Thursday Oldie: Existence by Abbi Glines

Before I start this (long) review, I would like to stress: this review does not come to invalidate your opinion of the book. You love it? that's wonderful. It's unfortunate, really, that I couldn't feel the same. And I explain in details exactly why I didn't feel so. So please, no hate. 

Existence by Abbi Glines 
Series: Existence #1
Source: Bought Kindle
Publisher: Indie
Original Post: Dec 4th, 2012
Age Genre: Young Adult

What happens when you're stalked by Death? You fall in love with him, of course.
Pagan Moore doesn't cheat Death, but instead, falls in love with him.
Seventeen year old Pagan Moore has seen souls her entire life. Once she realized the strangers she often saw walking through walls were not visible to anyone else, she started ignoring them. If she didn't let them know she could see them, then they left her alone. Until she stepped out of her car the first day of school and saw an incredibly sexy guy lounging on a picnic table, watching her with an amused smirk on his face. Problem is, she knows he's dead.
Not only does he not go away when she ignores him, but he does something none of the others have ever done. He speaks. Pagan is fascinated by the soul. What she doesn't realize is that her appointed time to die is drawing near and the wickedly beautiful soul she is falling in love with is not a soul at all.
He is Death and he's about to break all the rules.

I was literally surprised I survived this. 

Existence was the first book I truly hated. I don't hand one-stars easily. Me giving someone a one-star is basically me saying: "I applaud you for going through the process of writing an entire novel and getting it published, but there is literally nothing I liked about this book."

And usually, I can find a nugget or two of things to love to veer off that harsh assessment. In Existence, however, try as I may I couldn't.

The crux of the matter was Pagan, the MC. She is not a good character in my book, for many reasons:

a. She uses Leif - dates, kisses and messes around with him when she knows she's in love with Dank (more on that later), because he's "real". First, it makes you a horrible human being. Second, kissing another guy when you have a boyfriend also makes you a stinking cheater.

b. The Bella Syndrome - I hate it when girls turn desperate for a guy to the point they'll break into tiny pieces if he's gone. It's pathetic, in my eyes. We're stronger than that, damnit!
I can't reconcile the fact so many people hate New Moon yet love Existence, when they have the exact same character.

In accordance to those, you'll have to forgive me for gagging when the characters of this book claimed her "soul" was beautiful. Or that she's brave and strong, when every act she's committed pointed to her being weak, scared and needy.

The next in a long list of major turn-offs is the romance, which I'm sure comes as no surprise to you.

The romance is, to put simply - insta love. And insta love is never a satisfying romance. Pagan falls in love with a guy she knows nothing about, and there is no why, or when to it. The best I can figure out is she finds him sexy. Blah.

It felt like she fell in love with him at the snap of a finger. And not a healthy kind of love, either. He becomes the reason for her existence (see what I did there), without him - she is nothing, which I just can't endorse no matter what. Even if there was good reason for her to be madly in love with him (which, again, there isn't!)

And let's not forget Dank returning her feelings--

What did she ever do to earn his love, especially as the crux of the thing is how impossible it is for him to fall for a human. Ergo, the person who manages to accomplish that should be special.

She's special alright... (e)special(ly) annoying and hateful.

And if that's not enough, the showdown is one of the most disappointing things I've ever read of. Nothing actually happened!

SPOILER She chose the sacrifice herself so Dank could live but, wait, that doesn't work like that. So instead she chose to live so his sacrifice won't be for nothing. But, turns out, that's the biggest sacrifice she could've made because she sentenced herself to a pitiful existence without the meaning of her life (whom she'd known maybe two weeks, and knows nothing about aside for his sexiness.) Yes, so awful. Insert eye roll here, please.

It's just bull! But even stupider is how everyone claps her on the back and tells her how brave and strong she is. And as a reward...  he's back! yay! nay... END SPOILER

Shot. Me. Now.

The maybe only bright spot in this whole debacle is the last line of this book. It was surprising enough to make me consider for a millisecond to read the next book to find out what happens with it (than I laughed at myself). It was also too surprising, as in - there weren't any hints of what was coming. And I did look for them, because the summary for book two spoils the big secret.

As for the writing... I was not impressed. At all. Half the time, it felt like Glines was dragging things way too long (as can be demonstrated by Dank's song to Pagan. The song started really well, but it continued where I felt it should've ended verses ago, taking from the impact and beauty). And the speech sometimes felt completely fake and unnatural for young people.

The only thing I can say in defense of this book is that my major, AHHH I HATED YOU disappointment has to do with the summary. The summary is great on it's own--made me read the book, didn't it? But it also took from the whole story because it told us what Dank was. Maybe if I had to discover alongside Pagan who and what he was, it could've helped me identify with her, and than maybe I would've given the book closer to 2.5 stars. Not the best of ratings either, but not nearly as harsh as one-starring.

(also, notice the high usage of "maybe").

   Nitzan★

Cover Reveal: Scion by Kelly Oram (Excerpt + Giveaway!)

