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The Soulkeepers (The Soulkeepers #1)

by G.P. Ching (Goodreads Author)

3.77 of 5 stars 3.77 · rating details · 3,240 ratings · 469 reviews

When fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau is pulled from the crumpled remains of his mother's car, no one can explain why he was driving or why the police can't find his mother's body. A beautiful and mysterious neighbor offers to use her unique abilities to help him find his mom.

But in exchange she requires Jacob to train as a Soulkeeper, a protector of human souls. He agrees to h...more

Paperback, 1st Edition, 312 pages

Published June 24th 2011 by Createspace (first published March 10th 2011)

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Mar 26, 2011 Megg Jensen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While The Soulkeepers is GP Ching's debut novel, it reads like a seasoned author's current bestseller. Ching's lyrical style and masterful plotting will hold readers captive until they've read the final word.

16 likes · like · see review

Apr 07, 2011 Sarah Snyder rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: indies, books-i-own, signed-books

The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching is one of those rare stories that seizes your attention from the start and never lets it go. You quickly become wrapped up in this imaginative story and are transported into Jacob's world. You experience all of his confusion and frustration first hand and you simply must know what happens next.

There is so much packed into this story; it is incredibly easy to get swept up into it. I found myself gobbling up pages, desperate to know more about this new, exciting and t...more The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching is one of those rare stories that seizes your attention from the start and never lets it go. You quickly become wrapped up in this imaginative story and are transported into Jacob's world. You experience all of his confusion and frustration first hand and you simply must know what happens next.

There is so much packed into this story; it is incredibly easy to get swept up into it. I found myself gobbling up pages, desperate to know more about this new, exciting and terrifying world that Jacob is thrust into. The Soulkeepers has one of the most well-developed plots I've seen in a long time; Ching does an incredible job crafting the different story elements so that they fit and flow together. While there are definitely plot lines that are left open, the story does a great job pushing forward. Often times with series, the first book is basically just glorified world-building. While the author does put a great deal of time and effort into this, the story does actually move along at a decent pace.

It is obvious that Ching also put a great deal of care into the creation of the characters. Every single one of them is extremely dimensional - they all have their strengths and weaknesses; their flaws and attributes. Jacob has gone through a lot in his short life and it has left him jaded. He has a hard time seeing the entire picture and finds it difficult to place his faith and trust in others. This brings me to the character of Malini. Malini is Jacob's one true friend in Paris and she helps him work through his issues. What I love best about their relationship is that they both bring something to the table. They balance each other out beautifully; she is often the voice of reason when he wants to act on impulse.

The rest of the characters in the story are, like Jacob, dealing with their flaws. The book really emphasizes the point that nobody is perfect; it's what you do after your mistakes that matters. I thought this was an interesting theme and it made the characters a great deal more lifelike and easier to connect with.

The Soulkeepers by G.P.Ching is an intelligent, exciting and adventurous story that keeps you on your toes.We are treated to a new sort of young adult fantasy story that does not involve werewolves, faeries or vampires - Ching creates a new breed of heroes that readers are sure to love. The characters, although some possess fantastic qualities, are all incredibly realistic. This is a book that will surprise you; it roots itself in your mind and asks some very intriguing questions about forgiveness, trust and what it means to be a good person. I would highly recommend The Soulkeepers, it has everything a reader could ever want.(less)

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Apr 12, 2011 Angela Carlie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"The Soulkeepers" is guilty of stealing precious hours of sleep, but it is so worth every minute spent and more. This story has an original premise, beautiful scenery, lovable characters, jaw clenching action, and a book load of mystery to keep the pages turning until the very end. G.P. Ching’s writing is brilliant and some aspects of the "The Soulkeepers" are reminiscent of one of my favorite author’s work, Anne Rice.

I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to everyone.

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Jul 08, 2011 Tamara Rose Blodgett rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action, drama, paranormal-urban-fantasy, ya, mystery, adventure, paranormal-romance, romance, suspense

This is a Must Read YA book!!!

Truly well-crafted. It's perfect for the Christian reader OR the non-Christian. It is rare in literature to finish a "Christian" book and not feel preached at. This novel does that. I still cannot determine if this IS a Christian book, per se...but it was fascinating. There's just enough truth in all the elements that were used [in the book] that it smacks of plausibility...

