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Halos #1
Somnium
A work assignment in Kittery, Maine should be routine for Allie Lynch; nothing more than to prove herself as a brilliant engineer. Instead she finds herself torn between two a gorgeous military guard, Colton Briggs, and her devilishly handsome colleague, Drew Costa. To resist temptation, Allie does the only thing she she throws herself into her work.
But fate has other plans for Allie. Women are going missing all around her, Allie is struck with a series of life-threatening mishaps, and she becomes the obsession of a local deranged psychopath.
Thrust into a dark world that she can hardly fathom, Allie must fight for her very survival, open her mind to new realities – and open her heart to the possibility of love. Because both of these men are trouble – but one is a greater danger than she could ever imagine …
But fate has other plans for Allie. Women are going missing all around her, Allie is struck with a series of life-threatening mishaps, and she becomes the obsession of a local deranged psychopath.
Thrust into a dark world that she can hardly fathom, Allie must fight for her very survival, open her mind to new realities – and open her heart to the possibility of love. Because both of these men are trouble – but one is a greater danger than she could ever imagine …
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 13, 2011
4 people are currently reading
768 people want to read
About the author
Keri Lake
44 books16.8k followersAuthor of gothic romance who specializes in demon wrangling, vengeance dealing and wicked twists.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 11, 2014
Arriving at her new job assignment in Kittery, Maine, Allie Lynch doesn't expect anything out of the ordinary. Being one of the few female environmental engineers means that she has to work twice as hard to gain the trust and respect of her co-workers. Knowing that her new boss, Drew Costa, specifically requested her makes her somewhat anxious because he has a reputation of being anti-social and chauvinistic towards women.
"Everything about Drew Costa is inhuman: his looks, his demeanor, and now as I've witnessed his lack of social grace. What a ride this is going to be."
Suffice it to say that Allie has her work cut out for her if she wants to prove her excellence as an engineer to Drew. Thankfully, she has something to distract her from the long hours and less than friendly employees. Colton Briggs, her own personal man candy, is a security guard who greets her every morning and lets her on the base.
"And to this day, though handsome faces have crossed paths with me, I've never been compelled to pursue them. But this man... there is some kind of inexplicable draw to him that I can't resist. He is dark and quiet, brooding and mysterious, wrapped in a wickedly handsome package that guarantees heartbreak."
Work and man issues aren't the only concerns in Allie's life. Women have been disappearing around town without a trace or suspect. When a series life threatening accidents occur in Allie's life, she becomes concerned that she has become the obsession of the town's deranged psychopath.
My Thoughts
I believe this was Keri Lake's debut novel as it was released prior to Soul Avenged, the first book in her Sons of Wrath series. I found Somnium to be a strong paranormal romance with a heroine that I could connect to, mystery & suspense to keep me turning pages, and quite a bit of action towards the end.
I absolutely adored Allie's character. She is so unlike many of the heroines that we read about. She is strong, intelligent, independent, and not afraid to stand up for herself. There was one specific scene where I literally thought "Wow, this woman is my hero!" Said scene involved Allie's retaliation against Colton for his recommendation for Wicked Lobster at a local diner ;)
Colton was such a mystery to me in this book. While I was completely intrigued by him throughout the book, I felt like I never got the chance to really know him. For most of the book, his scenes with Allie were limited and short which is probably why I didn't feel as strong of a connection with him.
I'm not entirely sure if the author plans to continue this series but I really hope that she does. While most of my questions were answered and the major conflicts were resolved by the end of the book, I felt like there was some uncertainty in the end that resulted in a tiny cliffhanger (nothing too serious) but I would still like to see how everything works out for Allie when all is said and done.
"Everything about Drew Costa is inhuman: his looks, his demeanor, and now as I've witnessed his lack of social grace. What a ride this is going to be."
Suffice it to say that Allie has her work cut out for her if she wants to prove her excellence as an engineer to Drew. Thankfully, she has something to distract her from the long hours and less than friendly employees. Colton Briggs, her own personal man candy, is a security guard who greets her every morning and lets her on the base.
"And to this day, though handsome faces have crossed paths with me, I've never been compelled to pursue them. But this man... there is some kind of inexplicable draw to him that I can't resist. He is dark and quiet, brooding and mysterious, wrapped in a wickedly handsome package that guarantees heartbreak."
Work and man issues aren't the only concerns in Allie's life. Women have been disappearing around town without a trace or suspect. When a series life threatening accidents occur in Allie's life, she becomes concerned that she has become the obsession of the town's deranged psychopath.
My Thoughts
I believe this was Keri Lake's debut novel as it was released prior to Soul Avenged, the first book in her Sons of Wrath series. I found Somnium to be a strong paranormal romance with a heroine that I could connect to, mystery & suspense to keep me turning pages, and quite a bit of action towards the end.
