Seers by Heather Frost:
A Review
When Kate Bennett survived the horrific car accident that claimed her parents' lives, she knew her world would be forever changed. But she never could have imagined how dramatic these changes would be. Feeling like a freak, Kate tries to hide her unwelcome new ability to see people's auras – that is, until she meets Patrick O'Donnell, who seems to be able to disappear at will. When Kate and her remaining family begin to be haunted by Demons, her only hope is to stay close to Patrick and other Guardians like him. Somehow, Patrick lies at the center of the mystery, and Kate soon realizes that both she and her heart are in big-time trouble. Caught up in a war she barely understands, with enemies only she can discern, Kate quickly learns that in war everybody loses something...or someone. (Blurb taken from NetGalley.com)What I thought:
From the blurb I thought this book had promise. An interesting premise, the basis for a fascinating paranormal world, potentially engaging characters. Sounds good to me. I really enjoy this type of book. But as I delved into it, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd read it before. Something about it was oddly familiar. The horrific car accident that killed her family but that she, somehow, survived. A new "ability" she didn't have prior to the accident. A mysterious new guy in her life who seems to know more about her abilities than she does and disappears and reappears in her life at will. Yes, this all seemed very familiar. And then I realized why: I had recently read a book by a well-known author that begins with almost exactly the same premise - horrific car crash, only the heroine survives, new psychic abilities, mysterious new guy in her life.
I must admit that I was tempted to stop reading this book because I feared it was going to be a rip off of the book I'd recently read with the strikingly similar premise. But something about it kept me reading. As bothered as I was about the familiarity factor, I was curious to discover if this author could differentiate herself from the other one. And while I wasn't blown away by this book as I was by the other one, it still had its merits. Namely, the hero, Patrick. I have to tell you if I ever develop mysterious new abilities I know nothing about and am suddenly dogged by beings that might want to use me/them, I want a Patrick to come into my life to aid me! He is, quite simply, a drool-worthy hero and from the outset, you can't help but root for him and hope he achieves his goals - and gets a happy ending. Then there's his friend/accomplice Tony. What can I say about Tony except that he's a character and a half? He may provide a lot of the book's lighter moments, but when the chips are down, he's there to provide assistance. And Kate was okay, but not a spectacular character. Maybe that's one of the reasons I struggled with this book - because I kept wondering why I should care about this character. Still, I have high hopes for her - maybe she'll evolve more and blossom in the next book.
The villainous aspect of Seers was interesting, too, but I had my issues with it, too. Without giving too much away, I was kind of disappointed with the way it (sort of) resolved itself. I felt like it happened too quickly. The villain was steadily built up throughout the story and then...it just didn't live up to its frightening potential. It just...stopped. I would have liked more fight, more action, more - something. Maybe more of Kate actually being responsible for saving herself. It was almost like she did so by default, not so much effort on her part. And although I'm all for the heroine saving herself scenario, in this case, I would've been more satisfied if the hero actually saved her. I love you, Patrick, but seriously, where were you?
So although the book did start out in similar territory as another, wildly popular book, Seers did manage to differentiate itself from its predecessor. Somewhat. And despite my initial reservations with it, despite its flaws, I did end up enjoying it and wishing for more Patrick and Tony. It's a good, light read for anyone who enjoys paranormal romances in the vein of Mari Mancusi, Alyson Noel, and Stephenie Meyer. Will I read the next book? Sure, I'd love to see where the author is going with this story. If nothing else, it will give me more Patrick. And Tony. Can't lose with that combo.
(ARC provided by NetGalley)
I must admit that I was tempted to stop reading this book because I feared it was going to be a rip off of the book I'd recently read with the strikingly similar premise. But something about it kept me reading. As bothered as I was about the familiarity factor, I was curious to discover if this author could differentiate herself from the other one. And while I wasn't blown away by this book as I was by the other one, it still had its merits. Namely, the hero, Patrick. I have to tell you if I ever develop mysterious new abilities I know nothing about and am suddenly dogged by beings that might want to use me/them, I want a Patrick to come into my life to aid me! He is, quite simply, a drool-worthy hero and from the outset, you can't help but root for him and hope he achieves his goals - and gets a happy ending. Then there's his friend/accomplice Tony. What can I say about Tony except that he's a character and a half? He may provide a lot of the book's lighter moments, but when the chips are down, he's there to provide assistance. And Kate was okay, but not a spectacular character. Maybe that's one of the reasons I struggled with this book - because I kept wondering why I should care about this character. Still, I have high hopes for her - maybe she'll evolve more and blossom in the next book.
The villainous aspect of Seers was interesting, too, but I had my issues with it, too. Without giving too much away, I was kind of disappointed with the way it (sort of) resolved itself. I felt like it happened too quickly. The villain was steadily built up throughout the story and then...it just didn't live up to its frightening potential. It just...stopped. I would have liked more fight, more action, more - something. Maybe more of Kate actually being responsible for saving herself. It was almost like she did so by default, not so much effort on her part. And although I'm all for the heroine saving herself scenario, in this case, I would've been more satisfied if the hero actually saved her. I love you, Patrick, but seriously, where were you?
So although the book did start out in similar territory as another, wildly popular book, Seers did manage to differentiate itself from its predecessor. Somewhat. And despite my initial reservations with it, despite its flaws, I did end up enjoying it and wishing for more Patrick and Tony. It's a good, light read for anyone who enjoys paranormal romances in the vein of Mari Mancusi, Alyson Noel, and Stephenie Meyer. Will I read the next book? Sure, I'd love to see where the author is going with this story. If nothing else, it will give me more Patrick. And Tony. Can't lose with that combo.
(ARC provided by NetGalley)
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