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Collide
Since her father's mysterious death, Lauren Cowley has been stuck in a pitiful rut until she begins having ominous encounters, haunting her every move. While attempting to break free from her wretched life she meets Donovan. He is tall, dark, good-looking, strangely familiar - and yet terrifying. His unexplained ability to stare deep into her soul with emotionless eyes frightens her, yet she has no desire to break free from the gravitating pull he has on her. He unlocks her passion...and suppressed memories forcing her to fight for everything she loves. Lauren now has to face the reality of demons and the tragic consequences they have had on her life.
448 pages, Hardcover
Published September 15, 2016
7 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
L.R. Johnson
12 books5 followersL. R. JOHNSON is the founder and President of The Inspired Writers League – an active community writers group. When L. R. Johnson was a child she would live in a world of her imagination. Her teachers would have to put her in the front row of the class or she would drift off into a story she was creating. Though she studied Psychology in college she never lost her imagination, constantly creating stories in her mind. Bringing to life her characters and writing great love stories filled with adventure, dynamic characters, and brilliant surroundings is something that L.R. Johnson has a natural gift for. She lives in California with her husband and two wonderful children.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 27, 2016
While there were moments of beautiful prose there were moments that I, like our main character Lauren, drifted off. And kept drifting off. Lauren seems like an interesting character, and at the same time she rubs me the wrong way.
Donovan plays the part of the dark, brooding, doomed character, and you know that he is gonna fall for Lauren in some kind of insta-love in some sort of typical plot.
Not my cup of tea.
Donovan plays the part of the dark, brooding, doomed character, and you know that he is gonna fall for Lauren in some kind of insta-love in some sort of typical plot.
Not my cup of tea.
December 23, 2016
Collide by L.R. Johnson Collide by L.R. Johnson is an example of verbosity at its worst. Where was an editor to eliminate the overly flowery language that went on and on? I recommend this entire book for the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest.
Examples of overused words: rage = sixty-two times, pathetic = twelve times, vigorously = twenty-nine times, toxic = twelve times, and dilapidated = eight times.
Lauren Cowley is an unlikable twenty-one-year-old protagonist. She comes across as an immature, spoiled brat. She has unusual visions and is magnetically pulled toward, yet repelled by Donovan, a mysterious man who peers into her soul.
And as for grammar "collapse" is something that falls down. To the best of my understanding, you don't "collapse up". "The excruciating pain pouring out of him hits me like an avalanche flowing over me, causing me to collapse up against the same portion of the stone wall Donovan is leaning against."
"...taking over my quivering, catatonic body." Something catatonic or immobile, shouldn't quiver.
I struggled to finish reading this and was ready to scream at times, not from fright or fear, but frustration at having the same concepts repeated. Here is an example: "They are completely white, other than small pupils in the center of his eyes, like the irises have been completely bleached out." This was repeated at least four times in slightly different wording.
I gave this book almost three stars.
I received a complimentary Kindle copy from HAWAII Way Publishing and NetGalley. That did not change my opinion for this review.
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/COLLIDE-L-R-Jo...
Examples of overused words: rage = sixty-two times, pathetic = twelve times, vigorously = twenty-nine times, toxic = twelve times, and dilapidated = eight times.
Lauren Cowley is an unlikable twenty-one-year-old protagonist. She comes across as an immature, spoiled brat. She has unusual visions and is magnetically pulled toward, yet repelled by Donovan, a mysterious man who peers into her soul.
And as for grammar "collapse" is something that falls down. To the best of my understanding, you don't "collapse up". "The excruciating pain pouring out of him hits me like an avalanche flowing over me, causing me to collapse up against the same portion of the stone wall Donovan is leaning against."
"...taking over my quivering, catatonic body." Something catatonic or immobile, shouldn't quiver.
I struggled to finish reading this and was ready to scream at times, not from fright or fear, but frustration at having the same concepts repeated. Here is an example: "They are completely white, other than small pupils in the center of his eyes, like the irises have been completely bleached out." This was repeated at least four times in slightly different wording.
I gave this book almost three stars.
I received a complimentary Kindle copy from HAWAII Way Publishing and NetGalley. That did not change my opinion for this review.
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/COLLIDE-L-R-Jo...
