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probablyytori's review against another edition
1.0
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I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway! Thank you, Goodreads, for hosting it.
Precious Blood actually has a really interesting premise. It's just the characters that really got to me. I firmly believe that most of the events I hated in this book were because of the characters, not the plot.
This book centers around three girls--Lucy, Cecilia, and Agnes--who all have issues one way or another. Either they're an unloved celebrity, a broke rock star, and a suicidal hopeless romantic. I'm pretty sure this book has it all. And that's almost not a good thing in this book's case. These three girls all end up in a hospital one night because somehow their issues got the best of them. It's there that they all find matching bracelets that eventually lead them to a church where they meet a hot stranger that they really shouldn't have fallen in love with because he's a two-timing (whoa, three-timing) jerk that only wants them because they're "special." Let's not emit the fact that he doesn't tell them why they're special until they're practically killed in a basement underneath a church.
This is going to be a bad review, so I'm going to start by pointing out the good things that I liked about this book before I dive into the parts that weren't particularly for me. I think there's honestly only one thing that I liked: the plot. The idea of reincarnated saints was something that I found interesting. The pace of the book, although a bit slow at first, wasn't horrendous either. Rough around the edges, yes, but it could've been much, much worse.
Sadly, that's the extent of my like. The only reason I didn't give this book one star was because it wasn't horrible. It was just ridiculous. (Be prepared for a lot of quotes. I took notes on this book. Then again, I took notes for all the books I read over Christmas break.) "You will catch your death out here." Cecilia says this. Let me just point out that Cecilia is the broke rock star that spends her time on the streets hanging out with a stoner that writes some of her songs. She's also a high school drop out. Not only would Cecilia not talk like that, but nobody would talk like that. "You will catch your death out here? No. I just...no.
...Agnes piped up. "But what about what he said? About [the bracelets] leading us here?..." You know, that's real funny, because I don't even remember Agnes being in the scene where Sebastian told Cecilia and Lucy that the bracelets led them to the church where he was staying during the storm. It was little things like this that just irked me. I'm very particular. I notice when little mishappenings occur. I think Agnes as a whole just annoying me though. She always looked at Cecilia sympathetically. If you've read this book, you would know that Cecilia is not a victim whatsoever. She's tough. I think she can handle Lucy saying a few mean words to her.
Oh, and Lucy and Cecilia, man. They were always at each other, usually because of Sebastian. I mean, you two just met the guy. There is not claming or dibs on this one. He is a strange man in a church that is pretty much creepy as hell, and you're still pining and fighting over him? This leads me into another thing that I hated: the instalove between Sebastian and the three girls. They were in the same vicinity for three days and all of a sudden the three girls were in love with Sebastian. I don't know if this had to do with their saint bond or whatever, but it was annoying. I hate instalove.
Oh, I found another mishappening. "No," Agnes said again, this time with no conviction. Agnes never said 'no' the first time. By using 'again,' it's implied that this is the second time Agnes has done such-and-such, except she really didn't. Agnes said 'no' one time and that's all. Like I said, little things like these, I notice them and they get to me.
(And out comes my grammar side.) First, 'off of' is not a grammatically correct phrase. It never was and it never will be. Stop trying to make it happen. And why is the word 'dumpster' capitalized? Unless it's a company that creates dumpsters, then dumpster should not be capitalized. It is an improper noun. It is not a proper nown. It should be lowercase.
I hate how all the girls are so conceited! Like, you three are not God's gift to this Earth so stop acting like it!
There was one line that is just a no-no. The psychiatric floor Perpetual Help also happened to be the highest floor. "The Penthouse," as the ward staffers liked to euphemize it. At that moment, all Agnes could think was that it was a pretty good place to jump from, which might have been what the administrators had in mind when they moved the unit up there. The simplest cost-cutting measure of all. I'm sorry, but that is just wrong. You do not joke about jumpers especially after you just slit your wrists. Just...no. I take it back; I'm not sorry. That's just so wrong to joke about.
There was one scene where Cecilia took a gold charm on her bracelet and used it as a pick for her electric guitar. I'm going out on a limb here so if I'm wrong don't kill me, but I don't think that gold charms work for guitar strings, especially electric guitars. I have both, electric and acoustic, and I've tried to use a multitude of items to strum, but the only item that works is a guitar pick and my fingers. All the other items either (a) break or (b) make a horrible noise. I just don't see how using a gold charm would work.
