Order of Vespers

Vespers Chronicles #1

by Matilda Reyes

Jasper Andrews is in over her head. God and the Devil have disappeared from Earth, leaving humanity without hope. Il Separatio, the Entity of Neutrality, tries to restore peace through the intervention of its children, the Order of Vespers. They are tasked with maintaining the balance between light and dark, ensuring that no faction becomes too powerful. They think Jasper is the key to harnessing the power of Il Separatio, protecting the Vespers and maintaining the balance. ---- Eighteen-year-old Jasper Andrews finds herself drawn into this superhuman world when a freak explosion exposes her to groups interested in secret abilities. When her family is killed under unbelievable circumstances, Jasper is the only suspect. She flees police custody and heads to New York City to lose herself in the crowds. Jasper wants revenge, but being chased by the police and superhuman bad guys, slows her down. While she’s in hiding Jasper becomes more volatile; she begins manifesting traces of her siblings’ abilities and begins to lose control. The Order of Vespers has decided she’s too dangerous and too important to leave unguarded and capture her. Before she can escape, the killers strike again, this time taking children directly connected to the Order. Jasper is forced to choose between her vendetta and the lives of the Vespers and humanity.

Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal, Science Fiction

Kindle Edition

First published May 22, 2016

About the author

Matilda Reyes was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. She’s lived on both coasts, loves experiencing different seasons, and will never say no to a cup of hot chocolate.

Matilda loves books of all genres but has a special place in her heart for urban fantasy like the Dresden Files and the Iron Druid series. She owns more books than she could possibly read and has a passion for buying books from indie authors.

Matilda lives in Miami, Florida with her husband and dog.

Reviews

[Charlie Weir · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. It does not impact on my feedback or opinion in any way. *Spoiler free*

Review:

This book is one of those book that is short but sweet, adding the awesomeness of a YA novel to a really original take on the ideas of good and evil. I loved the fact that some of the characters were neither good nor evil as it means that there is really cool. will they wont they about the book and the narrative.

I love the way that the reader is allowed to question the judgement of the heroine, Jasper at every turn and that he is such a strong willed character. The deep emotional baggage and scars make the reader question the past of the character and show how it effects Jasper into her later life. As it is a story about one persons life and not a story involving more than one POV you get to question the choices of the lead character and really dig into the motivations of her actions.

The fiction is really well written and when humans have nothing, the ol’fight for survival really comes out. The in depth description and constant development of Jasper as her situation changes is a really nice pint in the narrative and well focused. I fell in love with the twists in the plot and the way that i found it hard to predict what was coming because there are always decisions to be made about different paths to take.

For a fantasy novel, this was original, fast paced, well written, well developed and perfectly captured book and I would totally recommend it to anyone looking for a new take on the good vs evil phenomena and a really awesome read!

[Ray Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Order of Vespers by Elyse Reyes is a great young adult novel. What I found most fascinating was a protagonist with a split personality. Up until the moment I began a relationship with a woman who had this mental condition I thought it was something made up to make books and movies more interesting. But it is real and it is more common than people realize but yeah, it does make books more interesting and Jasper Lee Andrews, the protagonist of Order of Vespers is a perfect example of one way this can work. It’s like having two protagonists in one. On top of the split personality syndrome, Jasper is a twin. So yeah, it’s complicated.

