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Most Helpful Reviews
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Liked It “Intricate fantasy epic: |
Didn’t Like It “A nice premise, but this lacked substance and a conclusion. It also lacked good editing as evidenced by the many grammatical and spelling mistakes.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Intricate fantasy epic:
Gareth Stokes wrote this review Saturday, May 18, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Julia’s young life has been an endurance test, until, finally, she is happily taken from an orphanage to a loving family home. She at last knows happiness – the elusive state she has always sought – until she returns home to find her adoptive parents’ home destroyed by an evil entity. Fleeing from the death and destruction, she takes refuge in an abandoned warehouse. But her temporary safety is viciously interrupted by the same creature that destroyed her home. Enter Cayne, a powerful hunter from another realm who saves her from this creature, but pays dearly for it in the battle. Samyaza, the king of Nephilim, flees…leaving Julia to try and help the mortally injured Cayne. Her healing powers bring this young man back from the brink of death… and then the adventure kicks into overdrive.
On the run from Samyaza, the beast determined to kill Julia, she and Cayne flee. Using his mystical powers, he is bound to protect Julia, but he isn’t prepared to tell her why she is being hunted. Cayne is a frustratingly secretive and stoic individual, and Julia fights at every twist and turn to get him to open up and tell her why they are being hunted, and why he is determined to kill any Nephilim that cross their path. She also fights to mute her growing attraction to Cayne, confused by rapid events and confused by her own undeniable feelings.
This story is like a high-speed car chase, all action and tension, in which the two race across the country to avoid the attackers – but also to find Samyaza so that Cayne can try and defeat him. It’s a speedy adventure, with secrets gradually revealed, which keeps you guessing at every new chapter why Julia is the target and Cayne her protector.
If you like mystery, romance, and a wealth of fantasy adventure, this one is definitely for your TBR list. Recommended.”![Tris Everdeen [Girl on Fire!]](http://cf-ui.shelfari.com/usr2657819634746641058232922.jpg)
“Omg so good! I think it's worth more then the author sold it for, but it's so heart acheing all I can see if patch and nora”
Tris Everdeen [Girl on Fire!] wrote this review Tuesday, March 19, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“When I first read the summary for Stained I was surprised by how similar it sounded to the CW's Supernatural (demon kills the parents in a house fire, character goes looking for vengeance and kills lots of demons along the way etc). That said, Stained and Supernatural do have those bare bones in common but they're completely different.
asterravos wrote this review Tuesday, February 12, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
"He got out when she’d been tear-free for a few minutes and approached warily. “Feeling better?” he asked, in a low voice that carried a hint of some distant, not-Southern accent. She nodded quickly, blinking away more tears.
“Good.” Cayne nodded down at her, water rolling down his gorgeous chest. “’Cause I was thinking…”"
I understand that Julia is a hormone driven teenage girl whose foster parents of several years just died but I got emotional whiplash in the beginning of Stained. One second Julia is bawling her eyes out and the next she's ogling Cayne's jade eyes, black vans and ...'statuesque' figure. I really liked Julia despite this though and she does settle down after a while. I found her power of healing to be interesting and her tragic past fit really well in this story. I wish the beginning hadn't been quite so bumpy with her but it wasn't anything that damaged her character or the book.
Other than Cayne's initial unwillingness to tell Julia anything about what was going on, which drove me up the wall but definitely tethered my interest because I needed to know what was happening, I loved his character. This is the first time I'd read about a character with the power of suggestion which was exciting for me. When the TV show Heroes was on I remember thinking how interesting it would be for a character to struggle with that power - whether it was morally right to use it, if they were evil how it'd be used etc. Stained didn't delve too much into it but I was still pleased to see something of that nature.
"Cayne jerked as a bullet exploded out his back. Julia ducked as a second blast knocked him a step back. He didn’t let go of the gunman. Instead, his grip tightened, and the man’s neck snapped with a horrifying pop."
I wasn't entirely on board with Stained until the first real action scene occurred where Julia and Cayne are getting along and working together. James' action writing was superb. It was fast paced, perfectly staged so that I could picture exactly how things were happening etc. I'm glad that Julia reacted believably to the first few incidents but wasn't too dramatic about it. I hate it when characters, especially in YA, go from being regular people to action heroes as if it were nothing. Once things start getting explained (Cayne telling Julia about himself and more about what Samyaza is up to was revealed) the book was impossible to put down; it was just too exciting and addictive.
I was extremely unhappy with the ending of Stained. I can't even call it a cliffhanger, it was more like the book was left unfinished. I've said this more times than I'd like to but it applies here especially. I have no problem investing time and money into series; however, I'd like it to be out the series' own merit. I want the books to be so good that I need more. I don't want to buy the next book because the first one wasn't finished.
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For more reviews from me, please visit Bitten Books: http://www.bittenbooks.com”
“Pretty decent paranormal read...”
TracySchoenberg wrote this review Saturday, December 29, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“this book is about julia. who is special, she can see peoples auras, one day she comes home and her entire life has been destroyed, her foster parents are dead in the scalding remains of her house.. so she runs. she doesnt want to be in foster care again, and she just doesnt understand. she ends up meeting cayne a nephilim and they go after the demon who killed her parents, cayne goes bc this demon took his memories. but the demon wants julia and cayne will protect her.. the demon isnt the only one who wants her though, the higher ups want her also. oh! and cayne isnt an ordinary human though he doesnt know exactly what he is. julia loves cayne, but will the memories he receives of his past ruin everything? ”
Kendra Mehelich wrote this review Friday, November 30, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Absolutely amazing!! I absolutely love the unique storyline!!”
Joanna wrote this review Thursday, September 20, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A quick read, good storyline!”
Dianne wrote this review Monday, June 18, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“ Awesome Read! Stained is an incredible display of this author talents. I was impressed from the start by the character building and amazing storyline. As a young adult romance I was impressed by the gruesome detail, but I found it to add to the suspense of the book. Julia and Cayne are mysteries that fate brought together. As they build a deep seeded romance over these 157 pages; leaving readers hanging on every word and touch. The journey that they are following is a fresh and inventive twist is like nothing I have seen before. It is a slow and steady build that is packed full of action and intensity. As the mysteries unravel I found myself clawing through the pages. As the story hits it peak everything seems to fall into place. The end offers a cliff hanger that will disrupt the harmony promising more action to come. I can not wait to see more from this fresh voice, and will be following the continuation of this series. BookWhisperer Recommended Series!!!”
Book Whisperer wrote this review Sunday, April 15, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“A nice premise, but this lacked substance and a conclusion. It also lacked good editing as evidenced by the many grammatical and spelling mistakes. ”
Rebecca W wrote this review Tuesday, March 20, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This was a great book, it started out slow and hard to understand but got better as it went on. Feels like more of an introductory into a bigger story but can't wait for the next one. Great new author”
Heather P wrote this review Monday, February 20, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No