Provex City (Lorne Family Vault, Book 1)

Jan 14, 2013 Lizzy Lessard rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, urban-fantasy, fantasy

The first few chapters reminded me of a MG novel, but the second half of the story is definitely YA. I really do appreciate that this book had a male lead that acted like a guy and a leading female co-star that wasn’t a whiny, damsel in distress.

What marks this book as five star quality is the characters. After the first couple of chapters, I no longer felt like I was reading a book, rather peeking into the lives of Oliver and Desiree and the rest of the cast. Not once did the teenagers act like...more The first few chapters reminded me of a MG novel, but the second half of the story is definitely YA. I really do appreciate that this book had a male lead that acted like a guy and a leading female co-star that wasn’t a whiny, damsel in distress.

What marks this book as five star quality is the characters. After the first couple of chapters, I no longer felt like I was reading a book, rather peeking into the lives of Oliver and Desiree and the rest of the cast. Not once did the teenagers act like anything but teenagers. The only character that seemed to “guide” the story was Mr. Gordon, which was a much needed thing considering how much trouble this lot attracted. Left to their own devices, the story could of easily rambled on another hundred pages, until Oliver and friends stumbled into the right direction.

Oliver is naive and insecure when we first meet him. He’s jealous of how easily his older brother, Jeremy, blends into the crowd. Desiree is a show-stopper and when Oliver first meets her, it’s clear that the two are meant to be together, however, there’s one problem. Desiree has a boyfriend and she has no intention of breaking up with Eli. Eli is mostly a background character and only shows up to remind the reader that yes, Desiree is still not available to date. But not only does Desiree have a boyfriend, but she plays matchmaker and hooks Oliver up with her best friend, Anna.

The “magic” is very unique. Like Mr. Gorden tells Oliver: Anyone can do magic, but only certain people can believe they can make magic happen. In a weird way, Mr. Gordon opens up Oliver up to the matrix. I really like how there’s so much depth to both the plot and the characters. I kind of guessed what happened with Jeremy at the end, but the rest came at a surprise. When I actually figured out what Provex City was, I was stunned. I can’t wait to see more about this place in the future.

I typically let my nephew read books of this genre that I get for review, but since he’s only 10, I don’t think his mother would approve of this book. There’s underage drinking, implications of teenage sex, and minor violence. This is a book meant to be read by teenagers and adults (Although I did read parts of it out loud to my toddler. Then again, I read him pieces of every book I read but erotic. That would be awkward.).

I didn’t realize how much I truly enjoyed the characters and plot of this novel until I picked up my next book. In comparison to Provex City, the next book on my TBR list was crap. For that reason alone, instead of it being a A-, I HAVE to bump this book up to an A+. Not many books haunt me days after I finish the last page and leave me wondering “What’s next?”

(I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.)(less)

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Jan 08, 2013 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-must-read, january-2013, cbb-tours

Provex City is a rare read. I have to say that books from boys POV's always intrigues me because you don't get a lot of that in YA but it is starting to become the norm and I love it! To read a book written in a boys POV is wonderful because as we all know boys are always like "yeap", "nope", "oh well, not my problem" so to see this new world and new characters all from Oliver's POV I jumped at the chance to read it.

Oliver has a lot on his plate. He is starting school and he is already dreading...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Candace rated it 4 of 5 stars

Provex City was a fabulous read for me and that's for several reasons. First of all, the main character, Oliver, is a boy! I love male POV's and am happy to see them becoming more popular in YA. Another thing I loved was Oliver himself and that's because he was so real. When I read Oliver's story I felt like I really knew him. He wasn't some super stud and wasn't some bad boy, he was just a normal teen. He had insecurities and didn't always know where he stood or even how he felt about things. B...more Provex City was a fabulous read for me and that's for several reasons. First of all, the main character, Oliver, is a boy! I love male POV's and am happy to see them becoming more popular in YA. Another thing I loved was Oliver himself and that's because he was so real. When I read Oliver's story I felt like I really knew him. He wasn't some super stud and wasn't some bad boy, he was just a normal teen. He had insecurities and didn't always know where he stood or even how he felt about things. But that's how boys are. What I thought of a lot when I read this was when I was a teenager and me and my friends would make such a big deal about things, everything was drama, drama, drama. And the boys were like 'yeah, whatever'. And that was Oliver. The girls would ask him to do something and he'd say "sure, I guess so". And that simple saying right there is exactly what guys say. Okay, not all guys, but you know, a lot of them. And it made me feel like Oliver was really just an average guy.
But you know what? He's not just an average guy. The thing is as we read we get hints of things from his past. We know that there's more to everything but we don't know what it is. Is it ghosts? Is it a parallel universe kind of thing? It's really cool trying to figure it out by the subtle things that happen. And we're learning alongside Oliver cause he doesn't know either. But how things start out is his teacher starts teaching him to use more of his brain. You know that theory that we only use a small portion of our brain but if we learn to use more we can do incredible things like heal ourselves and others and do miraculous and amazing things? Well, that's kind of what happens here but it really takes things a step further.