The gist of the story is (male POV; gotta love that!) Jacob is propelled on a journey (not of...more

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Apr 06, 2011 Karly Kirkpatrick rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

G.P. Ching is a fantastic writer, her imagery is so rich I can still picture the settings in my head. I really enjoyed the character relationships and felt that Jacob was someone I could really identify with. I loved the story and can't wait to see what comes next.

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Oct 22, 2012 06Danielle L. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I am here to say that the book the soul keepers is very good and keeping you interested in what will come next and just being an all around good book, however this book is not so great at showing true pain and sorrow.

Jacob is the main person in this story and all he wants is to find his mom, but she is somewhere that is nowhere. some of the things that keep you interested in the book are, "she is nowhere, you wont find her. she is no longer of this earth"-Dr. Si...more ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I am here to say that the book the soul keepers is very good and keeping you interested in what will come next and just being an all around good book, however this book is not so great at showing true pain and sorrow.

Jacob is the main person in this story and all he wants is to find his mom, but she is somewhere that is nowhere. some of the things that keep you interested in the book are, "she is nowhere, you wont find her. she is no longer of this earth"-Dr. Silva His mother is not dead but in this statement is sated she is not living, so where is she? the next is "we are in the string wrapping around time and space and when we travel others can slide down are string"-Dr. Silva they can travel through this tree that can and will let others follow them through the tree back to there house, and this becomes a problem later in the book.

later in the book he meets a friend called Malini she is a very good friend and will help Jacob later on, one thing they have in common is this "the irony was both of them were robed from there culture" they both had not grown up in the proper culture and were kinda sad because of it. this is a common reoccurring statement thought the hole book. I think you might want to know how this all got started in the first place well here is how Jacob came to be who he is "when the pure of heart drank the water in changed the drinker...it gave them gifts or power they could use to fight the watchers" this makes you want to know who a watcher is and what did the powers do.

Now for the bad side of things, in this book it didn't really have emotion on the most terrible part, I mean it said he was sad but that was all oh yes I forget you didn't or haven't yet read the book well his mother vanished when he got in a car crash and she was taken there was no trail to follow they gave up the search for her. "yes there already a group coming through mona fall right now." this is what his uncle said to him to reassure him and he didn't say much more than that and sure he didn't give up of finding his mom but he still didn't show enough emotions.

In the end ladies and gentlemen, I found soul keepers to be a great book and I would say everyone should give this book a chance. It is for everyone it is a good read and it is not a "boy book" or a "girl book" it will suit everyone with a little romance and some action.

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Jul 28, 2012 Kia rated it 2 of 5 stars

First, let me point out that I am NOT the target audience. This is a YA title and for the record, my 13-year-old daughter read the entire book and pronounced it excellent. I am a member of the secondary audience that YA books seem to draw, that is, moms of tweens and teens.

This book has many plusses. Well-written, descriptive, imaginative, vast, ambitious. There are occasional typos but as I can attest personally, self-published authors don't always have the benefit of editors and proofreaders....more

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Apr 17, 2011 Erin Danzer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

** SOME SPOILERS MAY ENSUE! **

By the time I picked up The Soulkeepers, I had read a lot about it and couldn't wait to dive in. I wasn't disappointed!

From the moment Jacob wakes up in a hospital bed with a "damaged brain", he is a very relatable character, especially for me personally. My heart went out to him as he journeyed from not caring about anyone or anything to opening his heart and having faith. You can't help but root for Jacob to come around. A fantastic good vs. evil plot that will co...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Sharon Tyler rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Soulkeepers by G. P. Ching is a young adult novel which begins the urban fantasy Soulkeeper series. Jacob Lau only has his mother, and when he wakes up in a hospital, certain he is dead, he discovers that he might not even have her anymore. His father died years ago, and now his mother is missing, and very well could be dead. Jacob has more questions than answers as an uncle he did not know he had takes him to live with his family in a small town that does not seem to want him there. Small t...more The Soulkeepers by G. P. Ching is a young adult novel which begins the urban fantasy Soulkeeper series. Jacob Lau only has his mother, and when he wakes up in a hospital, certain he is dead, he discovers that he might not even have her anymore. His father died years ago, and now his mother is missing, and very well could be dead. Jacob has more questions than answers as an uncle he did not know he had takes him to live with his family in a small town that does not seem to want him there. Small time life, and small minds, wear on Jacob as he makes one good friend and discovers he has some hidden talents. The mysterious woman across the street might have some answers, and might hold the key to discovering the truth about his mother's whereabouts, but even the answers he gains raise more questions. Could Dr. Abigail Silva be telling the truth with her tales of Soulkeepers and Watchers and will the events and knowledge change Jacob and the world forever.

