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The Overtaking

by Victorine E. Lieske (Goodreads Author)

3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 · rating details · 72 ratings · 20 reviews

Shayne Bartlet has been kidnapped, his powers disabled and his memory altered. He's not having a good day. And he doesn't even know it.

When Shayne's telepathic abilities surface, he finds out Danielle isn't the normal teenager she appears to be. In fact, she's not even from his world. And when he finds out her race is responsible for the overtaking of his entire planet, he...more

Kindle Edition, 290 pages

Published (first published May 13th 2011)

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Jul 28, 2011 Dawn Vanniman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I received this ARC from the author and was very pleased. I couldn't put it down and finished it in two days. Ms. Lieske had told me that it was a love story, I was taking a chance because I'm not really a reader of love stories. However, I don't think I would label it a love story...I would say that it's Sci/Fi that happens to have a sweet little love story in it.

My favorite quote: Shayne Bartlet has been kidnapped, his powers disabled and his memory altered. He's not having a good day. And he...more I received this ARC from the author and was very pleased. I couldn't put it down and finished it in two days. Ms. Lieske had told me that it was a love story, I was taking a chance because I'm not really a reader of love stories. However, I don't think I would label it a love story...I would say that it's Sci/Fi that happens to have a sweet little love story in it.

My favorite quote: Shayne Bartlet has been kidnapped, his powers disabled and his memory altered. He's not having a good day. And he doesn't even know it yet.

That quote told me that I would love this. I mean, imagine if your memory was altered. You would just go one believing you were whomever you were programmed to be and wouldn't know you hated mushrooms and loved olives! Ok, so that's a little silly, but you wouldn't even know your family and friends!

There's a wide variety of characters, both good and evil. I would have liked to see the characters other than the main two (Shayne and Danielle) fleshed out a little more, but I'm hoping that will happen in Book 2. Shayne is from a planet where the people have psychic powers and are peaceful. Danielle is from a planet that was all but destroyed and they have no powers. It's boy meets girl with a twist. Shayne doesn't know Danielle is part of the population that has altered his memory and she can't tell him. She really likes him and keeps trying to protect him, but is finally punished by her people for helping him - by having her memories altered.

The one thing that really stood out about this story was the lack of sexual situations. I was very happy to see that. The more YA I read, the more I think that there's entirely too much sex in them. Ms. Lieske brought it back to where it should be...the excitement of just holding hands or a simple kiss. Honestly, the majority of teens I know don't act like some of the teens in the books I've read. These teens come across as natural and honest.

I felt that the writing overall was smooth and you jump right into the story on Page 1. I know some people like a little background before they really get going, but I love to jump right in and figure it out as I go. That will hold my interest a lot better, right away. I liked all the scientific tools and am dying to find out what they were doing to all the Maslonians (Shayne's people) in that lab!

I love the ending! It was conclusive enough that you can read it as a stand alone story, but it definitely leaves an opening for the second book to pick up. I'm very excited to read the next book and see where the rebel force (that's what I'm calling them) goes and what they do to save their people.(less)

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Dec 26, 2011 Alicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi, kindle-lendable, own-kindle

This is a good book. The Overtaking is a light, fun read with excellent pacing; I started and finished it in a single day. Young adult books are not my primary reading genre, but I'm glad I took the time to read this one.

At the beginning of The Overtaking, the Maslonian people are disappearing one by one. The Maslonian Council wants to get to the bottom of it. After his mother's disappearance (in the book's opening scene), Shayne joins the Council and is promptly thereafter kidnapped. Then, he i...more This is a good book. The Overtaking is a light, fun read with excellent pacing; I started and finished it in a single day. Young adult books are not my primary reading genre, but I'm glad I took the time to read this one.

At the beginning of The Overtaking, the Maslonian people are disappearing one by one. The Maslonian Council wants to get to the bottom of it. After his mother's disappearance (in the book's opening scene), Shayne joins the Council and is promptly thereafter kidnapped. Then, he is in another world thinking he has had completely different life than the one he actually had. But Shayne is resistant to the new memories, and he discovers he has hidden memories and powers. His powers reveal the thoughts of those around him, and he knows that some of the people around him are lying to him . . . about everything. All the while, there's a growing romantic connection between Shayne and one of his schoolmates, Danielle, who seems to be mixed up in all of this.

