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Soothsayer
Cillian Kelly can look into people’s eyes and see their fates. He’s running from a past filled with mistakes, lying low and selling his services on the sly. When he learns that Sören Egilsson, a man who sacrificed himself so Cillian could escape imprisonment two years ago, is somehow still alive, Cillian has to find out how. What he gets is the body of the man he loves possessed by an ancient spirit who draws Cillian into a battle to the death for the right to control Sören’s fate, and the power that comes with it.
184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 30, 2017
10 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
Cari Z.
133 books537 followersCari Z. is a Colorado girl who loves snow and sunshine. She has a wonderful relationship with her husband, a complex relationship with the characters in her head and a sadomasochistic relationship with her exercise routine. She feels like Halloween should happen every month, which is why you get this picture of her, and hopes that you enjoy reading what she's put out there as much as she enjoyed writing it in the first place.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
November 6, 2024
I'm not great at writing reviews. My writing is inept. Expressing my thoughts and feelings, inadequate and awkward. And when I write reviews for books that I really love and that completely consume me, I feel that much more clumsy and hopeless.
Soothsayer is one of those books. Cari Z's writing makes mine seem so completely, painfully pitiful. Suffice to say, I loved this book. The dynamic between Cillian and Sören and "Sören" was unique, compelling and deliciously heartbreaking. The world building was fascinating; I became completely immersed, captivated by the story, ever on the edge of my seat needing to know where it would take me and how it would end.
I want more! More of this story and more of Cari Z's writing in general.
PS That cover! *heart eyes*
Reread November, 2024:
I still enjoyed Soothsayer and was as captivated and immersed as the first time I read it but I questioned a couple of plot points in a way that I can’t see giving it a full 5 stars if I were to change my review and rating. I was just a bit skeptical of how easily 2 of Cillian’s brand new acquaintances assisted him in his on-the-run ‘adventure.’ That assistance and the new acquaintance participation was a little too easy and convenient and, at one point, a little too over the top and unbelievable. Still, it’s a fun ride if you’re willing to suspend disbelief and given its supernatural themes, I was and am.
Soothsayer is one of those books. Cari Z's writing makes mine seem so completely, painfully pitiful. Suffice to say, I loved this book. The dynamic between Cillian and Sören and "Sören" was unique, compelling and deliciously heartbreaking. The world building was fascinating; I became completely immersed, captivated by the story, ever on the edge of my seat needing to know where it would take me and how it would end.
I want more! More of this story and more of Cari Z's writing in general.
PS That cover! *heart eyes*
Reread November, 2024:
I still enjoyed Soothsayer and was as captivated and immersed as the first time I read it but I questioned a couple of plot points in a way that I can’t see giving it a full 5 stars if I were to change my review and rating. I was just a bit skeptical of how easily 2 of Cillian’s brand new acquaintances assisted him in his on-the-run ‘adventure.’ That assistance and the new acquaintance participation was a little too easy and convenient and, at one point, a little too over the top and unbelievable. Still, it’s a fun ride if you’re willing to suspend disbelief and given its supernatural themes, I was and am.
June 30, 2017
I'm sorry, I didn't like anything about this book. It's not because the book wasn't good - I'm sure it might be very enjoyable. And I love Cari Z.'s books, some of them very much. It's just that everything in this book went against the grain for me. I didn't find the main character, Cillian, likable in the least. And by the time when the actual plot started I was pretty fed up with him and a horde of secondary characters (there's a LOT of them, truly). And I didn't like how the plot developed further. Everything was so easy, I don't know - light. Not angsty enough. I never really worried about the characters. And the relationship - it felt like a weird threesome to me, or worse, cheating. Not my cup of tea, in other words.
March 3, 2017
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
Cillian Kelly has the ability to look anyone in the eye and see what their future holds but that power comes with price; nightmares abundant with the glimpses of other people’s lives and constantly looking over his own shoulder in self preservation are just two such examples. Add in an inability to save the life of the only man he’s ever loved and Cillian would much rather have been born an ordinary, ungifted human being. When a face from his past makes a sudden reappearance, Cillian goes in search of answers and finds himself embroiled in a fight for the one person he thought lost to him forever; the price of success may prove to be too high, however, and the only way to win may be through making the ultimate sacrifice.
Cari Z just has this knack for making characters that I just love to read about and stories that I hate to put down. When I started this book, I thought I had a fairly good idea where it would be going and what Cillian was going to have to go through in order to save Soren but I was completely wrong. The reality of the situation Cillian finds himself in had him flying by the seat of his pants for a good portion of the story and that made for a highly entertaining read as I had no idea what was going to happen next. Over the course of the book I was amused, upset, intrigued, thrilled and horrified all while dealing with an undercurrent of anticipation for what could be coming around the corner. I really enjoyed Cillian quite a bit, which is good since he’s the main character, but I never really felt connected to Soren; perhaps because he was more a shadow following Cillian around than an in your face partner. Honestly, if I had to pick a second favorite character, it would be Roger because that man was awesome and obviously knows how to throw a party. :D
A word of warning about the book, however (there are spoilers ahead so beware). There is an instance of suicide in the book but the character in question doesn’t die and it isn’t too terribly graphic but if that is a trigger for you, you should be prepared. I don’t want to say too much about it as it would ruin something integral to the plot but I felt the heads up was necessary.
