283rd out of 575 books
—
56 voters
Before (Heven and Hell 0.5)
by
Cambria Hebert (Goodreads Author)
What if your life was charmed and everything in it was perfect…
Before.
This is the story of my past. Of what things were like for me when everything was normal. Of what every teenager’s life is like. Clothes. Parties. Boys and summer vacation. What’s so wrong with that? I liked it. I was happy.
Until things changed. I changed.
I didn’t know that lies and secrets were about...more
Before.
This is the story of my past. Of what things were like for me when everything was normal. Of what every teenager’s life is like. Clothes. Parties. Boys and summer vacation. What’s so wrong with that? I liked it. I was happy.
Until things changed. I changed.
I didn’t know that lies and secrets were about...more
Kindle Edition, 18 pages
Published
November 13th 2011
by Otherworld Publications
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Before
Two lives one light, one dark; One hiding in shadows, haunted by horror and the monster. The other, alive, happy and hopeful. Sam is desperate to escape the evil clutches of the monster, even if it means rescinding his chance to be near Heven. He is a dark moth drawn by an unrelenting desire to seek Heven's glow one last time. Heven, his beckoning ray, is a beautiful girl standing on the brink of teenage bliss; a cheer captain crowning, a handsome boyfriend prospect, friends and popularity...more
Two lives one light, one dark; One hiding in shadows, haunted by horror and the monster. The other, alive, happy and hopeful. Sam is desperate to escape the evil clutches of the monster, even if it means rescinding his chance to be near Heven. He is a dark moth drawn by an unrelenting desire to seek Heven's glow one last time. Heven, his beckoning ray, is a beautiful girl standing on the brink of teenage bliss; a cheer captain crowning, a handsome boyfriend prospect, friends and popularity...more
This is a bittersweet sensation,, great start,, tottal cliffhanging end,, me crying out NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO,,, as I read the last page and hiding my face in my hands,,

yep,, that's a recepie for hooking me up to a book LoL
Reviewed on 11/14/11
The Plot - Since this is a prequel, there’s not much going on here. Is just a taste of what to come. Mysterious guy likes pretty and oblivious girl. Something bad happens. I’m left hanging from a cliff. Yep,, I like that plo...more

yep,, that's a recepie for hooking me up to a book LoL
Reviewed on 11/14/11
The Plot - Since this is a prequel, there’s not much going on here. Is just a taste of what to come. Mysterious guy likes pretty and oblivious girl. Something bad happens. I’m left hanging from a cliff. Yep,, I like that plo...more
Apr 20, 2012
Tricia Kristufek
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
reviews,
recommended
Heven's life was perfect. She is beautiful, popular, and just got voted cheerleading captain - all things that any teenage girl would dream about.
Then her world falls apart.
Sam's life is dark. His only shining light is Heven, and the monster has forbid him to see her again. Even though he is anxious to escape the clutches of the monster, Sam can not forget about Heven. In his desire to see her 'one last time,' Sam inadvertently leads the monster right to her.
Before is the prequel to Masquerade...more
Then her world falls apart.
Sam's life is dark. His only shining light is Heven, and the monster has forbid him to see her again. Even though he is anxious to escape the clutches of the monster, Sam can not forget about Heven. In his desire to see her 'one last time,' Sam inadvertently leads the monster right to her.
Before is the prequel to Masquerade...more
Right first of all yes I am friends with Cambria on Goodreads but I want to take this opportunity to say that my review will be as honest as if I had picked up the book at a local bookstore.
Now onto the book review...
Hmmm very mysterious, it certainly makes you want the next book NOW!
It is well written very descriptive, so much you feel the atmosphere and can see the surroundings etc.Its definitely got me thinking what is Sam? I think I might have an idea but am I being too obvious and who is th...more
Now onto the book review...
Hmmm very mysterious, it certainly makes you want the next book NOW!
