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58th out of 93 books
—
141 voters
Marked (Soul Guardians #1)
by
Kim Richardson (Goodreads Author)
Sixteen year-old Kara Nightingale’s ordinary life is suddenly turned upside-down when she dies in a freak accident, and she wakes up in a strange new world with a new career—as a rookie for the Guardian Angel Legion. Kara hurtles towards dangerous missions with the help of her Petty Officer and friend, David.
But when she discovers a Mark on her leg, the entire Legion accu...more
But when she discovers a Mark on her leg, the entire Legion accu...more
Kindle Edition, 292 pages
Published
March 15th 2011
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No, monkey, NO! Do NOT mislead the readers!
I give up. If you asked me whether gauging my eyes out with a spoon would be less painful than the thought of finishing this book, I'd be inclined to agree.
Well, not really. But still.
I read 50% of this book, and I can't read any longer. This book is just bad. Badly plotted, badly written, and just plain bad. The dialogue is immature, and the story is stagnant. The concept is inoffensive yet unoriginal: A girl dies and is recruited to become a guardia...more
Jan 15, 2012
Midu Hadi
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
YA/fantasy fans
I started this book without reading the GR synopsis for it and so I wasn't prepared for what happened.
What I liked about the book:
Almost 5 pages into the book and the MC died..she actually died! The story started with a bang and it just got better.
The world of the Guardian Angels is a beautiful and strange place and the author describes it well.
Additions like, the primate elevator operators and avian bus drivers only made the world unique.
Instead of all angels being perfectly sculpted and in...more
What I liked about the book:
Almost 5 pages into the book and the MC died..she actually died! The story started with a bang and it just got better.
The world of the Guardian Angels is a beautiful and strange place and the author describes it well.
Additions like, the primate elevator operators and avian bus drivers only made the world unique.
Instead of all angels being perfectly sculpted and in...more
My thoughts going into this were: Oh god, another angel book where the main girl clearly will end up with the main guy after some sort of incident where she nearly gets killed after her abandons her because of some misunderstanding. Yeah. I was pretty spot on for the most part, but some things where better then I thought, and I ended up liking it a lot more then expected.
Like, I enjoyed that she wasn't some fluffy angel that didn't have a real point for her being an angel, except that angels are...more
Like, I enjoyed that she wasn't some fluffy angel that didn't have a real point for her being an angel, except that angels are...more
2 likes · like · see review
The plot (as in what happens) is pretty interesting. With so many YA angel books out lately, I was expecting a rehash, but I was pleasantly surprised. The end was satisfying, while also leaving the reader wanting to read the next book, though I would have liked to see Kara struggle a little more.
However, the pacing leaves much to be desired. It feels rushed and slow-moving in different parts.
See the full review at: http://siftbookreviews.blogspot.com/2...
Review by: Sarah of Sift Book Reviews
Sift...more
However, the pacing leaves much to be desired. It feels rushed and slow-moving in different parts.
See the full review at: http://siftbookreviews.blogspot.com/2...
Review by: Sarah of Sift Book Reviews
Sift...more
Mar 31, 2013
Victoria Limbert
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
angels,
demons,
fantasy,
great-characters,
humour,
paranormal,
religion,
reviewed,
romance,
supernatural,
teen,
young-adult,
will-read-again
I couldn't put this book down and from page one I knew this would be a book I would finish within a day. I hated putting my kindle down for more than a few minutes to make a drink.
The action starts immediately. Kara, our protagonist, is racing towards her dream of becoming an artist...but she is late for the presentation. Running across a road she is splattered by a bus...and when she wakes in Horizon (Heaven-like place) we learn she was chosen to become a Guardian Angel. Her petty officer Davi...more
The action starts immediately. Kara, our protagonist, is racing towards her dream of becoming an artist...but she is late for the presentation. Running across a road she is splattered by a bus...and when she wakes in Horizon (Heaven-like place) we learn she was chosen to become a Guardian Angel. Her petty officer Davi...more
Marked by Kim Richardson is the first book in the young adult series call Soul Guardians. Kara Nightingale is sixteen, and on her way to being a great artist, if she can just get to one presentation. However, an accident introduces her to a new job as an Guardian Angel trying to save souls from those that would like to destroy them. She must adapt to a strange new world, to she has to help her is David, a Petty Officer in the ranks who becomes her friend. But, when unusual events led to thoughts...more
I got stuck in an airport last weekend, so I downloaded several free books on my Nook. I sometimes like to live dangerously!
So basically, Kara dies and becomes a guardian angel. She's partnered with David, who's been a GA for quite awhile.
The things I liked about the story:
1 - BAM! The main character dies immediately. The story starts out amazingly.
2 - the elevators in Horizon (level of Heaven) are run by primates. Kind of nasty primates. Funny.