I enjoyed this one quite a bit; the story was unique and easily kept me interested the entire time I was reading it. If you enjoy paranormal stories and books with more action than romance, I’d give this one a look. :)
Cillian Kelly has the ability to look anyone in the eye and see what their future holds but that power comes with price; nightmares abundant with the glimpses of other people’s lives and constantly looking over his own shoulder in self preservation are just two such examples. Add in an inability to save the life of the only man he’s ever loved and Cillian would much rather have been born an ordinary, ungifted human being. When a face from his past makes a sudden reappearance, Cillian goes in search of answers and finds himself embroiled in a fight for the one person he thought lost to him forever; the price of success may prove to be too high, however, and the only way to win may be through making the ultimate sacrifice.
Cari Z just has this knack for making characters that I just love to read about and stories that I hate to put down. When I started this book, I thought I had a fairly good idea where it would be going and what Cillian was going to have to go through in order to save Soren but I was completely wrong. The reality of the situation Cillian finds himself in had him flying by the seat of his pants for a good portion of the story and that made for a highly entertaining read as I had no idea what was going to happen next. Over the course of the book I was amused, upset, intrigued, thrilled and horrified all while dealing with an undercurrent of anticipation for what could be coming around the corner. I really enjoyed Cillian quite a bit, which is good since he’s the main character, but I never really felt connected to Soren; perhaps because he was more a shadow following Cillian around than an in your face partner. Honestly, if I had to pick a second favorite character, it would be Roger because that man was awesome and obviously knows how to throw a party. :D
A word of warning about the book, however (there are spoilers ahead so beware). There is an instance of suicide in the book but the character in question doesn’t die and it isn’t too terribly graphic but if that is a trigger for you, you should be prepared. I don’t want to say too much about it as it would ruin something integral to the plot but I felt the heads up was necessary.
I enjoyed this one quite a bit; the story was unique and easily kept me interested the entire time I was reading it. If you enjoy paranormal stories and books with more action than romance, I’d give this one a look. :)
February 6, 2017
There are a bunch of status updates attached to this review, but a more in depth review is at On Top Down Under, treat as spoilerish-
http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
Fun, entertaining, easy reading urban fantasy book that's somewhat different than the norm. Soothsayer gets you invested, laughing, turning pages.
Cari Z seems to always deliver the goods, and this book is a good example of that.
http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
Fun, entertaining, easy reading urban fantasy book that's somewhat different than the norm. Soothsayer gets you invested, laughing, turning pages.
Cari Z seems to always deliver the goods, and this book is a good example of that.
February 7, 2017
Sören stared at me, eyes wet, his fingers digging too hard into my back. I loved it, every bit of it. I felt like I could breathe again, like my heart was really beating for the first time since I’d seen him last...
Cillian Kelly is a soothsayer: he sees into people's eyes and he can see their fates. Ability that gets Cillian into trouble sometimes -- he is blacklisted at Vegas for example. Few years ago, Cillian was kidnapped by order of the head of a powerful Icelandic family, Ólafur Egilsson. He was requested to break a geas that runs in the family.
Cillian was able to escape after one of the Egilsson's sons, Sören, pretty much sacrificed himself. Cillian thinks that all this time Sören is dead. Then a newspaper article surfaces with proof that Sören might still be alive. It might be time for Cillian to do penance for what he did to Sören...
Well ... Cari Z. did it again. For the last several books, when I picked up Cari Z.'s titles, I knew I would be in for a ride. I might not know where the story would take me but it never failed to entertain.
Soothsayer is no different. I might be wondering what Cari Z was up to when I started reading. But when things start to unravel for Cillian the moment that he was reunited with Sören, the pace went one step higher. The last quarter of the book was nail-biting!!
I don't know if I can say much without spoiling things. I believe that Soothsayer is best savored from beginning to end without too many clues. Because matters relating to how Sören is still alive is mostly the core of this book. It was a great element of urban fantasy. I really enjoyed it -- even if it also contributes to the the ending being a little unconventional if you see it from straight-up romance perspective.
Bottom line, Cari Z. offers combination of action-suspense, road trip (with bad guys chasing), humor (oh yeah, there are moments that made me smile widely! Watch out for adoration to waffles *lol*) and urban fantasy in Soothsayer . And I loved it!
The ARC is provided by the NineStar Press through IndiGo for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
February 7, 2017
That was fun! And now I'm off to grab more of this author's works! Yay!
March 1, 2017
I finished this a month ago so it's not as fresh as it should be to write a proper review. I'll just say that I really, really enjoyed it. It's fast-paced, with an original paranormal set-up, which is hard to do in this day and age. It reminded me most of Bone Rider, a book I absolutely loved, and like it, this sported unexpectedly sensitive characterization. Also, it's hilarious. Mostly, this book reminded me of what a skilled, enjoyable writer Cari Z. is and that I really need to read more of her stuff.
January 5, 2017
I'm biased. I edited it. But whatever, I love it. It is what it is.
October 14, 2018
Pretty good! There's a lot of plot, and it kept me hooked all the way through. I feel like the MCs didn't spend enough time together on-page for me to buy into their relationship (there was just too much else going on!) and I felt like not everything was quite wrapped up as well as it should have been by the end. I'd love to read a sequel where we can see what's up with all of those dangling threads and maybe see these guys actually spend some time together.
March 1, 2017
3.75 stars
That was a heck of a rollercoaster ride. It was well written with a few minor editorial issues. I thoroughly enjoyed Cillian but wished for more background. Also loved the author's sense of humor. Perhaps the story was too short as I felt too many details were missing to be satisfied in the end. Still, a worthwhile read.