November 4, 2016
I get a copy via netgalley for honest review
I didn't like this book and it was a shame because the plot is very interesting.
I'm not a writer and I've not the skills to prove what I think, but in my opinion the text should be revisioned, because it's full of adverbs and repetitions that make the writing heavier and quite boring.
For example:
He just stands there in front of me, "quietly" shaking his head. "Silently" he walks over to his desk, "slowly" (...)
A warm "sensation" floods over me, causing a tingling "sensation" as he utters his gentle plea. (...)
It seems to me that the author was able to show emotions or action only with a massive use of adverbs, and that was attached to some words that she repeated over and over again. (Check the words: conundrum or silver dollar eyes, she uses really too often for me).
Besides more sentences express the same concept and the reader has a bothersome sense of deja vu.
The characters are one dimentional and I get the impression that the word "love" was used instead of lust because I really don't understand why Donovan and Lauren felt in love with each other.
I just know that Donovan has a "sumptuous mouth", "a luxurious mouth", "sumptuous lips", and he is really gorgeous even if he's not human.
I hope I'll express my opinion in a way that isn't direspectfull, because I can imagine that a novel is like a son for an author. On the other side there are so many books to read and when a reader spend time and money for something it's right to have access to different point of view to choose wisely.
I didn't like this book and it was a shame because the plot is very interesting.
I'm not a writer and I've not the skills to prove what I think, but in my opinion the text should be revisioned, because it's full of adverbs and repetitions that make the writing heavier and quite boring.
For example:
He just stands there in front of me, "quietly" shaking his head. "Silently" he walks over to his desk, "slowly" (...)
A warm "sensation" floods over me, causing a tingling "sensation" as he utters his gentle plea. (...)
It seems to me that the author was able to show emotions or action only with a massive use of adverbs, and that was attached to some words that she repeated over and over again. (Check the words: conundrum or silver dollar eyes, she uses really too often for me).
Besides more sentences express the same concept and the reader has a bothersome sense of deja vu.
The characters are one dimentional and I get the impression that the word "love" was used instead of lust because I really don't understand why Donovan and Lauren felt in love with each other.
I just know that Donovan has a "sumptuous mouth", "a luxurious mouth", "sumptuous lips", and he is really gorgeous even if he's not human.
I hope I'll express my opinion in a way that isn't direspectfull, because I can imagine that a novel is like a son for an author. On the other side there are so many books to read and when a reader spend time and money for something it's right to have access to different point of view to choose wisely.
November 1, 2016
Collide has left me with mixed feelings; on one hand, there was some detailed, lovely prose and worthwhile scenes of romantic affection, but on the other hand we get a sort of insta-love feel paired together with a somewhat unlikeable heroine and a pretty basic plot.
Lauren is 21, but often feels like a teenager with how she handles her emotions. I’m 21 and I suffer from depression, but the last time I experienced my emotions like she does I was probably 15. As many ways as I empathize with her, a lot of the book feels like a pity party for her. Even all the women in the book save for one are written so meanly that the reader really has to side with Lauren by default as the lesser of two evils. I wanted to like her more; but she displayed a reckless sort of emotional capacity that swung around from lustful to sad to angry to stubborn and back again. She also seemed to suffer from “lust mistaken for love” in that she’s immediately attracted to Donovan and to be honest they don’t explore each other beyond this physical pull to be together and a brief exploration of Donovan’s past and how he ended up becoming a demon. He seems to know her well enough through his demon powers to perhaps justify why he claims to care for her, I imagine after seeing her once he stayed around her invisibly to learn more about her, but she just seems swept up in “he’s so attractive and was nice and I feel this pull to him [attraction] so it must be love.” If you’re not against that kind of “love[lust] at first sight” romance then this will deliver pretty well. There was no sex scenes, but plenty of scenes with kissing and caressing and embracing, which I will say were sweet and well executed (though I rolled my eyes every time Lauren was about to cry and felt rejected whenever Donovan stopped their physical exchanges from going too far; like not wanting to go full-speed ahead to sex is not the same as outright rejection as in “I don’t love you”)
The strongest point of the novel is definitely its prose; it was very pretty, actually. Lots of detail, giving it the air of a book that really wants you to get immersed in scenes. The weakest point would probably be the execution of the characters; Lauren is supposed to be depressed, but her sadness comes off as “Boo-hoo! Woe is me!” with a dramatic throwing of one’s self onto a chaise lounge rather than something a person can sympathize with. The plot development is close behind it; this isn’t the worse story ever, but it’s very simple and at times not as fully developed as it could have been. The ideas are very basically hashed out with convenient plot devices worked in, so the focus was more on Lauren lamenting about Donovan and then kissing him than any actual “save your soul” plot, which was quickly cleared up to leave us with the problem to lead us into the next book in the series.