The Soulkeepers is a fascinating take on growing up, and on the legends of fallen angels and faith. I always enjoy new takes on old ideas when the characters and storyline are well written, and offer something that really does make the reader stop and think. Jacob is a smart boy, even when swayed by normal teen urges, anger, and fears. The teens in his new high school, and the cousin he needs to share the house with, are absolutely believable. I swear I knew some of these kids when I was in school. The more mystical aspects of the story are equally well done, and them merge well, creating a seamless blend. Trust, faith, and being true to yourself are huge themes here, but never does the author preach to a specific religion or faith, which I found to fit well within the story and would make readers of all faiths comfortable reading the story.

I recommend The Soulkeepers to young adult and adult readers that like new takes on old ideas, urban fantasy, coming of age stories, or any combination of these genres. It was fresh and new, even as other authors try to write about angels, demons, and the various aspects of beings found in religion based stories. I was particularly impressed with a story that could have easily became preachy and lost readers of several beliefs, but instead spoke to anyone that believes in something, or nothing at all.(less)

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May 10, 2013 Shannon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-teen

Interesting concept with a plot htat moved along fairly quickly. Some strange minglings and interpretations going on. Minglings are a christian novel that has magic (not all miracles) and shamans/herbalists. It was surprising to me but didn't offend me but I suspect it could offend some. Interpretations are of some of the religious texts but again, if it is a plot device and doesn't offend the target audience then OK.

I would not read another of these only because it was too Christian for me and...more

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Mar 14, 2013 meleah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, young-adult-fiction

Ok - so it was a neat idea. This book probably isn't something I would have bought on my own, but it was free on kindle so I decided to give it a shot. The first 1/2 - 2/3 of the book was pretty exciting with the mystery and Jacob trying to figure things out and learning his ability, but the last 1/3 of the book didn't hold my interest as much. I liked the main characters, Jacob and Malini, though I did think the whole Jacob/Maini/tree part and right after was overly dramatic. I also really enjo...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Tam Linsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

In The Soulkeepers we get to discover the magic underlying a world much like our own. Jacob Lau discovers he's something more than human, and by the end, I was cruising through the tale, excited at how all the ideas and characters were coming together. The book has a spiritual thread which sometimes seemed a little forced as Jacob denied the existence of God, but by the end, Jacob's character arc made sense.

Ching isn't afraid of making her characters real. Jacob makes some bad choices, but he le...more

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Feb 12, 2013 E.L. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-to-me-for-2013

This is, I believe, Ching's first novel, and it shows. The concept isn't bad, and the writing isn't dreadful, but overall it just clunked. The biblical scholar in me winced at the sloppy interpretations of certain texts; the small-town girl rolled her eyes at the stereotyped version of the bigoted, narrow-minded townspeople; the writer tried to overlook the cliched plot development; the reader completely lost patience at the (literal) deus ex machina at the end.

It's not a dreadful book. I'm prob...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Jade Warwick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, kindle-books

Fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau has it rough. He and his mother live a modest life in Oahu, estranged from the rest of their family and till mourning the death of Jacob's father. But when there is a mysterious car accident that leaved Jacob injured and his mother, Lilly, missing, his uncle's family is forced to take him in. Jacob is moved to the small town of Paris, Illinois, where he faces starting a new high school, being bullied for his Chinese-German heritage, the scorn of his extended family, th...more Fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau has it rough. He and his mother live a modest life in Oahu, estranged from the rest of their family and till mourning the death of Jacob's father. But when there is a mysterious car accident that leaved Jacob injured and his mother, Lilly, missing, his uncle's family is forced to take him in. Jacob is moved to the small town of Paris, Illinois, where he faces starting a new high school, being bullied for his Chinese-German heritage, the scorn of his extended family, the Laudners, and being thousands of miles away from his home and unable to help in the search for his mother.

Things are hard enough as it is, but when Jacob seems to be developing a latent talent of being able to control water to protect himself and his friend Malini, a whole new level of difficulty is added to his life. Fortunately, there to help is his neighbor, mysterious botanist Dr. Silva. Unfortunately, Dr. Silva has more secrets than he does, and she seems intent on only giving Jacob half-truths and strange ultimatums.

