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The Blood Race #0.5
Anomaly
14-year-old Ion Jacobs just wants to belong to a family and feel normal. But his past is a mystery, his future is a question, and his whole life is about to change.
Tossed from one foster home to another and shadowed by his mysterious past, Ion fears he’ll never fit in — until one day, when he drops a pencil and instead of falling to the floor…it floats.
Shocked and bewildered, Ion searches deeper and discovers an undeniable truth about himself: he possesses extraordinary powers beyond his control. Healing injuries, levitating objects, and superhuman strength come as easy to him as breathing. Now Ion only has one goal: make sure no one finds out what he’s capable of.
Struggling to keep his newfound abilities a secret, Ion finds himself more isolated than ever — until he meets a mysterious stranger in the woods who seems to understand Ion better than anyone else. As tensions rise at home with his new foster family, Ion finds it harder and harder to control his powers. And when he accidentally sparks a fire that nearly destroys their home, Ion is forced to face the reality of his situation: not only is he capable of healing — he’s also capable of fatal destruction.
Anomaly is the gripping paranormal prequel to The Blood Race series by K.A. Emmons.
Tossed from one foster home to another and shadowed by his mysterious past, Ion fears he’ll never fit in — until one day, when he drops a pencil and instead of falling to the floor…it floats.
Shocked and bewildered, Ion searches deeper and discovers an undeniable truth about himself: he possesses extraordinary powers beyond his control. Healing injuries, levitating objects, and superhuman strength come as easy to him as breathing. Now Ion only has one goal: make sure no one finds out what he’s capable of.
Struggling to keep his newfound abilities a secret, Ion finds himself more isolated than ever — until he meets a mysterious stranger in the woods who seems to understand Ion better than anyone else. As tensions rise at home with his new foster family, Ion finds it harder and harder to control his powers. And when he accidentally sparks a fire that nearly destroys their home, Ion is forced to face the reality of his situation: not only is he capable of healing — he’s also capable of fatal destruction.
Anomaly is the gripping paranormal prequel to The Blood Race series by K.A. Emmons.
150 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 7, 2020
15 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
K.A. Emmons
6 books360 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 62 reviews
March 7, 2020
ANOMALY by K.A. Emmons is the prequel to THE BLOOD RACE series. It is also my first book by this author. It has a fantasy / paranormal aspect to it and could be targeted to teens and the young adult market, but older readers will get a lot out of this prequel.
Ion Jacobs is a 14-year-old boy living with a new foster family for about three months. He feels like he doesn’t fit in and then one day odd things begin to happen starting with a pencil he drops that floats rather than dropping to the floor. As tensions rise within his foster home, Ion finds he has other powers. How can he keep them a secret? Who can he talk to about his situations? Besides the paranormal aspect of this story, there are several themes that run through this prequel including dynamics with a foster family, feelings of isolation, how different family members treat a foster child differently, false accusations and the harm they can do, bullying, and much more.
Ion was a compelling character and someone you could root for. His distinct voice, situation, bewilderment and feeling of isolation drew me into the story and kept me engaged throughout the story. The secondary characters seemed believable and provided the appropriate emotions. The internal and external conflicts were well defined and believable arising out of characterization and circumstance. The scenes progressed in a realistic and compelling manner and had effective transitions.
The prose was well-written, absorbing, compelling and compulsively readable. The plot was engrossing, heartfelt, moving, thought-provoking, enlightening. The ending was heart-wrenching, but is a great set-up for the first novel in the series.
Overall, this was a book that made me pause, reflect and contemplate Ion’s situation. I definitely recommend that others check out this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thanks to K.A. Emmons for a complimentary ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
Ion Jacobs is a 14-year-old boy living with a new foster family for about three months. He feels like he doesn’t fit in and then one day odd things begin to happen starting with a pencil he drops that floats rather than dropping to the floor. As tensions rise within his foster home, Ion finds he has other powers. How can he keep them a secret? Who can he talk to about his situations? Besides the paranormal aspect of this story, there are several themes that run through this prequel including dynamics with a foster family, feelings of isolation, how different family members treat a foster child differently, false accusations and the harm they can do, bullying, and much more.
Ion was a compelling character and someone you could root for. His distinct voice, situation, bewilderment and feeling of isolation drew me into the story and kept me engaged throughout the story. The secondary characters seemed believable and provided the appropriate emotions. The internal and external conflicts were well defined and believable arising out of characterization and circumstance. The scenes progressed in a realistic and compelling manner and had effective transitions.
The prose was well-written, absorbing, compelling and compulsively readable. The plot was engrossing, heartfelt, moving, thought-provoking, enlightening. The ending was heart-wrenching, but is a great set-up for the first novel in the series.
Overall, this was a book that made me pause, reflect and contemplate Ion’s situation. I definitely recommend that others check out this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thanks to K.A. Emmons for a complimentary ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
February 15, 2020
“You don’t have to be defined by what’s happened.”Ion Jacobs has spent his entire life bouncing from one foster home to the next. He doesn’t know who his family are and what he does know of his history only confirms his belief that he’s a nobody.
Now fourteen, Ion has been living with the Reeves for three months. Mike and Ava have a seven year old daughter, Rachel. Mike’s son, Michael, who is in Ion’s class, also lives with them. Rounding out the family is Rachel’s terrier, Gabe.
Ion has always been different but having had to move around so frequently from home to home and school to school could easily explain that. Until now. Things are changing for Ion in ways that he doesn’t understand. Strange things have begun to happen around him, unexplainable things like objects floating in the air and increased strength.
“But I’d just been so afraid that he would just push me away too if he knew the truth about me.”Perhaps it was more noticeable because it was a quick read but there seemed to be too much of a reliance on similes and repetition. Most of the conversations flowed well but every so often Ion didn’t sound like he was fourteen; the one that stood out the most to me was when he answered “Incrementally …” when he was asked if he was feeling better.
Although the blurb was what initially piqued my interest in this book I wish (in retrospect) that it hadn’t given away so much of the story. I reread the blurb when I was two thirds of the way through the book and realised it was very close to being a summary of what had happened in the book until then.
“Ion, there’s something so different about you.” Her voice came out soft and a little sad. “Don’t ever lose that - don’t ever be like the rest of us.”This story is a prequel to an already existing trilogy and among the early reviewers it appears I’m one of the outliers, as this is my first read by this author. It has set the scene and raised a number of unanswered questions. I enjoyed this book, even though I found it fairly predictable, and am interested in reading the first book of the trilogy.