Scion by Kelly Oram

Series: Supernaturals #3
Publisher: Bluefields
Release Date: April 14, 2015

Other books in the series: Chameleon, Ungifted

|

|

|

|

|

|

\/

Russ Devereaux used to have it all—loving father, beautiful best friend, a carefree life in a town he loved, and strong magic. He was the king of his happy universe. Five months ago, that life was taken from him. Do not pass Go. Do not collect two hundred dollars.
He’s spent months fighting back and building himself a new life, in a new city, with new friends he now considers family. But suddenly, his new life might be in jeopardy of getting shot straight to hell just like the last one. Literally, this time.
He’s discovered power inside of him—an ancient, dark power that he shouldn’t have, can’t explain, can’t control, and definitely needs to keep secret. He needs answers, but before he can get them, he finds himself arrested and on his way to face the supernatural council. The same council that stole everything from him the first time.
As Russ struggles to keep his new power under wraps, his old life and he new one are about to collide and it’s bound to be explosive. He may not have all the answers he needs, but one thing is certain: he’ll be damned if anyone is taking his new life from him. That is, if he’s not just plain damned.

The Excerpt:

As we took the elevator up to the fifty-sixth floor my nerves reached an all-time high because of what I knew would be waiting for me when I reached the top. Or rather, who would be waiting. I glance at Duncan, trying not to let my panic show. “Are you taking us directly to the council?”

“Yes.” Duncan eyed me suspiciously. “Is that a problem? It sounded like you guys wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible.”

“We do,” Ethan assured him. 

I did, but that didn’t mean I was looking forward to it. I swallowed back the chunks that were starting to rise in my stomach and asked something I had to know. “Will she be there?”

I avoided Ethan’s gaze and held my breath as I waited for Duncan’s answer.

“She’s a member of the council now Russ, as is the Seer. They will both be there.”

Of course they’d both be there. Because the universe hates me. “Does she know I’m here?”

Duncan took a minute to answer me. “I thought it best not to warn her. She would have just agonized over it unnecessarily.”

“Agonize over it?” That pissed me off. “She has no right to—”

“You don’t understand. She’s been a wreck, Russ. I never even told her I saw you.” 

“She’s had no idea where I was this whole time?” For a second I felt bad. But then I remembered the way she clung to him when she said goodbye to me and I got angry again.

Duncan sighed. “You asked me to keep her out of your life. If she knew where you were, she would have come looking for you. This is going to be very difficult for her. More so than for you I think. You seem to have moved on better than she has.”

“I’ve moved on better?” I couldn’t listen to any more, and since I couldn’t really punch anything I kicked the side of the elevator. “She moved on before I left.”

“Would you like to see her before you’re brought in front of the whole council? I can take you to a holding cell and tell her you’re here. The council would understand the delay.” 

“No.” That sounded like hell on Earth. “I don’t want to talk to her. I was sort of banking on never seeing her again. Lets just get it over with.”

“It might make things go a little smoother if you got it out of the way before you’re questioned.”

I laughed hard. “You think the council cares about questioning us? They’re going to do whatever they want no matter what Ethan and I say. To tell you the truth, Duncan, I don’t really believe they’re going to let us go. That’s why I came. If they’re going to try to kill Ethan, then they’re going to have get through us both.”

Duncan laughed as the elevator doors chimed open. “Nobody is going to kill anybody. You’re always so dramatic, Russ.” 

As Duncan ushered us down the hall, I stopped hearing what he was saying. The consulate was fairly busy. There were people everywhere, but it wasn’t their stares that made my heart pound as I looked at them. I kept waiting for one of them to be a familiar face.

Duncan gave me a sympathetic smile and shook his head. “The council isn’t what you think. They aren’t cruel monsters. Dani was an unfortunate case, so your perception of them is skewed. I promise you they can be reasonable, caring people. They want order and justice, and they will be fair. They’ll listen to your story. I honestly don’t think you’re in any danger.”

“We’ll see,” I grumbled.

I stumbled to as stop as we came to a set of large double doors. “Where’s Grace when you need her?” I gasped. Ethan glanced at me and I nodded at the doors. “Dani’s in there. I can already feel her energy.”

“You want to hold my hand?” Ethan asked, holding out his cuffed wrists to me and batting his eyelashes. “I may not dissolve bonds, but I’m every bit as pretty as Grace.”

I appreciated his attempt to give me crap. I needed the distraction. I was supremely messed up right now and he knew it. Joking might be the only way to get me through this. “Bite me.

”We laughed, but the smiles left our faces the second the doors opened. Game time.

The Giveaway:

Kelly is giving away 10 signed posters of the Scion cover, and one grand prize of all three books in the series so far (signed). The giveaway is international. To enter, help Kelly with her cover reveal by sharing the cover, passing along photo teasers, or making your social media profiles and avatars Russtastic. The more you share the better your chances of winning!

A collection graphics (Cover, photo teasers, avatars, Facebook cover, etc...) to share for this giveaway can be found here: SCION COVER REVEAL GRAPHICS
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have fun and good luck!

Scion is the third book in Kelly Oram's Supernaturals series. Be sure to check out the first two books in the series, Chameleon, and Ungifted.

Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which family and friends still tease her. She's obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and loves to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, four children, and a cat named Mr. Darcy.

Connect with her through social media:

Website * Amazon * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * GooglePlus

For a limited time: Subscribe to Kelly's email list for new release, events, and giveaway updates, and she'll send you a free ebook from her backlist! (Offer not valid for Scion or any other upcoming releases.) SUBSCRIBE