Distant Memories

by J.L. Keathley

About to turn sixteen, Jade was looking forward to getting her first car and a little more freedom. Life, however, had a different path in mind. A thirst for blood and newfound fangs exposed a secret world to her... a world hidden from humanity. To leave behind everything she knew and enter The Shadow Realm, she must embark on a fateful journey to uncover the truth about the past, and understand her strange dreams. Daring efforts to unravel her destiny will reveal new powers, new friends, and very real enemies.

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/PcY0G0t0lGU

Genres: Paranormal

233 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 1, 2018

About the author

J.L. Keathley is a self-published author who focuses on YA Fantasy. She lives in Arkansas with her husband and two daughters. She loves animals and has a variety of pets. She has always loved to read and decided to write what she wants to read about. She likes to travel with her family and find adventures.

Facebook:
https://facebook.com/J.L.Keathley/

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/jlk_ya_author

Bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_girl_like...

Book Review Blog: https://agirllikestoread.wordpress.com/

Newsletter:
https://mailchi.mp/0db212c5f57f/jlkea...

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-l-k...

Reviews

[Jasmine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uh, oh. Nope. I expected quite a lot from this book, or from this author, since she was pretty interactive with her readers/followers on her social media platforms, which really left me with a good impression on her. However, after reading the first few pages of the book, I realized what a mistake I'd made right away. Much to my disappointment, there was nothing wrong with the plot or the character development in general; what truly got to me was the author's writing style and her overall structure of the story. The paragraphs and sentences were not properly edited, making the book difficult to read, and I personally thought some parts of the book were completely redundant, which not only didn't make any difference to the story itself, but further lengthened the already-long-enough story. All in all, it was a real disappointment reading this book and I, unfortunately, wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is very clinical and factual, like reading a textbook. There’s no emotions and you don’t know what the characters are thinking or feeling. Everyone is flat and has no real depth to them.

The story is very good but it does have a little too much going on. The MC jumps from one thing to the next very quickly. It really needs someone to come in and breathe life into all the characters and make them more three dimensional. There was no build up to any of the events that took place, they just happened and then the characters moved on to the next event.

Jade has lost her parents and lives with her grandmother. She’s about to turn 16 and doesn’t know she’s about to become a vampire. She is from the Shadow Realm and doesn’t know anything about it as she was adopted by a human family. All of the Shadow Creatures transition at midnight on their 16th birthday. She had no idea what was going on when she started to turn. Her new friend Lavy, also from the Shadow Realm, was there to help her through her transition and with how to deal with the every day afterwards. She has to learn how to navigate her new world while there are creatures trying to kill her.

[Paige Martin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book needs a lot of help. The simple structure of the sentences makes it difficult to read. Dialogue isn't paragraphed as it should be in several places. And then the entire first few chapters could be deleted as they do nothing to add to the story. I went to high school, I don't need to relive it. The characters are dull. On scenes I should be upset (I won't spoil) I'm not and honestly found myself trying to push through.

I don't understand the 5 star reviews as it makes the book sound great and I feel they've done an injustice to the author by encouraging her to publish something that still seems to be in it's early stages.

It needs a professional edit. The story has potential but it was way too soon to publish.

Needless to say I couldn't finish.

[Maria Vermisoglou · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't supposed to read this book but I got through my other books quickly. I am glad I read this book because it was amazing and exceptional and original. It blends all the supernatural creatures and magic along with the human world and it's all very balanced.
Jade is about to turn 16 and is so ready for the best party ever. Having lost her parents very young and finding she was adopted changed her but now she lives with her grandmother and things are looking up. When she turns 16 she gets through a big change involving pains and unpleasant things. Next thing she knows she's a vampire! What? How? Now Jade struggles with understanding this new world and figuring out her new diet (vampires drink blood). The problems continue as she found her boyfriend butchered and learned that he was someone who would kill her. Jade must do everything to protect her mortal friends and her supernatural friends. There is an evil lurking out to get them all. Will Jade be able to survive? What are these dreams she's having? What's her connection with Lavy? Can she balance the real world and the supernatural world together?
It was an interesting read and original. I liked the fact that the author made another story about vampires rather than take the existing myths. I loved the book and I am excited to read the next adventure and more about Jade's lives.

Find a more detailed review here: https://maraki2311.wixsite.com/wonderpen

[Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

The storyline driving Distant Memories has huge potential but sadly it wasn't as good as it could have been.

I encountered several spelling and grammar errors throughout the book which always puts me off and is easily avoided by good editing.