Content warnings include .
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.
February 24, 2020
Ion is a struggling foster kid just trying to get along with some family members who do not want him there. On top of that, changes start happening. His pencils begin to levitate, his backpack flies up to the ceiling, and he discovers healing powers.
Ion meets an old man on the beach who he can talk to as things start unraveling in his foster home. With the man’s guidance, Ion begins to face the facts that he has no idea who he is or why he can do the things he can do.
This short story is a prequel to the Blood Race series. I had never read the series before, but I immediately purchased the first book., The Blood Race. This prequel is actually a really good place to start the series as it begins when Ion is 14 and just discovering his powers..
K. A. Emmons’ writing is superb and conveys powerful emotion. You can feel the hurt of a foster kid who just wants a family, as well as the bewilderment anyone would feel when discovering supernatural powers.
If you enjoy books about the supernatural or just want to read a damn fine story, this book is for you.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
Ion meets an old man on the beach who he can talk to as things start unraveling in his foster home. With the man’s guidance, Ion begins to face the facts that he has no idea who he is or why he can do the things he can do.
This short story is a prequel to the Blood Race series. I had never read the series before, but I immediately purchased the first book., The Blood Race. This prequel is actually a really good place to start the series as it begins when Ion is 14 and just discovering his powers..
K. A. Emmons’ writing is superb and conveys powerful emotion. You can feel the hurt of a foster kid who just wants a family, as well as the bewilderment anyone would feel when discovering supernatural powers.
If you enjoy books about the supernatural or just want to read a damn fine story, this book is for you.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
July 12, 2021
I recently read
The Blood Race
, which was the first book published in this series. I was curious to try this novella-length freebie for a couple of reasons: 1) to see if the author's writing had improved over the course of three years, and 2) to see if some backstory would help me understand the characters in The Blood Race better. The answers? 1) no, and 2) yes.
I should love this series. But there are some major problems with the writing, pacing, and character development that prevent me from doing so. Anomaly moves along at a much quicker pace than The Blood Race, with fewer halts in the action so that people can have boring conversations. I did like getting to know Ion in this book. And we actually get to know something about him! With The Blood Race, it was almost as if we were missing something, and we were dropped into the middle of the story with characters we were supposed to already be familiar with (which is a problem, given that it was the "first" book). I never really got a feeling for who Ion was in The Blood Race, even though other characters kept telling us what kind of person he was. (Unfortunately, these explanations didn't mesh with what we were shown.) In Anomaly, we meet a confused 14-year-old kid who's having some very strange things happen to him. And he has no support system because he's a foster kid who's been placed with a family of stereotypes. So... life is rough.
Unfortunately, that little bit of character development in Ion doesn't cancel out all the other problems the book has. The main character's voice is off; he's supposed to be a 14-year-old boy, but he talks like a 20-something woman who reads lots of self-help and spirituality books. Most of the characters speak very formally, but it's not as bad as in The Blood Race, where you could be forgiven for thinking there'd been some sort of time-slip into Regency England. What really gets my goat about these books, however, is the editing. The continuity problems are awful here, just as they are in The Blood Race, and I'm starting to wonder if editors just skim and call it a day. A particularly egregious example of what I'm talking about can be found in chapters 15 and 16. It starts by referring to a "navy" sky. So it's probably night (or close to it). But a few pages later, we're told the sidewalk is painted a "pale pinkish-gray by the setting sun". Two paragraphs later, it's "dark". Two paragraphs after that, "the sky was getting dark". I mean, it doesn't take a professional editor to know that the sun doesn't bounce up and down like a rubber ball... but that appears to be what's happening here!
If I were to recommend this series to someone, I'd probably tell them to start with Anomaly. It sets up the character of Ion Jacobs much better than in the official first book of the series. But I'd be very careful about who I recommended this series to; if they're detail oriented and prefer characters who seem at home in their chosen genre and time period, I might suggest they look elsewhere.
I should love this series. But there are some major problems with the writing, pacing, and character development that prevent me from doing so. Anomaly moves along at a much quicker pace than The Blood Race, with fewer halts in the action so that people can have boring conversations. I did like getting to know Ion in this book. And we actually get to know something about him! With The Blood Race, it was almost as if we were missing something, and we were dropped into the middle of the story with characters we were supposed to already be familiar with (which is a problem, given that it was the "first" book). I never really got a feeling for who Ion was in The Blood Race, even though other characters kept telling us what kind of person he was. (Unfortunately, these explanations didn't mesh with what we were shown.) In Anomaly, we meet a confused 14-year-old kid who's having some very strange things happen to him. And he has no support system because he's a foster kid who's been placed with a family of stereotypes. So... life is rough.
Unfortunately, that little bit of character development in Ion doesn't cancel out all the other problems the book has. The main character's voice is off; he's supposed to be a 14-year-old boy, but he talks like a 20-something woman who reads lots of self-help and spirituality books. Most of the characters speak very formally, but it's not as bad as in The Blood Race, where you could be forgiven for thinking there'd been some sort of time-slip into Regency England. What really gets my goat about these books, however, is the editing. The continuity problems are awful here, just as they are in The Blood Race, and I'm starting to wonder if editors just skim and call it a day. A particularly egregious example of what I'm talking about can be found in chapters 15 and 16. It starts by referring to a "navy" sky. So it's probably night (or close to it). But a few pages later, we're told the sidewalk is painted a "pale pinkish-gray by the setting sun". Two paragraphs later, it's "dark". Two paragraphs after that, "the sky was getting dark". I mean, it doesn't take a professional editor to know that the sun doesn't bounce up and down like a rubber ball... but that appears to be what's happening here!
If I were to recommend this series to someone, I'd probably tell them to start with Anomaly. It sets up the character of Ion Jacobs much better than in the official first book of the series. But I'd be very careful about who I recommended this series to; if they're detail oriented and prefer characters who seem at home in their chosen genre and time period, I might suggest they look elsewhere.
April 7, 2020
HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO KATE!
I rarely read prequels, but this was definitely one I would recommend. If you are a fan of the Blood Race trilogy and love Ion (Icarus), the main character, this is definitely worth the read. Heart wrenching, touching, resonant, and magical, it's a glimpse into the life of young Ion. It's full of feels and full of conflict, and will certainly pull you through.
Applause to K. A. Emmons. 4/5 stars, because it's a novella.
I rarely read prequels, but this was definitely one I would recommend. If you are a fan of the Blood Race trilogy and love Ion (Icarus), the main character, this is definitely worth the read. Heart wrenching, touching, resonant, and magical, it's a glimpse into the life of young Ion. It's full of feels and full of conflict, and will certainly pull you through.
