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The Keepers
Jess denies God. In his infinite wisdom, he’s taken everyone she’s ever loved. Moving to the French Quarter was a ploy to erase the guilt she felt for rebuking her faith. Perhaps, if she hadn’t met Justin, an angel preoccupied with getting back into God’s good graces, and drowning in his hatred for humanity, her plan would have worked.Justin’s general disdain for the human race makes him difficult to like, but some higher power has appointed him her keeper. Justin’s convinced he can mend her broken relationship with her maker, but in the process he learns a thing or two about his own humanity.Never mind falling in love, that’s not supposed to happen. In fact, it may even be forbidden. Jess just wants Justin to understand her plight, and he wants to protect her from a world she doesn’t know.If neither are equipped to save the other, then whose soul will live and whose will perish?
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2011
2 people are currently reading
404 people want to read
About the author
Monique O'Connor James
20 books222 followersMonique is the mother of two beautiful children and lives in a small community outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She currently works full time as an insurance agent, but her favorite jobs are mother, wife, and author. On her eighth birthday, her mother bought her a journal and said "write whatever you want, just write." And so, a love affair with words was born. She wrote poetry and short stories in high school and college, until 1993 when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. After her mother's death in 1998, Monique fell into a deep depression and found herself unable to write. Nine years passed, and only on rare occasion did she attempt to write with no luck. Finally, in 2007, under the urging of friends, she sat down and pecked out her first novel. It was raw and unpolished, but the process had been unquestionably cathartic. The next three years were spent filling her hard drive with seven complete manuscripts. At the beginning of 2011, Monique decided it was time to edit the work and share it with the world. She hopes you enjoy the ramblings of a deeply southern girl raised in a state rich with heritage and love.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 13, 2011
The Keepers, by Monique O’Connor James, is extraordinarily captivating. This beautiful story had me an emotional basket case! I was filled with angst, longing and elation. I found myself holding my breath, while my stomach tensed, as I waited to read what happened next. It is a story, many who’ve suffered with loss, can relate to. A story that you can get lost in. A story that lures you, from Chapter One, to the end.
The Keepers was written in third person. The flow of the story is impeccable. The author gives such vivid details in her debut paranormal romance novel and offers the reader, a story that will stick with them, for days. The reader can identify the compassion that the author put forth in her story.
Jess is a lost soul. She’s lost her faith in God and fled to New Orleans, to escape her many losses, back home. She’s seen the guardians, all her life, but she ignored them. Justin loathes humanity, but he is intrigued by Jess. He wants to protect her from the demons that try and claim her. Guardians are not supposed to fall in love with their guarded. Could he be the key, for Jess to restore her faith?
I was extremely sympathetic towards Jess. She’d suffered more loss than one person could handle. I longed for her and Justin to be together and found the humor in their bickering; they’d fought like an old married couple. Justin is definitely a character you could embrace yourself in to. What girl wouldn’t want to pet a HAWT angel’s wings? Vi, was my favorite character; she was full of exuberance and a blessing that Jess needed in her life. Rory, Justin’s brother possessed so much loyalty to his counterpart. Although I adored most of the cast, the villain in the story, was so real, I couldn’t help hating him!
I look forward to reading the second book in this series. I highly recommend this book for the young adult and adult. The Keepers will be marked on my “read list” as a favorite and will boast five stars!
The Keepers was written in third person. The flow of the story is impeccable. The author gives such vivid details in her debut paranormal romance novel and offers the reader, a story that will stick with them, for days. The reader can identify the compassion that the author put forth in her story.
Jess is a lost soul. She’s lost her faith in God and fled to New Orleans, to escape her many losses, back home. She’s seen the guardians, all her life, but she ignored them. Justin loathes humanity, but he is intrigued by Jess. He wants to protect her from the demons that try and claim her. Guardians are not supposed to fall in love with their guarded. Could he be the key, for Jess to restore her faith?
I was extremely sympathetic towards Jess. She’d suffered more loss than one person could handle. I longed for her and Justin to be together and found the humor in their bickering; they’d fought like an old married couple. Justin is definitely a character you could embrace yourself in to. What girl wouldn’t want to pet a HAWT angel’s wings? Vi, was my favorite character; she was full of exuberance and a blessing that Jess needed in her life. Rory, Justin’s brother possessed so much loyalty to his counterpart. Although I adored most of the cast, the villain in the story, was so real, I couldn’t help hating him!
I look forward to reading the second book in this series. I highly recommend this book for the young adult and adult. The Keepers will be marked on my “read list” as a favorite and will boast five stars!
July 14, 2011
Well I have never read any books on fallen angles so this was out of my reading zone but I have to say I am mad I did not read earlier! This book had me at the start and I could not put the book down till the end, took me one day to read and one day to fall in love with the story.The story, characters everything about the books pulls you in as soon as you read the fist chapter. I loved the writing and the way things tied together, I really fell for the love story and just how when u read each page you were just so excited to get to the next. The end is even more amazing as the start so make sure you pick this book up! This book is a must read, for the young and adults of all ages!
August 4, 2011
I recommend this novel to anyone open-minded to different religious views, as well as the paranormal world. It’s not a 'preachy' read, though based Christian views, but in a thoroughly unique and different kind of way. There’s also a good dose of your typical paranormal characters, you know, like demons, fallen angels, and the unexplainable...
The Keepers is a fun novel, in keeping with the popular paranormal fiction romance genre, yet author Monique O'Connor James has a bit of a different take on the matter. As a fellow-Christian woman, I was pleased and pleasantly surprised to find much of this story is based on God and the different views people have on religion.
Having been a Christian woman herself, Jess decides that God has forsaken her after she loses her mother who was also her best friend. This, after already losing her father. Upon the urging of her brother Jordan, Jess decides to move to New Orleans and stay in the family pad in an attempt to regroup after her mother's passing. To say the least, she has no clue what she's in for.
Thinking it a good idea to get out of the house, she goes to a local hangout for a night out. First, she meets and immediately befriends the peppy, beautiful Vi. Then, the ever-evasive Justin, who is nothing short of an anomaly to her. Attractive and sporting a 'bad-boy' edginess, Jess cannot stop thinking about him after she goes home that night. Yet, thanks to Vi, who kinda runs in the same circles as Justin, Jess ‘coincidentally’ starts running into him. Often.
Oddly protective of Jess, Justin is never too far from her whether she knows it or not. After a couple mysterious attempts on her life, she discovers that Justin isn't quite 'what' she thought. Hesitantly, she talks him into a rather ‘sketchy’ explanation. Once he indulges her, surprising them both, she's able to accept his 'differences'.
They end up in an unpredictable, and much of the time, impassioned relationship. Both being too stubborn, neither wanting to concede to the other's views on God, or on anything else, their relationship starts out as a rocky one, to be sure.
When a headstrong Jess finally concedes and allows an exasperating Justin to protect her, they realize they can't seem to stay apart from each other. And, lest we forget that 'someone-wants-to-kill-her' thing, which results in a provisional situation, and having to share close-quarters for the sake of her safety. Along the way, they discover many things about each other, and themselves. Not all bad, but not all good, either.
Every time Jess starts to believe maybe she wasn't forsaken, after all, another blows bowls her over. Only to remind her that God does not care about her, or anything in her life. Justin continually attempts to reason with her, convince her that God is real, and he does love and care about her.
The story goes from one emotion to another, their relationship goes from propitious to capricious, and back again, then taking everyone into a lively adventure later on. I enjoyed the dialogue throughout. The editing, in my opinion, was one the novel’s best attributes. Not too long, not too short, The Keepers is the perfect sized read.
This story explores and vividly displays a wonderful imagination on the author's part.
You’ll be pulling for Jess throughout the novel!
I look forward to reading more of Monique O'Connor James' works!
The Keepers is a fun novel, in keeping with the popular paranormal fiction romance genre, yet author Monique O'Connor James has a bit of a different take on the matter. As a fellow-Christian woman, I was pleased and pleasantly surprised to find much of this story is based on God and the different views people have on religion.
Having been a Christian woman herself, Jess decides that God has forsaken her after she loses her mother who was also her best friend. This, after already losing her father. Upon the urging of her brother Jordan, Jess decides to move to New Orleans and stay in the family pad in an attempt to regroup after her mother's passing. To say the least, she has no clue what she's in for.
Thinking it a good idea to get out of the house, she goes to a local hangout for a night out. First, she meets and immediately befriends the peppy, beautiful Vi. Then, the ever-evasive Justin, who is nothing short of an anomaly to her. Attractive and sporting a 'bad-boy' edginess, Jess cannot stop thinking about him after she goes home that night. Yet, thanks to Vi, who kinda runs in the same circles as Justin, Jess ‘coincidentally’ starts running into him. Often.
Oddly protective of Jess, Justin is never too far from her whether she knows it or not. After a couple mysterious attempts on her life, she discovers that Justin isn't quite 'what' she thought. Hesitantly, she talks him into a rather ‘sketchy’ explanation. Once he indulges her, surprising them both, she's able to accept his 'differences'.