I absolutely adored Allie's character. She is so unlike many of the heroines that we read about. She is strong, intelligent, independent, and not afraid to stand up for herself. There was one specific scene where I literally thought "Wow, this woman is my hero!" Said scene involved Allie's retaliation against Colton for his recommendation for Wicked Lobster at a local diner ;)
Colton was such a mystery to me in this book. While I was completely intrigued by him throughout the book, I felt like I never got the chance to really know him. For most of the book, his scenes with Allie were limited and short which is probably why I didn't feel as strong of a connection with him.
I'm not entirely sure if the author plans to continue this series but I really hope that she does. While most of my questions were answered and the major conflicts were resolved by the end of the book, I felt like there was some uncertainty in the end that resulted in a tiny cliffhanger (nothing too serious) but I would still like to see how everything works out for Allie when all is said and done.
December 27, 2011
I'm not that well read in the angel/demon path of the pnr genre--this is only my second foray. And whilst it was a far throw from the first one I read, this one was still enjoyable--in a weird and darkly twisted kind of way. No, it's not scary. Maybe if I try and organise my thoughts, the comment will make more sense--which probably warrants a random rambling alert.
Here goes:
- the opening seemed a little slow. HOWEVER, I think if it had been sped up much more, the attraction/connection that Allie has for/with would have been horribly forced and would have in no way worked. ALSO, despite there not seeming to be very much happening or a whole lot of action (which is what I'm more used to when I pick up this genre), the reader has only to read between the lines to sense the heavy weight of foreboding that has been rather clever woven in. It's not slap-upside-the-head obvious, but it's there. You simply have to allow yourself to immerse in Allie's world and you'll find it.
- Colton. Yes, I liked him. HOWEVER (<- Drew. If you read the descriptions enough times, he's obviously a match for Colton in the ole looks department. BUT, I instantly didn't grasp that with him the way I did with the broody security guard. I'm guessing this was a very subtle but purposeful move on the authors part ... which leads me to ...
- Red herring. I rarely read blurbs. And even if I've read the blurb on first interest, I rarely read it again prior to beginning the book simply because I loathe and detest spoilers of any kind. I'd much rather just read and allow the words within the cover to take me on the journey the author intended with as little warning as possible of what to expect. So, other than remembering Allie went to a new place for a job, and there was something to do with angels and demons, I could not have told you much about the plot. Which meant I had it stuck in my head the first 50% of the book that one guy was an angel and the other a demon and I kept swapping and changing my mind about who was good and who was bad and believing the author was tricking me into following the wrong guy. I'm not going to tell you whether or not she was. That you'll have to find out yourself by reading it.
- Plot. Yup. There is one. I didn't have any problem finding it. The fact I read to the end should tell you it held my attention. :o)
What I want/need/would like to know more about:
- Jim. It was more than hinted at from quite early on in the book (if you're paying attention) and then pretty much confirmed later on in the book (if you're paying more attention than Allie was), but he's left as one huge lose thread--which is fine as I happen to know this is the first book in a trilogy (?--possibly longer?).
- Colton. We're told what he is--kinda. But we don't have the full scope of just what he can do, what his rules are, what kind of 'law' he's expected to follow or who moulds said 'law'. I'm fine with this. The answers Allie eventually gets are right at the end of the book and I get that she didn't want to push her luck and demand his life story in one blast--but I'm very much hoping for more background on him. I'd also like some firmer answers as to why he felt the attraction he did to Allie. What it is about her that made him willing to risk breaking the rules. Why he fell in love with her specifically--especially as he called her 'his Queen' (if I recall correctly) in one of Allie's earlier dreams. There HAS to be more to this relationship than we've so far been shown and I'm eager to discover that.
- the work site. What the heck's going on there? This is another dangling thread that I'll be looking for a tight knot on in later book(s). And this lot again brings me back to Jim--because I reckon he has a lot to do with what's going on but he's just been too good an actor and managed to stay below the radar.
- Shane. Where did he pop up from? Why did he pop up when he did? What's his purpose in the story? I don't think we've seen the last of him, and I'm not entirely sad about that.
And on that note, I think I'll shut up. Maybe. If you want to know if this one's worth reading, I'd have to say YES! Don't be put off by what appears to be a slow start. It's not that's it's a slow start, it's just that the ball has only begun rolling on its build up to the crescendo. The story gets better and better and more and more compelling and I read the final 50% of the book in pretty much one sitting.