With the assistance of his Helper, the religious guidance of his best friend Malini, the desperation to find his mother, and the undeniable knowledge that there is more to his life than the small town of Paris, Jacob embarks on a confusing and ultimately spiritual journey to learning who he is and the destiny that awaits him.

Honesty, the summary written by G.P. Ching and my own summary were more interesting than most of the book itself. It had an interesting idea behind it, but it took far too long to execute. Nothing is even remotely answered until the last few chapters, and if I wasn't so stubborn about finished what I've started, I would have stopped reading a lot earlier. As it is, I'm glad I finished it, because it did have a good ending, even though it felt a little contrived.

I liked the religious influences to it, and the mature way that it was handles and explained. I liked how the story (when it wasn't irritatingly detailed filler) was steep in history. I liked the idea of the Soulkeepers and their respective jobs.

I didn't like how...dramatic the book was. Almost every exchange was dramatized, and a lot of the reactions people had were overdone. Alternately, most of the time, the dialogue sounded forced and unrealistic. Many of the characters were flat, to the point that I forgot who some of them were until they reentered the story.

Like I said, I liked the ending. I don't know that I would pay money to read the next installments, but if I ever come across them for free on amazon, I would probably read them. (less)

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Dec 28, 2012 Deeds added it

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I first picked up the book. I had figured some supernatural or fantasy story judging solely on the cover and title - what I was *not* expecting were Christian elements to be woven into the story. On principle, I avoid books with real-world-religious-themes because it just feels uncomfortable but this one held some promise so I stuck to it.

The main protagonist, 15-year-old Jacob Lau, is a rather believable obnoxious, self-centered, attitude-ridden teenager....more

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Nov 19, 2012 Ivy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Engaging story about a 16 year old boy who discovers he has special powers after a near-death experience. The boy's mother disappears after the accident that nearly took his life and he is sent to a small, backwards town to live with family he never knew he had. He gets into fights but meets the girl of his dreams. This poses a problem because he wants to run away from home to search for his mom and to get away from a creepy girl who can beat boys up without even trying.

Sounds nutty, right? Well...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Jeremy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is the first in the Soulkeepers series, and is the first " fallen angel" story I have ever read. The book was geared to young adults, which means its your standard outcast that saves the day type story, but approaches being an outcast in a whole new way. Instead of being left out because of a special ability, the main character is left out because of his race. The main character is part Chinese, and is excluded in his little town of mostly white Germans because of his mixed parentage....more

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Sep 23, 2012 Chris rated it 1 of 5 stars

I got this as a free download ebook. From the little synopsis that was presented it sounded like a decent book. Nothing special but something to read while on the go and not have to worry about stopping and picking back up later. Ok well maybe it is just me but the synopsis/description of the book and the actual book were totally different. Maybe its all the religion thrown in and seemingly forced down my throat each chapter. I don't mind a book that touches on religion or has it as a key compon...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Sharon Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars

I almost skipped this book as in general I find fantasy themes with angels/ fallen angels and a traditional Christian basis tend toward the author having an additional religious agenda along with the plot/storyline.

I'm glad I took a chance on this, as the traditional religious theme was not particularly slanted in any specific direction and the 'mythology' held up well. Overall, the book was uneven for me, however. There were parts of the book where I could not put it down but there were other s...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Paula Sealey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-and-fantasy

After 15 year old Jacobs mother disappears, he is sent to stay with family he has never met before and struggles to fit in with a town full of people who have known each other all their lives. Haunted by strange dreams, he finds solice in the form of Malini, a fellow social outcast at school.

Having been pushed too far by his cousin and unleashing his temper, he damages the property of Dr Silva, the local botanist, and is sent to her house to work and repay the debt. Jacob discovers he has a hidd...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Theresa Jones rated it 4 of 5 stars

This Story starts out with a 15 year old boy being taken to live with his uncle he had never met after his mother goes missing. He experiences a lot of prejudice and bullying at this small town high school, and finally befriends an Indian girl, who gets bullied just as much as he does. After throwing a fit and breaking a window of the neighbor’s house, he has to work off the cost in her garden. However, this neighbor has many secrets.

He learns about his past and his talents as a Soulkeeper, with...more This Story starts out with a 15 year old boy being taken to live with his uncle he had never met after his mother goes missing. He experiences a lot of prejudice and bullying at this small town high school, and finally befriends an Indian girl, who gets bullied just as much as he does. After throwing a fit and breaking a window of the neighbor’s house, he has to work off the cost in her garden. However, this neighbor has many secrets.

