Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, If I shall die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take…
When thirteen-year-old Sky Monroe arrives at her new boarding school, all she can think about is death and connecting with the afterlife. Soon she discovers her school’s spirituality group called Guardians of Light—and they have a secret. The Guardians of Light can speak with the dead…
When Mitchell Brooks, the teacher and leader of the group, reveals this unnerving secret to Sky—though this is exactly what she believed she wanted—she learns the organization is rapidly becoming a cult. Now she’s concerned she and her friend Damien will not be permitted to walk away. Danger and death lurk around every corner…
The campus house, where Sky resides, is haunted, and the spirits have their own agenda. December 21, 2012 threatens the end of the world, and Mitchell and the spirits have special plans in store. They just might bring Sky closer to the afterlife—and possibly beyond—than she ever imagined.
Sky is looking for a connection to the afterlife, but what she finds may be more than she bargained for…because what lies after life is death.
Jackie Sonnenberg has a background in journalism and creative writing. She wrote for local newspapers in both print and online before publishing books. She wrote and published three requested reference titles under Atlantic Publishing on business, housing, and pet care. She indie published her first novel ALL THAT GLITTERS before diving into the right genre for her...
"semhyR yresruN" is the name of her growing standalone collection writing horror stories based on, of course, the classic Nursery Rhymes.
She is an active member in the horror community as a haunted house actor thriving on every Halloween season, where she creates original characters to go with given themes and settings. She uses her knack for character development to bring them to life on paper, and in person, with original costuming. She is known for interacting with people in character at conventions at events to promote her books. She lives in Orlando, FL where she is surrounded by creativity and imagination.
My Soul to Keep by Jackie Sonnenberg is a thriller, teen horror book about a private school and one of its group manor houses. A spiritual awakening group that attracts those troubled and lonely. The group has a teacher that runs the home and has many rules for the students. The house also has residents that are no longer living also. Pretty good story. More a teen book, that's what I am rating it as.
Where to start? A little background about me, I've always been fascinated by the a cult. It's been something I love to read about so to be able to find a book that captivated me so much as, My Soul to Keep, was refreshing.
My Soul to Keep is a captivating story of a young girl named Skyler Monroe, in her short life she faced a great tragedy by losing her father to gun violence. As she tried to make sense of this tragedy her mother thought it best to put her in a Prep School. While at this Prep School Skylar meets Seth who introduces her to the group, Guardians of Light. In the begin Sky feels she has found her way, she has met people who she feels truly understand her, she feels welcomed and is able to work through the tragedy she had faced at such a young age. As she became more and more involved with the group, the more of an outcast she became to the other students around her. She no longer felt she belonged in her dorm with the on GOL members. Mitchell, the leader finally asked her to move into the GOL house. She felt free again, able to breathe, and feel like she finally was where she was supposed to be. Living there she was able to discover that the house was no ordinary home, spirits were trapped here, for reason she did not know. Her friend Damien and herself began to question the group, question weather or not everything Mitchell was tell them was right. Things turned even stranger when Mitchell began to tell them that the world was going to end on 12/21/12. Because Sky was questioning the group, Mitchell asked to meet with her, the next day Sky became paralyzed. (I still don't have an answer to how this happened, I'm assuming it's because of the spirits that already possessed the home, I'd like to know though lol) The group told her she was being test, just like Seth, who lost his sight because he questioned the group, or Becky who's tongue evaporated because she was spreading lies about the group. They told her the spirits wanted her to be grounded and that's why she could no longer move her legs. Sky knew something was very wrong, she pretended like she didn't question it and continued to go about her daily activities as normal as she could. Long story short, Damien reveals to her that Mitchell had been drugging the children in the bake goods they were eating. The night that they were all expected to pass on Damien and Sky did not eat the pudding, they did not die as everyone else. They were able to get out and call the police.
I was completely involved in the book, I couldn't put it down. The author did a wonderful job of building each character. She did a great job of progressively making the story interesting and creepy at the same time. I always find myself, when enjoying a book, how great of a movie it would be, who'd I would cast, etc. I found myself doing that with this book.