Applause to K. A. Emmons. 4/5 stars, because it's a novella.
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December 10, 2020I would like to thank the author for the opportunity to review this book.
Rating: 2.5 stars
Anomaly is a prequel novella for the Blood Race series by K.A. Emmons. I haven't read the main series but the premise of this book caught my eye. I'm sorry to say that I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. I should have been more wary, because YA isn't my typical go-to genre (though I have had the chance to read a few great books).
The most noticeable thing that didn't work for me was the writing. Not all the time, thankfully. But a lot of descriptions and metaphors were extremely awkward and clattered with too many weird images or details. Especially when these metaphors were related to the narrator's voice or body parts. Here are two examples: "my voice bracing in my throat, refusing to make its entrance" or "Something that could numb me thoroughly and stop my mind from hissing out through my ears like steam." Ehhh, does anyone know what having their mind hissing through their ears feels like? Cos I have never experienced it (thankfully!).
When I started writing this review, I also realized that I felt absolutely nothing for the characters. True, I was moved and sad for what happened to Ion, the main protagonist and narrator, in his foster family and the ones before it. But I would have felt exactly the same for any other kid going through these ordeals, regardless of their personalities. No kid should ever go through abandoning or neglect or bullying. No kid should feel like they're worth nothing and that the world is better off without them. Children are precious. They are the future and they are gifts that should be treasured as such. Bullying a child makes me rage inside, even if the child in question is a fictional character (may be even more so because I can't do a damn thing about it).
Having all that in mind however and taking it into consideration in my assessment of Ion's personality, I just couldn't bring myself to like him. I felt sorry for him, sure. I understood his dilemma too. To speak about his budding powers would make him take the risk of being abandoned again. To keep silent meant lying to the person that showed him acceptance and a measure of love. His powers meant he would become even stranger than he thinks he is. But never once did he stop to think they could make him special. The way he kept rejecting them and pretending they weren't real made me roll my eyes after a while. And the way he acted toward the only person who showed him kindness and actually listened and tried to help severed the last thread of sympathy I felt toward him.
Gosh, I'm really sad I didn't enjoy this story more. The ideas were really good and hinted at a much bigger character development in the sequels. I truly believe it would have been much, much better for me to read the main series first to get to know the MC and possibly like him. And then read this novella as a bonus, to discover how he came into his powers.
Trigger warning: the casual mentions of suicide were disturbing, since this book targets a younger audience and should be mentioned.
Rating: 2.5 stars
Anomaly is a prequel novella for the Blood Race series by K.A. Emmons. I haven't read the main series but the premise of this book caught my eye. I'm sorry to say that I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. I should have been more wary, because YA isn't my typical go-to genre (though I have had the chance to read a few great books).
The most noticeable thing that didn't work for me was the writing. Not all the time, thankfully. But a lot of descriptions and metaphors were extremely awkward and clattered with too many weird images or details. Especially when these metaphors were related to the narrator's voice or body parts. Here are two examples: "my voice bracing in my throat, refusing to make its entrance" or "Something that could numb me thoroughly and stop my mind from hissing out through my ears like steam." Ehhh, does anyone know what having their mind hissing through their ears feels like? Cos I have never experienced it (thankfully!).
When I started writing this review, I also realized that I felt absolutely nothing for the characters. True, I was moved and sad for what happened to Ion, the main protagonist and narrator, in his foster family and the ones before it. But I would have felt exactly the same for any other kid going through these ordeals, regardless of their personalities. No kid should ever go through abandoning or neglect or bullying. No kid should feel like they're worth nothing and that the world is better off without them. Children are precious. They are the future and they are gifts that should be treasured as such. Bullying a child makes me rage inside, even if the child in question is a fictional character (may be even more so because I can't do a damn thing about it).
Having all that in mind however and taking it into consideration in my assessment of Ion's personality, I just couldn't bring myself to like him. I felt sorry for him, sure. I understood his dilemma too. To speak about his budding powers would make him take the risk of being abandoned again. To keep silent meant lying to the person that showed him acceptance and a measure of love. His powers meant he would become even stranger than he thinks he is. But never once did he stop to think they could make him special. The way he kept rejecting them and pretending they weren't real made me roll my eyes after a while. And the way he acted toward the only person who showed him kindness and actually listened and tried to help severed the last thread of sympathy I felt toward him.
Gosh, I'm really sad I didn't enjoy this story more. The ideas were really good and hinted at a much bigger character development in the sequels. I truly believe it would have been much, much better for me to read the main series first to get to know the MC and possibly like him. And then read this novella as a bonus, to discover how he came into his powers.
Trigger warning: the casual mentions of suicide were disturbing, since this book targets a younger audience and should be mentioned.
December 8, 2019
"Fourteen-year-old Ion Jacobs just wants to belong to a normal family and feel normal. but his past is a mystery, his future is a question, and his whole life is about to change. Tossed from one foster home to another and shadowed by his mysterious past, Ion fears he’ll never fit in – until one day, when he drops a pencil and instead of falling to the floor . . . it floats."
Kate Emmons has been one of my favourite bloggers for over a year. I have yet to read her Blood Race trilogy (which I’ve heard raves about). But the trilogy’s prequel gave me the perfect opportunity to read one of her books and get a taste of The Blood Race’s world.
Anomaly I can only describe as hard-hitting. It grips you from the start and the pages just keep turning. It is, in many ways, an engaging, quick and “easy” read. But the subject matter is tough and gritty, often unpleasant in its authenticity. Kate doesn’t shy away from exploring Ion’s struggles and probing things like fear, rejection and loneliness. She looks at the power of our thoughts, and the dreadful things that happen when we dwell on the darkness; the searing pain of feeling like “something no one wants”; the hopelessness of not knowing who you are and being constantly uprooted.
No, not an easy read. But it’s also infused with hope, lovely turns of phrase and descriptions of nature. There were poignant moments between the characters, made sweeter by the bleakly ordinary backdrop. Ion, despite his questions, fears and darker side, wins your sympathy (you are VERY glad when he’s stopped from drowning himself before he gets a proper chance at life). I also really enjoyed Ava’s character and how she was fleshed out.
And although we don’t struggle with our pencil-levitating powers like Ion, we all fight a daily battle in our minds. As the old man puts it, in one of my favourite phrases of his, “We get to choose which thoughts to water. Which thoughts to put out in the sun. We’re the gardeners of our own minds.” Boy, can that be a challenge.
