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264th out of 442 books
—
1,003 voters
Reveal (Cryptid Tales #1)
by
Brina Courtney (Goodreads Author)
Shay could be the key to ending a war that humans don't know exist. Of a race of beings that aren't real, or are they?
Shay Tafford's childhood has been fatherless, filled instead with memories of speaking to the dead. She is forced to hide her unique ability from those living around her. That's why it's been comforting to have Jeremy, a child ghost, as her confidante. But...more
Shay Tafford's childhood has been fatherless, filled instead with memories of speaking to the dead. She is forced to hide her unique ability from those living around her. That's why it's been comforting to have Jeremy, a child ghost, as her confidante. But...more
Paperback, 220 pages
Published
December 16th 2011
(first published December 15th 2011)
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Note - I received this book from the author for free in exchange for an honest review.
A missing father, a ghostly friend, and an ancient prophecy. These add up to one good story. Shay and Hugh know they are destined to fulfill the prophecy, but will they succeed?
The story is a little slow at points, but is well written and enjoyable. I do wish there had been more development with the relationship, instead of 'bam'.
Also, curse you cliffhanger!
A missing father, a ghostly friend, and an ancient prophecy. These add up to one good story. Shay and Hugh know they are destined to fulfill the prophecy, but will they succeed?
The story is a little slow at points, but is well written and enjoyable. I do wish there had been more development with the relationship, instead of 'bam'.
Also, curse you cliffhanger!
I read this book as an ARC from the author
Loved it- 4.5 / 5 stars (only because the ending angered me... I wanted more.)I LOVED this book. If you read my first post, you know that I look for many things in a fantastic book, and this book had all 5 of those components. It's the perfect blend of paranormal thriller, and romantic suspense, without being tacky or cheesy.
If you are interested in a great storyline, relatable and lovable characters, appropriate and modern language, and edgy, on- the- e...more
Loved it- 4.5 / 5 stars (only because the ending angered me... I wanted more.)I LOVED this book. If you read my first post, you know that I look for many things in a fantastic book, and this book had all 5 of those components. It's the perfect blend of paranormal thriller, and romantic suspense, without being tacky or cheesy.
If you are interested in a great storyline, relatable and lovable characters, appropriate and modern language, and edgy, on- the- e...more
Shay's dad disappeared years ago. She has had a hard time because her mom doesn't want to talk about him and her little brother doesn't remember him. She also has a secret she keeps hidden from everyone including her family and best friend. She can see ghost and talk to them. A ghost named Jeremy was her friend when her dad left but she accidentally sent him away not knowing he couldn't come back. Years later when she is in high school she goes to visit the college campus with her friend and not...more
Reveal was...okay. It was a bit less focused on romance than I was expecting it to be. The whole "I see dead people" approach was also done differently than I had expected it to be. Were the differences good? In some ways yes, in other ways...well, not so much.
I was expecting Reveal to be a lot more romance driven than it was. That was something I actually liked about the book. While yes, it did have the "love at first sight, soulmates forever" aspect that gets a bit obnoxious after a while, it...more
I was expecting Reveal to be a lot more romance driven than it was. That was something I actually liked about the book. While yes, it did have the "love at first sight, soulmates forever" aspect that gets a bit obnoxious after a while, it...more
Shay has had her 'gift' pretty much for as long as she can remember, but she's never talked about it with anyone before. At least not to anyone that can tell her friends and her Mom, since it seems that only she can see & hear ghosts and they aren't able to expose her 'gift' to anyone expect other ghosts.
Shay's mom is a college professor, and her dad disappeared when she was about six. Otherwise Shay has her younger brother Chad, her best friend Olivia, and until a few years ago her other be...more
Shay's mom is a college professor, and her dad disappeared when she was about six. Otherwise Shay has her younger brother Chad, her best friend Olivia, and until a few years ago her other be...more
I received this book from the Author for my honest review... That being said my first response is OMFG!!! This book has it all...
This story is a coming of age sort of story. First we have Shay who is 18 years old, her father went missing when she was only 7 years old. Then we have the ghost who Shay first saw the night her father disappeared and who aged along with Shay and who at age 15 she banished (by accident). Then we add in the steaming hot Hugh. Add in a prophecy and we have a major story...more
This story is a coming of age sort of story. First we have Shay who is 18 years old, her father went missing when she was only 7 years old. Then we have the ghost who Shay first saw the night her father disappeared and who aged along with Shay and who at age 15 she banished (by accident). Then we add in the steaming hot Hugh. Add in a prophecy and we have a major story...more
Aug 21, 2012
Mallory Anne-Marie Forbes
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommended to Mallory Anne-Marie by:
Lovers of Paranormal
This copy was provided to me via the Goodreads Group Lovers of Paranormal on August 10, 2012, from Smashwords, in return for my provision of a fair, honest, and authentic review.
