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fishgirl182's review
3.0
I actually passed on this book when I first saw it. With his gray hoodie and pensive stare, the cover model reminded me of Eminem. No offense to Eminem but a paranormal YA novel featuring someone who looks like him did not pique my interest. However, when the publisher reached out to RNSL and asked us to review the book, I decided to give it another chance.
I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. While far from perfect, it had a good mix of adventure, fantasy and romance. Dylan’s had a really hard upbringing. His mother is very selfish and seems a little mentally unstable and I am almost relieved when she leaves, even though it’s heartbreaking. He’s learned to fend for himself emotionally. Dylan’s grandparents are great - caring and understanding in the face of having to suddenly care of a teenage boy. I didn’t like Dylan much at first. He’s often sullen and moody. While I feel for him, he uses his crappy childhood as a crutch, blaming all of his own bad behavior on it. As the story goes on, Dylan makes some friends though and opens himself up to his grandparents. Once he gets rid of the chip on his shoulder, he’s much more likable and I really liked the relationship he ends up having with his grandparents later on.
Kera, our heroine, is a rebellious teen from the fairy like kingdom of Teag, which has been overrun by the oppressive Navar. She is brave but not always smart. She keeps sneaking out and often trusts the wrong people. I was annoyed with many of the adult characters in Kera’s world because it seemed like they were more interested in saving themselves than protecting her or standing up for what’s right. Instead, they leave it up to a teenage girl and her friends.
Kera and Dylan’s romance is sweet and intense. They start professing their love almost immediately after meeting. I understand that they’ve been in each other’s dreams for years but I wish I knew more about how this dream connection started and what they talked about during the dreams. Instead we’re supposed to believe that they both feel this all consuming love after meeting in person just once. Yes, I know this happens in romances all the time but sometimes you just need a little more to make it believable. I also found it a little unbelievable that Dylan’s friends would so easily accept his new powers and would be ready to risk their lives for the cause so quickly.
While I enjoyed this book I felt that there was something missing. I am not sure what it was. At the end of the book I was still unclear about some things. Who exactly are the First and what do the Keepers of Light do? Are Kera and her people fairies or do they have a name for their kind? This book clearly left room for a sequel and I am guessing that many of these questions will be answered in the next book.
Overall I didn’t love this book but I am glad that I read it. There were a lot of unique characters and the beginnings or a very rich fantasy world. I can see this appealing to many people. Fans of fantasy and those who like love stories about soul mates will probably like this book. Don’t let Eminem on the cover deter you from giving it a shot. :)
I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. While far from perfect, it had a good mix of adventure, fantasy and romance. Dylan’s had a really hard upbringing. His mother is very selfish and seems a little mentally unstable and I am almost relieved when she leaves, even though it’s heartbreaking. He’s learned to fend for himself emotionally. Dylan’s grandparents are great - caring and understanding in the face of having to suddenly care of a teenage boy. I didn’t like Dylan much at first. He’s often sullen and moody. While I feel for him, he uses his crappy childhood as a crutch, blaming all of his own bad behavior on it. As the story goes on, Dylan makes some friends though and opens himself up to his grandparents. Once he gets rid of the chip on his shoulder, he’s much more likable and I really liked the relationship he ends up having with his grandparents later on.
Kera, our heroine, is a rebellious teen from the fairy like kingdom of Teag, which has been overrun by the oppressive Navar. She is brave but not always smart. She keeps sneaking out and often trusts the wrong people. I was annoyed with many of the adult characters in Kera’s world because it seemed like they were more interested in saving themselves than protecting her or standing up for what’s right. Instead, they leave it up to a teenage girl and her friends.
Kera and Dylan’s romance is sweet and intense. They start professing their love almost immediately after meeting. I understand that they’ve been in each other’s dreams for years but I wish I knew more about how this dream connection started and what they talked about during the dreams. Instead we’re supposed to believe that they both feel this all consuming love after meeting in person just once. Yes, I know this happens in romances all the time but sometimes you just need a little more to make it believable. I also found it a little unbelievable that Dylan’s friends would so easily accept his new powers and would be ready to risk their lives for the cause so quickly.
While I enjoyed this book I felt that there was something missing. I am not sure what it was. At the end of the book I was still unclear about some things. Who exactly are the First and what do the Keepers of Light do? Are Kera and her people fairies or do they have a name for their kind? This book clearly left room for a sequel and I am guessing that many of these questions will be answered in the next book.
Overall I didn’t love this book but I am glad that I read it. There were a lot of unique characters and the beginnings or a very rich fantasy world. I can see this appealing to many people. Fans of fantasy and those who like love stories about soul mates will probably like this book. Don’t let Eminem on the cover deter you from giving it a shot. :)
junotranscends's review against another edition
3.0
I haven't read any YA fantasy in a long, long time. (Years, we're talking.) So I wasn't sure what to expect when I got into this.