The prose contained some really cool, vivid imagery, but I felt the writing needed some more editing and general tightening. There’s a fair bit of swearing, although it’s understandable given the characters and their surroundings.
Kate has successfully whetted my appetite for The Blood Race and given me a desire to see how Anomaly fits in there. She has also given us a gripping, fast-paced read that churns in your mind long afterwards. There is a lot to chew on here – if you’re brave enough.
Kate Emmons has been one of my favourite bloggers for over a year. I have yet to read her Blood Race trilogy (which I’ve heard raves about). But the trilogy’s prequel gave me the perfect opportunity to read one of her books and get a taste of The Blood Race’s world.
Anomaly I can only describe as hard-hitting. It grips you from the start and the pages just keep turning. It is, in many ways, an engaging, quick and “easy” read. But the subject matter is tough and gritty, often unpleasant in its authenticity. Kate doesn’t shy away from exploring Ion’s struggles and probing things like fear, rejection and loneliness. She looks at the power of our thoughts, and the dreadful things that happen when we dwell on the darkness; the searing pain of feeling like “something no one wants”; the hopelessness of not knowing who you are and being constantly uprooted.
No, not an easy read. But it’s also infused with hope, lovely turns of phrase and descriptions of nature. There were poignant moments between the characters, made sweeter by the bleakly ordinary backdrop. Ion, despite his questions, fears and darker side, wins your sympathy (you are VERY glad when he’s stopped from drowning himself before he gets a proper chance at life). I also really enjoyed Ava’s character and how she was fleshed out.
And although we don’t struggle with our pencil-levitating powers like Ion, we all fight a daily battle in our minds. As the old man puts it, in one of my favourite phrases of his, “We get to choose which thoughts to water. Which thoughts to put out in the sun. We’re the gardeners of our own minds.” Boy, can that be a challenge.
The prose contained some really cool, vivid imagery, but I felt the writing needed some more editing and general tightening. There’s a fair bit of swearing, although it’s understandable given the characters and their surroundings.
Kate has successfully whetted my appetite for The Blood Race and given me a desire to see how Anomaly fits in there. She has also given us a gripping, fast-paced read that churns in your mind long afterwards. There is a lot to chew on here – if you’re brave enough.
July 21, 2020
CAN I GIVE THIS BOOK MORE THAN JUST A FREAKING FIVE STARS???
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Okay, so we all know how I am with The Blood Race trilogy. Basically, I'm obsessed with this entire freaking series and y'all are probably annoyed by how much I talk about it.
Do I care? Not really.
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Okay, so we all know how I am with The Blood Race trilogy. Basically, I'm obsessed with this entire freaking series and y'all are probably annoyed by how much I talk about it.
Do I care? Not really.
April 12, 2020
I'm not entirely sure how Anomaly by K.A. Emmons originally came to my attention. Part of it is definitely because I gravitate toward certain types of YA fiction but I also remember being intrigued by the description. Unfortunately, I somehow missed (or overlooked) the fact that Anomaly was the Prequel to the Blood Race Trilogy. Of course that's my bad because I'm not really in the market for a new trilogy right now and it doesn't really work that well as a stand alone. That said, so far as being a prequel is concerned, I think it was a good introduction to the series. It ended with a bit of intrigue and had shown readers a brief glimpse into the emerging supernatural powers Ion, the young protagonist, has recently discovered. As yet we're not really privy to the how or why but I think if I were a young adult I would have been eager to get my hands on the first in the Trilogy to find out. As a character he'd had the cards stacked against him for most of his life yet he seemed likeable. I'll confess to reading the blurbs of the first two in the series to see if I could get sme of my answers and to see if his fortunes may have taken an about face.
My thanks to the author K.A. Emmons and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My thanks to the author K.A. Emmons and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2020
Ion, living with his new foster family discovers he has some supernatural powers. As he struggles to fit in and understand who he is and where he came from, he makes an unusual friend. Can he keep his powers a secret and protect those he cares about?
This was a deep book and rough to read in spots. Ion is a tough kid, he’s been through a lot and the brother and father of his foster family are pretty harsh to him. Ion feels alone in a world that calls him a freak and he wants to die. It’s gut-wrenching. Through everything, he has a big heart and I loved that we got to see that side of him. I know this is a prequel but Ion’s powers are pretty cool, I wish we could’ve had a bigger taste of what he can do. The writing was sincere, powerful, and the pace of the book was spot on. This is the first book I’ve read and I’m reading the Prequel first but I would love to continue on in the series!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was a deep book and rough to read in spots. Ion is a tough kid, he’s been through a lot and the brother and father of his foster family are pretty harsh to him. Ion feels alone in a world that calls him a freak and he wants to die. It’s gut-wrenching. Through everything, he has a big heart and I loved that we got to see that side of him. I know this is a prequel but Ion’s powers are pretty cool, I wish we could’ve had a bigger taste of what he can do. The writing was sincere, powerful, and the pace of the book was spot on. This is the first book I’ve read and I’m reading the Prequel first but I would love to continue on in the series!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 25, 2020
Anomaly is the first book I’ve read by this author and is a prequel to her other books, as I understand it. This may explain why I felt unsatisfied when I finished it. The story is told from the perspective of 14-year-old Ion Jacobs, an orphan who’s currently living in a foster home with the Reeves family, consisting of an alcoholic, abusive father and his teenage son who both hate Ion’s guts, as well as Ava, Mr. Reeves’s wife, and their seven-year-old daughter Rachel who are friendlier towards Ion. Over the course of the story, Ion discovers that he has supernatural powers he can’t control and struggles to conceal and suppress them (which of course only makes things worse) as well as wrestling with his own identity.
I was bothered by a couple of aspects that just didn’t quite seem believable. First of all, that his name, Ion, was randomly assigned to him at an orphanage when he was a baby. Personally I would have expected a much more generic name like John or something. Maybe there’s more to it that will be explained later? Also the way he goes from being a somewhat normal kid and then one day he makes a pencil levitate and within a few days he’s achieved superhuman strength, healing powers, and set the house on fire with his thoughts. Why did all of that happen all of a sudden? And also how there are days when just nothing happens, and everything is magically fine, because he managed to suppress all his emotions?