He learns about his past and his talents as a Soulkeeper, with the help of the neighbor Dr Silva, and sets out to find his mother at all costs.

Plot- This story was very unique. I have read a lot of
fallen angels or nephilim books, but have never heard of a twist like this. It weaves historical evidence, and biblical references to fit the story perfectly. I will say that at first, it took me a while to really get into the story, but by about half way through, I was fully vested. I did at first feel that I was not going to like the story because I felt the author would end up discussing the negatives of God and religion, however it was the opposite. So-be forewarned, this book is heavily imbedded with religious references.

Characters- I loves each character in this book. It was very refreshing to read a story from a male POV. I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but I did! Jacob, the MC, is honest, but still flawed, like a normal teenage boy. You see him grow, make mistake and learn from those mistakes. He is dependable and loyal, fighting to find his mother and to protect his friend Malina. Malina is a breath a fresh air. She is so genuinely good! Dr Silva has a twist, and towards the end, I was getting upset I didn’t know what was up with the Cat Gideon, but you do find out, and it’s GREAT!

Romance- The romance between Malina and Jacob was sweet and realistic of a teenage romance. It wasn’t love at first sight; it was a growth from a friendship of things shared in common. It was probably the romance I liked the best out of this whole book. There was no triangle; it was just the two of them. They liked each other, then respected each other, then had issues that they worked through and fell in love. GREAT romance. Very clean though.

Overall- there was a small amount of grammatical errors, and though I am ok with the religious tones, not everyone would be. I think this book is refreshing and great! and I would highly recommend it!

Review by MrsJones at theresamjones.blogspot.com(less)

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May 15, 2012 Heidi Murphy rated it 4 of 5 stars

From the opening sentence this book grabbed my attention and kept it.

I don't read loads of YA books, unless my teens are reading it and recommend the book. I found this one on my own, though. It was so full of interesting plot twists. The questions I had pulled me through the book to the very end.

I really identified with Jacob as the loner boy who didn't have herds of kids to sit next to in the cafeteria. The fact that he befriended Malini made him cool in my eyes, even though he was full of t...more

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Apr 06, 2012 JenniferJ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: zzz2012, kindle

Sadly I had a hard time with The Soulkeepers. I really don't know if it was the religious parts or what but I can say I would have found it a bit more enjoyable if they had not been thrown in. I just don't think I needed to know every few chapters who believed what and who didn't. I just felt like it should have been mentioned in the synopsis somehow but instead when I read the above synopsis I had no clue about all the religious parts inside.

There were some other parts in the story that I reall...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Chelsea Leigh added it

I really enjoyed this book; I was enthralled from the very begininning. It was well written, though not in the traditional sence. It didn't use a lot of big words and incredibly long sentences, but was written in a way that was closer to how people talk every day.

About halfway through the book the plot turned into a "God vs. Devil" aspect, and started talking about passages in the Bible, and Genesis and all that. Not being a Christian, I groaned and wanted to put the book down. I wanted to stop...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Jane rated it 2 of 5 stars

Ack, read another free book that ended up having way too strong religious overtones for my taste. I really don't know why booksellers can't make it more obvious, and I'm surprised this one slipped past me with all the checking I did about the genres and such but by the time I realized, it was kind of a trainwreck in progress and I couldn't stop. I think I'm going to stop reading free books, most of them are terrible at best.

Anyway. Book about a teenage boy trying to deal with the possible death...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Tahlia Newland rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, urban-fantasy

I really enjoyed this novel, it's a real gem for the price. Although we once again had a teen with a previously unknown special talent and angels, both of which I'm a little sick of, the author managed to bring a different slant to the formula. Not only is it well written with great characters and a flawless plot, it has a bit more depth than a lot of popular fiction.

I'm the first one to run screaming at any hint of dogma, so I was a bit worried when I hit the quote from the bible and the result...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Kashif Ross rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book starts out with an amazing line that evolves into a mystical story essentially about light and dark. The fantasy does follow a typical pattern of boy meets girl in new town and finds trouble. However, GP Ching leaves you guessing with the details in every chapter. Where's his mom? Why's he so special? What's everyone hiding from him?

For the first two weeks, I found myself reading a chapter per night due to my schedule. However, just yesterday, I couldn't put the book down. There were so...more

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Nov 27, 2011 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

3.5 stars.

