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The Seven Rays

3.11 of 5 stars 3.11 · rating details · 558 ratings · 116 reviews

You are more than you think you are.

THAT IS THE ANONYMOUS MESSAGE that Beth Michaels receives right before she starts seeing things. Not just a slept-through my-alarm-clock, late-for-homeroom, haven't had-my-caffeine-fix kind of seeing things. It all starts with some dots, annoying pink dots that pop up on and over her mom and her best friend's face. But then things get ou...more

Hardcover, 330 pages

Published November 24th 2009 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (first published November 1st 2009)

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Jan 31, 2010 Morgan F rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who want their face perpetually frozen in a grimace

Shelves: 2000s, fantasy, young-adult, pulse-it, characters-i-wanna-shoot, its-a-girl, read-2010, medium-sized, suckfest, e-book

I stumbled across a free copy of this book online, and with the gorgeous cover and intriguing premise, I dove into it right away. Oh, how I wish I looked at the Goodreads ratings first.

I should give anyone reading this a warning. I will be ranting. A lot.

Firts off, this was the weirdest, most ridiculous, juvenile, annoying book I've read in a long time. And the most painful thing is that it could have been great. It really could have. Underneath the mess of a plot were some good, orginal ideas....more I stumbled across a free copy of this book online, and with the gorgeous cover and intriguing premise, I dove into it right away. Oh, how I wish I looked at the Goodreads ratings first.

I should give anyone reading this a warning. I will be ranting. A lot.

Firts off, this was the weirdest, most ridiculous, juvenile, annoying book I've read in a long time. And the most painful thing is that it could have been great. It really could have. Underneath the mess of a plot were some good, orginal ideas. Unfortunatley, several things ruined it.

Let's start with the narrator. Beth is supposed to be smart. She is a seventeen year old senior finishing high school early and taking college courses. Instead of a sophisticated young lady, we get a narrator who is fond of bathroom humor and nonsensical slang. Seriously, she is constantly talking about bodily functions, and refers to her name as Pee Poo. She'll be in a dire situation and be all "Oh, yeah. My name is Pee Poo." Her slang isn't cool or hip, but something a twelve year would be embarrassed to say. She refers to her visions as "grooze" or "feelsees", and uses them casually in conversation as if anyone can tell what the hell she is talking about. She is not witty either, just very cheesy. Beth devotes the same amount of energy to worrying about body odor as she does in life-threatening situations. I just cannot believe some of the stuff the author wrote. My eyes were in constant eye-rolling motion.

Then there is the romance between Beth and Richie aka Hot Guy. Who is Richie you may ask? Richie is the attractive older guy who suddenly falls for our narrator after spending five minutes with her for no apparent reason at all. Other than that, I have no idea who he is. I have no other physical description of him other than that he is hot, and his only personality trait is that he is "sweet". I know he has a younger sex-obsessed brother and an alcoholic mother, but these concepts were just pushed aside in order for Beth and Richie to have more "omg we can't make-out or else risk electrocution" time.

Other than that, it was just flat out weird and weirdly written. I have no problem strange if it is at least written well, but this is not the case. Bendinger would rely far too much on the visual, assuming her readers know what the hell is going on. She might as well have been describing a keleidoscope. She would often clump up the supernatural. Some parts would be devoid as so much as a "feelsee", then others were just leadened with it. The ending was rushed, but nothing was resolved anyway.

I'm not sure whether this book is a result of an author trying too hard to be trendy, or an author having a good idea lazily executed. I just pretty much hated it the entire way. My lip was constantly curled in a snarl. You might be asking why I bothered to finish it then. Once I have an answer I shall get back to you.

I will not be reading the sequel.

Oh, and one more thing. Song-gasms. WTF!?(less)

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Sep 24, 2011 Ryan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Every so often, a piece of young adult literature is published that turns out to be spectacular. It has well developed characters, a cohesive plot, and makes you stop and think about your own personal teen experience. It's a book you can't wait to finish, a book that you can barely put down.

The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger is not that book. Not even a little bit.

In a word, it sucks. I know that's a harsh word, but it fits. Beth, the novel's protaganist, is actually kind of a bitch. There's no...more Every so often, a piece of young adult literature is published that turns out to be spectacular. It has well developed characters, a cohesive plot, and makes you stop and think about your own personal teen experience. It's a book you can't wait to finish, a book that you can barely put down.

The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger is not that book. Not even a little bit.

In a word, it sucks. I know that's a harsh word, but it fits. Beth, the novel's protaganist, is actually kind of a bitch. There's nothing throughout the story that makes her endearing or even kind of likable. She's supposed to be smart, which from the novel's first person perspective comes off as condescending. She also apparently has no social skills. While her best friend and her mother are supposedly the most important people in her life, she constantly complains about them and ultimately treats them like crap. I hated her, and it was almost physically taxing to continue reading in her narrative voice.