The plot is a coming of age story within a supernatural context and weaves different elements of supernatural lore together. Sadly the pacing and character development is off for this. I felt like I had a limited connection to the main character, had no idea what drives her, her fears, her quirks etc. and she felt a bit one dimensional.

I think it's because the book is so condensed where it could really be expanded to do more character building and focusing on integrating the plot into the characters lives realistically and tying it together better. I felt like I was reading a diary or fan fiction instead of a novel. The story jumped from dramatic effect to dramatic event with little build up and it didn't come together smoothly.

Overall it's not a bad read but I feel a little bit extra time into editing, character development and pacing would make it a much better book and easier to read.

[Selene Kallan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis:
About to turn sixteen, Jade was looking forward to getting her first car and a little more freedom. Life, however, had a different path in mind. A thirst for blood and newfound fangs exposed a secret world to her... a world hidden from humanity. To leave behind everything she knew and enter The Shadow Realm, she must embark on a fateful journey to uncover the truth about the past, and understand her strange dreams. Daring efforts to unravel her destiny will reveal new powers, new friends, and very real enemies.

Review:
So, I'm a sucker for fanged creatures, and J.L. Keathley has done them beautifully.
Jade is a good MC, easily likable and interesting, her journey to discover her true identity one that you'll want to follow.
The plot is paced nicely, with a good dose of action to keep you entertained, and mysteries to unravel. The romantic interest is very well done, not feeling forced at any moment.
I really liked the mythology, it's unique and beautiful.
And that end, damn, talking about cliffhangers.
I can't wait for book 2.

[Cassandra **The Bibliophagist** · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

I really enjoyed the storyline of this tale.
There were a few issues I ran into. The first was that the nook issue has some formatting errors. Indentations are not all even, there are a few small images that do not appear as well. I did not remove any stars for this, as it is difficult to format properly and is often the fault of the publisher, not the author.
Throughout the book, I found spelling errors, grammatical errors, and some punctuational errors. This could be remedied by a longer, more thorough editing. These errors often took my attention away from the text. The overall sentence structure also made it difficult to read at times.
The beginning of the book seemed flat...lacking depth in characters and writing. There were many opportunities for dialogue that were not used. I did not feel any connection with the characters. The story seemed flat because there were many chances to increase the amount of detail that were not taken advantage of.
I feel that many of these issues could be taken care of by allowing more detail throughout and internal thoughts of the main character. The book seems very condensed, removing many chances for an explanation of characters' feelings, thoughts, etc. I feel this would allow the reader to connect more with the characters.

Overall, I really did like this book...it just needs a bit of work. It seems as if it was rushed to be published when it should have remained in editing a while.
I will say that I look forward to the second book. Hopefully, it is more polished in the end. I want to know what happens to Jade and her friends.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story and fairly unique plot line. Definitely a great read for YA and those who are just young at heart and love a good fantasy read. I would have given 5 stars however a few points seemed to drag out a bit. Aside from that, it's a winner!

In this book we follow Jade. She has lost both her parents little over a year prior and is living with her maternal grandmother. As her 16th birthday comes closer, things begin changing. First the dreams of a distant world and seeing things no one else seems to see, then one of her teachers is found murdered followed by... well, you will have to read to learn more ;) When she learns she has changed into a vampire, her world comes crashing down around her.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author did a very good job with her debut book. I really enjoyed the story line and characters. The characters developed and came into themselves nicely during the story. I did fell like there was some unnecessary details thrown in and a few things got repeated but those things wouldn't stop me from reading and enjoying book #2.

[Joey Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up as it sounded interesting, a story of a change at the age of sixteen and thrown into a world she knows nothing about, Jade is quick to adapt to the newness all around her. I loved the way the story was told, loved Jade and her point of view and the friends that she surrounded herself with. It was an engaging read, and beautifully written. A solid four stars!

[Brenna Vreeland · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story line has a lot of potential, but is very dry. I don’t feel the emotions of the MC at all. It’s very “I did this” “I did that” “I don’t/do like this” there’s also quite a bit of editing mistakes that made it hard for me to push through.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique paranormal story with twists. I loved the vivid descriptions that brought the characters to life, so that you could picture them in your mind. Feel the emotions of the characters, and the ending leaving you wanting to know more. Great first book!

[Ashleigh Pate · Rating 5 out of 5]

just finished Distant Memories & I'm not going to post spoilers but WOW! JL Keathley YA Author you need to hurry up & finish book 2 I'm dying here to find out what happens!!!

