake.
Charlie lives in Nottingham with her two children, in a home full of art supplies, teacups, and books, many books. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her walking someplace green, reading by the window or baking up a (probably catastrophic) storm.
Many stories later, Charlie is a writer, a book editor and a writing coach. She’s the author of six young-adult novels, published under her pen name Megan Tayte. Stories about love and loss, light and darkness. And sometimes, cake.
Charlie lives in Nottingham with her two children, in a home full of art supplies, teacups, and books, many books. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her walking someplace green, reading by the window or baking up a (probably catastrophic) storm.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
May 28, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to author Megan Tayte.)
“The end is coming; no escape.”
This was an okay story, but I have to say that I am very disappointed with that ending.
Scarlett was a bit of a mess as characters go. She was out there trying to find out what happened to her sister, and at the same time making some very irresponsible decisions such as trying to surf when she had no idea what she was doing, and didn’t even have a decent surf-board. I know that she was grieving, but boy was she a mess.
“you got a death wish or something?”
The storyline in this had a little touch of mystery, and a little touch of romance, but was mostly just Scarlett being messed up over her sister’s death, and finding out very little. The pace in this book was just so slow, and I didn’t feel like we really found out anything significant until quite late on in the story, and certainly the paranormal aspect of the story (and the whole point of the series title) didn’t emerge until the 95% mark, which for me was way too late. I felt like I’d read 94% of a contemporary romance/mystery story, to then have a paranormal aspect dropped on me, seemingly out of nowhere, and then the book ended! Argh! What a place for the book to end?! Just as we were finally about to learn something!
6 out of 10
*********************************************************************
February 28th 2015:
Free on Amazon today!
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Wish-Ce...
US: http://www.amazon.com/Death-Wish-Ceru...
We will be buddy-reading this today/tomorrow if anybody wants to join ☺
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
“The end is coming; no escape.”
This was an okay story, but I have to say that I am very disappointed with that ending.
Scarlett was a bit of a mess as characters go. She was out there trying to find out what happened to her sister, and at the same time making some very irresponsible decisions such as trying to surf when she had no idea what she was doing, and didn’t even have a decent surf-board. I know that she was grieving, but boy was she a mess.
“you got a death wish or something?”
The storyline in this had a little touch of mystery, and a little touch of romance, but was mostly just Scarlett being messed up over her sister’s death, and finding out very little. The pace in this book was just so slow, and I didn’t feel like we really found out anything significant until quite late on in the story, and certainly the paranormal aspect of the story (and the whole point of the series title) didn’t emerge until the 95% mark, which for me was way too late. I felt like I’d read 94% of a contemporary romance/mystery story, to then have a paranormal aspect dropped on me, seemingly out of nowhere, and then the book ended! Argh! What a place for the book to end?! Just as we were finally about to learn something!
6 out of 10
*********************************************************************
February 28th 2015:
Free on Amazon today!
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Wish-Ce...
US: http://www.amazon.com/Death-Wish-Ceru...
We will be buddy-reading this today/tomorrow if anybody wants to join ☺
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
November 19, 2025
Scarlett discovers her older sister has committed suicide by drowning in the ocean at her grandmother’s beach cottage and she has an overwhelming need to know why. So, Scarlett returns to the beach home hoping to find something that would help clue her in on her loss.
Scarlett soon finds an uncontrollable pull toward the ocean and surfing, where she rescued by a tan Adonis. Still wanting to learn to surf, Scarlett enlists Luke, the Adonis, to teach her but while Scarlett is hitting the waves with Luke she runs across Jude. There is just something about Jude that she can’t resist.
As Scarlett searches for truth, she discovers both Luke and Jude have some major secrets. Her search starts out looking for answers, but she eventually discovers her answers are beyond this realm.
Megan Tayte writes a vividly imagined plot that I can guarantee will have you holding on through the unique and unexpected twists and turns.
I received this copy of Death Wish from Megan Tayte in exchange for a honest review.
Scarlett soon finds an uncontrollable pull toward the ocean and surfing, where she rescued by a tan Adonis. Still wanting to learn to surf, Scarlett enlists Luke, the Adonis, to teach her but while Scarlett is hitting the waves with Luke she runs across Jude. There is just something about Jude that she can’t resist.
As Scarlett searches for truth, she discovers both Luke and Jude have some major secrets. Her search starts out looking for answers, but she eventually discovers her answers are beyond this realm.
Megan Tayte writes a vividly imagined plot that I can guarantee will have you holding on through the unique and unexpected twists and turns.
I received this copy of Death Wish from Megan Tayte in exchange for a honest review.
August 11, 2015
Thanks to Megan Tayte for giving me this book to review.
17 year old Scarlett Blake is haunted by the death of her party girl sister, Sienna. Determined to discover why she committed suicide, she stays in the isolated English cove of Twycombe, where she meets 2 men who want to help her Luke and Jude but she is unsure why. As she discovers more about her sister’s death she notices strange things start happening around her. With summer drawing to a close will Scarlett discover the truth?
Death Wish is an enjoyable YA paranormal romance novel. It has twists, romance and a touch of mystery. It is also fast paced but is also predictable. I would have preferred the paranormal element in this book to be introduced earlier as for most of the novel it came across as a contemporary book.
Scarlett is not in a good place at the start of the book but as the story progressed she became more confident and was a more interesting character. I like Luke as he is caring and protective, but not in a creepy way, and I also liked his sister Cara. Jude was a mysterious person and for most of the book I could not figure him out. I was glad that there was not a love triangle in this book but it is hinted at and I hope it does not happen in the next book.
I really liked this book and look forward to reading the next one Forget Me Not. I would recommend this book to fans of YA paranormal romance books.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
17 year old Scarlett Blake is haunted by the death of her party girl sister, Sienna. Determined to discover why she committed suicide, she stays in the isolated English cove of Twycombe, where she meets 2 men who want to help her Luke and Jude but she is unsure why. As she discovers more about her sister’s death she notices strange things start happening around her. With summer drawing to a close will Scarlett discover the truth?
Death Wish is an enjoyable YA paranormal romance novel. It has twists, romance and a touch of mystery. It is also fast paced but is also predictable. I would have preferred the paranormal element in this book to be introduced earlier as for most of the novel it came across as a contemporary book.
Scarlett is not in a good place at the start of the book but as the story progressed she became more confident and was a more interesting character. I like Luke as he is caring and protective, but not in a creepy way, and I also liked his sister Cara. Jude was a mysterious person and for most of the book I could not figure him out. I was glad that there was not a love triangle in this book but it is hinted at and I hope it does not happen in the next book.
I really liked this book and look forward to reading the next one Forget Me Not. I would recommend this book to fans of YA paranormal romance books.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
April 5, 2015
My teenage daughter and I buddy-read this book for review, and we really enjoyed it! The author's writing is lyrical and beautiful; and while the book drew me in, I was most pleased by how absorbed my teen became with the characters and the story. I very much appreciate the author writing a story that is age-appropriate and encourages young readers to pick up a book. Here is what my kiddo had to say about Death Wish:
Scarlett Blake always loved visiting her grandparents in Twycombe. The little oceanside town has always felt more like home than the grandiose house and city she grew up in. But now the happy memories of her childhood have been replaced with darkness since her sister committed suicide in the very ocean they played in as children. And Scarlett's determined to find out why.
When they were younger, Scarlett and Sienna were always close and knew each other better than themselves, but as they grew older they gradually drifted further and further apart. Still, it's beyond Scarlett why Sienna would take her own life. Granted she'd run away from home and been acting strange even before, but what had pushed her over the edge? What had made her end it all? Scarlett hopes that being back in the place they'd spent so much time at in their childhood would help her clear her mind and be able to piece together the mystery of her sister's death. But she ends up getting so much more than she bargained for.
Scarlett was a likable main character. She made some choices that had me shaking my head and tsking under my breath, but that made her real, and I adore real, true-to-life characters. I also fell hard for several of the other characters as well -- Cara, Bert, Chester, Si ... and Jude. Jude, Jude, Jude... it's hard to know how to describe Jude. You think you have him figured out, you think you know him, but in a split second, you're left guessing again. I loved this character, though, and I wish he'd been more present, but I have a feeling we'll be seeing much more of him in the next installment, Forget Me Not, and I can't wait to pick it up and find out.
Another character I hope we'll definitely be seeing more of is Luke. Luke has such a kind heart, and you can't help but love him just as much as Scarlett does. I loved Luke and Scarlett's relationship, and I very much wish I had a Luke myself. Everything about them, from the way they met to the conversations they had, brought a much needed dose of happiness and normalcy into Scarlett's life.
I also loved the songs mentioned throughout the story and how they all tied in with their scenes. Some of them I knew and some of them were new to me, so I loved that along with a beautiful story I got some new music as well.
The plot of Death Wish is so intricately woven that I don't want to tell too much about it in fear of giving something away, but I will say that this is a wonderfully paced, edge-of-your-seat mystery infused with humor and heart, extremely lovable characters, and vivid writing. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and Megan Tayte is definitely going on my auto-buy list :)
You can read her full review at A Belle's Tales.
A huge thank-you to the author for sending us a copy of this book in exchange for our honest review.
Scarlett Blake always loved visiting her grandparents in Twycombe. The little oceanside town has always felt more like home than the grandiose house and city she grew up in. But now the happy memories of her childhood have been replaced with darkness since her sister committed suicide in the very ocean they played in as children. And Scarlett's determined to find out why.
When they were younger, Scarlett and Sienna were always close and knew each other better than themselves, but as they grew older they gradually drifted further and further apart. Still, it's beyond Scarlett why Sienna would take her own life. Granted she'd run away from home and been acting strange even before, but what had pushed her over the edge? What had made her end it all? Scarlett hopes that being back in the place they'd spent so much time at in their childhood would help her clear her mind and be able to piece together the mystery of her sister's death. But she ends up getting so much more than she bargained for.
Scarlett was a likable main character. She made some choices that had me shaking my head and tsking under my breath, but that made her real, and I adore real, true-to-life characters. I also fell hard for several of the other characters as well -- Cara, Bert, Chester, Si ... and Jude. Jude, Jude, Jude... it's hard to know how to describe Jude. You think you have him figured out, you think you know him, but in a split second, you're left guessing again. I loved this character, though, and I wish he'd been more present, but I have a feeling we'll be seeing much more of him in the next installment, Forget Me Not, and I can't wait to pick it up and find out.
Another character I hope we'll definitely be seeing more of is Luke. Luke has such a kind heart, and you can't help but love him just as much as Scarlett does. I loved Luke and Scarlett's relationship, and I very much wish I had a Luke myself. Everything about them, from the way they met to the conversations they had, brought a much needed dose of happiness and normalcy into Scarlett's life.
I also loved the songs mentioned throughout the story and how they all tied in with their scenes. Some of them I knew and some of them were new to me, so I loved that along with a beautiful story I got some new music as well.
The plot of Death Wish is so intricately woven that I don't want to tell too much about it in fear of giving something away, but I will say that this is a wonderfully paced, edge-of-your-seat mystery infused with humor and heart, extremely lovable characters, and vivid writing. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and Megan Tayte is definitely going on my auto-buy list :)
You can read her full review at A Belle's Tales.
A huge thank-you to the author for sending us a copy of this book in exchange for our honest review.
April 26, 2015
When Scarlett learned her older sister, Sienna had committed suicide at their grandparents’ beach house, like anyone left behind, she needed to know WHY. Yes, Sienna had grown away from the family, but she was always the number one party girl, the pretty one who drew others to her like a magnet. She decided to start at the source and went to the beach house to stay, dig up answers, and find people who knew the sister she had lost. Is it possible the answers are hidden in the old and beloved home? Or will they come from the very waters where her sister’s life was ended?
