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Oriana's Eyes (Great Oak Trilogy #1)

by Celeste Simone (Goodreads Author)

4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 · rating details · 31 ratings · 20 reviews

As a pure-blood Winglet, Oriana isn't supposed to look at a half-blood much less speak to one. Half-bloods are the lowest of all races at Odon's University, because they are half Winglet and half Finlet. But when a half-blood, Dorian, locks eyes with her in the hallway, Oriana can't help but be intrigued by his daring nature. After sneaking out to the garden in the middle...more

Hardcover, 268 pages

Published February 24th 2010 by iUniverse

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Sep 14, 2011 Beckie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, read-for-review-on-blog, favorites, ya-dystopian

My Thoughts: ( I give this book 5 Stars )

Oriana's Eyes is an beautiful written book. At first glance of the cover I was not sure I would like this book but wow was I wrong. Never judge a book by the cover because you could pass up a simply dazzling book. I was so impressed by the authors writing style and the story-line is like no other I have read. A very new and unique plot and I must say I could not put the book down. This book in a new and wonderful take on a dystopian novel set in a fantasy...more My Thoughts: ( I give this book 5 Stars )

Oriana's Eyes is an beautiful written book. At first glance of the cover I was not sure I would like this book but wow was I wrong. Never judge a book by the cover because you could pass up a simply dazzling book. I was so impressed by the authors writing style and the story-line is like no other I have read. A very new and unique plot and I must say I could not put the book down. This book in a new and wonderful take on a dystopian novel set in a fantasy whole. I so fully enjoyed reading a book that was such a new and breath-taking read. Oriana's Eyes is about a young girl who lives in a world that is controlled by a man "Odon". He sees all and knows all. The main appeal in this book as that Oriana and the others in this world are not humans but a species called Winglet's and Finlets. Oriana lives in a university run by Odon along with many other. One day, Oriana meets a boy her age and is very taken by him but she knows he is only a half-blood and she knows not to talk to him. It is not in the rules. After sneaking out to meet him in the garden and pushing aside her conscience which tells her that he is not good - Oriana later is taken by Odon's men and being held against her will. She has been caught and thinks she will be in huge trouble for what she did, going against the rules of Odon. Little does she know that what happens to her leads to her seeing there is a whole new place in her world she has yet discovered outside the university's walls. In this book she will find who her true self is and difference between what she has been taught to believe in and what she truly does. As for the boy she meet, Dorian he shows her that Odon is very evil and is controlling the minds of the whole university. But Dorian as a half-blood has a very huge purpose in which will turn there world around.... ( trying not to give spoilers away).
I so enjoyed this book. It was a amazing, fun and tearful read. I found myself crying at a few parts in the book. A few parts in the book were very emotional and you may need a box a tissue close by. There is also a very special love story in Oriana's Eyes. I adored the friendship and love between Oriana and Dorian. The author has done a wonderful job of fitting the aspect of love and hate, and what is right and wrong so divinely in her book. I feel in love with the whole story-line and the relationships though-out her book. I can definitely say to anyone who loves to read a dystopian book that Oriana's Eyes would blow you away. Thank you Celeste for allowing me to read her novel, such a wonderful book. I adored reading it.(less)

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Mar 30, 2010 Carolina rated it 5 of 5 stars

While many authors have the ability to create a good story, Celeste Simone accompanies a great story with great writing. Oriana's Eyes is a captivating story from the start, only getting better with progress. On the surface, it's a beautiful love story between two engaging characters. Delving deeper, the reader realize...s that the story goes beyond this and is about breaking the conformities of Oriana’s society. The main character, Oriana, goes through a drastic transformation throughout the co...more

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Aug 13, 2011 Becky rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Oriana is a pure-blood, a Winglet and lives in the University, a place of white walls, structure and order. Everyone learns to follows Odon's rules, to stay quiet and focused. But Oriana is different, she has never really believed in Odon's rules, so when a half-blood (Dorian) smiles at her, instead of reporting him, she meets him in the gardens after dark. He introduces her to a new way of life, and although scared of...more I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Oriana is a pure-blood, a Winglet and lives in the University, a place of white walls, structure and order. Everyone learns to follows Odon's rules, to stay quiet and focused. But Oriana is different, she has never really believed in Odon's rules, so when a half-blood (Dorian) smiles at her, instead of reporting him, she meets him in the gardens after dark. He introduces her to a new way of life, and although scared of breaking the rules, she feels a pull towards another life.
I got into this book really quickly, the structure sounds complicated with pure bloods, half bloods, part bloods, winglets and finlets, but it is well explained and easily structured so I had no problem keeping up.
The world of the university created a vivid image in my head, It was cold and scary and sent chills up my spine. The world of the Great Oak however was like coming home, again I could picture every branch, ladder and field along with the characters. It created the image of a beautiful fortress built within the trees that I would love to visit. It sounded so magical and I loved being swept away.
Oriana is a great character and I felt like I was going on the journey of discovery with her. She isn't the stuck up rebel, she isn't the little lost girl, she comes across as a real person, finding out who she is and growing as a person. She laughs, she cries, she feels lost and makes friends. She makes mistakes and fights for what she believes in, she is very well written and is very realistic.
I love Dorian, slightly mysterious at first but fiercely loyal. Complex, good looking, strong and smart, but prone to rash behaviour he also seems very 3D.
Azura is my favourite character - she is sassy, smart and not afraid to speak her mind. Hard to break the ice with, but once you're in, she looks out for you and sticks with you.
The story is fast paced, packed with action, but also deals with the background of the world and characters making it feel more believable.
At one point I thought the bad guy gave up a little too easily and I was disappointed, but then something else happened and the situation was explained more and I felt like it worked.
I'm glad I accepted this book and will be looking out for the next part.
A cross between Dystopian and Fantasy, this book will take your breath away.(less)

