reviews
Oct 10, 2011
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.
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Oct 10, 2011
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, e More...
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, e More...
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Oct 10, 2011
"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
I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it
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(4 people liked it)
Jul 08, 2011
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 More...
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 More...
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Oct 10, 2011
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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(2 people liked it)
Oct 10, 2011
** 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 fantast More...
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 fantast More...
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Jan 15, 2012
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 boo More...
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 boo More...
Jan 04, 2012
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 possi More...
Anyway. Book about a teenage boy trying to deal with the possi More...
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Dec 23, 2011
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 an More...
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 an More...
Dec 12, 2011
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. The More...
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. The More...
Nov 27, 2011
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 More...
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 More...
Aug 29, 2011
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 moth
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Aug 23, 2011
“The Soulkeepers” is a very interesting book, one that I certainly enjoyed from start to finish. Now, there were some small errors (where ‘ever’ should’ve been used, you’d find ‘every’), but it’s easy to completely overlook the small errors (and trust me, they are small and few) because the story is strong. Ching has crafted characters that you can believe, that you can actually feel for. I liked Jacob, the main character, but I have to admit…Malini was my favorite.
On goodreads, one re More...
On goodreads, one re More...
Aug 08, 2011
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 mo More...
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 mo More...
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Jul 16, 2011
With this first line, “Death lived up to Jacob’s expectations,” I was hooked. This novel defies genre by nimbly prancing through dark fantasy, paranormal and otherworldliness, and using Christian themes without really soapboxing (they actually come off as kind of nitty-gritty); and all in equal enough measure to keep strident fans of any one of those genres from bailing too early—or at all.
GP Ching’s characters deal with themes such as bullying, budding teen love and teen angst (withou More...
GP Ching’s characters deal with themes such as bullying, budding teen love and teen angst (withou More...
Jul 09, 2011
So, how did I come to have this book . . . hmm, ya know I believe I saw one day it was on sale for .99 at BN.com (thanks to Misty over at The Top Shelf) and thought to myself . . Why not? It didn't sound like my typical choice of book, but I didn't think it would hurt to have it . . you never know when something may grab your attention.
Well, a posting comes up . . asking if anyone would like to be consider for ARC of the book to follow. It was with this request that people were just sa More...
Well, a posting comes up . . asking if anyone would like to be consider for ARC of the book to follow. It was with this request that people were just sa More...
Dec 28, 2011
The reason why I picked up this book and downloaded it to my Kindle was because I read the description and it grabbed my attention big time. I lost my mother in '07, unexpected heart attack, and I desperately wished I could save her. As I read this book I found myself tied into the story even more, Jacob not only lost his mother but couldn't fit in and was often bullied. It was a thrill to read this book, I actually spent late nights reading it and completed it in merely 4 days, which is quick f
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Dec 08, 2011
Jacob is forced to live with an uncle he never knew in Paris, Illinois, after losing his mother to a mysterious accident in his Hawaii home.
Paris is a long way from Manoa, both in the way people in this small, all-white town treat him (he's half Chinese) and in the way mysterious things begin to happen around him.
He battles prejudice and bullying, meets an East Indian girl who becomes his best(only) friend, and is forced to work for a mysterious horticulturist who is not More...
Paris is a long way from Manoa, both in the way people in this small, all-white town treat him (he's half Chinese) and in the way mysterious things begin to happen around him.
He battles prejudice and bullying, meets an East Indian girl who becomes his best(only) friend, and is forced to work for a mysterious horticulturist who is not More...
Jan 14, 2012
I'm not a huge fan of YA. I like some stuff, but find that it can be a little to mellow for me. This book was not the case.
Understand that I was traveling through Amazon and kept seeing this book cover in the Kindle Free downloads. I was drawn to the cover, and wasn't really sure about the subject. But after seeing it a few times, I decided to finally down load the book.
Boy did I get a bargain - because I would have paid some good money for this book.
Ms. More...
Understand that I was traveling through Amazon and kept seeing this book cover in the Kindle Free downloads. I was drawn to the cover, and wasn't really sure about the subject. But after seeing it a few times, I decided to finally down load the book.
Boy did I get a bargain - because I would have paid some good money for this book.
Ms. More...
Feb 17, 2012
Story: 3 Stars
Pacing: 2.5 Stars
Characters: 3 Stars
Description: 4 Stars
*If you don't like religion in your fantasy (albeit used fairly lightly) you probably won't like this book. I find it slightly annoying (granted, I had the same problem with Narnia) for a few reasons, but mainly because I have trouble getting into the story when I get the feeling its kind of allegorical since I can see the puppet (author) pulling the strings. And they always have very blatant good More...
Pacing: 2.5 Stars
Characters: 3 Stars
Description: 4 Stars
*If you don't like religion in your fantasy (albeit used fairly lightly) you probably won't like this book. I find it slightly annoying (granted, I had the same problem with Narnia) for a few reasons, but mainly because I have trouble getting into the story when I get the feeling its kind of allegorical since I can see the puppet (author) pulling the strings. And they always have very blatant good More...
Jan 22, 2012
Okay, so first off this is really not what I expected this to be. I picked this up because 1. I read that it was so unique. 2. I read "complaints" about it being too religious and it talked about the Bible too much -- and since I'm a Christian - that is just gravy for me. 3. It was free and the first of a series so I thought it would be wonderful.
For a "young-adult" book and one that was supposedly "religious" I found too much objectionable material.
More...
For a "young-adult" book and one that was supposedly "religious" I found too much objectionable material.
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Jan 11, 2012
I lucked up on this book in the iBooks app and initially was intrigued by the cover and the title.
