Hunted

by S.W. Vaughn

Some angels do not suffer their children to live. Grace Carrington has never been normal -- she's a Nephilim, half human and half angel. The same psychic powers that make her a freak also make her a target, and she's on the run from an exploitive mother and two enemy beings whose powers far exceed her own. One of them controls the Stalker, an inhuman killer no Nephilim has ever outrun. How long can a woman survive when angels want her dead?

Genres: Fairies, Paranormal

318 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2009

About the author

S.W. Vaughn lives in "scenic" Central New York, with its two glorious seasons -- winter and road construction -- along with her husband and son. An award-winning author, copywriter, and blogger, she's been writing professionally for over 15 years.

Under Sonya Bateman, she is the author of the DeathSpeaker Codex series (urban fantasy) and the Gavyn Donatti series (urban fantasy / Simon & Schuster).

Reviews

[Ornella · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out great and you finish with a nice read, but there were just a few too many unanswered questions for anything higher.

As I mentioned, this book starts with a bang. Grace is cheating the casino for 50 grand and then she sees some sword wielding giant decapitate a girl in front of her. She handled herself really well in those circumstances and was able to survive and get away with her 50 grand intact.

I loved Grace and Silver. Grace is resourceful, sneaky and could stand up for herself. Silver is a big guy who kills with an ease that is scary but with such a big heart and even with all the killing and torture he goes through he is still so innocent. I loved him. Way more than who Grace actually ends up with.

Lucas was basically the opposite of Grace. Hot-headed, whiny, and came of as weak in my book. He does have his sweet moments but he just does nothing for me, much prefer Silver :)

I never really understood what was the deal with being a nephilim? Why send the angels to hunt them? Just cause they are Nephilim? And how is it that not ONE of the angel parents ever came around again. There was one that stuck around for a bit, but all the rest were just wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am.

Then there are all the coincidences and inconsistencies that allowed for the story to progress. We only ever meet 2 angels, where the hell are the rest? Why is it that Grace has a connection to Silver? If it weren't for this convenient connection and how Grace ends up at the clinic, they all would have been beyond screwed.

When Michael starts talking about how Grace and Lucas need to stay at the clinic for their own protection cause the angels will hunt them down if she is out there with her powers, it all just sounded like a bunch of bs. Grace thought so too and with good reason. She has been living on her own for 4 years using her powers and she has been doing damn well thank you very much. Why in the world would she need to start dampening her powers all of a sudden when that's what is going to save her and all of them as well? It was just such a bunch of crap.

Then towards the end you get the big showdown with both angels just cause one of them is at the right place and right time to sense them using their powers and shows up. I mean really? Just like that. Out of alll the places in the world the angel could have been at the time, she was there.

In the end as nice as the story was, and as much as I loved Grace and Silver there was just way too much crap and plot holes for anything else.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is told through Grace’s eyes, she is a runaway who has been living on her own for four years. She is smart, spunky, and resourceful. After a bit of unusual trouble in Vegas Grace decides to head east hoping to learn more about her father who disappeared before she was born. The problem is she is now being hunted because a new ability has captured the attention of a couple of very nasty angels. On the train she meets Lucas who is also running away and has abilities of his own. Together they try to unravel the mystery of who they are and what their purpose is on earth.

The action is fast paced as Grace and Lucas learn to depend on and trust one another. I had a hard time accepting the fact that the angels in this story were such angry, violent, and mean beings who seemed to have no redeeming qualities. It was never explained why the Nephilim were considered a threat to them or society as a whole. Silver is a Nephilim who the angel Lorin completely controls, he is her assassin, and he quickly became my favorite character as he tries to protect Grace.

This could clearly become a series as Grace and Lucas meet the other teenagers, with abilities, who think they have found a safe haven at a clinic/camp in the Adirondacks. The head of the camp, Michael, thinks he has all the answers and Grace has no problem telling him he is full of BS. (Did I mention she was spunky and strong-willed?) This is a coming of age story that many young adults may enjoy, although I had a problem with the excessive narrative. This is not to say there wasn't any realistic dialogue, because there was as the story progressed and I did enjoy knowing Grace’s thoughts throughout the story. I am relatively sure any plot holes, which were left open, will be filled-in or completed as the story continues, and I would like to see that happen. I would love to see how the relationship between Silver and Grace develops as Silver becomes his own person. If you enjoy urban fantasy and don’t have a problem with despicable angels you may enjoy this book.

I found no significant editing issues.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. ** August 7, 2013

[Gaele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told in Grace’s point of view, this teenager is resourceful, smart and spunky. She is headed to the East Coast to discover more about her father, running from some nasty Nephelim who wish to hurt her. Shortly into the story she meets Lucas, another teen in danger from the Nephelim, and the two decide to join forces for safety and answers.

S. W. Vaughn has created a fast-paced and action packed coming of age story. As the two travel east, they learn to depend on and trust in one another, and they find themselves encountering other teens with ‘special abilities’. Finding refuge in a camp in the Adirondack Mountains, they seek to find answers to why they are hunted, and just how to survive.

There were far too many plot holes and missing explanations in this story, leaving several unanswered questions that deserved resolution and further exposition. There were several instances of ‘convenient’ plotting and action, and several passages with excessive narration: each missed the chance to give background information that would have enhanced the story, and kept the tension climbing, rather than slow the pacing before a spate of fortuitous and furious action.

While this book had its problems, the story was a fast-paced read with the characters of Lucas and Grace engendering empathy and interest, and their dialogue was cleverly written and delivered in ways that felt natural and not contrived. It is a decent book, with a slightly unfinished feel and several questions unanswered after the last page.

I received an eBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Tisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not great, wouldn't really read more.

[Deena Jankowski · Rating 1 out of 5]

couldn't find it in me to finish.