I think teenage girls will especially like Order of Vespers. I think Jasper Lee Andrews and her particular situation will resonate with them. Boys will like it too, but the girls will love it. It’s been a long time since I was a teenager but the plight of a high school girl trying to learn her place in the world and learning how to control herself and her powers still appealed to me. I also like a good conspiracy. That is another thing I liked about Order of Vespers. I got the feeling that Elyse Reyes is just starting out as a writer but she manages to create an ancient conspiracy that any seasoned writer would be proud of. A great plot and great character development push Order of Vespers to the top of the well-done list.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Order of Vespers is a paranormal/ dark urban fantasy by Elyse Reyes. It has an original and intriguing storyline that explores the world of good and evil, order and chaos; and the Order of people who possess special abilities that are tasked with maintaining the universal balance. It is very complex story that has suspense, action, drama, mystery- and contains a lot of graphic violence.
Jasper Andrews appears to be a fairly ordinary 18 year old- she is a high achieving student, always on the Honor Role, is a formidable member of the debate team and a former cheerleader. She has a twin brother who she has a love/hate relationship with and an older sister who she really admires. Her family is pretty close-knit and supportive, if not a little overprotective. They value their privacy and don’t like drawing attention to themselves. Appearances can be deceiving, as life for Jasper and the Andrew’s family is far from ‘normal’ or ‘ordinary’; they are constantly vigilant and guarded in order to protect their secrets……. that they possess powerful, superhuman abilities.
So when Jasper finds herself at the centre of an investigation after a freak explosion destroys part of her school, the family must take measures to minimise any potential threat or unwanted attention being focused on them- to avoid being exposed. The police become the least of their worries as they come to the attention of a covert group, who have sinister interests in their secret abilities.
Then Jasper becomes the sole survivor of her family, after they are all killed in a terrible and devastating event. She finds herself in the unfortunate situation of being the only suspect in her family’s murder. Taken into custody, Jasper must try and find a means to escape- her desire for vengeance is the only thing holding her together in her overwhelming grief.
An opportunity presents itself and Jasper is finely able to escape police custody. She is drawn to New York City, where she hopes to blend into the crowds and avoid detection. But, unknowingly she has found her way to the Order of Vespers, who are aware of her, and of her plight.
The Order of Vespers are the children of an ancient and all powerful entity called Il Separatio, who holds the balance between God and the Devil, light and dark, good and evil, order and chaos. The Orders is tasked with keeping the peace, maintaining the balance and making sure that neither side gains too much power. Jasper may just hold the key to restoring the balances and protecting the Vespers and humanity from annihilation- since God and the Devil have disappeared.
But Jaspers abilities continue to strengthen and become harder to control. She becomes volatile and unpredictable- unable to fully control her power; she’s become a danger to herself and all those around her. The Vespers have no choice but to lock her up until she can control her abilities. But people of the order are disappearing at an alarming rate and danger is on the doorstep. Will Jasper learn to control her abilities in time to help the cause? Is she the key to harnessing the powers of Il Separatio and protecting the Vespers and humanity? Will she be able to restore the balance, or will the evil overcome her and win in the end?
I really liked the concept of this story- I thought the plot was unique and sounded really interesting. The author really does write well and has quite a dynamic and robust style to her writing. The story is quite detailed and the plot is very complex- so many elements and layers went into crafting this story. I thought the author did a fairly good job at choreographing these details…..
But…from the synopsis of the story and all the wonderful ideas that went into it, this book could be really exceptional, a shining star- instead, for me, it just missed the mark because there were a lot of holes in the plot. I felt that the story became far too complex; I didn’t think that the story needed to be quite so intricate; it became hard to follow in parts and booged down as the author tried to pull the elements together. Unfortunately, some areas missed her attention to detail- others were overly explained and other parts which needed explanation or expansion were overlooked or missed completely. Small things, such as a character named Mikael suddenly became Michael for a few chapters, and then back to Mikael again. Little things- which, if they had been corrected, would have made this a truly stellar read.
There are scenes in the story which are quite dark, gritty and graphically violent, and were really hard to read! Ms. Reyes didn’t shy away from these elements and added a dark, raw realism to her story.
The characters were really wonderful. I was devastated for Jasper and was with her every step of the way, cheering her on to succeed. I was hoping that she and Jordy would connect more as the story evolved and was disappointed that this aspect was only lightly touched on. I am hoping that there will be another book, where we get to explore this connection between them in more detail.
The author alludes to there being more in store for the characters- So, I look forward to reading the next book and finding out what happens, as this book ended on somewhat of a cliff-hanger.

Thank you Ms. Reyes!