So, past the initial look, I find the story jumps right into the action, with Jacob dying, coming back, and vaguely remembering what happened to his missing mom.
He is whisked to live with his family in a tiny, prejudiced town, and he befriends Malini. Eventually, what Jacob thinks are hallucinations due to his head injury, turn out to be truthful, and he must figure out who the More...
So, past the initial look, I find the story jumps right into the action, with Jacob dying, coming back, and vaguely remembering what happened to his missing mom.
He is whisked to live with his family in a tiny, prejudiced town, and he befriends Malini. Eventually, what Jacob thinks are hallucinations due to his head injury, turn out to be truthful, and he must figure out who the More...
Apr 26, 2011
To say that I found The Soulkeepers anything short of astounding would be an understatement and total lie. The book grabbed me from the very first line: "Death lived up to Jacob's expectations." and never let go. The concept of the storyline was genius. Every line, every word felt well-thought out and meaningful.
The main character of The Soulkeepers, Jacob, is an endearing, heartbreaking hero. The desperation he feels after the loss of his mother and subsequent upheaval i More...
The main character of The Soulkeepers, Jacob, is an endearing, heartbreaking hero. The desperation he feels after the loss of his mother and subsequent upheaval i More...
Jan 14, 2012
I downloaded this because I happened to see it as a free Kindle book and, at that time, I had only out of copyright books, so once I finished my one purchase, I moved on to this.
It was ok. It really took a different direction than what the teaser would have you think it would. For those complaining about it being too religious, I just have to say it's more fantasy than religion. This is not a Christian fiction book. The author chose to take a few items that do match up with what Ch More...
It was ok. It really took a different direction than what the teaser would have you think it would. For those complaining about it being too religious, I just have to say it's more fantasy than religion. This is not a Christian fiction book. The author chose to take a few items that do match up with what Ch More...
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Dec 29, 2011
I really enjoyed this book.
Jacob Lau has already lost his father and now it seems he may have lost his mother too. After being pulled from the crumpled remains of their car, with no explanation or idea where his mother is, he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle, whom he never knew existed, in Paris, Illinois. Now, stuck in this small town filled with bigotry toward his mixed race, he is just trying to get by and get back to Oahu to find his mother. With the help of his new girlfr More...
Jacob Lau has already lost his father and now it seems he may have lost his mother too. After being pulled from the crumpled remains of their car, with no explanation or idea where his mother is, he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle, whom he never knew existed, in Paris, Illinois. Now, stuck in this small town filled with bigotry toward his mixed race, he is just trying to get by and get back to Oahu to find his mother. With the help of his new girlfr More...
Dec 04, 2011
This is more of a book for The people who love
and
series. I personally need a little more angst and a touch more sparks in the romance category. I used to make myself finish books but now,... there are just soo many options with the kindle and awesome indie books to read that I feel that I am wasting my time making myself finish books that just won't keep me up at night. There might come a time I want to finish this,... it is just not now when my kindle is jam packed with other awesomeness
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and
series. I personally need a little more angst and a touch more sparks in the romance category. I used to make myself finish books but now,... there are just soo many options with the kindle and awesome indie books to read that I feel that I am wasting my time making myself finish books that just won't keep me up at night. There might come a time I want to finish this,... it is just not now when my kindle is jam packed with other awesomeness
More...
Jun 05, 2011
I loved the bigotry in the novel—and by that I mean Ching does a phenomenal job showing how difficult and dangerous bigotry can be, and how easy it is for people, especially those in close knit, small towns, to become close minded and prejudice. The abuse that Jacob and Malini endure is overpowering—even stemming from Jacob’s own family—yet they survive it all and come out on top. Though the name calling and reactions of Jacob’s peers had me seething on more than one occasion, I loved the in-d
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Sep 01, 2011
With a title like The Soulkeepers I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this book, but any expectations I had were greatly surpassed. This book gripped me tight and took me on a surprising, smart, and refreshing journey.
When the book begins we meet Jacob, a 15 year old boy who has just been in a mysterious car accident. Upon waking up in the hospital Jacob meets an uncle he never knew he had and learns that his mother is missing. Jacob is forced to move in with hi More...
May 09, 2011
Wow. It took me forever to read this book, and here's why. I am right in the middle of writing my own sequel to my first book...and I'm on a roll! BUT The Soulkeepers wouldn't let me rest. I had to keep going back for more until I found out what happened.
Jacob's mother vanishes under mysterious circumstances, leaving Jacob alone and confused. Sent to live with his uncle, Jacob discovers some facts about his family that leave him wondering what in the world is going on. Combine that w More...
Jacob's mother vanishes under mysterious circumstances, leaving Jacob alone and confused. Sent to live with his uncle, Jacob discovers some facts about his family that leave him wondering what in the world is going on. Combine that w More...
Oct 24, 2011
Hi!
I'm rating this book a 3.5 stars.
I won a Ecopy of this book and the next from a fellow blogger and I read it on a borrowed Kindle.
It started off slowly, I must say. There were a few exciting moments but it didn't really get going until the middle to the end.
My favourite characters: Dr. Silva. Very intriguing character. A lot of mystery surrounds her and I found myself very interested in her background.
Jacob. I know it seems samey tha More...
I'm rating this book a 3.5 stars.
I won a Ecopy of this book and the next from a fellow blogger and I read it on a borrowed Kindle.
It started off slowly, I must say. There were a few exciting moments but it didn't really get going until the middle to the end.
My favourite characters: Dr. Silva. Very intriguing character. A lot of mystery surrounds her and I found myself very interested in her background.
Jacob. I know it seems samey tha More...