Review of Reveal by Brina Courtney
A Cryptid Novel/Cryptid Tales #1
Reviewed for Lovers of Paranormal GR Group
I really enjoyed this fast-paced and engaging novel, with empathetic characters and a good reader’s hook. Shay is eighteen, finishing her senior year, and a ghost-talker. That is, since her father inexplicably disa...more
Review of Reveal by Brina Courtney
A Cryptid Novel/Cryptid Tales #1
Reviewed for Lovers of Paranormal GR Group
I really enjoyed this fast-paced and engaging novel, with empathetic characters and a good reader’s hook. Shay is eighteen, finishing her senior year, and a ghost-talker. That is, since her father inexplicably disa...more
Interesting and fun- another fast and easy read. The focus remained on a few key characters without throwing in unnecessary detail- straight and to the point. However, that is why I am giving four stars and not five. I feel that some of the explanations given to Shay about who/what she is and how she became that way were rushed and thrown together. I had to re-read a few paragraphs to grasp those particular points in the story to an otherwise self-explanitory book. I also feel Shay's reactions w...more
Brina Courtney's debut novel Reveal (Cryptid Tales) is a wonderful YA read that will appeal to a larger audience.
The story is about Shay, a high school senior, who has the ability to see, hear and talk to ghosts. She feels very much alone as a result of this ability. Jeremy, a ghost, has been with her since her father disappeared/died many years ago. In recent months, Jeremy has been absent and Shay is not sure why.
Enter Hugh, who is a 'cryptid', which is to say - part human, part animal. They h...more
The story is about Shay, a high school senior, who has the ability to see, hear and talk to ghosts. She feels very much alone as a result of this ability. Jeremy, a ghost, has been with her since her father disappeared/died many years ago. In recent months, Jeremy has been absent and Shay is not sure why.
Enter Hugh, who is a 'cryptid', which is to say - part human, part animal. They h...more
Ever since her dad has left the family, 18-year-old Shay is living with her mom and brother in Marksville, Virginia. Shay has a special gift which is talking and interacting with ghosts. Jeremy has been her ghostly friend for almost all her life, until she sort of accidentally banished him. But then she meets Hugh, the dark and handsome guy with mysteriously changing eye colors.
He tells Shay that there is more to her talent than just talking to ghosts. On a trip to visit his Indian parents in Te...more
He tells Shay that there is more to her talent than just talking to ghosts. On a trip to visit his Indian parents in Te...more
Rating: 3.75/5
(view spoiler)...more
(view spoiler)...more
Cryptid tales is a really interesting concept. At first, it seemed like it was going to be your average girl can talk to ghosts story, but it is so much more than that. I really enjoyed learning all the backstory and throught that went into the description of the cryptids and their unique abilities. I thought the romance aspect of the book was a bit rushed but I will see where it goe in the next installment. I read this book in the omnibus so it had the first four books all in one volume on my k...more
The romance isn't developed enough to qualify this as a romance novel. The research on the basic scientific principles is nonexistent.
Finally If you plan on introducing an arch enemy halfway through the book give us some meat to work with. I neither hated nor feared the bad guy when the conclusion of the story came.
I really don't think that this should be classified as a basic YA or at the least should be for a mature YA audience.
While the characters fit into the YA genre well enough I found the...more
Finally If you plan on introducing an arch enemy halfway through the book give us some meat to work with. I neither hated nor feared the bad guy when the conclusion of the story came.
I really don't think that this should be classified as a basic YA or at the least should be for a mature YA audience.
While the characters fit into the YA genre well enough I found the...more
Outside, Shay Tafford is just a normal girl. A senior preparing for her college, works part-time at her all-time bestfriend's family store, her mother is a college professor, and crushing and a very cute guy etc etc. However, Shay has a secret. She can see ghosts, and for many years, she made friends with a certain ghost name Jeremy, until she unknowingly banished him.
So when she met another ghost, a child named Wendy. She did her best to help her bring his daddy back in exchange, she'll help h...more
So when she met another ghost, a child named Wendy. She did her best to help her bring his daddy back in exchange, she'll help h...more
I received this book for free as part of the Read to Review program in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the setup for this book. I feel like you really get to know the main character, Shay, and her very vivid world. Shay, her mother (a college professor, and her younger brother live in a normal world. What her family doesn't know is that she can see and communicate with ghosts. Shay hope to one day find her missing father through her ghostly connections.
