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The Blood Race #1
The Blood Race
All Ion Jacobs ever wanted was to be normal. But when you’re capable of killing with your very thoughts, it’s hard to blend in with the crowd.
Running from his past and living in fear of being discovered, Ion knows he will never be an average college student. But when Hawk, the beautiful, mysterious girl next door unearths his darkest secret, Ion’s life is flipped upside-down. He’s shocked to discover a whole world of people just like him -- a world in another dimension, where things like levitation, shape-shifting, and immortality are not only possible… they’re normal.
Forced to keep more secrets than ever before, Ion struggles to control his powers in the real world while commuting between realms -- until his arch enemy starts a fight he can’t escape. Now he has sealed the fate of the Dimension, severing their connection to the real world, and locking himself inside forever. But a deadly threat hidden in plain sight may cost Ion more than just his freedom -- it may cost him his life.
The Blood Race is the first book in K.A. Emmons' riveting new sci-fi/fantasy thriller series. If you like epic urban fantasy, fresh takes on super powers, deep allegories, raw emotions and intricate plots that surprise you at every turn, you'll love the first novel in Emmons' page-turning series. Grab your copy of The Blood Race and delve into a new dimension today!
________________________________
What Early Readers Are Saying:
"Unique and brilliant. Everyone needs this book in their lives!"
"This novel blew me away."
"By the end of the book you will feel like you just been on a great adventure that just got started."
"This book is very fast paced and filled to the brim with beautifully written descriptions and great characters. Think X-Men meets Miss Peregrine, but in a fresh and exciting new twist. It reminded me of a modern, sci-fi, teenage Narnia."
"If you like thrilling adventure stories with some super powered characters this is for you!!!!"
"This is far beyond a good book; this is the best book I’ve ever read!"
"THE WRITING STYLE WAS GORGEOUS. I was in awe of the beautiful prose that pulled me into the story and was SO PROFOUND."
"Fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent will be blown away with how K.A. Emmons takes sci-fi/fantasy to the next level!"
"It is rare to find YA sci-fi with anything deeper than the surface as far as themes go (at least not good ones) and The Blood Race packed full of meaning and deeper layers while maintaining its integrity as a story."
"After that cliff hanger I'm dying for more!"
345 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2017
207 people are currently reading
2147 people want to read
About the author
K.A. Emmons
6 books358 followersWhen she’s not hermiting away in her colorfully-painted home office writing her next science fiction, passionate story-teller and adventurer Kate Emmons is probably on the road for a surf or hiking trip, listening to vinyls, or going for a power run.
Emmons’ debut novel The Blood Race is the first book in her YA science fiction/fantasy thriller series.
The novel follows main character Ion, a troubled teen with unusual powers which he struggles to keep concealed. Through a series of strange occurrences, and a run-in with Hawk, the beautiful, mysterious, yet savage girl next door, Ion involuntarily stumbles headlong into an extra dimension—a secret reality that’s been hidden since the beginning of time; one that was made especially to protect and train teenagers with the abilities he possesses—”anomalies”. A secret place of intense training, hidden from humanity and created to defeat a rising darkness which a prophecy declares could swallow future earth.
Emmons lives in the often-snowy hills of rugged Vermont with her husband and dog named Rocket.
Emmons’ debut novel The Blood Race is the first book in her YA science fiction/fantasy thriller series.
The novel follows main character Ion, a troubled teen with unusual powers which he struggles to keep concealed. Through a series of strange occurrences, and a run-in with Hawk, the beautiful, mysterious, yet savage girl next door, Ion involuntarily stumbles headlong into an extra dimension—a secret reality that’s been hidden since the beginning of time; one that was made especially to protect and train teenagers with the abilities he possesses—”anomalies”. A secret place of intense training, hidden from humanity and created to defeat a rising darkness which a prophecy declares could swallow future earth.
Emmons lives in the often-snowy hills of rugged Vermont with her husband and dog named Rocket.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
December 27, 2017
EVERYONE needs this book in their lives.
I’ve read sci-fi/fantasy thrillers before – and I’m kind of a picky reader, too – but The Blood Race blew me away with how unique it is. This is not your average teenager-with-superpowers book. This story is woven together with such detail and precision. It’s beautiful. You will fall in love with the characters (and want to hug some of them and take them home with you.) Not to mention, the writing is next level – beautifully crafted prose, deep themes, complex plot, epic world-building… but above all, this is a wonderfully-told story. The author has a way of making you feel what her characters are going through. An emotional connection that is hard to find in a lot of YA fiction.
All I can say is: this book is unlike anything you’ll ever read. The Blood Race will take you for a wild, sweeping, heart-pounding ride – and you won’t be able to put it down.
I’ve read sci-fi/fantasy thrillers before – and I’m kind of a picky reader, too – but The Blood Race blew me away with how unique it is. This is not your average teenager-with-superpowers book. This story is woven together with such detail and precision. It’s beautiful. You will fall in love with the characters (and want to hug some of them and take them home with you.) Not to mention, the writing is next level – beautifully crafted prose, deep themes, complex plot, epic world-building… but above all, this is a wonderfully-told story. The author has a way of making you feel what her characters are going through. An emotional connection that is hard to find in a lot of YA fiction.
All I can say is: this book is unlike anything you’ll ever read. The Blood Race will take you for a wild, sweeping, heart-pounding ride – and you won’t be able to put it down.
May 9, 2020
After giving myself ample time to process (read: over a month XD) I have finally decided to review this book. And man, it's so complicated, I just can't.
I'll admit to being a leeeeetle disappointed by this one, mostly because so many of my blogging friends absolutely LOVE it. That's not to say I didn't like it--it was really, really good! It simply didn't grab me and throw me into it the way my five-star reads have.
The characters and the prose were probably the best part. Ion was a definite highlight--I LOVED his character arc, as well as the unconventional way that Kate tackled writing a random guy chosen for a supernatural task he doesn't understand. It broke the mold in the best possible ways. Then Hawk--she was so harsh and cold, and I'm kind of growing tired of girls like that...but then her backstory broke my heart (poor, poor girl) and I understood her a little better. Fin was an absolute sweetheart and I'm looking forward to seeing him develop more in future installments. I liked Sensei well enough, although I'm still not sure I understand him (intentional, I'm sure). The other characters were all fine, although I didn't fall head over heels for any of them.
And then the PROSE. My goodness. I would recommend this book for the gorgeous prose alone. It's so beautiful, and I loved all the description. I felt like I was truly in all the scenes, and the flying parts? AMAZING. <3
The worldbuilding was pretty cool, especially the sort of stepping-between-realms stuff. I always love that kind of plot device. I didn't find myself blown away by the plot (it was well-paced and very character-driven, which I liked...but then it also confused me a couple of times, which I didn't so much like).
Probably the biggest negative for me is that I didn't really get the whole "student body government" thing at all? Like it just seemed so...I don't even know. It didn't make sense to my goldfish brain. XD That's probably just me though?
Overall I'm giving this 3.5 stars, and I am very eager to read the next one! At some point I'm DEFINITELY going to get my hands on it, because the cliffhanger was NOT OKAY. (And I want to know more about the chaaaaaaaaaaaaarrraaacteeeeeerrrrrrrs)
CONTENT ADVISORY
-Language: there's a handful of cuss words in this novel, ranging from lighter stuff (h*ll is used a few times) to cut-off f-words. I thought it was dealt with pretty well, though, and was in there for a reason...so I'm not counting off points on that account :P
-Sexy stuff: The main characters are largely a group of very secular college students, so there's some kissing and flirting and making out. One character's backstory deals with being raped.
-Alcohol: Again, secular college students, so there's quite a bit of drinking at some points :P
(Note about the content: I found it really cool how all of this stuff wasn't allowed anymore once Ion had his new calling. An allegory, perhaps? XD)
Overall, 3.5 stars, and I'd recommend this one to anybody who doesn't mind a couple of content concerns!
I'll admit to being a leeeeetle disappointed by this one, mostly because so many of my blogging friends absolutely LOVE it. That's not to say I didn't like it--it was really, really good! It simply didn't grab me and throw me into it the way my five-star reads have.
The characters and the prose were probably the best part. Ion was a definite highlight--I LOVED his character arc, as well as the unconventional way that Kate tackled writing a random guy chosen for a supernatural task he doesn't understand. It broke the mold in the best possible ways. Then Hawk--she was so harsh and cold, and I'm kind of growing tired of girls like that...but then her backstory broke my heart (poor, poor girl) and I understood her a little better. Fin was an absolute sweetheart and I'm looking forward to seeing him develop more in future installments. I liked Sensei well enough, although I'm still not sure I understand him (intentional, I'm sure). The other characters were all fine, although I didn't fall head over heels for any of them.
And then the PROSE. My goodness. I would recommend this book for the gorgeous prose alone. It's so beautiful, and I loved all the description. I felt like I was truly in all the scenes, and the flying parts? AMAZING. <3
The worldbuilding was pretty cool, especially the sort of stepping-between-realms stuff. I always love that kind of plot device. I didn't find myself blown away by the plot (it was well-paced and very character-driven, which I liked...but then it also confused me a couple of times, which I didn't so much like).
Probably the biggest negative for me is that I didn't really get the whole "student body government" thing at all? Like it just seemed so...I don't even know. It didn't make sense to my goldfish brain. XD That's probably just me though?
Overall I'm giving this 3.5 stars, and I am very eager to read the next one! At some point I'm DEFINITELY going to get my hands on it, because the cliffhanger was NOT OKAY. (And I want to know more about the chaaaaaaaaaaaaarrraaacteeeeeerrrrrrrs)
CONTENT ADVISORY
-Language: there's a handful of cuss words in this novel, ranging from lighter stuff (h*ll is used a few times) to cut-off f-words. I thought it was dealt with pretty well, though, and was in there for a reason...so I'm not counting off points on that account :P
-Sexy stuff: The main characters are largely a group of very secular college students, so there's some kissing and flirting and making out. One character's backstory deals with being raped.
-Alcohol: Again, secular college students, so there's quite a bit of drinking at some points :P
(Note about the content: I found it really cool how all of this stuff wasn't allowed anymore once Ion had his new calling. An allegory, perhaps? XD)
Overall, 3.5 stars, and I'd recommend this one to anybody who doesn't mind a couple of content concerns!
March 20, 2018
😱😱😱❤❤❤❤
RTC (the link will be posted this Tuesday!)
It's up: https://graymariewrites.blogspot.com/...
RTC (the link will be posted this Tuesday!)