Also, one thing that really bugged me was that Lauren bordered on slut-shaming her co-workers—yes, they were terrible people—but she wanted to vilify them not because of their horrible behavior, but because they wore makeup and revealing clothes, and then she sort of puffed up with confidence like “Me? I’m good enough to not need to wear few clothes to feel strong” as if somehow wearing more clothes and no makeup makes her better than other women who do, and frankly coming from a girl who just pages ago was all “I just gotta accept that I’m meaningless” and “a sponge has soaked up my self-esteem” it’s quite a moment of superiority to demean other women for how they decide to dress and decorate their bodies. There’s zero correlation between worthiness and appearance. She even went so far as to be “disgusted” by the dancing in a nightclub as if sexuality is just a bad, gross thing and people who display these things anywhere but the privacy of a bedroom are terrible. There’s nothing inherently wrong with a bunch of adults consensually gathering and consensually dancing in a way that speaks of human sexuality in a nightclub where the atmosphere and partiers allow and embrace that. This sort of behavior in a book heroine just kind of alienates me because it makes her look very judgmental and like she has that Not Like Other Girls™ brand of superiority that tries to say “I don’t wear makeup or party or drink or have sex therefore I’m better and more deserving of things” as if any of these things are inherently tied to a person’s actions, morals, or value. It just bothers me a lot.
I will say that Donovan was a decent enough love interest; never violent or manipulative or forceful. It’s always a nice change to get a decent person as a lead after all the Alpha Male™ love interests (who do get violent or controlling or even downright force themselves on women) that are disturbingly popular in romances these days.
For what it is, a 99 cent indie book, I can’t say it was anything awful. I got through it easy enough in one sitting, but I wasn’t super impressed by it. I think as a casual romance without any explicit content and that is going to be a series, this would do well in certain hands who are more after the affectionate scenes with a demon-in-love angle to the story’s framework, but for me I prefer romances where I witness two people getting to know one another and slowly falling in love and I prefer more complex storylines. So since most of my complaints (outside of Lauren who frankly just wasn’t that great of a heroine) are preference based rather than truly faulty, I’ll give this a 3 star/2 star (amazon vs. goodreads) rating of “okay.”
*I received a free copy of this title from Net Galley, but in no way does that affect my review*
Lauren is 21, but often feels like a teenager with how she handles her emotions. I’m 21 and I suffer from depression, but the last time I experienced my emotions like she does I was probably 15. As many ways as I empathize with her, a lot of the book feels like a pity party for her. Even all the women in the book save for one are written so meanly that the reader really has to side with Lauren by default as the lesser of two evils. I wanted to like her more; but she displayed a reckless sort of emotional capacity that swung around from lustful to sad to angry to stubborn and back again. She also seemed to suffer from “lust mistaken for love” in that she’s immediately attracted to Donovan and to be honest they don’t explore each other beyond this physical pull to be together and a brief exploration of Donovan’s past and how he ended up becoming a demon. He seems to know her well enough through his demon powers to perhaps justify why he claims to care for her, I imagine after seeing her once he stayed around her invisibly to learn more about her, but she just seems swept up in “he’s so attractive and was nice and I feel this pull to him [attraction] so it must be love.” If you’re not against that kind of “love[lust] at first sight” romance then this will deliver pretty well. There was no sex scenes, but plenty of scenes with kissing and caressing and embracing, which I will say were sweet and well executed (though I rolled my eyes every time Lauren was about to cry and felt rejected whenever Donovan stopped their physical exchanges from going too far; like not wanting to go full-speed ahead to sex is not the same as outright rejection as in “I don’t love you”)
The strongest point of the novel is definitely its prose; it was very pretty, actually. Lots of detail, giving it the air of a book that really wants you to get immersed in scenes. The weakest point would probably be the execution of the characters; Lauren is supposed to be depressed, but her sadness comes off as “Boo-hoo! Woe is me!” with a dramatic throwing of one’s self onto a chaise lounge rather than something a person can sympathize with. The plot development is close behind it; this isn’t the worse story ever, but it’s very simple and at times not as fully developed as it could have been. The ideas are very basically hashed out with convenient plot devices worked in, so the focus was more on Lauren lamenting about Donovan and then kissing him than any actual “save your soul” plot, which was quickly cleared up to leave us with the problem to lead us into the next book in the series.