They end up in an unpredictable, and much of the time, impassioned relationship. Both being too stubborn, neither wanting to concede to the other's views on God, or on anything else, their relationship starts out as a rocky one, to be sure.
When a headstrong Jess finally concedes and allows an exasperating Justin to protect her, they realize they can't seem to stay apart from each other. And, lest we forget that 'someone-wants-to-kill-her' thing, which results in a provisional situation, and having to share close-quarters for the sake of her safety. Along the way, they discover many things about each other, and themselves. Not all bad, but not all good, either.
Every time Jess starts to believe maybe she wasn't forsaken, after all, another blows bowls her over. Only to remind her that God does not care about her, or anything in her life. Justin continually attempts to reason with her, convince her that God is real, and he does love and care about her.
The story goes from one emotion to another, their relationship goes from propitious to capricious, and back again, then taking everyone into a lively adventure later on. I enjoyed the dialogue throughout. The editing, in my opinion, was one the novel’s best attributes. Not too long, not too short, The Keepers is the perfect sized read.
This story explores and vividly displays a wonderful imagination on the author's part.
You’ll be pulling for Jess throughout the novel!
I look forward to reading more of Monique O'Connor James' works!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2011
Monique O'Connor James Hea everybody Anne here with my review on The Keepers by Monique O'Connor James. I was given this book and allowed myself 2 weeks to read it, now obviously it didn't take me that long in fact I broke my record by reading it in 2 and a half days, and here is why..
Have you ever suffered a tragedy so great that it made you question your faith? Yes most have, this book has a gift for you, it can show you that things do have a reason for happening and even though it's heartbreaking and tragic, love and solace can be found in even the most unwilling of places.
Jess had already lost one parent, a memory she had as she stood looking at the casket of her mother. Now she was gone too with only one person left to hold onto Jess renounced God for all she had suffered in her life. Her brother forced he to New Orleans where he assured her things would get better, while he handled business back at home. Unwilling to see the bright side Jess runs into an unlikely friend that would start a change she never could have seen coming.
Justin was perfect, to perfect for the likes of a heartbroken girl who had given up everything, including her sanity she thought. While Jess struggles to pull out of her self pitying depression, a battle has erupted around her. A series of close calls and strange feelings leave Jess broken and bruised, all along her quarrel with Justin and his back and forth moods is leaving a mark on her self assurance. Justin and Jess become wrapped in a complex story of good and evil as well as soul searching rights and wrongs. Can good really win over evil or is it all a game of chance. Love is an unfaltering key in this book from character to character and beyond, they can never doubt what they have been given, because once you give up on love no matter how insignificant you think it is or it hurts to much to bear it, it's the glue for our world and beyond....
This book was amazing the descriptions and details were amazing and they pulled you into the story several times bringing tears to my eyes. I felt the plight of the characters and the twist at the end was so dramatic and unexpected that i had no choice but to stop and sigh. I give this book 5 out of 5 and i am eagerly waiting on the next installment...
Thank you Anne
Have you ever suffered a tragedy so great that it made you question your faith? Yes most have, this book has a gift for you, it can show you that things do have a reason for happening and even though it's heartbreaking and tragic, love and solace can be found in even the most unwilling of places.
Jess had already lost one parent, a memory she had as she stood looking at the casket of her mother. Now she was gone too with only one person left to hold onto Jess renounced God for all she had suffered in her life. Her brother forced he to New Orleans where he assured her things would get better, while he handled business back at home. Unwilling to see the bright side Jess runs into an unlikely friend that would start a change she never could have seen coming.
Justin was perfect, to perfect for the likes of a heartbroken girl who had given up everything, including her sanity she thought. While Jess struggles to pull out of her self pitying depression, a battle has erupted around her. A series of close calls and strange feelings leave Jess broken and bruised, all along her quarrel with Justin and his back and forth moods is leaving a mark on her self assurance. Justin and Jess become wrapped in a complex story of good and evil as well as soul searching rights and wrongs. Can good really win over evil or is it all a game of chance. Love is an unfaltering key in this book from character to character and beyond, they can never doubt what they have been given, because once you give up on love no matter how insignificant you think it is or it hurts to much to bear it, it's the glue for our world and beyond....
This book was amazing the descriptions and details were amazing and they pulled you into the story several times bringing tears to my eyes. I felt the plight of the characters and the twist at the end was so dramatic and unexpected that i had no choice but to stop and sigh. I give this book 5 out of 5 and i am eagerly waiting on the next installment...
Thank you Anne
August 14, 2011
*This ebook was given to me for an honest review.*
The Keepers by Monique O'Connor James was a FANTASTIC book. I had just put up my "contact me" page and a day later I had a request. You have no idea how excited I was. I was just nonchalantly reading my email while my friend,Megan, was over and I see I have a request. I seriously started screaming, which did scare Megan. ;) So.. not only was it my first request but it was an AWESOME book. Awesome all around.
From page one I was hooked. It starts with Jess at her mothers funeral. Jess had had so much hurt in her life, and so much death. I really felt her pain. I know how it is to lose a parent, so it was something her and I had in common. I felt a special "bond" with Jess because of her hurt. That's why Jess, out of a lot of YA characters, touched me the most.
Justin was one cute angel. If you look at my list on the right, you'll see I have already added him to my "swoon worthy boy characters list." He's quite the stubborn guy, I have to say. But he's well worth it. I love Jess and Justin's relationship with each other. They're always bickering, but at the end of the day they still love each other. I think that they are perfect for each other. <3
One thing that I think kind of threw me off was, three of the characters had their name start with, J. It confused me at the beginning of the book because I didn't know if Jess's brother's name was Jordan or Justin, but I did finally figure it out and all was well.
I definitely suggest you should get this book. It was a FANTABULOUS read. Yes, fantabulous. I love that word. Sometimes my stereotypical teenage girl needs to come out, okay?! Anyways, I highly recommend this book for paranormal romance lovers. It has all of the things I look for in a paranormal romance and then some. So, therefore, I give this book 5 out of 5 diva crowns. :)
The Keepers by Monique O'Connor James was a FANTASTIC book. I had just put up my "contact me" page and a day later I had a request. You have no idea how excited I was. I was just nonchalantly reading my email while my friend,Megan, was over and I see I have a request. I seriously started screaming, which did scare Megan. ;) So.. not only was it my first request but it was an AWESOME book. Awesome all around.
From page one I was hooked. It starts with Jess at her mothers funeral. Jess had had so much hurt in her life, and so much death. I really felt her pain. I know how it is to lose a parent, so it was something her and I had in common. I felt a special "bond" with Jess because of her hurt. That's why Jess, out of a lot of YA characters, touched me the most.
Justin was one cute angel. If you look at my list on the right, you'll see I have already added him to my "swoon worthy boy characters list." He's quite the stubborn guy, I have to say. But he's well worth it. I love Jess and Justin's relationship with each other. They're always bickering, but at the end of the day they still love each other. I think that they are perfect for each other. <3
One thing that I think kind of threw me off was, three of the characters had their name start with, J. It confused me at the beginning of the book because I didn't know if Jess's brother's name was Jordan or Justin, but I did finally figure it out and all was well.
I definitely suggest you should get this book. It was a FANTABULOUS read. Yes, fantabulous. I love that word. Sometimes my stereotypical teenage girl needs to come out, okay?! Anyways, I highly recommend this book for paranormal romance lovers. It has all of the things I look for in a paranormal romance and then some. So, therefore, I give this book 5 out of 5 diva crowns. :)
September 8, 2011
What can I say about this book? Well, for one I read this in one setting and I found myself thinking about issues in my life and wondered if I experienced what Jess experienced would I question my faith too.
A lot of people feel really uncomfortable when they read books about or touch on the topic of religion and to be honest I did at first too then I kept reading and some I could understand her anger and Justin's frustration in trying to help her.
At first I felt like Jess and wished Justin would understand her more, but then I had to keep reminding myself he had all this anger himself. There were parts where I wished Jess would grow up as well but she was being led by her emotions so in a way it was understandable.
A couple side characters I want to mention that I absolutely loved and almost more than the main ones and that is Rory and Vi. I loved what they added to the story. Vi, reminded me of my best friend, some of the things she did or said is exactly what my friend would have done and I had to laugh. Rory brought light to Justin's dark.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I like that it made me think, feel which is one or two things I look for a book. Would I recommend? Yes and I am looking forward to reading more by Monique in the future.
A lot of people feel really uncomfortable when they read books about or touch on the topic of religion and to be honest I did at first too then I kept reading and some I could understand her anger and Justin's frustration in trying to help her.
At first I felt like Jess and wished Justin would understand her more, but then I had to keep reminding myself he had all this anger himself. There were parts where I wished Jess would grow up as well but she was being led by her emotions so in a way it was understandable.
A couple side characters I want to mention that I absolutely loved and almost more than the main ones and that is Rory and Vi. I loved what they added to the story. Vi, reminded me of my best friend, some of the things she did or said is exactly what my friend would have done and I had to laugh. Rory brought light to Justin's dark.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I like that it made me think, feel which is one or two things I look for a book. Would I recommend? Yes and I am looking forward to reading more by Monique in the future.