It's up: https://graymariewrites.blogspot.com/...
December 21, 2018
How is it that every time I read this book, it just gets better??
The first time I read it, I thought it was okay, but not the best book ever. I was really confused by the climax, also.
The second time, I understood a lot more about it, and more pieces fit together.
And now this time?
I want to pound out a thousand words, this book was so GOOD. For some reason, I feel really motivated to write. Maybe it’s because the writing style is so beautiful.
I also realized what I was missing about the climax, and everything just fell into place. The plot and characters are spectacular!
While this isn’t necessarily a “clean” read, the content that does appear, I feel, is needed, and it’s always presented in a bad light. Highly recommended to teenage readers who love speculative fiction!
(Also, I hear there’s a hashtag called #FinNeedsHugs? SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HASHTAG.)
The first time I read it, I thought it was okay, but not the best book ever. I was really confused by the climax, also.
The second time, I understood a lot more about it, and more pieces fit together.
And now this time?
I want to pound out a thousand words, this book was so GOOD. For some reason, I feel really motivated to write. Maybe it’s because the writing style is so beautiful.
I also realized what I was missing about the climax, and everything just fell into place. The plot and characters are spectacular!
While this isn’t necessarily a “clean” read, the content that does appear, I feel, is needed, and it’s always presented in a bad light. Highly recommended to teenage readers who love speculative fiction!
(Also, I hear there’s a hashtag called #FinNeedsHugs? SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HASHTAG.)
July 24, 2018
This book was like no other I have ever read. Something about it felt so unique, so different from your average YA fantasy. (Or sci-fi fantasy. Whatever specific genre it falls into.)
I’ve seen several reviewers compare The Blood Race to Narnia, which I initially found unusual and almost impossible. After all, the vibe of the novel is nowhere NEAR a Narnia vibe - that much was clear from the get-go. As the story progressed, however, I picked up on the similarity. Now I would probably comp-title it “Narnia meets Karate Kid,” while at the same time insisting it’s incomparable. xD
It's deep. It's full of powerful themes, breathtakingly complex characters, and intense twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat. If you want something emotional, gritty, fantastical, fast-paced, and theme-focused, I highly recommend The Blood Race!
It's the kind of book that really gets you THINKING. For example, at one point I was sitting on my patio whilst reading it on my Tablet screen, and I got caught up in a certain scene that I remember prompted me to gaze up the sky and imagine what it would be like to fly. (It was a really cool moment! No matter how lame it may sound. xD)
What would it be like to be one half of a soul searching for your other half?
What would it be like to have a teacher whose every remark oozed great wisdom (sometimes confusing great wisdom, but great wisdom nonetheless)?
What would it be like to face the incredibly hard choice of leaving one everything behind… or another everything?
Guys. THIS BOOK. It was just so meaningful, heart-rending, and beautiful all tied up in the gorgeous package of Emmons' superb writing style. <3 And as for the characters...
- Hawk is suuuuper cool, and I positively devoured her depth.
- Ion has enormous depth too, and his character arc… I CAN'T WITH HIM. <3
- Fin is a smol precious bean somehow capable of crushing my heart.
- Sensei is just the epitome of wisdom; I loved his character!
The story has allegorical elements, though I don't think it's a complete allegory...? Which is totally fine! Though it was very subtle, I took notice of it and ATE IT RIGHT UP. Readers from both Christian and secular audiences will enjoy! (Take note it has some mature content like language [briefly strong, mostly mild] and an undetailed, fade-to-black dream/flashback of a rape.)
- MY HEART. IT FELT THINGS. SO MUCH EMOTION.
- That ending, tho. O_O I need Worlds Beneath ASAP!
----
OH. OH. OH. THE EMOTIONS. I NEED THE SECOND BOOK!!!!!
Review to come, ajcvrntjtughdhsjrgj.
I’ve seen several reviewers compare The Blood Race to Narnia, which I initially found unusual and almost impossible. After all, the vibe of the novel is nowhere NEAR a Narnia vibe - that much was clear from the get-go. As the story progressed, however, I picked up on the similarity. Now I would probably comp-title it “Narnia meets Karate Kid,” while at the same time insisting it’s incomparable. xD
It's deep. It's full of powerful themes, breathtakingly complex characters, and intense twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat. If you want something emotional, gritty, fantastical, fast-paced, and theme-focused, I highly recommend The Blood Race!
It's the kind of book that really gets you THINKING. For example, at one point I was sitting on my patio whilst reading it on my Tablet screen, and I got caught up in a certain scene that I remember prompted me to gaze up the sky and imagine what it would be like to fly. (It was a really cool moment! No matter how lame it may sound. xD)
What would it be like to be one half of a soul searching for your other half?
What would it be like to have a teacher whose every remark oozed great wisdom (sometimes confusing great wisdom, but great wisdom nonetheless)?
What would it be like to face the incredibly hard choice of leaving one everything behind… or another everything?
Guys. THIS BOOK. It was just so meaningful, heart-rending, and beautiful all tied up in the gorgeous package of Emmons' superb writing style. <3 And as for the characters...
- Hawk is suuuuper cool, and I positively devoured her depth.
- Ion has enormous depth too, and his character arc… I CAN'T WITH HIM. <3
- Fin is a smol precious bean somehow capable of crushing my heart.
- Sensei is just the epitome of wisdom; I loved his character!
The story has allegorical elements, though I don't think it's a complete allegory...? Which is totally fine! Though it was very subtle, I took notice of it and ATE IT RIGHT UP. Readers from both Christian and secular audiences will enjoy! (Take note it has some mature content like language [briefly strong, mostly mild] and an undetailed, fade-to-black dream/flashback of a rape.)
- MY HEART. IT FELT THINGS. SO MUCH EMOTION.
- That ending, tho. O_O I need Worlds Beneath ASAP!
----
OH. OH. OH. THE EMOTIONS. I NEED THE SECOND BOOK!!!!!
Review to come, ajcvrntjtughdhsjrgj.
August 22, 2017
This book being as hyped up as it was, my expectations were like SKY HIGH. Yup. And now that I've finished what do I say? Wow. Oh my word. I READ THE BOOK GUYS I ACTUALLY GOT TO READ IT I THOUGHT I'D HAVE TO WAIT AGES BUT I'M SO THRILLED I GOT TO READ IT IT FEELS LIKE FOREVER BEFORE I DID BUT I'M DONE NOW CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!!? ... yeah, sorry, I'm done now.
The good news, my friends, is that this book did live up to my expectation in almost every way. Almost. But we'll get to that later.
Some where it was described as "The Raven Boys meets A Wrinkle in Time meets The Giver while being both secular and Christian at the same time." And that was really something to say. I haven't read A Wrinkle in Time, so I cannot say much about that, buuut I can say that it had elements from the Raven Boys and The Giver (less than I thought but it's expected because it's mashing three) and it was both secular and Christian! I'll explain that later (maybe I'm not supposed to?) But guys, I LOVED THE BOOK AND HOW CREATIVE IT IS!
I heard that you will fall in love with the characters - and I did. Not with all of them per se, but many of them. Ion for instance. I'm actually very fond of male mcs? He's just kind of perfect - not "perfect" perfect, but a terrific character - kid with troubled and mysterious past who doesn't know who he is, but guy who is pretty fun and an unintentional troublemaker and pretty sweet and realistic and a tad gullible at times... also pretty conflicted. They all are. Hawk though? I liked Hawk well enough but I think she needs to loosen up. She's kind of what I think we'd all find ourselves like in her position. h I think she was harsh, hard core, unforgiving, and in a sense made others feel "less". I'm not saying I don't like her. Sure she's annoying sometimes. But I think it suits her, suits her position. And what she's struggling with inside ... In all honesty I don't see her how Ion does ... I see her more how she sees herself, or how Sensei sees her. Speaking of Sensei - he's just mysterious and wonderful and I TRUST HIM WITH MY LIFE - sorry with the characters' lives. Whenever anything goes wrong I'm like "JUST GO TO SENSEI RIGHT NOW!!" Fin thought <3 <3 <3 what else is there to say? I LOVE HIM. Also please give us more of West and Rugger??? Please, Kate, more West and Rugger those guys were the best ever!!! And Riley - I really wasn't expecting ... him ... to have a role like that ... I want to see more of him next time too. The characters were good, yes. Different and dynamic and real. With their own personalities and problems and good points.
Let me just take a breather here ... and take a moment to appreciate THAT GORGEOUS COVER. And the title. Umm it was intriguing when I first heard it, but did I understand what it meant? Haha #nope. But now I do! And if you read the book the title will make worlds of sense to you!
And I also admire the writing. Would I have guessed that this was by a first time indie published author? Nah. Such lovely writing and the words - they just flowed. The pov worked very nicely too.
The setting was one of my favorite things. Half real world, half fantasy. Those are some of my favorite kinds of stories. College + student house + the Dimension??? I'm in love and I want to go visit, please?
The whole sci-fi/fantasy feel was awesome. And I'm so stoked for what kinds of epic things will happen later + what great darkness will creep up.
I absolutely love, absolutely freaking love, the part that the anomalies were taken from the past, present, and future to protect earth. IT'S PURE GENIUS AND I'M IN AWE. It's something I was like thinking of doing. Not in the same way. I was having problems with the idea and Kate just solved them all in here - I love it!!! <3 <3 <3
Then the allegory. The symbolism. The hidden meaning. I'm drawing parallels here guys! This is the reason it can be considered Christian and secular at the same time! I'm so impressed, and it actually reminded me of Ted Dekker there (<< high praise, dude, high praise).
Next, the plot. The action. Car races, jumping off cliffs, training and breathing, flying, fighting, getting into worlds of trouble - omw, such a wonderful, exciting, fascinating plot! And I think it's seriously epic that they don't just have one power, but many!
The story had good, deep themes. However, I feel that here it came off pretty ... strong? I mean yes these characters gotta learn some lessons and the sooner the better but maybe it could have been a tad more ... uh ... subtle? But not a huge issue, and perhaps it's just me. Moving on.
Aaaand ... there's a prophecy. -_- Haha. Okay?? Very good let's take it nice and easy ... nothing wrong with prophecies because they are real and do happen but. it happens quite a bit - okay, A LOT - in books. Just saying? Nothing new in this area, so far nothing unique, and it's not bad in the slightest, just ... predictable maybe?
