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Showing posts with label Alyx Rayer Chronicles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alyx Rayer Chronicles. Show all posts
Friday, April 12, 2013
Review: Tethered by Fate by SJ Pierce
Tethered By Fate
Author: S.J. Pierce
Release Date: Nov. 29, 2012
Alyx Rayer Chronicles #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): E-book
Book Source: Author
About the book:
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Where fate would take the both of them now, Isaac wasn’t sure, but either way their paths were irrevocably tethered.
Hurled into the midst of a holy war between the sinister fallen Angel of War and their beloved Creator, gifted humans, Angels, and Spirit Guides unite to create a formidable, ethereal army. With the imminent battle only days away, continue to follow the story that captivated your hearts as a Protector Angel named Alyx struggles with her own inner conflicts between right and wrong, love and honor.
Passionate, engaging, and filled with surprising twists and turns -- see which path fate will lead our beloved Angel down next in this second book of the Alyx Rayer Chronicles.
May not be suitable for YA.
What G & U are talking about:
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Gikany and Una believe that you cannot always judge a series by the first book. It is why we will typically read at least the first two books in a series before making a decision to continue or not. Tethered by Fate is an example of that. We were pleasantly surprised to find it better than the first novel, Marked for Vengeance and that many of our lingering questions were answered.
**Please note that if you have not read the first book, there are spoilers for the previous novel inherent in reviewing this novel.
Tethered by Fate begins right where the previous novel ended. Alyx is in the new dimension with Isaac, who is struggling for life. She is ready to face punishment for her transgressions, but it seems she is being spared, for now. Although Alyx should now be free of her connection to Isaac, she is still connected to him not only by the “marked” draw but also by the feelings she cannot deny any longer. However, Isaac is withdrawing from her after learning that she may have lead the demons to him.
The Alyx Rayer series is truly an apocalyptic drama. The demon apocalypse has occurred and the world seems lost. Only eight angels and their Markeds have survived. The rest of the humanity is now entrapped by the demons. But the war is not over. Warrior angels are to join with the angel Protectors in order to rescue the trapped souls and end the tyranny of the demons. However, as the training begins, Alyx learns that she is not like her sister Protectors – she is quite unique. Her uniqueness appears to be a flaw in her make-up. As she informs her Warrior counterpart – “I’m broken”. How will these sixteen angels save the world? It seems impossible, but their devotion to helping save the Creator’s world is strong.
What Gikany and Una found fascinating in Tethered by Fate is the mix of gifted humans (Markeds) and the personalities of the Elders. The continuing tie between Isaac and Alyx and how it plays out is heart wrenching, especially when it becomes a triangle with Samuel (“Sam”), Alyx’s Warrior.
However what gripped us in Tethered by Fate continues to be the characters. Oman, one of the Elders and Isaac’s guide, is charmingly complicated; he is mysterious, mischievous, and generously compassionate. Sam, the Warrior, is naïve but strong, forgiving and compassionate as well. Gikany and Una were deeply moved by the closing of the novel. Although we are left with a massive cliffhanger – instead of being frustrating, it leaves us with hope and a burning desire for the final novel in the Alyx Rayer trilogy. It seems there is also a novella released this week that tells the story of the other Protectors and their Markeds. Gikany and Una have purchased it and look forward to reading it. The final book in the series is due out in August of this year. We look forward to seeing how this all ends.
Their Rating:
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Liked it - recommend (B+)
Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
Labels:
Friday, February 22, 2013
Review: Marked for Vengeance by S.J. Pierce
Marked for Vengeance
Author: S.J. Pierce
Release Date: Oct. 10, 2012
Publisher: Self-published
Publisher: Self-published
Alyx Rayer Chronicles #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): E-book
Book Source: Author
About the book:
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Alyx Rayer’s existence in Atlanta, the eternally bustling capital of Georgia, is one of routine and blending in among the worker bees. But her ‘normal’ life is actually a façade for a higher calling; she's a three hundred year old soul, encased in a human vessel and sent from the darkness between heaven and Earth to capture her Marked when summoned by her superiors.
During the initial, routine stake-out of her Marked, a dream prophet named Isaac Walsh, Alyx is thrown for an emotional loop when his allure captivates her heart from two rooftops away. The event marks the very instance when her sense of what’s right and what’s wrong is brutally challenged as her contact with him is strictly forbidden.