Some novels have crappy protaganists, right? At least the story can be good! If that's the bright side you want to look on, The Seven Rays is going to disappoint you yet again. Whatever story this book was trying to tell, it got lost totally and utterly. Beth has some sort of power that is supposed to allow her to see the emotional connections between people. See what I just said there? That's not even in the book, so I'm not sure if it's even correct. In fact, Beth's powers are so ill-defined that thinking about them right now is giving me a migraine. While some times, her powers are so overwhelming she thinks she might go insane, other times they turn off with no explaination. She can also control lightening some how at some point towards the end, or at least focus it on the guy who's not her boyfriend.

Richie. Previously mentioned not-boyfriend guy. Let's not even get to him. Okay, let's. Talk about your 2-dimensional supporting characters. If it wasn't for Beth, Richie would have nothing to do. He uproots his life out of nowhere, breaks Beth out of an insane asylum (yeah, that happens), then basically takes her on a road trip where we learn nothing about him. Except his mom is an alcoholic, which I guess is supposed to make him sympathetic even though it's really not gone into detail. He can read Beth's mind for no reason, so it basically makes them both annoying at the same time. Also, he doesn't become his own character. So he reads like a tool. I guess it could be worse. He could be like Beth, re: above bitch.

The fact that I hated this story so bad is kind of upsetting. I met Jessica Bendinger in December of last year and found her to be delightful. When she described the story and read an except, she made it sound much better than reading the novel turned out to be. In fact, I'm now slightly embarassed for her. She talked about doing a series of these books, which from the book not ending, I'm going to guess the publisher was planning on, too. I really hope they don't make a sequel. In the past two years, this is most definitely the worst young adult novel I've read. (less)

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Jan 21, 2010 Nicole added it

This book is weird, as in: was I on something when I read this? An hallucinogen maybe. And a lot of WTF? moments riddled throughout the story. But I think...I kinda...sort of...liked it and all of it's strangeness.

What is the story about? Well, to be honest, I have no clue. Still, after I have read it, I'm confused and unclear of the story. But it was compelling (somehow). It got me to keep reading with this question repeating in my head of what the heck is going on? Unfortunately, the ending di...more

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Dec 22, 2009 Heather rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: didn-t-finish

I was drawn to this book by its cover and book trailer and I was excited to read it. About ten pages in I got skeptical. The jacket said it is written for 14 years or older. Already within the first chapter we were talking about things that are not at all okay for 14 year olds. I kept reading because the plot was interesting, but it just got worse. By page 200 I had to put the book down and stop reading. It made me, a 34 year old married woman with children feel dirty. In my opinion the book has...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Liyana rated it 1 of 5 stars

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

The Seven Rays caught my eye due to a rumour going around months ago, that said Selena Gomez and Kellan Lutz were going to star in the movie adaptation. (And apparently now, Taylor Swift is envisioned as Beth.) My high hopes were dashed once I got past the marketing blurb, and actually started reading.

The first half was interesting. It gave me an insight into Beth's life, her friends, her family. I actually liked her snarky and childish ways. I do have to disagree w...more This review contains spoilers.

The Seven Rays caught my eye due to a rumour going around months ago, that said Selena Gomez and Kellan Lutz were going to star in the movie adaptation. (And apparently now, Taylor Swift is envisioned as Beth.) My high hopes were dashed once I got past the marketing blurb, and actually started reading.

The first half was interesting. It gave me an insight into Beth's life, her friends, her family. I actually liked her snarky and childish ways. I do have to disagree when her crush Richie suddenly just falls in love with her and calls her 'the oldest seventeen year old' I know. Uhh, no. There have been no backstory, nothing to show me that she's been acting matured, or in any way older than the average seventeen year old. Younger, yes. Older, not at all.

The magic was there. Good setting, good placement. Great poems, ones that I tried to memorise. They were pretty catchy. Apparently, this whole concept is something that actually exists outside of this book, which I respect. It just wasn't given the respect in this book, or if it did, I can't see it at all.

Beth had everything a YA protagonist would want: a good best friend, a supportive, loving mother, a crush, good grades etc. And then the second half came and screwed things up.

I have no idea what happened! The two halves do not fit at all! There are times when two very different halves work well together, like Beth Fantaskey's JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE but this is not one of them.It was like a wholly different book with different characters with different motivations. Heck, all the characters seemed to turn about and change who they were. Sure, they were on the high speed chase, but the events just... sigh. Beth's best friend? Oh, she's been totally using Beth to get herself ahead or something. But what irked me the most was Beth's mom.

Supposedly she loves Beth. I mean, when you take a baby in to save her from the crazies all her life, you do not in the space of two weeks just give her an ultimatum, and throw away every piece of memory, of her life. And BURN IT.