That was a heck of a rollercoaster ride. It was well written with a few minor editorial issues. I thoroughly enjoyed Cillian but wished for more background. Also loved the author's sense of humor. Perhaps the story was too short as I felt too many details were missing to be satisfied in the end. Still, a worthwhile read.
dnf
February 14, 2017DNF. Can't get into it right now. Will try to come back to this later. Maybe.
February 6, 2017
This author is now two for two on my awesome book tally board! Soothsayer is the second book I’ve read by Cari Z., and I continue to be impressed. Though this new book is impressively different in tone, Cari Z. is just as successful in urban fantasy as in the sci-fi I read previously. I’m thrilled to have discovered a new, consistently excellent author in these genres.
Soothsayer jumps right into the deep end as far as action and exposition are concerned. Events ramp up pretty quickly, and the snippets of exposition the reader gets are part of main character Cillian’s thought processes and point of view. He gives us deliciously tantalizing glimpses into his world and his past without overexplaining or slowing down the pace in the slightest. Since he’s coming from a place of knowledge, there’s no time wasted on minutiae. This device ends up being the fun and delicious kind of frustrating. You’ll pick up more information as the story unfolds, but this means both the current circumstances and Cillian’s past are presented as a mystery to be solved, which is thrilling! And the method of world building gives both Cillian and the underground world he inhabits a fascinatingly secretive air. It really supports that hidden world concept, the idea that there’s a more mystical reality hidden behind the veil of mundanity that most people see every day. It’s intriguing and enticing, and I really enjoyed it.
The action itself is over the top and ridiculously fun. Bar fights, gunshots, small grenades, pink holsters, oil magnates, the mob; I’m telling you, it’s a zoo and half on a runaway train. It’s awesome. But all that crazy activity doesn’t prevent Cari Z. from creating a truly emotional and poignant motivation for Cillian. He suddenly finds himself a man with a very personal mission, and he stops at nothing to see it through.
The paranormal/fantasy is really fun and well executed. It absolutely sucked me in and left me wanting more. What there is of the romance is poignant and emotionally intense, but don’t expect lots of sex or long, intense conversations between the two lovers. This is very much a story about a quest for love. For a lot of the book, what we learn about Sören comes from what we know of Cillian’s past. And when Sören does come into it, there’s a lot of dodging and weaving and running to be done. Love is the motivation of Soothsayer, but not always the focus of the storytelling. Don’t read that and think this book isn’t a romance. It totally is! Like a knight fighting for his true love, Cillian is a romantic (though rough around the edges) hero. His emotional drive to see his quest to the end is compelling and lovely, and the ending he gets is satisfying.
The secondary characters that populate the Soothsayer universe are just as interesting as Cillian himself. We get glimpses of other powers floating through this mythology, and many of the other characters’ threads are left tantalizingly loose as Cillian’s actions have caused him to lose contact with most of his circle. Cari Z. has a lot of room to expand on the world and mythology of the book with, say, a prequel, or a sequel or a series even (*wink, wink, nudge*). In fact, I’d absolutely love to see a sequel that pulled some of those threads in and gave more insight to Cillian’s and Sören’s state of affairs post-Soothsayer.
So, final verdict? Loved it! The book was action-packed, fun, populated with compelling characters driven by real emotion, and it whetted my appetite for more (more, MORE!). Soothsayer is definitely worth your time, and I’m looking forward to more from Cari Z.
Reviewed by Cassie for The Novel Approach Reviews
Soothsayer jumps right into the deep end as far as action and exposition are concerned. Events ramp up pretty quickly, and the snippets of exposition the reader gets are part of main character Cillian’s thought processes and point of view. He gives us deliciously tantalizing glimpses into his world and his past without overexplaining or slowing down the pace in the slightest. Since he’s coming from a place of knowledge, there’s no time wasted on minutiae. This device ends up being the fun and delicious kind of frustrating. You’ll pick up more information as the story unfolds, but this means both the current circumstances and Cillian’s past are presented as a mystery to be solved, which is thrilling! And the method of world building gives both Cillian and the underground world he inhabits a fascinatingly secretive air. It really supports that hidden world concept, the idea that there’s a more mystical reality hidden behind the veil of mundanity that most people see every day. It’s intriguing and enticing, and I really enjoyed it.
The action itself is over the top and ridiculously fun. Bar fights, gunshots, small grenades, pink holsters, oil magnates, the mob; I’m telling you, it’s a zoo and half on a runaway train. It’s awesome. But all that crazy activity doesn’t prevent Cari Z. from creating a truly emotional and poignant motivation for Cillian. He suddenly finds himself a man with a very personal mission, and he stops at nothing to see it through.
The paranormal/fantasy is really fun and well executed. It absolutely sucked me in and left me wanting more. What there is of the romance is poignant and emotionally intense, but don’t expect lots of sex or long, intense conversations between the two lovers. This is very much a story about a quest for love. For a lot of the book, what we learn about Sören comes from what we know of Cillian’s past. And when Sören does come into it, there’s a lot of dodging and weaving and running to be done. Love is the motivation of Soothsayer, but not always the focus of the storytelling. Don’t read that and think this book isn’t a romance. It totally is! Like a knight fighting for his true love, Cillian is a romantic (though rough around the edges) hero. His emotional drive to see his quest to the end is compelling and lovely, and the ending he gets is satisfying.