THE MARKED SON combines a fantasy realm alongside a "normal" realm. The book starts out primarily in the real world. I loved the family dynamic immediately. Dylan was a character I cared about, who came across as a real teenage boy. I loved his temper! I know I probably shouldn't, but it was something about him that came across as so genuine to me. Any time he got upset or fearful, his emotional defenses kicked in and he retreated behind that anger.
Kera, I don't feel I got to know as well. I'm unsure why we were given a third person POV for her chapters and first person for Dylan. It three me off at first, though after awhile I didn't notice it. I thought the romance was sweet and unique. Not quite a slow build-up, but not exactly a love-at-first-sight thing, either.
Overall, a fun read. I got through it in a day, and I'm curious to see where the series takes us. The first book wraps up really nicely, but it's open wide for a sequel. I'll look forward to getting to see Dylan again, 'cause he truly is one of my favorite male YA characters I've read this year.
THE MARKED SON combines a fantasy realm alongside a "normal" realm. The book starts out primarily in the real world. I loved the family dynamic immediately. Dylan was a character I cared about, who came across as a real teenage boy. I loved his temper! I know I probably shouldn't, but it was something about him that came across as so genuine to me. Any time he got upset or fearful, his emotional defenses kicked in and he retreated behind that anger.
Kera, I don't feel I got to know as well. I'm unsure why we were given a third person POV for her chapters and first person for Dylan. It three me off at first, though after awhile I didn't notice it. I thought the romance was sweet and unique. Not quite a slow build-up, but not exactly a love-at-first-sight thing, either.
Overall, a fun read. I got through it in a day, and I'm curious to see where the series takes us. The first book wraps up really nicely, but it's open wide for a sequel. I'll look forward to getting to see Dylan again, 'cause he truly is one of my favorite male YA characters I've read this year.
thegeekyblogger's review
3.0
Overall Rating 3.5
Story Rating 3.75
Character Rating 3.25
Vacation Review: This is one of those book that I wasn't sure what to expect. I am not a huge fan of YA but this one was a pretty good read. The angst, which I normally expect from the girl, was from the main character Dylan. He is probably my least favorite character in the story. In fact, it is Leo (someone who becomes his friend) that I felt was a more compelling male character. I understood Dylan had a crappy life. In fact, I was worried this was going to be another crappy parents, no adults are worthy book. It is not the case! YEAH! In fact, Grandma and Grandpa are two of my favorite characters in the whole story. Without giving anything away I can't explain my exact "Go Grandma" moment but trust me you will be cheering. I also really loved how strong and matter-a-fact that Kera was in the story. There is no cliffhanger but I am excited to see what happens in the future!
Story Rating 3.75
Character Rating 3.25
Vacation Review: This is one of those book that I wasn't sure what to expect. I am not a huge fan of YA but this one was a pretty good read. The angst, which I normally expect from the girl, was from the main character Dylan. He is probably my least favorite character in the story. In fact, it is Leo (someone who becomes his friend) that I felt was a more compelling male character. I understood Dylan had a crappy life. In fact, I was worried this was going to be another crappy parents, no adults are worthy book. It is not the case! YEAH! In fact, Grandma and Grandpa are two of my favorite characters in the whole story. Without giving anything away I can't explain my exact "Go Grandma" moment but trust me you will be cheering. I also really loved how strong and matter-a-fact that Kera was in the story. There is no cliffhanger but I am excited to see what happens in the future!
edarcys's review
3.0
I enjoyed the story, especially the variation between modern first person and olden third person. The plot seems a bit hurried, frenetic even, but well written
the_cover_contessa's review
4.0
I want to thank Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. I will be participating in the blog tour for the second book and have also read that one, so I needed this one first! Receiving this book for free has in no way influenced my opinion or review.
Blurb from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Dylan Kennedy always knew something was different about him, but until his mother abandoned him in the middle of Oregon with grandparents he’s never met, he had no idea what.
When Dylan sees a girl in white in the woods behind his grandparents’ farm, he knows he’s seen her before... in his dreams. He’s felt her fear. Heard her insistence that only he can save her world from an evil lord who uses magic and fear to feed his greed for power.
Unable to shake the unearthly pull to Kera, Dylan takes her hand. Either he’s completely insane or he’s about to have the adventure of his life, because where they’re going is full of creatures he’s only read about in horror stories. Worse, the human blood in his veins has Dylan marked for death...