There were some other scenes in the story that I felt were there specifically for one purpose: to shock the readers. I think they were supposed to come off as sexy and show us Beth's self assured side. Instead, they were just crude and off-putting.

I just... I don't know. It's like I landed in a different book. Perhaps it would have been better if Beth's rosy life and hints of power remained just that, and the awkward second half was put into another book. At least then I would have time to adjust.

It's just incredulous. Urgh. I am so disappointed. There's just no respect for any of the characters, the storyline, their motivations. (less)

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Jan 23, 2013 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: modern-fantasy, scifi, leave-well-enough-alone, dont-judge-a-book-by-its-cover, once-was-enough, wish-i-could-unread-or-get-the-time

Ok. I had high hopes for this book. Even after the first 50 pages of chatter-y, superficial girl-speak that no one uses except on TV (which is semi-excusable, given the author is a screenwriter), I was holding out hope. However, after the initial plot idea, the plot steadily took a nosedive. Everything that wasn't totally predictable was ridiculously random and/or confusing, certain characters randomly had complete personality changes, even multiple times, and the whole "quest/test" feel toward...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: waste-of-time

Not impressed. Not, not impressed at all. Not a fan.

This really could have been a good book - the premise had a lot of potential. But it quickly degraded into a sad mess of stuff that really didn't connect at the end. Talented, smart girl goes slowly out of her mind? Mother is best friend and then suddenly becomes the enemy? What the heck was up with her mother anyway? Did we ever find out?

I was so disappointed, primarily because the story was so well set up. As I kept reading, I kept wishing I...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Connor rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book, to a person not open to a new readin experience, could be interpreted as confusin and not connected...at all, but to me, this book made perfect sense. Now, im not sayin my readin skills are any higher than anyone else on this page, im 16 and i know my brain isnt done developin and im also not as smart as some of the Adults who have read and reviewed, but since my brain isnt as fully developed, it is open to many ways of doin things, which is what this book needs. To read this book you...more This book, to a person not open to a new readin experience, could be interpreted as confusin and not connected...at all, but to me, this book made perfect sense. Now, im not sayin my readin skills are any higher than anyone else on this page, im 16 and i know my brain isnt done developin and im also not as smart as some of the Adults who have read and reviewed, but since my brain isnt as fully developed, it is open to many ways of doin things, which is what this book needs. To read this book you cant just READ the book, you have to probe deeper and be able to jump from story to story and remember things and be able to connect them at the right moments. This book will give you a peice of information in the beginning that wont click or make sense till the end and thats where you need to make the ropes like Beth does. Also in the "probin deeper" parts, for example: the relationship between Beth and Richie, Beth has been crushin on Richie for a while, and it was obvious that he was flirtin with her, and their "instant love" thing isnt completley out there, by that i mean when they kiss and they get "electrocuted" it isnt just a random zap, if you probe deeper you might find that this could represent the "spark" two people will feel towards eachother that CONNECTS to love at first sight. and the mom part, that could be interpreted as when the mom realizes that the child SHE raised because 7RI gave her up is now goin BACK to those people and her "mother" feels betrayed because those people didnt help her get older, see her through her pains, her sorrows, or see grow up and help at all. So again, once you PROBE deeper and CONNECT to the back story at the end, you get a deeper connected meaning to the story. Im not sayin the other reviews are wrong im just sayin those people must have just read the book by goin through the motions and not "stoppin to smell the roses." I stopped, so to speak, and found this book very interesting and intriguing, you just have to be patient and open to new experiences.(less)

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Aug 01, 2011 Madame X rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-urban-fantasy, ya-or-teen-protagonist

The Seven Rays is basically a self-help book disguised as a novel. I think it would be pretty difficult to read The Seven Rays *just* as a novel, or a fantasy. Bendinger constantly sacrifices storytelling to her lessons. The lessons, by the way, are good and healthy ones - but I was annoyed to see them kinda ruin the story.

So the story is basically that Elizabeth is a smart, pretty normal high school girl who receives a card reading "You Are More Than You Think You Are" in gold letters. Around...more The Seven Rays is basically a self-help book disguised as a novel. I think it would be pretty difficult to read The Seven Rays *just* as a novel, or a fantasy. Bendinger constantly sacrifices storytelling to her lessons. The lessons, by the way, are good and healthy ones - but I was annoyed to see them kinda ruin the story.

So the story is basically that Elizabeth is a smart, pretty normal high school girl who receives a card reading "You Are More Than You Think You Are" in gold letters. Around the same time, she starts having hallucinations. She sees dots and ropes and braids all over the place. She decides to ignore the card, which she is sure was just mis-addressed, but she has to deal with the hallucinations. She goes to the eye doctor and gets laser surgery, but when nothing changes her doctor wonders if the problem is maybe in her brain.