I would recommend this book and I also would like to check out other books by this other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Jackie SonnenbergI honestly don't know what to say about this book besides, I absolutely loved it! The whole story was intriguing to me. I loved the suspense to the story. I am one that has to stop reading at the end of a chapter and I found that very difficult as every chapter ended in a cliff hanger which made me wanting more. This was a fast quick read for me as I was so entwined into the story. So many parts had me guessing / wanting to know what the outcome was going to be for the end of the story. And let's just say every guess I had was so off and I love books that keep me guessing and wanting more. All in all the story tied up wonderfully answering all questions I had. The thrill of this read was also off the charts for me! If I could give this book 6 stars I totally would!
I don’t usually read a lot of horror and mystery books, not because I don’t like but because I prefer YA, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy one every once in a while. At the beginning my reading pace was real slow because I was down with flu and what-not.But I managed to finish this splendid piece of literature. Sky started at a new boarding school and has found somewhere she truly belongs. ...But does she really know what she's getting herself into? Sky is 13-year old girl who faces grief at a very young age. This story sheds light onto how a cult works and how a person gets sucked into one. It gives us the knowledge and reasons why this happens and what is the outcome. The story kept me on edge because almost all chapters had cliffhangers! But I also felt that the book could have been a bit shorter as some threads did not need that much stretching! All in all This story also does what any good paranormal fiction does, its thrilling with plot twists that that will keep you reading to the end!
I honestly don't know what to say about this book. It was magnificently written. It gave me cold chills. It was terrifying and terrific. Jackie's writing it astounding. I can't wait to see what other works she has to come.
Grief is often the cause for human fears and the author uses this premise to build the story about a young girl Skyler. Skyler is a young girl trying to get on with life after losing her father to a cruel act of violence. She is enrolled in a boarding school in the hopes of achieving normalcy. Only it is no ordinary boarding school and the author does well in creating the aura of the school. Soon Sky is caught up in the motions of campus life, except for those brief moments of seeing and be seen by something she does not understand. Applewhite prep seemed to be like any another school with Dorm houses, library and athletic center. The author sets the stage and environment for the story well. There have been campus based stories from creepy legends to strange powers but think of this story as boarding school meets gothic nightmares. Soon the main character Sky comes across strange rituals in campus, none harmful but nevertheless strange. She participates like any other student, in pursuit of belonging. Are the guardians of light just fake or they truly believe in what they do? Inciting incidents and escalating moments are given enough depth and realism as the narrative progresses with Sky’s voice. The introduction of Latin adages interspersed with the chapters increases the experience of the moments as seen through the members of the “guardians of light” in the campus. Although a simple teenager, Sky is a strong and brave young girl doing her best and bravely dealing with the not so savory moments well. Midway through the story Sky starts experiencing her dad’s presence and she discusses this with the guardian’s group leader and feels it maybe because he is trying to reconnect. The author’s description of the guardian sessions are reminiscent of old British movies, almost having a “Séance” like vibe. Soon Skyler realizes she is sleep walking or has found a way to travel without movement. Is she sensing her dad’s presence or something else? A tornado hits the campus and rips it apart with damage or was it spirits coming together to wreak havoc? Were the guardians of light stirring a spiritual awakening? Why does one of their friends Becky go to the hospital and what causes her violent convulsion? What does all this have to do with an old Mayan belief? The story does build up slowly and confronts the reader with a lot of possibilities – but the slow escalation is worth it. The author has indeed given a fresh new twist to mob psychology here – young minds are easy pickings. It’s difficult to write in this genre when there are so many greats who established it but the author manages with deft skill. Read patiently to savor the end.
Disclaimer: This book was given to me for by the author for free in exchange for an honest review, in no way my opinion about the book was affected by this. I judge the books only not the authors.
When I read the description of the book and what will be about I thought that it's going to be some of those ghost horror stories that you tell over a fire camp and get everyone scared for a while and that's it. Do not get me wrong here I enjoy those kind of stories, but they are pretty much the same and repetitive. Gladly the author proved me wrong and I am so glad about it.