How did Shane get to this new place with these new memories? What is Danielle's involvement? What is happening to the Malsonian people as they disappear? And most importantly, why is someone doing this to Shayne and his people?

In my opinion, the best thing about this book is the pacing. My time reading it flew right by, because it was light and never dragged any scene along more than necessary. The characters were fine; perhaps a little one-dimensional, but like I said, it was a light read. The writing was solid for the most part, although there were a number of times (maybe fifteen or so) that I was abruptly thrown out of my suspension of disbelief by some cliche word choices. But I've spent a lot of time editing novels lately, so maybe that's just me.

People should be reading this book. Not all people, of course, but those who are into young adult, paranormal stuff. I know the author is out there trying to get this book on more shelves, so the question is: why aren't people reading it? I think a large part of that has to do with the book's official description. When this book was first brought to my attention, I read the description, and I was not at all excited about reading the book. The description is just . . . vague. Sure, you don't want it to give too much away, but this this description even shies away from disclosing stuff that was known by the second chapter. I don't want to read a book when I have no idea what's coming.

Dear author: Your book is good. I want more people to read it. Please change the description. Please. Sincerely, Alicia.(less)

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May 18, 2011 Craig Hansen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Victorine E. Lieske, author of the romantic suspense novel NOT WHAT SHE SEEMS, changes gears in her sophomore outing ... kind of. While THE OVERTAKING features both romance and suspense, it shifts gears in two important ways: she adopts a science fiction setting for this novel, and due to the age of her characters, the book is likely to attract more of a young-adult audience.

THE OVERTAKING is the first novel in a projected series which introduces us to the primary cast of characters. Shayne Bart...more Victorine E. Lieske, author of the romantic suspense novel NOT WHAT SHE SEEMS, changes gears in her sophomore outing ... kind of. While THE OVERTAKING features both romance and suspense, it shifts gears in two important ways: she adopts a science fiction setting for this novel, and due to the age of her characters, the book is likely to attract more of a young-adult audience.

THE OVERTAKING is the first novel in a projected series which introduces us to the primary cast of characters. Shayne Bartlett, our main protagonist, is a young member of the Maslonian race, highly gifted with psychic abilities. Yet in short order, Shayne's mother is kidnapped, he joins a ruling council, and then he is kidnapped as well. In his new, post-kidnapping life, where he does not remember his past, he meets Danielle and the two are powerfully drawn to each other.

But Danielle is mysterious, a young woman with secrets to hide. Secrets that may affect the future of their budding relationship... and perhaps even the future of Shayne's race.

So THE OVERTAKING does have major differences from NOT WHAT SHE SEEMS, in genre, plot, and setting. What has not changed, however, is Lieske's storytelling ability and her capacity for charming readers with the way in which a pair of strangers become a couple.

The novel contains echoes of literary and filmed forebears. Some of the SF concepts will ring familiar to those who've read Phillip K. Dick's WE CAN DREAM IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE, while other aspects could remind filmgoers of the Bill Murray-Andie McDowell rom-com, GROUNDHOG DAY.

Yet through it all, the story elements blend into a finished product that is distinctly of Lieske's own making. While readers of NOT WHAT SHE SEEMS, which took place in a recognizably realistic world, may feel some need for adjustment to the new setting, the primarily strengths of Lieske's storytelling remain consistent and recognizable in this new entry.

One element that is new is that THE OVERTAKING is part of a series. Readers of NOT WHAT SHE SEEMS enjoyed that novels strong sense of possessing a beginning, a middle, and an end. While THE OVERTAKING possess a strong beginning and an entertaining middle, the sense of ending isn't as strong as in NOT WHAT SHE SEEMS because the overall story is not complete.

When the final page of NOT WHAT SHE SEEMS was turned, there was a sense that the tale of Steven Ashton and Emily Grant was over, at least dramatically. With THE OVERTAKING, there is a sense of resolution to many plot elements, but also a certain knowledge that more challenges lay ahead for Shayne, Danielle, and those around them.