The last thing Scarlett was looking for was attention from two of the hottest guys around, one serious and mature, the other a little crazy and fun-loving, and, they both knew sienna. Both have secrets, both know more than they let on. Only one truly cares for Scarlet an would do anything to keep her safe, but is this independent and determined young woman ready to give up her control or her search for answers? Something beyond “normal” is going on and Scarlett means to get to the bottom of it, but is she ready for what she discovers? They say truth is stranger than fiction, but has Scarlett fallen down the rabbit hole?
Death Wish by talented author Megan Tayte proves, once again that there is always room for good reading with a paranormal twist! What starts out as one woman’s quest for closure becomes a journey into the realm of impossible as each page reveals one surprise after another. Not a fast-paced thriller, this steady and strong novel will have you trying to ferret out the answer to the question: “What happened?” and you still will be in for a surprising twist as answers are revealed!
Megan Tayte has a hit with all of the bases covered, strong writing, dark secrets, strong characters and the feel of a great plot heading straight toward the rapids just before the dramatic finish at the edge of the raging falls. Great reading that is highly recommended for mystery lovers who enjoy that "twist" of individuality in their reading.
I received this copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Series: The Ceruleans - Book 1
Publisher: Heaven Afire
Publication Date: February 7, 2015
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Print Length: 305 pages
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
The last thing Scarlett was looking for was attention from two of the hottest guys around, one serious and mature, the other a little crazy and fun-loving, and, they both knew sienna. Both have secrets, both know more than they let on. Only one truly cares for Scarlet an would do anything to keep her safe, but is this independent and determined young woman ready to give up her control or her search for answers? Something beyond “normal” is going on and Scarlett means to get to the bottom of it, but is she ready for what she discovers? They say truth is stranger than fiction, but has Scarlett fallen down the rabbit hole?
Death Wish by talented author Megan Tayte proves, once again that there is always room for good reading with a paranormal twist! What starts out as one woman’s quest for closure becomes a journey into the realm of impossible as each page reveals one surprise after another. Not a fast-paced thriller, this steady and strong novel will have you trying to ferret out the answer to the question: “What happened?” and you still will be in for a surprising twist as answers are revealed!
Megan Tayte has a hit with all of the bases covered, strong writing, dark secrets, strong characters and the feel of a great plot heading straight toward the rapids just before the dramatic finish at the edge of the raging falls. Great reading that is highly recommended for mystery lovers who enjoy that "twist" of individuality in their reading.
I received this copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Series: The Ceruleans - Book 1
Publisher: Heaven Afire
Publication Date: February 7, 2015
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Print Length: 305 pages
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
April 18, 2016
Death Wish was a book I had been seeing plenty of reviews going around for for a while. I had even been pretty interested in it, so when the author asked if I would like to review it, I jumped at the chance. I was intrigued by the premise and the positive things I had heard about it, and easily fell into reading the book. There was something about the writing style that drew me into the world. Yet, it took me longer than expected to read the book. I didn't want to rush it all.
One of my favourite things about this book were the characters. They seemed so real to me. I really did like Scarlett, our main character, but I think I loved Cara most of all. She was in a car accident when her parents died, and it has mangled her legs so they are a difficulty for her. But she was also so outgoing and vibrant never let life get to her. Then there was also Luke who was always so caring and gracious.
But the biggest theme that reflected throughout this book is grief. Scarlett has recently lost her sister and is trying to come to terms with it. But she mostly wants to understand why her sister commit suicide. She's to live at the scene and wants to learn to surf seeing as that is what her sister did before she walked into the sea to give up her life. We definitely see all the shades of grief here, and as someone who has lost someone myself before, I could relate. Tayte managed to describe the emotions that someone could experience perfectly. And it's not only that. We get to see Cara who has lost people in the past, and how she has coped with it. There's also Scarlett's mother who has an entirely different way of dealing with this (drinking) than herself. It was interesting to really see all the different perspectives.
If you can believe it, aside from that very realistic and down to earth theme, this is still the first book in a paranormal kind of trilogy. So in this book we see some strange happenings that don't quite make sense, and as the book goes on Scarlett starts to discover more and more about what is happening. It's only the beginning of the trilogy so this isn't explored too much, but you can tell it is going to be a big contender in the next two books. Which I fully intend to read now as well.
This book was funny at times. It was serious. It was interesting. It was the perfect balance of most things I need in a novel, and I am very much so looking forward to trying the sequel soon!
This review and others can be found at Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
One of my favourite things about this book were the characters. They seemed so real to me. I really did like Scarlett, our main character, but I think I loved Cara most of all. She was in a car accident when her parents died, and it has mangled her legs so they are a difficulty for her. But she was also so outgoing and vibrant never let life get to her. Then there was also Luke who was always so caring and gracious.
But the biggest theme that reflected throughout this book is grief. Scarlett has recently lost her sister and is trying to come to terms with it. But she mostly wants to understand why her sister commit suicide. She's to live at the scene and wants to learn to surf seeing as that is what her sister did before she walked into the sea to give up her life. We definitely see all the shades of grief here, and as someone who has lost someone myself before, I could relate. Tayte managed to describe the emotions that someone could experience perfectly. And it's not only that. We get to see Cara who has lost people in the past, and how she has coped with it. There's also Scarlett's mother who has an entirely different way of dealing with this (drinking) than herself. It was interesting to really see all the different perspectives.
If you can believe it, aside from that very realistic and down to earth theme, this is still the first book in a paranormal kind of trilogy. So in this book we see some strange happenings that don't quite make sense, and as the book goes on Scarlett starts to discover more and more about what is happening. It's only the beginning of the trilogy so this isn't explored too much, but you can tell it is going to be a big contender in the next two books. Which I fully intend to read now as well.
This book was funny at times. It was serious. It was interesting. It was the perfect balance of most things I need in a novel, and I am very much so looking forward to trying the sequel soon!
This review and others can be found at Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
April 9, 2015
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
I received a free ebook copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I was pleasantly surprised by this. I usually don't like paranormal romance, but this was quite good.
Let's talk about the characters first. Scarlett was a delightful heroine, she was quirky and unique. Awesome! It was refreshing to read about someone who's not your typical heroine. I also really like Cara, her friendship with Scarlett was nice. The only slightly irritating character was Jude, and that's because he didn't serve much of a purpose. I'm guessing he'll be more important in the sequels, though.
The romance between Scarlett and Luke was alright. No insta-love, so I'm grateful for that. And I'm also extremely glad that this book didn't head into love triangle territory, unlike so many other YA paranormal romances. I was a bit nervous of a love triangle when Jude was introduced, but he was never much of a love interest so thank God for that. I like Luke much more, anyways.
Overall, Death Wish was a well-written, refreshingly original paranormal novel. I recommend it.
I received a free ebook copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I was pleasantly surprised by this. I usually don't like paranormal romance, but this was quite good.
Let's talk about the characters first. Scarlett was a delightful heroine, she was quirky and unique. Awesome! It was refreshing to read about someone who's not your typical heroine. I also really like Cara, her friendship with Scarlett was nice. The only slightly irritating character was Jude, and that's because he didn't serve much of a purpose. I'm guessing he'll be more important in the sequels, though.
The romance between Scarlett and Luke was alright. No insta-love, so I'm grateful for that. And I'm also extremely glad that this book didn't head into love triangle territory, unlike so many other YA paranormal romances. I was a bit nervous of a love triangle when Jude was introduced, but he was never much of a love interest so thank God for that. I like Luke much more, anyways.
Overall, Death Wish was a well-written, refreshingly original paranormal novel. I recommend it.
March 30, 2015
The characters in this were okay, but they did annoy me at points.
This wasn't a bad read, but I found most of it to be rather dull unfortunately. There wasn't much going on in the first half, and while the second half was a bit better, it still wasn't brilliant.
Overall, An okay read.
This wasn't a bad read, but I found most of it to be rather dull unfortunately. There wasn't much going on in the first half, and while the second half was a bit better, it still wasn't brilliant.
Overall, An okay read.
February 19, 2015
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t read this novel; I devoured it! The first thing I do when I receive a novel to review is check out the length, and when I saw the length of this one, I cringed. This new genre, new-adult, is a bridge for those YA readers wanting something more mature, and three hundred pages is a commitment many YA readers don’t want to make in this ultra-busy life where their attention is so divided. But this is one I would definitely recommend to my YA/NA readers. It is worth the time.
The story isn’t entirely a new one, but the twist is interesting. Scarlett is in search of answers about herself (That’s the well-worn story.) but also about her sister, who drowned in a cove near the cottage where her grandparents once lived. In her need to solve the mystery of whether or not her sister committed suicide, Scarlett discovers a much deeper mystery. At times, I felt I was reading two different stories until the two became woven into one unusual paranormal tale. The characters are endearing and well-defined, and the writing is lovely. The ending will leave you wanting more. You will be left with unanswered questions, but isn’t that the whole point of a series?
5 Stars
I didn’t read this novel; I devoured it! The first thing I do when I receive a novel to review is check out the length, and when I saw the length of this one, I cringed. This new genre, new-adult, is a bridge for those YA readers wanting something more mature, and three hundred pages is a commitment many YA readers don’t want to make in this ultra-busy life where their attention is so divided. But this is one I would definitely recommend to my YA/NA readers. It is worth the time.
The story isn’t entirely a new one, but the twist is interesting. Scarlett is in search of answers about herself (That’s the well-worn story.) but also about her sister, who drowned in a cove near the cottage where her grandparents once lived. In her need to solve the mystery of whether or not her sister committed suicide, Scarlett discovers a much deeper mystery. At times, I felt I was reading two different stories until the two became woven into one unusual paranormal tale. The characters are endearing and well-defined, and the writing is lovely. The ending will leave you wanting more. You will be left with unanswered questions, but isn’t that the whole point of a series?
5 Stars
March 31, 2015
Death Wish for me was an good read, I enjoyed it well enough but I didn't love it. It was quite a slow paced book, which was fine, but it seemed like a lot of the time not much was going on. To be honest at first I hadn't realised it was a paranormal book. 90% of this book feels like a contemporary novel about love, friendship, and grief, and that was good. But then at the end the paranormal stuff came into it and it just didn't flow right for me. It just seemed like it was added on rather than a part of the plot. I liked the characters though, especially Cara - I thought her love of The Vampire Diaries, Buffy, etc was really funny.
June 4, 2015
*I received a free eBook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I give this book 5 stars. It’s a paranormal romance and the first one in the ‘Ceruleans’ series. I really liked this one.
‘Death Wish’ is about seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake who wants to unravel the truth about her sister Sienna’s suicide. When she moves to the cove of Twycombe, Devon, she meets Luke who teaches her how to surf and Jude who always turns up when she’s got problems.
The writing is beautiful but what I most liked about this book was the mysterious element. I really wanted to know what was happening throughout the story, but only towards the end some things started to become clearer. The characters are quite good. Scarlett is a nice main character. Luke is cute and Cara is awesome. Jude is very interesting, but there wasn’t much of him. Probably more in the next books which I am looking forward to read.
Overall, ‘Death Wish’ is a fun and a fast-paced story and I really recommend it.
I give this book 5 stars. It’s a paranormal romance and the first one in the ‘Ceruleans’ series. I really liked this one.
‘Death Wish’ is about seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake who wants to unravel the truth about her sister Sienna’s suicide. When she moves to the cove of Twycombe, Devon, she meets Luke who teaches her how to surf and Jude who always turns up when she’s got problems.