Also, one thing that really bugged me was that Lauren bordered on slut-shaming her co-workers—yes, they were terrible people—but she wanted to vilify them not because of their horrible behavior, but because they wore makeup and revealing clothes, and then she sort of puffed up with confidence like “Me? I’m good enough to not need to wear few clothes to feel strong” as if somehow wearing more clothes and no makeup makes her better than other women who do, and frankly coming from a girl who just pages ago was all “I just gotta accept that I’m meaningless” and “a sponge has soaked up my self-esteem” it’s quite a moment of superiority to demean other women for how they decide to dress and decorate their bodies. There’s zero correlation between worthiness and appearance. She even went so far as to be “disgusted” by the dancing in a nightclub as if sexuality is just a bad, gross thing and people who display these things anywhere but the privacy of a bedroom are terrible. There’s nothing inherently wrong with a bunch of adults consensually gathering and consensually dancing in a way that speaks of human sexuality in a nightclub where the atmosphere and partiers allow and embrace that. This sort of behavior in a book heroine just kind of alienates me because it makes her look very judgmental and like she has that Not Like Other Girls™ brand of superiority that tries to say “I don’t wear makeup or party or drink or have sex therefore I’m better and more deserving of things” as if any of these things are inherently tied to a person’s actions, morals, or value. It just bothers me a lot.
I will say that Donovan was a decent enough love interest; never violent or manipulative or forceful. It’s always a nice change to get a decent person as a lead after all the Alpha Male™ love interests (who do get violent or controlling or even downright force themselves on women) that are disturbingly popular in romances these days.
For what it is, a 99 cent indie book, I can’t say it was anything awful. I got through it easy enough in one sitting, but I wasn’t super impressed by it. I think as a casual romance without any explicit content and that is going to be a series, this would do well in certain hands who are more after the affectionate scenes with a demon-in-love angle to the story’s framework, but for me I prefer romances where I witness two people getting to know one another and slowly falling in love and I prefer more complex storylines. So since most of my complaints (outside of Lauren who frankly just wasn’t that great of a heroine) are preference based rather than truly faulty, I’ll give this a 3 star/2 star (amazon vs. goodreads) rating of “okay.”
*I received a free copy of this title from Net Galley, but in no way does that affect my review*
November 15, 2016
I received a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.
First, the two main reasons that people are going to have issues with this book: the major insta-love and the I’m so tortured love interest.
Second, the reason they did impact my rating: Because it was clichéd to the point that I just wasn’t all that into it.
Third, a quote from someone on the fence about this one:
“His voice is silky smooth, laced with a seductive growl wrapping around each word as he gently nips at his moist, full bottom lip. Peering deep into my eyes he pleads softly, ‘Lauren, please.’”
How many stars do I give this? [Middle of the road three.]
It wasn’t horrible. But I wouldn’t read it again.
But let’s begin with The In-Her-Head Writing.
What I enjoyed personally:
The style. I felt like the writing was whimsical, pretty prose that was engaging—if a little long-winded at times. Although we spend a lot of time in Lauren’s head it seems, the prose itself is very fluid and interesting. I think the dialogue is necessary, but it breaks from this smooth writing style and we lose something there, but otherwise I felt the style was very pretty.
What I felt was a little questionable:
The beginning. Honestly, the beginning was supposed to be this attention grabbing introduction to a sprawling story – instead, it felt like the author was working too hard to just be mysterious and intense. It’s maybe trivial on my part, but instead of hooking me, it made it hard to get into what was actually going on.