Fortunately, Lieske's novel ends on a story beat that delivers a sense of resolution, even as new threats and challenges await on the horizon. This is superior to some YA series novels, which often seem to end too abruptly, at a moment in which the author hit a pre-set word count and didn't want to write more words per installment than necessary. While I won't spoil the nature of THE OVERTAKING's closing action here, I will at least say that the story beat on which the novel ends will not leave readers feeling like the book "went to commercial and never came back."

Will THE OVERTAKING leave readers ready for the next installment? Almost certainly. Yet even as the further adventures of the cast Lieske introduces here are of interest, this novel stands, at minimum, as a satisfying read in and of itself as well.

Well done.(less)

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Aug 09, 2011 ephrielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have read so much fantasy lately that I really had to work to get my mind to switch gears for this book. Once I grasped the storyline it was hard to put this book down.

I like how the book delves into a bit of how our perception of the truth may not in fact be the truth. Even as the book progresses it seems that the truth the characters perceive is still not the whole deal. It was also interesting to see how the characters approached dealing with many layers of deception and confusion.

The roma...more

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May 25, 2011 Laura rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, science-fiction

Although I hate to say it, I was somewhat underwhelmed by this book. I had high hopes because I've heard good things about Lieske, but I just never connected with this book. I read a lot of YA and enjoy fantasy and scifi, so I thought this book would be right up my alley, but I was never sucked into the story...never able to forget I was reading a book. You know how when you're reading a book that you really connect with, you can lose yourself in the story? I was never able to lose myself.

It wa...more

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May 28, 2011 Lynn Mixon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

** SPOILER ALERT ** Be advised I have included some minor spoilers below.

Since I don’t haunt the Young Adult romance aisle of the bookstore, I wasn't sure what to expect when I read this novel. What I got was an enjoyable read and characters I truly cared for. Shayne and Danielle are strong, likeable characters put into an interesting and twisty situation. Danielle and her people have been kidnapping people from Shayne's world for a long time. Now Danielle is hunting for Shayne while he is tryin...more

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May 11, 2012 02malloryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Overtaking is a wonderful book that will make you think and keep you guessing the whole time. There are several things that I loved! One was the characters, and how they all came to know one another. Second is the story line. I would never be able to think up a place like this, with all of their powers and gadgets. It was really incredible. Third I loved how the author used great voice. I could always tell who was talking, even when if it didn’t say. The ideas in this book combine our world...more The Overtaking is a wonderful book that will make you think and keep you guessing the whole time. There are several things that I loved! One was the characters, and how they all came to know one another. Second is the story line. I would never be able to think up a place like this, with all of their powers and gadgets. It was really incredible. Third I loved how the author used great voice. I could always tell who was talking, even when if it didn’t say. The ideas in this book combine our world with others that we only dreamed of happening, and I think that is the reason I could not put the book down.

The characters in this story were incredible. Shayne was like someone out of a fairy tale book. He looked great, had amazing powers, and was noble and brave. This made him easy to love! Danielle was the Dyken who kidnapped Shayne. Throughout the book, Danielle dates Shayne because she needs to keep an eye on him. While keeping an eye on him, she feels she needs o confess her past because she is falling in love with him. But she hides it from him because she is still a Dyken and must be loyal to the mission. Later when Shayne’s powers keep appearing again, she confesses to him, and he finds that he loves her to. They also have two best friends named Jennaya and Brady. They help them figure out the truth about what is happening to their people. Throughout this book, you learn to love the characters.

In the story, the Dyken people are kidnapping the Maslonians. They are told that if they don’t kidnap, reprogram (erased their memories and replace them), and put them in a special facility, the Maslonians will kill their race. So they do just that. They have a little trouble kidnapping the Maslonians because they have special powers. From there, the story goes on. This is a really interesting because no other book has this same story line. It makes you think in a new way. That is one reason that makes this book so great.

While reading this book, you could always tell who was speaking. The reason for that is that the author put great voice into the book. Shayne was always trying to help Danielle. Danielle was always wondering what Shayne would think of her. Jennaya was thinking about how cute people were, and Brady was wondering how they were going to complete their plan. All of the other characters had distinct voices as well, but those were the main ones. This book is nice because it is an easy read, and the voice shows through to keep you interested.