The book is definitely not contemporary, but it has a lot of contemp issues in it. Oliver is picked on really bad by a couple kids and we see that he struggles with his fear and his need/want to protect himself and others. I liked this aspect of the story a lot. I also liked that there was a lot of friendship as well as a different sort of unexpected romance. It all felt real to me, there wasn't any stretching our imagination to picture it. It's not exactly the way I might have *wanted* the romance to go, but there's a bit of twist, fortunately, and I thought it made things more interesting while keeping it real. There's also a bit of dealing with peer pressure and with family issues, one of which is a hint at alcoholism.
I think boys and girls alike will like this book but I think it would especially appeal to boys. I think they could really connect with Oliver and relate to the things he's going through (the ones of the contemp variety anyway). I most definitely recommend you pick this book up and give it a shot!

You can find this review and others like it on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com (less)

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Jul 27, 2012 Laura Mcquillen rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. If you've read any of my previous reviews, you know that I love a good ghost story. Once I saw the offering of ghosts in the summary, I was sold. And Mr. Pierce didn't disappoint. Don't be fooled though - that is only a small part of this story. Provex City is so much more than that. There are so many layers to the story that it does make you stop and think here and there and when it comes to the YA genre, I think that is an excellent thing. Challenging young minds to think outside the box is al...more If you've read any of my previous reviews, you know that I love a good ghost story. Once I saw the offering of ghosts in the summary, I was sold. And Mr. Pierce didn't disappoint. Don't be fooled though - that is only a small part of this story. Provex City is so much more than that. There are so many layers to the story that it does make you stop and think here and there and when it comes to the YA genre, I think that is an excellent thing. Challenging young minds to think outside the box is always a good thing. Heck, it challenged my mind and I am most definitely not a young adult.

I'm not used to male leads. I honestly think I've only read two other books in this genre that had a male lead, so it took me a bit to sort of get in the mind set of how a teenage boy would think rather than a teenage girl. Once there, everything seemed to be exactly on target with how one would think, react, etc.

Oliver is a typical teenage boy. One that is, in my opinion, more realistic than the stereotypical football player that is always Mr. Popularity. Oliver gets bullied, looks up to his older brother while simultaneously always feeling like he's living in his shadow, he is artistic, confused by girls and hates gym class. When he meets Desiree, they just seem to click, much to her boyfriend's chagrin. Having several classes together, Desiree introduces him to some of her friends. Oh, and did I mention that he is living in the room of a boy that killed himself?

I actually love that Oliver is somewhat of an underdog, while his brother is the more likely hero. The converse situation that comes about in the end was unexpected. Mr. Gordon is an interesting character and a little mysterious. You know what he's about but at the same time you don't. It's a mystery hopefully to be solved in upcoming sequels. Throughout the course of the book, however, it is Mr. Gordon who teaches Oliver about the things he is capable of and gives him the confidence he needs to succeed. He explains the science behind Oliver's abilities in one of those "so simple it's confusing" sort of ways. Also, Desiree's boyfriend, Eli, is a mystery. Sometimes he is nice, other times not so nice and at times he seems to have ulterior motives that aren't revealed to us.

The world building was fascinating and makes you wish you could visit. It also raises some questions about things like parallel universes and dimensions.

