Bookworm for Kids: Donnielle Tyner

Showing posts with label Donnielle Tyner. Show all posts

Monday, January 4, 2016

Review: Bound by Vengence by Donnielle Tyner

BOUND

The Caelian Cycle, Book 2

by Donnielle Tyner

YA Paranormal

197 pages

Bound by Vengeance. Sadie has found the resolve to fight the man who caused so much pain in her life. Her tentative alliance with the HCA underground gives her the resources to train both her body and Talent for when she comes face to face with her grandfather.

Bound by Loss. Being separated from her friends at St Vincent’s is harder than she could have ever realized and it doesn’t help that Kian has withdrawn from her as well. With help from a new friend, Sadie uncovers more about her past and that someone close to her has been keeping secrets from Sadie her entire life.

Bound by Fear. Tragedy strikes close to home, giving a longstanding enemy, one desperate and willing to do anything to have Sadie on their side, an opportunity to arise. Allies and friends come together to stand against evil, but at a terrible cost. Sadie’s history and future collide while the world is thrown into chaos.

Sadie must overcome or forever be Bound.

Also available at:

KOBO / SMASHWORDS / iBOOKS

MY TIDBITS

After reading the first book in the series (and enjoying it), I was looking forward to see where Sadie would be heading next.

We find Sadie there where we left her, in safety while she heals from the last events of book one. Not only has she suffered physical scars, but it's really nice to see that she's left with emotional ones as well--deep ones. The new sense of hate and distrust to her personality made her a little less endearing, but it gave her a more realistic personality. She's a heroine who survived but not untouched. I appreciate how the author worked this in so well.

The plot itself is slower than in the first book, giving more time to dive into Sadie's thoughts and emotions. Often times, I'm not a big fan of paces switching this heavily, but in this case, it fits the story perfectly. Sadie is healing and developing. And no, it's not a boring process.

It's refreshing to watch her friendship ring grow and get a good grip on some of the other characters. More time is spent on getting to know some of their stories and personalities better, which definitely adds more depth than before. I enjoyed learning to know more about those around her, although some of the dialogue, exchanges and reactions didn't feel as natural as they could have.

Sadie's predicament, her history and the building interest in her abilities weaves into a more layered and dangerous story. The action itself doesn't start until the later part of the book, but that didn't hurt the tension. Everyone wants a Sadie...all sides...and each has it's own agenda. The intrigue and unknown truths behind the 'evil' characters involved thickens, creating a richer underplay for Sadie's predicament.

In general, this is an enjoyable read which kept me in the story the entire way through. There were a few small moments which felt a little forced, not clear or out of pace, but it wasn't enough to pull me completely out of Sadie's story.

Summed up, this is a nice continuation to book one, which not only allows the plot to thicken but adds a nice level of depth to help one learn to love the characters even more than before.

And here she is. . .

DONNIELLE TYNER!!!

Hello! Donnielle here, obviously. I really don't like talking about myself, so lets get this party started. I spend most of my free time writing, but when I’m not writing, I spend my time reading, binge watching Netflix, homeschooling my two children, and hanging out with my husband.

A few fun facts about me:

1. I began writing when I was in junior high. A teacher approached me with a poetry book and I fell in love. Writing poetry has helped me express myself through some of the darkest times in my life.

2. I am always reading something and own hundreds of eBooks. I thank the technology gods for the invention of e-readers. Series are my favorite. I love it when I feel like I cannot stop reading a book. My favorite genre is sci-fi and paranormal.

3. I am a HUGE nerd and enjoy every medium of nerdom from comic books to Magic! The Gathering.

4. I am a serious introvert and need plenty of alone time so I don’t go insane. Seriously! I will cut someone if they cut in to my “me” time.

5. I have a passion for holistic medicine and create many of my own household products. My kids and husband will ask for some “oils” when they aren’t feeling well. I love growing herbs to make my own blends of herbal tea.

6. I read YA almost exclusively. There is just something about it that calls to my heart above other genres.

7. When I read paranormal it’s either about shifters or faeries.

8. Writing has always been a passion and a dream. I had many jobs and they never fulfilled me the way writing has.

Donnielle Tyner

Author of 'Lost & Bound, of The Caelian Cycle'

Website - Amazon - Goodreads - Twitter - Facebook

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Review: Lost by Donnielle Tyner with Giveaway @SparkleBookTour @donnielletyner

Presented by: Sparkle Book Tours

Lost - The Caelian Cycle # 1

by Donnielle Tyner

Audience: Young Adult - Genre: SciFi, Paranormal - Format: E-book and Paperback - Publisher: Donnielle Tyner - Cover by: Kari Ayasha of Cover to Cover Designs - Editor: Jessica Nelson of Rare Bird Editing - Pages: 208 - ISBN-10: 069243299X - ISBN-13: 978-0692432990 - ASIN: B00YFPW3N8 - Date Published: 6/19/2015