Shay meets Hugh a hunk guy...more
I really enjoyed the setup for this book. I feel like you really get to know the main character, Shay, and her very vivid world. Shay, her mother (a college professor, and her younger brother live in a normal world. What her family doesn't know is that she can see and communicate with ghosts. Shay hope to one day find her missing father through her ghostly connections.
Shay meets Hugh a hunk guy...more
Quite a fun and interesting read. Brina Courtney has a flowing writing style that keeps her readers entranced. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
WHAT!?! I thought that I had read every type of paranormal book and I also thought no one could give me anymore surprises......well, I WAS WRONG! Talk about a good book!! Brina Courtney knows how to write paranormal!
Best part of book: I think Shay is the best part of the book. True, she is the main character and everything is based around her; however, that isn't always the case in books. I loved Shay because Brina writes her in such a way that I can honestly feel what she is going through. The...more
Best part of book: I think Shay is the best part of the book. True, she is the main character and everything is based around her; however, that isn't always the case in books. I loved Shay because Brina writes her in such a way that I can honestly feel what she is going through. The...more
Ghosts, a missing dad, random psychic powers... YES! I read the short story prequel to this book recently and LOVED the world. So, I picked up Reveal and jumped straight in.
Where to begin? Shay is a girl who has found a way to hide a very big part of herself from everyone she holds dear. The one person who did know her secret - the ghost Jeremy - was accidentally banished by Shay's careless words. So when she finds another someone with the ability to hear ghosts, of course she's drawn to him. N...more
Where to begin? Shay is a girl who has found a way to hide a very big part of herself from everyone she holds dear. The one person who did know her secret - the ghost Jeremy - was accidentally banished by Shay's careless words. So when she finds another someone with the ability to hear ghosts, of course she's drawn to him. N...more
3.5 Stars
http://divainpyjamas.blogspot.com.au/
Highly entertaining. The Cryptid series is a unique twist on the storyline of shape shifters and spirit walkers, descending from tribes and small, close knit communities. Shay is a likeable character, a smart young woman, who has always known that she's never been quite normal, but she's a little on the boring side for me. Reveal is well written and thrives on character development, their history and the relationship between Shay and Hugh.
My only com...more
http://divainpyjamas.blogspot.com.au/
Highly entertaining. The Cryptid series is a unique twist on the storyline of shape shifters and spirit walkers, descending from tribes and small, close knit communities. Shay is a likeable character, a smart young woman, who has always known that she's never been quite normal, but she's a little on the boring side for me. Reveal is well written and thrives on character development, their history and the relationship between Shay and Hugh.
My only com...more
What an intriguing concept for a paranormal series! I’ve yet to read about Cryptids, so this sounded like a different kind of paranormal for me. I loved it! It follows a teen named Shay who is trying to graduate from high school and leads a pretty normal life. Or is it? Besides the fact she can see and hear ghosts, it’s pretty ordinary, right? At least until she meets Hugh, a hunky beefcake who studies at the local college where Shay’s mom works. She feels funny around him, and loves the fact th...more
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YOU CAN READ THE ORIGINAL AND COMPLETE REVIEW AT WORD SPELUNKING
Brina Courtney’s REVEAL offers an intriguing and smart blend of sci-fi, the paranormal, and romance. As a debut novel, it is quite impressive.
MY BRIEF SUMMARY
High school senior Shay can see, hear, and speak to ghosts. A secret she has revealed to no one. But ghosts aren’t the only thing that haunts her. Her father’s mysterious and sudden disappearance years earlier has left her with big questions. After meeting Mr. Tall, Dark , and...more
Brina Courtney’s REVEAL offers an intriguing and smart blend of sci-fi, the paranormal, and romance. As a debut novel, it is quite impressive.
MY BRIEF SUMMARY
High school senior Shay can see, hear, and speak to ghosts. A secret she has revealed to no one. But ghosts aren’t the only thing that haunts her. Her father’s mysterious and sudden disappearance years earlier has left her with big questions. After meeting Mr. Tall, Dark , and...more
Shay a seemingly ordinary girl - other than her best friend being a ghost. I really loved this book it didn't turn out how I had expected it would. I found myself enthralled by Shay's character before the end of the first chapter!
This was a fun and easy read. The concept and storyline were different from anything I’ve read, so that was refreshing. The characters were likable and easy to get acquainted with. The only thing holding this book back a little for me was that the wording (not the content) was more on a middle-school level than YA. It seemed to feel almost too elementary in its descriptions and explanations. I don’t know if this is a good way of putting it, but I almost felt as if I was being talked down to. It...more
Three-Sentence Synopsis:
Shay can talk to dead people, including a 70-year-old ghost of a boy who died in an orphanage fire. She meets Hugh and discovers that he has special powers of his own. Hugh “kidnaps” her and heads to Texas to teach her the truth about who she is.