This is a well written, complex and intriguing first book from Mr. Pierce. I really enjoyed the plot and the characters, the suspense that kept me reading and the threads that were left dangling. I very much look forward to checking out future installments of this series. If you enjoy the YA genre, this is an author to check out, especially if you are looking for an original paranormal.(less)

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Mar 15, 2012 Miki rated it 4 of 5 stars

Strange is the first thought I got with this book. The prologue got me confused a bit and doubting my mind. That’s a first. Now it’s true the story can seem very complicated at the beginning, even overwhelming. However, when you enter more and more in the universe it starts to make sense and you make some guesses about what is happening. You have to keep reading even when you get the feeling that’s a bit too much, really after page 200 all become crystal clear. That’s about the plot itself. Like...more Strange is the first thought I got with this book. The prologue got me confused a bit and doubting my mind. That’s a first. Now it’s true the story can seem very complicated at the beginning, even overwhelming. However, when you enter more and more in the universe it starts to make sense and you make some guesses about what is happening. You have to keep reading even when you get the feeling that’s a bit too much, really after page 200 all become crystal clear. That’s about the plot itself. Like the characters you have to think about a new world of possibilities.

Now the characters, Oliver is a young boy not sure of himself at all, and being bullied isn’t helping. He envies his brother without really knowing him because they are different. Jeremy is popular and confident. He is a bit bothered by his brother but when it’s needed he also can be a protective older brother. This duality will be explained but that’s sure that at the beginning like Desiree I didn’t appreciate him.
Desiree is a girl that seems to be always happy and welcoming but when you see past the appearances you can see she is also fragile, hurt and has secrets. I liked her even if I had some difficulties to understand how she acts with her boyfriend Eli. And they are some mysteries as why is she as good as Oliver with the “other reality” things.
Anna, it’s not that I dislike her but I absolutely hated how she acted with Oliver and at the shopping mall.

So the beginning of the book is more mystery than fantasy for me but the plot is interesting when you get over the confusing part. I will be waiting for book 2 because the end is a small cliff-hanger and you want the answers to “why”. At the end of the book, you understand the base of the story but it’s really a series and not a stand alone. Many questions are left unanswered. Now that we have some knowledge about the universe, it will be easier to immerse ourselves in it I think. So i want more^^.

I loved this book but I admit that I had to go past my first impression; it’s really in the end that you enjoy it the most. It’s an interesting and intriguing first book. A good book to recommend to the ones who like: science fiction, fantasy and of course YA.

A warning: there are mentions of adolescent’s suicide and abuses of alcohol.

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Mar 16, 2013 Corina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: prize-pack-3

Provex City (The Lorne Family Vault, #1)

I love Oliver.

It’s true; I want to run away with him. Provex City was awesome. I know I say a lot of books are good, and it’s true, in my opinion are. But there are some author’s that create a world far beyond what you expected from them and Michael Pierce is definitely one of those authors. I have read a lot of books, no really I have and so many of them have similar plots. Sure, they each have their own twists and turns, but there have been very few books with a truly original plotline.

I can...more

I love Oliver.

It’s true; I want to run away with him. Provex City was awesome. I know I say a lot of books are good, and it’s true, in my opinion are. But there are some author’s that create a world far beyond what you expected from them and Michael Pierce is definitely one of those authors. I have read a lot of books, no really I have and so many of them have similar plots. Sure, they each have their own twists and turns, but there have been very few books with a truly original plotline.

I can legit count the number of books with them on one hand and Provex City has not only been added to the list, but just shot up to my second favorite! I love this plot. I want to have this plots babies. Pierce is an evil genius. Yes, evil because I need to know what happens next and there are no more pages in the book! Rude.

I don’t often read stories from the point of view of a male main character. Not because I have anything against male leads, but because a lot of the stories I read are more on the girly side. So, it was a nice change seeing how guys view things like starting a new school, meeting girls, and having family issues. It was a fresh take on things and I think Pierce did a nice job of staying true to what makes teenagers them.

I really want to fangirl about everything that happens in this book and all the cool twists that I didn’t see coming. I also have so many questions about characters and whether or not they are allies or enemies. But I don’t want to spoil the book because then you won’t get to have the same jaw dropping reaction I did at certain parts.

I will say this, it’s action packed and though there are a few times where I was like why are you crying Oliver don’t be a bitch, he really stepped up and was there for his Mom. Oh! Did I mention my love for Desiree? She’s this awesome spunky almost sidekick to Oliver. They’re best friends, but I swear it’s so much more and neither of them realize it…Or do they? (I’m laughing evilly right now)

But seriously I am drawing so many pink fluffy hearts around this book and its characters. I can’t wait to read the next installment and journey with Oliver to remember his forgotten past.(less)

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Jul 17, 2012 Desiree rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I found this book extremely entertaining. Michael Pierce did a great job of creating a compelling story that leaves me wanting more. The idea of a boy being able to break the barriers between dimensions and see ghosts as well as other amazing things is definitely a good read.