Excessive use of sensational/sensual words. I think the author was trying really hard to make us fall in love with Donovan as much as Lauren was supposed to be in love with him (which is… whatever. Insta-love triumphs again, I suppose?). Instead, I just felt like rolling my eyes at his sumptuous lips. Um, no. Maybe if the author cut down on some of the descriptive words, I’d have enjoyed the writing more. (Which is saying something because I’m all about being descriptive…)
The stilted dialogue. It felt almost too formal? I think the author needs to practice a little more with the flow and cadence of speaking.
Moving on to The Fairly Interesting Story.
What I liked:
That Donovan was a demon, but wasn’t one of those “I’m automatically a good guy after falling in love with the main woman who is apparently irresistible to me”. Instead, I really felt like he was struggling to maintain his humanity, to hold on to it despite what was going on, and I appreciated the struggle. It gets a little cliché that he’s supposed to be this evil thing but he’s fighting it (a la Twilight), but overall I appreciated it.
What I didn’t like:
That the romance was… well, basically the story. I felt like there wasn’t enough going on beyond Lauren and Donovan, or at least that it wouldn’t hold up to scrutiny should the romance be removed. On the one hand, that’s pretty typical of paranormal romance… on the other hand, that’s pretty typical of paranormal romance.
Sometimes that’s okay, and sometimes it’s just not. I found it a little tedious in this one and wished that there was more of the paranormal in this one. More to the point, I think my issue with it here was that this book felt like it WANTED to be an explicit, erotica, steamy romance type of thing… but the author just couldn’t quite make the jump.
Next, Le Characters.
What was good:
Donovan as a sort of willing, but not really willing demon who struggles to keep his humanity despite his soul no longer being his own. He was easily the most engaging character of the bunch and I almost wish we’d gotten the story from him instead of Lauren (who was just annoying). I will admit that I wished he were a *little* more villainous, since he was a demon and all, but his lack of scariness aside, I definitely liked him the best of this story.
What was bad:
Lauren was… difficult to like. She felt like a fifteen-year-old stuck in a woman’s body. She was all over the place, hormonal to the point where I felt that she just hadn’t matured yet to be considered an adult, and I had difficulties not taking issue with it. It got to the point where she seemed to be defensive and snappish and I sort of understood why she didn’t have a lot of friends…
Donovan being hot. I don’t necessarily dislike this, but it gets a little old when it’s just constantly “omg, he’s so hot”. It’s not quite that bad, because he’s a demon, but sometimes it’s a bit much for me.
Finally, a section for Tropes and Other Much Hated Things:
Insta-Love galore not to mention Love Is The Same As Lust, Right? Which I hate. Just call it what it is; I’m okay with that. But when you keep treating lust and love synonymously, I think it just sends the wrong kind of message and confuses people on an already confusing topic. Why not just explain that lust and love generally (but not always?) go hand in hand, but are not the same thing?
Anyway. There was also a little bit of Wicked Stepmother Syndrome and some of the I’m So Tortured Because I’m Supposed To Be Bad paranormal romance trope… Some of these were better executed than others.
Would I recommend this? Maybe—if you like YA, but what older characters who still somehow don’t have sex… Then you might enjoy this. I definitely feel like this is paranormal as a vehicle for romance though, so be wary.
February 7, 2018
I honestly don't know how to start this review. There were some highlights to the story. It is in no way the worst thing I've ever read. I've read a lot worse. That said, I've also read better. This is an indie novel, an indie author, and as I'm one myself, I can't compare it to those stories that are traditionally published. Some indie authors publish their first drafts; others find editors, draft numerous revisions, and then publish after going over it a dozen times. Really, it's a toss-up when it comes to indie books. This one, I'd say, is average. 3 stars. Not nearly as awe-inspiring as Angelfall, but nowhere near as horrid as A Shade of Vampire.
Shivers. Never again, aSoV.
This is also a New Adult book, I believe. There's no sex, but lots of sensual/sexual/tinglings of desire. Is tinglings a word? I don't think so, but you get my point. There's insta-love/lust, and a whole lot of it. So much so, that it overpowered the plot of the book - it's downfall. I'm okay with instal-love. Certain terrifying/stressful situations can make people fall in love faster than if they were dating normally. What I'm not so big a fan of is when the instal-love takes over the whole plot and, if it's removed, leaves us with little substance. I haven't read many NA books, but to me it seems like most NA books always focus on the MC's romantic relationships and getting over a traumatic past event. Surely there must be more to NA than that?