[Ashley Muriello · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read the next one. I gave this 4 stars, because even though it was an amazing book that I could not put down, there were a couple of times where I was reading something and had no idea what they were talking about. It threw me out of the story and I had to re-read certain parts just to figure out what was happening. But overall it was a very well told story and all the characters were unique and interesting.

[Coco.V]

🎁 The complete Vespers Chronicles Series (3 book series) is FREE on Amazon today (3/12/2020)! 🎁

[Anni M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that I picked up and did not want to put down. Sometimes it was confusing, but I liked it and finished in a day!

[Anita Glover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elyse Reyes is planning and writing a sequel to this book. You can visit her author page on Amazon to read her blog on progress so far.
Jasper Andrews was born with special powers that as she grew up she learnt to hide as best she could. Rather difficult considering the type of power she has, especially when going through all the emotional angst of being a teenager. We pick up her story when she is eighteen and it’s getting more difficult to hide. Her twin brother and her sister also have powers, more controllable than hers and much easier to hide.
Events overtake Jasper and she is forced to go ‘on the run’ to escape the consequences of her uncontrolled power and also to escape a group of people her mother has warned her are after ‘their kind’ to destroy them. Who can she trust? Where can she go? What happens when her emotions and her power get the best of her? To make matters worse Jasper is a ‘split personality’ and her other self she calls ‘She’ or ‘Her’ is more aggressive than she is. This gives her something else to control, although she also needs to rely and act on their instincts as they both can sense danger when it is near.
Jasper is forcefully taken in ‘off the streets’ by Jordan McAllister. When she wakes up she finds herself within a complex. Whilst she is not exactly a prisoner, neither is she free. Gradually she learns there are other people like her and like her they can use their powers to kill or destroy. Jasper learns she belongs by birth to the ‘Order of Vespers’. She has to learn the history of her people (The Order of Vespers) and how to harness and control her power. Ultimately she learns that she is the key to maintaining the order and the balance between light and dark; good and evil.
As an eighteen year old with a split or dual personality Jaspers emotions and reactions can be unpredictable and irrational. Dakarai, Mikael and Jordan are charged with helping her to be in control, make smarter, better decisions and to be able fight to save her life. As usual for Jasper things don’t come easy. As events unfold we follow Jasper as she is at times angry, funny, sarcastic, sympathetic and reflective as she learns to listen to her own instincts and be ready to act on them. Who can she trust? Is everyone who they really say they are? Can she really help maintain the balance between good and evil?
Straight away an action-packed start intrigues you and pulls you in to this story. Elyse Reyes has great potential as an author. Her writing style is fast paced but events and characters are created, detailed and told with depth. As a reader I saw Jasper in 3D: her doubts, insecurities, weaknesses, strengths, humour, desires, anger; everything a real person would be like. There were times when you doubted her and couldn’t quite trust her to do what she had to do. The other characters are complex too. Their dialogue and body language detailed their true thoughts and responses to Jasper’s character and events.
The plot was complex with many twists and turns taking you on a rollercoaster ride. At one point I wasn’t sure whether the ‘Order of Vespers’ were actually the ‘good guys’ but then this was explained and resolved in a way that made sense. Elyse Reyes writes in a thoughtful and reflective style. The ending is a bit of ‘cliff hanger’ that leaves way for the next instalment (sequel) in Jasper’s journey. I look forward to it being published.

[Lydia Chalker · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a hodgepodge of plot lines comes ‘Order of Vespers’, a tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat with a constantly expanding story. There was almost too much expansion and I wish that Ms. Reyes would have either kept her story simple or elaborated enough that I would have been able to follow her ideas. I was hooked from the beginning but the plot twists and rapidly changing storylines made for a difficult read. Just when I thought I was submerged in the story and beginning to grasp where Ms. Reyes was headed, the plot would change or characters would say something cryptic that was never explained. Overall, I enjoyed ‘Vespers’, however, I did not want to be left wondering about so many points that I thought would have been expounded upon.