(view spoiler)...more

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Jun 17, 2012 Andrea Teagan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well, first of all I loved this book.

My initial interest was that there would be a ghost in this story, and that it was YA.

Micheal's take is very imaginative and it is so much more than a ghost story. It reminded me of The Matrix in a lot of ways. I love the tension, the discoveries, the action scenes, and the romantic tension between Oliver and Desiree (with Eli and Anna adding a lot of complications).

It is a wild ride of a hero's journey for Oliver. Most of the characters are not what they s...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Tammy rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a wonderful and rare read. After the first couple of chapters you really get into this book. Oliver is the new kid in town. Starting a new high school and moving into a new house with a haunting past. The boy who used to live in Oliver's room committed suicide and sometimes Oliver can feel his presence. Oliver is having a tough time adjusting to high school unlike his popular brother, Jeremy, who manages to snag the hottest girl in town. Oliver befriends the cute Desiree, her boyfriend Eli...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Anatea Oroz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own, ghosts, paranormal, romance, young-adult

This review is also posted on my blog, Anatea's Bookshelf

I love this book! There is so much to it, and honestly, I didn't expect it to be so good. Provex City is the book I've been searching for years, and finaly I've found it.

The story is told from male's perspective which only adds to why I liked it so much. I love reading a book from male's perspective because there aren't much books with a male as a leading character.
Oliver is starting school in a new place where he doesn't know anyone. He t...more This review is also posted on my blog, Anatea's Bookshelf

I love this book! There is so much to it, and honestly, I didn't expect it to be so good. Provex City is the book I've been searching for years, and finaly I've found it.

The story is told from male's perspective which only adds to why I liked it so much. I love reading a book from male's perspective because there aren't much books with a male as a leading character.
Oliver is starting school in a new place where he doesn't know anyone. He tries to blend in, but the only person who is nice to him is Desiree. He is very insecure about himself and doesn't know how to act around girls, what to say or do in some moments. It doesn't help that his brother is already popular. Soon, strange things begin to happen and his history teacher, Mr. Gordon, decides to help him and teach him stuff he never dreamed could be true.

I liked Oliver. He's just a normal boy with a lot of insecurities, girl problems and you can really relate to him. He's not some super-hot-good-looking-guy, he's a normal teenage boy without superpowers or sparkling skin and fangs.
The other character I liked a lot is Mr. Gordon. I saw his character as a younger version of Dumbledore. He is wise, he teaches children and everything he says has some depth and it makes you think if that stuff really could be possible?

This book has elements of paranormal, but I felt so close to it that in moments I actually forgot that it isn't true and it is all fictional.
The romance didn't go exactly as I wanted it to go, but it was still sweet.

You probably ask yourself what does the title has to do with this book? Well it has a lot, but I won't say much because it would be too spoilery. But let me say this, if I could choose one fictional city I wanted to live in, it would probably be Provex City

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the next book to come out as this one ends in quite a cliffhanger. I'd recommend this book to everyone. It is hard to imagine that someone wouldn't like it.(less)

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Jan 15, 2013 Jennifer R Ricketts rated it 5 of 5 stars

Provex City doesn't fall into just one genre for me--it transcends any labels I can think of. It was written so differently and creatively that I loved how it wasn't anything like what I expected. It's filled with creepy moments, teenage angst, heartwrenching situations, and mysterious characters. The characters seemed like people I could know in real life with each having his or her own distinct personality and voice. Reading this book, I was completely enthralled and hated any time I had to pu...more Provex City doesn't fall into just one genre for me--it transcends any labels I can think of. It was written so differently and creatively that I loved how it wasn't anything like what I expected. It's filled with creepy moments, teenage angst, heartwrenching situations, and mysterious characters. The characters seemed like people I could know in real life with each having his or her own distinct personality and voice. Reading this book, I was completely enthralled and hated any time I had to put it down. I wanted to forget about all of my obligations, even sleep, and I love to sleep!