The most shocking part (in a good way) of the whole story was when I found out that it is actually based on real life events and that the author conducted interview with people that have had paranormal experiences. And these facts made the book much more enjoyable and interesting.
I really liked that there is no romance in this book and the storyline itself is engaging and makes you flip the pages to find out more and more! The development of events was progressive and the elements that pulled together the story were really well put in place. I love paranormal books and this one did give justice to this genre.
The only thing I did not enjoy was the writing style or most precisely I had difficult time distinguishing the voices and had to re-read a conversation twice in order to be able to understand who is saying what. But other than that it was very enjoyable read.
Go and pick it up if you like this kind of books this one will not let you down!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Jackie Sonnenberg is an author living in Orlando, Florida with a background in journalism and creative writing. She wrote for local newspapers in both print and online before publishing her first book. She wrote and published three requested reference titles under Atlantic Publishing on business, housing, and pet care. She indie published her first novel ALL THAT GLITTERS before diving into the right genre for her.
Now able to focus on her true calling to the dark side (don't blame me, they had cookies!) Jackie is outlining the YA Horror series YRESRUN SEMYHR which is a sinister re-telling of the classic Nursery Rhymes.
CONTACT DETAILS
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A big thanks to BookTasters and Jackie for this opportunity.
My Soul To Keep by Jackie Sonnenburg is about sky who is dealing with recently losing her father to a tragic incident. This is why her mom transfers her to the Apple white Academy a more inclusive environment. she hopes it will help sky deal with her anxieties and other issues. through different books she tries to contact her dad something her floor mates find creepy but they don’t talk to her about it they talk about her behind her back. Soon sky joins the glow group after following them and seeing the group do something she thought impossible. this group is led by teacher Mitchell and at first glance it just looks really like a positivity group although GLO stands for guardians of the light by the time sky and her friend Dean know this group isn’t all it pretends to be it will be too late and getting out isn’t an option. I really liked the fast pace storytelling I thought sky was a well done character and I really really liked her the other thing I really liked is that the further you get into the story the creepier it gets I would definitely recommend this book to those who like coming-of-age team Gothic mysteries because the way she describes the Apple white Academy definitely gave me goosebumps especially the first time she followed glow to the woods. I didn’t absolutely love this book but I really enjoyed it. #BooksSprout, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #JackieSonnenburg,.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Young Sky started at a new boarding school and has found somewhere she truly belongs. ...But does she really know what she's getting herself into?
She is connected to the spirit of her deceased father and that in a way leads her toward the Guardians of Light. Their leader is one of those characters you want to punch in the face! At least I did.
This book was full of twists and turns that always had me guessing how it would end. Sky and her spiritual connection got me hooked from the beginning and the mysteries of The Manor were pretty crazy and kept the pages turning.
I thought I had guessed how the book would end. I was so wrong. I was completely surprised! I definitely recommend this book!
“How wonderful to think that someday no one would have to worry so much about what they looked like, or what others thought of them. How wonderful it would be to simply be one form of beautiful forever.”
I absolutely loved this read! It definitely kept me interested the entire time. It was honestly hard to put down. Honestly I have always been interested in reading about Cults and how someone could be so brainwashed by another.
Skyler Monroe, a thirteen year old obsessed with death after losing her father, is sent to live at a prep school in order to help her cope with the loss of her father in a new environment. It is here that she meets a group known as the Guardians of Light (GOL), a group that is more in touch with the spiritual realm.
Sky’s friend Damien shows up at the prep school. They get invited to a meeting held by GOL. The English teacher, Mitchell Brooks turns out to be the leader of the group. It is at this first meeting that she attends where she gets in touch with her deceased father. After this she starts seeing other spirits as well. She has never been able to fit in with the kids living in her dorm, and has felt like an outcast since moving here. When the rumors and the kids making fun of her becomes too much she tells the GOL and they offer her a place to live at The Manor, where they hold their meetings and get-togethers.