Amidst explosive chaos in her high school (literally), we meet Jasper. She wakes up among the rubble, not quite knowing what happened even though she was in the center of the explosion without a scratch. We soon learn, though, that this has happened to Jasper before. The school wants to have her arrested for terrorizing the school by setting off a bomb but the arrival of her lawyer sister, who has an uncanny ability to influence other people's decisions, rescues Jasper from certain incarceration.
Back at home, Jasper’s parents are dismayed at her lack of control over her explosive abilities. They remind her that “the boogieman” (at least, that’s what Jasper calls them) can find their family more easily if she continues to expose herself and endanger her family. With heavy hearts, they decide to contact friends of long lost relatives to come and take Jasper away where she can learn to control her outbursts. Her twin brother, Jude vows to find her as soon as he can. However, before Jasper even leaves, she watches from the woods as her house with all of her family members inside, explodes. She knows she is responsible, but then, who is?
On the run from the cops, she is recognized by a man she doesn't know and gets knocked out and abducted. When she wakes, she is in a strange compound full of people with unique abilities like her. After much hesitation, she is inducted into the Order of Vespers, where she learns that her gifts are stronger than anyone else’s and she is the key to saving everyone from “the boogieman” and restoring balance to the world.
With the help from her three quirky sidekicks, who are also her trainers and mentors, we follow Jasper’s journey. But time is running out as the evil approaches. Can Jasper learn everything she needs to know before the showdown? More importantly, can she learn to control the fiery alter-ego raging inside her?

[Laura Furuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Order of Vespers
By: Elyse Reyes
5 out of 5 stars

The story Order of Vespers by Elyse Reyes is a paranormal/dark fantasy book. This is the story of Jasper Andrews. In a short period of time, she has gone from a high-school student to being abducted by a group that believes her vital to maintaining the balance between light and dark. Jasper has always known that she has special abilities, now she has to learn to control them. Is Jasper being told the whole truth behind the reason she is so important and what is the end game?

This book is so fascinating. There are many different characters with different personalities and abilities. I really found Jasper a wonderful character. She is smart, extremely humorous, and sarcastic, qualities that I love to see in the main character of a book. For me, it makes the story more interesting. Jasper is also grieving a tragic loss. This loss gives her the incentive and the strength to go on. At times Jasper has quite a temper and is known to lash out at those around her. It is at these times that she loses control of herself and her power. Jasper has a mentor whose role is to guide her through her training and make sure she is in control of herself and her power at all times. Jasper also has two trainers that she becomes very close with. They bond with Jasper and both come to adore her. I love the bantering back and forth between Jasper and those around her.

This book is a wild ride through a world where things are not always straight forward and people are not always who they seem to be. I love the details that are given as to the origins of the Entity of Neutrality and the Order of Vespers along with the work that they are involved in. This is the first book I have read by the author and can’t wait to read more of her work. She has created a story that will have you turning pages to find out what happens and then wanting to read more once you have finished.

[Maura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Order of Vespers Elyse Reyes 4 stars

Order of Vespers was a blind read for me. I knew a basic premise based on the categorization on Amazon, but nothing else. I really enjoyed the book. The pacing was quick and packed with action. The characters were interesting to meet and the history behind the Order made sense in regards to what is happening in the here and now. In the hierarchy the “levels of management” are based on powers the individual holds.

This is the story of Jasper (who is a female and it took me a minute to realize this) and her quest to discover what her world is all about. She goes from a “normal” teenager to something entirely different in the matter of a few short events. Even though Jasper is gaining abilities with all of her training, she can still be a bratty eighteen year old who doesn’t always follow directions.

Jordan is one of her trainers. Jasper and Jordan have a unique bond, something that sets them apart from others. There is a tight knit circle of trusted advisors who surround Jasper in her training. They become friends and care for each other very much. There is a fine balance between morality and survival. This is a classic tale of good vs evil. Not everyone is whom they appear to be and not everyone has humanities best interest at heart. In the story, there is a lot of underlying drama going on that is never really explained (I won’t list my questions here because I don’t want to spoil it for you).