Meanwhile, Beth is getting more of those golden cards. She realizes that they're actually addressed to her specifically and they contain guides on how to interpret the strange visual hallucinations she's seeing. It becomes clear that the hallucinations aren't random, and that they're telling her things. Important things.

As a story, it's catchy. The writing is good, too. I didn't think the teen voice was 100% authentic - but I'm not a teen myself, so I can't be sure. To me, it was a little too polished and chirpy. But there isn't a single story element that isn't leveraged. Beth has a best friend, but she's a lesson. She has a mom, who's also a lesson. She has a boyfriend, who's a lesson. She has a nifty purse she loves, which is a lesson. Her favorite feature is her gorgeous hair...also a lesson. Her hallucinations are just visual lessons. I would have liked to see just one thing that ultimately served the story, not the moralizing.

It's not a bad book. But I cracked the cover expecting one thing - most YA fantasies are pretty light fare, you know? Nice little escapist romps? Something to read when you want a break from the heavier stuff? - and I got something completely, 100% different. That's jarring. I try not to judge a book by its cover, but I do trust a cover to indicate in a general, roughly accurate way what I'm getting into. Panting lovers? Better be a romance. Artistic photograph of feet? Bet it's women's fiction. Naked girl's back covered in glitter? Hmmm, doesn't sound like self-help to me.

But if you go into it with your eyes open, I bet it's great.(less)

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Jan 11, 2011 Ithlilian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I'm a fan of books where people learn to deal with their abilities, and for the most part The Seven Rays is just that. I like that the ability in this book is not just hearing thoughts or seeing into the future. The main character Beth see dots, tubes, knots, and other such things on people and thinks she is going crazy. She gets cryptic gold envelopes from some place she has never heard of and doesn't figure too much out about her powers until the end. It's a touching story and I feel bad about...more

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Sep 15, 2010 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book but I was kind of disappointed with it too. The explanation for what's going on (and it's never crystal clear just what IS going on) seemed to change on an as needed basis.

This isn't a self contained book. Bendinger seems to be planning a series which is fine, but that should have been made clear on the cover. There are too many unanswered questions at the end.

Where is Beth going? Just what is she supposed to do with her power? Who is the nun? Who was her adopted moth...more

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Jun 09, 2010 Denise rated it 2 of 5 stars

3.0 out of 5 stars Mystical, spiritual -- confusing..., December 15, 2009

This review is from: The Seven Rays (Hardcover)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I am not quite sure how to review this book as it started out well but then got bogged down by some excess detail that didn't add anything to the story, poems that were enigmatic, and a character - Beth -- who really ended up being irritating rather than engaging.
Her fixation on her smell and her complete lack of atte...more

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Feb 27, 2010 Rachael rated it 2 of 5 stars

Beth Michaels might be going crazy. One day she’s perfectly normal, and the next, she starts seeing these strange pink dots everywhere. Unfortunately, it doesn’t even stop there. Ropes, chains, and disgusting black gunk show up on virtually every person she sees, as well as glimpses into a people’s minds, memories, secrets, and fears if she looks at someone for too long. But even though other people think Beth is crazy too, the thing is, she might not be. Because along with this strange new visi...more Beth Michaels might be going crazy. One day she’s perfectly normal, and the next, she starts seeing these strange pink dots everywhere. Unfortunately, it doesn’t even stop there. Ropes, chains, and disgusting black gunk show up on virtually every person she sees, as well as glimpses into a people’s minds, memories, secrets, and fears if she looks at someone for too long. But even though other people think Beth is crazy too, the thing is, she might not be. Because along with this strange new vision, Beth also starts receiving gold envelopes with mysterious message, envelopes Beth soon finds out she’s been receiving her whole life but hasn’t been aware of until now. The first message Beth gets says “You are more than you think you are.” And as Beth soon finds out, that’s probably true.

The Seven Rays is one confusing jumbled mix mash of too many things at once. Yes, there are paranormal occurrences, lots of them in fact, the period of doubting sanity, and romance, among other things. That’s precisely the problem with this book. Bendinger tries to include way too many things into her debut novel that the story loses its sense of purpose. On one hand, Beth has normal everyday problems with her mother and best friend. On the other, there’s this romance with Beth and Richie. Then, on an imaginary third hand, there’s all that supernatural stuff. It’s this imaginary third hand that screws this book up the most. There’s just so much about destiny and special skills as well as some kind of special prophecy or organization that’s never adequately explained that floods the story in the worst possible way. This is the kind of novel where I really wonder how it got published considering the story is such a mess. Is it because Bendinger is a moderately well known screenwriter? If that’s so, I think Bendinger better stick to that.