I don't know. There were just so many things in this book that got to me. I'm really starting to lean toward one star, but I didn't not (again with the double negatives. I use these a lot in my reviews) enjoy it at all. I have to admit that there were parts that caught my interest. I wouldn't really recommend this book to anybody. I know that's horrible to say, but I just really wouldn't. I wouldn't say it was a waste of my time, but it's simply not a book that I will be reading again or reading the sequel to. I don't want to read it if I don't think I will enjoy it, because although I'm good at nitpicking books, I don't enjoy giving bad reviews. It makes me feel like a bad person.
If you want to read this book, get it at the library. Then if you like it (quite a few people do!) then you can buy it. Precious Blood just wasn't for me.
I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway! Thank you, Goodreads, for hosting it.
Precious Blood actually has a really interesting premise. It's just the characters that really got to me. I firmly believe that most of the events I hated in this book were because of the characters, not the plot.
This book centers around three girls--Lucy, Cecilia, and Agnes--who all have issues one way or another. Either they're an unloved celebrity, a broke rock star, and a suicidal hopeless romantic. I'm pretty sure this book has it all. And that's almost not a good thing in this book's case. These three girls all end up in a hospital one night because somehow their issues got the best of them. It's there that they all find matching bracelets that eventually lead them to a church where they meet a hot stranger that they really shouldn't have fallen in love with because he's a two-timing (whoa, three-timing) jerk that only wants them because they're "special." Let's not emit the fact that he doesn't tell them why they're special until they're practically killed in a basement underneath a church.
This is going to be a bad review, so I'm going to start by pointing out the good things that I liked about this book before I dive into the parts that weren't particularly for me. I think there's honestly only one thing that I liked: the plot. The idea of reincarnated saints was something that I found interesting. The pace of the book, although a bit slow at first, wasn't horrendous either. Rough around the edges, yes, but it could've been much, much worse.
Sadly, that's the extent of my like. The only reason I didn't give this book one star was because it wasn't horrible. It was just ridiculous. (Be prepared for a lot of quotes. I took notes on this book. Then again, I took notes for all the books I read over Christmas break.) "You will catch your death out here." Cecilia says this. Let me just point out that Cecilia is the broke rock star that spends her time on the streets hanging out with a stoner that writes some of her songs. She's also a high school drop out. Not only would Cecilia not talk like that, but nobody would talk like that. "You will catch your death out here? No. I just...no.
...Agnes piped up. "But what about what he said? About [the bracelets] leading us here?..." You know, that's real funny, because I don't even remember Agnes being in the scene where Sebastian told Cecilia and Lucy that the bracelets led them to the church where he was staying during the storm. It was little things like this that just irked me. I'm very particular. I notice when little mishappenings occur. I think Agnes as a whole just annoying me though. She always looked at Cecilia sympathetically. If you've read this book, you would know that Cecilia is not a victim whatsoever. She's tough. I think she can handle Lucy saying a few mean words to her.
Oh, and Lucy and Cecilia, man. They were always at each other, usually because of Sebastian. I mean, you two just met the guy. There is not claming or dibs on this one. He is a strange man in a church that is pretty much creepy as hell, and you're still pining and fighting over him? This leads me into another thing that I hated: the instalove between Sebastian and the three girls. They were in the same vicinity for three days and all of a sudden the three girls were in love with Sebastian. I don't know if this had to do with their saint bond or whatever, but it was annoying. I hate instalove.
Oh, I found another mishappening. "No," Agnes said again, this time with no conviction. Agnes never said 'no' the first time. By using 'again,' it's implied that this is the second time Agnes has done such-and-such, except she really didn't. Agnes said 'no' one time and that's all. Like I said, little things like these, I notice them and they get to me.
(And out comes my grammar side.) First, 'off of' is not a grammatically correct phrase. It never was and it never will be. Stop trying to make it happen. And why is the word 'dumpster' capitalized? Unless it's a company that creates dumpsters, then dumpster should not be capitalized. It is an improper noun. It is not a proper nown. It should be lowercase.
I hate how all the girls are so conceited! Like, you three are not God's gift to this Earth so stop acting like it!
There was one line that is just a no-no. The psychiatric floor Perpetual Help also happened to be the highest floor. "The Penthouse," as the ward staffers liked to euphemize it. At that moment, all Agnes could think was that it was a pretty good place to jump from, which might have been what the administrators had in mind when they moved the unit up there. The simplest cost-cutting measure of all. I'm sorry, but that is just wrong. You do not joke about jumpers especially after you just slit your wrists. Just...no. I take it back; I'm not sorry. That's just so wrong to joke about.