I walked away from this book wanting MORE from it. While it is an enjoyable read, this story feels unfinished. It does end in a cliffhanger so perhaps all the nuances will be explained in the next installment.

I would recommend this book to you if you are looking for something a little bit different.

[Karen Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading Order of Vespers by Elyse Reyes - it had everything I enjoy, a strong female character (Jasper) , an annoying twin brother Jude, her law abiding sister Olivia (whom Jasper labels lawyer-slash-part time assassin. Jasper is an unknown coming into her powers and has to save the world and solve the struggle between good and bad.

The book starts when Jasper’s powers evolve where she causes havoc in her school. Unusually she blacks out but suspicious is still high. Very quickly this escalates and she also feels guilty for flattening her family homestead. She escapes and stumbles on some “new friends” who abduct her and introduce her to her destiny - obviously to save the world.

I loved the relationship between Jasper and her trainer Jordy - who was more alike her than anyone else. She made friends with Mikael and Dakarai who are challenged to educate her in her role in The Circle but apart from that she doesn't mingle at all.

Jasper is a bad ass - Elyse Reyes writes her with some humour, seriousness and a straightforward approach that made me intrigued and want to read on and on and on. I quote “my life had devolved into the shittiest and most depressing supernatural sitcom of all time”.

It was interesting to read what all of the other characters’ powers were and how they pooled them to use their knowledge and skill to fight for justice.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, it was well written and drew me in. I can't wait for the sequel.

[Dawn Daughenbaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 star

Order Vespers By Elyse Reyes

 

Order of Vespers By Elyse Reyes is my first book by this author,I will definitely be reading more I really enjoyed this book,in fact I had a extremely hard time putting it down.This story is about Jasper who is strong willed,unpredictable. She's accused of blowing stuff up and starting a fire in which her family was killed.Jasper has a special gift and is taken by a group that try to teach her how to use her special gift. She is a smart,but she tries to make you think she's a bad girl,she has no idea how to control her special gift. Jasper has issues and some scars that make you question the ability to trust.This story is amazing really it draws you in,as you read you feel like your on this journey with her.You feel like you feel every emotion she's feeling.Theres some twists and turns, but at time you're not sure what's going to happen next. That's the parts that really draw you in.i was on the edge of my seat at some parts.the order of Vespers are a trying to restore the order of peace through intervention. Their task is to maintain balance between the light and dark,to insure no faction becomes to powerful .Is Jasper the answer there looking for?Can she help in maintaining balance? I highly recommend this book especially if you are into  fantasy /sci-fi.

[Danny Maldonado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and easy to read fantasy novel.

I had the pleasure of meeting Elyse Reyes in the Artist Alley of MegaCon 2017 in Orlando. It was there that she talked to me about her two books, the first one being "Order of Vespers". Prior to this book, I have never read a fantasy book, because of how complicated sometimes I find them. She mentioned that the book was an easy read compared to some other books out there. I have it a try and it didn't disappoint at all. I even had my kids read it on his Kindle at the same time and he finished it before me and asked me to get him the next book (which I did). Can't wait to read your next book. Thanks Elyse for your book and recommendation.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Order of Vespers has to balance the light and dark. It’s an impossible to put down type of story. Has you intrigued from the start. Loved it.

[I.A. Cintron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this book is simply amazing because what book doesn't start with the main character waking up in the middle of an explosion that originates from her? I really enjoyed the story and the plot of the book, it was really exciting to see Jasper grow inside the order and how her relationship with Jordy grew as well and how she, Mikael and Dakarai became friends. I hope this book has a sequel and doesn't leaves us wanting with that cliff hanger at the end

[Rick Lott]

Geared towards young adults but I loved it. Elyse has talent!

[Gala Mertens · Rating 5 out of 5]

is a very good book that I recommend everyone who sees this review

[Beth Skye · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such an interesting book and I really wish that Goodreads made half star ratings because I believed this was a 3.5
I started reading the book and was already through the first chapter before I even read the back blurb. The MC, Jasper Andrews, is a funny, sarcastic, and smart girl. She is also not white (yay for diversity) and most of the other supporting main characters aren't your typical white English speaking only group. Big points for that. Also there is actual Spanish in the book and even though it's translated, I had fun figuring it out.