While already trapped between honor and desire, her emotional struggles are further challenged by a man in a black suit who continually pops up when she least expects it, his presence evoking a strange response from the scar she was branded with at birth. The scar tingles like a warning beacon, alerting her that something is amiss. Because her superiors never told her what this would mean, or much of anything except what to do when they summon, she can only conclude to try and keep her sanity, and her life, from completely shattering to pieces.
This engaging first book of the series is a Paranormal Romance novel interlaced with twists, turns, and thrilling suspense that is sure to satisfy readers of any genre.
May not be suitable for YA.
What G & U are talking about:
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Marked for Vengeance is the first book in the new Alyx Rayer Chronicles. It is an intriguing concept that was not flushed out well. Gikany and Una were left with more questions than answers and some of these questions detracted from our satisfaction with the ending.
In the “About the Book” section, they do say it may not be suitable for YA. We agree. We would be comfortable recommending this book for juniors/seniors in high school, but no younger. Due to implied domestic violence and adult situations (involving sex and alcohol), we do not recommend this as a full young adult novel.
The mysterious prologue of Marked for Vengeance is what kick starts this intriguing but faulty mythology. We discover that Alyx, and others like her, are created and sent to Earth as adults. They are given three tours of duty before they are retired. What this retirement is, they do not tell us. During their tours of duty they are responsible for watching one person, their Marked, and waiting to be activated. Upon activation, they must capture their Marked. If that person dies, they die. This is Alyx’s final tour of duty. In her past two tours of duty, she kept a watchful eye on her Marked until their natural deaths without being summoned.
As we mentioned above, we thought there are some holes in the mythology of the Alyx Rayer Chronicles. We will attempt to discuss these holes without giving anything away. Alyx and others like her have stringent rules to follow – rules that seem to be without punishment if broken. It also seems that Alyx is very different from her counterparts and we are left wondering why. What compounds this is that Alyx’s superiors seem oblivious to her differences. Another intriguing concept is that she is the only one of her “group” to have had previous tours of duty. It makes Gikany and Una wonder why? Why do there appear to be so few of her kind and, if they need more, why can’t they make more? If Alyx is on her final tour of duty, why would she be frightened of her Superiors? Why is she unable to ask those vital questions? We have other questions but fear we would give away the plot if we did.
Speaking of giving something away, Marked for Vengeance is a mystery of who and what Alyx is – and what her purpose for her Marked is. We felt that it was unnecessary to have this mystery. It actually detracted from our enjoyment because we interpreted the story a completely different way which leads us to be a little disappointed in the end. The story is told mainly from Alyx’s and her Marked, Isaac’s, points of view. Most of they story is from Alyx’s point of view. This added to our confusion, because wouldn’t she know what she is? This detracted from our ability to connect with Alyx. The preservation of the mystery of whether Alyx is good or evil was unnecessary, in our opinion.
Another unnecessary aspect dealt with Alyx’s boyfriend, Benjamin. He was an interesting character and added something to the overall story and intrigue of Alyx. However, the foreshadowing anger management issues and the implied beginnings of domestic violence between the two – were entirely unnecessary. We felt it was an insult to his character. If they were used as a way to explain why such an eligible man was still single – there are much better ways of doing so without it being a violence issue. Considering that Benjamin was a very attractive and successful surgeon, it made sense to Gikany and Una that he was being very selective about whom he would want to date seriously.
Besides our intrigue at the mythology and our desire to see where it goes, there is a strong positive element in Marked for Vengeance and that is Isaac, Alyx’s Marked. Isaac and his son, Micah, have a very positive relationship. Isaac is a widower and a strong, compassionate and loving father. The relationship between him and his son, along with the relationship he has with his own father are touching. Isaac is a well-balanced character. We enjoyed immensely the handling of Isaac’s grief. He lost his wife five years prior to the beginning of the novel. The way he recognizes his grief and processes it was refreshing. We eagerly anticipate seeing more of him as well as his son, Micah and learning more about them.
Although we had some issues with Marked for Vengeance, we are intrigued by the ending and want to see where it all goes. Gikany and Una are especially interested in seeing some of our mythology questions answered. We again apologize for some of our vagueness, but we would hate to spoil a major plot point.
Their Rating:
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Liked it, but had some issues (B)
Purchase Info:
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