When she first found this group she felt like she finally found where she fit in. She felt like it was where she belonged, and felt more understood than she had upon arriving. As time went on and the more she started to learn about this so-called family, the more frightening things became for her. First she started noticing that something was not quite right with the Manor. There were souls trapped inside. Really weird things started to happen. A Tornado hit the campus and destroyed everything. The only thing it did not touch was The Manor, and weirdly every single poster all over campus for the GOL’s was completely intact. Sky’s friend Becky comes to her with questions of her own making Sky and Damien really start to question what exactly the GOL’s were capable of and who they really were. Becky keeps questioning things and Mitchell hears about it, accuses her of lying and that night she loses her tongue. When Damien and Sky try to get Becky alone to talk, they realize that she is brainwashed and will be not be able to give them any information.
Mitchell takes all of their cell phones away from them and has been mentioning that Doomsday will be December 21st. Mitchell learns of Sky’s questioning and calls her into his office to discuss things and make sure she is on the same page. The next morning she wakes up and is paralyzed, losing all usage of her legs. Damien tells Sky that they had been drugging them. Putting stuff in the baked goods. On December 20, 2012 Mitchell fed poisoned cups of pudding to each of the GOL’s. They were instructed to take their pudding cups to their bedrooms and eat them before going to sleep. Since Damien and Sky were being very careful of what they consumed now, they did not eat the pudding. When they woke the next morning they were the only two living in the Manor. They got out and called the police immediately, telling them everything.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I don’t usually read a lot of horror and mystery books, not because I don’t like but because I prefer romance, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy one every once in a while. I saw this one and decided to give it a try, I read the description and it caught my attention.
At the beginning I was reading it very slowly, I was busy so I didn’t have much time and also because I wasn’t finding it that captivating. I kept reading it, anyway, and the more time I had, the more I would read. As an aftermath the more I read the more I wanted to read. The story was getting very interesting and I wanted to find out more things about what was happening and was to happen. The ending was the best for me, the last 100 pages made it impossible for me to take my eyes off the book.
It’s a book with a lot of supernatural events, I am a big fan of the supernatural so that made my interest grow, but it’s also a story with a lot of important messages. It gives us lessons about life, ourselves and humanity. For that it makes the book even greater, it’s has a deeper and more meaningful content than if it were only about the adventure Sky and Damien got themselves in.
Will I reread the book again? I’m not a person that rereads a lot of books, only some that had a great impact on me and only after a while, years usually. So maybe I won’t, maybe I will… It depends on my mood and what I need in that time of my life, but I will totally go back and reread some parts, some parts that made me question life and the world itself, parts that had a great meaning.
If you like the supernatural (not the vampire/werewolf kind, but the spiritual kind) and find the idea of the afterlife interesting than this book is perfect for you. The afterlife is something that every person has a different idea according to their personality, likes and beliefs. Some believe that our souls go to some kind of heaven when our bodies give up, others don’t, if I’m being completely I don’t believe in that, I believe that when we die we become part of the Earth, I would like to think that we are reborn in another living being maybe not ourselves completely but a part of us, maybe we become a part of everybody. This book also makes you reflect on life and what you believe in.
I want to thank the author, Jackie Sonnenberg, for writing this book allowing us to dive in the adventure and mystery but also to get us to reflect.