The writing is beautiful but what I most liked about this book was the mysterious element. I really wanted to know what was happening throughout the story, but only towards the end some things started to become clearer. The characters are quite good. Scarlett is a nice main character. Luke is cute and Cara is awesome. Jude is very interesting, but there wasn’t much of him. Probably more in the next books which I am looking forward to read.
Overall, ‘Death Wish’ is a fun and a fast-paced story and I really recommend it.
August 3, 2015
Rating 4.5 stars
Death Wish was a very enjoyable paranormal book. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book.
I felt like it took me a few chapters to really get into the story. I was a bit worried that I might not fall into that easy reading where I can't get enough and don't want to put the book down. I was worried for nothing, though. Once I found my groove, I was hooked and then proceeded to devour the rest of the book with ease.
Death Wish is a great start to a series. It gives you just enough to get you hooked, but also leaves you with enough questions that you want the next book as soon as possible.
* This book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review. *
Death Wish was a very enjoyable paranormal book. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book.
I felt like it took me a few chapters to really get into the story. I was a bit worried that I might not fall into that easy reading where I can't get enough and don't want to put the book down. I was worried for nothing, though. Once I found my groove, I was hooked and then proceeded to devour the rest of the book with ease.
Death Wish is a great start to a series. It gives you just enough to get you hooked, but also leaves you with enough questions that you want the next book as soon as possible.
* This book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review. *
November 29, 2015
I received this book in exchange for an honest review (LoP/Lovers of Paranormal).
First off, I want to say that I didn't think I would enjoy this novel as much as I did; the synopsis was enough to draw me in into reading this book, but I wasn't expecting a lot. I really liked Death Wish, however, and am still processing what I just read.
Death Wish follows Scarlett Blake, as she spends the summer after finishing senior year at high school in Twycombe, Devon. More specifically at the old cottage she used to spend her summers at with her grandparents, who have since passed away. And the reason for her driving down and staying the summer at the place before she goes to college is to find answers to her older sister Siena's recent and sudden death in that town.
Scarlett knows that Siena died in the ocean after running away from her school and staying secretly at the cottage the months before, apparently because of some sort of surfing accident... or perhaps suicide. And by coming to Twycombe, Scarlett believes she may be able to find out what happened or at the least why Siena did what she did, which in the process might give her closure. However, Scarlett uncovers much more...
The main characters Scarlett, Luke, Cara and even Siena are fully realised and well-developed throughout the novel. Scarlett had many strengths as well as weaknesses; she was independent and at times quite courageous, but also knew when to ask for or receive help. Though I understood a lot of things happen to Scarlett and I admire her for getting through them, I felt she may have cried a bit too many times, losing some of my sympathy. I found Scarlett and Luke's relationship very sweet and heartwarming - I'd be going awww every so often. Saying that, I did find that Luke could be occasionally overbearing and too, for want of a better word, brotherly towards Scarlett, although I suppose that came from looking after his younger sister, Cara.
Scarlett needed a friend, and Cara was the perfect one for her! These two had a lot of fun throughout the course of the novel and I enjoyed whenever they were together and having a great time. One of the characters I felt were also well-developed (even though she is supposedly dead) was Siena, Scarlett's older sister. There are some brief flashbacks of the them together when they were younger, and this helped me build Siena's character in my mind. However, I felt Siena's personality and Scarlett's perception of Siena to be a bit cliche and unoriginal. By this I mean that Siena is described as the wild, flirty, confident older sister and that Scarlett is more low-key and always in her sister's shadow.
Bert and Chester were very loveable. They also become friends of Scarlett, as she settles into Twycombe and finds her way around. I liked that . I would have liked to know what happened to Chester, Bert's dog after . That could possibly be answered in the sequel.
Jude was one of the more mysterious, less-fleshed out characters. I would have liked to get to know him better; he seemed like a really interesting person. Again, though, I believe the reader will know much more about him in the second novel in the series.
Second of all, plot and pacing. Plotline was smooth and mostly engaging throughout. Surprisingly, pacing wasn't a problem either. I find that in books like these, there can be some lulls in the story but on every page there was something interesting happening.
In the novel, there is a sense of mystery and intrigue around Siena's death and Scarlett is always trying to find answers to this. I felt this part of the novel was well-done; bits and pieces of information are given which are finally at the end all joined together to create a whole picture of the situation. I wasn't able to guess or predict what would happen. This was one aspect that kept me reading and moving the plot along.
The one thing that perhaps wasn't as satisfying was the paranormal aspect of Death Wish. There were more and more hints at what was happening to Scarlett, leading to the final big reveal, but I felt that this reveal came a little too late in the novel. I would have liked more time in the story to delve into the paranormal concept but as I have said earlier, this will probably be the primary focus in the sequel. I liked, however, that the mystery of all the unknowns in the story are connected somehow.
For other readers, I have to note that three quarters of this novel is more realistic fiction than paranormal. However, this three quarters are major plotlines themselves, are important, and also set the scene for the next novel. It is also what I liked about the story; what I am saying is that I feel the paranormal aspect is an important aspect as well and wasn't as introduced and subsequently explored as I may have liked.
The one thing I think shone out most among other novels was the writing. Dialogue felt realistic and what you or I might say and everything was fluent and flowed well. Out of all the writing, the descriptions are what really caught me though. The descriptions were never boring or overwhelming; on the contrary, I felt like I was really there in Scarlett's shoes and seeing what she was seeing: the beautiful landscape and scenery of Twycombe.
Some of my favourite scenes include: Scarlett and Luke climbing to the top, standing at the folly and having their first kiss; Scarlett getting drunk and saying things she perhaps wouldn't have said, and everyone wishing Scarlett happy birthday. I also liked all of the surfing descriptions. Those seemed to fade in the background after a while when they weren't as important, and I hope that they are included again in the next novel.
I also acknowlege that there some pop culture references, which weren't necessary for me but gave me a bit of delight in coming across them and thinking I've heard that! or I've seen that!.
Lastly, the ending. Even though I wanted more story, I liked the ending. It felt fitting and summed up everything that happened and where Scarlett was at in her life.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and one I am glad I picked up. It has great writing, characters and realistic relationships. The brief exploration of the paranormal part of the story and the goodbye that comes at the ending of a novel leaves more to be desired, which is exactly why I can't wait to read the next one. 4.25 stars.
First off, I want to say that I didn't think I would enjoy this novel as much as I did; the synopsis was enough to draw me in into reading this book, but I wasn't expecting a lot. I really liked Death Wish, however, and am still processing what I just read.
Death Wish follows Scarlett Blake, as she spends the summer after finishing senior year at high school in Twycombe, Devon. More specifically at the old cottage she used to spend her summers at with her grandparents, who have since passed away. And the reason for her driving down and staying the summer at the place before she goes to college is to find answers to her older sister Siena's recent and sudden death in that town.
Scarlett knows that Siena died in the ocean after running away from her school and staying secretly at the cottage the months before, apparently because of some sort of surfing accident... or perhaps suicide. And by coming to Twycombe, Scarlett believes she may be able to find out what happened or at the least why Siena did what she did, which in the process might give her closure. However, Scarlett uncovers much more...
The main characters Scarlett, Luke, Cara and even Siena are fully realised and well-developed throughout the novel. Scarlett had many strengths as well as weaknesses; she was independent and at times quite courageous, but also knew when to ask for or receive help. Though I understood a lot of things happen to Scarlett and I admire her for getting through them, I felt she may have cried a bit too many times, losing some of my sympathy. I found Scarlett and Luke's relationship very sweet and heartwarming - I'd be going awww every so often. Saying that, I did find that Luke could be occasionally overbearing and too, for want of a better word, brotherly towards Scarlett, although I suppose that came from looking after his younger sister, Cara.
Scarlett needed a friend, and Cara was the perfect one for her! These two had a lot of fun throughout the course of the novel and I enjoyed whenever they were together and having a great time. One of the characters I felt were also well-developed (even though she is supposedly dead) was Siena, Scarlett's older sister. There are some brief flashbacks of the them together when they were younger, and this helped me build Siena's character in my mind. However, I felt Siena's personality and Scarlett's perception of Siena to be a bit cliche and unoriginal. By this I mean that Siena is described as the wild, flirty, confident older sister and that Scarlett is more low-key and always in her sister's shadow.
Bert and Chester were very loveable. They also become friends of Scarlett, as she settles into Twycombe and finds her way around. I liked that . I would have liked to know what happened to Chester, Bert's dog after . That could possibly be answered in the sequel.
Jude was one of the more mysterious, less-fleshed out characters. I would have liked to get to know him better; he seemed like a really interesting person. Again, though, I believe the reader will know much more about him in the second novel in the series.
Second of all, plot and pacing. Plotline was smooth and mostly engaging throughout. Surprisingly, pacing wasn't a problem either. I find that in books like these, there can be some lulls in the story but on every page there was something interesting happening.
In the novel, there is a sense of mystery and intrigue around Siena's death and Scarlett is always trying to find answers to this. I felt this part of the novel was well-done; bits and pieces of information are given which are finally at the end all joined together to create a whole picture of the situation. I wasn't able to guess or predict what would happen. This was one aspect that kept me reading and moving the plot along.
The one thing that perhaps wasn't as satisfying was the paranormal aspect of Death Wish. There were more and more hints at what was happening to Scarlett, leading to the final big reveal, but I felt that this reveal came a little too late in the novel. I would have liked more time in the story to delve into the paranormal concept but as I have said earlier, this will probably be the primary focus in the sequel. I liked, however, that the mystery of all the unknowns in the story are connected somehow.
For other readers, I have to note that three quarters of this novel is more realistic fiction than paranormal. However, this three quarters are major plotlines themselves, are important, and also set the scene for the next novel. It is also what I liked about the story; what I am saying is that I feel the paranormal aspect is an important aspect as well and wasn't as introduced and subsequently explored as I may have liked.
The one thing I think shone out most among other novels was the writing. Dialogue felt realistic and what you or I might say and everything was fluent and flowed well. Out of all the writing, the descriptions are what really caught me though. The descriptions were never boring or overwhelming; on the contrary, I felt like I was really there in Scarlett's shoes and seeing what she was seeing: the beautiful landscape and scenery of Twycombe.
Some of my favourite scenes include: Scarlett and Luke climbing to the top, standing at the folly and having their first kiss; Scarlett getting drunk and saying things she perhaps wouldn't have said, and everyone wishing Scarlett happy birthday. I also liked all of the surfing descriptions. Those seemed to fade in the background after a while when they weren't as important, and I hope that they are included again in the next novel.
I also acknowlege that there some pop culture references, which weren't necessary for me but gave me a bit of delight in coming across them and thinking I've heard that! or I've seen that!.
Lastly, the ending. Even though I wanted more story, I liked the ending. It felt fitting and summed up everything that happened and where Scarlett was at in her life.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and one I am glad I picked up. It has great writing, characters and realistic relationships. The brief exploration of the paranormal part of the story and the goodbye that comes at the ending of a novel leaves more to be desired, which is exactly why I can't wait to read the next one. 4.25 stars.
September 10, 2019
Reviewed by Heather
Book provided by the author
It took a while to get interested in Death Wish by Megan Tayte. Although it ended up being a decent book, it started off very slowly. After getting through the first half of the book, the storyline seems like it was pieced together without much thought.