And now the elephant in the room. The prophecy is about two halves of a soul. Hahaha. Uh. HOW IS THIS SUDDENLY HAPPENING TO ME?? I thought I was done with this idea when I finished that one book last month and complained about it in my review. I was like, "okay well the good thing is it's over and I won't see it again". Lol no. In all honesty I am not the biggest fan of this idea - two halves of a soul destined find each other in another life ... just making myself clear that there's nothing really wrong with the idea - it's just me. Me. I personally am not a fan. Just my preference. I suggest unless you have experience with this storyline you ignore my complaint and just check it out for yourself. It might just be your thing, and if it is - GO YOU!!!
Then just a couple more points - the climax could have been more ... epic? Just personal taste (lol again) that climatic battles should be long and hard. It seemed a little easy here?
The last things I want to say can't be said without spoilers, so we'll have to leave them unsaid. *sigh*
But the cliffhanger though. At the end. HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO US, KATE? I NEED THE NEXT BOOK.
In the end guys, I give this book 4 1/2 stars and just saying I AM A FAN. Please do yourself a favor and read this amazing book. If you are anything like me you'll not find too much problems with it (<< understatement of my life).
The good news, my friends, is that this book did live up to my expectation in almost every way. Almost. But we'll get to that later.
Some where it was described as "The Raven Boys meets A Wrinkle in Time meets The Giver while being both secular and Christian at the same time." And that was really something to say. I haven't read A Wrinkle in Time, so I cannot say much about that, buuut I can say that it had elements from the Raven Boys and The Giver (less than I thought but it's expected because it's mashing three) and it was both secular and Christian! I'll explain that later (maybe I'm not supposed to?) But guys, I LOVED THE BOOK AND HOW CREATIVE IT IS!
I heard that you will fall in love with the characters - and I did. Not with all of them per se, but many of them. Ion for instance. I'm actually very fond of male mcs? He's just kind of perfect - not "perfect" perfect, but a terrific character - kid with troubled and mysterious past who doesn't know who he is, but guy who is pretty fun and an unintentional troublemaker and pretty sweet and realistic and a tad gullible at times... also pretty conflicted. They all are. Hawk though? I liked Hawk well enough but I think she needs to loosen up. She's kind of what I think we'd all find ourselves like in her position. h I think she was harsh, hard core, unforgiving, and in a sense made others feel "less". I'm not saying I don't like her. Sure she's annoying sometimes. But I think it suits her, suits her position. And what she's struggling with inside ... In all honesty I don't see her how Ion does ... I see her more how she sees herself, or how Sensei sees her. Speaking of Sensei - he's just mysterious and wonderful and I TRUST HIM WITH MY LIFE - sorry with the characters' lives. Whenever anything goes wrong I'm like "JUST GO TO SENSEI RIGHT NOW!!" Fin thought <3 <3 <3 what else is there to say? I LOVE HIM. Also please give us more of West and Rugger??? Please, Kate, more West and Rugger those guys were the best ever!!! And Riley - I really wasn't expecting ... him ... to have a role like that ... I want to see more of him next time too. The characters were good, yes. Different and dynamic and real. With their own personalities and problems and good points.
Let me just take a breather here ... and take a moment to appreciate THAT GORGEOUS COVER. And the title. Umm it was intriguing when I first heard it, but did I understand what it meant? Haha #nope. But now I do! And if you read the book the title will make worlds of sense to you!
And I also admire the writing. Would I have guessed that this was by a first time indie published author? Nah. Such lovely writing and the words - they just flowed. The pov worked very nicely too.
The setting was one of my favorite things. Half real world, half fantasy. Those are some of my favorite kinds of stories. College + student house + the Dimension??? I'm in love and I want to go visit, please?
The whole sci-fi/fantasy feel was awesome. And I'm so stoked for what kinds of epic things will happen later + what great darkness will creep up.
I absolutely love, absolutely freaking love, the part that the anomalies were taken from the past, present, and future to protect earth. IT'S PURE GENIUS AND I'M IN AWE. It's something I was like thinking of doing. Not in the same way. I was having problems with the idea and Kate just solved them all in here - I love it!!! <3 <3 <3
Then the allegory. The symbolism. The hidden meaning. I'm drawing parallels here guys! This is the reason it can be considered Christian and secular at the same time! I'm so impressed, and it actually reminded me of Ted Dekker there (<< high praise, dude, high praise).
Next, the plot. The action. Car races, jumping off cliffs, training and breathing, flying, fighting, getting into worlds of trouble - omw, such a wonderful, exciting, fascinating plot! And I think it's seriously epic that they don't just have one power, but many!
The story had good, deep themes. However, I feel that here it came off pretty ... strong? I mean yes these characters gotta learn some lessons and the sooner the better but maybe it could have been a tad more ... uh ... subtle? But not a huge issue, and perhaps it's just me. Moving on.
Aaaand ... there's a prophecy. -_- Haha. Okay?? Very good let's take it nice and easy ... nothing wrong with prophecies because they are real and do happen but. it happens quite a bit - okay, A LOT - in books. Just saying? Nothing new in this area, so far nothing unique, and it's not bad in the slightest, just ... predictable maybe?
And now the elephant in the room. The prophecy is about two halves of a soul. Hahaha. Uh. HOW IS THIS SUDDENLY HAPPENING TO ME?? I thought I was done with this idea when I finished that one book last month and complained about it in my review. I was like, "okay well the good thing is it's over and I won't see it again". Lol no. In all honesty I am not the biggest fan of this idea - two halves of a soul destined find each other in another life ... just making myself clear that there's nothing really wrong with the idea - it's just me. Me. I personally am not a fan. Just my preference. I suggest unless you have experience with this storyline you ignore my complaint and just check it out for yourself. It might just be your thing, and if it is - GO YOU!!!
Then just a couple more points - the climax could have been more ... epic? Just personal taste (lol again) that climatic battles should be long and hard. It seemed a little easy here?
The last things I want to say can't be said without spoilers, so we'll have to leave them unsaid. *sigh*
But the cliffhanger though. At the end. HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO US, KATE? I NEED THE NEXT BOOK.
In the end guys, I give this book 4 1/2 stars and just saying I AM A FAN. Please do yourself a favor and read this amazing book. If you are anything like me you'll not find too much problems with it (<< understatement of my life).
June 13, 2021
It's taken me over two months to read this book. Given that it's not very long, that should tell you something. I wish I could say that I'm not the audience for this, or that it just wasn't my cup of tea. Unfortunately, this book has a lot that's objectively wrong with it.
K. A. Emmons is also known as Kate Emmons, sister of Abbie Emmons who wrote and self-published 100 Days of Sunlight a couple years ago. (You can read my review for Abbie's book here.) The sisters host a podcast called The Kate & Abbie Show where they gab about writing and storytelling. Given this, and after being impressed by the brief sample on Amazon, I bought The Blood Race and hoped to enjoy it. Let's just say that I expected a lot more from someone who purports to be some sort of writing guru.
I think the first problem is that she's marketing this as YA sci-fi/fantasy. It's not. It's NA crossworlds fantasy... but with a weird insistence on keeping things squeaky clean. Nineteen-year-olds are chastised for using the word "frickin'", for example. The very worst language this book offers is three instances of "shit" (and yet, that was enough to get some reviewers' panties in a terrible twist; it makes me wonder if they've ever been around real 21st-century teenagers).
The second big problem is the obvious mismatch between chosen genre and writing style. I was misled by the sample, because that first chapter is an action-packed one. But from there, things slow to a crawl, and the reader is treated to session after session of stilted dialogue that sounds like it would be more at home in a Regency-era drawing room. (Kate has admitted in the podcast that she doesn't read a lot of fiction. She does, however, watch BBC historical dramas. These two points are reinforced through her writing style.)
Much action is skipped over with dry paragraphs of the characters telling us what transpired. And it's not even linear. As the point of view switches back and forth, so does the timeline jump around so that we're often thrown back a few hours so that we can see a scene from the other character's point of view. This threw me a few times, and I wondered if I'd missed something... only to realize that it was just another clumsy transition.
That's what the whole story seemed to me: clumsy. I can see the glimmer of a good idea here, but it's hidden behind weak plotting, white-room syndrome, and underdeveloped characters. Much of the character development of our leads, Icarus and Hawk, consists of other characters making observations about them... even when those traits aren't shown to the reader. And I was never quite sure who the main character was supposed to be. The blurb makes it sound like Icarus... and yet, it's Hawk (I'm assuming) on the cover, and Hawk who's the more developed of the two. Abbie had the same problem in 100 Days of Sunlight, with her secondary main character of Weston kind of stealing the show. Unfortunately, Hawk isn't anywhere near as likeable as Weston, and yet we're forced to be in her head for half the book.
This review is already way longer than I intended, so I'll just mention one more thing, and that's the editing. I realize this is a self-published book, but when so many of these indie authors are so adamant about the necessity of using outside editors, I really expect better in the way of typos and errors. The continuity errors, in particular, are some of the worst I've ever come across. It makes me wonder if people don't actually read books anymore, but merely skim; am I the only one who's noticing when people are lounging on a picnic blanket, and the next instant they're standing on the edge of a cliff, about to head back to their picnic blanket? (There was a gaffe like this in many of the chapters, which made for some frustrating reading.)
I'm in the minority, though. People seem to like this book, judging by its overall rating. The ending is a "cliffhanger"... but I have no desire to continue with the series. If you like clean NA fantasy with little swearing and aren't a nitpicker when you read, you might get more out of this than I did. If, however, you're looking for YA sci-fi/fantasy with teenagers who actually talk and act like teenagers, you're liable to be disappointed.
(All that being said, I would be interested to see what Kate could do if she tried her hand at writing historical fiction or high fantasy. The overly formal dialogue style she seems to be fond of would work much better in those genres than it does in a contemporary fantasy setting.)
K. A. Emmons is also known as Kate Emmons, sister of Abbie Emmons who wrote and self-published 100 Days of Sunlight a couple years ago. (You can read my review for Abbie's book here.) The sisters host a podcast called The Kate & Abbie Show where they gab about writing and storytelling. Given this, and after being impressed by the brief sample on Amazon, I bought The Blood Race and hoped to enjoy it. Let's just say that I expected a lot more from someone who purports to be some sort of writing guru.
I think the first problem is that she's marketing this as YA sci-fi/fantasy. It's not. It's NA crossworlds fantasy... but with a weird insistence on keeping things squeaky clean. Nineteen-year-olds are chastised for using the word "frickin'", for example. The very worst language this book offers is three instances of "shit" (and yet, that was enough to get some reviewers' panties in a terrible twist; it makes me wonder if they've ever been around real 21st-century teenagers).