I really loved Oliver; he's a character you can't help but love. The story is told from his point of view. He goes through some painfully awkward situations that many adolescents experience. He's bullied, gets kind of thrown together romantically with a girl named Anna (a friend of Oliver's friend, Desiree), is dealing with his dad's death, is attending a new school, living in a new house with a tragic history, and wondering if he's being haunted. That's a lot for anyone to have to deal with! But he does the best he can do and is stronger than he credits himself.

Oliver feels he's outshined by his brother, Jeremy, who has no problem fitting in at their new school--they're both in high school. They don't seem to be close at all. While Oliver is introverted, Jeremy is extroverted and seemed to rub it in Oliver's face that he became popular instantly and easily. I was so angry when Oliver was being bullied and his brother wasn't really there for him--it brought back a lot of memories for me when I was in high school and was physically threatened almost everyday by a group of girls who had it out for me for no reason. Jeremy seemed like a shady character, and I know there has to more to him that I hope will be explored in the next book.

Jeremy was gone so often that I couldn't believe his mom and stepdad weren't that concerned about where he was and whether he was home at a decent hour or not. Though they never questioned Jeremy about his life, they gave Oliver a hard time about whether Desiree is his girlfriend, why he spends so much time with her if she isn't his girlfriend, and then about Anna when she met them for the first time. I guess I felt protective of Oliver!

Oliver dresses up as a specific character from a specific movie for Halloween though it was never spelled out exactly who he dressed up as. I thought it was incredibly clever and totally enjoyed the reference! I wonder how many readers have or will pick up on that. :) It was one of my favorite surprises in the book.

Oliver's history teacher, Mr. Gordon, was one of my favorite characters. He's like a father figure to Oliver, and I really liked that. I love the way Mr. Gordon thinks, too. There are so many possibilities of what is going on in Oliver's life that I'm still trying to figure it out, trying to put all the pieces together, and I really enjoy a book that has my imagination going into hyperdrive. :)

There are so many questions I had along the way, I can't wait to find out answers to some of those questions in the next book of the series. I want to know the backstories of Oliver's friends Desiree, Anna, and Eli--they're all mysterious characters, and I know there has to be more to them there than what I saw in this first book. I'm recommending Provex City to everyone I know. You'll fall in love with this story just like I have! (less)

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Feb 18, 2013 Alexa (Pages of Forbidden Love) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review was originally posted at Pages of Forbidden Love

I was very excited to jump into this story because it sounded like something fresh for the YA genre. First off I’m a sucker for male pov’s in YA books and I liked the idea of a ghost story mixed with some serious mind powers and a city that I have never heard of before. All of the pieces drew me into wanting to read this book, plus it helped that one of my favorite bloggers recommended it!

The characters to me seemed very real, that th...more This review was originally posted at Pages of Forbidden Love

I was very excited to jump into this story because it sounded like something fresh for the YA genre. First off I’m a sucker for male pov’s in YA books and I liked the idea of a ghost story mixed with some serious mind powers and a city that I have never heard of before. All of the pieces drew me into wanting to read this book, plus it helped that one of my favorite bloggers recommended it!

The characters to me seemed very real, that they had real teenage problems. Sometimes teens in fantasy or paranormal books seem to just run around doing whatever they wish at any given moment with no parents around to stop them and personalities that sometimes seem more adult that teen. So I’m grateful that the author gave real teens. Oliver was awkward and bullied at school, he wasn’t your bad boy to be certain and I liked that he seemed more like any normal teenage guy, he had his insecurities and his problems asking girls out so I really liked that about his character. Then there was the larger than life Desiree who was just a fun character, the girl who seemed sure about her quirky personality but had her moments of weakness which I really enjoyed. I would say I really liked just about every character except for Anna, I felt her to be dull and not right for Oliver’s life.

The storyline while interesting was a bit of a confusing mess at times. There were so many different plot pieces that at times I had a hard time convincing myself that they would all come together in the end. There is Kafka who is a bad man who seems to be in a strange skill set of certain powers, Mr. Gordon and his lessons he needs to teach Oliver, Oliver’s father and his death, TJ who is the ghost, and Provex City. For a long portion of the book I was really struggling to understand what all the random pieces had to do with one another, plus I wanted answers. I do have to say I was a little impressed with the fact that most of the random story plot lines did come together in a way in the end. I’m still not too sure what TJ’s real role in all of this is but I’m hoping the next book answers some still unanswered questions and moves the storyline along a little faster now that we know some huge back plot pieces.