3 - guardian angels aren't all perfect and beautifu...more
So basically, Kara dies and becomes a guardian angel. She's partnered with David, who's been a GA for quite awhile.
The things I liked about the story:
1 - BAM! The main character dies immediately. The story starts out amazingly.
2 - the elevators in Horizon (level of Heaven) are run by primates. Kind of nasty primates. Funny.
3 - guardian angels aren't all perfect and beautifu...more
I can't even give this one a star. I picked this up as a freebie on Smashwords. I am just glad I didn't pay for such a painful read. I only made it to page 162 and I have given up on it. I have it on my Nook which travels with me everywhere. Started reading this while at the laundromat as it sounded interesting. It isn't interesting at all.
Labeled as a YA when it should be downgraded to the level of 10-12 year olds. I think even they would have a hard time reading it. I read all the Harry Potte...more
Labeled as a YA when it should be downgraded to the level of 10-12 year olds. I think even they would have a hard time reading it. I read all the Harry Potte...more
The price I paid: £0.00 The price I would willingly pay: £0.50
Would I buy as a paperback: No
The Bad:
1. Blocky, things happened with no build up, they did not transition smoothly. Made reading it awkward and just could not really get in to the story.
2. The characters were shallow, they weren’t developed enough, I found it very hard to care what happened to Kara or David.
3. Why was it so easy for David to change his mind about Kara. If his feelings were truly that strong why was there no disbelief...more
Would I buy as a paperback: No
The Bad:
1. Blocky, things happened with no build up, they did not transition smoothly. Made reading it awkward and just could not really get in to the story.
2. The characters were shallow, they weren’t developed enough, I found it very hard to care what happened to Kara or David.
3. Why was it so easy for David to change his mind about Kara. If his feelings were truly that strong why was there no disbelief...more
Marked is another example of why the self-published route is so flawed. It had a good idea behind it and elements of the story were well-imagined. However, it was in dire need of an editor to take a red-pen to it.
Kara was a promising protagonist, but her voice got lost. She tended to think in witty-one-liners which were often so incongruous to the situations she was in that it was hard to take her seriously. Her character tended to take even the most bizarre situations with a flippant acceptanc...more
Kara was a promising protagonist, but her voice got lost. She tended to think in witty-one-liners which were often so incongruous to the situations she was in that it was hard to take her seriously. Her character tended to take even the most bizarre situations with a flippant acceptanc...more
This book had an interesting concept and I enjoyed the world and the plot line. However, it didn't really pull me in and keep me hooked. Here were my hang ups with the book:
The time line jumped forward very quickly and it was hard to get a sense of how much time had passed in certain parts. For example, you know Kara is training, but how long did her initial training last?
The love interest/romance story just didn't work. I have no problem with love at first sight stories, if it shown and develo...more
The time line jumped forward very quickly and it was hard to get a sense of how much time had passed in certain parts. For example, you know Kara is training, but how long did her initial training last?
The love interest/romance story just didn't work. I have no problem with love at first sight stories, if it shown and develo...more
Feb 23, 2012
Nawnee
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
YA readers
Recommended to Nawnee by:
Amazon
Shelves:
freebie-books,
books-that-were-just-okay
I started this book yesterday it was on of the free downloads I found on kindle and the story description intrigued me. By the time I started reading the book I had totally forgotten the description and what it said the story was about I was reading in the waiting room at my Dr's office. By the time I got called back I was utterly confused, and decided I needed to re-look up the info for this book before going further, hoping this would help me figure out what direction the story was taking. Aft...more
I almost didn't finish the book. I try to make a point of never doing that and I believe that sometimes you can be surprised by how much better a book gets. That didn't happen here.
It may have been a new approach, but it was somewhat offensive to anyone who is a Christian because a lot of the terminology (angel, archangel, soul, guardian angel, demon ...) have basic understanding and roots there and yet they are twisted and combined with beliefs that have nothing to do with it. Somehow a Chief i...more
It may have been a new approach, but it was somewhat offensive to anyone who is a Christian because a lot of the terminology (angel, archangel, soul, guardian angel, demon ...) have basic understanding and roots there and yet they are twisted and combined with beliefs that have nothing to do with it. Somehow a Chief i...more
3 likes · like · see review
Jan 07, 2012
Abby
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
ridiculous-plots
This book is terrible. In its defense, it's not offensively terrible, and it has a certain "so bad it's good" amusement level, but there's something very immature about the whole thing, as though it were written by a sixteen-year-old instead of simply starring one.