That is all. :o)
Here goes:
- the opening seemed a little slow. HOWEVER, I think if it had been sped up much more, the attraction/connection that Allie has for/with would have been horribly forced and would have in no way worked. ALSO, despite there not seeming to be very much happening or a whole lot of action (which is what I'm more used to when I pick up this genre), the reader has only to read between the lines to sense the heavy weight of foreboding that has been rather clever woven in. It's not slap-upside-the-head obvious, but it's there. You simply have to allow yourself to immerse in Allie's world and you'll find it.
- Colton. Yes, I liked him. HOWEVER (<- Drew. If you read the descriptions enough times, he's obviously a match for Colton in the ole looks department. BUT, I instantly didn't grasp that with him the way I did with the broody security guard. I'm guessing this was a very subtle but purposeful move on the authors part ... which leads me to ...
- Red herring. I rarely read blurbs. And even if I've read the blurb on first interest, I rarely read it again prior to beginning the book simply because I loathe and detest spoilers of any kind. I'd much rather just read and allow the words within the cover to take me on the journey the author intended with as little warning as possible of what to expect. So, other than remembering Allie went to a new place for a job, and there was something to do with angels and demons, I could not have told you much about the plot. Which meant I had it stuck in my head the first 50% of the book that one guy was an angel and the other a demon and I kept swapping and changing my mind about who was good and who was bad and believing the author was tricking me into following the wrong guy. I'm not going to tell you whether or not she was. That you'll have to find out yourself by reading it.
- Plot. Yup. There is one. I didn't have any problem finding it. The fact I read to the end should tell you it held my attention. :o)
What I want/need/would like to know more about:
- Jim. It was more than hinted at from quite early on in the book (if you're paying attention) and then pretty much confirmed later on in the book (if you're paying more attention than Allie was), but he's left as one huge lose thread--which is fine as I happen to know this is the first book in a trilogy (?--possibly longer?).
- Colton. We're told what he is--kinda. But we don't have the full scope of just what he can do, what his rules are, what kind of 'law' he's expected to follow or who moulds said 'law'. I'm fine with this. The answers Allie eventually gets are right at the end of the book and I get that she didn't want to push her luck and demand his life story in one blast--but I'm very much hoping for more background on him. I'd also like some firmer answers as to why he felt the attraction he did to Allie. What it is about her that made him willing to risk breaking the rules. Why he fell in love with her specifically--especially as he called her 'his Queen' (if I recall correctly) in one of Allie's earlier dreams. There HAS to be more to this relationship than we've so far been shown and I'm eager to discover that.
- the work site. What the heck's going on there? This is another dangling thread that I'll be looking for a tight knot on in later book(s). And this lot again brings me back to Jim--because I reckon he has a lot to do with what's going on but he's just been too good an actor and managed to stay below the radar.
- Shane. Where did he pop up from? Why did he pop up when he did? What's his purpose in the story? I don't think we've seen the last of him, and I'm not entirely sad about that.
And on that note, I think I'll shut up. Maybe. If you want to know if this one's worth reading, I'd have to say YES! Don't be put off by what appears to be a slow start. It's not that's it's a slow start, it's just that the ball has only begun rolling on its build up to the crescendo. The story gets better and better and more and more compelling and I read the final 50% of the book in pretty much one sitting.
That is all. :o)
December 17, 2011
Rating: 3.5 stars
I want to start by saying I would consider this a little more urban fantasy than paranormal romance. Allie is an environmental engineer who has been sent on assignment to a military base. She only plans to be there for a few short months before heading back to Virginia Beach. Poor Allie! If only she knew how much her life was about to change. As if being plagued by nightmares and having to stay in a town where young women are disappearing without a trace wasn't bad enough, she has to deal with a gorgeous gate guard who doesn't seem to notice she is alive, a rude, woman hating coworker, multiple attempts on her life and a ghost who likes to flirt with her.
The story is told in first person, from Allie's point of view, and a lot happens. Allie is dying to get the attention of Colton, the gate guard, and in her attempts a few funny things happen involving an at home spa treatment gone bad and wicked lobster. I was shaking my head and saying "poor Allie" on several occassions, knowing how embarrassed she must feel. Where's that proverbial rock to crawl under when you need it? Unfortunately, she does manage to get the attention of Drew, her coworker, who is actually a half breed demon set on claiming her as his mate. In the middle of this love triangle, Allie is almost killed twice.
I found myself with just as many questions as Allie and the books ends with many things being left unresolved. I would have liked to have had more answers about what Colton truly is and a little more insight as to why Allie has her nightmares. But seeing as how this is the first in a series, I am sure more answers will be made available in the next book.
I want to start by saying I would consider this a little more urban fantasy than paranormal romance. Allie is an environmental engineer who has been sent on assignment to a military base. She only plans to be there for a few short months before heading back to Virginia Beach. Poor Allie! If only she knew how much her life was about to change. As if being plagued by nightmares and having to stay in a town where young women are disappearing without a trace wasn't bad enough, she has to deal with a gorgeous gate guard who doesn't seem to notice she is alive, a rude, woman hating coworker, multiple attempts on her life and a ghost who likes to flirt with her.