The story line in this book is brilliant. The characters are great, and there is tons of voice. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick, easy, and entertaining read. The book always kept me guessing, and none of my guesses were correct. The Overtaking will surprise you on every page. This is a book that I think everyone should read.(less)

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Jun 20, 2011 Cathy Keaton rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of sci-fi, romance, mystery

Shelves: reviewed, arcs-rcs, read-in-2011, i-own

I received this as a Review Copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a fun and clever little book. I really loved how the plot unfolded its mysteries in sprinkles over the course of the story. Definitely made me want to keep reading. The characters were easy to sympathize with and I ended up really liking them. Especially Shayne, the main character.

This is adult fiction (although, the characters are in their late teens) free of profanity and sexual situations, but doe...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Rachelle Ayala rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 17, 2011 K.A. Tucker rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Victorine Lieske's The Overtaking has a wonderfully unique premise, one I haven't seen before in any YA genre book. The pace is fast and action-oriented. The introduction of unique elements and powers is done without excessive detail, which makes it feel natural.
The Overtaking is told from many POVs - changing frequently - which I found to be confusing at times and didn't allow me to really get to bond with the characters as well as I would have liked (I felt no emotion over one of the group bei...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Sheila rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Overtaking is another book with a great mix of sci-fi/dystopian genres. The romance was great, with two likable characters of Shanye and Danielle. The slight twist, revealed near the end of the book, makes you pause and think. This is the 1st book in a series. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series!

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Jun 27, 2011 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-books, kindle-lending

4.5 Stars!!
Review to come along with a giveaway and interview from the author on my blog later this week!!
http://myguiltyobsession.blogspot.com/
Don't miss it!!
Link to contest: http://myguiltyobsession.blogspot.com...

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Dec 30, 2011 Mindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really liked this one. Clever and fast paced. Ending page was a bit cheesy and the good guys took too many hits there at the end, but really enjoyed.

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Jan 30, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-books-i-got-free, aliens

This was a good story and it sounded very good. what i didn't like was how it just jumped all over the place, and introduced all this random characters who only turned out to be of any relevance at the end.
It got slightly confusing keeping track of who had what memories, but it was a good book and i did like it.

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Aug 13, 2011 Nikki rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, romance, sci-fi, kindle-lendable

character development is light for me. relationship basis seemed rush and shallow considering what they had to give up

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Feb 18, 2013 Catherine rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is complicated - all the bad guys hold all the power, knowledge, and resources. Every time someone figures it out, the baddies just swoop in and erase their memories and the process starts all over again. Well, except that the evil plot has furthered itself, making it even harder to the good guys to gain any momentum. While I liked the plot, the story moved too slowly and I didn't really related to any of the characters. Also the romance in the book is so superficial; not necessarily based...more

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May 27, 2011 Arlene Webb rated it 5 of 5 stars

A fast paced, imaginative read, and I can't wait for book two.

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Mar 10, 2012 Lu Ann Brobst added it

Talking heads, head hopping, and erratic pacing left me confused most of the time as I read this book. Scene changes never left me feeling grounded and I found myself constantly having to go back and reread to try to sort through whose point of view I was supposed to be following and where we were. The romantic elements were cheesy and poorly developed. No true romantic tension at all between Danielle and Shayne, names that also didn't work for the genre.

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Oct 18, 2012 Dawn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Even though I'm not much into sci-fi stories, I gave this one a chance because I know the author. I was surprisingly enthralled. The characters didn't seem out of the ordinary even though they had telepathic and telekinetic abilities. Even though aspects of it were pretty technical, it was easy to follow and pleasant to read.

Now I find myself anxiously awaiting the rest of the series.

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Mar 10, 2012 Lu Ann Brobst added it · review of another edition

See my review on the other listing.

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May 19, 2013 Ricardo Guerra marked it as to-read

May 17, 2013 Lola marked it as to-read · review of another edition

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Apr 25, 2013 Vales rated it 4 of 5 stars

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