Bring out the super powers: I don't even have to feel bad for saying that the abilities are kind of reminiscent of The X-Men, because the author is cool enough to throw all the fun pop culture references in. There is even a character quoting George R R Martin!
I'm glad there will be a sequel as the premise of the story wasn't fully explained. It was more about Jasper and figuring out how she fits into this bizarre world. Add an extra personality that really wants to kill people and you up that ante. I suppose with great power comes the responsibility to reign in that crazy voice in your head.

Was there romance or love triangles? No to the triangles and a very light undercurrent of liking a guy, but this wasn't a huge thing. They were trainees, sort of enemies, sort of friends, sort of hurting each others feelings. Not a romance, a friendship that could be more, maybe in the next book?

Was there swearing, sex, and/or graphic violence? Yes, no, yes. So yeah I'd recommend this for 16+ as there are F bombs dropped and pretty graphic scenes of violence. Hey, no sex though (not that I'm bothered either way)!

Why didn't you give it a higher rating? Okay well that's very valid. I really enjoyed the book. But some things were never explained, just forgot about. Time had no easily perceived flow. That was especially irritating to go to the next subheading and be confused because months had passed but weren't addressed right away. It left you a bit off center and tossed you out of the story. There were grammatical errors (which as a librarian I find in most books, but there were quite a few in this) that bothered me. Also a main supporting character's name completely changed for a few pages (*see please page 98 where Mikael became Michael for a bit, then back to being Mikael) which I don't understand how an editor could have missed. No, this wasn't a different personality or another character, it was just a mistake.

My general take on this book was that it had a strong story and main character. It was fun, yet you felt the frustration Jasper was experiencing. Her personal growth and ability to accept herself more was inspiring. You root for her from the start and really don't stop. I hope there is a sequel or trilogy because I'd like to know more fully about this world. Plus with the ending being a cliffhanger, well, I'm dying to know what happens next!

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of Order of Vespers in exchange for an honest review.

By the end of the first page I was intrigued and hooked. I love Jasper as a name for a girl! I didn't like Jasper at the beginning, but I hoped this would pave the way for character development. While I wasn't keen on Jasper, I loved her relationship with her twin brother Jude and how they interacted.

I did find Order of Vespers quite confusing and difficult to follow. I didn't warm to Jasper throughout the book, nor anyone from the Order. Despite this Order of Vespers was very well written with the dialogue and description fitting together nicely.

After the very strong start, the novel was disappointing but I would hope everything becomes clearer in the sequel.

[Brittney Haase · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review. I very much wanted to like this book, and in many spaces it is a wonderful book. My issue with it is:
1. The beginning does nothing to introduce you to anything of the story, and even reading the book I remained confused the majority of the time.
2. The transitions are very sudden and seem random, adding to the confusion of the book.
3. The book does not have a set pace, and jumps around quite a lot.

I am not saying it's a bad book, but it did very little to catch and keep my interest

Full disclosure: I did not finish this book. I just couldn't bring myself to. I was so lost.

[Marissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodreads Signed Copy Win

Jasper Andrews life changed one day when she finds herself unconscious after she somehow blew up her school and then her house blew up killing her parents and family members.

She finds herself taken in by a group of people like herself with powers who have ulterior motives. They want to use he powers for their own use. In a world where you cannot trust anyone, Jasper life is in danger no matter what she does.

Will she be able to survive in the end? An interesting read.

[S.K. Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jasper has the ability to blow things up and now its gotten her into a lot of trouble. Her family try to send her away, but she witnesses them all being killed. Alone, she is taken in by a secret group who try to teach her to use her abilities.
This was an interesting read, Jasper is a good character, very witty and sarcastic. I would recommend it.