The story is told in first person, from Allie's point of view, and a lot happens. Allie is dying to get the attention of Colton, the gate guard, and in her attempts a few funny things happen involving an at home spa treatment gone bad and wicked lobster. I was shaking my head and saying "poor Allie" on several occassions, knowing how embarrassed she must feel. Where's that proverbial rock to crawl under when you need it? Unfortunately, she does manage to get the attention of Drew, her coworker, who is actually a half breed demon set on claiming her as his mate. In the middle of this love triangle, Allie is almost killed twice.
I found myself with just as many questions as Allie and the books ends with many things being left unresolved. I would have liked to have had more answers about what Colton truly is and a little more insight as to why Allie has her nightmares. But seeing as how this is the first in a series, I am sure more answers will be made available in the next book.
April 24, 2013
I got a copy for review in exchange for an honest review.
It was okay, but not great. I got this book from the author to review. What immediately grabbed my attention was the beautifull cover, dark and mysterious. Those two words also describe the story pretty good. There was a bit of that dark feel throughout the whol book and there is much mystery. There where so many mysterious things happening that I wanted to know what was really happening, but the story didn't really drew me in. It was interesting enough and I wanted to finish it, but there where also many things that could've been better.
First the story. The story starts a bit slow and boring and it really took me some time to get into the book. Overall I liked the story, there was enough mystery and questions to keep me reading. The lead character Allie sees strange things that aren't there and strange things keep happening. She almost dies a few times and all the while I got the feeling that there was something more. Ofcourse there was something behind it all, but I think the explanation was a bit too less and a bit too late. At the end of the book I was still left wondering what exactly happened and who had caused all those almost deaths for Allie. The story was full of small problems and mysteries and it felt like it didn't add up. In the end we do get the explanation, but it just felt a bit off. I had to piece the pieces together myself. You have to thin it through and them come to the conclusion who must have caused what, but it isn't all spelled out.
For the most part the story feels like some kind of ystery and the supernatural plays only a part late in the story. This books is in fact a paranormal romance but again there are some sex fantasies of Allie and at the end some sex scenes, but the focus lies more on the myserty I think. I had the feeling the story only came really alive at the end of the book.
Then the characters. Somehow I just didn't like Allie, she came over as a bit too naive. And I just couldn't really connect with her. Also when she first comes at the work place where she is going to work she immediately falls in love with two guys. Well obsessed is maybe a better word. She meets them once, both are a jerk and she keeps (day)dreaming about one of them, her day dreams are very vivid and consists of sex scenes. But she hardly knows these guys! Even when the story continues I just couldn't understand why she loved those guys. I also found their relationship progresses too fast.
My favourite character of the book is Getry, the innkeeper. She was like a kind of mother figure to Allie, always helping her, cooking breakfast and dinner for her and just being a very nice and welcoming innkeeper. But she also has a drak past and has lost people very important to her. I liked her. We don't get to know much about most of the characters, this bothered me a bit, but we do get a view at Getry's past and I quess this is another reason why I liked her. I felt I knew why she was this way and that behind that happy exterior she still feels the pain.
The worksite. A big part of the story takes place at the worksite and even at the end of the book I still have no idea what kind of work they actually do. The work space is a military bases and Allie writes reports, there is a field and people who work there. But I just kept misisng the whole picture, what exactly they do and why. And because such a huge part of the story takes place here I would've liked more explanation about the work itself and Allie's part in it.
To conclude: I liked the book, there was enough mystery and questions to keep me reading and the supernatural elements where interesting. But the story was a bit slow and boring at first and the explnation was a litle too less and a little too late. I couldn't really connect with the character, but I did like Getry. The romance developed too fast and felt shallow. Overal an oké book, but not great.
It was okay, but not great. I got this book from the author to review. What immediately grabbed my attention was the beautifull cover, dark and mysterious. Those two words also describe the story pretty good. There was a bit of that dark feel throughout the whol book and there is much mystery. There where so many mysterious things happening that I wanted to know what was really happening, but the story didn't really drew me in. It was interesting enough and I wanted to finish it, but there where also many things that could've been better.
First the story. The story starts a bit slow and boring and it really took me some time to get into the book. Overall I liked the story, there was enough mystery and questions to keep me reading. The lead character Allie sees strange things that aren't there and strange things keep happening. She almost dies a few times and all the while I got the feeling that there was something more. Ofcourse there was something behind it all, but I think the explanation was a bit too less and a bit too late. At the end of the book I was still left wondering what exactly happened and who had caused all those almost deaths for Allie. The story was full of small problems and mysteries and it felt like it didn't add up. In the end we do get the explanation, but it just felt a bit off. I had to piece the pieces together myself. You have to thin it through and them come to the conclusion who must have caused what, but it isn't all spelled out.