Things I loved:
Hmm, not much I’d say I loved.
Things I liked:
The plot line took an interesting turn that I hadn’t seen in other books of this genre. It kept me curious to learn more about Shay and where her powers came from.
Thin...more
Shay can talk to dead people, including a 70-year-old ghost of a boy who died in an orphanage fire. She meets Hugh and discovers that he has special powers of his own. Hugh “kidnaps” her and heads to Texas to teach her the truth about who she is.
Things I loved:
Hmm, not much I’d say I loved.
Things I liked:
The plot line took an interesting turn that I hadn’t seen in other books of this genre. It kept me curious to learn more about Shay and where her powers came from.
Thin...more
Reveal had a great storyline I enjoyed the development of the characters and really loved how all the pieces fell together slowly and not right away. Shay a high school Senior who walks to her own beat in life she is not the typical high schooler in many ways. (she can see and hear ghosts) shay has a crush on a college guy who has a vital part to this series. Our college guy is Hugh and and hugh has his on secrets. Shay and Hugh develop a romantic relationship ( which by the way i wish we had mo...more
What a great book. Totally a different kind of paranormal than i am used to but Brina Courtney sure did bring it. Shay is a very strong girl who loses her father at age six. Disappears never to be heard from. She goes on a journey that she truly finds herself, what happened to her father and her soul mate. She is a Cryptid.
" The human cell is something to be admired. It adapts to survive in the most unusual
circumstances. Splicing occurs when you mix animal cells with human cells, which results i...more
" The human cell is something to be admired. It adapts to survive in the most unusual
circumstances. Splicing occurs when you mix animal cells with human cells, which results i...more
Brina captured me with sentence one of this amazing story. She has taken the context of a paranormal YA romance and through the relatability of Shay, Hugh and Jeremy, has created s a heartbreaking humanity to a world made of fantastical beings and possibilities. Shay's world based on pain and loss, yet you never feel the absence of hope. I cannot voice enough how engaging Brina's writing and story was. I read ravenously and this book was quickly consumed because of it's unique story line and the...more
3.5 Stars. Great first book in a new series! Check out the full review at my blog: Following The Reader
Reveal follows the story of Shay, a high school student that has been through a lot. Her Father went missing when she was a young girl and ever since that night, life hasn't been the same. Shay was close to her Dad and to this day, they don't know what happened to him. Since that night, Shay has been able to communicate with ghosts. Specifically a boy named Jeremy, who we were first introduced...more
Reveal follows the story of Shay, a high school student that has been through a lot. Her Father went missing when she was a young girl and ever since that night, life hasn't been the same. Shay was close to her Dad and to this day, they don't know what happened to him. Since that night, Shay has been able to communicate with ghosts. Specifically a boy named Jeremy, who we were first introduced...more
Shay may seem like your ordinary teen girl. She's on the track team, has a bff, Olivia, a job after school and an annoying little brother. But Shay talks to dead people. Including Jeremy, a ghost that's been dead for seventy years. Oh, and Shay's dad is missing, and no one has any answers as to why.
Reveal is part ghost story, part paranormal, part heart-squishy romance. And all awesome.
The characters, from Jeremy to swoon-worthy Hugh to sweet Chenoa to sassy Emina are people you'd want to have...more
Reveal is part ghost story, part paranormal, part heart-squishy romance. And all awesome.
The characters, from Jeremy to swoon-worthy Hugh to sweet Chenoa to sassy Emina are people you'd want to have...more
I loved the premise but there wasn't any relationship or plot development, but that is just my opnion. This story had a great potential, but it should be re-written. The adversities were too simple and silly, the fight against the villain too immature. Romance had a great potential, they could be a couple who peaple could've loved and remembered but, there wasn't ANY ( and by 'any' I mean 'nada', 'niente', 'nothing at all') development, I wouldn't even consider they friends. I'm sad, such a beau...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Indie Exchang...: YA SciFi Romance Free on Kindle | 2 | 14 | Nov 25, 2012 07:21pm | |
| Lovers of Paranor...: R2R {24} Reveal- Closed (Our Avg 4*) | 51 | 149 | Sep 19, 2012 08:48pm |
Brina Courtney is a young adult author obsessed with chocolate, crime shows, and fantasy movies. She's spent the last few years as an elementary teacher and a high school cheering coach. She lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with her husband and two very loud, small dogs.
More about Brina Courtney...
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