It is well written very descriptive, so much you feel the atmosphere and can see the surroundings etc.Its definitely got me thinking what is Sam? I think I might have an idea but am I being too obvious and who is th...more
We have an old, southern saying that goes something like this: “If that don’t light your fire, your wood’s wet”. That is exactly what kept running through my mind after reading Before Heven and Hell 0.5, the exciting prequel to Masquerade Heven and Hell 1…because if that didn’t make you excited for a book, well, my friend, you are completely unexcitable. The fact that the author was able to draw me in with only 19 pages is an extraordinary talent. The story is spicy and sweet - with Heven being...more
Okay i have to admit that i got this from Kindle for free one day i was searching for new books (back then i didnt knew anything about Masquerade)
I am never a big fan of pre sequels but this was very interesting to read specially when you have no idea whats going on.
From those 18 pages i read i believe this was a very well writing tease from Cambria Hebert. The story is captivating and well written and full with so many secrets mainly because of Sam. Who is Sam?What secrets he has? Why he havent...more
I am never a big fan of pre sequels but this was very interesting to read specially when you have no idea whats going on.
From those 18 pages i read i believe this was a very well writing tease from Cambria Hebert. The story is captivating and well written and full with so many secrets mainly because of Sam. Who is Sam?What secrets he has? Why he havent...more
Aug 13, 2012
Mar *How I see it reviews*
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
prequel,
short-story,
2012-reads,
contemporary-set,
mystery,
read-in-english,
ya,
hellhounds
okay so this will be a short quick review.
I read this short story because I saw it was free on amazon, and because I'm a big fan of the Heven and Hell series. I read the 2 other books, and I really liked them. However, I was not very exited about this novella.
The writing style was so different. The author has gotten so much better than she was when she wrote this novella. Her dialogue has gotten way better, too.
Also, this novella was so incredibly short! I read it in less than half an hour. If...more
I read this short story because I saw it was free on amazon, and because I'm a big fan of the Heven and Hell series. I read the 2 other books, and I really liked them. However, I was not very exited about this novella.
The writing style was so different. The author has gotten so much better than she was when she wrote this novella. Her dialogue has gotten way better, too.
Also, this novella was so incredibly short! I read it in less than half an hour. If...more
Before by Cambria Hebert was a nice and tempting short read. I liked it and the ending definitely tempted me to look more into Masquerade, the full length novel this pre-quel (well, teaser) was based on.
Though, I liked it, I gave it merely three stars because it was a bit vague, all around, especially in regards to Sam's life. Also, Heven seems like the stereotyical bubble-headed and beautiful blond but that may be remedied after reading Masquerade.
My ultimate hope is that the actual novel, Mas...more
Though, I liked it, I gave it merely three stars because it was a bit vague, all around, especially in regards to Sam's life. Also, Heven seems like the stereotyical bubble-headed and beautiful blond but that may be remedied after reading Masquerade.
My ultimate hope is that the actual novel, Mas...more
The description is intriguing, that this story is a prequel to what happens once Heven's (yes, that's her name) life changes in a big way.
This short story is told in alternating points of view, Heven being one, and the other is Sam, a boy who is seemingly obsessed with Heven.
Heven's a high school cheerleader, blonde and ditzy. I'm not sure what Sam sees in her because she reads like the type of girl who is a dime a dozen, but maybe she has a secret--at least I'm hoping she has one that will be r...more
This short story is told in alternating points of view, Heven being one, and the other is Sam, a boy who is seemingly obsessed with Heven.
Heven's a high school cheerleader, blonde and ditzy. I'm not sure what Sam sees in her because she reads like the type of girl who is a dime a dozen, but maybe she has a secret--at least I'm hoping she has one that will be r...more
Before I begin my review of Before I think it is important to let everyone know that Before I read this book I was unsure of what really happened Before. Now I do and I have a feeling that before I wrote those words you didn’t want to know what happened Before but now you do. I cannot blame you because Before I read Before I didn’t really know if I wanted to know what happened before. Now that I know what happened Before because I have read Before I am glad that I know what happened Before. To k...more
Possessing the looks of an angel and high school popularity topped off by becoming the new head cheerleader, Heven has it all—or does she? In Cambria Hebert’s perfectly spun prequel to her debut novel, “Masquerade,” nothing lasts forever, especially the idyllic world Heven exists in. On the other hand, Sam is a mysterious teenager captivated heart and soul by the bewitching Heven, who can only imagine a perfect world, and if that world is to be perfect, it must include Heven. “Before” is a quick...more
Before Review on K-Books
Cambria kindly sent me the prequel of her debut novel for review before her novel comes out in December.