The secondary characters that populate the Soothsayer universe are just as interesting as Cillian himself. We get glimpses of other powers floating through this mythology, and many of the other characters’ threads are left tantalizingly loose as Cillian’s actions have caused him to lose contact with most of his circle. Cari Z. has a lot of room to expand on the world and mythology of the book with, say, a prequel, or a sequel or a series even (*wink, wink, nudge*). In fact, I’d absolutely love to see a sequel that pulled some of those threads in and gave more insight to Cillian’s and Sören’s state of affairs post-Soothsayer.
So, final verdict? Loved it! The book was action-packed, fun, populated with compelling characters driven by real emotion, and it whetted my appetite for more (more, MORE!). Soothsayer is definitely worth your time, and I’m looking forward to more from Cari Z.
Reviewed by Cassie for The Novel Approach Reviews
March 9, 2017
REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE
Soothsayer drops you right into the action from the first page.
Cillian is a soothsayer – a man that can see your fate just by looking into your eyes. There is nothing romantic about what he can do though as mostly he seems to look into people’s eyes that have not lived a particularly good life. Cillian’s life has been hard and his past has involved kidnapping and people trying to use his power for nefarious reasons. He has a strange relationship with his mother, a woman he can’t live with, or it seems without and he has a very small but extremely loyal set of friends.
Cillian’s biggest regret in life revolves around a man named Soren who he fell in love with and believed he got killed – that is until now when he realises Soren is still much alive but trapped in a life not worth living – he has been sacrificed for a dark deed. Soren’s fate is closely tied to an Icelandic land spirit and the three of them head off on a road trip fraught with danger but filled with comedy moments that really added to the story. Gun fights and double crossing galore along with a huge chunk of land being stored in a warehouse. This is not your usual fantasy tale but it is one you quickly become immersed in.
I really enjoyed Soothsayer and I would highly recommend. The ending felt like the story could easily continue and I wonder whether we see any more of this eclectic group in the future – I’m still curious about how the relationship will work between Cillian and Soren.
Soothsayer drops you right into the action from the first page.
Cillian is a soothsayer – a man that can see your fate just by looking into your eyes. There is nothing romantic about what he can do though as mostly he seems to look into people’s eyes that have not lived a particularly good life. Cillian’s life has been hard and his past has involved kidnapping and people trying to use his power for nefarious reasons. He has a strange relationship with his mother, a woman he can’t live with, or it seems without and he has a very small but extremely loyal set of friends.
Cillian’s biggest regret in life revolves around a man named Soren who he fell in love with and believed he got killed – that is until now when he realises Soren is still much alive but trapped in a life not worth living – he has been sacrificed for a dark deed. Soren’s fate is closely tied to an Icelandic land spirit and the three of them head off on a road trip fraught with danger but filled with comedy moments that really added to the story. Gun fights and double crossing galore along with a huge chunk of land being stored in a warehouse. This is not your usual fantasy tale but it is one you quickly become immersed in.
I really enjoyed Soothsayer and I would highly recommend. The ending felt like the story could easily continue and I wonder whether we see any more of this eclectic group in the future – I’m still curious about how the relationship will work between Cillian and Soren.
February 7, 2017
Rating: 4.25 stars
Review to follow at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.
ARC provided by NineStar Press in exchange for an honest review.
Review to follow at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.
ARC provided by NineStar Press in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2017
Good action and danger. Interesting premise and world.
33% passes before the other MC appears and he's not even conscious. It takes much longer before the true personality comes in.
This is unique, interesting, unpredictable and clever. I love the mythology and the interplay of the various schools of religious thought. I didn't know Ragnarok was also Icelandic. I suppose I never thought about it.
I like the possessed Soren's personality and behavior. He's interesting. I think it's weird that the MC calls him Soren though. I get his reasoning but I think another name would be fine since no one knows them except the people who understand what's happening.
I think Slim Jims are disgusting, especially the cheese in the ones that are packaged together.
I don't get why the landvaettir would .
What was the thing Roger asked if he wanted one of? Cigarettes? The belt buckle? But without specifications it couldn't be that. I missed or didn't properly infer whatever it was. If you know, please share!
I never quite understood why he and his mother couldn't be around each other.
Please don't shave a dog even in excessive heat. It makes their undercoat grow in which is much thicker and more insulating which makes them hotter. A dog's coat is made to circulate air in the summer by shedding the dense undercoat.
This would have been five plus stars as well as a favorite but the ending wasn't what I wanted. It's an HEA but I am not fond of so it wasn't ideal for me. But this was an excellent and unique book.
33% passes before the other MC appears and he's not even conscious. It takes much longer before the true personality comes in.
This is unique, interesting, unpredictable and clever. I love the mythology and the interplay of the various schools of religious thought. I didn't know Ragnarok was also Icelandic. I suppose I never thought about it.
I like the possessed Soren's personality and behavior. He's interesting. I think it's weird that the MC calls him Soren though. I get his reasoning but I think another name would be fine since no one knows them except the people who understand what's happening.
I think Slim Jims are disgusting, especially the cheese in the ones that are packaged together.
I don't get why the landvaettir would .
What was the thing Roger asked if he wanted one of? Cigarettes? The belt buckle? But without specifications it couldn't be that. I missed or didn't properly infer whatever it was. If you know, please share!
I never quite understood why he and his mother couldn't be around each other.
Please don't shave a dog even in excessive heat. It makes their undercoat grow in which is much thicker and more insulating which makes them hotter. A dog's coat is made to circulate air in the summer by shedding the dense undercoat.