There was one scene where Cecilia took a gold charm on her bracelet and used it as a pick for her electric guitar. I'm going out on a limb here so if I'm wrong don't kill me, but I don't think that gold charms work for guitar strings, especially electric guitars. I have both, electric and acoustic, and I've tried to use a multitude of items to strum, but the only item that works is a guitar pick and my fingers. All the other items either (a) break or (b) make a horrible noise. I just don't see how using a gold charm would work.
I don't know. There were just so many things in this book that got to me. I'm really starting to lean toward one star, but I didn't not (again with the double negatives. I use these a lot in my reviews) enjoy it at all. I have to admit that there were parts that caught my interest. I wouldn't really recommend this book to anybody. I know that's horrible to say, but I just really wouldn't. I wouldn't say it was a waste of my time, but it's simply not a book that I will be reading again or reading the sequel to. I don't want to read it if I don't think I will enjoy it, because although I'm good at nitpicking books, I don't enjoy giving bad reviews. It makes me feel like a bad person.
If you want to read this book, get it at the library. Then if you like it (quite a few people do!) then you can buy it. Precious Blood just wasn't for me.
immortalgirl92's review against another edition
3.0
This book was just plain weird. First it was boring and a little confusing, then it got a little scary but more interesting. All in all it was weirdly unique story and I kind of liked it.
***+
***+
kokoakirkland's review against another edition
2.0
No pude ni terminar la historia, se ve como una premisa interesante pero no tan bien manejada por lo que aburre.
cinephilegirl_'s review against another edition
4.0
Reseña
First in english:
What a weird novel. I loved the trashy characters that are described in the book. Cecilia,Lucy and Agnes are very intente and troubled girls.
The end was unexpected but i didn't fully get it so that the rating is four stars to me. It was weird good and unholy. I really enjoy it.
(Even in my heart it's almost five stars)
Que novela más rara. Ame los personajes decadentes que representan y eso me la hizo más cercana y muy fácil de amar. Cecilia, Lucy y Agnes son intensas y problemáticas.
El final fue inesperado pero no me
Convenció del todo. Por eso el rating de 4 estrellas. (Aunque en mi corazón casi son 5).
Una novela extraña, hereje que se caga en la iglesia y realmente la disfruté!
First in english:
What a weird novel. I loved the trashy characters that are described in the book. Cecilia,Lucy and Agnes are very intente and troubled girls.
The end was unexpected but i didn't fully get it so that the rating is four stars to me. It was weird good and unholy. I really enjoy it.
(Even in my heart it's almost five stars)
Que novela más rara. Ame los personajes decadentes que representan y eso me la hizo más cercana y muy fácil de amar. Cecilia, Lucy y Agnes son intensas y problemáticas.
El final fue inesperado pero no me
Convenció del todo. Por eso el rating de 4 estrellas. (Aunque en mi corazón casi son 5).
Una novela extraña, hereje que se caga en la iglesia y realmente la disfruté!
babro30's review against another edition
2.0
Well. This book was... memorable.
You've probably already guessed by reading the blurb that The Blessed is quite a dark book. To be honest, I was really reluctant to start this one. I don't think it was because of all the goth vibes it gives out - it was more due to the fact that I'd buy some other, more known, book and read it. Plus, most of the reviews I read for this one were quite negative.
I'm really glad the UK has a different cover for The Blessed. The original creeps me out. A lot. I'm not even going to show you it, but if you really want to see, be my guest: creepy cover. Personally, I think the cover I've posted above is much nicer than the one in the link.
With all that in mine, I wasn't sure I'd like the book once I started it. It wasn't bad in the beginning. In fact I was pretty determined to get more than 80 pages read, because I remember seeing a review where the person only got as far as 80 pages. Perhaps that's what drove me to finish it - I just wanted to prove to myself that I could.It takes place in Brooklyn, and I don't think I've ever read a book set there.
It was for that reason I found myself wanting to actually enjoy the book. One thing that I did manage to love about The Blessed was Tonya Hurley's style of writing. At times it did lag a bit, but her writing techniques are really clever. I don't think we see enough of descriptive techniques in YA novels sometimes. I still love them, though.
The characters Hurley created seem too much like adults. They're all meant to be about 16-18, but with the things they go through and they way they handle situations, I just couldn't imagine them as their age. I'm pretty sure that no teenager I know goes through things like that.