That said, I as a reader was hoping to see Ion learn to control his powers and find some kind of closure, and the fact that this didn’t happen was very unsatisfying. Which leads me to believe he’ll still be working on it in the next book, but...to be honest, after seventeen chapters of wading through the chaos in Ion’s head as he tries to figure out what’s going on with him, I really just am not thrilled about the prospect of reading more of that. The story was interesting and the writing is good, but it felt like 75% of the book was spent inside Ion’s head, reflecting on his past, processing everything that happens, dwelling on everything the other characters say about him. It just got a bit tedious. And I think what made it really frustrating in the end was that all of this mental anguish didn’t really seem to get him anywhere. Ion at the end of the story doesn’t understand himself any better than he did at the beginning of the story. He didn’t grow. And that’s what I found really disappointing.
Overall though, I’m intrigued enough that I probably will check out the next book, and hopefully there I’ll see Ion grow and develop his identity in a much more satisfying way.
I was bothered by a couple of aspects that just didn’t quite seem believable. First of all, that his name, Ion, was randomly assigned to him at an orphanage when he was a baby. Personally I would have expected a much more generic name like John or something. Maybe there’s more to it that will be explained later? Also the way he goes from being a somewhat normal kid and then one day he makes a pencil levitate and within a few days he’s achieved superhuman strength, healing powers, and set the house on fire with his thoughts. Why did all of that happen all of a sudden? And also how there are days when just nothing happens, and everything is magically fine, because he managed to suppress all his emotions?
That said, I as a reader was hoping to see Ion learn to control his powers and find some kind of closure, and the fact that this didn’t happen was very unsatisfying. Which leads me to believe he’ll still be working on it in the next book, but...to be honest, after seventeen chapters of wading through the chaos in Ion’s head as he tries to figure out what’s going on with him, I really just am not thrilled about the prospect of reading more of that. The story was interesting and the writing is good, but it felt like 75% of the book was spent inside Ion’s head, reflecting on his past, processing everything that happens, dwelling on everything the other characters say about him. It just got a bit tedious. And I think what made it really frustrating in the end was that all of this mental anguish didn’t really seem to get him anywhere. Ion at the end of the story doesn’t understand himself any better than he did at the beginning of the story. He didn’t grow. And that’s what I found really disappointing.
Overall though, I’m intrigued enough that I probably will check out the next book, and hopefully there I’ll see Ion grow and develop his identity in a much more satisfying way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2020
Anomaly is the prequel to The Blood Race trilogy that the author has put out already. It seems to be toeing the line of science fiction and paranormal urban fantasy, and it follows the story of Ion Jacobs- who seems to be a main character in the The Blood Race series- and we get to see him coming into his powers and learning to accept them.
Ion is a foster kid who has been passed around the system a lot and he feels... well, a lot of things. He feels alone, because he’s never really felt like he has anyone. He feels angry, because the world has been unfair to him, over and over. He feels lost, because he doesn’t really know where he comes from. He feels abandoned, he feels too empty, too full, too..much and not enough. All at once. This chapter in his life begins when one day, after some pretty standard bullying at the hands of his foster family, something inside him shifts. He scrambles to finish his homework, only to find that he isn’t able to concentrate, the pencil sliding from his fingers to hover midair, suspended without strings, a puppet in his hands. As this novella unfolds, Ion finds that his powers are strong and out of control and he struggles to come to terms with himself and his powers.
The author tries to address Ion’s state with the help of a mysterious old man who finds Ion at his lowest and tries to guide him with his cryptic philosophical wisdoms. Those were some fun conversations, honestly, and if I had known Ion better, I would’ve loved them more!
The writing, the pacing and the characters were all just absolutely fine in this novella. They weren’t mindblowing or anything, but they were perfectly good and they did their job pretty well. For a novella that is connected to a larger piece of work, Anomaly stands pretty well on its own! While I do think that I would definitely have enjoyed it more had I been familiar with Ion and the magic system in this world better, I still found myself immersed and intrigued by the story! I want to pick up the rest of the series soon if I can, because I can totally see myself marathoning the trilogy and thoroughly enjoying it!
Ion is a foster kid who has been passed around the system a lot and he feels... well, a lot of things. He feels alone, because he’s never really felt like he has anyone. He feels angry, because the world has been unfair to him, over and over. He feels lost, because he doesn’t really know where he comes from. He feels abandoned, he feels too empty, too full, too..much and not enough. All at once. This chapter in his life begins when one day, after some pretty standard bullying at the hands of his foster family, something inside him shifts. He scrambles to finish his homework, only to find that he isn’t able to concentrate, the pencil sliding from his fingers to hover midair, suspended without strings, a puppet in his hands. As this novella unfolds, Ion finds that his powers are strong and out of control and he struggles to come to terms with himself and his powers.
The author tries to address Ion’s state with the help of a mysterious old man who finds Ion at his lowest and tries to guide him with his cryptic philosophical wisdoms. Those were some fun conversations, honestly, and if I had known Ion better, I would’ve loved them more!
The writing, the pacing and the characters were all just absolutely fine in this novella. They weren’t mindblowing or anything, but they were perfectly good and they did their job pretty well. For a novella that is connected to a larger piece of work, Anomaly stands pretty well on its own! While I do think that I would definitely have enjoyed it more had I been familiar with Ion and the magic system in this world better, I still found myself immersed and intrigued by the story! I want to pick up the rest of the series soon if I can, because I can totally see myself marathoning the trilogy and thoroughly enjoying it!
August 16, 2021
[I received a free copy of Anomaly from the author]
I read Anomaly, the Prequel to The Blood Race series, only after I'd read the rest of the series. And I LOVED it. I really really enjoyed the rest of this series, but, despite a typo here and there, I think this prequel beat all of the other instalments. It's short, thrilling, full of emotional pain that drew me in, and kept me in suspense throughout. I couldn't put this down!
Anomaly is a novella that takes place before the rest of the series. We follow a young Ion as he tries to survive his life in foster care and the strange, scary things that are happening around him...happening because of him.
Anomaly is written in first person.
Favourites:
-Ion: Ion was already possibly my favourite character, but he became even more so thanks to this. Having experience with foster care, I felt his pain and was remembered of the foster children I've seen in my life. I don't know if Kate Emmons has any personal experience with the foster care life but even if she hadn't, she could have fooled me with this story!
- Tension build-up: extremely masterfully done. The first paragraph already drew me in, but the rest of the story was so incredibly well built up with the stakes being raised and small tension relief moments all at the right time.
What I missed:
-Honestly...nothing. There were one or two descriptions that were repeated maybe once to much, but...honestly, who cares? This book was one emotional ride, and that's what it's all about for me!