This would have been five plus stars as well as a favorite but the ending wasn't what I wanted. It's an HEA but I am not fond of so it wasn't ideal for me. But this was an excellent and unique book.
February 7, 2017
I've read most everything this author has written and I'm a big fan of hers. That being said, I think this is my favorite book that she's written. I was immediately drawn into this story and once I started it, I could not put it down. It's a fairly short book but a lot happens. The blurb perfectly explains the plot. Cillian is living with his mother's best friend and trying to keep a low profile. He's been kidnapped in the past by people who want him to do bad things for them with his power. While he's currently doing alright, Cillian lives with a horrible regret from his past that he can't seem to let go. When the chance to right the wrongs he's done comes up, Cillian jumps at the chance to make amends despite the danger to himself. This leads Cillian, Soren and an Icelandic land spirit that acts like a teenager, to head out across the United States on a crazy road trip. A road trip that includes bar fights, mobsters, roller coasters, paint ball fights, hand held missiles, cowboys, more ancient spirits, waffles and blowing stuff up.
The plot is fast paced and super entertaining. This is the kind of story that would make a great movie. In addition to the fun plot, there are also a lot of emotions. The author was able to weave a complex emotional story between Cillian and Soren and it was a relationship I totally bought in to. I was rooting for these two the entire way. I loved Cillian as the main character but I think the author did a great job on all of the side characters too. There a lot of them but they are all fleshed out well and they are all unique and add purpose to the overall plot. The spirit was just as important as Soren and actually had more on page time. He stole every scene he was in with his petulant demands. He made me laugh out loud more than once.
I think this book has something for everyone and will appeal to a lot of readers. It's unique, romantic, funny and filled with great characters. This is one I would definitely recommend.
The plot is fast paced and super entertaining. This is the kind of story that would make a great movie. In addition to the fun plot, there are also a lot of emotions. The author was able to weave a complex emotional story between Cillian and Soren and it was a relationship I totally bought in to. I was rooting for these two the entire way. I loved Cillian as the main character but I think the author did a great job on all of the side characters too. There a lot of them but they are all fleshed out well and they are all unique and add purpose to the overall plot. The spirit was just as important as Soren and actually had more on page time. He stole every scene he was in with his petulant demands. He made me laugh out loud more than once.
I think this book has something for everyone and will appeal to a lot of readers. It's unique, romantic, funny and filled with great characters. This is one I would definitely recommend.
April 15, 2017
THAT'S how you end the book, Cari Z? Clever, but not satisfying!
February 19, 2017
Review can be read at It's About The Book
I was loving this from the first few pages. The story is told from Cillian’s POV. He’s got a very interesting gift. He can see people’s futures of sorts. He’s discovered a way to manipulate things to a certain degree. His gift is rare and something other people will do anything to have at their disposal. Cillian has to keep a low profile for that reason and therefor works for some seedier types. He’s a good guy but has to make some money in shady ways sometimes. Cillian harbors some serious guilt over the death of a man. He was once kidnapped for his gift. Cillian did the only thing he could to escape. He seduced the captor’s son. Leaving him that mad man’s hands knowing he helped Cillian escape haunts him. Cillian thinks the son Soren is dead. Then he sees a man in an article that looks exactly like Soren. His conscious compels him to make things right. To find Soren if that is indeed him. What he finds gets him mixed up in a mess of curses, gods and old spirits.
I really liked this book. I thought I’d have issues with the third party inhabiting Soren’s body thing. I admit to not doing well with threesomes. Cillian makes it well known he’s not interested in messing around with the possessor at all. I wasn’t fully connected to the couple because we don’t get a lot of page time with Soren and Cillian. Ultimately I think that was my biggest problem with this book as far as the romantic story line. Cillian’s gift was unique. I don’t know if I fully understood how it all worked but never the less I found the good vs. evil theme interesting. There’s a possession and curses. Magical gifts and elements. Very intriguing characters. A cross country escape/road trip filled with danger. Some funny moments. Some sweet moments. I liked the underworld of magic people dynamic. Despite the romance not being totally consuming I did like the couple and wanted them to finally get their chance to be together. Cillian’s character was absolutely captivating. I loved so many of the secondary characters. HATED the baddie. This was a really good story I’d absolutely recommend to those who like Urban Fantasy.
I was loving this from the first few pages. The story is told from Cillian’s POV. He’s got a very interesting gift. He can see people’s futures of sorts. He’s discovered a way to manipulate things to a certain degree. His gift is rare and something other people will do anything to have at their disposal. Cillian has to keep a low profile for that reason and therefor works for some seedier types. He’s a good guy but has to make some money in shady ways sometimes. Cillian harbors some serious guilt over the death of a man. He was once kidnapped for his gift. Cillian did the only thing he could to escape. He seduced the captor’s son. Leaving him that mad man’s hands knowing he helped Cillian escape haunts him. Cillian thinks the son Soren is dead. Then he sees a man in an article that looks exactly like Soren. His conscious compels him to make things right. To find Soren if that is indeed him. What he finds gets him mixed up in a mess of curses, gods and old spirits.