My Soul to Keep is best read as a competent study of the how and why a person gets sucked into a cult. Sonnenberg excels at portraying a young girl in need of connections both with her dead father and just with people around her who falls in with a mysterious group of people at her new prep school. From there, she continues to portray very well how a cult operates and manipulates people, hitting all the classic elements from cutting members off from family to creating more and more intense rituals. One of the more interesting aspects is that the cult is not completely fake. The supernatural experiences in the book are real, adding layers of depth to the experience, and confusion about how to interpret things on the part of Sky, the main character. The book is a slow burn though and would benefit from being considerably shorter. It begins to drag when Sky starts to seriously question what the cult is really up to. The main cause of this is the frequent back and forth that she goes through, from apparent belief to vehement questioning and even anger. This could be partly explained as an attempt to show Sky continuing to struggle against the charisma of the leader and general attraction of the group but as written, it is too hard to tell. Sky simply seems inconsistent. Especially as there are many events which would definitely convince anyone that they need to leave right away. And even if this was the case, this section of the book is unnecessarily long. Cutting it by fifty pages or so would do away with many of the problems. There are also a few threads and teases early in the work that don’t seem to go anywhere. Others though are picked up and dealt with fairly well at the end. However, the end is a tad predictable and a bit of a let-down given some of the teases I mentioned earlier. All in all, My Soul to Keep is a competently written work that has some good moments in it but doesn’t quite live up to its potential. For those with an interest in cults and how they work, I do think it is worth getting as an ebook. I believe that as the author grows as a fiction writer, she will learn to polish her style and deliver some really good material in the future.
"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, and if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take." Just about everybody knows this nursery rhyme, but did you every think that in 7th grade you would find out the meaning? Sky is a 7th grade student and she just lost her Father in a tragic way. As her family tries to cope, Skyler is seeing ghost's and she see's her Father. Do you believe in ghost's? I do! I saw my Father after he passed when I was ready to turn 28 years old. It doesn't hurt any less, no matter what your age is. But for Sky, seeing her Dad was a comfort. Her Mother has taken her to numerous doctors, thinking she isn't coping at all. They don't believe in ghost's like she does. Thinking that a different school would help with all the problems at her public school, she is sent off to Applewhite Preparatory Boarding School. As Skyler and her Mother are walking on campus, there is a young man handing out papers about a club that deals with spiritual retreat and finding your inner light. So she joins GOL, Guardians of Light. She finds that they are at The Manor, a huge house on the other side of the woods from campus. She is welcomed and made to feel like she belonged. Sky found that she was spending more and more time there. One day see saw a familiar face, her friend from her old school, Damien. She told him all about the GOL and how it has helped her heal. As they were walking along the path in the woods going to the Manor, they spy something in the trees. Ghost's! As the two of them spend all their free time there, they take the steps to become real members. But this is very unusual, as they need to show their White Light and that they believe in it. They manage to do it and become members. From here the author takes you through the steps of them becoming stronger with their White Light. One of the teachers, Mitchell, is the leader and he ask's them to do some weird stuff. But to be good members and show that they really do belong there, they do. She has you following the mystery of the house and it's ghost's. The author has you thinking about the Mayan calendar and the end of the earth. All this leads up to an ending you might of saw coming, but probably not all of it. They jump to the other side as their white light. I did a lot of jaw dropping with the end. I really enjoyed the mystery of it all and the path the author took you on. At the end it makes you rethink that nursery rhyme and maybe have you looking between trees. I do believe in ghost's and seeing my own Dad, put this story in a different perspective. Great storyline, fantastic mystery and some breath holding along the way. I feel that 7th grade and up would enjoy this book as much as I did.
This story tells the tale of Sky, since the death of her father she has struggled. Her mother enrolls her into Applewhite Preparatory Boarding School. It is there that she is introduced to the Guardians of Light.
At first she feels this group can help her fit in, it boasts being an inspirational group, with a non religious message of bring light and peace to people. Sky feels that she needs to find peace and it is one of the reasons for joining. There are regular meetings and activities. Over time she becomes more involved with the group and her room-mate Deanna notices her drifting away from dormitory activities. Sky feels she is being shunned, but actually she is being isolated and more reliant on the Guardians.
As December 21st 2012 approaches the warnings of the end of the world are being banded around. The more time she spends with the Guardians, the more she is sucked into their beliefs. How the earth will end, and how, as a group they will need to be prepared and get ready for the afterlife.
This is an interesting read, and not a genre I usually choose to read from. It was insightful to how easy it can be for vulnerable people to be coerced into a dangerous group. I did feel that is was stretched out in many places, and at times the countless mentions of yet another meditation session could have been shortened. That being said it is well written, and is set at a good pace. Ideal read for young paranormal readers.