The Seven Rays may be enjoyed by fans of Swoon by Nina Malkin and The Hollow by Jessica Verday. I doubt I will read any sequel to this novel.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com (less)

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Feb 26, 2010 Sue rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was an absolute fun read! A crazy and interesting ride! Bendinger had me literally LOL several times. The Hymenator! What a classic! Also the whole situation with Richie reading Beth's mind when they were at the rest stop had me in hysterics. Every girl, I'm sure, could empathize with her at this moment...how mortifying for a kind of first date (since they didn't really know each other or go out before) with a hottie that you want to be on your top game with.
I was surprised with the turn t...more This was an absolute fun read! A crazy and interesting ride! Bendinger had me literally LOL several times. The Hymenator! What a classic! Also the whole situation with Richie reading Beth's mind when they were at the rest stop had me in hysterics. Every girl, I'm sure, could empathize with her at this moment...how mortifying for a kind of first date (since they didn't really know each other or go out before) with a hottie that you want to be on your top game with.
I was surprised with the turn that the story took. I thought that it was just going to be a fun teeny-bopper book with nothing more than the hottie being an unexpected true love with a fantasy side note. However, it quickly became much more. There were life lessons that were intertwined into this unique story. We got to see Beth deal with her inner "demons" and "monkeys". Thinking back over this book, it's amazing too think of the total journey that Bendinger takes us on...from regular high school girl, to psych ward patient, to being one of the Seven Rays.
My only complaint is the seemingly abrupt ending. The last 30 or so pages were just rushed through. I would have enjoyed a more complete ending with every loose end neatly tied. I still have a lot of questions that I want the answers to and I don't expect (or really want) a sequel...
So who was Beth's "mom", the one who raised her? Was she a Ray from another set of Seven Rays (or is there only one "family" of them)? Did she not past the tests and that's why she wanted to "rescue" Beth? How did she come to parent Beth? And if 7RI had been following her all her life why did they seem to approve or at least allow Beth to stay with her? She obviously didn't trust them.
Am I the only one that thought that the idea that Beth will move on from Richie a HUGE bummer? I like my happily ever afters and this was upsetting. So she loves intensely? Sleeps with the guy? Creates a child with him? And then just moves on to the next? Seven times???? Did Bendinger mention an out? Mary had told Richie that they would love intensely until she got pregnant and then she would just move on. OR if they continued to have sex after she conceived it would cause his death. But she also mentioned that Beth would have to make a conscience decision? Does that mean she could just stay with Richie?
I would love to hear what others think about these questions and your own questions. (less)

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Jan 17, 2010 Holly Lee (Bellas Novella) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, amazon-vine

I almost put this book down, 80 pages from the ending. I was so put off by the developments in the plot, that it was almost unbearable to continue. I hardly ever fail to complete a novel, and thus I pushed forward hoping for the upswing that never came.

What kills me is that this could have been a great book. The premise is very interesting and original. I was intrigued to see where the plot could go and how the story would unfold. Unfortunately I was very disappointed. It almost seemed as if the...more

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Dec 18, 2009 Casey added it

Shelves: unfinished

I wanted a unique romantic fantasy and I chose this book because it seemed mysterious and original. It only took about 50-75 pages for me to realize this wasn't the book for me.

The book started out great. I loved Beth's voice and the writing style but that quickly deteriorated. First, the repetition. Believe me, I know Beth and her friend Shirl are virgins. I got it the first time. Maybe this is a super important fact as the book progresses so Bendinger wanted to make sure the reader was aware,...more

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May 08, 2013 Kasey rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: may-challenge-2013

This book started off so amazing! I had so many hopes, it sounded so good and then I started it. And it was amazing! I loved Beth, she was so funny and interesting and smart! I felt so bad for Beth because her supposed best friend was absolutely awful to her almost all the time! Her mom was crazy but really seemed like she loved her and cared about her! Then the floaters started and Beth met Richie and I was even more invested. Then we were getting glimpses into these other people's lives every...more This book started off so amazing! I had so many hopes, it sounded so good and then I started it. And it was amazing! I loved Beth, she was so funny and interesting and smart! I felt so bad for Beth because her supposed best friend was absolutely awful to her almost all the time! Her mom was crazy but really seemed like she loved her and cared about her! Then the floaters started and Beth met Richie and I was even more invested. Then we were getting glimpses into these other people's lives every other chapter and I was even more intrigued because clearly these people had things in common with each and with Beth. Then Beth gets Lasik and the world literally falls apart. She starts feel-seeing and at this point I'm even more intrigued because this is really unique. Beth's mom ends up checking her into a mental institution and of course I was horrified because Beth isn't crazy. I could go step by step and tell you all the things I loved about this book. I loved Nessa and I loved Richie, thank god for him I don't know what Beth would've done without him! But let me tell you why this book gets 2 stars instead of the 4 stars. It deserved 4 stars up until the last 50 pages. This is a standalone novel, it is absolutely not acceptable to introduce new crazy information in the last 50 pages that leave you with questions that will never be answered and that's exactly what happened. I'm sorry, what was that? Oh wait these other girls are Beth's sisters, and of course they look nothing alike because their Dad's are all different men but it's okay because there's some mystical reason that we still don't know the answer too that explains it. They put Beth through a series of tests and some were self explanatory but some like the tattoo weren't. So what's up with tattoo, what's up with what Mary(evil villain in my mind) told Richie if things were going to be that bad why would he stick around? What about the other girls, what about the big secret, why was their mom in a coma, why do we not know why, what's the mystical reason? None of these things were answered and I am so so so disappointed because I was invested in this book. It sucked me in and then spit me out without any answers or resolution. I'm sorry but it deserves the 2 star rating and I will not recommend it. (less)