Donovan was an all-right love interest. He didn't exactly make me swoon, though. Neither did he make me want to run for cover. Because of this, he's simply all-right. The eye thing i the book freaks me out.
Lauren did not start out as a MC I wanted to root for, but as I read she grew on me a little. I don't know if she acts like her age. I'm 23, new-adult age (?), and I thought she was all over the place, especially where Donovan was concerned. All reason went out the window when he was in the picture.
It wasn't a bad book, I just wish there was more plot to go with the instal-love. I don't like it when plots surface like 90% of the way in a book, only to leave a massive cliffhanger/lead-in for book 2. If you're a fan of NA paranormal romances and don't mind instal-love, then you'll probably enjoy this book. If you're on the fence about it, I say go ahead and buy it. It's not an expensive book, and you'll be entertained for a few hours. Trust me when I say that self-published authors are grateful for any purchases, even if you don't continue on.
3 stars.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Shivers. Never again, aSoV.
This is also a New Adult book, I believe. There's no sex, but lots of sensual/sexual/tinglings of desire. Is tinglings a word? I don't think so, but you get my point. There's insta-love/lust, and a whole lot of it. So much so, that it overpowered the plot of the book - it's downfall. I'm okay with instal-love. Certain terrifying/stressful situations can make people fall in love faster than if they were dating normally. What I'm not so big a fan of is when the instal-love takes over the whole plot and, if it's removed, leaves us with little substance. I haven't read many NA books, but to me it seems like most NA books always focus on the MC's romantic relationships and getting over a traumatic past event. Surely there must be more to NA than that?
Donovan was an all-right love interest. He didn't exactly make me swoon, though. Neither did he make me want to run for cover. Because of this, he's simply all-right. The eye thing i the book freaks me out.
Lauren did not start out as a MC I wanted to root for, but as I read she grew on me a little. I don't know if she acts like her age. I'm 23, new-adult age (?), and I thought she was all over the place, especially where Donovan was concerned. All reason went out the window when he was in the picture.
It wasn't a bad book, I just wish there was more plot to go with the instal-love. I don't like it when plots surface like 90% of the way in a book, only to leave a massive cliffhanger/lead-in for book 2. If you're a fan of NA paranormal romances and don't mind instal-love, then you'll probably enjoy this book. If you're on the fence about it, I say go ahead and buy it. It's not an expensive book, and you'll be entertained for a few hours. Trust me when I say that self-published authors are grateful for any purchases, even if you don't continue on.
3 stars.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2016
This novel was a bit hard for me to get through. I was expecting a novel about demons maybe indie, fantasy, Sy-Fy, horror, thriller but not a romance or at least not just a romance. Putting aside expectations the writing style was wonderful, it flowed well making it a well paced read. The necessary dialogue was not bad but sometimes it was a bit wordy. The theme seemed like it was trying to build but I kept waiting for more. There were plenty of antagonist but really no hero. I was waiting for Lauren or Donovan to develop in some way but nothing. They both just seemed to be self involved in their own tragedies and passion but never developed past that. It felt as though the stories arch was missing and all the reader got was an unfulfilled, incomplete love story. Evil played a large part in the story but even that seemed to go nowhere because it did not have and opposite. The entire book seemed to only be a set up for the real story and I found it frustrating.
I did enjoy the writing style and some of the backstory but it was not enough for more than three stars. I could not reread this book. I mean how do you have a story about demons and barely mention angels until the very end of the book in a few sentences. The entire battle between demons and angels, good and bad never developed and the most frustrating part was it was evil fighting evil to keep Lauren from becoming evil and you never find out why she is important enough to be fought over. Hopefully book two will come together better. I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.
I did enjoy the writing style and some of the backstory but it was not enough for more than three stars. I could not reread this book. I mean how do you have a story about demons and barely mention angels until the very end of the book in a few sentences. The entire battle between demons and angels, good and bad never developed and the most frustrating part was it was evil fighting evil to keep Lauren from becoming evil and you never find out why she is important enough to be fought over. Hopefully book two will come together better. I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.