The second big problem is the obvious mismatch between chosen genre and writing style. I was misled by the sample, because that first chapter is an action-packed one. But from there, things slow to a crawl, and the reader is treated to session after session of stilted dialogue that sounds like it would be more at home in a Regency-era drawing room. (Kate has admitted in the podcast that she doesn't read a lot of fiction. She does, however, watch BBC historical dramas. These two points are reinforced through her writing style.)
Much action is skipped over with dry paragraphs of the characters telling us what transpired. And it's not even linear. As the point of view switches back and forth, so does the timeline jump around so that we're often thrown back a few hours so that we can see a scene from the other character's point of view. This threw me a few times, and I wondered if I'd missed something... only to realize that it was just another clumsy transition.
That's what the whole story seemed to me: clumsy. I can see the glimmer of a good idea here, but it's hidden behind weak plotting, white-room syndrome, and underdeveloped characters. Much of the character development of our leads, Icarus and Hawk, consists of other characters making observations about them... even when those traits aren't shown to the reader. And I was never quite sure who the main character was supposed to be. The blurb makes it sound like Icarus... and yet, it's Hawk (I'm assuming) on the cover, and Hawk who's the more developed of the two. Abbie had the same problem in 100 Days of Sunlight, with her secondary main character of Weston kind of stealing the show. Unfortunately, Hawk isn't anywhere near as likeable as Weston, and yet we're forced to be in her head for half the book.
This review is already way longer than I intended, so I'll just mention one more thing, and that's the editing. I realize this is a self-published book, but when so many of these indie authors are so adamant about the necessity of using outside editors, I really expect better in the way of typos and errors. The continuity errors, in particular, are some of the worst I've ever come across. It makes me wonder if people don't actually read books anymore, but merely skim; am I the only one who's noticing when people are lounging on a picnic blanket, and the next instant they're standing on the edge of a cliff, about to head back to their picnic blanket? (There was a gaffe like this in many of the chapters, which made for some frustrating reading.)
I'm in the minority, though. People seem to like this book, judging by its overall rating. The ending is a "cliffhanger"... but I have no desire to continue with the series. If you like clean NA fantasy with little swearing and aren't a nitpicker when you read, you might get more out of this than I did. If, however, you're looking for YA sci-fi/fantasy with teenagers who actually talk and act like teenagers, you're liable to be disappointed.
(All that being said, I would be interested to see what Kate could do if she tried her hand at writing historical fiction or high fantasy. The overly formal dialogue style she seems to be fond of would work much better in those genres than it does in a contemporary fantasy setting.)
April 24, 2021
I was expecting more because I have a lot of respect for KA Emmons and her sister's writing advice, but this book missed the mark in several huge ways.
#1 The opening race is deceitfully intriguing.
We do not get nearly that much action as we move forward. A lot of this novel is TALKING. It's a fantasy fiction and the driving action is just conversations with their teachers or each other.
#2 This is a cleverly disguised Teen Drama w/Fantasy Elements.
I have nothing against teen drama books, but when I pick up a fantasy I expect the messy love triangles and long-winded rumor mills to AT LEAST be balanced with a well-used magic system. The magic system was nearly forgotten about as the plot progressed. Other than the fact that extremely mundane teen drama was taking place in another dimension and a girl could fly... almost zero magic was present the whole novel. When magic was used, it was for fighting an antagonist we've known about since page one...which leads me to my next complaint.
#3 This was so boring...
I hate writing that a book is "boring" without explaining myself. Usually there's an element that, IMO, slowed the pacing down for me. In this case, the entire plot is not worthy of the word count. This could have been a captivating novella! Instead, it's a dragging novel with 4 total plot progressions:
1. Ion hates Riley.
2. Ion discovers new dimension and Sensei.
3. Ion, Hawk, Fin, Mel all have an akward love tension that takes up most of the novel, (while being balanced with completely useless Student Rules that have no reason to exist other than the author needs them to.)
4. Riley, our big bad, instigates big fight with Ion...and I won't spoil how that ends...
But that's it. That's what happens plotwise. Everything else is details, character development and world building. Yes, those things are important...but only if they're explained well. The characters are emotionally immature, catty teens. They make choices that make NO logical sense, and when reflecting on their poor choices they have nothing to say except "I don't know why I did that..." Oh? Okay. Then why are we reading about you? What is there to take away? One idiot character is okay, necessary even...but the entire cast? C'mon. Make someone smart.
#4 There's No Grand Lesson Here
The theme is probably about trust, but the execution of that theme is so flawed, we can hardly take anything useful away from this novel as a message. The characters backstab and lie to each other for almost no reason, and then whine and cry about not understanding each other. TBF, I wouldn't trust any of them either. And Sensei seems like a metaphor for subconscious, but dips out in the only segments of the book where an intervening hand is needed.
#5 This is Neither Plot-Driven nor Character-Driven... it's Author-Driven
Most of my time with this book was spent screaming, "WHY?! WHY WOULD THIS BE HAPPENING?? IT MAKES NO SENSE." Then I find out a chapter or two later that the idiot had to do the idiot thing to make another idiot thing happen...the characters aren't making decisions or feeling emotions real humans would in similar situations, they're just pawns for the Author to move around to justify what she wanted to have happen next. The characters and plot are pigeon-holed into a good premise...but the entire story is ruined by the author forcing her world into such a small, uninteresting box. She left no room for surprises or even adventure. She doesn't utilize her magic system in a creative way, because it takes a backseat to teens fighting and falling in love instead of being an element of why they fight and fall in love.
TLDR; Teen Drama with hardly any relevant Fantasy. Boring, annoying characters in another dimension that is literally no different than the human world. So why all of this couldn't have just taken place on earth without any magic at all is beyond me.
#1 The opening race is deceitfully intriguing.
We do not get nearly that much action as we move forward. A lot of this novel is TALKING. It's a fantasy fiction and the driving action is just conversations with their teachers or each other.
#2 This is a cleverly disguised Teen Drama w/Fantasy Elements.
I have nothing against teen drama books, but when I pick up a fantasy I expect the messy love triangles and long-winded rumor mills to AT LEAST be balanced with a well-used magic system. The magic system was nearly forgotten about as the plot progressed. Other than the fact that extremely mundane teen drama was taking place in another dimension and a girl could fly... almost zero magic was present the whole novel. When magic was used, it was for fighting an antagonist we've known about since page one...which leads me to my next complaint.
#3 This was so boring...
I hate writing that a book is "boring" without explaining myself. Usually there's an element that, IMO, slowed the pacing down for me. In this case, the entire plot is not worthy of the word count. This could have been a captivating novella! Instead, it's a dragging novel with 4 total plot progressions:
1. Ion hates Riley.
2. Ion discovers new dimension and Sensei.
3. Ion, Hawk, Fin, Mel all have an akward love tension that takes up most of the novel, (while being balanced with completely useless Student Rules that have no reason to exist other than the author needs them to.)
4. Riley, our big bad, instigates big fight with Ion...and I won't spoil how that ends...
But that's it. That's what happens plotwise. Everything else is details, character development and world building. Yes, those things are important...but only if they're explained well. The characters are emotionally immature, catty teens. They make choices that make NO logical sense, and when reflecting on their poor choices they have nothing to say except "I don't know why I did that..." Oh? Okay. Then why are we reading about you? What is there to take away? One idiot character is okay, necessary even...but the entire cast? C'mon. Make someone smart.
#4 There's No Grand Lesson Here
The theme is probably about trust, but the execution of that theme is so flawed, we can hardly take anything useful away from this novel as a message. The characters backstab and lie to each other for almost no reason, and then whine and cry about not understanding each other. TBF, I wouldn't trust any of them either. And Sensei seems like a metaphor for subconscious, but dips out in the only segments of the book where an intervening hand is needed.
#5 This is Neither Plot-Driven nor Character-Driven... it's Author-Driven
Most of my time with this book was spent screaming, "WHY?! WHY WOULD THIS BE HAPPENING?? IT MAKES NO SENSE." Then I find out a chapter or two later that the idiot had to do the idiot thing to make another idiot thing happen...the characters aren't making decisions or feeling emotions real humans would in similar situations, they're just pawns for the Author to move around to justify what she wanted to have happen next. The characters and plot are pigeon-holed into a good premise...but the entire story is ruined by the author forcing her world into such a small, uninteresting box. She left no room for surprises or even adventure. She doesn't utilize her magic system in a creative way, because it takes a backseat to teens fighting and falling in love instead of being an element of why they fight and fall in love.
TLDR; Teen Drama with hardly any relevant Fantasy. Boring, annoying characters in another dimension that is literally no different than the human world. So why all of this couldn't have just taken place on earth without any magic at all is beyond me.
February 21, 2022
I ended up deleting this review because I felt it was overly critical and long but...
I think this book needed a lot more work before it was published, at a minimum.
I think this book needed a lot more work before it was published, at a minimum.
July 31, 2017
The Blood Race is a fantastic YA sci-fi novel by the one and only K.A. Emmons. It tells the story of Ion and Hawk, and a world with "anomalies", different dimensions, shapeshifting, and a prophecy that will alter the world as we know it. It's an intense, gripping read that will leave you clamoring to know what's going to happen next.
I'm going to admit right off the bat that I'm not always a fan of sci-fi. It's just not a genre that I tend to connect with quite as easily. But I absolutely adored this book, and here's why- the characters were incredible. They were so complex and multi-faceted and flawed. You could see parts of yourself in each one of them. They weren't perfect, but that was what made you love them. They were real. You could feel Ion's confusion, and relate to Hawk's brokenness. Fin made you want to hug him and cry all at the same time, and Mel kept you guessing around every turn. They were characters that felt like they were standing right in front of you, like they're people in your own life. I loved them.
The plot had so many twists and turns that you never knew what was coming. At first I was a bit confused, trying to wrap my brain around what exactly was happening, but once it clicked, I was absolutely hooked. At several points in the story, I literally had to minimize my screen to the smallest space that I could, just to keep my eyes from accidentally skipping ahead, wanting to know what was going to happen next. The world building was really interesting, and I just loved learning the ins and outs of the dimension. The amount of time that I know Kate had to have spent weaving this world together is mind-blowing. So, so cool.
You hear people talk all the time about how much authors really pour themselves into their work. I could honestly see so much of Kate in The Blood Race, and it was beautiful. She is such a passionate human being, and that passion just shone through her writing. Gah, I loved it so much.