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Feb 05, 2013 Sophi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Bleh.

That beautiful example of onomatopoeia describes all the feelings I had during most of this book.

The author has two major plots going in this thing. The yucky, kind of silly teenage romance and the somewhat interesting, Beth has voodoo eyes plot.

The latter is kind of cool/makes me want to read more. The former makes me want to throw up.

The author has a skewed, mixed up view of which one I want to hear about the most.

Don't get me wrong, there are some strong points. For example, the tragical...more

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Nov 14, 2011 Sinai rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow, people here really dislike this book don't they. I just have to say--it wasn't THAT bad. I see where you're coming from, I felt the same way too at sometimes with the language and Beth and Richie's relationship, so this brushed the 4 star mark for me, didn't really fully deserve it. I also had problems reading it since I'm Catholic and the things they get into make me uncomfortable--like Tarot cards and such. But other than that, I think this book was something new. I loved reading it--it w...more

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Jul 21, 2010 Nafiza rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, ya-fantasy

Some books suck you in from the very first sentence you read. This was one of them. Beth Michaels is an average teenager (apart from being abnormally smart but that's neither here nor there) and when her vision is enhanced by ropey knots and helices, her average life gets strange fast. Bendinger's wit takes a regular narrative about some not so regular happenings and turns it into a wildly entertaining joy ride. I like Beth Michaels, in fact, I wouldn't mind if she was one of my friends - that's...more Some books suck you in from the very first sentence you read. This was one of them. Beth Michaels is an average teenager (apart from being abnormally smart but that's neither here nor there) and when her vision is enhanced by ropey knots and helices, her average life gets strange fast. Bendinger's wit takes a regular narrative about some not so regular happenings and turns it into a wildly entertaining joy ride. I like Beth Michaels, in fact, I wouldn't mind if she was one of my friends - that's how cool she is. And to me, the greatest hurdle in any book I read is my relationship to the protagonist. How I feel about her colours, to a great extent, how I feel about the entire book. And I liked Beth Michaels. I was also intrigued by the other six women that the book teased us with glimpses of. They all, unbelievably so, in the sparse pages granted them, limned the complexity of both their lives and emotions - engaging the reader and making her want to explore more about their persons and their lives.

Moving on to the romance, I'm sure you've read of people getting sparks when kissing but this time, Richie and Beth actually really do get electrified (and not just in that way either). I found their relationship endearing and realistic. It had all the messy emotions of typical of teenagers but it also hinted at something deeper, a potential forever.

The plot - okay, I'll be honest here. If I were to be seeing this in a theater, my eyebrows would be lost under my hair (they'd be raised that far) and while I understand the twists and turns required by the narrative, it gave a distinctly coven-ish feel. Also, there were some other developments in the growing expression of the Rays that made me the tiniest bit uncomfortable. The first three quarters of the book is wonderful - the writing crisp, the relationships engaging and the narrative absorbing. The last bit is...well, I hesitate to label it anything because I hope the next book (there has to be a next book! No way was the story completed!) will explain it.

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Nov 25, 2009 Claire rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-7th-and-8th-grade-middle-school-t, adults-reading-ya-lit, sci-fi

Beth Michaels is really smart, she has skipped through high school and is spending her senior year at the local community college gathering units to save money when she goes away to Columbia- early acceptance.
Just before her 18th birthday things start to go sideways... she sees dots streaming and floating about people. This progresses to ropes and bands. When she meets up with Richie Mac suddenly she sees so much more- life stories,a barrage of stunning information. Suddenly she is not on track...more

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Dec 13, 2009 Lillian rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: could-have-been-better, trash

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

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Aug 06, 2011 Alexis rated it 2 of 5 stars

I agree with many of the other reviewers: this book had potential. The premise was intriguing. One day Beth Ray gets a letter that says You are More than You Think Are. And then the weird stuff starts happening. She starts having visions, really weird things. She suddenly knows things she shouldn't about people. One of the hottest guys in town is hot for her. And her mother is not really her mother.

Then the book gets weird. Occassionally a chapter about another girl is stuck in, and that is exa...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Wilford Bentley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Spotty in places.