September 14, 2011
3.5 star review. Originally posted at: http://www.handsandhome.ca/2011/09/th...
The Keepers was an interesting read for me. I really enjoyed the author’s take on angels, and the way they could, or would, interact with humans. Justin and his brothers seemed to share an incredibly interesting past and their connections really made the story for me. The author also did a fantastic job realistically portraying the main character’s struggle with her faith after suffering so much tragedy in her life. Her anger with God was apparent throughout the novel but there was also something, or someone, which kept pulling a small part of her back to her familiar religion. For those of you who stay away from religious books don’t let this turn you off, The Keepers was more about struggle against religion than finding it, and I would in no way consider it to be a “Christian” fiction. Religion certainly did play a part – we are talking about angels (and fallen angels) – but it wasn’t a book about religion if that makes sense.
Unfortunately it was difficult at times to follow the story because the writing felt choppy in places, especially when transitioning from one scene to another. I really enjoyed where the plot was going and think that that there is potential for a great series here, but I just don’t think that the story was delivered as well as it could have been.
As for characters Jess and Justin were the kind of characters that I love to hate. Jess was whiney and selfish and completely took advantage of the new friends that she had made. Justin was even worse, he was rude, careless and had no problem expressing at any point in time how disgusted he was with the human race in general. Their tumultuous relationship certainly did add some excitement to this book and I went back and forth between hating them and cheering them on. I also have to admit, it was nice to finally have a romance that took time to grow and develop instead of instantly being there.
I actually preferred the secondary characters in The Keepers; these were the characters that I felt I connected with the most – I was completely intrigued with Vi and Justin’s brothers deserved a swoon or two! There is so much left to be explored with all of the characters and I think that another book with a focus on them would make for a fantastic sequel!
The Keepers was based on a great idea, and it certainly held my attention from the first page. This book did have a few shining moments for me and I loved the darkness that James brought to the story by way of the brooding angel type. The Keepers was unlike anything that I have read lately and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a story full of emotional conflict, turbulent relationships and of course, dark, broody and fallen angels.
I received a copy of The Keepers from The Bookish Snob Productions (thank you!!!) in conjunction with the author’s blog tour. All opinions are my own.
The Keepers was an interesting read for me. I really enjoyed the author’s take on angels, and the way they could, or would, interact with humans. Justin and his brothers seemed to share an incredibly interesting past and their connections really made the story for me. The author also did a fantastic job realistically portraying the main character’s struggle with her faith after suffering so much tragedy in her life. Her anger with God was apparent throughout the novel but there was also something, or someone, which kept pulling a small part of her back to her familiar religion. For those of you who stay away from religious books don’t let this turn you off, The Keepers was more about struggle against religion than finding it, and I would in no way consider it to be a “Christian” fiction. Religion certainly did play a part – we are talking about angels (and fallen angels) – but it wasn’t a book about religion if that makes sense.
Unfortunately it was difficult at times to follow the story because the writing felt choppy in places, especially when transitioning from one scene to another. I really enjoyed where the plot was going and think that that there is potential for a great series here, but I just don’t think that the story was delivered as well as it could have been.
As for characters Jess and Justin were the kind of characters that I love to hate. Jess was whiney and selfish and completely took advantage of the new friends that she had made. Justin was even worse, he was rude, careless and had no problem expressing at any point in time how disgusted he was with the human race in general. Their tumultuous relationship certainly did add some excitement to this book and I went back and forth between hating them and cheering them on. I also have to admit, it was nice to finally have a romance that took time to grow and develop instead of instantly being there.
I actually preferred the secondary characters in The Keepers; these were the characters that I felt I connected with the most – I was completely intrigued with Vi and Justin’s brothers deserved a swoon or two! There is so much left to be explored with all of the characters and I think that another book with a focus on them would make for a fantastic sequel!
The Keepers was based on a great idea, and it certainly held my attention from the first page. This book did have a few shining moments for me and I loved the darkness that James brought to the story by way of the brooding angel type. The Keepers was unlike anything that I have read lately and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a story full of emotional conflict, turbulent relationships and of course, dark, broody and fallen angels.
I received a copy of The Keepers from The Bookish Snob Productions (thank you!!!) in conjunction with the author’s blog tour. All opinions are my own.
July 3, 2011
When I first saw this book was so based on religion, I was hesitant to read it. Not because I don't believe, just because I am not hardcore religious. I decided to give it a try because I had heard so many great things about the book. And that is one of the greatest things about it. This book focuses heavily on God, angels, good, evil, and all of that, but it isn't overwhelming at all. The religious aspect makes the book even more interesting and oddly calming, in a way.
The characters in this book are simply amazing. You have Jess, the girl that's broken and lost everything, and Justin, the angel that hates humans with a passion and doesn't like the situation he's stuck in. Watching the characters grow, especially Justin, was incredible. While Justin still doesn't like the human race at the end of the book, he has learned to love, to be jealous, and maybe even experience a slight amount of pain at the end. Dawson was a great evil character. Another brilliant thing about this book, is that the setting is almost a character itself. While Jess navigated the streets of New Orleans, I was deciding that I wanted to visit there myself. I loved and enjoyed reading about all the characters, even the minor ones. They are all loveable and I found a few similarities between me and Jess. I laughed at the begining where she has problems with her sandals. Been there, too.
Another thing that shocked me about this book is how much emotion the book evokes. I cried the last half of the book because Monique made Jess' pain very real. I've always believed that only a great book can make a person cry, and that is very true for this book. Amazingly, at the very end of the book, my tears ceased because the end left me with a satisfied feeling. I felt even better knowing that there will be a second book called The Watchers.
Everything a person loves about a book is in The Keepers: Romance (though it is different than other romances, in a good way though), action, a great plot that is original, a fantastic setting, loveable characters, beautiful writing (I enjoyed the bits of information Rory and Asher threw in)sexy angels, and a breath taking ending. Oh, yeah. It has a pretty cover too. What's not to love?
If this book is on your TBR pile, or if you've been thinking about getting it, get it now! You won't be disappointed!
*adds book to favorites shelf* Now, I want a signed copy!
The characters in this book are simply amazing. You have Jess, the girl that's broken and lost everything, and Justin, the angel that hates humans with a passion and doesn't like the situation he's stuck in. Watching the characters grow, especially Justin, was incredible. While Justin still doesn't like the human race at the end of the book, he has learned to love, to be jealous, and maybe even experience a slight amount of pain at the end. Dawson was a great evil character. Another brilliant thing about this book, is that the setting is almost a character itself. While Jess navigated the streets of New Orleans, I was deciding that I wanted to visit there myself. I loved and enjoyed reading about all the characters, even the minor ones. They are all loveable and I found a few similarities between me and Jess. I laughed at the begining where she has problems with her sandals. Been there, too.
Another thing that shocked me about this book is how much emotion the book evokes. I cried the last half of the book because Monique made Jess' pain very real. I've always believed that only a great book can make a person cry, and that is very true for this book. Amazingly, at the very end of the book, my tears ceased because the end left me with a satisfied feeling. I felt even better knowing that there will be a second book called The Watchers.
Everything a person loves about a book is in The Keepers: Romance (though it is different than other romances, in a good way though), action, a great plot that is original, a fantastic setting, loveable characters, beautiful writing (I enjoyed the bits of information Rory and Asher threw in)sexy angels, and a breath taking ending. Oh, yeah. It has a pretty cover too. What's not to love?
If this book is on your TBR pile, or if you've been thinking about getting it, get it now! You won't be disappointed!
*adds book to favorites shelf* Now, I want a signed copy!
July 20, 2011
Jess’s brother sends her home to their parents’ apartment in the French Quarter after their mother’s death. She promises to call him every day. But will New Orleans open Jess up to new experiences, or will it just imprison her in memories?
The New Orleans of Monique O’Connor James’ novel The Keepers is a lively city with night life, alcohol, neighbors and parades. Post-Katerina, its carefree personality has returned, and Jess quickly falls in with the amazing Vi while watching LSU play football on the TV screen in a bar. Every time Vi speaks, Jess hears the ghost of her mother’s accent while the reader drifts deeper into the smoky atmosphere.
Four brothers, svelte, muscular, and simply gorgeous, deal cards, adding excitement to the scene. And then there’s Jess's mother’s Bible but Jess isn’t going there anymore. God doesn’t help. He’s betrayed her. So she shuts his book in a drawer.
Maybe God’s real. Maybe he isn’t. The reader doesn’t have to share Jess’s belief or unbelief to enjoy her tale. One of the brothers proves delightfully drawn to her, and she to him. But there’s a beautiful restraint in their care for each other, watchful, protective, wary of boundaries—of which there are more than meet the eye.
Another stranger has fallen for Jess, and his desire is more immediate, more dangerous, and much less restrained. Soon Jess is embroiled in a battle of good and evil, never quite sure which side is which or where she really wants to stand. Temptation is palpable, and beautifully portrayed in a later scene where memories are dredged to yield the broken swords of guilt.