I could ramble about this book for ages, telling you about all of my favorite parts, my favorite lines, and my questions going into the next book. (KATE YOUR CLIFFHANGERS ARE EVIL) But if I went into all that, we'd be here all day, and I would definitely be delving into spoiler land, so I'll just say this- READ THIS BOOK. You won't regret it.
I'm going to admit right off the bat that I'm not always a fan of sci-fi. It's just not a genre that I tend to connect with quite as easily. But I absolutely adored this book, and here's why- the characters were incredible. They were so complex and multi-faceted and flawed. You could see parts of yourself in each one of them. They weren't perfect, but that was what made you love them. They were real. You could feel Ion's confusion, and relate to Hawk's brokenness. Fin made you want to hug him and cry all at the same time, and Mel kept you guessing around every turn. They were characters that felt like they were standing right in front of you, like they're people in your own life. I loved them.
The plot had so many twists and turns that you never knew what was coming. At first I was a bit confused, trying to wrap my brain around what exactly was happening, but once it clicked, I was absolutely hooked. At several points in the story, I literally had to minimize my screen to the smallest space that I could, just to keep my eyes from accidentally skipping ahead, wanting to know what was going to happen next. The world building was really interesting, and I just loved learning the ins and outs of the dimension. The amount of time that I know Kate had to have spent weaving this world together is mind-blowing. So, so cool.
You hear people talk all the time about how much authors really pour themselves into their work. I could honestly see so much of Kate in The Blood Race, and it was beautiful. She is such a passionate human being, and that passion just shone through her writing. Gah, I loved it so much.
I could ramble about this book for ages, telling you about all of my favorite parts, my favorite lines, and my questions going into the next book. (KATE YOUR CLIFFHANGERS ARE EVIL) But if I went into all that, we'd be here all day, and I would definitely be delving into spoiler land, so I'll just say this- READ THIS BOOK. You won't regret it.
April 17, 2018
This book surprised me, confused me, and I'm still not sure what is going on in the character's minds but since book two is coming soon I'm kind of okay with that. :) Emmons does a fantastic job with imagery. It almost feels like poetry. To be honest, I wasn't superbly fond of the main guy character for about half the book. He was lazy, undetermined, and annoying. The main girl character was little better, but her voice seemed stronger through the writing and I felt like I understood her a little more. One thing I absolutely loved about this book is because of the alternating 1st person POV's, we get to see what both of our main characters think of each other's actions. And usually, their interpretation of each other was grossly inaccurate. (Life lesson: you can't read everyone's minds.) Some things I didn't like so much was
(1) the beginning was quite confusing. I wasn't sure what was happening, who's head I was in (I didn't expect a first person book to be from two POV's), or what Ion was all about.
(2) More of a DISCLAIMER and not something that I thought was horrible: there were a spattering of blocked-out cuss words (first letter then a line). Though I never like to read that in a book, it wasn't uncalled for. The characters all had reasons for using such words and while I'm not saying it's right, it wasn't as if they were cussing out both sides of their heads all the time.
(3) THE ENDING!!!! *dies* Kate, HOW COULD YOU?!?!?! Talk about cliffhanger. Literally. Now I'm super excited for the second book. :)
I would definitely recommend this book to those who love Si-Fi, fantasy, or other things along those lines. It's an amazingly strong debut novel and I cannot wait to see what Kate does in coming years!
(1) the beginning was quite confusing. I wasn't sure what was happening, who's head I was in (I didn't expect a first person book to be from two POV's), or what Ion was all about.
(2) More of a DISCLAIMER and not something that I thought was horrible: there were a spattering of blocked-out cuss words (first letter then a line). Though I never like to read that in a book, it wasn't uncalled for. The characters all had reasons for using such words and while I'm not saying it's right, it wasn't as if they were cussing out both sides of their heads all the time.
(3) THE ENDING!!!! *dies* Kate, HOW COULD YOU?!?!?! Talk about cliffhanger. Literally. Now I'm super excited for the second book. :)
I would definitely recommend this book to those who love Si-Fi, fantasy, or other things along those lines. It's an amazingly strong debut novel and I cannot wait to see what Kate does in coming years!
August 16, 2017
First, do not assume that my rating of two stars mean I hate "The Blood Race." I do not hate it. I simply did not find it original or compelling enough for three stars (Three stars being my most common rating. I gave Harry Potter three stars and I love HP).
I prefer honesty to surface gushing. I am giving my honest opinion because Ms. Emmons is a first time author and I want to give feedback.
So here goes:
It's a fun book but I found it 90% predictable. There were two instances that I did not see coming. One made me laugh. One made me smile (the ending was a bold and interesting move. I'm curious to see where Ms. Emmons takes the story.)
Because this book was predictable (girl with powers and barriers and trust issues; boy with powers and a secret past; other boy to complete the love triangle; the enemy bent on destroying everything—you get the idea) I was able to read through it in a couple of hours. The writing was fair but dramatic and flowery at times.
I would not have bought this book or read it but I received it for free. The reason I would not buy it is I already knew what kind of story it would be. I've read dozens like this book. It's not a shining beacon of originality. BUT "The Blood Race" is fun, entertaining, a nice beach read.
I prefer honesty to surface gushing. I am giving my honest opinion because Ms. Emmons is a first time author and I want to give feedback.
So here goes:
It's a fun book but I found it 90% predictable. There were two instances that I did not see coming. One made me laugh. One made me smile (the ending was a bold and interesting move. I'm curious to see where Ms. Emmons takes the story.)
Because this book was predictable (girl with powers and barriers and trust issues; boy with powers and a secret past; other boy to complete the love triangle; the enemy bent on destroying everything—you get the idea) I was able to read through it in a couple of hours. The writing was fair but dramatic and flowery at times.
I would not have bought this book or read it but I received it for free. The reason I would not buy it is I already knew what kind of story it would be. I've read dozens like this book. It's not a shining beacon of originality. BUT "The Blood Race" is fun, entertaining, a nice beach read.
August 22, 2018
The truth was, I had invented my life as an author invents a fairy tale. I was made up. Faux. Nothing about me was real.
Wow. That ending though.
I had heard glowing reviews of this book from several friends, and when I started I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. There's quite a lot of language at the beginning, and I wasn't the hugest fan of Ion as a character. But once I got past the first few chapters and into the plot, ooh boy was it hard to put down. The character development, the fascinating originality of the Dimension, the Christian allegory woven through, it was really good.
The only downside was the language. I don't normally have an issue with language in books, and I wouldn't have in this one if I had been warned about it. It caught me off guard, and thus I was annoyed by it, so I'm making you aware so you don't end up like me xD
But other than that it was awesome. When I finished, the first thing I said was "whoa".
The full blog post in which I reviewed it: https://novelsdragonsandwardrobedoors...
**I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review**
Wow. That ending though.
I had heard glowing reviews of this book from several friends, and when I started I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. There's quite a lot of language at the beginning, and I wasn't the hugest fan of Ion as a character. But once I got past the first few chapters and into the plot, ooh boy was it hard to put down. The character development, the fascinating originality of the Dimension, the Christian allegory woven through, it was really good.
The only downside was the language. I don't normally have an issue with language in books, and I wouldn't have in this one if I had been warned about it. It caught me off guard, and thus I was annoyed by it, so I'm making you aware so you don't end up like me xD
But other than that it was awesome. When I finished, the first thing I said was "whoa".
The full blog post in which I reviewed it: https://novelsdragonsandwardrobedoors...
**I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review**
Read
August 1, 2018I'm going to have to mark this as DNF. The writing was fantastic, the dialog was crisp and felt more genuine than a lot of other indie books I've read, and for what it's worth, I absolutely loved the cover art the moment I saw it. The premise was intriguing, even if it wasn't entirely my cup of tea, and Ion was beginning to grow on me.
I was, however, disappointed by the swearing and frequent sensual content and allusions. I was really hoping for a clean read, given what little I knew about the author through social media.
My grievances with The Blood Race are strictly subjective. Props to Emmons for a polished product with an evident amount of work behind it. If academy-for-gifted-youth stories are your thing and the aforementioned issues don't bother you, you should give The Blood Race a go! Unfortunately, this is one train ride I won't be continuing on.
I was, however, disappointed by the swearing and frequent sensual content and allusions. I was really hoping for a clean read, given what little I knew about the author through social media.
My grievances with The Blood Race are strictly subjective. Props to Emmons for a polished product with an evident amount of work behind it. If academy-for-gifted-youth stories are your thing and the aforementioned issues don't bother you, you should give The Blood Race a go! Unfortunately, this is one train ride I won't be continuing on.
April 15, 2023
“Having lived so long without the light, the darkness will seem more familiar to them. But the future is not theirs to claim for darkness—it is yours to reclaim for light.”
— K.A. Emmons, The Blood Race
Rating: ★★★★
Cleanness: ★★*
This was a really good book. I actually was suprised by how much I liked this story and the characters (based on there was some content, mainly language, I did not like). The writing was really good and I loved the world building. This book felt like Prince Caspian meets Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children meets Caraval meets the soul mate trope. That basically sums up the book XD.
The world building was really well done. There was no point in the story that I was confused by the world which is wonderful. There were a lot of elements that reminded me of Narnia (a wise guardian character, time moving differently, nature aspects in the world, etc).
There were also SO MANY moments I wondered if this was Christian (as of now I have no knowledge if the author is Christian so I don’t know if this is intentional or if I’m reading into the story). There were these themes of light and darkness, becoming a new creation, having this great knowledge and how believing can make you saved. It had moments when it felt like an allegory to the Christian faith but then the content makes me unsure if it was intentional on the author's part or not.
Hawk was a really good character. I love how she shapeshifts, that was really cool! I liked that she struggled and wasn’t perfect, she had flaws and hurts that made her relatable. She has a hard time trusting people and it costs her. She is a strong character and I found I really loved her character (and her backstory is heartbreaking).
Icarus (aka. Ion) is a troubled character. I didn’t much care for him in the beginning (due to language and partying) but in the end I came to really care for him. He too has a sad story and struggles to become a better person and find out who he is. He isn't perfect, he has many flaws but then he is very loyal and cares deeply for people.
Fin! Fin is my favorite of all the characters in this book! He is sweet, protective, kind, a hopeless romantic, a good big brother, and just an amazing guy! I love his character and I’m really excited that book 2 has a POV from him!