All of the characters behave in an extraordinarily melodramatic fashion, making most of them come off as cartoonish caricatures, an impression not helped by the sheer silliness of some aspects of Horizon. All dialogue is riddled with...more
All of the characters behave in an extraordinarily melodramatic fashion, making most of them come off as cartoonish caricatures, an impression not helped by the sheer silliness of some aspects of Horizon. All dialogue is riddled with...more
3 likes · like · see review
This is possibly the hardest review I've had to write. Not because the book was bad, in fact I was rather impressed by it. No, the reason that it's been hard to review is that it's closest book I've come to on my review blog that could be classed as "chick-lit". It's unfamiliar territory for me.
But don't let this stop you from reading it! The majority of my blog's readers are male, but I would still say that they should consider this book. Especially if they are looking for a light, easy read.
Bu...more
But don't let this stop you from reading it! The majority of my blog's readers are male, but I would still say that they should consider this book. Especially if they are looking for a light, easy read.
Bu...more
Repost from Amazon Review:
I wanted to like this book more, I did. I liked the characters and the story. It was well-written and in a lot of ways, I found it hard to believe this was a first novel.
I think Richardson is a talented author and I will be reading the next book, for sure.
But the biggest drawback of this book is that it is so HARD to connect with a character that has no backstory. And baby, I mean NONE. I know nothing about her going in except she has brown hair that hangs down her ba...more
I wanted to like this book more, I did. I liked the characters and the story. It was well-written and in a lot of ways, I found it hard to believe this was a first novel.
I think Richardson is a talented author and I will be reading the next book, for sure.
But the biggest drawback of this book is that it is so HARD to connect with a character that has no backstory. And baby, I mean NONE. I know nothing about her going in except she has brown hair that hangs down her ba...more
I pride myself on reserving judgment on novels until I've finished them. Leaving books unfinished leaves a bad taste in my mouth until I get around to read them in full, and I don't think it's fair to review a book you haven't completely read, just in case the end compensates for some of the flaws.
But for once in my life, I find myself unable to make myself finish a book. It was that bad. I'm 83% through it and i just can't make myself finish it.
First off, there's no content in this book. It al...more
But for once in my life, I find myself unable to make myself finish a book. It was that bad. I'm 83% through it and i just can't make myself finish it.
First off, there's no content in this book. It al...more
Kim Richardson brings something new to the paranormal angel genre, at least new to me. I really liked the vision of guardian angels and elementals that she brought to life. At 34 years of age, I might not be the exact target audience of this book, but it was enjoyable. I thought Kara was a strong female heroine, although she was still a realistic teen. As frustrating as her actions were at times, it fit with her character and age. I am looking forward to the sequel and discovering more about ele...more
Marked was a great read with a fun character, Kara, who used to live a rather mundane life that consisted of painting and eating ice-cream all the time before she's hit by a bus and dies. Waking up she finds herself in an elevator, light engulfing her as she's taken to Orientation. Pretty soon it becomes clear: prior to her birth, Kara was marked and now she's dead and alone in Heaven, waiting for her apprenticeship to begin. David is supposed to teach her how to be a guardian angel, which is th...more
3 likes · like · see review
It was resoundingly.... okay.
Cannot fault Kim Richardson for not jumping straight to the story. Three pages in, the teenage heroine is abruptly sidetracked by death on the way to pursuing her dream, only to discover she has been drafted into the Legion, Heaven's army of guardian angels who protect mankind from demons.
As a rookie guardian angel, she is paired up with a senior guardian angel... David. Who, despite being an angel is the archetypical leather jacket wearing badboy. He is apparently o...more
Cannot fault Kim Richardson for not jumping straight to the story. Three pages in, the teenage heroine is abruptly sidetracked by death on the way to pursuing her dream, only to discover she has been drafted into the Legion, Heaven's army of guardian angels who protect mankind from demons.
As a rookie guardian angel, she is paired up with a senior guardian angel... David. Who, despite being an angel is the archetypical leather jacket wearing badboy. He is apparently o...more
----------------------------------SPOILERS---------------------------------------------------------
4 stars is due to the amount of imagination needed to write this book. Even though the main story is a bit usual (sixteen-year-old teen being undoubtedly attracted to the first hot guy appearing in front of her), I think the whole guardian angel idea is pretty amazing.
All of us certainly have read at least one book about angels/demons. And this one is no different. But I really like the ideia of el...more
2.5 stars for plot. I liked the story line enough that I'll take the time to read the next novel.
Story line- this novel tells you the story of a girl who dies and becomes a Guardian Angel in her next life.
The author did a good job keeping the pace of the novel.
The main character Kara Nightingale is a very likeable girl, although I wished the author had taken more time to develop this character. David, the other protagonist, is also a likeble guy. Then again, he too needed a little more develo...more
Story line- this novel tells you the story of a girl who dies and becomes a Guardian Angel in her next life.
The author did a good job keeping the pace of the novel.