For the most part the story feels like some kind of ystery and the supernatural plays only a part late in the story. This books is in fact a paranormal romance but again there are some sex fantasies of Allie and at the end some sex scenes, but the focus lies more on the myserty I think. I had the feeling the story only came really alive at the end of the book.
Then the characters. Somehow I just didn't like Allie, she came over as a bit too naive. And I just couldn't really connect with her. Also when she first comes at the work place where she is going to work she immediately falls in love with two guys. Well obsessed is maybe a better word. She meets them once, both are a jerk and she keeps (day)dreaming about one of them, her day dreams are very vivid and consists of sex scenes. But she hardly knows these guys! Even when the story continues I just couldn't understand why she loved those guys. I also found their relationship progresses too fast.
My favourite character of the book is Getry, the innkeeper. She was like a kind of mother figure to Allie, always helping her, cooking breakfast and dinner for her and just being a very nice and welcoming innkeeper. But she also has a drak past and has lost people very important to her. I liked her. We don't get to know much about most of the characters, this bothered me a bit, but we do get a view at Getry's past and I quess this is another reason why I liked her. I felt I knew why she was this way and that behind that happy exterior she still feels the pain.
The worksite. A big part of the story takes place at the worksite and even at the end of the book I still have no idea what kind of work they actually do. The work space is a military bases and Allie writes reports, there is a field and people who work there. But I just kept misisng the whole picture, what exactly they do and why. And because such a huge part of the story takes place here I would've liked more explanation about the work itself and Allie's part in it.
To conclude: I liked the book, there was enough mystery and questions to keep me reading and the supernatural elements where interesting. But the story was a bit slow and boring at first and the explnation was a litle too less and a little too late. I couldn't really connect with the character, but I did like Getry. The romance developed too fast and felt shallow. Overal an oké book, but not great.
December 21, 2011
I agree with the above review. A little more urban romance, and would have liked some more answers and maybe a little more development with relationships. However, as said previously it is the first book.
Overall, I thought this was a fantastic read that I didn't really want to put down. Every time I thought there would be a breaking point for me to stop, I would develop another question or curiosity. I truly enjoyed the plot and the mystery of it all. It was a fast paced read with really no dull moments!
Congrats to Keri Lake for providing us with an entertaining adult read. Looking forward to the next in the series!
Overall, I thought this was a fantastic read that I didn't really want to put down. Every time I thought there would be a breaking point for me to stop, I would develop another question or curiosity. I truly enjoyed the plot and the mystery of it all. It was a fast paced read with really no dull moments!
Congrats to Keri Lake for providing us with an entertaining adult read. Looking forward to the next in the series!
January 29, 2012
I won this book on goodreads. I would definitely recommend the book to others. I couldn't stop reading the book. The plot had me trying to piece the puzzle together...why does Allie have these dreams, what are the red specks in the dirt, what type of creature is Cole and Drew...At the completion of the book, some of my questions still remained unanswered. I can't wait for the second book! I love the suspense and mystery surrounding the plot.
I enjoyed the main character, Allie Lynch. She seemed very real to me. Her embarrassing moments attempting to seek Cole's attention had me laughing out loud.
I encourage readers to pick up this book. You won't regret it!
I enjoyed the main character, Allie Lynch. She seemed very real to me. Her embarrassing moments attempting to seek Cole's attention had me laughing out loud.
I encourage readers to pick up this book. You won't regret it!
December 31, 2011
A love story with a twist, several twists. I read in small doses at first, not wanting to miss any details, but as the story developed and I came to empathize more with the MC I found myself having a harder and harder time putting it down for things dinner with the family or getting a good nights sleep. It will draw you in, spur your imagination, and awaken your fears.
July 31, 2012
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From the synopsis I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from the book itself. I kind of thought it was going to be part love triangle part action based book. So when I started reading the book I was a little bit surprised when I found that it started off pretty slow. While books that start slowly tend to get under my skin, I gave this one more of a chance, and it was more a slow start since the author was laying down the foundation of the story, which I understand.
Once the book started going I found that the book had a pretty good pace. There was a lot of guess work going on from me, I kept trying to figure out what was going to happen next. I actually felt that the book was more suspenseful than action, which I actually enjoyed a lot more. I really love books that keep me guessing, it keeps my imagination fired up, and I love it even more when I think I have figured out what is going to happen next and then something entirely different happens.