I will say this is probably the first time I have ever read an age gap romance that didn’t make me uncomfortable or hate it. So I will give props to Kate on how she wrote Hawk and Icarus together! Hawk is 100 years old (in a 17 year old body—she never ages) but how it is written is amazing. So yes she is a hundred years old, she lives in a place (the Dimension) where time moves differently and minutes can be hours and a day can be a week. I really liked how that was written.
All in all this was a fun read. There is content and things I didn’t like (I go into detail in the content guide) but if you are alright with those things then you'll really like it (or if you read any of the above books I mentioned)!
*Cleanness: This isn’t an entirely clean book. It's cleaner than most mainstream fiction but it is not as clean as I would like so read the book with caution.
Language: moderate semi frequent language. Three uses of S—, and some uses of C—, D—, H—, Oh My G—. (This is mostly towards the beginning and lessens at the end with there being “rules” against cursing in the Dimension). There is also implied f-words through it is NEVER written and only the first and sometimes second word was shown. I did appreciate that is was never written but then I wish it was instead left out entirely.
Violence: there is quite a lot of violence. There is a murder (in detail) and multiple almost killings. There forced stabbing, use of magic against each other, lots of details with blood, fights, burns, punching, and attacks. One of the threads in this story is the power of blood, so there is “rituals” with blood (why it is similar to Caraval).
Note: there is also lots of partying and alcohol in this book BUT once you enter the Dimension all of that is forbidden which I really liked.
Romance: the romance was…light and not at the same time. There was kissing and a make out scene. Continued…
Trigger Warning: one of the characters has been raped. She suffers PTSD and recurring nightmares about this event. Though it never goes fully into detail it is a part of the story with a “fade-to-black-scene” of that moment happening two times.
…
To read more bookish content make sure to check my blog https://fablerosemc.blogspot.com & my instagram @fablerosemc !!
— K.A. Emmons, The Blood Race
Rating: ★★★★
Cleanness: ★★*
This was a really good book. I actually was suprised by how much I liked this story and the characters (based on there was some content, mainly language, I did not like). The writing was really good and I loved the world building. This book felt like Prince Caspian meets Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children meets Caraval meets the soul mate trope. That basically sums up the book XD.
The world building was really well done. There was no point in the story that I was confused by the world which is wonderful. There were a lot of elements that reminded me of Narnia (a wise guardian character, time moving differently, nature aspects in the world, etc).
There were also SO MANY moments I wondered if this was Christian (as of now I have no knowledge if the author is Christian so I don’t know if this is intentional or if I’m reading into the story). There were these themes of light and darkness, becoming a new creation, having this great knowledge and how believing can make you saved. It had moments when it felt like an allegory to the Christian faith but then the content makes me unsure if it was intentional on the author's part or not.
Hawk was a really good character. I love how she shapeshifts, that was really cool! I liked that she struggled and wasn’t perfect, she had flaws and hurts that made her relatable. She has a hard time trusting people and it costs her. She is a strong character and I found I really loved her character (and her backstory is heartbreaking).
Icarus (aka. Ion) is a troubled character. I didn’t much care for him in the beginning (due to language and partying) but in the end I came to really care for him. He too has a sad story and struggles to become a better person and find out who he is. He isn't perfect, he has many flaws but then he is very loyal and cares deeply for people.
Fin! Fin is my favorite of all the characters in this book! He is sweet, protective, kind, a hopeless romantic, a good big brother, and just an amazing guy! I love his character and I’m really excited that book 2 has a POV from him!
I will say this is probably the first time I have ever read an age gap romance that didn’t make me uncomfortable or hate it. So I will give props to Kate on how she wrote Hawk and Icarus together! Hawk is 100 years old (in a 17 year old body—she never ages) but how it is written is amazing. So yes she is a hundred years old, she lives in a place (the Dimension) where time moves differently and minutes can be hours and a day can be a week. I really liked how that was written.
All in all this was a fun read. There is content and things I didn’t like (I go into detail in the content guide) but if you are alright with those things then you'll really like it (or if you read any of the above books I mentioned)!
*Cleanness: This isn’t an entirely clean book. It's cleaner than most mainstream fiction but it is not as clean as I would like so read the book with caution.
Language: moderate semi frequent language. Three uses of S—, and some uses of C—, D—, H—, Oh My G—. (This is mostly towards the beginning and lessens at the end with there being “rules” against cursing in the Dimension). There is also implied f-words through it is NEVER written and only the first and sometimes second word was shown. I did appreciate that is was never written but then I wish it was instead left out entirely.
Violence: there is quite a lot of violence. There is a murder (in detail) and multiple almost killings. There forced stabbing, use of magic against each other, lots of details with blood, fights, burns, punching, and attacks. One of the threads in this story is the power of blood, so there is “rituals” with blood (why it is similar to Caraval).
Note: there is also lots of partying and alcohol in this book BUT once you enter the Dimension all of that is forbidden which I really liked.
Romance: the romance was…light and not at the same time. There was kissing and a make out scene. Continued…
Trigger Warning: one of the characters has been raped. She suffers PTSD and recurring nightmares about this event. Though it never goes fully into detail it is a part of the story with a “fade-to-black-scene” of that moment happening two times.
…
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August 9, 2017
OH. MY. WORD. I haven’t really considered myself a sci-fi or dystopian reader until recently, but I’m so glad I discovered that I liked both before reading The Blood Race!
Imagine The Raven Boys meets A Wrinkle in Time meets The Giver while being both secular and Christian at the same time. Like, all the good parts of those books together.
While that ^ sounds like it gives you a general idea of what The Blood Race is about, (lol not really), it’s SO DIFFERENT. The Blood Race is different from all the other books, and the characters. OH THE CHARACTERS.
They are both so well defined yet complex yet broken. They each had a past story, and they had a story to tell. They each had a power, and that was what drew them together. They were so beautiful and I loved them all so much.
Not only the characters, but the world itself was so wonderfully built. The world-building was so detailed and vivid, and while it was tricky to understand what all it entailed (as is the case with many alternate universe books that have world building), it was all so beautifully described and the end result was stunning.
The plot had so many loops and swirls that it was impossible to tell what was coming next. There were so many tropes that didn’t show up, unlike so many of other YA fiction books (there. is. no. romance. #WHAT) There were so many hidden meaning behind each of the small things in the book that clearly meant so much.
(small disclaimer: there is use of s**t and an instance of when the f word was about to be said, as a part of character development)
You may like this book if:
You like fantasy/sci-fi/thriller/suspense, or any of the above
You like well developed YA fiction
You like stories with meaning and motifs behind everything
You like great worldbuilding stories and/or beautiful lovable characters
A huge thank you to Kate for providing me with a free digital advanced review copy of this book as a member of the advanced review/blog tour team. I was not required to read a positive review.
This review first appeared on: https://rockandminerals4him.wordpress...
Imagine The Raven Boys meets A Wrinkle in Time meets The Giver while being both secular and Christian at the same time. Like, all the good parts of those books together.
While that ^ sounds like it gives you a general idea of what The Blood Race is about, (lol not really), it’s SO DIFFERENT. The Blood Race is different from all the other books, and the characters. OH THE CHARACTERS.
They are both so well defined yet complex yet broken. They each had a past story, and they had a story to tell. They each had a power, and that was what drew them together. They were so beautiful and I loved them all so much.
Not only the characters, but the world itself was so wonderfully built. The world-building was so detailed and vivid, and while it was tricky to understand what all it entailed (as is the case with many alternate universe books that have world building), it was all so beautifully described and the end result was stunning.
The plot had so many loops and swirls that it was impossible to tell what was coming next. There were so many tropes that didn’t show up, unlike so many of other YA fiction books (there. is. no. romance. #WHAT) There were so many hidden meaning behind each of the small things in the book that clearly meant so much.
(small disclaimer: there is use of s**t and an instance of when the f word was about to be said, as a part of character development)
You may like this book if:
You like fantasy/sci-fi/thriller/suspense, or any of the above
You like well developed YA fiction
You like stories with meaning and motifs behind everything
You like great worldbuilding stories and/or beautiful lovable characters
A huge thank you to Kate for providing me with a free digital advanced review copy of this book as a member of the advanced review/blog tour team. I was not required to read a positive review.
This review first appeared on: https://rockandminerals4him.wordpress...
August 8, 2020
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/Gv6lbOKJfYA
This was a really interesting read and loved the opening. A street race with some kind of "superpower" interference? Count me in!
As a whole, I enjoyed THE BLOOD RACE, even though I totally admit that I felt some things went way above my head. I didn't stay stuck on them because I liked what was happening, and I especially liked Ion. This is the first book I have read that I STRONGLY did not like the female lead. I'm still uncertain how I feel about her, but I feel she redeemed herself near the end so I'm not quite as agitated toward that same said character.
But Ion…seriously, I loved him. He was so real, though I can't put into words why I feel that way (at least without major spoilers). He definitely has struggles, but I admired him on many levels as he learned and grew. He so inspired how I want my future characters to be in my own stories.
Though I wouldn't say this is "Christian fiction," there were some powerful allegorical scenes that hit me strongly, especially when it came to the sliders and the Dimension. A certain quote about water has been on replay since I read it.
Those two things were by far my favorite part of this story. The author had some powerful messages (trust being one of them) that spoke to me above anything I might have not understood or was fond of. I eagerly look forward to book two because I can imagine I will be touched as profoundly as I did in parts of book one.
Plus, I need to know what's going to happen to Ion.
*(I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own and was not required to write a positive review.)*
This was a really interesting read and loved the opening. A street race with some kind of "superpower" interference? Count me in!
As a whole, I enjoyed THE BLOOD RACE, even though I totally admit that I felt some things went way above my head. I didn't stay stuck on them because I liked what was happening, and I especially liked Ion. This is the first book I have read that I STRONGLY did not like the female lead. I'm still uncertain how I feel about her, but I feel she redeemed herself near the end so I'm not quite as agitated toward that same said character.
But Ion…seriously, I loved him. He was so real, though I can't put into words why I feel that way (at least without major spoilers). He definitely has struggles, but I admired him on many levels as he learned and grew. He so inspired how I want my future characters to be in my own stories.
Though I wouldn't say this is "Christian fiction," there were some powerful allegorical scenes that hit me strongly, especially when it came to the sliders and the Dimension. A certain quote about water has been on replay since I read it.
Those two things were by far my favorite part of this story. The author had some powerful messages (trust being one of them) that spoke to me above anything I might have not understood or was fond of. I eagerly look forward to book two because I can imagine I will be touched as profoundly as I did in parts of book one.