Heven is the perfect girl with the perfect life. She has just been asked out by the guy she's liked for a while and she has just been appointed head cheerleader. Everything is looking up.
Sam is a mysterious guy stuck in a mysterious world Heven knows nothing about. She doesn't know him but he knows her but he can't be a part of her world as he wants, it could put Heven...more
Cambria kindly sent me the prequel of her debut novel for review before her novel comes out in December.
Heven is the perfect girl with the perfect life. She has just been asked out by the guy she's liked for a while and she has just been appointed head cheerleader. Everything is looking up.
Sam is a mysterious guy stuck in a mysterious world Heven knows nothing about. She doesn't know him but he knows her but he can't be a part of her world as he wants, it could put Heven...more
Before serves as a prequel to Cambria Hebert’s debut novel Masquerade.
Heven is your normal teenage girl entering her Senior year of high school, her biggest worries are that of if her crush likes her, what to wear to school and if she will be made the head cheerleader.
You know, the stuff majority of girls think about or even dream about when they are little.
Heven has it all in this story, she is beautiful and popular and it seems like everything is going her way.
But the question is, how long can...more
Heven is your normal teenage girl entering her Senior year of high school, her biggest worries are that of if her crush likes her, what to wear to school and if she will be made the head cheerleader.
You know, the stuff majority of girls think about or even dream about when they are little.
Heven has it all in this story, she is beautiful and popular and it seems like everything is going her way.
But the question is, how long can...more
This was pretty good, not amazing but not horrible. I will definitely look into the series because I'm curious about what is going on with Sam and this "monster", and the cliffhanger ending roped me in! Lol. I guess my only complaint is why do girls/women find stalking attractive and/or desirable in a man??! I see a lot of books and such with that sort of thing going on. I just hope there will be a good reason or explanation at some point, other than he really likes her, because that is a horrib...more
I don't usually read short stories because they're, well… too short. I never have time to get into it so I don't bother. When I do read them, it's most likely after the main course - so yes, I cheated and read Masquerade first. *blasphemy*.
Before is a short prequel to the upcoming full length novel Masquerade. When we meet Heven in Masquerade, the attack that gave her horrible scars on her face has already come and gone. So in Before, we get a glimpse of how glamorous her life was when she had...more
Before is a short prequel to the upcoming full length novel Masquerade. When we meet Heven in Masquerade, the attack that gave her horrible scars on her face has already come and gone. So in Before, we get a glimpse of how glamorous her life was when she had...more
Nov 12, 2011
Misty
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
own-kindle,
recieved-for-review
So, I know this is a short story and I know it's just a teaser for the full length novel 'Masquerade' but personally I still don't think it had enough to it. I would've liked just a little bit of the history to really draw me in.
We meet Sam, who is so drawn to Heven he's pretty much stalking her even though he's resigned to never actually speaking to her because he knows he can't be with her. He thinks she's the perfect girl but I don't really know why he does since he doesn't really know anythi...more
We meet Sam, who is so drawn to Heven he's pretty much stalking her even though he's resigned to never actually speaking to her because he knows he can't be with her. He thinks she's the perfect girl but I don't really know why he does since he doesn't really know anythi...more
It took me 19 pages to fall in love with this book, imagine what a hundred more would do? I could never ever imagined how 19 pages could have worked me up so much, I was screaming CLIFFHANGER like a maniac in the end, no kidding.
I love how the story was written, 19 pages to introduce us to Mr.Harbouring-Dark-Secrets-And-Crushing-On-A-Girl Sam, and bubbly-I-don't-see-it-coming Heven (I just can't get over the fact that I am crushing on a guy who I've known only for 19 pages, that must be a new r...more
I love how the story was written, 19 pages to introduce us to Mr.Harbouring-Dark-Secrets-And-Crushing-On-A-Girl Sam, and bubbly-I-don't-see-it-coming Heven (I just can't get over the fact that I am crushing on a guy who I've known only for 19 pages, that must be a new r...more
Nov 26, 2011
Anagha
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of Maggie Stiefvater and anything paranormal!