So, I was reading this at night, before bed. And then it started to get scary. And I started to get scared. There was like, demonic possession stuff going on. To call it creepy would be an understatement. However, I actually found the plot OK. It was enjoyable at times. Rare, rare times.
I don't think I'll forget how scared I got. I get scared really easily.
I think that the book was paced too slowly for my taste. If the author had only sped things up, the book wouldn't have been as lengthy and it wouldn't have dragged. If dark, gothic novels are your type, then by all means, read this. It's actually quite clever. Nevertheless, the book wasn't for me.
You've probably already guessed by reading the blurb that The Blessed is quite a dark book. To be honest, I was really reluctant to start this one. I don't think it was because of all the goth vibes it gives out - it was more due to the fact that I'd buy some other, more known, book and read it. Plus, most of the reviews I read for this one were quite negative.
I'm really glad the UK has a different cover for The Blessed. The original creeps me out. A lot. I'm not even going to show you it, but if you really want to see, be my guest: creepy cover. Personally, I think the cover I've posted above is much nicer than the one in the link.
With all that in mine, I wasn't sure I'd like the book once I started it. It wasn't bad in the beginning. In fact I was pretty determined to get more than 80 pages read, because I remember seeing a review where the person only got as far as 80 pages. Perhaps that's what drove me to finish it - I just wanted to prove to myself that I could.It takes place in Brooklyn, and I don't think I've ever read a book set there.
It was for that reason I found myself wanting to actually enjoy the book. One thing that I did manage to love about The Blessed was Tonya Hurley's style of writing. At times it did lag a bit, but her writing techniques are really clever. I don't think we see enough of descriptive techniques in YA novels sometimes. I still love them, though.
The characters Hurley created seem too much like adults. They're all meant to be about 16-18, but with the things they go through and they way they handle situations, I just couldn't imagine them as their age. I'm pretty sure that no teenager I know goes through things like that.
So, I was reading this at night, before bed. And then it started to get scary. And I started to get scared. There was like, demonic possession stuff going on. To call it creepy would be an understatement. However, I actually found the plot OK. It was enjoyable at times. Rare, rare times.
I don't think I'll forget how scared I got. I get scared really easily.
I think that the book was paced too slowly for my taste. If the author had only sped things up, the book wouldn't have been as lengthy and it wouldn't have dragged. If dark, gothic novels are your type, then by all means, read this. It's actually quite clever. Nevertheless, the book wasn't for me.
babro30's review against another edition
3.0
Well. This book was... memorable.
You've probably already guessed by reading the blurb that The Blessed is quite a dark book. To be honest, I was really reluctant to start this one. I don't think it was because of all the goth vibes it gives out - it was more due to the fact that I'd buy some other, more known, book and read it. Plus, most of the reviews I read for this one were quite negative.
I'm really glad the UK has a different cover for The Blessed. The original creeps me out. A lot. I'm not even going to show you it, but if you really want to see, be my guest: creepy cover. Personally, I think the cover I've posted above is much nicer than the one in the link.
With all that in mine, I wasn't sure I'd like the book once I started it. It wasn't bad in the beginning. In fact I was pretty determined to get more than 80 pages read, because I remember seeing a review where the person only got as far as 80 pages. Perhaps that's what drove me to finish it - I just wanted to prove to myself that I could.It takes place in Brooklyn, and I don't think I've ever read a book set there.
It was for that reason I found myself wanting to actually enjoy the book. One thing that I did manage to love about The Blessed was Tonya Hurley's style of writing. At times it did lag a bit, but her writing techniques are really clever. I don't think we see enough of descriptive techniques in YA novels sometimes. I still love them, though.
The characters Hurley created seem too much like adults. They're all meant to be about 16-18, but with the things they go through and they way they handle situations, I just couldn't imagine them as their age. I'm pretty sure that no teenager I know goes through things like that.
So, I was reading this at night, before bed. And then it started to get scary. And I started to get scared. There was like, demonic possession stuff going on. To call it creepy would be an understatement. However, I actually found the plot OK. It was enjoyable at times. Rare, rare times.
I don't think I'll forget how scared I got. I get scared really easily.
I think that the book was paced too slowly for my taste. If the author had only sped things up, the book wouldn't have been as lengthy and it wouldn't have dragged. If dark, gothic novels are your type, then by all means, read this. It's actually quite clever. Nevertheless, the book wasn't for me.