Scarlett Blake is the main character. After her sister’s death, Scarlett feels the need to go to their grandparent’s cabin in Twycombe and find out if Sienna truly committed suicide or if there is more to the story than what meets the eye. During her stay, Scarlett meets many characters. She begins taking surfing lessons with a local hottie named Luke. Scarlett also meets another local stud, Jude, while visiting her grandparents’ graves. These two become a big part of the story as it goes on. However, the sea plays a bigger part. Scarlett finds herself drawn to the sea and she is determined to find out why.
During the last half of the book, the storyline transforms completely from normal and somewhat boring to paranormal. I don’t want to give away too much here because this is actually the half that I found the most interesting.
I really want to read more books in the Ceruleans series. I am hoping that as the books go on, they get better. I only struggled with Death Wish because it was such a slow start before it got interesting.
Book provided by the author
It took a while to get interested in Death Wish by Megan Tayte. Although it ended up being a decent book, it started off very slowly. After getting through the first half of the book, the storyline seems like it was pieced together without much thought.
Scarlett Blake is the main character. After her sister’s death, Scarlett feels the need to go to their grandparent’s cabin in Twycombe and find out if Sienna truly committed suicide or if there is more to the story than what meets the eye. During her stay, Scarlett meets many characters. She begins taking surfing lessons with a local hottie named Luke. Scarlett also meets another local stud, Jude, while visiting her grandparents’ graves. These two become a big part of the story as it goes on. However, the sea plays a bigger part. Scarlett finds herself drawn to the sea and she is determined to find out why.
During the last half of the book, the storyline transforms completely from normal and somewhat boring to paranormal. I don’t want to give away too much here because this is actually the half that I found the most interesting.
I really want to read more books in the Ceruleans series. I am hoping that as the books go on, they get better. I only struggled with Death Wish because it was such a slow start before it got interesting.
Read
July 10, 2017Son won in the Goodreads Giveaways - not read, passed on to another reader.
July 26, 2016
I would like to start this review by telling everybody how much I enjoyed this book! I was kind of hesitant to read this because of the title which suggests that the novel will likely be about death and wanting to die, and I don’t know if my mind can take reading about another suicide book, without permanent damage. But, I’m quite happy I ignored my apprehension, and went on ahead and read it. And actually, instead of focusing on death, the book showed the opposite side of the coin, which is life, change, acceptance, and moving on.
Let’s start with the genre YA-Paranormal-Romance, which I think is a very good recipe to make a very interesting novel. I want to commend the book because it really showed features of YA (self-discovery, choice, and independence), it also has the mystery, suspense, and the unexpected twists of paranormal books, and finally, it made me smile and it made my heart flutter, which is pretty classic romance stuff.
When I first started the novel, I noticed that the language and tone is kind of different, the characters speak differently, the conversations are kind of formal, and some words are longer and unfamiliar. It took me 2 chapters and some googling to figure out that the book is set in England, Plymouth to be exact. But don't get me wrong I love England, and English people, (e.g. BASTILLE, and ED SHEERAN) and don’t get me started on their accent. After a few chapters though, it became easier to read, I guess my brain got accustomed to the language.
I think Megan Tayte is my kind of person because she just mentioned three of my most favorite things in this world in the book! First she mentioned Damon and Stefan from TVD, and then she mentioned The Originals, and finally Ed Sheeran! I officially loved the novel when she mentioned Ed. Although I kind of beg to differ with her through Scarlett’s statement that Harry Potter is only hot in one angle, because he is hot in all angles hihihi.
The book was written from Scarlett's POV and her head is a nice enough place to be with. I kind of relate to her most of the time. We have the same wardrobe, a shirt and some pants, except for the cardigan, but I bet cardigans would also be included in my usual clothes if it wasn't so hot in the Philippines. Like her, I also don’t enjoy shopping, and I love reading books. I’m also very interested in history; in fact I've won awards in several history quiz bees in elementary and high school. I think I’m not as brave and strong as her though, I wouldn't dare do what she did to summon Jude. I also don’t have her glowing hands and her magical ‘ability’. Also, her relationship with her parents really makes me sad, because it is somehow irreparable. I hope it gets better in book 2.
There was this scene that was kind of funny because she wanted to be with Luke, but still she was thinking about Jude, whom she described as intense, and I instantly thought about Stefan and Damon, the one who is safe to love, and the one who is too exciting and intense.
Scarlett's main love interest, Luke is a really sweet guy. He is basically your good-guy, knight in shining armor type, although he is too over-protective for my taste (only because I value free-will too much). I guess he has the right to be over-protective though, he lost too much. As Scarlett fell for Luke, I guess he kind of grew on me too. I really liked his character because he cooks, and he cooks really well, he is also funny, and he is buff, and finally he thinks pandas are adorable, (how cute is that!).
There were some kind of repetitions used in the book, I think it was done to make a point or added to build emotions, or in the case of Luke and Scarlett, to induce some giggly feels. There was this scene when they kept repeating Great, and I was like, “Awwww! Is great their always?” Megan also used Track 11 on Ed Sheeran’s album, +, to make one of the most wonderful first kisses I've ever read.
I liked Cara's character because she loves vampire films and she’s a very awesome friend. I also really admire her because despite her leg injury, she tries to live her life to the fullest.
Jude remains to be a mystery to me until the end. He is this strange, attractive guy who shows up once in a while, with hair so blonde that it’s almost white, oh, and grey eyes. To be honest, he kind of reminds me a little bit of L.J. Smith’s character, Julian in the Forbidden Game series. I am excited to read and know more about him in book 2!
She revealed the biggest twist just before the ending, and Scarlett was left with a choice, and I’m just like, “Please don’t hurt Luke too much in the next book, please, please, please.” So basically, I need to read the next book!!!!!
To conclude, I want to say that this book is just the right mix of YA and romance and paranormal. As I said it's not as scary or dark as other paranormal stories, it's sweet, and the underlying mystery of Sienna's 'death' keeps it very interesting. It’s a very enjoyable book, and I bet any reader who likes YA will be hooked by this series.
Let’s start with the genre YA-Paranormal-Romance, which I think is a very good recipe to make a very interesting novel. I want to commend the book because it really showed features of YA (self-discovery, choice, and independence), it also has the mystery, suspense, and the unexpected twists of paranormal books, and finally, it made me smile and it made my heart flutter, which is pretty classic romance stuff.
When I first started the novel, I noticed that the language and tone is kind of different, the characters speak differently, the conversations are kind of formal, and some words are longer and unfamiliar. It took me 2 chapters and some googling to figure out that the book is set in England, Plymouth to be exact. But don't get me wrong I love England, and English people, (e.g. BASTILLE, and ED SHEERAN) and don’t get me started on their accent. After a few chapters though, it became easier to read, I guess my brain got accustomed to the language.
I think Megan Tayte is my kind of person because she just mentioned three of my most favorite things in this world in the book! First she mentioned Damon and Stefan from TVD, and then she mentioned The Originals, and finally Ed Sheeran! I officially loved the novel when she mentioned Ed. Although I kind of beg to differ with her through Scarlett’s statement that Harry Potter is only hot in one angle, because he is hot in all angles hihihi.
The book was written from Scarlett's POV and her head is a nice enough place to be with. I kind of relate to her most of the time. We have the same wardrobe, a shirt and some pants, except for the cardigan, but I bet cardigans would also be included in my usual clothes if it wasn't so hot in the Philippines. Like her, I also don’t enjoy shopping, and I love reading books. I’m also very interested in history; in fact I've won awards in several history quiz bees in elementary and high school. I think I’m not as brave and strong as her though, I wouldn't dare do what she did to summon Jude. I also don’t have her glowing hands and her magical ‘ability’. Also, her relationship with her parents really makes me sad, because it is somehow irreparable. I hope it gets better in book 2.
There was this scene that was kind of funny because she wanted to be with Luke, but still she was thinking about Jude, whom she described as intense, and I instantly thought about Stefan and Damon, the one who is safe to love, and the one who is too exciting and intense.
Scarlett's main love interest, Luke is a really sweet guy. He is basically your good-guy, knight in shining armor type, although he is too over-protective for my taste (only because I value free-will too much). I guess he has the right to be over-protective though, he lost too much. As Scarlett fell for Luke, I guess he kind of grew on me too. I really liked his character because he cooks, and he cooks really well, he is also funny, and he is buff, and finally he thinks pandas are adorable, (how cute is that!).
There were some kind of repetitions used in the book, I think it was done to make a point or added to build emotions, or in the case of Luke and Scarlett, to induce some giggly feels. There was this scene when they kept repeating Great, and I was like, “Awwww! Is great their always?” Megan also used Track 11 on Ed Sheeran’s album, +, to make one of the most wonderful first kisses I've ever read.
I liked Cara's character because she loves vampire films and she’s a very awesome friend. I also really admire her because despite her leg injury, she tries to live her life to the fullest.
Jude remains to be a mystery to me until the end. He is this strange, attractive guy who shows up once in a while, with hair so blonde that it’s almost white, oh, and grey eyes. To be honest, he kind of reminds me a little bit of L.J. Smith’s character, Julian in the Forbidden Game series. I am excited to read and know more about him in book 2!
She revealed the biggest twist just before the ending, and Scarlett was left with a choice, and I’m just like, “Please don’t hurt Luke too much in the next book, please, please, please.” So basically, I need to read the next book!!!!!
To conclude, I want to say that this book is just the right mix of YA and romance and paranormal. As I said it's not as scary or dark as other paranormal stories, it's sweet, and the underlying mystery of Sienna's 'death' keeps it very interesting. It’s a very enjoyable book, and I bet any reader who likes YA will be hooked by this series.
April 21, 2015
Actual Rating: 3.5
I received a copy in exchange for honest review, this does not affect my review in any shape or form.
Death Wish had a little bit of everything mixed into it, a little magic, a little romance, a little about grieving and a little about finding oneself. Death Wish took me a while to read not because it was bad book not at all, it mostly had to do with me.
Our Story
Sienna and Scarlett are sisters and were born 10 months apart. Sienna runs away from boarding school and moves to an isolated cove and joins a surfing fraternity. She keeps in contact with Scarlett through emails only that they’re a bit cryptic and never really go into detail about what she’s up, what she’s thinking. One day, Scarlett is called into the Principal’s office where she finds out that Sienna has committed suicide.
It’s not like Sienna to want to take her life, she’s full of life. Scarlett just cannot understand what was going through her head so she sets off on mission. She decides to spend her summer at the isolated cove where she can uncover the truth about her sister’s demise.
When I first started reading Death Wish, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew it had a little bit of romance, magic and death. I wasn’t entirely sure how the author was going to execute that into a wonderful story. I have to say she did a pretty good job. I don’t read much paranormal romance but after Death Wish I think I should. There was something in the story that drew me in and when I stopped reading I felt like a lost a bit of myself.
Our Characters
“You could say a lot of things about Scarlett Blake – she’s a loner, she’s a wallflower, she’s a menace in the kitchen but no way was ‘she’s a quitter’ on the list of character flaws.”
Scarlett sometimes gave me a headache and sometimes I wanted to hug her. Sometimes she could be mean other times she was such a mess that all I wanted to do was hug her. In the beginning you get the sense that she’s always lived in Sienna’s shadow and now that it’s just her she’s learning how to adjust and find herself. I loved the character development of Scarlett. She truly blossomed in my eyes.
Luke
He’s a wonderful guy. He’s taking care of his little sister, working a couple jobs to keep the house they live in putting off his dreams of becoming a chef. He’s also protective and always watching out for Scarlett. He’s also very sweet. I really liked him despite sometimes I wanted to yell at him and Scarlett to just shut up and kiss already. I hope to see more of him.