Recommended to Anagha by:
Cambria Hebert
Shelves:
posted
Originally posted on my blog: http://book-spark.blogspot.com/ Drop by for more reviews, giveaways, etc
"I got caught watching the one person I was supposed to not care about"...
Review: Told from alternating points of view of Sam and Heven, this prequel to Masquerade grabs you from the very beginning. I usually make notes while reading, but I hardly knew when it began and when it had ended!
As for characters, I love Sam, who seems to be the unrequited love type (god, I love those!), but I don’t rea...more
"I got caught watching the one person I was supposed to not care about"...
Review: Told from alternating points of view of Sam and Heven, this prequel to Masquerade grabs you from the very beginning. I usually make notes while reading, but I hardly knew when it began and when it had ended!
As for characters, I love Sam, who seems to be the unrequited love type (god, I love those!), but I don’t rea...more
Heaven and Hell. Light and Dark. Goodness and Evil. Sadness and Happiness. Hope and Despair. Sam and Heven.
Cambria Hebert has created a fresh new look into monsters and darkness and a young man that is struggling to overcome what he is and what he wants and what he is drawn to in this great new series that will leave you breathless and wanting more.
This prequel may be short but it will grab a hold of you and refuse to let go until you get more.
Cambria Hebert is a very talented, very promising n...more
Cambria Hebert has created a fresh new look into monsters and darkness and a young man that is struggling to overcome what he is and what he wants and what he is drawn to in this great new series that will leave you breathless and wanting more.
This prequel may be short but it will grab a hold of you and refuse to let go until you get more.
Cambria Hebert is a very talented, very promising n...more
Before is a short story setting up for the debut Young Adult novel Masquerade by Cambria Hebert. The novelella is written in beautiful language that wraps around your mind placing you in this world. Cambria's words are descriptive so that the readers can imagine every scene as if they are there. The main characters Sam and Heven are eager for the readers to get to know them more in Masquerade as we get a peek into their lives in Before. Sam is part of a dark world that is looming over him, he wa...more
After reading this short prequel to Masquerade we kinda get a feel for the main characters . Heven and Sam and Kimber . It whet my appetite for more. Heven is the most beautiful girl in school and is a cheerleader who doesn't like lying and cheating just to get her assignment done in time . Kimber is her friend and Sam , well I got the feeling he was Heven's stalker and is hiding something . I don't know if it's a good or bad thing yet. Heven , being made captain of the cheerleading squad spends...more
I've been hearing a lot about Cambria Hebert's novels and was going to check out Masquerade, then I remembered I got this short story a while ago.
I will not be reading Masquerade mostly due to the writing. Just a random paragraph: "It had been a long day but a good one. Things were going so good. They couldn't get any better."
That's really...good.
As far as the story goes, there's not much to say. I might be intrigued to find out more about the monster that Sam refers to, then he turned out to...more
I will not be reading Masquerade mostly due to the writing. Just a random paragraph: "It had been a long day but a good one. Things were going so good. They couldn't get any better."
That's really...good.
As far as the story goes, there's not much to say. I might be intrigued to find out more about the monster that Sam refers to, then he turned out to...more
Written as a short prequel to the full length novel ‘Masquerade’, ‘Before’ beautifully sketches out the life of two characters – Sam and Heven – right before something happens to Heven. A word of warning: only read the short if you are willing to get the full novel, because after you read ‘Before’, you are seriously going to WANT to keep reading, if only to know who Sam is and what happened to Heven. The writing is clear; the point of view, which alternates between chapters, is well maintained....more
This book is a short glimpse at Heven’s life before she is attacked. It goes before Masquerade.
To be honest, this book is supposed to be a prequel, but really it’s more like a prologue. I think this book was just supposed to be a teaser for Masquerade, so it isn’t really a story in its own right.
I think you’ll like reading this if you liked Masquerade, and if you can download it for free I would say read it, but I wouldn’t really want to pay for this as it is just a short chapter from before M...more
To be honest, this book is supposed to be a prequel, but really it’s more like a prologue. I think this book was just supposed to be a teaser for Masquerade, so it isn’t really a story in its own right.