[Denise Woodruff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried but I couldn't get past chapter 3 it didn't hold my interest plus it reminds me of another book I read a month just way to similar that book wasn't for me either

[The Endless Unread · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining read. From the very first page you are thrown into the action. A gripping tale that promises to be a good series.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting enjoyable read. I loved the unique plot. This Author is new to me but I will be looking for more. I definitely recommend it.

[Mushirah Hasan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keep up the great work! 😊

[Nicole Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rather enjoyed this book. I thought it was well written. very good work from this author.

[Jenn Bradshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally appeared at http://bit.ly/TRBDisMemRev Thrice Read Books received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Debut novels are always fun to read - it's a gamble on the part of a book reviewer. Some are downright terrible (I don't finish these, let alone review them). Others are amazing - well written, beautifully edited, brilliantly plotted and put-together.

J.L. Keathley's debut novel, Distant Memories, falls somewhere in between the extremes. This book challenged my inner editor - and while the first half of the book was a challenge, the author has a method to her seeming madness.

Distant Memories is told from the point of view of a 16 year old girl. In style, if not in form, this book reads much like my high school journals. Conventional style and comma usage is out the window.

It took me half of the book to realize that this was intentional, and not faulty editing (my interview with J.L. confirmed my suspicions). Once I got my noisy inner editor to go sit in a corner and hush (because the author had a reason for how she wrote this book), this is an awesome plot line. And the best news? There's more coming.

The final tally:

This isn't an easy book to read from a style perspective. If you are someone who must have their novel in the standard, conventional style (each speaker in a conversation gets a new paragraph, commas in the right places) - this isn't the book for you. If, however, you can approach a novel with an open mind, and enjoy a well-told story, this is an awesome debut for Ms. Keathley.

[talls · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first glance, Distant Memories seems a little strange. It isn't your typical impeccably edited novel, but instead J.L Keathley chooses to work outside of the novel standard and write a book with mistakes. This, is a style choice and an incredible one at that.

The story follows Jade, a teenager who lives in Texarkana, Arkansas. She's your typical, All-American teen who lives with her friendly and wonderful grandmother and has the best of best friends. The book is told from her point of view and very much reads like a teenager's diary.

In the beginning, the book is slow, but once it comes time for Jade's 16th birthday, everything changes very quickly. Jade undergoes an incredible transformation from her human self into something so much more. Her world becomes bigger and brighter and a lot more confusing.

She loses people, she finds people, and she becomes an adult in such a short amount of time. That's where things get even weirder. J.L Keathley writes this story wonderfully, every single part of it written like a diary entry from Jade's point of view as she slowly discovers who she really is and what her place is in the world.

The numerous twists and turns and big reveals had me reeling for the entire book. There is still so much to learn and know about Jade and her new shadow realm family.

This book is incredible and always left me guessing. The big reveal at the end ALONE was enough to make me shout "WHAT THE HECK!!" angrily at the sky.

Well done, J.L I cannot wait for the second book, Impossible Decisions, when it is released in 2019.

[Heather Preece · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is amazing no matter how many times you read it. It is a must read! It is exquisitely written and intriguing. A story you can't put down. The descriptive imagery in this story brings it to life and awakens all the senses of the reader. The reader sees the sights, feels the temperatures, energies, and emotions of the characters, they feel the pain physical and emotional of the characters and hear and sense what the characters do. The characters tastes, preferences, and personalities become a reality to the reader as if they were those of themselves or their best friend. Emotional, heart warming story full of adventure and courage.

[Pike Perrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I love a good plot twist, or two, or three...J.L. Keathley pulls you into a world of paranormal beings as you follow the journey of Jade, a young girl who learns more then she bargained for on her 16th birthday; about herself and the world around her. As the story progresses seamlessly and in beautiful detail, Jade grows into a strong-willed, determined, and self-less heroine. With an amazing cast of characters at her side, particularly Falcon and Lavy, you can't help but become engrossed in this novel.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for all things paranormal. I couldn’t wait to read this one. Poor Jade and her dreams. I can relate. I was not expecting this coming of age novel. I would enter the Shadow Realm if given the chance and I can’t wait to read more of it. The prologue to me was a bit confusing but it worked itself out by the time I was immersed in the book. I felt like the ending left you hanging but that’s good because now I want to read more and I can’t wait for the next book.

[Crystal Bookreader Amason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. So much detail but it's not overwhelming. I'm sad that I have to wait a year to find out how Jade and Luna end up. The characters have great personalities. I felt like I was really there.

[JP Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written! Very good book and I really enjoyed reading this book. Another great book from a great author!