Occasionally wordy and introspective, this novel rides on a quick clever storyline, complex plot, great characters, neat imagination and evocative scenery. It draws the reader to question and take sides in a battle you’re never quite forced to believe in, while Jess runs through streets and cathedral in search of an ever-elusive safety, and the almost-invisible Keepers keep watch over her.
Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
The New Orleans of Monique O’Connor James’ novel The Keepers is a lively city with night life, alcohol, neighbors and parades. Post-Katerina, its carefree personality has returned, and Jess quickly falls in with the amazing Vi while watching LSU play football on the TV screen in a bar. Every time Vi speaks, Jess hears the ghost of her mother’s accent while the reader drifts deeper into the smoky atmosphere.
Four brothers, svelte, muscular, and simply gorgeous, deal cards, adding excitement to the scene. And then there’s Jess's mother’s Bible but Jess isn’t going there anymore. God doesn’t help. He’s betrayed her. So she shuts his book in a drawer.
Maybe God’s real. Maybe he isn’t. The reader doesn’t have to share Jess’s belief or unbelief to enjoy her tale. One of the brothers proves delightfully drawn to her, and she to him. But there’s a beautiful restraint in their care for each other, watchful, protective, wary of boundaries—of which there are more than meet the eye.
Another stranger has fallen for Jess, and his desire is more immediate, more dangerous, and much less restrained. Soon Jess is embroiled in a battle of good and evil, never quite sure which side is which or where she really wants to stand. Temptation is palpable, and beautifully portrayed in a later scene where memories are dredged to yield the broken swords of guilt.
Occasionally wordy and introspective, this novel rides on a quick clever storyline, complex plot, great characters, neat imagination and evocative scenery. It draws the reader to question and take sides in a battle you’re never quite forced to believe in, while Jess runs through streets and cathedral in search of an ever-elusive safety, and the almost-invisible Keepers keep watch over her.
Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2011
I won an Ecopy of this book at Young Readers! :D http://youngreadersathome.blogspot.com/
When I started reading The Keepers, it seemed to me it was going to be a nice book to spend my time with. Now, after reading it, I feel it was more than that. The Keepers is a book about dealing with loss, pain and faith.
The Keepers tells us about Jess, a girl who finds difficulties on believing in God after her mother's death. She decides to run away, leaving her reality behind her in order to find a safe place, where she shouldn't have to deal with her issues.
I loved the characters, every each. Every one of them has his own story and acts by his beliefs. Jordan, Jess' brother, was one of my favorites. I liked the relationship between him and Jess, how they seemed to take care of each other in addition to their own problems.
Usually I hate many descriptions but this time, in The Keepers, I loved the city's descriptions. I felt like I could be there with Jess and see everything through her eyes even though I haven't been to New Orleans before.
However, sometimes I felt like I don't know enough. Yeah, I love the mystery part and wish every book had it, but not about important stuffs. It took me forever to find out what was Jess' age, and it was like none was clear about her past. Has she worked before, studied? Not clear. What about her previous friends? I felt like she had no life besides her family before the book started.
The paranormal part couldn't be separated from the story, and I truly loved it. I had a little problem with Jess accepting right away to things but she made up for that describing her fears and her history.
This book is a process about finding a goal. Not only did Jess lose her faith in God but in the lives themselves. It seems she is about to find another direction in her life, one she hasn't expected for.
Published on my blog.
http://awriterinthebigworld.blogspot....
When I started reading The Keepers, it seemed to me it was going to be a nice book to spend my time with. Now, after reading it, I feel it was more than that. The Keepers is a book about dealing with loss, pain and faith.
The Keepers tells us about Jess, a girl who finds difficulties on believing in God after her mother's death. She decides to run away, leaving her reality behind her in order to find a safe place, where she shouldn't have to deal with her issues.
I loved the characters, every each. Every one of them has his own story and acts by his beliefs. Jordan, Jess' brother, was one of my favorites. I liked the relationship between him and Jess, how they seemed to take care of each other in addition to their own problems.
Usually I hate many descriptions but this time, in The Keepers, I loved the city's descriptions. I felt like I could be there with Jess and see everything through her eyes even though I haven't been to New Orleans before.
However, sometimes I felt like I don't know enough. Yeah, I love the mystery part and wish every book had it, but not about important stuffs. It took me forever to find out what was Jess' age, and it was like none was clear about her past. Has she worked before, studied? Not clear. What about her previous friends? I felt like she had no life besides her family before the book started.
The paranormal part couldn't be separated from the story, and I truly loved it. I had a little problem with Jess accepting right away to things but she made up for that describing her fears and her history.
This book is a process about finding a goal. Not only did Jess lose her faith in God but in the lives themselves. It seems she is about to find another direction in her life, one she hasn't expected for.
Published on my blog.
http://awriterinthebigworld.blogspot....
September 18, 2011
There was something different about this book which I liked. I did struggle with it at first with it all about God and being faithful to him, but as I continued to read I realised there was more to the book than I first thought.
The book really held me towards the end as I could sense something was going to happen that was going to be life changing, epically for Jess.
The story was about Jess who lost her mother, her father had died a while ago and it was just her and her brother, Jordan left. She decides to leave her family home and her brother Jordan behind to try and start a new life.
Throughout the book Jess faces demons and meets her guardian angels, while she battles with her belief in God every day.
Jess ran into may problems during the story. Dawson, a fallen Angel wanted her dead and had tried to kill her on several occasions throughout the book. Justin, another angel, was Jess’s protector from Dawson and also a fallen angel but not evil and not as fallen as Dawson was.
Vi was my favourite character throughout the book. She was an interesting character, she had her secrets and her personality was strikingly different from Jess. Vi seemed to be a wild girl, but one that had responsibilities and one who seemed to try too hard when she was around Jess by cooking and cleaning for her.
I could relate to Jess the most as I could feel what she was going through with her battle of faith. Jess was the sort of character that anyone could relate to because people struggle with faith and the idea of God every day.
Rory and Justin had the standout relationship for me because of their closeness and the fact that they needed each other. I got the sense that they were like soul mates and yet they were brothers.
Once I finished this book I felt a new surge of hope in me. This book made me see anyone can be forgiven for their past actions and that friends are very important in life no matter if they are human or in angel form.
The book really held me towards the end as I could sense something was going to happen that was going to be life changing, epically for Jess.
The story was about Jess who lost her mother, her father had died a while ago and it was just her and her brother, Jordan left. She decides to leave her family home and her brother Jordan behind to try and start a new life.
Throughout the book Jess faces demons and meets her guardian angels, while she battles with her belief in God every day.
Jess ran into may problems during the story. Dawson, a fallen Angel wanted her dead and had tried to kill her on several occasions throughout the book. Justin, another angel, was Jess’s protector from Dawson and also a fallen angel but not evil and not as fallen as Dawson was.
Vi was my favourite character throughout the book. She was an interesting character, she had her secrets and her personality was strikingly different from Jess. Vi seemed to be a wild girl, but one that had responsibilities and one who seemed to try too hard when she was around Jess by cooking and cleaning for her.
I could relate to Jess the most as I could feel what she was going through with her battle of faith. Jess was the sort of character that anyone could relate to because people struggle with faith and the idea of God every day.
Rory and Justin had the standout relationship for me because of their closeness and the fact that they needed each other. I got the sense that they were like soul mates and yet they were brothers.
Once I finished this book I felt a new surge of hope in me. This book made me see anyone can be forgiven for their past actions and that friends are very important in life no matter if they are human or in angel form.
September 7, 2011
This book really starts out with a dark, sombre tone, that for me stayed for throughout the book. But not in a depressing way lol more of a suck-you-in way! I loved it! It's dark, passionate and emotional.
I admit at first, I was a bit worried about reading the book because I knew there was some religion in it, whilst I of course have nothing against religion, it's just not for me for reading material, but the book doesn't feel 'preechy' at all, it's more about Jess, her loss of faith and her struggle to find it whilst ironically falling for an angel - a hot, brooding angel by the way.
I really enjoyed the romance between Jess and Justin, it wasn't your typical fall-in-love-after-five-minutes romance, but had a very believable love-hate start that developed into love, it was heated and passionate and I felt the characters challenged each other constantly. Justin was a very interesting, complex character, the only part that I felt didn't make sense was something Jess discovers about his past, but I can't say because that of course would be a spoiler.
Though would've preferred a little more action this book was great, the story was interesting and different and it's beautifully written. The ending defintitely left me wanting more and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!
I admit at first, I was a bit worried about reading the book because I knew there was some religion in it, whilst I of course have nothing against religion, it's just not for me for reading material, but the book doesn't feel 'preechy' at all, it's more about Jess, her loss of faith and her struggle to find it whilst ironically falling for an angel - a hot, brooding angel by the way.
I really enjoyed the romance between Jess and Justin, it wasn't your typical fall-in-love-after-five-minutes romance, but had a very believable love-hate start that developed into love, it was heated and passionate and I felt the characters challenged each other constantly. Justin was a very interesting, complex character, the only part that I felt didn't make sense was something Jess discovers about his past, but I can't say because that of course would be a spoiler.