I think you’ll like reading this if you liked Masquerade, and if you can download it for free I would say read it, but I wouldn’t really want to pay for this as it is just a short chapter from before M...more
As a bare bones teaser, this fails. I have so little desire to read the actual books that I will avoid this author. Why? "Apparently" was used three times in one paragraph. The dialog is stilted and full of the "Hello, [insert name]" that adds nothing except word count. The heroine describes herself and her clothing head to foot often enough that I wonder if this should have been a comic instead. Add ridiculous levels of detail to the smallest things and you've no idea whether the school colors...more
My Thoughts
I enjoyed this read I just had to scream a little at the end because well Cambria left me hanging. I need to know what happens I am so glad I already have the official book 1 in the Heven and Hell Series Masquerade. On my Kindle ready to be read.
This is a story of Light and Dark that is for sure we have Heven the light a regular teenage girl living a normal life. Heven’s biggest concern is whether her crush likes her. She is oblivious that she has a secret admirer. Sam the dark he liv...more
I enjoyed this read I just had to scream a little at the end because well Cambria left me hanging. I need to know what happens I am so glad I already have the official book 1 in the Heven and Hell Series Masquerade. On my Kindle ready to be read.
This is a story of Light and Dark that is for sure we have Heven the light a regular teenage girl living a normal life. Heven’s biggest concern is whether her crush likes her. She is oblivious that she has a secret admirer. Sam the dark he liv...more
LOL I have no idea how many stars to give this one -- it's SUCH a tease! You get sucked into this alternating story that flops between Sam, a guy who appears to be some kind of paid assistant to a killer of some sort (and a semi-stalker at that, too) and Heven, a popular head-cheerleader type girl who is being followed for some unknown reason by this guy Sam. You're reading along then, BAM, it ends and tells you to go buy a different book Masquerade (Heven & Hell) by Cambria Hebert.
Okay, so...more
Okay, so...more
Sam is under the control of a monster and watches Heven from afar, knowing she's the one person he should be staying away from.
Heven has just been named Captain of the cheerleading squad and been asked to an end-of-the-year party by Brice, Heven's crush.
As Heven leaves the library one evening, after completing one last homework assignment, Sam is caught by the monster watching her.
Will Heven ever be the same?
This is a very awesome teaser to Cambria Hebert's 2011 release of "Masquerade."
Each sect...more
Heven has just been named Captain of the cheerleading squad and been asked to an end-of-the-year party by Brice, Heven's crush.
As Heven leaves the library one evening, after completing one last homework assignment, Sam is caught by the monster watching her.
Will Heven ever be the same?
This is a very awesome teaser to Cambria Hebert's 2011 release of "Masquerade."
Each sect...more
Tease! That is what this delightful little Novella is. It's amazing, that in a short amount of time how invested I felt in these characters. Their story is very captivating and well written. I really really want to know what Sam's secret is? He is such a tortured soul, good, and mysterious. Heven is pretty, sweet, good and popular life is good to her then......??? I liked Kimber too, she is Heven's sassy best-friend. I completely enjoyed this prequel and am anxiously awaiting it's sequel Masquer...more
Before is the short prequel to the first book of the Heven and Hell series, Masquerade. It sets the scenery and mood for the series and introduces the characters quite nicely. The chapters alternate between Sam and Heven's point of views, giving the reader broader insight and background knowledge of the occurences.
This prequel definitely intrigued me, having me feel trepidation and anxiousness from the foreshadowing, yet be fluttery and swoony because of Sam's actions and thoughts. I read it fi...more
This prequel definitely intrigued me, having me feel trepidation and anxiousness from the foreshadowing, yet be fluttery and swoony because of Sam's actions and thoughts. I read it fi...more
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Author. Blogger. Latte Sipper.
Cambria Hebert is the author of the young adult paranormal Heven and Hell series and the Death Escorts series. She loves a caramel latte, hates math and is afraid of chickens (yes, chickens). She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. She curr...more
More about Cambria Hebert...
Cambria Hebert is the author of the young adult paranormal Heven and Hell series and the Death Escorts series. She loves a caramel latte, hates math and is afraid of chickens (yes, chickens). She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. She curr...more
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“I got caught watching the one person I was supposed to not care about”
—
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