Sexual content: none
Coarse language: mild
Violence and gore: mild
Trigger warnings: foster care situations, domestic violence, suicide and bullying
Conclusion:
This was great and if I hadn't just finished the series, I would now want to read on to the rest of Ion's story for sure! I'll be buying myself a physical copy of Anomaly to match the rest of the series on my shelf. This one is definitely worth my money. If you haven't read The Blood Race yet, and you like clean, character-driven urban fantasy, then I can highly recommend that you go to the author's website and grab yourself a free copy of Anomaly
I read Anomaly, the Prequel to The Blood Race series, only after I'd read the rest of the series. And I LOVED it. I really really enjoyed the rest of this series, but, despite a typo here and there, I think this prequel beat all of the other instalments. It's short, thrilling, full of emotional pain that drew me in, and kept me in suspense throughout. I couldn't put this down!
Anomaly is a novella that takes place before the rest of the series. We follow a young Ion as he tries to survive his life in foster care and the strange, scary things that are happening around him...happening because of him.
Anomaly is written in first person.
Favourites:
-Ion: Ion was already possibly my favourite character, but he became even more so thanks to this. Having experience with foster care, I felt his pain and was remembered of the foster children I've seen in my life. I don't know if Kate Emmons has any personal experience with the foster care life but even if she hadn't, she could have fooled me with this story!
- Tension build-up: extremely masterfully done. The first paragraph already drew me in, but the rest of the story was so incredibly well built up with the stakes being raised and small tension relief moments all at the right time.
What I missed:
-Honestly...nothing. There were one or two descriptions that were repeated maybe once to much, but...honestly, who cares? This book was one emotional ride, and that's what it's all about for me!
Sexual content: none
Coarse language: mild
Violence and gore: mild
Trigger warnings: foster care situations, domestic violence, suicide and bullying
Conclusion:
This was great and if I hadn't just finished the series, I would now want to read on to the rest of Ion's story for sure! I'll be buying myself a physical copy of Anomaly to match the rest of the series on my shelf. This one is definitely worth my money. If you haven't read The Blood Race yet, and you like clean, character-driven urban fantasy, then I can highly recommend that you go to the author's website and grab yourself a free copy of Anomaly
June 15, 2020
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Anomaly is the prequel novella for the Blood Race series by K.A. Emmons. Released 7th April 2020, it's 150 pages and available in ebook format. Worth noting that the ebook has a handy interactive table of contents. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. Anomaly is currently free to download and read.
This is a YA paranormal fantasy. Although released chronologically after the other books which make up the trilogy, this one is a prequel and backstory for one of the main characters, Ion. It works very well as a standalone, and was the first work I'd read by the author.
I will start by saying I am emphatically not the target audience (tween/teens). Some of the angst and fighting and *unfairness-of-it-all* got to me after a while. It's relentlessly dark with physical and psychological abuse, themes of suicide and self harm, and failure of *every* adult in the book. From the blurbs and reviews of the other books in the series, I gather it all works out in the end, but this prequel is pretty grim. The father figure in the book is an alcoholic, abusive, bullying horror. I shudder to *think* what the child services is like in their city, because I can't imagine this family passing even the most cursory home visit.
I would recommend this one to current fans of the series who want some backstory for Ion. Three stars (again, I'm not the target audience - I can certainly see this being optioned as a movie with a tragic heartthrob actor making a generation of tween moviegoers swoon. I suspect I'm in the definite minority with the *meh* rating). The author's style is capable and direct, just not to my taste.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Anomaly is the prequel novella for the Blood Race series by K.A. Emmons. Released 7th April 2020, it's 150 pages and available in ebook format. Worth noting that the ebook has a handy interactive table of contents. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. Anomaly is currently free to download and read.
This is a YA paranormal fantasy. Although released chronologically after the other books which make up the trilogy, this one is a prequel and backstory for one of the main characters, Ion. It works very well as a standalone, and was the first work I'd read by the author.
I will start by saying I am emphatically not the target audience (tween/teens). Some of the angst and fighting and *unfairness-of-it-all* got to me after a while. It's relentlessly dark with physical and psychological abuse, themes of suicide and self harm, and failure of *every* adult in the book. From the blurbs and reviews of the other books in the series, I gather it all works out in the end, but this prequel is pretty grim. The father figure in the book is an alcoholic, abusive, bullying horror. I shudder to *think* what the child services is like in their city, because I can't imagine this family passing even the most cursory home visit.
I would recommend this one to current fans of the series who want some backstory for Ion. Three stars (again, I'm not the target audience - I can certainly see this being optioned as a movie with a tragic heartthrob actor making a generation of tween moviegoers swoon. I suspect I'm in the definite minority with the *meh* rating). The author's style is capable and direct, just not to my taste.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
September 27, 2020
The author’s skilled writing style immediately drew me into the therapeutic session with young Ion. I felt his discomfort and caution as the social workers questions challenged his answers and made him uneasy. The scene switches and the author takes you to where Ion lives with the Reeves. He is 14. It is a complicated family of anger and dysfunction and Ion is right in the middle. Ion discovers he has unique powers and questions their validity. And so the author has set the stage for her readers to join Ion in his struggle to fit in and find normalcy in yet another abusive lonely foster home. Never family. Never. His powers leave him weak and confused as does his being abandoned as an infant. Ion's questions are relentless. Then in the middle of all this unrest Ion comes upon a man living on the beach that Ion is drawn to because for some odd reason he feels he can trust him. The author is very talented in making this mysterious man an intrical part of the story. Fascinatin. Ion struggled to discover himself and his own unsettling truth. I always thought that the truth would set you free but it seemed for Ion that his truth imprisoned him as he fought against his own thoughts and feelings and behaviors he couldn't control. Anyone who has ever felt out of control and victim to a power greater than themselves within themselves will be moved by this startling story of surrender. And in the most difficult of times when we think we are all alone a beacon of Hope arrives, a light,a path to the future that may just be freeing after all. This book took my breath away
December 18, 2019
Three and ½ stars really. It's not that it's bad it's just wordy. A character will ask a question/says something and then the reader is faced with a page or two of internal angst, scattered thoughts descriptions of the room, the smells, the sounds and finally there'll be a response of some sort.