I really liked this book. I thought I’d have issues with the third party inhabiting Soren’s body thing. I admit to not doing well with threesomes. Cillian makes it well known he’s not interested in messing around with the possessor at all. I wasn’t fully connected to the couple because we don’t get a lot of page time with Soren and Cillian. Ultimately I think that was my biggest problem with this book as far as the romantic story line. Cillian’s gift was unique. I don’t know if I fully understood how it all worked but never the less I found the good vs. evil theme interesting. There’s a possession and curses. Magical gifts and elements. Very intriguing characters. A cross country escape/road trip filled with danger. Some funny moments. Some sweet moments. I liked the underworld of magic people dynamic. Despite the romance not being totally consuming I did like the couple and wanted them to finally get their chance to be together. Cillian’s character was absolutely captivating. I loved so many of the secondary characters. HATED the baddie. This was a really good story I’d absolutely recommend to those who like Urban Fantasy.
February 28, 2017
I loved this.
I was a little confused on why exactly Cillian and his mother couldn't be around each other. Just being on the phone for more than a minute caused something to start happening...but I never really understood what.
Other than that, I loved everything. I liked Cillian's building friendship with the spirit inhabiting Sören. His desires to visit amusement parks, and tourist destinations was endearing. At some point, I was actually hoping for more of a merging with Sören, something like in the Hunter of Demons series. So that they became more of a menage, only with 2 bodies.
I would love to read more books in this type of setting.
I was a little confused on why exactly Cillian and his mother couldn't be around each other. Just being on the phone for more than a minute caused something to start happening...but I never really understood what.
Other than that, I loved everything. I liked Cillian's building friendship with the spirit inhabiting Sören. His desires to visit amusement parks, and tourist destinations was endearing. At some point, I was actually hoping for more of a merging with Sören, something like in the Hunter of Demons series. So that they became more of a menage, only with 2 bodies.
I would love to read more books in this type of setting.
February 13, 2017
It's a good urban fantasy/action/adventure story, but I just couldn't help but think that the helping-the-spirit plot kinda came out of nowhere. Aside from that plot, the romance in this story was mild, and there's only a couple of sex scenes.
February 1, 2017
I lost sleep over this one. Couldn't put it down. So 5 stars!
July 7, 2017
Reviewed for Boy Meets Boy Reviews
4.5 Hearts
I don’t think I’ve read a Cari Z book I didn’t like, and this is no different. And that cover makes me want to sit and drool a little bit. Yum!
Full of fun supernatural adventure, Cillian takes on a ride as he tries to figure out how to get the ancient spirit out of the love of his life.
Cillian is sort of a typical societal outlier. He seems a little angry, and a lot defiant about life in general. He has a weird past with his mother, which is never really explained, but it is secondary to the information that is thrown out about his past during adulthood. Some of it fit into the storyline, and some seemed a little random and not elaborated enough, but all of it gave a sense of who Cillian is.
I found the banter between the vættir and Cillian really entertaining. Poor Sören is trapped deep inside his own body, and the vættir won’t let him out. It’s cold and dark where Sören is being kept and Cillian is determined to find a way to have him freed.
I had a lot of fun reading this. Psychic stories are usually fun in general, but this uses some Norse mythology for extra kicks.
Cillian is racing against the clock so there is a lot of action. The plot worked well, and the character building was superb. I found myself intrigued by the Vættir and it’s personality. I can’t get into too much detail without spoilers so I’ll say that the relationship between Cillian and the spirit becomes hilarious at times, while Cillian does what he can to free his man.
Readers who enjoy supernatural stories with Psychics and spirits/gods will enjoy this. It has plenty of personality, and plenty of action. It’s light on the romance, but the relationship building works. My favourite part is the sardonic feel in the way things occur during Cillian’s quest. Like the odds are stacked against him, but he has the supernatural world working with him, even if he only knows it a split second before it occurs, and maybe not in the way he wanted it to.
I do wish I knew more about Cillian’s weird relationship with his mother. That wasn’t explained nearly as much as I wanted it to be. This would be great in a trilogy or something. Even a sequel, just to tie up some loose ends.
One can dream, right?
A review copy was provided for an honest opinion
4.5 Hearts
I don’t think I’ve read a Cari Z book I didn’t like, and this is no different. And that cover makes me want to sit and drool a little bit. Yum!
Full of fun supernatural adventure, Cillian takes on a ride as he tries to figure out how to get the ancient spirit out of the love of his life.
Cillian is sort of a typical societal outlier. He seems a little angry, and a lot defiant about life in general. He has a weird past with his mother, which is never really explained, but it is secondary to the information that is thrown out about his past during adulthood. Some of it fit into the storyline, and some seemed a little random and not elaborated enough, but all of it gave a sense of who Cillian is.
I found the banter between the vættir and Cillian really entertaining. Poor Sören is trapped deep inside his own body, and the vættir won’t let him out. It’s cold and dark where Sören is being kept and Cillian is determined to find a way to have him freed.
I had a lot of fun reading this. Psychic stories are usually fun in general, but this uses some Norse mythology for extra kicks.
Cillian is racing against the clock so there is a lot of action. The plot worked well, and the character building was superb. I found myself intrigued by the Vættir and it’s personality. I can’t get into too much detail without spoilers so I’ll say that the relationship between Cillian and the spirit becomes hilarious at times, while Cillian does what he can to free his man.
Readers who enjoy supernatural stories with Psychics and spirits/gods will enjoy this. It has plenty of personality, and plenty of action. It’s light on the romance, but the relationship building works. My favourite part is the sardonic feel in the way things occur during Cillian’s quest. Like the odds are stacked against him, but he has the supernatural world working with him, even if he only knows it a split second before it occurs, and maybe not in the way he wanted it to.
I do wish I knew more about Cillian’s weird relationship with his mother. That wasn’t explained nearly as much as I wanted it to be. This would be great in a trilogy or something. Even a sequel, just to tie up some loose ends.