Jude
I didn’t quite understand Jude’s presence in the story until the end. He was a mystery throughout the whole story including to his friends. He just pops in and out of the story. It was kind of irritating because I wanted to know what his deal was but I’m assuming we find out in the next book of the series.
Cara
I really loved Cara. I think everyone needs a friend like her. She was able to help Scarlett break out of her shell a little at a time. I hope we get to see more of her in the series.
The Paranormal Aspect
I felt like the paranormal aspect of the story was only given to us in spurts. We’d randomly see things such as the blue light coming from hands but nothing much. It didn’t make its presence known throughout the story. It was just giving us hints. I’m hoping everything is explained in the second book or at least a better understanding of what was going on with Scarlett and especially Jude.
The end of the story I was left with a whole bunch of questions. Again, I’m hoping the rest of my questions will be answered in the next book.
Overall
Overall, I really did enjoy this story a lot more then I initially thought I would. I thought the story was well written and original. I loved how Megan was able to incorporate a little romance, mystery, paranormal and the topic of grieving into one story. I really didn’t think she would pull it off. But she did. I was impressed. The story is a bit slow but it does draw you in because you are wondering what’s going to happen.
The only problem I had with the story was the language. Some of the words and the manner in which they were used I often found trouble with. But other then that, I really didn’t have any major issues with it.
I will be checking out the rest of the series because I seriously need answers to my questions. Do I recommend? If you are looking for a lot of paranormal influences in the story then no, you won’t like this. But if you are okay with a little bit of paranormal influence then yes, go on and pick this up!
All my reviews can be found at Tina, The Bookworm
I received a copy in exchange for honest review, this does not affect my review in any shape or form.
Death Wish had a little bit of everything mixed into it, a little magic, a little romance, a little about grieving and a little about finding oneself. Death Wish took me a while to read not because it was bad book not at all, it mostly had to do with me.
Our Story
Sienna and Scarlett are sisters and were born 10 months apart. Sienna runs away from boarding school and moves to an isolated cove and joins a surfing fraternity. She keeps in contact with Scarlett through emails only that they’re a bit cryptic and never really go into detail about what she’s up, what she’s thinking. One day, Scarlett is called into the Principal’s office where she finds out that Sienna has committed suicide.
It’s not like Sienna to want to take her life, she’s full of life. Scarlett just cannot understand what was going through her head so she sets off on mission. She decides to spend her summer at the isolated cove where she can uncover the truth about her sister’s demise.
When I first started reading Death Wish, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew it had a little bit of romance, magic and death. I wasn’t entirely sure how the author was going to execute that into a wonderful story. I have to say she did a pretty good job. I don’t read much paranormal romance but after Death Wish I think I should. There was something in the story that drew me in and when I stopped reading I felt like a lost a bit of myself.
Our Characters
“You could say a lot of things about Scarlett Blake – she’s a loner, she’s a wallflower, she’s a menace in the kitchen but no way was ‘she’s a quitter’ on the list of character flaws.”
Scarlett sometimes gave me a headache and sometimes I wanted to hug her. Sometimes she could be mean other times she was such a mess that all I wanted to do was hug her. In the beginning you get the sense that she’s always lived in Sienna’s shadow and now that it’s just her she’s learning how to adjust and find herself. I loved the character development of Scarlett. She truly blossomed in my eyes.
Luke
He’s a wonderful guy. He’s taking care of his little sister, working a couple jobs to keep the house they live in putting off his dreams of becoming a chef. He’s also protective and always watching out for Scarlett. He’s also very sweet. I really liked him despite sometimes I wanted to yell at him and Scarlett to just shut up and kiss already. I hope to see more of him.
Jude
I didn’t quite understand Jude’s presence in the story until the end. He was a mystery throughout the whole story including to his friends. He just pops in and out of the story. It was kind of irritating because I wanted to know what his deal was but I’m assuming we find out in the next book of the series.
Cara
I really loved Cara. I think everyone needs a friend like her. She was able to help Scarlett break out of her shell a little at a time. I hope we get to see more of her in the series.
The Paranormal Aspect
I felt like the paranormal aspect of the story was only given to us in spurts. We’d randomly see things such as the blue light coming from hands but nothing much. It didn’t make its presence known throughout the story. It was just giving us hints. I’m hoping everything is explained in the second book or at least a better understanding of what was going on with Scarlett and especially Jude.
The end of the story I was left with a whole bunch of questions. Again, I’m hoping the rest of my questions will be answered in the next book.
Overall
Overall, I really did enjoy this story a lot more then I initially thought I would. I thought the story was well written and original. I loved how Megan was able to incorporate a little romance, mystery, paranormal and the topic of grieving into one story. I really didn’t think she would pull it off. But she did. I was impressed. The story is a bit slow but it does draw you in because you are wondering what’s going to happen.
The only problem I had with the story was the language. Some of the words and the manner in which they were used I often found trouble with. But other then that, I really didn’t have any major issues with it.
I will be checking out the rest of the series because I seriously need answers to my questions. Do I recommend? If you are looking for a lot of paranormal influences in the story then no, you won’t like this. But if you are okay with a little bit of paranormal influence then yes, go on and pick this up!
All my reviews can be found at Tina, The Bookworm
September 5, 2015
You know, I was really pleasantly surprised by this. I've been dreading reading it for months, because I have a rule about not accepting books for review directly from the author (and these days I just don't review) - because WHAT WOULD I DO IF I DIDN'T LIKE IT??
Luckily I did! The beginning has a rocky start, but all the things that had me giving it a suspicious side-eye ended up not being concerns at all. Sort of spoilers but not really? .
I've read in some of the reviews that the paranormal stuff doesn't happen until like the last 5%, and it's true that the full blown out paranormal things don't happen until then, but there are DEFINITE clues throughout the book, and especially for a series that's going to be 5 books long I think this was absolutely a great introduction. Plus it made for a great ending - there are clues, and if you don't have it half figured out by the end I'd be surprised - but the other half I'm preeettyyyy sure you won't have figured out. It was a completely new take on what this set up usually means, and I LOVE that it's something I haven't encountered before!
There are quite a few pop culture references that I think will date this book in an unfortunate way in a few years, but I am 100% the target group with all the references. I mean, Pirates of the Caribbean? Florence + the Machine? All the cheesy mystery shows like Columo and Murder She Wrote? TOTALLY MY SCENE. It also suffers from some awkward moments in the writing, but almost all of that was towards the beginning, and part of that might just have been me adjusting to the writing a bit slower than usual.
It also has a GREAT friendship - and you know how strongly I feel about those. Cara is both not a cardboard cut out of a friend, she's not just the manic pixie girl version of a friend either. Yes she's cheerful and quirky - which helps offset Scarlett, but she also has her own struggles to deal with that have nothing to do with Scarlett. She's also got a physical disability and I felt like that was dealt exactly how I want disabilities of any sort to be written - not a defining "this is who she is" sort of thing, but not glossed over as if it wasn't something she had to deal with. It definitely is.
A lot of this has Scarlett, Cara, and Luke dealing with grief - all in different stages and experience with it. As someone who has had her fair share of experience with it, I think this is one of the better books I've read where characters react realistically to what's going on. It never felt as if Scarlett was being melodramatic or just mentioning it woodenly because that's what the character SHOULD be doing it, nor did it feel like she just instantly forgot it. It is ever present throughout the novel - but it's very much how I have felt in the past. It's constantly in your thoughts, until it's only mostly in your thoughts. You have fun and forget for a moment and then BAM. Out of nowhere it hits you again. Grief is one of the hardest things to write realistically (or at least I'm guessing, since I rarely see it written in a way that rings true for me. That being said, everyone responds to grief differently, so maybe I just have a too narrow idea of how it feels).
TL;DR - This is a fresh, new take on some well trod paranormal tropes featuring a great romantic relationship (seriously, I am usually a gags and rolls eyes sort of girl when it comes to cheesy romantic scenes, but oh my GOD there's this scene in the book that totally melted me and I got all teary-eyed and GAH), a great friendship, and a realistic portrayal of grief. It doesn't get too bogged down with that last part though - Megan artfully brought in a funny or light moment without detracting from the feelings of what just happened. It's hard to balance the two, but I thought she did a fantastic job!
Luckily I did! The beginning has a rocky start, but all the things that had me giving it a suspicious side-eye ended up not being concerns at all. Sort of spoilers but not really? .
I've read in some of the reviews that the paranormal stuff doesn't happen until like the last 5%, and it's true that the full blown out paranormal things don't happen until then, but there are DEFINITE clues throughout the book, and especially for a series that's going to be 5 books long I think this was absolutely a great introduction. Plus it made for a great ending - there are clues, and if you don't have it half figured out by the end I'd be surprised - but the other half I'm preeettyyyy sure you won't have figured out. It was a completely new take on what this set up usually means, and I LOVE that it's something I haven't encountered before!
There are quite a few pop culture references that I think will date this book in an unfortunate way in a few years, but I am 100% the target group with all the references. I mean, Pirates of the Caribbean? Florence + the Machine? All the cheesy mystery shows like Columo and Murder She Wrote? TOTALLY MY SCENE. It also suffers from some awkward moments in the writing, but almost all of that was towards the beginning, and part of that might just have been me adjusting to the writing a bit slower than usual.
It also has a GREAT friendship - and you know how strongly I feel about those. Cara is both not a cardboard cut out of a friend, she's not just the manic pixie girl version of a friend either. Yes she's cheerful and quirky - which helps offset Scarlett, but she also has her own struggles to deal with that have nothing to do with Scarlett. She's also got a physical disability and I felt like that was dealt exactly how I want disabilities of any sort to be written - not a defining "this is who she is" sort of thing, but not glossed over as if it wasn't something she had to deal with. It definitely is.
A lot of this has Scarlett, Cara, and Luke dealing with grief - all in different stages and experience with it. As someone who has had her fair share of experience with it, I think this is one of the better books I've read where characters react realistically to what's going on. It never felt as if Scarlett was being melodramatic or just mentioning it woodenly because that's what the character SHOULD be doing it, nor did it feel like she just instantly forgot it. It is ever present throughout the novel - but it's very much how I have felt in the past. It's constantly in your thoughts, until it's only mostly in your thoughts. You have fun and forget for a moment and then BAM. Out of nowhere it hits you again. Grief is one of the hardest things to write realistically (or at least I'm guessing, since I rarely see it written in a way that rings true for me. That being said, everyone responds to grief differently, so maybe I just have a too narrow idea of how it feels).
TL;DR - This is a fresh, new take on some well trod paranormal tropes featuring a great romantic relationship (seriously, I am usually a gags and rolls eyes sort of girl when it comes to cheesy romantic scenes, but oh my GOD there's this scene in the book that totally melted me and I got all teary-eyed and GAH), a great friendship, and a realistic portrayal of grief. It doesn't get too bogged down with that last part though - Megan artfully brought in a funny or light moment without detracting from the feelings of what just happened. It's hard to balance the two, but I thought she did a fantastic job!
May 7, 2015
Amazing first book!
WOW where do I start! This book was a crazy ride, when I read the you think you know what you're in for and really, you don't! It was a story about overcoming loss, and learning the truth, and the love of a sister looking for anwsers.
Scarlett Blake, what is there to say about her, she was so strong, in the events that took place in death with she handled her self amazingly. She lost her sister, something no one should have to deal with. Her parents were at a loss all on their own even tho they had another daughter. Her mother tried, but was very over baring, and just.... Sad. That's the only word I can use to describe her. Her father, was an Ass with a capital A. But thankfully we don't see much of him. Maybe that's for a reason but maybe it's not. But back to Scarlett.