As for the main character, Allie, I felt like she was really kind of a great character. I identified with her and really pulled for her to figure things out and just overall I liked her. She is a really smart girl, but she is also able to stand on her own and definitely has a mind of her own. Plus I also really like the way her personality kind of feeds off the other characters she surrounds herself with. They all kind of compliment each other with their different personalities.
That being said the story was lacking in a couple of parts. I had some issues with some of the mystery element within the book, some of them weren't fully fleshed out, and I am one of those readers who really hate loose ends. I don't like finishing a book, and then finding that I didn't get all the answers I was looking for. Also I felt like some of the romance elements in the book were almost kind of forces, like the book needed more romance so the author put in a few more scenes. I didn't think they were necessary to the characters, and felt forced.
Overall, it was a pretty decent book, but it needs a little bit of work. It was definitely suspenseful and there were some romantic elements within it, but if you are a reader who need their book to be completely fleshed out, I think you might have some of the same issues with the book as I did. But if you are in the mood for a decent story telling, then maybe you should check out this book.
From the synopsis I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from the book itself. I kind of thought it was going to be part love triangle part action based book. So when I started reading the book I was a little bit surprised when I found that it started off pretty slow. While books that start slowly tend to get under my skin, I gave this one more of a chance, and it was more a slow start since the author was laying down the foundation of the story, which I understand.
Once the book started going I found that the book had a pretty good pace. There was a lot of guess work going on from me, I kept trying to figure out what was going to happen next. I actually felt that the book was more suspenseful than action, which I actually enjoyed a lot more. I really love books that keep me guessing, it keeps my imagination fired up, and I love it even more when I think I have figured out what is going to happen next and then something entirely different happens.
As for the main character, Allie, I felt like she was really kind of a great character. I identified with her and really pulled for her to figure things out and just overall I liked her. She is a really smart girl, but she is also able to stand on her own and definitely has a mind of her own. Plus I also really like the way her personality kind of feeds off the other characters she surrounds herself with. They all kind of compliment each other with their different personalities.
That being said the story was lacking in a couple of parts. I had some issues with some of the mystery element within the book, some of them weren't fully fleshed out, and I am one of those readers who really hate loose ends. I don't like finishing a book, and then finding that I didn't get all the answers I was looking for. Also I felt like some of the romance elements in the book were almost kind of forces, like the book needed more romance so the author put in a few more scenes. I didn't think they were necessary to the characters, and felt forced.
Overall, it was a pretty decent book, but it needs a little bit of work. It was definitely suspenseful and there were some romantic elements within it, but if you are a reader who need their book to be completely fleshed out, I think you might have some of the same issues with the book as I did. But if you are in the mood for a decent story telling, then maybe you should check out this book.
August 29, 2012
Hea y'all Anne here and with a review for Somnium Halos #1 by Keri Lake, and aren't I glad I got to read this book. Now this book has absolutely no lack of adventure and jaw dropping situations as the MC Allie Lynch is a magnet for all kinds of trouble as well as gorgeous men. Colton the silent strong type watches Allie from afar but is a constant in her times of desperate need! Drew the aroogant ego driven one is all over Allie but for reasons you wouldn't think. Both men have Allie in their sights and she has taken note of both men. Allie grows anxious and aggrivated by their actions or lack there of. She begins nosing into things that could cost her more than her job!
Dangerous scenarios and stiuations keep the story trucking along while a very detailed and complicated story is unveiling in the sub plot. Who is the man in the painting? Who is the man in her dreams that she catches glimpses of and then he dissapears? Most of all who is the man in the bar she met that no one knows or saw? So many questions to find answers for in this adult tale of good veruses evil and what happens beyond life oon earth!
This was a very exciting read and should be enjoyed by more! I can't wait for book 2 and hope I am selected again to review because I am very curious to see where Allie goes in her life now that things have been revealed that are going to so grossly affect her existance. The hot ass men are a nice add too, I mean who doesnt't want men pining over them and ultimatly going all out to win affections, but how far is too far? You'll have to read to see and I strongly suggest you do!! 5 out of 5 stars for Somnium Halos #1 by Keri Lake.
Dangerous scenarios and stiuations keep the story trucking along while a very detailed and complicated story is unveiling in the sub plot. Who is the man in the painting? Who is the man in her dreams that she catches glimpses of and then he dissapears? Most of all who is the man in the bar she met that no one knows or saw? So many questions to find answers for in this adult tale of good veruses evil and what happens beyond life oon earth!
This was a very exciting read and should be enjoyed by more! I can't wait for book 2 and hope I am selected again to review because I am very curious to see where Allie goes in her life now that things have been revealed that are going to so grossly affect her existance. The hot ass men are a nice add too, I mean who doesnt't want men pining over them and ultimatly going all out to win affections, but how far is too far? You'll have to read to see and I strongly suggest you do!! 5 out of 5 stars for Somnium Halos #1 by Keri Lake.