Ion. . . Who lets a child enter the foster care system with a name like Ion? That's like painting a target on his back. But anyway, Ion is an angsty foster in of course the home where the father is a drunken bully, his son is a bully with psychotic tendencies and the wife is a loving punching bag. I know this fuels the story but wow, can't we just once have a protagonist in a loving family environment? Ion is starting to manifest odd, paranormal powers, things happen around him to people and things. He freaks out, he's going crazy thinking he's a monster. Except I'm more inclined to believe a fourteen year old manifesting telekinesis, healing and super strength wouldn't whine and moan about it he'd be thinking. . . "I've got SUPER POWERS!" and start slapping bullies against the ceiling. But. . . dialog is decently done most of the characters have some depth. As mentioned the author does tend to get a little heavy on the internal dialog and descriptions but it isn't a complete deal breaker. I actually didn't know this was a prequel to a series (it wasn't mentioned in the short description) but it was intriguing enough I'll likely continue reading.
Ion. . . Who lets a child enter the foster care system with a name like Ion? That's like painting a target on his back. But anyway, Ion is an angsty foster in of course the home where the father is a drunken bully, his son is a bully with psychotic tendencies and the wife is a loving punching bag. I know this fuels the story but wow, can't we just once have a protagonist in a loving family environment? Ion is starting to manifest odd, paranormal powers, things happen around him to people and things. He freaks out, he's going crazy thinking he's a monster. Except I'm more inclined to believe a fourteen year old manifesting telekinesis, healing and super strength wouldn't whine and moan about it he'd be thinking. . . "I've got SUPER POWERS!" and start slapping bullies against the ceiling. But. . . dialog is decently done most of the characters have some depth. As mentioned the author does tend to get a little heavy on the internal dialog and descriptions but it isn't a complete deal breaker. I actually didn't know this was a prequel to a series (it wasn't mentioned in the short description) but it was intriguing enough I'll likely continue reading.
February 6, 2020
This book really is a prequel. I didnt read any other book in the series before this one and it felt like something is missing. It appears to be structurally built as a standalone, but if that is the case, the main theme feels unfinished. I can see a sketch of a theme that I would expect to culminate in a twist or payoff, but then it just ends. Hopefully the rest is explored further in other books of the series.
It is a very pleasant smooth read, though sometimes the amount of vivid descriptions of feelings, smells, sounds etc feels unnecessary.. Very character heavy, with plot only supporting the internal struggle of the protagonist. It was a series of carefully planned and well executed mini setups and payoffs, where every time something key is mentioned, it's easily predictable but still satisfying to see it unfold. You know this little detail will likely cause a problem later, but it is hard to say when and how exactly. More then once did I think "No way... OMG this is actually happening right now." There is no real twist, or rather I saw it coming the second it was set up, but I still kept turning pages and finding excuses to read throughout the day to know happens next.
Long story short, Anomaly is a quick and satisfying book, well written, but without a real ending. It clearly relies on the rest of the series to support it.
It is a very pleasant smooth read, though sometimes the amount of vivid descriptions of feelings, smells, sounds etc feels unnecessary.. Very character heavy, with plot only supporting the internal struggle of the protagonist. It was a series of carefully planned and well executed mini setups and payoffs, where every time something key is mentioned, it's easily predictable but still satisfying to see it unfold. You know this little detail will likely cause a problem later, but it is hard to say when and how exactly. More then once did I think "No way... OMG this is actually happening right now." There is no real twist, or rather I saw it coming the second it was set up, but I still kept turning pages and finding excuses to read throughout the day to know happens next.
Long story short, Anomaly is a quick and satisfying book, well written, but without a real ending. It clearly relies on the rest of the series to support it.
July 28, 2020
***Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley and K.A. Emmons!!***
This was an enjoyable litte novella. It introduced me to the world of Ion quite well. I assume that the first book in the series picks up where this left off, with Ion trying to figure out his powers. It was nice to get a sense of the things he is able to do. Obviously he can control things with his thoughts. But it isn’t fleshed out to a great extent since I assume that is the plot of the first book.
Ion was an enjoyable narrator. He felt genuine as a 14 year old boy who has spent his entire life in the foster care system. His anger and despair at being abandoned by his parents and then shuffled from home to home was poignant. I feel like this series was written for a middle grade, early high school audience and I think that’s the right audience for it. At an age when bullying and despair at not fitting in are common, Ion would be a relatable companion.
While this novella doesn’t get too deep into the world or the characters it did interest me enough to want to check out the series. So, it did just what it was intended to do.
Reviewed for Written Among the Stars
This was an enjoyable litte novella. It introduced me to the world of Ion quite well. I assume that the first book in the series picks up where this left off, with Ion trying to figure out his powers. It was nice to get a sense of the things he is able to do. Obviously he can control things with his thoughts. But it isn’t fleshed out to a great extent since I assume that is the plot of the first book.
Ion was an enjoyable narrator. He felt genuine as a 14 year old boy who has spent his entire life in the foster care system. His anger and despair at being abandoned by his parents and then shuffled from home to home was poignant. I feel like this series was written for a middle grade, early high school audience and I think that’s the right audience for it. At an age when bullying and despair at not fitting in are common, Ion would be a relatable companion.
While this novella doesn’t get too deep into the world or the characters it did interest me enough to want to check out the series. So, it did just what it was intended to do.
Reviewed for Written Among the Stars
January 13, 2020
Being a fast read is probably the best thing it has going for it. Anomaly is the prequel to The Blood Race series.
Ion is a foster child living in a less than stable household. Mr. Reeves is a jobless alcoholic, Ava is his preferred victim aside from Ion and his son Michael is picking up all his father’s abusive ways. The youngest child Rachel is the only happy person in the book.
Ion discovers he has strange powers thanks to a pencil that starts to float. The events are his powers steadily growing and his desperate attempts to keep them under control while confiding in a strange homeless man he meets at the beach around the lake.
One of the biggest turn-offs for me as just how wordy the descriptions are. Ion is an angsty teen in a rough situation but whenever he has a thought or a question there are several paragraphs of description that feel so unnecessary they start to take the reader out of the story.
It was a solid book but it wasn’t anything great. The author has a nice writing style. But the book is a bit heavy on the description.
Ion is a foster child living in a less than stable household. Mr. Reeves is a jobless alcoholic, Ava is his preferred victim aside from Ion and his son Michael is picking up all his father’s abusive ways. The youngest child Rachel is the only happy person in the book.
Ion discovers he has strange powers thanks to a pencil that starts to float. The events are his powers steadily growing and his desperate attempts to keep them under control while confiding in a strange homeless man he meets at the beach around the lake.
One of the biggest turn-offs for me as just how wordy the descriptions are. Ion is an angsty teen in a rough situation but whenever he has a thought or a question there are several paragraphs of description that feel so unnecessary they start to take the reader out of the story.