Overall, I did like this book for the great characters and the way the author was able to bring a moment of clarity to the end of the story. There are still a few questions I have so I’m interested to see more of Provex City in the second book because I feel it is a bit unexplored at this point and I need to know more.

3.5 Hearts(less)

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Jan 18, 2013 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm going to admit straight out that when I first started Provex City I was utterly confused. This book somehow manages to have a fantasy/sci fi feel while still walking in the contemporary genre. It's odd at first. Still, the more I read, the deeper I was pulled in. It was amazing.

As a very character driven reader, I really appreciated Pierce's writing style. Oliver is the main character and he is so beautifully built, so wholly fleshed out, that it's hard not to like him. His life is what you...more

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May 28, 2012 James rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am choosy when it comes to what I spend my time reading. If a book does not have merit, for whatever reason, I stop reading it, no matter how popular. As an avid reader of the YA genre, I can safely say that Pierce's writing is up there with the best of them. From Oliver's normal life in highschool with highschool problems to the fantastical Provex City, Pierce makes you feel as if you are right there with the characters. In the words of Mr. Gordon, "Let me show you something extraordinary" Re...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Von rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Family problems, love triangle, school drama, sibling rivalry. These are just themes that I find cliches and sometimes redundant in a Young Adult novel or better yet, in a teenager’s life; but in Provex City, I found them amusing, alive, and true.

What really drew me into this book were the characters. I truly could relate to them—especially that the point of view of this book was coming from a male. The story didn’t feel like fiction. As I’ve said, it felt real and true. Oliver was real. His fri...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Jeanbooknerd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Michael Pierce’s first book in The Lorne Family Vault, Provex City, is the story of fifteen-year-old Oliver Grain. If being fifteen isn’t hard enough, his young life presents him with a number of situations that most his age and even adults will never have to deal with. He has to fend himself off from bullies and have to deal with the suicide of a boy. His teacher, Mr. Gordon, sees something in Oliver and opens up his mind to the possibility of the impossibles. He shows Oliver how to open invisi...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Sara (sarabara081) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour

You can find more of my reviews at Forever 17 Books.

I am not sure where to start with this one. It had a lot of potential, but somewhere it all fell apart for me.

The concept started off strong, a boy in a new school who felt very much like a regular kid. I'm so used to reading about the strong boys who are super swoony and dreamy so it is so refreshing to meet someone a little more vulnerable, normal, and perhaps a little lonely. Well, he soon finds himself on the wrong side of a bully and his...more You can find more of my reviews at Forever 17 Books.

I am not sure where to start with this one. It had a lot of potential, but somewhere it all fell apart for me.

The concept started off strong, a boy in a new school who felt very much like a regular kid. I'm so used to reading about the strong boys who are super swoony and dreamy so it is so refreshing to meet someone a little more vulnerable, normal, and perhaps a little lonely. Well, he soon finds himself on the wrong side of a bully and his pack of friends. But this isn't the only thing going on in his world... He also discovers he is living in the room of a boy who committed suicide and he thinks the ghost is trying to tell him something. Dealing with these heavy issues, he finds inspiration from a teacher who vows to show him that anything is possible.

Like I said, I appreciated the bullying story. It is always refreshing to have a normal character dealing with real issues that kids face. I was also really intrigued about this ghost in his room! Unfortunately, he felt a little out of place to me, like he wasn't detrimental to the story and only added more questions. I really wish that wasn't so, but perhaps this was just a stepping stone to his placement in the series. I have a strong feeling he might play a bigger role later on.

I think somewhere around the introduction of this teacher is where I got a little lost. He added another dynamic to the story that left me scratching my head a little bit. The instant healing and Room of Enlightenment where he shows Oliver how to make things appear by almost willing them to, was a little too much for me. That's where the story took a turn and I became disappointed. There were also a few big events that happened with no real follow through or repercussions. I had to go back and question if what I read really happened because afterwards it was like it didn't. I mean, these were big things! Why weren't people talking about it?! What happened afterwards? I didn't get it. But this all played into what this story really is about, and that is different planes of consciousness. We learn of a whole new reality that Oliver is meant to be a part of and I must say, this part is quite interesting! Provex City had some really cool technology and I would love to know more about this place. Perhaps if we were introduced to this in a different manner I would have liked it more. I can't be sure. For some reason, all the concepts together didn't flow right.