She was in so much pain over losing her sister, she didn't understand, didn't trust that her sister would choose to end her own life. So she set off on an adventure, one to become closer to her sister, to just, understand why, why make these choices. But that she uncovers is more than she bargained for. Sienna and Scarlett were super close in age and that made their bond that much stinger. So the death of her sister hit her super hard
So she moved to the last place her sister was. Sienna a had run away, and really who wouldn't, they had a strict up bring and even stricter schools so she took of to the one place full of happy memories The old beach house owned by her grandparents. There she sets off on an adventure she didn't bargain for. To find out the truth about what really happened to Sienna.
She meets these guys, Luke and Jude, both great names :) so Jude isnt an major part of this story, but in the same ways he is this story, it's too hard to explain who Jude is without giving too much away, but he knew sienna and Jude protects Scarlett and there's a reason for everything in this book. So we'll leave Jude on the back burner and you'll have to read the story to learn more about him.
Luke, oh Luke, she stole my heart, his story along is a sad one, but it's part of the mystery of the book. You will feel for him and what he's gone thru and realize why he feels the need to protect Scarlett too. The way they are together is super cute and I love how..... Uncomfortable they can be together. They fall in love and their love is stong.
Luke keeps some things from Scarlett to save her from pain. While I agree to some point, when they come out it is like WHAT JUST HAPPENED!!!! But she can't stay mad at him because she cares way too much.
She later learns some things that are like wow didn't see that coming, and he said what! But it's all about what make this story. There's also Chester, Cara and Bert, they all make this story fun, and sad at the same time, y'all have to read this story to meet them!
After a series of events it all comes together and we learn things that are hard to understand. But they are what makes this story!
Will Scarlett come to terms with what happened to her sister?
Will she get the answers she seeks?
Or will she walk into something she never saw coming?
Well if y'all want those answers you will need to read Death Wish, this is the first book in this series. . overall this is a 3.5-4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read. It is YA with a hit of paranormal.
I recommend this book to someone who is trying the paranormal genre, and wants to check out a new anther, who seemed to put a lot of work in there first book! PLUS it's part of kindle unlimited!
(I read this book at request of the author for an honest review)
WOW where do I start! This book was a crazy ride, when I read the you think you know what you're in for and really, you don't! It was a story about overcoming loss, and learning the truth, and the love of a sister looking for anwsers.
Scarlett Blake, what is there to say about her, she was so strong, in the events that took place in death with she handled her self amazingly. She lost her sister, something no one should have to deal with. Her parents were at a loss all on their own even tho they had another daughter. Her mother tried, but was very over baring, and just.... Sad. That's the only word I can use to describe her. Her father, was an Ass with a capital A. But thankfully we don't see much of him. Maybe that's for a reason but maybe it's not. But back to Scarlett.
She was in so much pain over losing her sister, she didn't understand, didn't trust that her sister would choose to end her own life. So she set off on an adventure, one to become closer to her sister, to just, understand why, why make these choices. But that she uncovers is more than she bargained for. Sienna and Scarlett were super close in age and that made their bond that much stinger. So the death of her sister hit her super hard
So she moved to the last place her sister was. Sienna a had run away, and really who wouldn't, they had a strict up bring and even stricter schools so she took of to the one place full of happy memories The old beach house owned by her grandparents. There she sets off on an adventure she didn't bargain for. To find out the truth about what really happened to Sienna.
She meets these guys, Luke and Jude, both great names :) so Jude isnt an major part of this story, but in the same ways he is this story, it's too hard to explain who Jude is without giving too much away, but he knew sienna and Jude protects Scarlett and there's a reason for everything in this book. So we'll leave Jude on the back burner and you'll have to read the story to learn more about him.
Luke, oh Luke, she stole my heart, his story along is a sad one, but it's part of the mystery of the book. You will feel for him and what he's gone thru and realize why he feels the need to protect Scarlett too. The way they are together is super cute and I love how..... Uncomfortable they can be together. They fall in love and their love is stong.
Luke keeps some things from Scarlett to save her from pain. While I agree to some point, when they come out it is like WHAT JUST HAPPENED!!!! But she can't stay mad at him because she cares way too much.
She later learns some things that are like wow didn't see that coming, and he said what! But it's all about what make this story. There's also Chester, Cara and Bert, they all make this story fun, and sad at the same time, y'all have to read this story to meet them!
After a series of events it all comes together and we learn things that are hard to understand. But they are what makes this story!
Will Scarlett come to terms with what happened to her sister?
Will she get the answers she seeks?
Or will she walk into something she never saw coming?
Well if y'all want those answers you will need to read Death Wish, this is the first book in this series. . overall this is a 3.5-4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read. It is YA with a hit of paranormal.
I recommend this book to someone who is trying the paranormal genre, and wants to check out a new anther, who seemed to put a lot of work in there first book! PLUS it's part of kindle unlimited!
(I read this book at request of the author for an honest review)
April 2, 2015
"'When the time comes, you will choose to come with me.
You will choose death, Scarlett Blake. You will choose me.'"
Scarlett Blake always loved visiting her grandparents in Twycombe. The little oceanside town has always felt more like home than the grandiose house and city she grew up in. But now the happy memories of her childhood have been replaced with darkness since her sister committed suicide in the very ocean they played in as children. And Scarlett's determined to find out why.
When they were younger, Scarlett and Sienna were always close and knew each other better than themselves, but as they grew older they gradually drifted further and further apart. Still, it's beyond Scarlett why Sienna would take her own life. Granted she'd run away from home and been acting strange even before, but what had pushed her over the edge? What had made her end it all? Scarlett hopes that being back in the place they'd spent so much time at in their childhood would help her clear her mind and be able to piece together the mystery of her sister's death. But she ends up getting so much more than she bargained for.
Scarlett was a likable main character. She made some choices that had me shaking my head and tsking under my breath, but that made her real, and I adore real, true-to-life characters. I also fell hard for several of the other characters as well -- Cara, Bert, Chester, Si ... and Jude. Jude, Jude, Jude... it's hard to know how to describe Jude. You think you have him figured out, you think you know him, but in a split second, you're left guessing again. I loved this character, though, and I wish he'd been more present, but I have a feeling we'll be seeing much more of him in the next installment, Forget Me Not, and I can't wait to pick it up and find out.
"'Hey, Jude,' I said. 'Oh!'
He reached over and touched a finger lightly to my lips.
'Please,' he said. 'Don't do the song. I hate it when people do the song.'"
Another character I hope we'll definitely be seeing more of is Luke. Luke has such a kind heart, and you can't help but love him just as much as Scarlett does. I loved Luke and Scarlett's relationship, and I very much wish I had a Luke myself. Everything about them, from the way they met to the conversations they had, brought a much needed dose of happiness and normalcy into Scarlett's life.
I also loved the songs mentioned throughout the story and how they all tied in with their scenes. Some of them I knew and some of them were new to me, so I loved that along with a beautiful story I got some new music as well.
The plot of Death Wish is so intricately woven that I don't want to tell too much about it in fear of giving something away, but I will say that this is a wonderfully paced, edge-of-your-seat mystery infused with humor and heart, extremely lovable characters, and vivid writing. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and Megan Tayte is definitely going on my auto-buy list :)
"In a little over a day ... I'd amassed more happy memories than the past month, year -- lifetime? -- had given me. I would always look back on this summer, I knew, and live in these memories."
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
This review was originally posted at A Belle's Tales.
You will choose death, Scarlett Blake. You will choose me.'"
Scarlett Blake always loved visiting her grandparents in Twycombe. The little oceanside town has always felt more like home than the grandiose house and city she grew up in. But now the happy memories of her childhood have been replaced with darkness since her sister committed suicide in the very ocean they played in as children. And Scarlett's determined to find out why.
When they were younger, Scarlett and Sienna were always close and knew each other better than themselves, but as they grew older they gradually drifted further and further apart. Still, it's beyond Scarlett why Sienna would take her own life. Granted she'd run away from home and been acting strange even before, but what had pushed her over the edge? What had made her end it all? Scarlett hopes that being back in the place they'd spent so much time at in their childhood would help her clear her mind and be able to piece together the mystery of her sister's death. But she ends up getting so much more than she bargained for.
Scarlett was a likable main character. She made some choices that had me shaking my head and tsking under my breath, but that made her real, and I adore real, true-to-life characters. I also fell hard for several of the other characters as well -- Cara, Bert, Chester, Si ... and Jude. Jude, Jude, Jude... it's hard to know how to describe Jude. You think you have him figured out, you think you know him, but in a split second, you're left guessing again. I loved this character, though, and I wish he'd been more present, but I have a feeling we'll be seeing much more of him in the next installment, Forget Me Not, and I can't wait to pick it up and find out.
"'Hey, Jude,' I said. 'Oh!'
He reached over and touched a finger lightly to my lips.
'Please,' he said. 'Don't do the song. I hate it when people do the song.'"
Another character I hope we'll definitely be seeing more of is Luke. Luke has such a kind heart, and you can't help but love him just as much as Scarlett does. I loved Luke and Scarlett's relationship, and I very much wish I had a Luke myself. Everything about them, from the way they met to the conversations they had, brought a much needed dose of happiness and normalcy into Scarlett's life.
I also loved the songs mentioned throughout the story and how they all tied in with their scenes. Some of them I knew and some of them were new to me, so I loved that along with a beautiful story I got some new music as well.
The plot of Death Wish is so intricately woven that I don't want to tell too much about it in fear of giving something away, but I will say that this is a wonderfully paced, edge-of-your-seat mystery infused with humor and heart, extremely lovable characters, and vivid writing. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and Megan Tayte is definitely going on my auto-buy list :)
"In a little over a day ... I'd amassed more happy memories than the past month, year -- lifetime? -- had given me. I would always look back on this summer, I knew, and live in these memories."
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
This review was originally posted at A Belle's Tales.
July 7, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Actual rating: 3.5/5
Note to self: When starting a book on a train journey, make sure there is enough time to finish the book, or agonising hours of endless wondering will follow until you are actually able to sit down again and FINISH THE BOOK. In case you're wondering (which of course you are), this is exactly what happened to me when reading Death Wish. I was so taken by the story and the characters, that I was actually in pain at having to leave it to get off at my stop, because I NEEDED ALL THE ANSWERS.
[image]
Unfortunately, I didn't get all the answers I wanted at the end, and will have to read the next book in the series ASAP to know everything. Cliffhangers are EVIL!
Anyway, moving on from my pain... I was immediately drawn into the story, and I found it very easy to connect with Scarlett. She is definitely the centre of the book, and I found her a very intriguing character. I loved seeing how she struggled with coping with her sister's death while at the same time trying to become her own person. I felt like there was a lot going on with her, and I liked seeing her grow and change throughout the book, and I have very high hopes for her as a character in the rest of the series. I also really liked the way her relationships with all the other characters were explored in depth, from her distant parents to her exploding friendship with the awesome Cara, without missing the inevitable romance. Actually, this time, I was quite sold on the romance. I thought Scarlett and Luke made a really cute couple, and the way their relationship developed was incredibly sweet. I'm especially glad that the author avoided putting a love triangle in! And we did get to see very little of the mysterious Jude, but I have a feeling he will be much more present in the sequels so I won't really complain too much about this...