I looked forward to this book when I saw it on the shelves because it has that really awesome cover. I was getting really into it until I saw the average rating on goodreads. I didn't know what to expect after that, but now that I've finished the book, I'm honestly surprised at it.

This is a good book. Not excellent, but good. The story is very interesting, funny at times, and emotional. In fact, I think I would have given this book 5 stars, if it had not been for the writing.

Oh,...more

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Aug 21, 2011 Hannah-Linn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-summer-11

Ok, so I just finished this book and I noticed before that this book got some pretty bad reviews. Well, I'm going to just go ahead and brhonest. I actually liked this book a lot.

The plot was really unique and interesting. The characters were enjoyable enough (Beth could be annoying, but the other characters made it bearable) I liked Richie. I think the writing was great and really pretty.

I did have some problems however. One, I was confused for approximately 85% of this book as to what the hell...more

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May 18, 2011 Cheyenne Current rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: supernatural, people-with-power, regular-teen-romance

I thought that overall this book was good, but not too great. I think that this book was really funny and I enjoyed the dialouge between Richie Mac and Beth. I didn't like the fact that the author had Beth stay in that naive state about her true powers, untill the very end. I liked how this book had snippets of the other 6 rays and didn't just clearly focus on Beth and only Beth. I think that Beth, as a character, could use some work. She was funny and smart that much you could tell, but she se...more I thought that overall this book was good, but not too great. I think that this book was really funny and I enjoyed the dialouge between Richie Mac and Beth. I didn't like the fact that the author had Beth stay in that naive state about her true powers, untill the very end. I liked how this book had snippets of the other 6 rays and didn't just clearly focus on Beth and only Beth. I think that Beth, as a character, could use some work. She was funny and smart that much you could tell, but she seemed to have a lot of struggle with herself even before she had full access to her gift.

The minor characters such as her mother and Shirl, I really didn't like. You could easily hate both of those characters because there was no evidence in there actions that either of them truley cared about Beth. Her mother I was fine with untill Beth had to go to that Physicatric ward, and she was freaking out all over the place. I understand the want of a parnet to want to protect your child but I am pretty sure this lady had OCD, I mean she was a really Helicopter parent, and that got annoying fast.

Other supporting characters, that were not too minor, were Richie Mac and Nessa. I loved the romance between Richie Mac and Beth. I admitt I was a little hesitant about him in the begiing because the author tried to make a point that this character is supposed to come off as a player. I liked how he didn't actually fit that part and actually truley cared about Beth. Nessa, was an interesting one. I thought when Beth first met her that she would be one of the seen rays. But, as the book came to an end that was sadly, false. I felt like Nessa was a true friend to Beth and not a condesending as Shirl.

The Seven Rays and the true nature of the talents were heavily blurred and I didn't like that. Enitially, you could tell what there powers were but, they never went into detail with that as I had hoped they would. Beth, as the main character, got to actually use her powers and it was interesting to see, but, I was hoping for more use of her powers and not just an accidental use.

I thought the power transfering to Richie and Nessa also having a power and all of that stuff about Beth not having any free will because of her power and where her "Destiny" lied, was a bunch of phooey. I didn't understand why they would bring that up, only to not even continue with it. There were A LOT of loose ends in this book. I don't know why the author thought she could just wrap the book up by having Beth and Richie get back together, but I thought it could have been better if she tied those loose ends. But hey, maybe there is meant to be a sequel coming, even though I wouldn't recommend that , because there probably wouldn't be any story.

Overall, I thought the story was good, but could have been better. I give it three stars at the most. Really, from an author who has written so many great screen writes for some great movies and television shows, I thought she would have done better. But, this was just her first book after all, she should continue writing just not with this particular story.
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Jan 06, 2010 Ashley Brooke rated it 3 of 5 stars

Beth is your normal teenager—smart, boy crazy, and looking forward to college. That all changes when she starts seeing things she shouldn’t. People are suddenly connected by stings of light, some coiling around, some sucking energy from others, some covered with knots. Then, out of the blue, notes in gold envelopes begin being sent to her under a name she doesn’t know, but seems somewhat familiar. Crazy, she thinks so, that is until she uncovers things her mother had tried to keep secret Beth’s...more

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Feb 10, 2010 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

An over achieving high school senior begins seeing spots, knots, braids and strings around people. Her mother is keeping secrets from her too, including several mysterious gold enveloped letters post marked New York City. The first letter that she receives reads "You are more than you think you are." Beth's mother puts her in a mental hospital to try to find a sollution to her vision problems. When Beth is able to meat and kiss a College student friend of hers, their first kiss becomes literally...more

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Jan 15, 2010 Kelly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Beth Ray is beginning to realize she's not just your average teenage girl. She's seeing strange visions, and then there are the letters: shiny gold envelopes containing hints of a great destiny. Her mother tries to keep them from her, but the envelopes manage to find Beth wherever she goes.