So, when I first read the blurb for this book (many moons ago), I was very intrigued. But I kind of forgot about it. Then the email from Entangled came asking if I wanted to be part of the blog tour for the second book. Well, this one jumped right back out at me, I mean look at that cover, and I wanted it ASAP. And I'm so glad I dove right in, because I could not put this one down!
Let's start with Dylan. When the book first started, I was a little skeptical. It didn't really grab my attention right away. But I knew the premise and really wanted to see what it was about. And then I got past the first two chapters and POW I was sucked right in. Dylan is totally awesome. He's snarky and funny. He's good looking and makes me want to just reach through the page and grab him! I loved how Berkley described him throughout the book. He comes off as a bit insecure at first, but then you start to understand that he has spent his life moving around and not being able to really connect with anyone. He's only connected with the girl in his dreams, and she's a dream after all, right? And he completely determined and passionate about everything he does, despite his unusual upbringing.
Kera, well, she is just awesome. I loved her and everything about her. She's smart and curious and knows exactly what she wants. And she's not afraid to go after it. I love how she tries her hardest to protect Dylan. Everything she does is to preserve him, even if it means she gets hurt in the process.
And Dylan's friends, OMGosh, they are the perfect compliment to Dylan. Considering he has never had any friends, these guys kind of latch on to him and never question who he is or what he needs to do. As a matter of fact, they accept him for what he is, without worrying about all the "strangeness" that goes on while they are with him. There were so many great characters in this book, I can't name them all or tell you about each one of them. You have to pick up this book and get to know them for yourself!
The plot line of this book is great. At first, you really don't know that it's going to be a fantasy, and then BOOM, you are sucked into a world you didn't even know existed. And you are sucked into the magic and creatures who are totally beyond anything you would ever know or understand. And it's fast past and has you turning every single page wondering what will happen next. This is the third fae series that I have read and I have to say that it is by far my favorite so far.
One of my favorite things about this book is Shea's use of humor. Just when you think it will only be action and drama, the characters get snarky with each other. I just loved it. It broke the seriousness of the book in such a great way. Just when I thought my heart would jump from my chest, I started laughing. I just loved it.
Shea's writing flows well and really helps describe the world so well. I love the characters and the different creatures that are introduced and explained. Shea creates a realistic world. Shea pulls you through her book without stopping.
I did have two small issues with this book. The first was how readily Dylan's friends and family accept the fae world and it's creatures/inhabitants. They didn't even question it but just said it was cool and moved on. I found this to be a bit unrealistic. I almost felt there needed to be some kind of conflict between Dylan and his new friends to make it seem like they questioned the motives just a bit. My second is that Kera's portions of the book are told in third person. I kind of found this odd since Dylan's was first person. I would have liked to see things from her perspective instead of outside her perspective.
All in all this was a really enjoyable book. Actually, I was not expecting to like it quite as much as I did. But I did and I was totally anxious to move on to the second book and see what happens to the characters. One thing I'm glad for, Berkley didn't leave us with a complete cliffhanger at the end!
Blurb from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Dylan Kennedy always knew something was different about him, but until his mother abandoned him in the middle of Oregon with grandparents he’s never met, he had no idea what.
When Dylan sees a girl in white in the woods behind his grandparents’ farm, he knows he’s seen her before... in his dreams. He’s felt her fear. Heard her insistence that only he can save her world from an evil lord who uses magic and fear to feed his greed for power.
Unable to shake the unearthly pull to Kera, Dylan takes her hand. Either he’s completely insane or he’s about to have the adventure of his life, because where they’re going is full of creatures he’s only read about in horror stories. Worse, the human blood in his veins has Dylan marked for death...
So, when I first read the blurb for this book (many moons ago), I was very intrigued. But I kind of forgot about it. Then the email from Entangled came asking if I wanted to be part of the blog tour for the second book. Well, this one jumped right back out at me, I mean look at that cover, and I wanted it ASAP. And I'm so glad I dove right in, because I could not put this one down!
Let's start with Dylan. When the book first started, I was a little skeptical. It didn't really grab my attention right away. But I knew the premise and really wanted to see what it was about. And then I got past the first two chapters and POW I was sucked right in. Dylan is totally awesome. He's snarky and funny. He's good looking and makes me want to just reach through the page and grab him! I loved how Berkley described him throughout the book. He comes off as a bit insecure at first, but then you start to understand that he has spent his life moving around and not being able to really connect with anyone. He's only connected with the girl in his dreams, and she's a dream after all, right? And he completely determined and passionate about everything he does, despite his unusual upbringing.
Kera, well, she is just awesome. I loved her and everything about her. She's smart and curious and knows exactly what she wants. And she's not afraid to go after it. I love how she tries her hardest to protect Dylan. Everything she does is to preserve him, even if it means she gets hurt in the process.