I usually try to stay away from books about fallen angles and religion. Not because I'm not religious myself, but because too many books seem to mock or contradict one religion or another in the process. I don't know if I would've read Soulkeepers had I known it was this kind of book but I ended up enjoying it. I think for me, it's best to ignore all the religious innuendos and just read it as a story. I can't do this with every book, but with Soulkeepers it was fairly easy to do.

The...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Krystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

A great book with a male point of view, unusual in young adult fiction. The novel starts off with a bang, Jacob is pulled from the wreckage of his mother's car...his mother's whereabouts remaining a mystery. He suffers from nightmares, ones that could be from the car wreck or could mean something else... He is taken in by his uncle, a man who doesn't seem to know what to do or necessarily want the boy thrust upon him. A kind neighbor makes a deal with Jacob, she will attempt to find his mother i...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Laura Mcquillen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'll be honest, the first time I sat down to read this book I had a hard time getting into it. I finally set it aside for a while. It wasn't the book's fault. Or the author's. I just had a lot going on in my life at the time and couldn't manage to summon the focus necessary to absorb this book. And it deserves that kind of focus.

There are so many things going on that you need to be able to concentrate solely on this book to give it the attention it deserves. It's like one of those movies where y...more I'll be honest, the first time I sat down to read this book I had a hard time getting into it. I finally set it aside for a while. It wasn't the book's fault. Or the author's. I just had a lot going on in my life at the time and couldn't manage to summon the focus necessary to absorb this book. And it deserves that kind of focus.

There are so many things going on that you need to be able to concentrate solely on this book to give it the attention it deserves. It's like one of those movies where you can't risk looking away for a second or you will miss something. That said, you want to trust me on this: it's worth it.

For a teenager, Jacob is a strong character. He is well developed, as are all the characters, with all the flaws and quirks necessary to make him become real. He has a very strong sense of self and loyalty. He is a kid who knows who he is and he refuses to let anybody change that. Even in the small town atmosphere that he finds himself in. When he is taken from his home in Hawaii and forced to live with his Uncle in Paris, Illinois, Jacob has to adapt to an entirely new way of life. Not only is he living with relatives that he never even knew existed but he also has to leave island life far behind. No more sand and sea, casual attitudes and acceptance of his differences. Here his differences are glaringly obvious and he's not allowed to forget it.Jacob also slowly becomes aware of the fact that he is different in other ways too. Ways that aren't quite....normal. In a quest to figure out who...or what....he is, and his quest to find his missing mother, he is brought together with Dr. Silva and they have adventures quite unlike anything I have read before.

Even the secondary characters, Malini (I loved this character), Uncle John, Dr. Silva, even the kids at school, just leap off the page at you. It's like they are sitting next to you telling you their stories. Malini is Jacob's best friend and love interest and she is lovely. Mature beyond her years and determined not to forget her heritage like her parents seem to being trying to do, she is the perfect counter-character to Jacob. Malini helps Jacob adjust and settle in to this new life. She is very accepting of his differences and determined to help him figure things out. And Dr. Silva? Well, I'll let you discover her on your own. She is distinctly unique.

This author will keep you guessing until the very end on who the true "bad guys" are and who the good guys are. Each character has so much depth to them that you truly see what real people they are and that everybody has flaws. The plot is very well developed, so in depth, with so many twists and turns that it will keep you engrossed from start to finish. There are some Christian elements to the book, but I won't say more than that because I don't want to give anything away. I will say that it's not "in your face" Christian but very intriguing and interesting. The worldbuilding involved in this book is fantastic and I could see it in your mind as clearly as a movie.

This book has it all. Teen angst, magic, good versus evil, fantasy, first love and suspense. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. It leaves you wanting to see what happens and wanting to return to the world of Jacob and Malini. Entertaining enough, that any editorial flaws (which I didn't notice many) are easily overlooked because you are so drawn into the world that you just don't care. As the first in a series, it is easily a stand along novel, so no worries there. Thoroughly enjoyable. This book is available in both paperback and for ereaders.
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About G.P. Ching

G.P Ching is the author of The Soulkeepers Series and variety of short fiction. She specializes in cross-genre paranormal stories, loves old cemeteries, and enjoys a good ghost tour. She lives in central Illinois with her husband, two children, and one very demanding guinea pig.

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“The hardest thing you will ever do in life is to know for sure what is true.” — 11 people liked it

“...in the presence of God, it is less important who is right than what is right.” — 9 people liked it

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