Though would've preferred a little more action this book was great, the story was interesting and different and it's beautifully written. The ending defintitely left me wanting more and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!
September 12, 2011
This was a wonderful thought provoking book. Jess, who has gone through more tragedy in her life than anyone could bear, loses her faith in God. Ironically, she falls for Justin – an angel trying to protect her. It's quite the interesting relationship because Justin doesn't really even like humans, and he has trouble understanding human emotions. Jess has gone through so much, and the man she falls for can't even empathize with her.
Justin is a love/hate kind of guy – one minute you love him, the next you hate him. He can be such a jerk sometimes but at other times you can't help but like him. As he gets more attached to Jess, some of her human emotions rub off on him. It's interesting to see their relationship progress – they can't go a day without arguing because they see things differently.
I really liked all the characters in this book. Rory and Vi were a couple of my favorites and I would like to see books about their stories one of these days. I definitely want to read more about Jess and Justin though. I can really relate to Jess and her issues with God. I'm not a religious person at all, but I do still love to read about angels. This is a nice paranormal romance that I would recommend to readers of any age.
Justin is a love/hate kind of guy – one minute you love him, the next you hate him. He can be such a jerk sometimes but at other times you can't help but like him. As he gets more attached to Jess, some of her human emotions rub off on him. It's interesting to see their relationship progress – they can't go a day without arguing because they see things differently.
I really liked all the characters in this book. Rory and Vi were a couple of my favorites and I would like to see books about their stories one of these days. I definitely want to read more about Jess and Justin though. I can really relate to Jess and her issues with God. I'm not a religious person at all, but I do still love to read about angels. This is a nice paranormal romance that I would recommend to readers of any age.
August 10, 2011
I absolutely LOVED this book! And the cover...wow!!
I was so happy when I was given the chance to review this book. I've read quite a few books about angels but nothing like this. This story is very unique in it's own way, and one that'll stick with you.
I was completely pulled in from the beginning and it was so hard to put down. A book about God, faith, angels, tragedy, heartbreak, danger, good & evil. With amazing and exciting characters, who will have you laughing, crying, in disbelief and maybe throw in a little anger. *winks* a truely awe inspiring read. I'm not a very religious person but with this book I found that it wasn't too much, I really enjoyed every aspect of it in the story.
The ending will have you wanting more and will leave you with a smile. I'd recommend this book to everyone that's open for a different experience in Paranormal.
Thank you Monique for your amazing story and I hope to read more about Jess and Justin soon.
I was so happy when I was given the chance to review this book. I've read quite a few books about angels but nothing like this. This story is very unique in it's own way, and one that'll stick with you.
I was completely pulled in from the beginning and it was so hard to put down. A book about God, faith, angels, tragedy, heartbreak, danger, good & evil. With amazing and exciting characters, who will have you laughing, crying, in disbelief and maybe throw in a little anger. *winks* a truely awe inspiring read. I'm not a very religious person but with this book I found that it wasn't too much, I really enjoyed every aspect of it in the story.
The ending will have you wanting more and will leave you with a smile. I'd recommend this book to everyone that's open for a different experience in Paranormal.
Thank you Monique for your amazing story and I hope to read more about Jess and Justin soon.
July 9, 2011
If you have not picked up The Keepers written by Monique O'Connor James and you like PNR I strongly suggest that you do so. Her novel focuses on two characters that are worlds apart in their thinking and existence. A human who is angry at God and an Angel who hates humans. If that were not enough they have to deal with evil elements that are determined to keep them apart.
Monique has the ability to make her characters feel real not one dimensional. They all have a personality with quirks that can make you care for them. Even some of the supporting characters have elements of realism you can enjoy.
Monique does not overuse the paranormal, but relies on the interaction of her protagonists and antagonists to drive the story forward. The Keeprs can be bought from Astraea Press or Amazon. Even if you are a guy and Leary of reading PNR than this book would be a good place to start.
Monique has the ability to make her characters feel real not one dimensional. They all have a personality with quirks that can make you care for them. Even some of the supporting characters have elements of realism you can enjoy.
Monique does not overuse the paranormal, but relies on the interaction of her protagonists and antagonists to drive the story forward. The Keeprs can be bought from Astraea Press or Amazon. Even if you are a guy and Leary of reading PNR than this book would be a good place to start.
August 1, 2011
New Orleans is often the setting for vampires and things that go bump in the night, but this time the city is populated by angels - both fallen and guardian. The author is familiar with the city which means that the reader can travel around it and the French Quarter along with the characters. This is part of the joy of this book.
I read in the introduction that the author unfortunately lost her beloved mother. As I was reading about the main character Jess's angst and grief at the loss of her own "best friend", her mother, I was touched by the obvious connection. Ms James beautifully portrays how a person can be swamped in self-pity after such a traumatic experience.
(See rest of review at The WM Review Connection )
I read in the introduction that the author unfortunately lost her beloved mother. As I was reading about the main character Jess's angst and grief at the loss of her own "best friend", her mother, I was touched by the obvious connection. Ms James beautifully portrays how a person can be swamped in self-pity after such a traumatic experience.
(See rest of review at The WM Review Connection )
May 16, 2012
The Keepers sucked me right in. I'd had this on my list for a while and I was so excited to meet this author at a book signing and snatch up my copy before they were all gone.
My favorite part of this book was when Jess was able to get a glimpse of her mother in heaven. Seeing her happy and reading a book was so touching and made me think. If we were granted books to read in heaven, what would it be? For me, I pictured my grandmother finally getting to read my first published novel. To be able to share something I know she had such a heavenly part in would be amazing. I almost cried when she captured such a beautiful image. Not only did Monique capture how someone would feel if they saw their loved one, she also captured the down side to letting go and the heartache that follows.
My favorite part of this book was when Jess was able to get a glimpse of her mother in heaven. Seeing her happy and reading a book was so touching and made me think. If we were granted books to read in heaven, what would it be? For me, I pictured my grandmother finally getting to read my first published novel. To be able to share something I know she had such a heavenly part in would be amazing. I almost cried when she captured such a beautiful image. Not only did Monique capture how someone would feel if they saw their loved one, she also captured the down side to letting go and the heartache that follows.
February 20, 2013
I won an e-copy of this in a contest. What a prize it is too! I can relate to Jess' character on a very personal level, one which made me cry within the first few pages... just the way the scenes were portrayed--so beautifully--opened up the floodgates.
There are some awesome characters within. Some I adore, some tick me off, and others I detest. I adore Justin... even though he has fallen, he isn't evil.
The way the author describes the scenes are crisp and clean, making this a journey of self-discovery that packs a punch. The twists and turns are amazing, mysterious,tragic, and unexpected. I Love this storyline too.
I recommend this to anyone who likes a powerful read about good -vs- evil. Go get ya some!
5 out of 5 Hearts
Lovetiggi's Book Reviews
There are some awesome characters within. Some I adore, some tick me off, and others I detest. I adore Justin... even though he has fallen, he isn't evil.
The way the author describes the scenes are crisp and clean, making this a journey of self-discovery that packs a punch. The twists and turns are amazing, mysterious,tragic, and unexpected. I Love this storyline too.
I recommend this to anyone who likes a powerful read about good -vs- evil. Go get ya some!
5 out of 5 Hearts
Lovetiggi's Book Reviews
July 9, 2011
Loved The Keepers !!!! Will post a review soon ;;) Such a fantastic unique story... a different concept for the angels... But i loved it !!! Paranormal angels and romance blended to quicken the heart beat with every page.. Elements of God - but I found this refreshing and somewhat inspiring.. Background info was great and all characters well placed and put foward. Smooth flowing dialogue and enough suspense, and romance to keep your interest piqued throughout ! A definate must read or to add to your tbr pile..
4 1/2 stars ;)
4 1/2 stars ;)
February 19, 2013
Well, this book is absolutely amazing, i picked it up and could not put it down, the way the angels are depicted in this story is not necessarily how you would believe them to be, but the good vs evil plot is absolutely amazing, Ms. James write's from her heart in this book and i personally could feel that, i could also identify with the main character Jess in this book, some find her whiny, i found her dealing with a lot in a short time. Absolutely recommend this to anyone...
January 7, 2012
Fantastic! Twi-hards, this is a read for you!
August 19, 2011
This book was great.
August 16, 2011
So happy this is a sequel!!!! Can't wait for the next in the series, nor can I wait to read the next one by this author.
July 13, 2011
great book..hoping there is more!
September 14, 2011
Review to come.
December 14, 2011
This review first appeared at my blog, Bea's Book Nook, http://beasbooknook.blogspot.com/2011...
Where to start? This review is difficult because, to be blunt, I just didn't like the book. Several times I came close to making this review a DNF - Did Not Finish. There were several factors - a glacially slow pace, irritating characters, and extremely poor proof reading and copy editing. Regular readers of the blog know that the latter item is a huge pet peeve of mine and it can impact my enjoyment of a story. I did finish the book, but it was a struggle.