One can dream, right?
A review copy was provided for an honest opinion
February 6, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.25 stars
This book had me at the word psychic as it’s one of my favorite paranormal elements to read about. While many genre books show the main character as psychic in name only, the author here makes Cillian’s abilities front and center. We learn all about how Cillian can see into people’s fates and how those images become a part of him forever.
The book offers a darker and atmospheric setting as the author offers a multi-layered character in Cillian and then slowly unravels just who Cillian is and what his abilities are. When he pulls the “hanged man” card during a tarot reading, he knows that a change is coming and that’s what then leads off into the story.
The story here becomes truly complex. Years prior, Cillian had been kidnapped and the son of the kidnapper, Sören, fell in love with Cillian and sacrificed himself for Cillian’s freedom. This was a real and true sacrifice as Sören is now possessed by an Icelandic land spirit. Cillian is a complicated guy and his moral compass could be seen as slightly off center at times, but freeing Sören becomes his sole quest. Now, I’m gonna say that the author appeared to have done her research here, but fully grabbing onto this story was a complicated and focused task.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
3.25 stars
This book had me at the word psychic as it’s one of my favorite paranormal elements to read about. While many genre books show the main character as psychic in name only, the author here makes Cillian’s abilities front and center. We learn all about how Cillian can see into people’s fates and how those images become a part of him forever.
The book offers a darker and atmospheric setting as the author offers a multi-layered character in Cillian and then slowly unravels just who Cillian is and what his abilities are. When he pulls the “hanged man” card during a tarot reading, he knows that a change is coming and that’s what then leads off into the story.
The story here becomes truly complex. Years prior, Cillian had been kidnapped and the son of the kidnapper, Sören, fell in love with Cillian and sacrificed himself for Cillian’s freedom. This was a real and true sacrifice as Sören is now possessed by an Icelandic land spirit. Cillian is a complicated guy and his moral compass could be seen as slightly off center at times, but freeing Sören becomes his sole quest. Now, I’m gonna say that the author appeared to have done her research here, but fully grabbing onto this story was a complicated and focused task.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
August 29, 2017
Cillian is such a cool character. I really liked this story.
December 11, 2018
Honestly I don't know how to rate or review this book. I have this feeling of "what did I just read now" and I'm really unsure about it all. I'm not even sure I got what happened in the end, or what it really MEANS. For me, it didn't feel like a closed (enough) ending. But it might just be me not understanding what the hell happened in this one..
Cillian Kelly has the power of seeing the fate of people when he looks into their eyes. It's not as fun as you'd think. First he doesn't know HIS fate, he only knows the fate of others and second the fates of horrible people tend to stay with him and trouble his dreams. His life have been a total mess being kidnapped a few times and people trying to "acquire" him for his "services".
Happened when he was stupid enough to go to Vegas.. That's NOT the place for someone who can win the jackpot. Too many people might be interested in him.. which is how, 2 years ago, he was captured by the Egilsson family. Lucky for him he escaped with the help of the younger son - Sören, but the last thing he sees when he leaves him behind is a black fate, water surrounding him entirely. Feeling horrible about a man he has come to love (if he is able to admit it to himself..) he continues on with his life trying not to think about someone who could have meant to much to him. Yet Sören wanted to stay with his family, and so their paths separated..
Yet as fate wanted, they meet again. When Cillian sees a photo of Sören Egilsson in the paper he is intrigued enough to go looking for the man. When he finds him dead yet not really dead in a hotel room he snatches him away to figure out what the hell he is going to do..
When the Egilsson family captured Cillian 2 years ago they wanted him to remove a curse the family have been dealing with for CENTURIES. The men in the family going berserk when they acquire power. Cillian didn't know what and how he could help.. This is not something his ability can help with.. Yet turns out the father of the family was already figuring things out. Giving his younger son's body to a powerful spirit to possess his body in turn for holding off the curse. This is the basic of the deal but there is FAR more to it.
The Spirit inside Sören was happy when Cillian arrived, he saw it as a way to make a new bargain maybe better than he struck with the father of the Egilsson family. Now it's up to them to fight for the opportunity of making the spirit content and deliver on their promises. Cillian needs to collect on ALL the people in his life who owes him SOMETHING so he can actually make this deal work though some things are still sketchy (like a human sacrifice..). But first he needs to make sure the Spirit inside Sören is happy enough to stay by his side.. He might be immortal but he behaves like a 5 years old kid who is here to have FUN. Not easy to manage while on the run from a family who will stop at nothing to retrieve their son and the prospect of being rid of a horrible curse.
This book isn't long, but it was complicated enough.. Cillian and Sören, in a way DO find their HEA, I think.. but too many things were left unresolved, or not resolved ENOUGH or CLEARLY enough for me to be content with this one.
More Reviews HERE
Cillian Kelly has the power of seeing the fate of people when he looks into their eyes. It's not as fun as you'd think. First he doesn't know HIS fate, he only knows the fate of others and second the fates of horrible people tend to stay with him and trouble his dreams. His life have been a total mess being kidnapped a few times and people trying to "acquire" him for his "services".
Happened when he was stupid enough to go to Vegas.. That's NOT the place for someone who can win the jackpot. Too many people might be interested in him.. which is how, 2 years ago, he was captured by the Egilsson family. Lucky for him he escaped with the help of the younger son - Sören, but the last thing he sees when he leaves him behind is a black fate, water surrounding him entirely. Feeling horrible about a man he has come to love (if he is able to admit it to himself..) he continues on with his life trying not to think about someone who could have meant to much to him. Yet Sören wanted to stay with his family, and so their paths separated..