You've probably already guessed by reading the blurb that The Blessed is quite a dark book. To be honest, I was really reluctant to start this one. I don't think it was because of all the goth vibes it gives out - it was more due to the fact that I'd buy some other, more known, book and read it. Plus, most of the reviews I read for this one were quite negative.
I'm really glad the UK has a different cover for The Blessed. The original creeps me out. A lot. I'm not even going to show you it, but if you really want to see, be my guest: creepy cover. Personally, I think the cover I've posted above is much nicer than the one in the link.
With all that in mine, I wasn't sure I'd like the book once I started it. It wasn't bad in the beginning. In fact I was pretty determined to get more than 80 pages read, because I remember seeing a review where the person only got as far as 80 pages. Perhaps that's what drove me to finish it - I just wanted to prove to myself that I could.It takes place in Brooklyn, and I don't think I've ever read a book set there.
It was for that reason I found myself wanting to actually enjoy the book. One thing that I did manage to love about The Blessed was Tonya Hurley's style of writing. At times it did lag a bit, but her writing techniques are really clever. I don't think we see enough of descriptive techniques in YA novels sometimes. I still love them, though.
The characters Hurley created seem too much like adults. They're all meant to be about 16-18, but with the things they go through and they way they handle situations, I just couldn't imagine them as their age. I'm pretty sure that no teenager I know goes through things like that.
So, I was reading this at night, before bed. And then it started to get scary. And I started to get scared. There was like, demonic possession stuff going on. To call it creepy would be an understatement. However, I actually found the plot OK. It was enjoyable at times. Rare, rare times.
I don't think I'll forget how scared I got. I get scared really easily.
I think that the book was paced too slowly for my taste. If the author had only sped things up, the book wouldn't have been as lengthy and it wouldn't have dragged. If dark, gothic novels are your type, then by all means, read this. It's actually quite clever. Nevertheless, the book wasn't for me.
amyrobertsonreads's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mardr216's review against another edition
2.0
In this story we have 3 girls that find themselves in the brink of death at the same hospital. Agnes was taken to the hospital with slit wrist but she was saved. Cecilia was taken taken to the hospital for almost drowning found on a sidewalk but was saved. Lucy taken to the hospital for overdosing at a nightclub but was also saved. While they're there they each receive a bracelet given to them by a teenage boy named Sebastian but the only one that knows this is Cecilia. With his gift their lives are turned upside down. Now they feel drawn to him and a church following a religious and mystical path they don't understand while all hell brakes loose all around them.
The story was interesting but I did find a couple of things I didn't like for example the foul language. Although it was sporadic I felt it unnecessary. There were also a few descriptions of poor taste that could have been excluded. The amount of details and descriptions could also be cut short because it make the story progress slow. Adding suspense to the story is great but it seems to drag on for far to long. The plot doesn't seem to reach the climax of the story. Over a hundred pages read and you still don't know what's going on or have any information on the characters, the only information we have is how bad the storm is outside the church and bits of the girls stories that we pretty much already knew. With no action, once the climax is reached in the story it feels like its lacking something.
The storyline I thought was good bringing something religious from another time back to the present. I liked the mystery of the chaplets and what they represented for each. The background history that was given about the saints was also great. The foreshadowing of the events and the progression of the evil coming adds to the story but like I said before it would have been better in not as many paragraphs of details.
Overall an okay read but not something I would read again. I think the story could have be presented a bit better, I did find myself losing interest at different instances.
The story was interesting but I did find a couple of things I didn't like for example the foul language. Although it was sporadic I felt it unnecessary. There were also a few descriptions of poor taste that could have been excluded. The amount of details and descriptions could also be cut short because it make the story progress slow. Adding suspense to the story is great but it seems to drag on for far to long. The plot doesn't seem to reach the climax of the story. Over a hundred pages read and you still don't know what's going on or have any information on the characters, the only information we have is how bad the storm is outside the church and bits of the girls stories that we pretty much already knew. With no action, once the climax is reached in the story it feels like its lacking something.
The storyline I thought was good bringing something religious from another time back to the present. I liked the mystery of the chaplets and what they represented for each. The background history that was given about the saints was also great. The foreshadowing of the events and the progression of the evil coming adds to the story but like I said before it would have been better in not as many paragraphs of details.
Overall an okay read but not something I would read again. I think the story could have be presented a bit better, I did find myself losing interest at different instances.