I wish I can say I enjoyed the secondary characters at least, but I really didn't. They were probably real enough. It is common for friends to put a little bit of peer pressure on each other for certain things, but honestly, after dealing with the bully and a flighty brother, it was a little overkill. I just wanted to snatch Oliver away from this new place and all of these people and show him what real friends can be like.

Overall, this one didn't quite work for me, but I can see what the appeal might be to others. If you like the concept of alternate realities, than it is possible you will like this one.
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Jan 25, 2013 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-books, blog-tour-2013

I have never been a big reader of fantasy but lately I have found myself being drawn to them more and more and *gasp* even liking them!

The fact that this story is told from the male point of view of Oliver, helps too. Oliver is so likeable. He is just your ordinary down to earth very real feeling teenage boy. He isn't a bad boy, he isn't super popular, not a jock, just...average (or so it seems) and I adore that about him. He has insecurities and fears and hopes and dreams just like the rest of...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Nazish Ahmed (Nazish Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, blog-tours, reviews, books-i-read-in-2013

(I received this book for a blog tour and for review purposes.)

To view the full post and other reviews, click here The Lorne Family Vault: Book 1 Provex City by Michael Pierce

Gore: Yes (a little bit)
Magic: Yes, kind of
Romance: Yes

Action: Yes, a little bit
Pacing: 4 stars
Plot: 4.5 stars

Oliver Grain and his family have just moved from a place called Lake Arrowhead. Oliver's new room belonged to a kid who was said to have committed suicide. He immediately becomes friends with a girl named Desiree an...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Tanya rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the first non-mainstream book that I've read since connecting with self published and aspiring writers in a blogging network. I'm not going to lie, I went into this not expecting much. I mean, I'm used to reading novels by authors that I will never speak to or correspond with in any way. To think that someone I've communicated with, even someone who's read bits and pieces of my work, would produce something exceptional just wasn't on my radar. To be fair, I think my preconceived notions...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Michael Offutt rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is pretty good.

It's told in first person from the perspective of a boy named Oliver. There's plenty of angst, the boy is the focus of the attention from two girls, and I liked the experimentation with drugs like alcohol (this is what kids do). (view spoiler)...more

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May 10, 2012 Allison Barron rated it 4 of 5 stars

There are two things that I really loved about this book. The first is Michael's talent for getting into a teen boy's head and making me feel like I was inside it as well. I was suddenly in high school again, feeling that pressure to make friends and live up to expectations. The thoughtful crafting of Oliver's point of view is partly what made this book difficult to put down.

The second thing I loved was the suspense and mystery that built up as the novel progressed. Just when I was going to put...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Carolyn Brown rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

Provex City by Michael Pierce leaves the reader guessing all the way through. It is hard to say much about the story line itself without giving away spoilers, so I won’t say too much.

The characters interact with one another well and it is hard to work out what is going on, until close to the end of the story, which keeps you guessing all the time.

The setting is mostly in an ordinary high school where the main character, Oliver is bullied by a gang of school yard bullies. He finds help from a gho...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Vic Caswell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: everyone-should-read-this-new, i-wanna-live-here, oooh-creepy, wowza-romance

so good.
this book has everything you could want.
action?
check.
strong characterization?
check.
romance?
check.
creepy bits?
check.
driving plot?
check
originality?
triple check.

just so much to love here. and so much that happens.
and i'm just extremely stoked that it's the first of a series, because i want to hear more from oliver and the gang.

well done, mr. pierce. well done.
:)

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Jan 23, 2013 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Full review posted to Amethyst Daydreams Blog : http://amethystdaydreams.blogspot.com...

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Sep 24, 2012 Kyra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Absolutely loved this book! Michael Pierce has an incredible imagination, and weaves a captivating story!

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May 19, 2013 Katrina marked it as to-read

May 19, 2013 Cheryl Rahkonen marked it as to-read

May 19, 2013 Kamla marked it as to-read

May 18, 2013 Amber Terry marked it as to-read

title link	preview: Provex City
avg rating	preview: Provex City Goodreads rating: 4.28 (36 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13516565-provex-city?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1331186260l/13516565.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13516565-provex-city?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Provex City by Michael Pierce[/url]

Provex City (The Lorne Family Vault #1)

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