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Aug 25, 2011 Faye rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was immediately drawn to 'Oriana's Eyes' after being contacted by the author and reading the synopsis. I hadn't heard of it before but I'm glad to have had the chance to read it because I really liked it. Oriana's story, and everyone else in the world Simone has created, is sad and beautiful at the same time. There is so much raw emotion in 'Oriana's Eyes' and it leaves you thinking about it long after you finish reading.

'Oriana's Eyes' is the story of Oriana. She is a Winglet at the Universit...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Dawn Vanniman rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The world Oriana lives in only exists because one man, Odon, rescued them and divided them. There are two pure races: Winglets and Finlets. Winglets have blond hair, blue eyes and pale skin. Finlets have dark hair, dark eyes and dark complexions. There are part-bloods and are treated as second class citizens. Then there are half-bloods. They are an equal mix of the purebloods and aren't respected at all and are considered the...more

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Dec 15, 2011 Cassandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought the mythology behind Oriana’s Eyes was quite interesting and I enjoyed reading this novel. Oriana’s Eyes focuses on many difference issues that this world deals with such as racism. The story mainly focuses on two difference races the Winglets and Finlets. At first the man differences between them are there looks (light vs dark). I was absolutely shocked to find out the MAJOR difference between the two of them was more than looks. I really didn’t see that twist coming. I liked the char...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Deni's Inkberries rated it 5 of 5 stars

Oriana's Eyes is simply a fabulous story. I enjoyed every page of it, and read through it without pause!
The story was very well built, and original; it had me hooked! At first, it seems like a warming love story, but as you read further, you see that it's not only that, a thrilling plot awaits in these pages! Societies at stake, and the heroes just might be the villians, and the villians might just be only men. Each character is powerful in this story, having a unique air about them that makes y...more

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Apr 16, 2010 Carolina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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Oct 16, 2011 Maghon Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, fantasy, young-adult

Omg, I am first most thankful that I won a SIGNED copy from goodreads first reads, so THANK YOU to them and of course the author for for wonderful personal note inside!!!

Now, what a great book! I'm actually giving it 4.5 stars only because I was a little lost with the "bad guy" roles in the beginning, but by the middle and end of the book all is explained! I really enjoyed this one! It's quite different from most things I've read in these genres which I LOVE! some things just get so repetitive,...more

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Sep 08, 2011 Sandra (Rather Barefoot than Bookless) rated it 3 of 5 stars

My Thoughts:
This was a great read I must say!
Even though some pages where hard to get through and kind of slow, most of the book was an absolute pleasure to read. It was exciting and mostly fast paced with I love in books. Sometimes it was hard to picture the surroundings, for example the University. Maybe that´s just me.
The fantasy goes on and on and this was definitely something new.

I liked Oriana and I have nothing to complain about with her. She a was brave and likable character and I enjoy...more

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Sep 23, 2011 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this novel. I was confused in the beginning, because i didn't understand what was happening and what the history was of everything, but it explains all that through out the book so i understand why Celeste started the book out that way and agree that it was the best way to start the novel. After the confusion it gets really, really good and i found myself having tons of emotions towards this novel, which is what in my opinion makes a great novel, when the reader feels something. A...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Naj (Unputdownable Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

Celeste Simone has created and written a wonderful alternate universe with new races based on the water and the air creatures. In literal sense, people who have wings and can fly and people who have fins and can swim. The worlds become chaotic when the Winglets (people who fly) and the Finlets (people who can swim?) mix and mate and produce the all powerful Half-Blood, who are the ones who let their emotions take over and have the power to rule thousands. Love the fantasy!

In this story, Oriana i...more

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Jan 22, 2011 Briana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-personal-library, signed, great-lesser-known-books

Below is an excerpt from my review. To read my full, in-depth review of Oriana's Eyes go here: http://thebookpixie.blogspot.com/2010...