November 14, 2016
Uncaged Book Reviews:
There are a couple ways authors handle descriptive paragraphs and chapters in books, some are just right and you can easily see the characters, feel the emotions and feel like you are standing next to the characters as you read the book. Some are not enough, and some are a bit overdone and slows the book down for the reader. This one will fit in the latter one. Throughout the book, there is so much over explaining, too many adjectives and adverbs – that it bogs the book down. It’s almost like the author didn’t want to use the same word twice. It’s a little tough when there is a conversation going on between characters, but an additional two paragraphs of feelings or descriptions in between the dialog.
Now once we get past this part, the writing and the storyline is actually pretty good, but hang in there while you slough through the first few chapters of some of the most depressing and emotional part of the book, if you make it out without having to take Xanax, you’ll find the story does pick up and become what it is meant to be.
Donovan is an enslaved soul/demon that he willing gave away, and is still trying to hold onto whatever humanity is left inside him. Lauren, the heroine in this one, has such low self-esteem, immature and overly emotional most of the time. I did not connect with her, as much as I did Donovan.
I think this is a good start to a new series, but this one does end on a cliffhanger, so be prepared for that at the end.
3 1/2 stars
There are a couple ways authors handle descriptive paragraphs and chapters in books, some are just right and you can easily see the characters, feel the emotions and feel like you are standing next to the characters as you read the book. Some are not enough, and some are a bit overdone and slows the book down for the reader. This one will fit in the latter one. Throughout the book, there is so much over explaining, too many adjectives and adverbs – that it bogs the book down. It’s almost like the author didn’t want to use the same word twice. It’s a little tough when there is a conversation going on between characters, but an additional two paragraphs of feelings or descriptions in between the dialog.
Now once we get past this part, the writing and the storyline is actually pretty good, but hang in there while you slough through the first few chapters of some of the most depressing and emotional part of the book, if you make it out without having to take Xanax, you’ll find the story does pick up and become what it is meant to be.
Donovan is an enslaved soul/demon that he willing gave away, and is still trying to hold onto whatever humanity is left inside him. Lauren, the heroine in this one, has such low self-esteem, immature and overly emotional most of the time. I did not connect with her, as much as I did Donovan.
I think this is a good start to a new series, but this one does end on a cliffhanger, so be prepared for that at the end.
3 1/2 stars
November 15, 2016
Very good book! I really enjoyed this story about Lauren and the mysterious Donovan. I couldn't stop reading this one until I finished. It was so intriguing, with the captivating stranger showing up and grabbing Lauren's attention....very intense scenes with these two. It's a suspenseful story, in that you don't know what's truly going on until the latter part of the book. That's what makes this very appealing. It's a compelling story, drawing your whole attention so that you don't miss a thing, and so you can figure out what's really going on. Donovan is not exactly human....but he affects Lauren like he's all she's been looking for, he's volatile to her emotions and her senses. It's a very interesting way that he can read exactly how she's feeling and thinking. It's quite embarrassing, the way he effects her, and he fires up her desires in a way she's never felt before. It makes for a good story that is intense all the way through. I can't wait to see what else happens in their story as it goes further. The next book in the series is coming out in 2017....I'll be anxiously awaiting the sequel. I definitely recommend this one.
November 11, 2016
Overall I really enjoyed this book, but it had some issues. I generally like to completely understand all facets of a story relatively soon after I start reading, but in this story we are close to 1/3 of the way in before we really know the circumstances surrounding Donavan and his connection to Lauren. I had a hard time with that side of the story. I also felt like the story had a very slow pace which made reading difficult at times, even though I was fully invested and wanted to know what was going to happen to Lauren and Donavan. A great book can keep me up all night, but with this one I was determined to know what happened, but could not stay awake...
Even with these issues I enjoyed the story. The author did a great job with character development and hooking the readers into this world.
This is the start of a series and does end in a CLIFFHANGER! UGH! I will be reading the next book!
Even with these issues I enjoyed the story. The author did a great job with character development and hooking the readers into this world.
This is the start of a series and does end in a CLIFFHANGER! UGH! I will be reading the next book!