And Dylan's friends, OMGosh, they are the perfect compliment to Dylan. Considering he has never had any friends, these guys kind of latch on to him and never question who he is or what he needs to do. As a matter of fact, they accept him for what he is, without worrying about all the "strangeness" that goes on while they are with him. There were so many great characters in this book, I can't name them all or tell you about each one of them. You have to pick up this book and get to know them for yourself!
The plot line of this book is great. At first, you really don't know that it's going to be a fantasy, and then BOOM, you are sucked into a world you didn't even know existed. And you are sucked into the magic and creatures who are totally beyond anything you would ever know or understand. And it's fast past and has you turning every single page wondering what will happen next. This is the third fae series that I have read and I have to say that it is by far my favorite so far.
One of my favorite things about this book is Shea's use of humor. Just when you think it will only be action and drama, the characters get snarky with each other. I just loved it. It broke the seriousness of the book in such a great way. Just when I thought my heart would jump from my chest, I started laughing. I just loved it.
Shea's writing flows well and really helps describe the world so well. I love the characters and the different creatures that are introduced and explained. Shea creates a realistic world. Shea pulls you through her book without stopping.
I did have two small issues with this book. The first was how readily Dylan's friends and family accept the fae world and it's creatures/inhabitants. They didn't even question it but just said it was cool and moved on. I found this to be a bit unrealistic. I almost felt there needed to be some kind of conflict between Dylan and his new friends to make it seem like they questioned the motives just a bit. My second is that Kera's portions of the book are told in third person. I kind of found this odd since Dylan's was first person. I would have liked to see things from her perspective instead of outside her perspective.
All in all this was a really enjoyable book. Actually, I was not expecting to like it quite as much as I did. But I did and I was totally anxious to move on to the second book and see what happens to the characters. One thing I'm glad for, Berkley didn't leave us with a complete cliffhanger at the end!
nykare's review
3.0
What was that?
Ok, I really liked Dylan and his personality. I also liked Kera. But I didn't get the point of this book. I'm not even sure if I got the right e-book editin since the ending is so... confusing.
Is it possible that first part of the book has 134 pages and the second part 13 pages?
If not, then I'm pretty sure I didn't read the whole book. Too bad.
Anyway, I think I'm more in the mood for kick-ass books.
Ok, I really liked Dylan and his personality. I also liked Kera. But I didn't get the point of this book. I'm not even sure if I got the right e-book editin since the ending is so... confusing.
Is it possible that first part of the book has 134 pages and the second part 13 pages?
If not, then I'm pretty sure I didn't read the whole book. Too bad.
Anyway, I think I'm more in the mood for kick-ass books.
laphenix's review
3.0
What started off as powerful and compelling petered out about half-way through, and the characterization became compromised. While Berkely's wielding of present tense is strong, poor tone and pacing pulled me out of the story and ever left me confused on occasion.
febrianikmadusari's review
3.0
Ceritanya lumayan sih, seru juga, sayang gk dilanjutkan penerbitan terjemahannya.
sweetcreature89's review
4.0
This novel was provided for free by the publishers for review.
I was drawn into this book from the very first chapter. It was a different type of book than any that I have read recently. Magic, romance, action. I loved it.
The Marked Son has a way of holding your attention very well. There's so much that happens in this book both in a real world setting as well as in a magical parallel world. The author did an amazing job at weaving these two worlds and the stories of both of the main characters together.
The characters themselves are amazing and relateable and very easy to like (and some to dislike). We're introduced to Dylan, the main male character, right off the bat, as it's mainly his story to tell. You can't help feeling an emotional attachment to him and he tells a tale that, sadly, is a real life predicament that a lot of teens today have to go through. Among all of the magic and the mystery, there's a real depth to him in his emotional realness. I fell in love with Dylan and his attitude immediately.
Overall, I enjoyed this book very much. There was a great story to tell and I cannot wait until the next installment in the Keepers of Life series comes out.
I was drawn into this book from the very first chapter. It was a different type of book than any that I have read recently. Magic, romance, action. I loved it.
The Marked Son has a way of holding your attention very well. There's so much that happens in this book both in a real world setting as well as in a magical parallel world. The author did an amazing job at weaving these two worlds and the stories of both of the main characters together.
The characters themselves are amazing and relateable and very easy to like (and some to dislike). We're introduced to Dylan, the main male character, right off the bat, as it's mainly his story to tell. You can't help feeling an emotional attachment to him and he tells a tale that, sadly, is a real life predicament that a lot of teens today have to go through. Among all of the magic and the mystery, there's a real depth to him in his emotional realness. I fell in love with Dylan and his attitude immediately.
Overall, I enjoyed this book very much. There was a great story to tell and I cannot wait until the next installment in the Keepers of Life series comes out.