I would like to thank Jackie for sending me an eARC copy of this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.
I was provided a free copy by the author for this novel. I am almost always hunting for occult fiction, but rarely do I get such books that hook me up enough to read it in one go . My Soul to Keep was one such read. Utterly thrilling, fast paced and very interesting. It contained the perfect dose of paranormal, excitement, even romance. Just the way I like my books 😉 I loved the book!
13 year old Sky, joins a new school where she gets to join a seemingly spiritual group that she feels, understands her in a way, no one else can. Gradually, it starts getting mysterious in The Manor and supernatural events start to unravel before her. How she deals with her own faith, along with the occurrences around her, is what fills the pages of this book.
However, I found a few points quite unreal and forced into the plot, like Sky, who is just 13, is able to cope up with a lot that’s going on in the Manor. That age kids don’t usually bother about much, apart from their own life and leisure. But she consistently feels spiritual and behaves like a grown up would, about occult and supernatural. Then Mitchell, his speeches and though delivery got a little boring in between. The end was quite predictable and probably written in some kind of haste.
But all in all, the actions were tied up and developed very well. Quite apt read for Halloween. It does justice to the paranormal genre. Go pick it up if you love the genre, I am sure it wont disappoint you
Thirteen year old Sky is a new student at a boarding school and looking for a place to belong. Still dealing with the trauma of the death of her father, she quickly feels at home with the Guardians of Light, a spiritual group on campus. She quickly realizes that the spiritual side of the group may be more powerful than she could ever dream.
My Soul to Keep by Jackie Sonnenberg @sonnenbooks is available on February 1, 2025 from 4 Horsemen Publications. It will be available anywhere in hardcover, paperback, and ebook. @4horsemenpublications
MY SOUL TO KEEP really scratched that part of my brain that loves to read about cults and anything cult related. Seeing it through the eyes of a teenage girl at a boarding school was such a unique twist, and as a reader, you really see how the whole group developed and how Sky became a part of the Guardians of Light.
Jackie is able to capture the voice of Sky so beautifully. Sky’s thoughts and rationalizing the events in the book sound like a 13 year old. There were times where I just wanted to yell “noooo” because Sky made decisions that only a 13 year old girl would make.
The ending left me in chills. I finished it a few days ago and I’m still thinking about it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
So I haven’t read a paranormal in a while and during halloween I really wanted something to get me in the mood! This sounded absolutely perfect, I mean just read the synopsis! There were many aspects that were strong in this book, for one the world building was great. This story also does what any good paranormal fiction does, its thrilling with plot twists that that will keep you reading to the end!
One of the features that I loved was that it was written from the perspective of a 13 year old. It such a unique viewpoint especially for what was going on around her. At such a young age she experienced such tragedy and as a reader we get to see first hand her defence mechanism, her way of coping and I thought it was really interesting. It also at no point felt gimmicky, it wasn’t a book just there to creep you out and contain all the paranormal fiction tropes. Dealing with topics like death and mental health I was actually able to take a lot away from this book, which is what I hope to be able to do from every read!
Interesting book, but it leaves lots of questions unanswered.
This is a book that I can't recommend for everyone. It's a bit of a horror story, a whole lot of mystery, full of surprises and suspense, hope, and hopelessness. If creepy, supernatural, weirdness is your idea of a good time, this one's got all of that and more. It needs a little bit of proofreading and editing. There were afflictions that some of the characters bore, that were never explained. And for so many years of hauntings, I find it difficult to believe that the story ends the way that it does. It's not so much resolved, as abandoned for the reader's imagination to complete, and feel in the gaps in the storyline.
I don't recommend reading this book alone, or at night. Other than the fact that I wish that I'd skipped it, and the corrections that it needs, it's still a good story if you enjoy a good spine-tingling, scary tale.
The book is written from the viewpoint of a vulnerable 13 year old girl, Skylar, who is trying to come to terms with tragedy that she has experienced and looking for a place to fit in, and feels the group she eventually joins can help her with this The story taps into the mystery of the occults, ghosts and creepy but influential characters.