February 8, 2012
Somnium is one of the few books out there that literally grabs you by the wrist and takes you on a wild adventure. Led by an amazing author, you are presented with a book that will surely satisfy any reader. Keri Lake’s eloquent writing style compliments how beautiful this book is and allowed you to actually experience the tension, exhilaration, and inscrutability of the characters. Even the way she introduces characters was simply remarkable.
Allie as the MC was genius. She’s not only smart and imaginative but her personality draws you in that makes her appealing and interesting. Allie’s relationships with each of the other characters were unique. Lake does a superb job of establishing each character and shaping them out with the ideal amount of detail. As you read more about them, it’s as if these intriguing people were your personal friends.
Somnium is greatly written. It has the perfect balance of creepiness and romance. It is a paranormal love story that has a lot of twists that will continually to grab you by the wrist and ignite your imagination. This work of fiction will be hard to put down once you start. Once you reach the last page, you cannot help but to feel your anticipation level rises. You will experience different emotions through the book.
Allie as the MC was genius. She’s not only smart and imaginative but her personality draws you in that makes her appealing and interesting. Allie’s relationships with each of the other characters were unique. Lake does a superb job of establishing each character and shaping them out with the ideal amount of detail. As you read more about them, it’s as if these intriguing people were your personal friends.
Somnium is greatly written. It has the perfect balance of creepiness and romance. It is a paranormal love story that has a lot of twists that will continually to grab you by the wrist and ignite your imagination. This work of fiction will be hard to put down once you start. Once you reach the last page, you cannot help but to feel your anticipation level rises. You will experience different emotions through the book.
June 6, 2013
I did find the pace of the book to be a bit slow initially as there seemed to be a lot of innuendo and mystery surrounding Allie rather than action. The two drop dead gorgeous guys seem too good to be true and of course they are so it sets us up for a love triangle of sorts. Drew gave me the creeps and despite being a sweet girl I did not understand why Allie would persist with her friendship with him if he made her think of a snake when she is near him. Colton was the understated guy all mysterious and brooding, the silent type yet Allie was drawn to him, almost obsessed with very little interaction between them apart from him saving her life countless times. While I did enjoy the book and I wanted to find out the secrets, I was left wanting. I know it is going to be a series but there were so many unanswered questions that I came away feeling like I had not learned enough as I pretty much guessed who the two men were and Shane's appearance remains a mystery. Does Allie have a gift to see the dead.? I would have liked more background on the the main characters as I find it hard to get invested when they are not fleshed out enough. A "Hitchcock" suspense type novel and if you want your secrets to be revealed slowly then give this book a go.
March 6, 2012
I received the book off the good reads giveaway. I admit I stared at the book for days before I started it. The cover art is beautifully done, and I was nervous I might not like the book. For me it started out a love hate relationship. In part because I'm the kind of person that typically let's my imagination run wild while I read and this book started out slower then I'm used too. The authors writing style is a little different then I'm used to so it also was a little frustrating at first. However the story picked up in a few chapters, finding that I couldn't put it down. Since it's the first book it's understandable that there was a build up to the series. I found myself drawn to the characters the more I learned about them. The author left the ending giving me what I needed but also drawing me into another book. I really liked the book, I was nervous but it was better then I expected. I don't read may angel & demon books but this is one of the better ones. I've already suggested it to a few friends to look for.
June 25, 2012
4.5 That is.
Couldn't wait to get this book in the mail from Amazon, but they took 3 - THREE - weeks to get it to me. That's a whole different story, though.
I loved this book from the very beginning. Ms. Lake took her time setting the stage: Dark, rainy, ominous. I knew heavy, bad things lay ahead. While some might complain of this making for a slow start, it hooked me with a capital 'H'. I couldn't wait to find out what happened on the next page. And the next. And the next. Could NOT put this book down!
Yummies: This whole book was yummy. Setting, characters, plot, secrets, hotties, palatable fear - quite a list, huh???
Yuckies: Allie is a bundle of raging hormones, a smidge over-the-top IMO. I've never read a book with a female so intent upon getting what she wants from the man she's desperate for. Did it take away from the book? Not really. Just a surprising element for me.
Recommend: Need you ask? I enjoyed this so much that I begged the MC, Allie, to sit down with me. I had a few things I wanted to know.
Couldn't wait to get this book in the mail from Amazon, but they took 3 - THREE - weeks to get it to me. That's a whole different story, though.