I'll start with the slow pace. The book opens at a funeral, where we meet Jess, one of the main characters, and her brother Jordan. Their mother has died and Jess is a mess. After the funeral, she heads to New Orleans, where her parents, now both dead, had an apartment that they used for vacations. Jess ruminates on how much she hates God because he took her mother away from her. Then she goes to a bar, instantly becomes best buddies with a woman she's never seen before and is attracted to a group of guys, one in particular, who go out of their way to ignore her. There's an altercation between one of the guys and another man who walks up to their group (he is another key character in the book, it turns out). Then the woman, Vi, invites Jess, to join her the next night at a casino where the guys work. Doesn't sound slow, does it? Sadly, the pace dies. Jess meets, flirts, and fights with one of the guys, Justin, for the next 40% of the book. Oh there's the occasional bit of forward movement - the lone guy from the bar, Dawson, tries to run her down, Vi and Jess take a road trip, but most of the first half of the book, and much of the latter half, is Jess and Justin fighting, flirting, sulking, etc. We don't even find out that Justin is an angel until about a third of the way into the book. Oh, there are a few hints here and there but if I hadn't read the book cover, the hints would have had me thinking he was some sort of vampire. I kept wondering why Jess was so special that she had so many angels watching over her (Justin is only one); turns out the reason is nothing earth-shattering and was, in fact, anti climactic. Although, maybe if Justin, via the author, hadn't made such a fuss about how special Jess was and how important it was to keep her safe, I might not have been so disappointed. But, it was a big buildup with little payoff. The action picks up toward the end of the book but by then I just didn't care.
Now, the irritating characters. Sadly, those would be the main characters, Jess and Justin. Jess is naive, impulsive, and careless. Still, she could have been likable if she weren't also whiny, rude, and thoughtless. Justin is even ruder (these angels are not at all cherubic or angelic), more thoughtless, and has no use for humanity.
"The piece of furniture was so representative of human decadence he found it nauseating, yet it was his favorite place to ruminate on all that irritated him about man's existence."
"but if you’re asking me if I still hate humans, if I still think they’re an ungrateful stench clinging to the beauty God has created, then yes, sometimes I do.”
That last quote, I admit, is quite descriptive and evocative. The thing that really irritated me about him was his constant harping on how stupid Jess is. The problem was, most of the time, it wasn't borne out by the story. She does do one careless thing near the beginning, walking home alone from a bar in the wee hours of the morning, which is when Dawson tries to run her down, but that one action on her part is seemingly enough to condemn her in Justin's eyes. At one point he thinks to himself:
"Did she really not believe he could protect her from the demon?"
There are several problems with this statement - Jess doesn't know about the demon, she doesn't even know that demons exist, she doesn't yet know that anyone wants her dead, and she doesn't yet know Justin is an angel. But, this is typical of Justin's thinking.
Jess often acts much younger than her twenty-four years, though she does admit one point that her mother spoiled her. Vi, the woman she met at the bar, shows up at her apartment the next door and promptly takes over running Jess's life - cooking, cleaning, taking her clothes shopping, etc. Jess does, once or twice, think about how nice it is that Vi does all this, but she doesn't say it nor does she thank her or ever do her fair share.
"Without complaint, her roommate kept the place sparkling and never pointed out what a slacker Jess could be."
I did like this thought that Jess had about Vi -
"...she did make an excellent sister. She worked on Jess like her favorite pet project,..."
That statement nicely sums up their relationship.Vi is seemingly content to care for Jess and doesn't really seem to have a life of her own. However, there is more to Vi than meets the eye (hee, I made a rhyme) and I was pleased to find that my guess about her wasn't too far off of the mark. I did have trouble believing just how quickly they bonded, it never felt real; once the truth about Vi is revealed, then it makes more sense. That said, Vi was easily the most likable person in the book. I would have liked more of her.
Finally, and what really got me, was the lack of proof reading and copy editing. While reading this, I made over 200 notes and highlights, and most were related to the shoddy proofing and editing. There were many, many other examples that I just didn't bother to highlight or note. I'll cite a few examples, some were just annoying while others made for more difficult reading.
"Jess repositioned pain contorting her face."
"Her mother was stroked her face, alight with the look of adoration only a mom could give."
"She had to be imaging his inability to control his strength."
"He bowed leveling with her, his eyes, which were usually in perpetual motion, were stone. (I shared this one, along with several others, on facebook and it provoked quite a reaction. I wasn't the only one bothered by it.)"
"“Awe come on, man.""
There are many, many, many more such examples.
James tried to write a story about God (the Christian God) and humanity's relationship with him. Humans do doubt God; we doubt his existence, we question his motives and his actions,we doubt his love for us, we turn our backs on him. In the story, Jess is angry with God for taking away her mother, her father, and her sister. She hates him and fights Justin as he tries, in his own, "I hate humans and I'm jealous of them", twisted way, to help her find her way back to God. But Justin is so annoying and irritating, Jess is such a whiner, that I, for one, couldn't buy into the message.
There's also a sub-plot with a romance between Jess and Justin and that wasn't particularly believable either.
If you want a love story, a story about angels in the modern day world, or a story with a positive message about God's love, almost any other book will be better. However, as annoying as Justin was, I did like James' version of angels. It's different, has a solid base in Christian theology and mythology and I respect her for not making her angels all cute and sweet. She took a chance and you have to admire that.
ETA 8/14/11: Ms. James put a post on her blog announcing that she is temporarily pulling the book from vendors so that she she and her publisher can go through and fix the typos, grammatical errors, and other copy editing issues. After it's fixed, it will be re-released. Kudos to Ms. James and her publisher for doing this. It shows respect to the buyers and readers and can only improve the book. Good for you Ms. James.
Where to start? This review is difficult because, to be blunt, I just didn't like the book. Several times I came close to making this review a DNF - Did Not Finish. There were several factors - a glacially slow pace, irritating characters, and extremely poor proof reading and copy editing. Regular readers of the blog know that the latter item is a huge pet peeve of mine and it can impact my enjoyment of a story. I did finish the book, but it was a struggle.
I'll start with the slow pace. The book opens at a funeral, where we meet Jess, one of the main characters, and her brother Jordan. Their mother has died and Jess is a mess. After the funeral, she heads to New Orleans, where her parents, now both dead, had an apartment that they used for vacations. Jess ruminates on how much she hates God because he took her mother away from her. Then she goes to a bar, instantly becomes best buddies with a woman she's never seen before and is attracted to a group of guys, one in particular, who go out of their way to ignore her. There's an altercation between one of the guys and another man who walks up to their group (he is another key character in the book, it turns out). Then the woman, Vi, invites Jess, to join her the next night at a casino where the guys work. Doesn't sound slow, does it? Sadly, the pace dies. Jess meets, flirts, and fights with one of the guys, Justin, for the next 40% of the book. Oh there's the occasional bit of forward movement - the lone guy from the bar, Dawson, tries to run her down, Vi and Jess take a road trip, but most of the first half of the book, and much of the latter half, is Jess and Justin fighting, flirting, sulking, etc. We don't even find out that Justin is an angel until about a third of the way into the book. Oh, there are a few hints here and there but if I hadn't read the book cover, the hints would have had me thinking he was some sort of vampire. I kept wondering why Jess was so special that she had so many angels watching over her (Justin is only one); turns out the reason is nothing earth-shattering and was, in fact, anti climactic. Although, maybe if Justin, via the author, hadn't made such a fuss about how special Jess was and how important it was to keep her safe, I might not have been so disappointed. But, it was a big buildup with little payoff. The action picks up toward the end of the book but by then I just didn't care.
Now, the irritating characters. Sadly, those would be the main characters, Jess and Justin. Jess is naive, impulsive, and careless. Still, she could have been likable if she weren't also whiny, rude, and thoughtless. Justin is even ruder (these angels are not at all cherubic or angelic), more thoughtless, and has no use for humanity.
"The piece of furniture was so representative of human decadence he found it nauseating, yet it was his favorite place to ruminate on all that irritated him about man's existence."
"but if you’re asking me if I still hate humans, if I still think they’re an ungrateful stench clinging to the beauty God has created, then yes, sometimes I do.”
That last quote, I admit, is quite descriptive and evocative. The thing that really irritated me about him was his constant harping on how stupid Jess is. The problem was, most of the time, it wasn't borne out by the story. She does do one careless thing near the beginning, walking home alone from a bar in the wee hours of the morning, which is when Dawson tries to run her down, but that one action on her part is seemingly enough to condemn her in Justin's eyes. At one point he thinks to himself:
"Did she really not believe he could protect her from the demon?"
There are several problems with this statement - Jess doesn't know about the demon, she doesn't even know that demons exist, she doesn't yet know that anyone wants her dead, and she doesn't yet know Justin is an angel. But, this is typical of Justin's thinking.
Jess often acts much younger than her twenty-four years, though she does admit one point that her mother spoiled her. Vi, the woman she met at the bar, shows up at her apartment the next door and promptly takes over running Jess's life - cooking, cleaning, taking her clothes shopping, etc. Jess does, once or twice, think about how nice it is that Vi does all this, but she doesn't say it nor does she thank her or ever do her fair share.