The only negative, for me, is that there actually is very little paranormal stuff going on. Of course, this is only the first book in the series, so I'm pretty confident things will change in the sequels and the whole paranormal aspect will be developed further, but I was still fairly disappointed to get so little supernatural activity in this episode. This was definitely an interesting read, though it felt way more like a contemporary. The author did a great job of exploring grief and Scarlett's difficulties in rebuilding a life for herself in the aftermath of this family tragedy. I feel like this set the scene nicely for the following books, and it got me interested in finding out more about the Ceruleans. I will definitely be checking out the rest of the series!
For more reviews, check out Book for Thought.
Actual rating: 3.5/5
Note to self: When starting a book on a train journey, make sure there is enough time to finish the book, or agonising hours of endless wondering will follow until you are actually able to sit down again and FINISH THE BOOK. In case you're wondering (which of course you are), this is exactly what happened to me when reading Death Wish. I was so taken by the story and the characters, that I was actually in pain at having to leave it to get off at my stop, because I NEEDED ALL THE ANSWERS.
[image]
Unfortunately, I didn't get all the answers I wanted at the end, and will have to read the next book in the series ASAP to know everything. Cliffhangers are EVIL!
Anyway, moving on from my pain... I was immediately drawn into the story, and I found it very easy to connect with Scarlett. She is definitely the centre of the book, and I found her a very intriguing character. I loved seeing how she struggled with coping with her sister's death while at the same time trying to become her own person. I felt like there was a lot going on with her, and I liked seeing her grow and change throughout the book, and I have very high hopes for her as a character in the rest of the series. I also really liked the way her relationships with all the other characters were explored in depth, from her distant parents to her exploding friendship with the awesome Cara, without missing the inevitable romance. Actually, this time, I was quite sold on the romance. I thought Scarlett and Luke made a really cute couple, and the way their relationship developed was incredibly sweet. I'm especially glad that the author avoided putting a love triangle in! And we did get to see very little of the mysterious Jude, but I have a feeling he will be much more present in the sequels so I won't really complain too much about this...
The only negative, for me, is that there actually is very little paranormal stuff going on. Of course, this is only the first book in the series, so I'm pretty confident things will change in the sequels and the whole paranormal aspect will be developed further, but I was still fairly disappointed to get so little supernatural activity in this episode. This was definitely an interesting read, though it felt way more like a contemporary. The author did a great job of exploring grief and Scarlett's difficulties in rebuilding a life for herself in the aftermath of this family tragedy. I feel like this set the scene nicely for the following books, and it got me interested in finding out more about the Ceruleans. I will definitely be checking out the rest of the series!
For more reviews, check out Book for Thought.
May 8, 2015
Favorite Character:
Hands down, Scarlett. I instantly connected with her and her search to find out the truth about her sister. I love how at the start of the book she was a shy girl living in the shadow of her sister. As the book progressed, she grew into a beautiful confident woman. No matter what was going on, her sister was never far from her mind.
Favorite Line:
“Holy shamoly! Do you see that! What is that? What are you doing?”
My Review:
Have you even had a death wish? Did you have a brush with death and wonder what would happen if you died? It’s the ultimate question that can only be answered once you cross over.
Or maybe you have lost someone close to you and you tried to find out why?
Scarlett is searching for answers. Her sister, Sienna, took her own life and Scarlett wants to know why. She retraces Sienna’s steps and lands in a small surfing town in Devon. She meets Luke and he offers to teach her how to surf. Surfing brings her closer to Scarlett like nothing else. She can almost sense her there.
Scarlett becomes friends with Luke and some of the other surfers, including Jude. Ah yes, the mysterious Jude. Scarlett is attracted to both guys but for different reasons. The more she gets to know both Luke and Jude, the closer she gets to the truth behind her sister’s death.
Life and death play out in Scarlett’s hands and she is shaken to the core. What is happening to me? Am I going crazy? Scarlett must face death head-on before the answers are revealed. Can she believe or will her faith slip through her fingers like grains of sand?
I was immediately attracted to this book because it has the same theme as mine: Light and Darkness. Other than reading the book blurb, I didn’t know much about the book or the author. I dove in and felt such a strong connection with Scarlett. I, too, have dealt with loss of a loved one (my father) and have tried searching for answers. No one wanted to talk about it and I was left to pick up the pieces.
Megan Tayte is a brilliant writer, weaving such detail so vibrant I could reach out touch it. She makes each character so real I forgot I was reading a book.
The plot moved along quickly and just when I thought I had figured out what was going on, she unveiled the ultimate bombshell.
This book is not only for readers who love to read Young Adult but it appeals to everyone. It’s filled with mystery, loss, family grief, falling in love and discovering who you are.
I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
My Rating: 5+ stars
Hands down, Scarlett. I instantly connected with her and her search to find out the truth about her sister. I love how at the start of the book she was a shy girl living in the shadow of her sister. As the book progressed, she grew into a beautiful confident woman. No matter what was going on, her sister was never far from her mind.
Favorite Line:
“Holy shamoly! Do you see that! What is that? What are you doing?”
My Review:
Have you even had a death wish? Did you have a brush with death and wonder what would happen if you died? It’s the ultimate question that can only be answered once you cross over.
Or maybe you have lost someone close to you and you tried to find out why?
Scarlett is searching for answers. Her sister, Sienna, took her own life and Scarlett wants to know why. She retraces Sienna’s steps and lands in a small surfing town in Devon. She meets Luke and he offers to teach her how to surf. Surfing brings her closer to Scarlett like nothing else. She can almost sense her there.
Scarlett becomes friends with Luke and some of the other surfers, including Jude. Ah yes, the mysterious Jude. Scarlett is attracted to both guys but for different reasons. The more she gets to know both Luke and Jude, the closer she gets to the truth behind her sister’s death.
Life and death play out in Scarlett’s hands and she is shaken to the core. What is happening to me? Am I going crazy? Scarlett must face death head-on before the answers are revealed. Can she believe or will her faith slip through her fingers like grains of sand?
I was immediately attracted to this book because it has the same theme as mine: Light and Darkness. Other than reading the book blurb, I didn’t know much about the book or the author. I dove in and felt such a strong connection with Scarlett. I, too, have dealt with loss of a loved one (my father) and have tried searching for answers. No one wanted to talk about it and I was left to pick up the pieces.
Megan Tayte is a brilliant writer, weaving such detail so vibrant I could reach out touch it. She makes each character so real I forgot I was reading a book.
The plot moved along quickly and just when I thought I had figured out what was going on, she unveiled the ultimate bombshell.
This book is not only for readers who love to read Young Adult but it appeals to everyone. It’s filled with mystery, loss, family grief, falling in love and discovering who you are.
I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
My Rating: 5+ stars
March 11, 2015
In ‘Death Wish’ we meet Scarlett Blake, a seventeen year old on a guest to learn the truth about her sister’s death. Scarlett is staying the summer in her grandparents old house in the isolated cove of Twycombe. She’s not there to enjoy a summer on the beach but to find out what went through her sisters head before she died.
Scarlett’s sister Siena committed suicide, at least that is what everybody is telling Scarlett. But Scarlett has trouble believing her sisters fate, so this summer she is set on finding some answers. Answers that are hard to find and soon she finds herself with even more questions. Thankfully Scarlett also finds new friends and a life she didn’t expect to get attached to.
‘Death Wish’ is a book in which you can easily lose yourself. I started reading this book and didn’t stop until I read all 305 pages. Megan Tayte has a writing style that is easy to follow and this book is a perfect combination of romance, mystery and heartbreak. The characters is this book are just really easy to love. There’s the main character Scarlett, who I loved from the very first page. Scarlett is young but has some incredible strength inside her. Although she had some pretty bad examples in live, she found the strength to come to Twycombe, live on her own and find answers through getting out of her comfort zone. I just really liked her.
And then there are Luke and Cara. Luke is just the perfect book boyfriend. I loved him from the start and was totally rooting for him and Scarlett. I loved how he took care of Scarlett and I just couldn’t get enough of reading about him. And Cara was just a really fun character. I loved her joyous, playful way of living her life and surrounding everyone around her with happiness.
Yes, I definitely loved this book and these characters. This book is just very well written. There is a lot of mystery and it’s very unpredictable. Until the very end I didn’t have a clue about how this book would end. And to be honest, I think this book is the perfect example of how the first book in a series must be. It definitely makes to want to keep reading and I honestly can’t wait to read more books in this series. Amazing job, Megan Tayte!!
Scarlett’s sister Siena committed suicide, at least that is what everybody is telling Scarlett. But Scarlett has trouble believing her sisters fate, so this summer she is set on finding some answers. Answers that are hard to find and soon she finds herself with even more questions. Thankfully Scarlett also finds new friends and a life she didn’t expect to get attached to.
‘Death Wish’ is a book in which you can easily lose yourself. I started reading this book and didn’t stop until I read all 305 pages. Megan Tayte has a writing style that is easy to follow and this book is a perfect combination of romance, mystery and heartbreak. The characters is this book are just really easy to love. There’s the main character Scarlett, who I loved from the very first page. Scarlett is young but has some incredible strength inside her. Although she had some pretty bad examples in live, she found the strength to come to Twycombe, live on her own and find answers through getting out of her comfort zone. I just really liked her.
And then there are Luke and Cara. Luke is just the perfect book boyfriend. I loved him from the start and was totally rooting for him and Scarlett. I loved how he took care of Scarlett and I just couldn’t get enough of reading about him. And Cara was just a really fun character. I loved her joyous, playful way of living her life and surrounding everyone around her with happiness.
Yes, I definitely loved this book and these characters. This book is just very well written. There is a lot of mystery and it’s very unpredictable. Until the very end I didn’t have a clue about how this book would end. And to be honest, I think this book is the perfect example of how the first book in a series must be. It definitely makes to want to keep reading and I honestly can’t wait to read more books in this series. Amazing job, Megan Tayte!!
June 8, 2015
First thought was my lord that is a beautiful cover. Riveting actually. Then when I started reading this book I was enthralled the entire time. Was it Luke or was it Jude? What was the mystery behind both or either? What actually happened to her sister? So many questions and the hints and answers were granted brilliantly.
I think the aspect of the book I enjoyed the most were the variety of characters and how well developed they all were. In fact my favorite characters are tied between Scarlett and her new best friend Cara. These two have the best adventures and conversations. Even though Cara is not a main character I like that the book discusses her backstory and really creates a person that would be a best friend. Some of my favorite scenes were those between Scarlett and her mom. Will more be discussed about her mom in future since both daughters are dealing with or have dealt with the Ceruleans? So many questions and so many things I want to know more about!! An additional component that I enjoyed was that the tension between Luke and Jude had several facets. I enjoyed that it was not just the typical which boy does she love more, but it had depth to it that involved more than one issue.
I found this book to be very complex in a very good way. It created a world where the story made sense and was always moving. I felt it was an enjoyable read and left me with a perfect cliff hanger (which I rarely find in a book!)
I think the aspect of the book I enjoyed the most were the variety of characters and how well developed they all were. In fact my favorite characters are tied between Scarlett and her new best friend Cara. These two have the best adventures and conversations. Even though Cara is not a main character I like that the book discusses her backstory and really creates a person that would be a best friend. Some of my favorite scenes were those between Scarlett and her mom. Will more be discussed about her mom in future since both daughters are dealing with or have dealt with the Ceruleans? So many questions and so many things I want to know more about!! An additional component that I enjoyed was that the tension between Luke and Jude had several facets. I enjoyed that it was not just the typical which boy does she love more, but it had depth to it that involved more than one issue.
I found this book to be very complex in a very good way. It created a world where the story made sense and was always moving. I felt it was an enjoyable read and left me with a perfect cliff hanger (which I rarely find in a book!)
May 25, 2015
I couldn't save her. But I will save you.