Yet as fate wanted, they meet again. When Cillian sees a photo of Sören Egilsson in the paper he is intrigued enough to go looking for the man. When he finds him dead yet not really dead in a hotel room he snatches him away to figure out what the hell he is going to do..
When the Egilsson family captured Cillian 2 years ago they wanted him to remove a curse the family have been dealing with for CENTURIES. The men in the family going berserk when they acquire power. Cillian didn't know what and how he could help.. This is not something his ability can help with.. Yet turns out the father of the family was already figuring things out. Giving his younger son's body to a powerful spirit to possess his body in turn for holding off the curse. This is the basic of the deal but there is FAR more to it.
The Spirit inside Sören was happy when Cillian arrived, he saw it as a way to make a new bargain maybe better than he struck with the father of the Egilsson family. Now it's up to them to fight for the opportunity of making the spirit content and deliver on their promises. Cillian needs to collect on ALL the people in his life who owes him SOMETHING so he can actually make this deal work though some things are still sketchy (like a human sacrifice..). But first he needs to make sure the Spirit inside Sören is happy enough to stay by his side.. He might be immortal but he behaves like a 5 years old kid who is here to have FUN. Not easy to manage while on the run from a family who will stop at nothing to retrieve their son and the prospect of being rid of a horrible curse.
This book isn't long, but it was complicated enough.. Cillian and Sören, in a way DO find their HEA, I think.. but too many things were left unresolved, or not resolved ENOUGH or CLEARLY enough for me to be content with this one.
More Reviews HERE
February 21, 2017
There’s mystery, gun fights, paranormal goodness, some sexy and lots of fun. This is a unique world the author created and I, for one, liked the tour through their imagination. Soothsayer is a highly recommended read for paranormal lovers. http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/reviews/...
February 13, 2017
I liked the book but it is definitely not a normal romance. Actually the romance part is very small and there is not really any relationship building but the urban fantasy part was fun. A very unusual book, at least for me, but I would recommend it.
January 1, 2025
Symbolic four stars.
I had some nice experiences with Cari Z and this was managed to suprise me in the nicest way - it's (to me it feels) different from ber usual work, more serious, more elaborate and magical. To be fair, she has her fingers in plenty of genre pies so this is definitely in her wheelhouse, it was just... More. In fact, I kinda wish it was even more. The premise and the main characters and the romance - all three would have benefited from some padding: longer introduction, a proper life on the run to really get to know both, I really should say all three of them, more action scenes and some close calls before a fake attempt at resolution that would also lead to some more emotional scenes and only then find a true HEA in some epic showdown.
I think it works well like this, it feels like an epic story condensed to a manageable and therefore dynamic world, not wasting time when it can be delivering something new and nice and progressing the plot. But I also felt a bit like I didn't properly get to know the characters and the love interest before everything was happening and the book ended. Romance books tend to court you - I mean the reader - they kind of need to convince you to root for them, to feel for them, the chance to see yourself in the characters yet we came after these two fell in love, they didn't call it that because of circumstances (because they didn't think it was possible) so we kind of missed part of the seduction and what we have seen included a new, interesting bit still foreign and a bit crazy third wheel and I feel like I would have actually enjoyed getting more, to see this stor unfold at least over the course of a trilogy, if not more.
Recommend with flying colours (mixing my metaphors here 😅) but I see some room for expansion so almost but not completely four stars.
I had some nice experiences with Cari Z and this was managed to suprise me in the nicest way - it's (to me it feels) different from ber usual work, more serious, more elaborate and magical. To be fair, she has her fingers in plenty of genre pies so this is definitely in her wheelhouse, it was just... More. In fact, I kinda wish it was even more. The premise and the main characters and the romance - all three would have benefited from some padding: longer introduction, a proper life on the run to really get to know both, I really should say all three of them, more action scenes and some close calls before a fake attempt at resolution that would also lead to some more emotional scenes and only then find a true HEA in some epic showdown.
I think it works well like this, it feels like an epic story condensed to a manageable and therefore dynamic world, not wasting time when it can be delivering something new and nice and progressing the plot. But I also felt a bit like I didn't properly get to know the characters and the love interest before everything was happening and the book ended. Romance books tend to court you - I mean the reader - they kind of need to convince you to root for them, to feel for them, the chance to see yourself in the characters yet we came after these two fell in love, they didn't call it that because of circumstances (because they didn't think it was possible) so we kind of missed part of the seduction and what we have seen included a new, interesting bit still foreign and a bit crazy third wheel and I feel like I would have actually enjoyed getting more, to see this stor unfold at least over the course of a trilogy, if not more.
Recommend with flying colours (mixing my metaphors here 😅) but I see some room for expansion so almost but not completely four stars.
December 14, 2017
This is one of those books where I didn't like any of the main characters but still enjoyed the story. It was dark and twisted and none of the endings were happy ever afters. The MCs were complex and it took me a while to warm up to them. Especially to Cillian.
I liked Andrew and cowboy sidekick with his wife.
I liked Andrew and cowboy sidekick with his wife.
November 23, 2020
I really enjoyed the magical powers of Cillian. It was a bit different and interesting. The book overall was good light reading, interesting plot and characters. But I enjoyed Cillians ability more than the plot or the end romance.
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