I loved this book from the very beginning. Ms. Lake took her time setting the stage: Dark, rainy, ominous. I knew heavy, bad things lay ahead. While some might complain of this making for a slow start, it hooked me with a capital 'H'. I couldn't wait to find out what happened on the next page. And the next. And the next. Could NOT put this book down!
Yummies: This whole book was yummy. Setting, characters, plot, secrets, hotties, palatable fear - quite a list, huh???
Yuckies: Allie is a bundle of raging hormones, a smidge over-the-top IMO. I've never read a book with a female so intent upon getting what she wants from the man she's desperate for. Did it take away from the book? Not really. Just a surprising element for me.
Recommend: Need you ask? I enjoyed this so much that I begged the MC, Allie, to sit down with me. I had a few things I wanted to know.
May 23, 2013
I picked up this book because I so enjoyed the author's Soul Avenged. This author has a lot of promise...creative stories and good characters. That said, I had a few issues with this book. I would say both books were overly long. It felt like reading in real time to some degree. It didn't cause an issue for me with Soul Avenged, but I felt it more in this book.
I came to think of this book as my "word of the chapter" book, since I used the Kindle dictionary so dang much to look up words I have never heard used before, vocally or in print! I could do without the big words. For example: charily, chimerical, ascetic...eh?? lol
Thankfully, the latter half of the book seemed to stop using the $3 words and settle into a more normal prose. Early parts of the book were just trying too hard with sentences like: "A frolicsome breeze blows the frills of my white dress, billowing just above my knees in celestial animation."
That said...still a fan of the author and plan to follow her progress as a writer!
I came to think of this book as my "word of the chapter" book, since I used the Kindle dictionary so dang much to look up words I have never heard used before, vocally or in print! I could do without the big words. For example: charily, chimerical, ascetic...eh?? lol
Thankfully, the latter half of the book seemed to stop using the $3 words and settle into a more normal prose. Early parts of the book were just trying too hard with sentences like: "A frolicsome breeze blows the frills of my white dress, billowing just above my knees in celestial animation."
That said...still a fan of the author and plan to follow her progress as a writer!
June 13, 2012
This book is a paranormal romance where the main character Allie (who I liked because she was in a male-oriented profession and didn't take any crap for it) is torn between two love interests. Both are guys she works with. One is a guard, Colton, and one is her coworker, Drew. Now, by the blurb we're pretty clear we're dealing with angels and demons in this book, and one of the frustrations as a reader is that there's a slow ramp up in the beginning. However once things get going there's good tension and you're not quite sure which of Allie's interests are good or bad for her, so to speak.
The ending also clearly sets things up for a sequel, which should be interesting. It felt like a few more things could have been tied up at the end, IMHO, but I also get setting things up for a series. There's a good wrap-up, but then some big questions that left me hanging. I'm looking forward to seeing where book two takes things!
The ending also clearly sets things up for a sequel, which should be interesting. It felt like a few more things could have been tied up at the end, IMHO, but I also get setting things up for a series. There's a good wrap-up, but then some big questions that left me hanging. I'm looking forward to seeing where book two takes things!
September 27, 2015
I have yet to write a review for the majority of Keri Lake's stories but trust me, I will. I really would love to see another book in this series and if you enjoyed this story as much as I did then we need to let it be known. I really love the whole angel/demon world and although it starts of slow it picks up. I truly believe now that Keri has more experience and is comfortable with her writing that she can definitely write a second, third, and well one hell of a huge series from this one book. So how about it Keri, I want more in this series, alot more books. I have complete faith that you can bring it, only question is, when?
February 21, 2012
By the hirsute cleavage of Queen Victoria! I couldn't even get halfway through the book! Lake's writing style simply drove me up the walls; it was just far too choppy with unnecessary descriptions of mundane events. The protagonist was also getting on my nerves with her constant narration of her raging hormones. I would appreciate the book more if the protagonist was less of a horny bimbo, and more of a professional who doesn't try to hit on every attractive guy she sees.
February 25, 2012
"Excellent!". Paranormal, love and excitement made this a difficult book to put down. The details could not have been better, as I visualized the setting of my own backyard. Keri Lake's Halos-Somnium is enchanting, with a suspenseful twist to insure your interest in the next of her series.
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August 27, 2014DNF
I couldn't get past the protagonist after forty or so pages, I didn't understand how someone goal oriented and focused on her work could forget all of that on the first handsome guy she sees at a new job and make such a fool of herself.
I couldn't get past the protagonist after forty or so pages, I didn't understand how someone goal oriented and focused on her work could forget all of that on the first handsome guy she sees at a new job and make such a fool of herself.
January 3, 2013
Can't wait for the next one.
January 19, 2013
Review to come!!
June 23, 2013
One more good book from Keri Lake. You will feel the mystery while reading be sure. Just start it and you would like to read this one up to the end.
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