Plus, I need to know what's going to happen to Ion.
*(I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own and was not required to write a positive review.)*
September 28, 2022
Emmons obviously has a strong command of descriptive language but her pacing was off and the plot fragmented. A good editor would have really helped her out, if only to make the story flow as easily as her prose. Additionally a better pair of voice actors for her audio book would have done her a world of good. It's been a long time since I've heard an Irish accent quite so wretched. Not sure if I'll read more from this series but I have hope that as she matures as an author, her books will improve.
March 28, 2018
REREAD: THIS BOOK, YO. After rereading it, I can see some flaws, but overall, SO GOOD.
AND THE CLIFFHANGER WAS JUST CRUEL.
The Blood Race was so unique! It was very different than what I was expecting, and I am glad it was. I loved how every single aspect of the more fantastical side seemed realistic and plausible.
I'm so glad that I bought it.
AND THE CLIFFHANGER WAS JUST CRUEL.
The Blood Race was so unique! It was very different than what I was expecting, and I am glad it was. I loved how every single aspect of the more fantastical side seemed realistic and plausible.
I'm so glad that I bought it.
March 24, 2020
LOVED it so much!! The only problem was the language....but other than that, ahhhhhh--so good. And that cliffhanger! I need book 2 now.. :))
September 26, 2018
OVERALL
OHMYGOODNESS WHAT A STELLAR BOOK. perfect prose, incredibly relatable characters, and an engaging magical world just waiting to be explored. worlds beneath (book 2/3) is now a must-have on my tbr list.
quick content warning: plenty of blood & gore, mentions of sex and rape, mild language
loves
- HAWK? WAS? INCREDIBLE?? hawk is the strong female character(TM), but, for once, she actually has emotions and real issues???? WHERE HAS SHE BEEN ALL MY LIFE??? oh my goodness, hawk is just the epidemic of great characterization. she has plenty of flaws and issues that she struggles with on a daily basis like self-worth, trust, and 1000 other things. i'm inspired by how she fights against evil while also fighting her own demons. i think i've found a new favorite character <3
- emmons' prose was 100% absolutely out of this world. from the first page, i was drawn into her universe and unable to leave. i couldn't get enough of her wonderful writing.
- i am not a fan of si-fi. i'd typically put any down a book labled sience fiction. but this book? hahahah I STAYED UP ALL NIGHT AND READ LIKE THERE WAS NO TOMORROW. so, updated preferences: i hate si-fi unless it's k.a. emmons si-fi.
- the pacing of the plot was incredible, no one can change my mind. admittedly it did take a few chapters to fully fall in love with the book, but after i did fall, there was no turning back.
- side character love omg. sensei had me nodding reverently with his words of wisdom (i imagined sensei wu in my mind sorry not sorry). fin had me squealing frantically and bashing my face into pillows, he was just that sweet.
- not sure how exactly i feel about riley
- THAT. CLIFFHANGER. *sobs*
letdowns
- certain parts of the writing of this book were, well, less than awesome. there were a lot of overused words (i noticed kiss, blood, and literally very often). i could sometimes tell when the same techniques were used multiple times
- it was a little predictable in the middle.
- ion was... i donno. average? it's not that i didn't like him, but, next to hawk, ion looked like just another 'chosen-one' stereotype.
- the timeline is a little confusing. i was very confused when ion said he'd been in the dimension for a whole year. it seems like it only took a month or so.
- side characters like west, mel, and ruger were kind of dull. i didn't particularly care for them... at all. as for mel, she was basically the damsel in destress, the popular perfect princess. sort of annoying.
MY RATING
i would give this book a 4-star rating. it absolutely blew me away, but those tiny nitpicky details were just a little too irritating to ignore. still, the good 1000% outweighs the bad. the blood race is a well-written, well-loved story i won't be forgetting anytime soon. k. a. emmons has my stamp of approval :) now, for the sequal!!
OHMYGOODNESS WHAT A STELLAR BOOK. perfect prose, incredibly relatable characters, and an engaging magical world just waiting to be explored. worlds beneath (book 2/3) is now a must-have on my tbr list.
quick content warning: plenty of blood & gore, mentions of sex and rape, mild language
loves
- HAWK? WAS? INCREDIBLE?? hawk is the strong female character(TM), but, for once, she actually has emotions and real issues???? WHERE HAS SHE BEEN ALL MY LIFE??? oh my goodness, hawk is just the epidemic of great characterization. she has plenty of flaws and issues that she struggles with on a daily basis like self-worth, trust, and 1000 other things. i'm inspired by how she fights against evil while also fighting her own demons. i think i've found a new favorite character <3
- emmons' prose was 100% absolutely out of this world. from the first page, i was drawn into her universe and unable to leave. i couldn't get enough of her wonderful writing.
- i am not a fan of si-fi. i'd typically put any down a book labled sience fiction. but this book? hahahah I STAYED UP ALL NIGHT AND READ LIKE THERE WAS NO TOMORROW. so, updated preferences: i hate si-fi unless it's k.a. emmons si-fi.
- the pacing of the plot was incredible, no one can change my mind. admittedly it did take a few chapters to fully fall in love with the book, but after i did fall, there was no turning back.
- side character love omg. sensei had me nodding reverently with his words of wisdom (i imagined sensei wu in my mind sorry not sorry). fin had me squealing frantically and bashing my face into pillows, he was just that sweet.
- not sure how exactly i feel about riley
- THAT. CLIFFHANGER. *sobs*
letdowns
- certain parts of the writing of this book were, well, less than awesome. there were a lot of overused words (i noticed kiss, blood, and literally very often). i could sometimes tell when the same techniques were used multiple times
- it was a little predictable in the middle.
- ion was... i donno. average? it's not that i didn't like him, but, next to hawk, ion looked like just another 'chosen-one' stereotype.
- the timeline is a little confusing. i was very confused when ion said he'd been in the dimension for a whole year. it seems like it only took a month or so.
- side characters like west, mel, and ruger were kind of dull. i didn't particularly care for them... at all. as for mel, she was basically the damsel in destress, the popular perfect princess. sort of annoying.
MY RATING
i would give this book a 4-star rating. it absolutely blew me away, but those tiny nitpicky details were just a little too irritating to ignore. still, the good 1000% outweighs the bad. the blood race is a well-written, well-loved story i won't be forgetting anytime soon. k. a. emmons has my stamp of approval :) now, for the sequal!!
August 2, 2017
I freaking LOVED this book. It was the first book in months to keep me up till the wee hours reading and on the edge of the chair, my tired eyes kept open in suspense. And while it was fast paced and action packed, it was not at all lacking in character development, plot, or inspiring themes. I want to talk about all of these points so, make yourself comfortable, we'll be here for a while.
Characters, where should I start?! First off, all of the characters were three dimensional, flawed, beautiful characters with heart-wrenching back stories, mysterious pasts, and lovable traits. I seriously wanted to hug Fin and wrap him up in a blanket burrito or marry him or something, and Hawk was just absolutely fabulous and vulnerable despite her calm, tough exterior. I totally wanted her as a mentor. As for Ion... That crazy boy had me wanting to tear my hair out at points, he was so frustrating, (LIKE, HOW CAN HE BE THIS BAD AT KEEPING SECRETS AND FOLLOWING RULES?!) but he is super relatable, and his search for meaning and understanding are spot on. (ALSO I WANT TO PROTECT THIS BABY CINNAMON ROLL AND KEEP HIM SAFE FROM ALL WRITERS EVERYWHERE ALWAYS BUT COUGHCOUGHSPOILERSCOUGH)
Okayyyyy, now let's talk about plot and story world... Kate Emmons has a real skill with making a story world come alive without shoving it in your face, and any preliminary confusion about story world and its rules are immediately cleared up. The plot was fast paced from the start (this is a joke because it starts with a car race. Anyone...? Okay, fine, I'll stop trying to be funny) And I wasn't bored at any point. Even the parts where a detailed explanation was needed were interesting and always forward moving. It is clearly the first book of a series because the plot does not come full circle (e.g. the cliffhanger ending... END ME NOW OR GIVE ME THE NEXT BOOK!!!) but there were plenty of plot twists and enough suspense to keep it interesting. #yasss
Themes: Themes, themes, everywhere! Okay, you know how allegorical, moral, thematic books can be just downright preachy, pretentious, or cheesy? This is not the case with The Blood Race. Kate Emmons introduces themes of Doubt, Faith, Sacrifice, etc... without detracting from the interest and value of the story. In fact, it enhances it. It also didn't shy away from difficult topics and themes. It is rare to find YA sci-fi with anything deeper than the surface as far as themes go (at least not good ones) and The Blood Race packed full of meaning and deeper layers while maintaining its integrity as a story. I think it was very well done, and I hope to find more books like this in the future because PEOPLE NEED TO READ THIS BOOK.
Basically, in summary, I loved this book, and I may be biased because I think Kate is awesome, but I'm a pretty harsh critic so I don't think so. JUST GO READ THE BOOK IT'S AWESOME YOU WILL LOVE IT I WILL LOVE YOU IF YOU LOVE IT. You can't go wrong (;
Characters, where should I start?! First off, all of the characters were three dimensional, flawed, beautiful characters with heart-wrenching back stories, mysterious pasts, and lovable traits. I seriously wanted to hug Fin and wrap him up in a blanket burrito or marry him or something, and Hawk was just absolutely fabulous and vulnerable despite her calm, tough exterior. I totally wanted her as a mentor. As for Ion... That crazy boy had me wanting to tear my hair out at points, he was so frustrating, (LIKE, HOW CAN HE BE THIS BAD AT KEEPING SECRETS AND FOLLOWING RULES?!) but he is super relatable, and his search for meaning and understanding are spot on. (ALSO I WANT TO PROTECT THIS BABY CINNAMON ROLL AND KEEP HIM SAFE FROM ALL WRITERS EVERYWHERE ALWAYS BUT COUGHCOUGHSPOILERSCOUGH)
Okayyyyy, now let's talk about plot and story world... Kate Emmons has a real skill with making a story world come alive without shoving it in your face, and any preliminary confusion about story world and its rules are immediately cleared up. The plot was fast paced from the start (this is a joke because it starts with a car race. Anyone...? Okay, fine, I'll stop trying to be funny) And I wasn't bored at any point. Even the parts where a detailed explanation was needed were interesting and always forward moving. It is clearly the first book of a series because the plot does not come full circle (e.g. the cliffhanger ending... END ME NOW OR GIVE ME THE NEXT BOOK!!!) but there were plenty of plot twists and enough suspense to keep it interesting. #yasss
Themes: Themes, themes, everywhere! Okay, you know how allegorical, moral, thematic books can be just downright preachy, pretentious, or cheesy? This is not the case with The Blood Race. Kate Emmons introduces themes of Doubt, Faith, Sacrifice, etc... without detracting from the interest and value of the story. In fact, it enhances it. It also didn't shy away from difficult topics and themes. It is rare to find YA sci-fi with anything deeper than the surface as far as themes go (at least not good ones) and The Blood Race packed full of meaning and deeper layers while maintaining its integrity as a story. I think it was very well done, and I hope to find more books like this in the future because PEOPLE NEED TO READ THIS BOOK.