"When I first read the synopsis for Oriana's Eyes, I was immediately intrigued. I really wanted to and believed I would love this book. In the end, I found that I just liked it and thought it a bit flawed though still highly unique and promising....................

All in all, Oriana's Eyes did have it's flaws but it also had some outstanding qualities as well tha...more

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May 24, 2010 Amelia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: less-known, 2010, firstreads, fantasy, young-adult, own-a-copy, reviewed, blue, white, published-2010

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I won this book from a contest the author, Celeste Simone, did on her website. We exchanged several e-mails, so I feel like I know her a little more than I do most authors. That said, this is my honest opinion about her book.

Oriana lives in the University where everything around her is white, the walls, their clothes, books, etc. The students are expected to be perfect in all ways, especially if you are a pure-blood. That means no association with any part-blood or half-blood. Oriana happens to...more I won this book from a contest the author, Celeste Simone, did on her website. We exchanged several e-mails, so I feel like I know her a little more than I do most authors. That said, this is my honest opinion about her book.

Oriana lives in the University where everything around her is white, the walls, their clothes, books, etc. The students are expected to be perfect in all ways, especially if you are a pure-blood. That means no association with any part-blood or half-blood. Oriana happens to meet a young man, Dorian, who catches her attention, but the catch is that he is not a pure-blood. After a short time of getting to know each other, Oriana has decided to leave her life of perfectness, and sterility to accompany Dorian to the unknown world outside of the university. Of course it's not that easy to leave. She must be rescued first. Once she makes it to her new environment, she learns the true history of the world around her and must figure out her role in this new life.

Overall I liked this book. The story held my attention, and the characters were interesting. The villain was complex. I never liked him, but I did feel sorry for him. It was a fast, fun read that ended with a satisfying conclusion and a hint of more to come. You could read this as a stand alone and be happy with the ending. I am curious how the next two books are going to carry out the story. Learning more about Oriana and Dorian definitely interests me.

I did have a little bit of a struggle with the narrative when I first started the book. This book is told in first person stream of consciousness mode. I don't know if that is an actual term or not, but it fits the style. Somehow the words didn't flow for me at first. Luckily, the more I read, the more I got used to her style of writing. Every once in a while though, a sentence or description would pop out as a little unnatural. Usually when I read a book, I forget that I'm reading and get immersed in the world that has been created. This book, I never really forgot that I was reading the book. I hope that made sense. There were also a few points that didn't seem realistic. Oriana's immediate lovestruckness just after looking at Dorian seemed a bit fast. Especially how she was so smitten that she lost some of her normal functionality. I would have liked to see this development take just a little longer. There were a few other times where I questioned the plot just a little. These are all little nit picky things, but it bothered me a little and distracted me from my reading experience enough to make them worthy to mention.

I would recommend this book to others, especially if they're looking for a fast, fun read, filled with a little bit of suspense, romance and intrigue. I'm glad I had the chance to read it.(less)

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Apr 07, 2010 Pam rated it 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book. It struck a cord with me and I could relate to the main character. Once I picked it up, I didn't put it down until I had finished the book. I felt the author did a great job on the story line, she held my interest and I enjoyed the detail she put into her descriptions, especially of the wonderful tree in the story.
If you just want to jump into a book and be entertained, this is the book for you!

1 like · like · see review

Apr 30, 2010 Krissie is currently reading it

Shelves: first-reads, own

Mail, Others, time. I'm now rotating books I own, books from the library and Others, so though progress may be slow, it should also be steady.

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Sep 23, 2011 Read for your future! rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-fhs

Read Sarah's review at:
http://readforyourfuture.blogspot.com...

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Apr 25, 2010 Alexis Karpf rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was the best book I ever read. I only wish they would make it into a movie so more people could know the story.

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Jul 24, 2010 Melanie Lalonde rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned

A wonderful work of fantasy, i loved it! Though it threw me off guard with some unexpected twists and turns i really enjoyed it. I can't wait for the rest of the trilogy to find out how it ends.

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Sep 16, 2011 Celeste Simone rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

I probably shouldn't be rating my own book, but the president and his family probably voted for himself right? So it couldn't hurt...

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Apr 28, 2013 Nichole marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: seattle

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About Celeste Simone

So this is me, a nerdy girl trying to make her dreams a reality one step at a time. I own two cats (Gatsby and Zelda) and I like chatting about everything fantasy. I also happen to have an obsession with the supernatural too. (I'm a sucker for scary movies)
I read all kinds of fantasy and sci-fi. My favorite books are "The Book of Flying" and the Sevenwaters Trilogy. I grew up watching "Labrynth,"...more

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Quotes from Oriana's Eyes

“The bleached ceilings, walls, and floors gleam in perfection. Drained of color, wiped of contamination, forever untainted they exist; a cold reminder of my purity.” — 2 people liked it

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Oriana's Eyes (Great Oak Trilogy #1)

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