I found that I really enjoyed this book and I got through the whole thing in just one sitting. This was quite a fast paced book but could however be slow at times. I found Scarlett to be a good main character however she was a bit of a mess as we went along which was understandable as she was grieving. I will be reading the next book as I am intrigued not just by Scarlett and Luke and their relationship but also by Jude. Out of all the characters I found Jude the most interesting.
We were left on quite a big cliffhanger as we still do not know what she or Jude is only that she is now dying just as Scarlett was and now she must choose. Luke = Life and Jude = Death. Jude was confident at the end of the book that the end is coming and by that end she will have chosen him. I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into the next book so I shall leave it there.
I found that I really enjoyed this book and I got through the whole thing in just one sitting. This was quite a fast paced book but could however be slow at times. I found Scarlett to be a good main character however she was a bit of a mess as we went along which was understandable as she was grieving. I will be reading the next book as I am intrigued not just by Scarlett and Luke and their relationship but also by Jude. Out of all the characters I found Jude the most interesting.
We were left on quite a big cliffhanger as we still do not know what she or Jude is only that she is now dying just as Scarlett was and now she must choose. Luke = Life and Jude = Death. Jude was confident at the end of the book that the end is coming and by that end she will have chosen him. I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into the next book so I shall leave it there.
February 2, 2016
An interesting tale that takes us on an unforgettable journey to discover the question all of us ask, why.
Scarlett wanted to discover why her sister would assumably commit suicide. What she discovers is far more then she expected and now she's left with a terrible decision ahead of her.
The story started slow for me. It was a little hard for me to get into and I couldn't connect for the first half. When it picked up more I was drawn into the mystery and wanted to discover more. Just when things get really interesting the story ends in a to be continued. I'm definitely curious to see where things go.
As for the characters, Luke and Scarlett were definitely people to root for. There was just a lot of details that slowed the story down for me. I would've loved a faster pace with more action but that's just my preference.
Overall the story was good but legged a little for me.
Scarlett wanted to discover why her sister would assumably commit suicide. What she discovers is far more then she expected and now she's left with a terrible decision ahead of her.
The story started slow for me. It was a little hard for me to get into and I couldn't connect for the first half. When it picked up more I was drawn into the mystery and wanted to discover more. Just when things get really interesting the story ends in a to be continued. I'm definitely curious to see where things go.
As for the characters, Luke and Scarlett were definitely people to root for. There was just a lot of details that slowed the story down for me. I would've loved a faster pace with more action but that's just my preference.
Overall the story was good but legged a little for me.
November 20, 2016
I loved reading this book. I love how life and death isn't sugar coated and it just states the facts about it all. The story is really intriguing too with a younger sister searching for answers as to what really happened to her sister in her final days. I love the mystery and just the way that the story is written. I'm not sure what part really speaks to me, but this story really captivated me and made me want to keep reading and to continue on with the series especially because of the last few chapters.
March 30, 2015
A sad and ominous story with a sweet romance and a beautiful coastal English setting.
February 5, 2017
I cannot wait to see where this story goes!!!!!!!!!
July 30, 2015
Before I begin with the Death Wish review, I will admit that I was given this book for free for an honest review. As such, this review will be done a little different. I will do the pros and cons for the book, but I will also be looking at other features of the book that I felt did not belong in one category, however, they did affect the rating.
Death Wish by Megan Tayte is about a young woman, Scarlet, who is shocked over the death of her sister and is trying to find out why and get some answers. In the process of discovering her sister’s decision, she begins to discover who and what she is.
As I have mentioned before, there were features that didn’t belong in a specific category. These features are setting and characters. For both of these features, as much as I did enjoy them, there were moments of time that I did not enjoy them so much.
The first one is setting. Don’t get me wrong, I love London and the UK. I have been to London before, and I can tell you that it is beautiful. However, it took me over half the book to finally piece together that the town was in the UK. For the longest time I thought she was living in her grandparents cottage in the East Coast of the US, especially the New England area. The characters spoke with zero accents or use of British slang, and there was very little outside world connection. What got me to realize that the place was in the UK and not in the US was when our main character was trying to find out travel times from her beach home to London and was using shorter amounts of time between the two locations than I expected. Even after the realization, it still took me a while to get the setting straight.
The second feature that I want to talk about is the characters. The characters were okay, however, they were not believable or lovable. Scarlet is okay, but in the end, I would not want to hang out with her all the time. In addition, Megan Tayte left the parents hanging in the air. You do have some background story about how the parents really did not love their children, but nothing about the choices they made, or why they made those choices. The father barely made an entrance, and the mother was there to drive the plot forward or to create an additional problem for Scarlet, our main character. The other characters were also there for three reasons: 1) teach Scarlet a lesson, 2) provide Scarlet information about her sister, or 3) provide a service for her.
Moving on from two features, I will be moving onto the cons. I felt as though there were a lot more cons with this book than previous books that I have read this year. Those cons are the format, the love triangle, the conveniences, vagueness and the feeling of the author purposely prolonging the book.
Let us first start with the format. I will admit that there might be some human error when I downloaded the book. I traditionally download the book onto my computer and move it onto my Nook. However, with the computer problems that I had the past month or so, I also had to use a different route. Though after a few times on several different devices, and getting the same result, I am beginning to wonder what really happened. In the beginning, the story was normal but the conversations were done in either bold or italic font. I tried the format out for a bit, but after a few pages it became annoying to the point where I was thinking about not finishing the book. In the end, the story somehow deleted itself off of my Nook, and when I redownload the book, the format was normal. I will admit that Scarlet’s thought process and poems are done in italics, but the conversation format that happened earlier did not happen.
The other con that I have is the elusive love triangle that exist with YA. I am glad to see that our main character realized this, but when I first read it, all I could think of was really? It felt like a cliche and something the author thought needed to be done to make her story a bit more heart wrenching. In the end, it was annoying and it felt it was something to help prolong the story.
This brings me to my other con of the feeling that the author tried to prolong the story. This also goes with my last con of the vagueness that the story had. I understand that in the perspective of our main character, we would not know all the facts and details. However, that vagueness lead to the feeling of the author trying to purposely prolong the story, which then lead to my annoyance with the book. There were times in which I did feel as though the author was prolonging the book without the vagueness. I don’t want to spoil the book, but there was a scene that felt was a repeat and the story could have moved forward better without.
Moving on from the cons, I did have a few pros. First of all, I did enjoy the paranormal/mystery element of the story. I normally do not read paranormal or mystery, so it was fun to switch it up and read something different. I really enjoyed how Tayte combine the two and has set the book up for the other books. The other pro that I enjoyed was the plot for this book. Tayte mainly focused on our character discovering herself, not only what, but who she really is. It was fun to see Scarlet grow as a character. Though I do need to point out that this is the first book in a five book series and Tayte has started to develop the plot for the series, even though it took a while. Almost everything with the plot took a while. In a sense, the discovering self-plot is a bit more believable with the death of the sister. The final pro that I enjoyed with the book was the symbolism. There was some religious symbolism that existed throughout the book. It was enjoyable and intertwined with the text beautifully.
In the end, I did give this book three out of five stars. Even with all the little annoyances, I did enjoy the story as a whole. It would not be a book that I would reread, and I am still debating as to whether or not I would finish the series. Because of the rating, I am on the fence with recommending this book. I generally recommend books that I love or absolutely love (four to five-star ratings). If you are into paranormal and a little bit of mystery, come check this book out. I do believe that you might enjoy this small quick read.
Death Wish by Megan Tayte is about a young woman, Scarlet, who is shocked over the death of her sister and is trying to find out why and get some answers. In the process of discovering her sister’s decision, she begins to discover who and what she is.
As I have mentioned before, there were features that didn’t belong in a specific category. These features are setting and characters. For both of these features, as much as I did enjoy them, there were moments of time that I did not enjoy them so much.
The first one is setting. Don’t get me wrong, I love London and the UK. I have been to London before, and I can tell you that it is beautiful. However, it took me over half the book to finally piece together that the town was in the UK. For the longest time I thought she was living in her grandparents cottage in the East Coast of the US, especially the New England area. The characters spoke with zero accents or use of British slang, and there was very little outside world connection. What got me to realize that the place was in the UK and not in the US was when our main character was trying to find out travel times from her beach home to London and was using shorter amounts of time between the two locations than I expected. Even after the realization, it still took me a while to get the setting straight.
The second feature that I want to talk about is the characters. The characters were okay, however, they were not believable or lovable. Scarlet is okay, but in the end, I would not want to hang out with her all the time. In addition, Megan Tayte left the parents hanging in the air. You do have some background story about how the parents really did not love their children, but nothing about the choices they made, or why they made those choices. The father barely made an entrance, and the mother was there to drive the plot forward or to create an additional problem for Scarlet, our main character. The other characters were also there for three reasons: 1) teach Scarlet a lesson, 2) provide Scarlet information about her sister, or 3) provide a service for her.
Moving on from two features, I will be moving onto the cons. I felt as though there were a lot more cons with this book than previous books that I have read this year. Those cons are the format, the love triangle, the conveniences, vagueness and the feeling of the author purposely prolonging the book.
Let us first start with the format. I will admit that there might be some human error when I downloaded the book. I traditionally download the book onto my computer and move it onto my Nook. However, with the computer problems that I had the past month or so, I also had to use a different route. Though after a few times on several different devices, and getting the same result, I am beginning to wonder what really happened. In the beginning, the story was normal but the conversations were done in either bold or italic font. I tried the format out for a bit, but after a few pages it became annoying to the point where I was thinking about not finishing the book. In the end, the story somehow deleted itself off of my Nook, and when I redownload the book, the format was normal. I will admit that Scarlet’s thought process and poems are done in italics, but the conversation format that happened earlier did not happen.
The other con that I have is the elusive love triangle that exist with YA. I am glad to see that our main character realized this, but when I first read it, all I could think of was really? It felt like a cliche and something the author thought needed to be done to make her story a bit more heart wrenching. In the end, it was annoying and it felt it was something to help prolong the story.
This brings me to my other con of the feeling that the author tried to prolong the story. This also goes with my last con of the vagueness that the story had. I understand that in the perspective of our main character, we would not know all the facts and details. However, that vagueness lead to the feeling of the author trying to purposely prolong the story, which then lead to my annoyance with the book. There were times in which I did feel as though the author was prolonging the book without the vagueness. I don’t want to spoil the book, but there was a scene that felt was a repeat and the story could have moved forward better without.
Moving on from the cons, I did have a few pros. First of all, I did enjoy the paranormal/mystery element of the story. I normally do not read paranormal or mystery, so it was fun to switch it up and read something different. I really enjoyed how Tayte combine the two and has set the book up for the other books. The other pro that I enjoyed was the plot for this book. Tayte mainly focused on our character discovering herself, not only what, but who she really is. It was fun to see Scarlet grow as a character. Though I do need to point out that this is the first book in a five book series and Tayte has started to develop the plot for the series, even though it took a while. Almost everything with the plot took a while. In a sense, the discovering self-plot is a bit more believable with the death of the sister. The final pro that I enjoyed with the book was the symbolism. There was some religious symbolism that existed throughout the book. It was enjoyable and intertwined with the text beautifully.
In the end, I did give this book three out of five stars. Even with all the little annoyances, I did enjoy the story as a whole. It would not be a book that I would reread, and I am still debating as to whether or not I would finish the series. Because of the rating, I am on the fence with recommending this book. I generally recommend books that I love or absolutely love (four to five-star ratings). If you are into paranormal and a little bit of mystery, come check this book out. I do believe that you might enjoy this small quick read.
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