The main character Kara Nightingale is a very likeable girl, although I wished the author had taken more time to develop this character. David, the other protagonist, is also a likeble guy. Then again, he too needed a little more develo...more
The next book of many of my favorite series are either coming out in Oct or *gasp* next year....that I'm searching for something new. Rather than follow in the footsteps of Fallen or Unearthly, Marked takes the ya angel craze and twists it on its ear. The books opens with our MC, 16yo Kara talking on her phone, while running late to a class and ends up dying in a freaky bus accident. Obviously her death is just the beginning - Kara awakens to find she is to be a guardian angel....if she can surv...more
I did not finish this book. I read about 100 pages and I just could not get into it. I tried to give the book a chance but I was not connecting. I did not really like the characters. I thought the main character took her death a little too easily. I did not really like the dialogue it didn't seem realistic to me. The general story idea's of the book were good but not enough for me to keep going.
I think that Kim's general storyline and plot were good and it could have been a really great novel....more
I think that Kim's general storyline and plot were good and it could have been a really great novel....more
Apr 06, 2011
Kate Copeseeley
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
needs-review
Great book, read my blog for a long review. Overall, loved the originality of the world it took place in and the light-hearted aspects of the various side characters: the simian elevator attendants, the forgetful oracles, and David, the Guardian Angel that has an addiction to winking at pretty girls.
Kara Nightingale, is a painter in highschool who gets hit by a bus on her way to a major presentation. She finds herself in an elevator with a talking chimp and after disembarking discovers that her...more
Kara Nightingale, is a painter in highschool who gets hit by a bus on her way to a major presentation. She finds herself in an elevator with a talking chimp and after disembarking discovers that her...more
My feelings about this book are very polar; there are parts that I think are pretty decent, and there are parts I think are just awful. For example - who in the world compares deserts to potato chips? And why in the world did Richardson make talking primates operate the elevators? There were a few times, like those, where I was very close to quitting reading this book.
There definitely were some decent elements in this book though. The characters in general were great, except Kara who at times a...more
There definitely were some decent elements in this book though. The characters in general were great, except Kara who at times a...more
'Marked' was a very pleasant surprise. Having just tossed a really religious preachy soap box kinda book by another author, I was jaded going into this one. The two books couldn't be more different. 'Marked' deals with a legion of Guardian Angels and never, ever takes itself too seriously. The characters are easily visualized and just really fun.
I got a great deal of enjoyment out of 'Marked' and may go ahead and by the sequels even though each book is too short as a stand-alone. New authors se...more
I got a great deal of enjoyment out of 'Marked' and may go ahead and by the sequels even though each book is too short as a stand-alone. New authors se...more
Oct 13, 2012
Cindy
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
gave-up-on-series,
own-on-kindle
“I don’t speak to traitors— I kill them.”
I didn't like this book. The only reason I decided to read it got a 2011 Readers Favorite award.
That award was bullshit. I couldn't find a single thing I liked. I'm starting to think people are complete idiots now. I know I shouldn't be judging anyone for liking this, but I want to know exactly what anyone liked about this book. I couldn't find a single thing I liked. It's probably meant for pre-teens or something. I don't know, but people need to raise...more
I really liked this book and gave it 4/5 stars mainly due to the fact that there were a few editing issues.
The plot was gripping and exciting and kept my attention throughout. It is the first in a series that I fully intend to continue reading. This book works well as a stand-alone as it is a complete story with no loose ends but it leads into the next book by your own desire to see how the main character's life pans out and what other exciting things are going to happen to her.
The main characte...more
The plot was gripping and exciting and kept my attention throughout. It is the first in a series that I fully intend to continue reading. This book works well as a stand-alone as it is a complete story with no loose ends but it leads into the next book by your own desire to see how the main character's life pans out and what other exciting things are going to happen to her.
The main characte...more
The first chapter got me hooked. I wanted to know more about Kara. Kim creates a world I would love to be in, a world full of angels. Kara is a rookie who learns the ropes through David, her mentor. David is so much fun to be around; it’s hard for Kara not to have these feelings toward him. Their task is to save a person’s life, but they find themselves fighting demons instead, and unable to fulfill their assignment successfully. Later, they found out that Kara has been marked from both sides. T...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Free Book Cha...: Marked, by Kim Richardson | 4 | 17 | Dec 02, 2012 06:59pm |
Kim Richardson is the author of the SOUL GUARDIANS series. Since childhood, Kim developed a wild imagination and surrounded herself with fantasy novels and movies like, The Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. She later studied in the field of 3D Animation, and became an Animation Supervisor for a VFX company. For many years she worked on big Hollywood films and stayed in the field of animation for 14...more
More about Kim Richardson...
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Dec 21, 2012 08:32am
May 19, 2013 09:26am