During WW1, a meteorite crashed, releasing a mist that changed the DNA of all who were exposed. One hundred years has passed and society is divided between the Norms and the Caelians, whose changed DNA awakened dormant gifts, called Talents.
Sadie is over it!
She’s an orphan, her boyfriend was murdered, and she’s the only Caelian at St. Vincent’s without a Talent. Once she turns 18, there will be no place for her in the world. That is, until a chance encounter with Kian, a Caelian boy who makes her feel uncomfortable and alive at the same time.
Secrets of her past are uncovered and Sadie’s latent, rare Talent is exposed. With great power comes the hunters, hired by an egomaniac who wants to use Sadie’s power to establish Caelian dominance. On the run with Kian and her friends, Sadie will have to decide: hide or fight.
Will Sadie accept her new reality or will she stay lost?

***********

MY TIDBITS

This story is set in a different reality, where a meteorite crash during WWI has left a portion of humanity with special Talents (a type of magical power), while the other portion has remained normal. This has not only started a distrust between the two factions, but the talented themselves are divided a bit like mob families (but supposedly a kind type). This world has many similarities to our own, which made it easy to get caught up in despite differences such as colored skin.

Sadie is a senior at an orphange with a secret past, which we do get a glimpse of in the prologue (one of the few times I found a prologue helpful). Since her boyfriend was murdered in front of her eyes, she carries some baggage, but still, is a strong character who is very easy to like and cheer for. She has a big heart, is ready to dive into danger, and knows what her priorities are. But she still is a little unsure of herself and people around her...almost shy. Especially her friends added a nice flare, not only being full of energy and life, but made it easy to see the good points in Sadie. I think readers will have no trouble picturing her as a possible friend of their own.

The beginning was a bit difficult for me. It felt more like a book 2 in a series than the beginning of one. Although all necessary information is disclosed as the pages go on, I felt the urge to stop reading and grab book 1 first (which doesn't exist) so as to fill in the gaps and experiences Sadie had before. But ignoring this, the story grabbed after the first pages and didn't let go, only stumbling now and then over little plot holes.

That said, I did read this in one setting. There's a dark, mysterious guy who brings the entire thing to life, and tension mounts on every page. The evil side is evil...very violent...and Sadie gets few quiet moments as she discovers the mysteries of her past. A scene or two toward the ending seemed to be lacking a little on stakes, but the ending was able to wrap that up nicely as well.

Summed up, this is an enjoyable read. There are a few typos and a few tiny holes, but it didn't change the fact that I was swept away for most of the book and definitely will be looking forward to getting my fingers on book 2. It's times like these that I wish there was a 4.5 star possibilities.

Amazon / Goodreads / Nook / iBooks / Kobo

I put my phone back in my back pocket. Crossing my arms, I looked up at the stars again. The night was devoid of clouds, unusual for spring. Golden stars glittered across the heavens, winking at me from the endless arch of the void and transporting me to a place of tranquillity. The peace of space poured into my soul.
“What’s a Liam moment?” Kian’s gruff voice whispered. I felt his hot breath caress my ear. His closeness both startled me and sent a shiver down my spine. I straightened my back.
“I thought I told you I wasn’t interested.” I attempted to make my voice sound forceful, but it came out soft. I felt the heat from his body as he stepped closer to me.
“What’s your name?” Kian asked. The gruffness of his voice from earlier had left. This new voice was smooth and flowed like poetry. My heart sped up and I heard the blood pulsing in my ears. I was sure he could hear it. What kind of Talent was he using to cause me to react this way?
“Quit using your Talent on me,” I hissed.
“I’m not. If I was, you’d know it,” he replied with a chuckle.
“Oh.” I didn’t understand what was happening. He placed a hand on my waist and the warmth was searing. I was sure it would leave a mark. My eyes closed and my breath deepened. Tingles flowed from his hand, spreading throughout my body and stirring something in my soul. I released a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding. “Take your hand off me and back away before I break your fingers.”
Kian snickered. “Spunky.”
“Creepy,” I replied.
Kian chuckled again, his hot breath shooting sparks right to my stomach.
“Don’t make me ask again.” I felt his hand tense. His fingers increased their pressure against my waist right before the coldness swept in as he removed his hand. I released the breath I was holding.

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Donnielle Tyner has held down many jobs, but never found satisfaction until she became a freelance writer and stay at home mom. She began writing in junior high when a teacher gave her a book of poetry. Ever since, she found a deep passion for reading and writing. Donnielle is from North Texas and enjoys her chickens, garden, and most of all her children.