I thought the book was well written with an easy to follow storyline. Initially I wasn't too sure which direction the story was heading in and did think it was a bit slow paced in the beginning, but stick with it. The more you read the more you realise the importance of all the details in the earlier chapters are important in order to understand what comes later on.
The ending, I'm not going to give anything away but I will say that I did not see that one coming.
If you have a lazy afternoon on the horizon then definitely give this book a go.
Every old school has a legend about it. Someone died on campus and they still roam there. Ohhhhhh! This school is no exception. Only they want you to join it now. Happy Readings!!
Sky is going to another boarding school. Trying to fit into the normal way of life. Because since her dad died a violent death, she keeps seeing him. This one might be different for her because she might have found a place that she belongs. But does she understand what is going on within the group and does she really belong within it? With the help of her professor, she joins the group, Guardians of the light. Is this truly the right fit for Skylar?
You learn more and more about this cult and what is going on at the Applewhite prep. When you think it can't get worse it does. A tornado hits the school, tearing most of it apart, The Manor is left intact, but this is the point in the book where I couldn't put it down. 2 am, I'm reading this stuff, freaking myself out. What's going on in The Manor? Why is Prof Brooks acting so strange?
The part where Skylar figures out she is part of a cult drags out a bit, I did skim With that being said, Skylar herself is a walking talking teenager who can't figure herself out. One minute it's this and then the next it's this. She's a moody teenager. In the first part of the book, I had a hard time getting into, but like I said in the end, I couldn't put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen to Skylar.
I liked this book. I thought the writing was good and I enjoyed the vibes in the story. The secret society aspect was also interesting too. However, I just couldn’t get into this book very much. I felt like the idea of 7th graders partying was rather unrealistic and seemed a bit off to me. I didn’t connect with the characters and couldn’t get myself much involved with the story. It’s a bummer because I really wanted to like it. But it’s possible that it was simply not my cup of tea. Thank you Booksprout and Jackie Sonnenberg for letting me check out the book!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book hooked me automatically, I fell in right away and wanted to know what would be next. There is an amazing mix of both normalcy/calmness and intense suspense, which I necessary to create an unpredictable atmosphere (which is what causes a book to keep us hooked). Very much so I a page turner, but sometimes does slow to a crawl in some spots at the end and then picks back up if you can push forward. Jackie uses such descriptive words that I do truly feel like I am the main character going through these occurrences.
Great book especially for the YA demo. Developed characters who have quirks and personalities that aren't dry or generic. I enjoyed her take on the nursery rhyme and how she spun it into a story worth telling. The setting, topics, and themes are all relevant to today as well as the past they came from. It's great for kids who don't want to follow the crowd and the cautionary tale of blindly following another crowd.
This was an unexpected find. I was browsing through trying to find something that seemed interesting and stumbled upon My Soul to Keep and was absolutely enchanted by the cover alone and was not disappointed by the story. The author keeps you engaged and ready with every turn of the page. Definitely worth the read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Sky Monroe after having problems dealing with her fathers death goes to boarding a school and becomes involved with a social group. At first she thinks it's wonderful but as time goes on she becomes worried about what's going on in the group. The suspense builds and leaves the reader wondering what will happen next.
This book was okay and I liked the way it ended. It was easy to read. I wish it was explained how the disabilities were accomplished. Some parts were obvious to figure out. So, since I did finished reading “My Soul To Keep” it did hold my interest.
This is a book more geared for a younger reader, so it was hard for me to really connect with it. Which is too bad because the ending was seriously good. The book could have been a bit shorter and might have worked better as a novella. I enjoyed it, a lot however.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A dark mystery fantasy book is what I wanted, and My Soul to Keep delivered!! Sky starts a new school and finds out about a group named The Guardians of Light. Their name implies one thing, but it is the opposite.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is on the lighter side of horror for me. So I was a little disappointed but then I read that it's supposed to be for teens so I re evaluated it. I like it better now knowing it's intended to be on the light side of things.