November 15, 2016
Collide is a very well written paranormal romance. The detailed descriptions were fantastic and drew me right into the story. The heroine Lauren's love interest Donovan is probably one of my favorite characters of the story and one of my favorite heroes in a romance. He was an extremely decent and kind character, which can be rare as I feel that sometimes the rough, Alpha male takes over in these stories. There is nothing wrong with that, but it was nice to see a change and I think it made the story that much more interesting. I wasn't a huge fan of Lauren herself, but I am interested to see what happens in the next book with the characters. Also, the romance between Lauren and Donovan was spot on. Overall, I enjoyed the first book and I can't wait to continue the series in the second book Chrysalis.
I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.
I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.
February 10, 2017
Collide by L R Johnson is a romance and sci-fi and fantasy read.
Be careful what you wish for, it just might come true...Lauren's life has been turned upside down by some simple choices that have gone awry.
Since her father’s mysterious death, Lauren Cowley has been stuck in a pitiful rut until she begins having ominous encounters, haunting her every move. Slow but good read with good characters. 4*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.
Be careful what you wish for, it just might come true...Lauren's life has been turned upside down by some simple choices that have gone awry.
Since her father’s mysterious death, Lauren Cowley has been stuck in a pitiful rut until she begins having ominous encounters, haunting her every move. Slow but good read with good characters. 4*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.
October 29, 2016
*I voluntarily read a Review Copy via Net Galley. All opinion stated are solely my own and no one else's*
I enjoyed this book: the storyline was intriguing. I liked Donovan: he was dark but intense and you could feel his struggle throughout. Donovan and Lauren have a strong, consuming yet intense attraction which was captured really well. The mystery surrounding Donovan in the beginning: made things exciting, frightening yet sexy and hot.
The book is written from Lauren's POV but at times I felt like I was too much in her head - it was a little overwhelming. The story is quite slow paced & at times fell flat which definitely tested my patience but I'm glad I persevered.
I liked the book despite the slow pace, I found myself unable to stop reading. I would definitely recommend it.
I enjoyed this book: the storyline was intriguing. I liked Donovan: he was dark but intense and you could feel his struggle throughout. Donovan and Lauren have a strong, consuming yet intense attraction which was captured really well. The mystery surrounding Donovan in the beginning: made things exciting, frightening yet sexy and hot.
The book is written from Lauren's POV but at times I felt like I was too much in her head - it was a little overwhelming. The story is quite slow paced & at times fell flat which definitely tested my patience but I'm glad I persevered.
I liked the book despite the slow pace, I found myself unable to stop reading. I would definitely recommend it.
February 3, 2017
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book*
This book is not the worst book I have ever read but I had a really hard time focusing on it. I really didn't have much of a connection with the characters. Instead, Donovan annoyed me with his secrets. He wouldn't tell her any of what was happening. I understand protecting someone you love but he was ridiculous. If you don't like insta-love type of books, then this one will annoy you. The book did improve during the last 20-30% of the book but by then I was forcing myself to read a chapter at a time just to finish the book. The pacing was way too slow which is why I had trouble focusing. However, the plot could be really good with some work.
This book is not the worst book I have ever read but I had a really hard time focusing on it. I really didn't have much of a connection with the characters. Instead, Donovan annoyed me with his secrets. He wouldn't tell her any of what was happening. I understand protecting someone you love but he was ridiculous. If you don't like insta-love type of books, then this one will annoy you. The book did improve during the last 20-30% of the book but by then I was forcing myself to read a chapter at a time just to finish the book. The pacing was way too slow which is why I had trouble focusing. However, the plot could be really good with some work.
November 15, 2016
Collide by L. R. Johnson is a book outside the type that I normally read, but I was intrigued by the synopsis provided and decided to take a chance.
This story is about Lauren Cowley who has been in a rut since the death of her father, which she really cannot recall. She meets Donovan and for some reason he seems familiar. This book will take you outside the norm of every day life and into realms you were quite sure of.
It was a good read. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.
This story is about Lauren Cowley who has been in a rut since the death of her father, which she really cannot recall. She meets Donovan and for some reason he seems familiar. This book will take you outside the norm of every day life and into realms you were quite sure of.
It was a good read. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.
December 2, 2016
I have to admit I really loved this book. I am really more I to romance books but this one was one I could hardly put down. I hated the ending but then read further and found there is a 2nd book coming. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery with a little romance mixed in.
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