It was a solid book but it wasn’t anything great. The author has a nice writing style. But the book is a bit heavy on the description.
December 29, 2019
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not in any way persuaded to write a positive review.
TW: Suicidal thoughts and attempts of suicide
Anomaly is the prequel to The Blood Race trilogy (if you have not read The Blood Race trilogy yet, stop right now and buy them. They are amazing and will be totally worth your time), it takes place when Ion first discovers he has powers. His powers are useful and help him in difficult situation but like anything good they come with consequences.
Anymaly is a fast paced and intriguing read (I read it in two and a half hours). It explores the difficulties that Ion faces with his powers. I loved how Katie describes his struggles, they felt so real that it made me want to give Ion a big hug. However, after reading Anomaly I don’t feel like I really learned that much about Ion and the book overall didn’t blow me away. Hence why I gave it 3.8 stars out of 5. I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
TW: Suicidal thoughts and attempts of suicide
Anomaly is the prequel to The Blood Race trilogy (if you have not read The Blood Race trilogy yet, stop right now and buy them. They are amazing and will be totally worth your time), it takes place when Ion first discovers he has powers. His powers are useful and help him in difficult situation but like anything good they come with consequences.
Anymaly is a fast paced and intriguing read (I read it in two and a half hours). It explores the difficulties that Ion faces with his powers. I loved how Katie describes his struggles, they felt so real that it made me want to give Ion a big hug. However, after reading Anomaly I don’t feel like I really learned that much about Ion and the book overall didn’t blow me away. Hence why I gave it 3.8 stars out of 5. I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
December 10, 2019
As a prequel, this book has definitely done its job. It shows us the origin of Ion's powers and for those (like me) who have not read the series - I am going out to get them. Ion's story is gritty and hard-hitting. If you are looking for a fluffy story, look elsewhere. But it is very real. As a teacher, I have seen many students go through similar struggles - minus the superpowers! Ion's growth and development, while difficult at times, shows hope beyond the darkness and the healing ability of kindness and support. This story is a great read, whether you have read the series or not - be warned, you will want to read more!
January 12, 2020
The is a perfect prequel. I was sad when the series ended to say goodbye to characters that I love but this this was fantastic. First there is so much truth spoken in the book it's more then just getting to know the main character of the series better she writes about something we all struggle with and that's having things spoken over us that we let define us and how to combat those spoken lies. She also writes about our thoughts and how they can shape how we see ourselves and conduct ourselves. Again as I've said in my reviews for the other books the way she writes makes me think of my own faith and strengthens it I loved this book well done
March 4, 2021
WOW! That was different. I was confused at first about the subject of the story but kept on reading anyhow. (I must like puzzles) I did think of an old book that probably young we readers don't recognize. "The Catcher in the Rye" where the stream of consciousness is done in first person. The story took some surprising turns, but I was engaged. At the end of this small book I am left panting for more of the story. I can't wait to see if my suppositions are correct. I love a good murder mystery and I sense that the rest of the story will hold some surprises. Kate Emmons has a winner here.
I gave this little gem 5 stars.
I gave this little gem 5 stars.
March 10, 2021
Ion Jacobs is fourteen years old foster child that's been bounced from home to home. He's currently living with The Reeves and doesn't get along with the son Michael. All Ion wants is a place to call home. When strange things begin to happen around Ion. Everyone wants an explanation from Ion which he can't give because he doesn't understand himself. What is going on? How does it affect Ion? Your answers await you in Anomaly.
Interesting introduction to this series. I'm curious to see where this series goes. I believe the characters and story are wholely unique and original. Definitely going to read the next book in the series. Until next time Happy Reading!
Interesting introduction to this series. I'm curious to see where this series goes. I believe the characters and story are wholely unique and original. Definitely going to read the next book in the series. Until next time Happy Reading!
March 11, 2021
I received this book for Free so I will review it honestly and not for $$. I genuinely enjoyed the read. It was a good setup for what appears to be a 3 book arc of stories based on the main character Ion. In this book he explores along with the reader who he really is. I won't go into spoilers but the writing was interesting enough for me to keep me engaged and enjoying the pace and descriptions. I admit a few things did strike me as superfluous (one example is all light bulbs are apparently tungsten light bulbs...) but those are easily overlooked in the larger story. Hats off to K.A. Emmons for writing a good hook story, I will have to check out the rest as time permits.
April 8, 2021
This prequel was so darn good, it's like a bag of chips you can't get enough. I loved everything about this novella. The character of Ion is intriguing and the fact that he has powers makes him even more interesting. He is a good person too because he doesn't intentionally want to hurt anyone even though he himself is being hurt. I am interested in knowing more about the mysterious old man and his role in all of this, and especially what he means when he knows what Ion is going through. You can bet that I will be reading the rest of the series as soon as I can.
December 3, 2019
I received and ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Anomaly is a prequel to The Blood Race trilogy. It follows Ion when he was young, and we get to see him try and understand his powers and see him struggle with it.
This book was a intriguing read, fast paced the story pulled you in and does not let go. The author knows how to make readers feel for the character and that's how you know it will be an amazing read.
Overall this was a good read and I recommend it to everyone.
Anomaly is a prequel to The Blood Race trilogy. It follows Ion when he was young, and we get to see him try and understand his powers and see him struggle with it.
This book was a intriguing read, fast paced the story pulled you in and does not let go. The author knows how to make readers feel for the character and that's how you know it will be an amazing read.
Overall this was a good read and I recommend it to everyone.
December 15, 2019
I received this book as an ARC from the author. I have not read the series that this is the prequel to. However, I definitely will know. Knowing a little bit about Ion and what happens to him before the series starts will give me a little bit more insight into the character that he becomes. It’s oblivious that he has a rough beginning, and mysterious circumstances that surround his appearing. It will be interesting to see how this develops in the series.
January 21, 2020
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Ion is a foster child living in a household with an abusive and drunk husband and his son who is a bully. Strange things happen to Ion, things that scare and confuse him. He befriends a homeless man who just might have the answers to Ion's questions. Definitely for the young adult reader. I didn't realize this was a prequel to a series. Now I'm interested in reading the series to see how everything plays out.
January 26, 2020
Worthy of 5 stars. Wow! This story immediately starts off great so I was hooked from the beginning. The author does a fantastic job of giving just the right amount of details so you have a clear understanding of scenery, action, and Ion's internal thoughts without being overly wordy. It was interesting to see his character development. I was truly left wondering what is going to happen and can't wait to read more.
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