And then a big hairy bloke shows up on a flying motorbike and takes her to a wizard school in Scotland... wait, wrong book.

What happens to Beth, instead, is that she undergoes laser eye surgery to try to corre...more Beth Ray is beginning to realize she's not just your average teenage girl. She's seeing strange visions, and then there are the letters: shiny gold envelopes containing hints of a great destiny. Her mother tries to keep them from her, but the envelopes manage to find Beth wherever she goes.

And then a big hairy bloke shows up on a flying motorbike and takes her to a wizard school in Scotland... wait, wrong book.

What happens to Beth, instead, is that she undergoes laser eye surgery to try to correct her sight, and when that just makes the visions more intense, the next stop is psychiatric help. Meanwhile, she's having a whirlwind romance with an older "bad boy," Richie McAllister. And when I say whirlwind, I mean whirlwind. Beth and Richie go from mere acquaintances to making out in about 2.5 seconds, and for no discernible reason. This romance is simply not developed at all. There's nothing, then BAM! they're dating, and then BAM! they suddenly have a deep devotion to each other.

Anyway, kissing Richie leads Beth to yet another discovery: electricity passes between the two of them when they touch, and not the metaphorical kind. Is this yet another YA novel about two people who have some supernatural reason they can't fool around? Yes. This "abstinence porn" thing is getting kind of tired, people. Have your characters stay chaste if you want, or put them to bed if you want (it can be done tastefully; see Maggie Stiefvater 's Shiver), but hundreds of pages of "but we caaaan't" angst? It's been done.

All of this is narrated in a slangy style that doesn't sound like any actual teenagers I've met. It reads like an adult trying too hard; if you've read magazines like Seventeen, you get the idea. Beth gets into the "fetal posish," and when she listens to something, she's giving it her "ear-tention." While spying on someone using her visionary power: "I eye-bandoned my eye-dropping and decided eavesdropping might be easier." Richie is "loaded with flirt juice." Then there's the pseudo-mystical poetry Beth finds in the gold envelopes. It doesn't scan smoothly, and contains an awkward mix of informal and elevated language.

Later, Beth meets the six other Rays who will be her companions. (All of these young women are more interesting than Beth, and if future books follow them instead, I would consider reading them.) There's an initiation of sorts, and Beth learns more about her destiny and her powers. The ending implies that this is a "set-up" book, introducing the characters and putting them into position (posish?) for further adventures.

The Seven Rays is a book in search of a target audience. The "finding yourself" theme is a classic motif in young-adult literature, and the frequent sexual references place this firmly in the older-teen range. However, constant mentions of "pee," "poo," and "snot" will probably annoy everyone over 10. The cheesy "teen slang," I suspect, will turn off teens and adults alike. I think there's supposed to be a spiritual message, but the story and its putative moral get bogged down in illogical plot twists, bathroom humor, and the irritating writing style. I can't really recommend it to anyone.

There are several scenes toward the middle of the book, though, that are actually quite moving. I really felt for Beth when she was committed to the mental hospital, trying to prove her sanity to a smarmy doctor and wondering why she'd been sold out by those who were supposed to love her. The scene in which she wanders New York alone and bereft is also affecting. These scenes give the reader a glimpse of what The Seven Rays could have been if it hadn't been trying so hard to be trendy and/or "enlightening." Jessica Bendinger has assembled all of the essential ingredients of a good coming-of-age fantasy; it just wasn't realized very well. 1.5 stars.(less)

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Feb 12, 2010 Mokamonkey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-books

The premise and the backbone of the story was interesting, but I thought the details weren't necessarily good. The main character's voice was off. She was supposed to be nerdy or unpopular, but she used a lot of "hollywood" slang and her humor was off. I also thought the special powers that each of the girls were a little shallow - would they really be able to save the world (I assume that's sort of where we're going). And I felt like she was trying to impart her own spiritual agenda...and it di...more

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About Jessica Bendinger

Jessica Bendinger is an acclaimed Hollywood screenwriter who launched onto the scene with her original script for the hit hip hop cheerleading comedy, Bring it On. Never shying away from challenges and new opportunities, Bendinger has also added the title of producer, director, and most recently, novelist to her repertoire. A self described “creative seeker,” Bendinger relies on her enthusiasm and...more

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Quotes from The Seven Rays

“It's okay to be scared, and it's okay to fail. But you have to try. Not trying isn't an option.” — 12 people liked it

“Everyone carries this thick prism of gunk that they see the world through. Each person has layers of stuff, making it hard to see anyone clearly. So until someone invents soul glasses that will remove all distortions from their perceptions? Worrying about what people think? Is a complete waste of time.” — 4 people liked it

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