"Without complaint, her roommate kept the place sparkling and never pointed out what a slacker Jess could be."
I did like this thought that Jess had about Vi -
"...she did make an excellent sister. She worked on Jess like her favorite pet project,..."
That statement nicely sums up their relationship.Vi is seemingly content to care for Jess and doesn't really seem to have a life of her own. However, there is more to Vi than meets the eye (hee, I made a rhyme) and I was pleased to find that my guess about her wasn't too far off of the mark. I did have trouble believing just how quickly they bonded, it never felt real; once the truth about Vi is revealed, then it makes more sense. That said, Vi was easily the most likable person in the book. I would have liked more of her.
Finally, and what really got me, was the lack of proof reading and copy editing. While reading this, I made over 200 notes and highlights, and most were related to the shoddy proofing and editing. There were many, many other examples that I just didn't bother to highlight or note. I'll cite a few examples, some were just annoying while others made for more difficult reading.
"Jess repositioned pain contorting her face."
"Her mother was stroked her face, alight with the look of adoration only a mom could give."
"She had to be imaging his inability to control his strength."
"He bowed leveling with her, his eyes, which were usually in perpetual motion, were stone. (I shared this one, along with several others, on facebook and it provoked quite a reaction. I wasn't the only one bothered by it.)"
"“Awe come on, man.""
There are many, many, many more such examples.
James tried to write a story about God (the Christian God) and humanity's relationship with him. Humans do doubt God; we doubt his existence, we question his motives and his actions,we doubt his love for us, we turn our backs on him. In the story, Jess is angry with God for taking away her mother, her father, and her sister. She hates him and fights Justin as he tries, in his own, "I hate humans and I'm jealous of them", twisted way, to help her find her way back to God. But Justin is so annoying and irritating, Jess is such a whiner, that I, for one, couldn't buy into the message.
There's also a sub-plot with a romance between Jess and Justin and that wasn't particularly believable either.
If you want a love story, a story about angels in the modern day world, or a story with a positive message about God's love, almost any other book will be better. However, as annoying as Justin was, I did like James' version of angels. It's different, has a solid base in Christian theology and mythology and I respect her for not making her angels all cute and sweet. She took a chance and you have to admire that.
ETA 8/14/11: Ms. James put a post on her blog announcing that she is temporarily pulling the book from vendors so that she she and her publisher can go through and fix the typos, grammatical errors, and other copy editing issues. After it's fixed, it will be re-released. Kudos to Ms. James and her publisher for doing this. It shows respect to the buyers and readers and can only improve the book. Good for you Ms. James.
August 4, 2011
I had the opportunity to read this book as part of a blog tour. The synopsis made the book sound very interesting. I found that overall, this was a pretty good book. The characters were likable, and I liked the idea behind the plot. Plus, I'm a sucker for a New Orleans setting.
There were a few things that bothered me while reading. For starters, the main characters were lacking "something." I flip-flopped between believing their romance to doubting the actual pull. I guess I didn't fully buy into the angle-human love affair. I liked Justin and Jess well enough as characters, but something didn't click. Honestly, I think the romantic aspect of their relationship happened too suddenly for me. A little more cat and mouse would have made it more believable. Then there was Dawson. He's the horrific demon figure in the book, but he didn't come off that way during the most critical part of the story. He seemed mean enough, but not demonic. I had a hard time believing his role as well. In the beginning he was present often, which made sense; but then he went missing for a good chunk of the book. When he did reappear, it felt random and out of place. All of the characters had a lot of potential, but they fell a little flat.
The majority of the plot was well paced, but there were parts that lagged a bit much for my liking. A great deal of detail went in to building Jess's background, which I liked. It gave her a nice angle. Unfortunately, I don't know if as much detail went into the other characters or aspects of the plot. Jess had a brother. He played a huge role in her life, but he had a tiny role in the book. That didn't seem right. When Dawson and his minions attack Jordan (the brother), it was completely out of left field. There was little warning or justification for that action. I get how it relates to the overall plot of the book, but Jordan should have had a more prominent role in the story if his character was going to be so important. He seemed like an afterthought. Then there is Vi, the gorgeous redhead that befriends Jess. She drops a pretty big secret on Jess, but there is no resolution. Vi has a serious choice to make-- and I really thought something would come of it-- but nothing ever happened. Very disappointing.
I think the ending is my biggest complaint. It was rushed. Two-thirds of the book built up a cataclysmic fight scene that only took two pages to describe. I couldn't believe it. The bad guys were overthrown without much of a fight. When I was reading those pages I couldn't help but wonder if the author felt like the book was getting too long, so she just quickly ended it. I hope that's not the case, but it did feel that way. There was an unexpected twist with Jess at the end, but I don't think it fits into the story. It's a nice happy ending of sorts, but again, it felt out of place. The ending as a whole leaves a lot of questions unanswered. I like my books to end in a nice little well wrapped package. Maybe the questions are left unanswered because there is another book coming? I could buy that. I would probably read the next book (if there is one) to see how the story carries on.
Overall, it's a nice story. The idea behind it is a good one, and I did enjoy the read. The plot wasn't the tightest, but it was sufficient. I would probably list this one under "beach reading" because it's a quick read. It's not a light and fluffy read, however, so don't get confused. The main character-Jess- has to deal with a lot of pain and death. Her suffering was probably one of the best written details of the book. (I hate that the author knows personally about the loss of a mother to be able to capture that emotion.) My eyes did get a little misty at times from Jess's memories. They felt very real. As I said, it's a good book worth giving a try. Anyone that is brave enough to write a book and put it out there for review deserves the chance to have their story shared. I would share this story with someone.
There were a few things that bothered me while reading. For starters, the main characters were lacking "something." I flip-flopped between believing their romance to doubting the actual pull. I guess I didn't fully buy into the angle-human love affair. I liked Justin and Jess well enough as characters, but something didn't click. Honestly, I think the romantic aspect of their relationship happened too suddenly for me. A little more cat and mouse would have made it more believable. Then there was Dawson. He's the horrific demon figure in the book, but he didn't come off that way during the most critical part of the story. He seemed mean enough, but not demonic. I had a hard time believing his role as well. In the beginning he was present often, which made sense; but then he went missing for a good chunk of the book. When he did reappear, it felt random and out of place. All of the characters had a lot of potential, but they fell a little flat.
The majority of the plot was well paced, but there were parts that lagged a bit much for my liking. A great deal of detail went in to building Jess's background, which I liked. It gave her a nice angle. Unfortunately, I don't know if as much detail went into the other characters or aspects of the plot. Jess had a brother. He played a huge role in her life, but he had a tiny role in the book. That didn't seem right. When Dawson and his minions attack Jordan (the brother), it was completely out of left field. There was little warning or justification for that action. I get how it relates to the overall plot of the book, but Jordan should have had a more prominent role in the story if his character was going to be so important. He seemed like an afterthought. Then there is Vi, the gorgeous redhead that befriends Jess. She drops a pretty big secret on Jess, but there is no resolution. Vi has a serious choice to make-- and I really thought something would come of it-- but nothing ever happened. Very disappointing.
I think the ending is my biggest complaint. It was rushed. Two-thirds of the book built up a cataclysmic fight scene that only took two pages to describe. I couldn't believe it. The bad guys were overthrown without much of a fight. When I was reading those pages I couldn't help but wonder if the author felt like the book was getting too long, so she just quickly ended it. I hope that's not the case, but it did feel that way. There was an unexpected twist with Jess at the end, but I don't think it fits into the story. It's a nice happy ending of sorts, but again, it felt out of place. The ending as a whole leaves a lot of questions unanswered. I like my books to end in a nice little well wrapped package. Maybe the questions are left unanswered because there is another book coming? I could buy that. I would probably read the next book (if there is one) to see how the story carries on.
Overall, it's a nice story. The idea behind it is a good one, and I did enjoy the read. The plot wasn't the tightest, but it was sufficient. I would probably list this one under "beach reading" because it's a quick read. It's not a light and fluffy read, however, so don't get confused. The main character-Jess- has to deal with a lot of pain and death. Her suffering was probably one of the best written details of the book. (I hate that the author knows personally about the loss of a mother to be able to capture that emotion.) My eyes did get a little misty at times from Jess's memories. They felt very real. As I said, it's a good book worth giving a try. Anyone that is brave enough to write a book and put it out there for review deserves the chance to have their story shared. I would share this story with someone.
September 10, 2011
I have always loved stories involving angels and demons, my first paranormal books were about angels and demons. When I had the opportunity to review The Keepers, a story about a human meeting and being protected by an angel, I jumped at the chance. The story line is very intriguing and held plenty of promise. I read an un-edited version of The Keepers, which makes this review fairly tough to write, but I will do my best.
The Keepers is about Jess, a girl who has lost her sister, her father, and now her mother. Jess’ brother urges her to get a fresh start in New Orleans after they bury her mother. Jess holds a lot of resentment towards God and struggles with her grief. While in New Orleans she befriends a girl named Vi and is attracted to Justin, a mysterious and beautiful man. Jess and Justin begin a very odd relationship, it is bot hot and cold and never stays one way or the other for very long. Due to her grief, Jess becomes very introverted and in a lot of ways fairly selfish. She is not the best of friends to Vi, who helps her all the time. Because of her tumultuous emotions, Jess is constantly pushing both Justin and Vi away.