[jensiddoway jensiddoway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I really enjoyed this story, once I got started I couldn't put it down. AMAZING READ!! I highly recommend it, but only if you can afford to loose the next day and a half sucked into a book. I can't wait to read the next one:)

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t even convey how much I loved this story! I was able to go on this rollercoaster ride with Jasper. I felt her pain and laughed at her silliness. I could hardly stop listening as she traveled down this road. The other characters were just as interesting. They each drew me into their world. They all have a fun side as well as this crazy alter ego side. They made me just wanted to know more about them. They all mesh very well with Jasper. Well except a few...but that’s to be expected.

I can’t wait to read the next in the series. I was saddened when the story was over. That sneak peek into Book 2 only wetted my appetite more.

I listened to this on audio. This is my first Monica Jaye narration. She did wonderful. I could hear the terror, shame and giddiness in her voice. Nice Job!

[J.R. Schuyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Order of Vespers” is a novel about a girl called Jasper Andrews, who has secret powers she must hide from the world. There’s a lot more to it than that, but I don’t want to give away spoilers, so I’ll just say this: it’s a very unique book.

The main character was very well developed. She’s a strong person with a multi-faceted personality, but despite that, I didn’t like her. That’s a matter of personal taste though, and certainly not an error on the author’s part! The other characters were great too.

The pacing was mostly good, though it was very uneven in places. It was never boring, but sometimes it summed up what happened instead of describing it. I totally get why you'd want to speed past things that are irrelevant, but at the same time, it felt a bit disorienting.

I will most likely read the sequel at some point.

[Amber Daniels · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really had high hopes for this book and it was great in the beginning, but it just went flat for me from that point. Jasper - our heroine- starts out in trouble for blowing up her school. Then her parents are preparing to ship her off to somewhere with more control. Before she can fully grasps the changes she will be facing, her whole world blows up and she awakes to find herself kidnapped by this secret order. They start training her to take her rightful spot among them. and the rest of the book is basically training her. I wanted more excitement, more ..... I might revisit this book at a later date if so I will update my review.

[Spire Metro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright, Alright in the words of Matthew McConaughey. Matilda Reyes has created something significant here. Impactful combat, atypical character psychology, with a pacey plot that leaves room for the expanding world-building.

She lists her favorite authors and it shows through in her writing without feeling or being a retelling (Jim Butcher, Karen Marie Moning, and Brent Weeks included).

The only difficulty for me was following some of the dialog which felt purposeful due to the psychology of many of the characters.

Recommended read!? YES of course. And after that ending, not a cliffhanger, I need to know what happens in the rest of the series. On to, The Circle.

[Caroline Noe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teen Jasper has the nasty habit of blowing things up. Add to that a lurking split personality and she's a handful for her family. But when hidden enemies rip her life wide open, the truth of her abilities threatens to devastate her world, and ours.

Reyes' coming of age fantasy is a rare commodity in that she manages to imbue the usual tropes of the Chosen One with a sense of originality. Veering on the side of action, found family and psychology, rather than romance, the narrative has a mature, adult feel, populated with complex and complicated characters who truly grow on you, whilst exhibiting major flaws.

I enjoyed this one so much, I'm heading straight into book 2.

[Sherry Vaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explosive

Jasper is a catastrophe waiting to happen. She can cause minor explosions but she has no idea why or when. Her parents are ready to move their family when the house catches on fire. The only survivor is Jasper. Before she can be arrested, a mysterious group called The Vespers rescue her. They decide to train her as a weapon to use against their enemies.
This is a fast paced, explosive read with an odd spiritual twist. You will root for Jasper and pray that she can learn to control her powers. Because, she's going to need them.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free at my request but the opinion is of my own. Wow! Jasper is a teenage girl who is part of a family that all have powers but must keep them secret. The only problem is that jasper is having problems keeping hers under control. One day she is told she has to leave to protect herself and her family on not being found out. Than the worst happens and Jasper is on her own until the very people who were suppose to help her capture her. Now She wants to learn and wants revenge. Will she find a way to get even?