Basically, in summary, I loved this book, and I may be biased because I think Kate is awesome, but I'm a pretty harsh critic so I don't think so. JUST GO READ THE BOOK IT'S AWESOME YOU WILL LOVE IT I WILL LOVE YOU IF YOU LOVE IT. You can't go wrong (;
August 1, 2017
I love stories like this one. Fresh stories about superhumans and different worlds are undoubtably the best, and K.A. Emmons was able to execute it so well in The Blood Race. I got so many X-men/Miss Peregrine vibes while I was reading, but not in a bad way at all. The author was able to take the familiar concepts and make them her own flawlessly.
I could tell that great care and detail were put in developing the universe of dimensions and Sliders, but I still found myself confused from time to time, trying to keep up with explanations or new, complicated aspects of the world. But that's pretty usual for me when starting a new fantasy series. I was able to catch on to what was going on eventually.
I really enjoyed learning about and immersing myself in this new world. This is definitely a first book in a series though, because, while there was a plot, much of the story was spent world-building and explaining how the system works instead of following a lot of action.
This book is very fast paced and filled to the brim with beautifully written descriptions and great characters.
I really loved Hawk. I don't usually care for the dark and mysterious type of characters, but I found that I was more intrigued with her chapters than Ion's. Ion got extremely frustrating sometimes. I didn't hate him necessarily, I just really wanted to lock him up in a basement somewhere so that he would stop messing things up. The secondary characters were also memorable. I adored Fin so much! And I became interested in Sensei as well. I would love to read a book about his backstory.
There are incredible themes of trust and redemption woven throughout the whole story that were amazing! It wasn't until the exciting climax of the book hit that I realized it was an allegory. There were some crazy powerful scenes towards the end --especially between Hawk and Sensei-- that made the reader reflect on their own life without being preachy. It reminded me of a modern, sci-fi, teenage Narnia in a way.
I'm so excited to see where the series will go from here and how K.A. Emmons will grow in her writing and story telling. After that cliff hanger I'm dying for more!
I could tell that great care and detail were put in developing the universe of dimensions and Sliders, but I still found myself confused from time to time, trying to keep up with explanations or new, complicated aspects of the world. But that's pretty usual for me when starting a new fantasy series. I was able to catch on to what was going on eventually.
I really enjoyed learning about and immersing myself in this new world. This is definitely a first book in a series though, because, while there was a plot, much of the story was spent world-building and explaining how the system works instead of following a lot of action.
This book is very fast paced and filled to the brim with beautifully written descriptions and great characters.
I really loved Hawk. I don't usually care for the dark and mysterious type of characters, but I found that I was more intrigued with her chapters than Ion's. Ion got extremely frustrating sometimes. I didn't hate him necessarily, I just really wanted to lock him up in a basement somewhere so that he would stop messing things up. The secondary characters were also memorable. I adored Fin so much! And I became interested in Sensei as well. I would love to read a book about his backstory.
There are incredible themes of trust and redemption woven throughout the whole story that were amazing! It wasn't until the exciting climax of the book hit that I realized it was an allegory. There were some crazy powerful scenes towards the end --especially between Hawk and Sensei-- that made the reader reflect on their own life without being preachy. It reminded me of a modern, sci-fi, teenage Narnia in a way.
I'm so excited to see where the series will go from here and how K.A. Emmons will grow in her writing and story telling. After that cliff hanger I'm dying for more!
March 26, 2018
So, first off,
I AM NOT OK AND I NEED BOOK TWO NOW.
Now for the rest of the review XD
This book starts off full of action(I mean it starts off with a street race, talk about a racing start ;) and the action just continues throughout the whole book.
The characters felt real, were relatable, and their character development was nicely done. We get glimpses of what it means to forgive others and ourselves, and to move on from things in our past in these characters. Also, Hawk, Ion, and Fin are such amazing characters and I want to give them all hugs and protect them and THEY ALL DESERVE HAPPINESS ()
I will admit that some things were kind of confusing at the beginning, but really, what book containing fantasy elements isn't? But K.A. Emmons did a fabulous job at explaining things and bringing us into this other dimension.
Speaking of the other dimension, you get pulled into a stunning world full of superpower abilities.
Overall this was an absolutely wonderful book with beautiful characters<3
~keep reading & keep exploring galaxies~
I AM NOT OK AND I NEED BOOK TWO NOW.
Now for the rest of the review XD
This book starts off full of action(I mean it starts off with a street race, talk about a racing start ;) and the action just continues throughout the whole book.
The characters felt real, were relatable, and their character development was nicely done. We get glimpses of what it means to forgive others and ourselves, and to move on from things in our past in these characters. Also, Hawk, Ion, and Fin are such amazing characters and I want to give them all hugs and protect them and THEY ALL DESERVE HAPPINESS ()
I will admit that some things were kind of confusing at the beginning, but really, what book containing fantasy elements isn't? But K.A. Emmons did a fabulous job at explaining things and bringing us into this other dimension.
Speaking of the other dimension, you get pulled into a stunning world full of superpower abilities.
Overall this was an absolutely wonderful book with beautiful characters<3
~keep reading & keep exploring galaxies~
July 21, 2020
May 2020 Review
This book is one that I go on about time and time again. And the reason is every time I read it, it's different. And yet, it's the same comforting home I've made it to be.
Reading it this time around was slightly more painful. There were ways in which Hawk behaved that hit me differently than it usually does. There were things she did that surfaced wounds in my own heart.
But, in this book, I feel like there is healing, too.
Again, this book... this SERIES... has impacted me so deeply that it will forever remain at the top. Here and there I may call other books my favorite book. But the reality is nothing will beat the feeling of home I have her.
And Fin lives here, so ya know.
This book is one that I go on about time and time again. And the reason is every time I read it, it's different. And yet, it's the same comforting home I've made it to be.
Reading it this time around was slightly more painful. There were ways in which Hawk behaved that hit me differently than it usually does. There were things she did that surfaced wounds in my own heart.
But, in this book, I feel like there is healing, too.
Again, this book... this SERIES... has impacted me so deeply that it will forever remain at the top. Here and there I may call other books my favorite book. But the reality is nothing will beat the feeling of home I have her.
And Fin lives here, so ya know.
November 15, 2019
I was really sorry to give this book such a low rating but I found it to be a major disappointment. The story line held so much promise but literally went nowhere. The character development was sketchy & the little you did get to know of Hawk & Icarus was not flattering to either. She came off as arrogant, impatient & just plain bitchy & he was clueless & stubborn. There was no chemistry between any of characters except for Finn & his sisters. Too bad he wasn’t a main character because he was wasted along with Sensei & Mel. The ending did not inspire me to stick around for the 2nd instalment.
June 22, 2019
This just didn't work for me.
2.5 Stars.This book is edited well. Has characters that just didn't make me want to listen or learn. My favorite character is Finn. He has humor, life, purpose, truth and loss.
2.5 Stars.This book is edited well. Has characters that just didn't make me want to listen or learn. My favorite character is Finn. He has humor, life, purpose, truth and loss.
February 21, 2020
The main reason the book is frustrating for me, is that towards the end the author reveals that she can in fact write in a very tense and satisfying way. If the book started close to the trial at the end and continued from there, I would probably like it.
However, for most of the book I had no reason to care for any of the main characters. First reasons were given around the 40% mark. Even then it didnt resonate much and that is considering I read the prequel first, which was presumably written to combat this very problem.
What constantly took me out of the flow of the story was this guru character with the eastern style mentoring. He wants to nudge people in a direction without giving them all the answers. And that can be done well. But here it screams of terrible leadership. Major evidence is when a character, who had the benefit of a whole hundred years of his mentorship is just as damaged as if her trauma happened last year. He never helped her work through it and resolve it. He just let her burn in her soul and stay unpleasant, distant and unlikeable. Until a guy appears and breaks the stalemate because... Destiny. Gods I hate the chosen one and destiny tropes...
I am currently undecided about reading the next book in a series, because the last twenty pages of this one actually seem to be getting somewhere...
However, for most of the book I had no reason to care for any of the main characters. First reasons were given around the 40% mark. Even then it didnt resonate much and that is considering I read the prequel first, which was presumably written to combat this very problem.
What constantly took me out of the flow of the story was this guru character with the eastern style mentoring. He wants to nudge people in a direction without giving them all the answers. And that can be done well. But here it screams of terrible leadership. Major evidence is when a character, who had the benefit of a whole hundred years of his mentorship is just as damaged as if her trauma happened last year. He never helped her work through it and resolve it. He just let her burn in her soul and stay unpleasant, distant and unlikeable. Until a guy appears and breaks the stalemate because... Destiny. Gods I hate the chosen one and destiny tropes...
I am currently undecided about reading the next book in a series, because the last twenty pages of this one actually seem to be getting somewhere...
June 13, 2018
This book was good, but it wasn't my favorite. It was a little bit predictable, but still interesting.
I know a lot of people really like this book...but I just couldn’t really get into it. I couldn’t really connect with the characters and the plot seemed a bit predictable. That’s not to say that you won’t like the book because a lot of people do. :)
*Disclaimer* I received a free copy of this book in a giveaway.
I know a lot of people really like this book...but I just couldn’t really get into it. I couldn’t really connect with the characters and the plot seemed a bit predictable. That’s not to say that you won’t like the book because a lot of people do. :)
*Disclaimer* I received a free copy of this book in a giveaway.
August 4, 2019
Though an intriguing concept, the characters are so unlikable. You're forced to spend so much time in Hawk's equivocating, emotionally-stunted head. Near the end, I had to start skimming. The thinking and behavior of the characters is nonsensical. Even Sensei talks and acts like a bad fortune cookie. The only character I liked was Fin. And the cliffhanger ending certainly didn't help endear me to the story. 1.5 stars
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