Justin is an angel with history, and it takes time for his purpose and role in Jess’s life to unfold. The process was a bit confusing, but I am not sure if that was due to editing issues, or the nature of the story. Either way, once his role was clarified, the pieces fell into place and I understood the story much better. Justin’s attitude was an issue at times, he looks down on the human race, but after getting to know Jess better, he softens a bit.
I am not the biggest fan of Jess, she really did cry a lot, and she was not a very good friend to Vi. This was in large part due to her grief over loosing her mother, and by the later half of the story, I empathized with her situation. Her character began to make more sense, and I just wanted her and Justin to figure their stuff out. The angelic elements to this story were very interesting. As I previously stated, I love angels. I enjoyed the nature of the angels in this book, how Justin wanted to understand humans better, and how each angel has a second half. I really did enjoy the paranormal elements to the story. As the characters begin to understand each other better, the story definitely improves. When Justin and Jess aren’t fighting each other all the time, the plot develops and they come to understand who their common enemy actually is.
While I did have a hard time getting into and understanding the book, in the end, I understood the characters, the setting, and emotions that ran through the story. The Keepers has a whole new take on angels and demons and their purposes. If you enjoy books about angels and demons, you may want to give The Keepers a try.
I received this book for review from author.
The Keepers is about Jess, a girl who has lost her sister, her father, and now her mother. Jess’ brother urges her to get a fresh start in New Orleans after they bury her mother. Jess holds a lot of resentment towards God and struggles with her grief. While in New Orleans she befriends a girl named Vi and is attracted to Justin, a mysterious and beautiful man. Jess and Justin begin a very odd relationship, it is bot hot and cold and never stays one way or the other for very long. Due to her grief, Jess becomes very introverted and in a lot of ways fairly selfish. She is not the best of friends to Vi, who helps her all the time. Because of her tumultuous emotions, Jess is constantly pushing both Justin and Vi away.
Justin is an angel with history, and it takes time for his purpose and role in Jess’s life to unfold. The process was a bit confusing, but I am not sure if that was due to editing issues, or the nature of the story. Either way, once his role was clarified, the pieces fell into place and I understood the story much better. Justin’s attitude was an issue at times, he looks down on the human race, but after getting to know Jess better, he softens a bit.
I am not the biggest fan of Jess, she really did cry a lot, and she was not a very good friend to Vi. This was in large part due to her grief over loosing her mother, and by the later half of the story, I empathized with her situation. Her character began to make more sense, and I just wanted her and Justin to figure their stuff out. The angelic elements to this story were very interesting. As I previously stated, I love angels. I enjoyed the nature of the angels in this book, how Justin wanted to understand humans better, and how each angel has a second half. I really did enjoy the paranormal elements to the story. As the characters begin to understand each other better, the story definitely improves. When Justin and Jess aren’t fighting each other all the time, the plot develops and they come to understand who their common enemy actually is.
While I did have a hard time getting into and understanding the book, in the end, I understood the characters, the setting, and emotions that ran through the story. The Keepers has a whole new take on angels and demons and their purposes. If you enjoy books about angels and demons, you may want to give The Keepers a try.
I received this book for review from author.
August 1, 2011
My rating is 2.5 stars.
The Keepers by Monique O’Connor James is story about coming to terms with doxology and a person’s standing in what life offers as a result of God’s providence. The story is imbued with Jess’s struggles to understand why everyone she has ever loved has been taken from her, especially her mother. After the death of her mother, Jess moves to New Orleans at the behest of her brother to pick up the broken pieces of her soul and move on with her life.
Jess has always had a gift of sighting the angels that guard her. Because of this gift, she becomes in involved with a group of angels who have given up their right to live in heaven to live on earth and watch over humanity and keep them safe from the the angels that have fallen and are more demonic in nature and motives. Jess quickly develops a close relationship with Justin who is the most jaded of the group when it comes to his feelings for humanity. As their relationship progresses, Jess and Justin’s attitudes fluctuate and rock the foundation of their core beliefs.
The premise of this story is a noble try a enticing the reader to stretch their own existentialism. My problem with the story was the constant struggle Jess kept heaping on herself which, in turn led her to taking it out on Justin. Jess did a lot pushing Justin away and then sucking him back into her life. I became very weary of the back and forth of their relationship and Jess’s treatment of someone she supposedly cared about very much. Her actions detracted from my complete enjoyment of the story.
There was a lot of potential for actualizing my commendation of the novel; but, it fell short of my expectations because of the lack of connection I felt towards Jess and the frustration she caused me while reading The Keepers. There are many other readers out there who found this book to be more enjoyable than I did and I recommend you read the story for yourself and come to your own conclusions on how the story affects you.
Happy Reading from Bona Fide Reflections!!
The Keepers by Monique O’Connor James is story about coming to terms with doxology and a person’s standing in what life offers as a result of God’s providence. The story is imbued with Jess’s struggles to understand why everyone she has ever loved has been taken from her, especially her mother. After the death of her mother, Jess moves to New Orleans at the behest of her brother to pick up the broken pieces of her soul and move on with her life.
Jess has always had a gift of sighting the angels that guard her. Because of this gift, she becomes in involved with a group of angels who have given up their right to live in heaven to live on earth and watch over humanity and keep them safe from the the angels that have fallen and are more demonic in nature and motives. Jess quickly develops a close relationship with Justin who is the most jaded of the group when it comes to his feelings for humanity. As their relationship progresses, Jess and Justin’s attitudes fluctuate and rock the foundation of their core beliefs.
The premise of this story is a noble try a enticing the reader to stretch their own existentialism. My problem with the story was the constant struggle Jess kept heaping on herself which, in turn led her to taking it out on Justin. Jess did a lot pushing Justin away and then sucking him back into her life. I became very weary of the back and forth of their relationship and Jess’s treatment of someone she supposedly cared about very much. Her actions detracted from my complete enjoyment of the story.
There was a lot of potential for actualizing my commendation of the novel; but, it fell short of my expectations because of the lack of connection I felt towards Jess and the frustration she caused me while reading The Keepers. There are many other readers out there who found this book to be more enjoyable than I did and I recommend you read the story for yourself and come to your own conclusions on how the story affects you.
Happy Reading from Bona Fide Reflections!!
July 2, 2012
Jessica Hunter has seen more than her fair share of tragedy in her young life. Her father dies when she is a child and then she is forced to watch as her mother, her best and only friend, is ravaged by breast cancer. Her only reason to hold onto sanity is her younger brother, Jordan. Each sibling has developed a different coping mechanism. Jordan seeks solace in alcohol and Jess would like nothing more than to hide from the entire world.
After her mother’s funeral, she takes off to New Orleans to spend some time and try to work out in her mind how God could have abandoned her. She finds herself walking into a bar and meeting the incredibly beautiful Vi. The two instantly hit it off and become friends. The group of gorgeous boys sitting in the corner is a totally different story.
Blake, Rory, Lathan and the haunting Justin are almost too beautiful to be true. They are brothers that reside in New Orleans and work at the casino at night. Jess tries to fight her powerful attraction to Justin and after he saves her from being attacked on her way home, she knows it is a losing battle.
Justin is not what he appears to be on the surface. He is an angel sent to watch after Jess and keep her from harm. He is supposed to ensure that the demon that wants to hurt her doesn’t get the chance. He is also not supposed to fall in love with her.
How can an angel that despises humanity for abandoning God fall so completely for a girl who curses God for all she thinks he has taken from her?
I devoured this book in one night. I knew from the beginning when I could picture the city in my mind and even smell the flowers that this was going to be an exceptional book. It broke my heart, it made me cry, it gave me hope and made me believe that maybe love can be strong enough to conquer even death. Read this book. It will change you in all the ways only a great book can…
After her mother’s funeral, she takes off to New Orleans to spend some time and try to work out in her mind how God could have abandoned her. She finds herself walking into a bar and meeting the incredibly beautiful Vi. The two instantly hit it off and become friends. The group of gorgeous boys sitting in the corner is a totally different story.
Blake, Rory, Lathan and the haunting Justin are almost too beautiful to be true. They are brothers that reside in New Orleans and work at the casino at night. Jess tries to fight her powerful attraction to Justin and after he saves her from being attacked on her way home, she knows it is a losing battle.
Justin is not what he appears to be on the surface. He is an angel sent to watch after Jess and keep her from harm. He is supposed to ensure that the demon that wants to hurt her doesn’t get the chance. He is also not supposed to fall in love with her.
How can an angel that despises humanity for abandoning God fall so completely for a girl who curses God for all she thinks he has taken from her?
I devoured this book in one night. I knew from the beginning when I could picture the city in my mind and even smell the flowers that this was going to be an exceptional book. It broke my heart, it made me cry, it gave me hope and made me believe that maybe love can be strong enough to conquer even death. Read this book. It will change you in all the ways only a great book can…
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