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Moonstone Saga #1
Soul Kissed
Question: When your mother is a powerful witch and your father is a soul-sucking vampire, what does that make you? Answer: Cursed. With all the beauty and charm of a Siren, but cursed as a blood-sucking succubus, Empusa longs for love and a normal life. Neither of these can ever be hers, because the only thing she brings to anyone she loves is death. Em lingers in the mortal world, hiding from her father and existing in a lonely life. Until she meets Brennan. With golden hair and a radiant smile, he captures her heart and awakens it from slumber. But Brennan is more than he seems. And in a relationship where life itself hangs in the balance, is love ever really enough?
282 pages, Paperback
First published January 3, 2012
12 people are currently reading
1597 people want to read
About the author
Courtney Cole
44 books4,548 followersCourtney Cole is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist who loves to eat your emotions for breakfast.
She believes in the power of blonde hair dye and red lipstick, and that a well-timed smile can save the world.
Learn more about Courtney and her books at www.courtneycolecreates.com
Find her on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/#!/courtneyc...
She believes in the power of blonde hair dye and red lipstick, and that a well-timed smile can save the world.
Learn more about Courtney and her books at www.courtneycolecreates.com
Find her on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/#!/courtneyc...
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January 8, 2012
The beauty of paranormal YA is that anything goes. As a writer, you have practically absolute freedom. As a reader, you can experience green skies, flying turtles, nice demons and instalove.
But wait - what about the last aspect? In the last years, Instalove (or the falling in love of two persons entirely unconnected with no apparent reason to like each other) has established itself as the main source of love for YA heroines and heros. Of course there are exceptions, though.
Why is that? I really don't see what's the appeal of two people falling in love with each other without ever talking about anything.
In some books, the use of Instalove is understandable. In "Every Last Kiss" (also by Courtney Cole), for example, the main character meets the love of her life and instantly has a connection with him. But she had a very good reason for it: Charmian and her soulmate knew each other for thousands of years. So it really wasn't necessary to get to know each other again. And I understand that.
But in Soul Kissed, Empusa and Brennan, her love-interest, meet for the first time and, well, he is "all she can think about". Please don't get me wrong, I have no problem with insta-attraction. It happens. But Instalove? The "feeling of loss" whenever your love-interest isn't there? No. Just no.
I loved Empusa. I even loved Brennan, even though I had a very hard time digging past the cheese-layers on his speech. Need an example? Here it is:
""We can withstand anything," he assured me quietly. "Including time itself.""
And that's a very sweet thing to say. Incredibly romantic, too. But Brennan is an 18-year old boy. 18-year old boys don't say things like that. They don't even think like that. And I should know, because I meet them on a daily basis.
My main problem with the instanuous attraction between Empusa and Brennan was that basically, it didn't have any growth. What I mean by that is that in Chapter 1, they meet and are instantly attracted, but Empusa runs away. The reason why they are attracted? Brennan is good-looking. And he has a yummy aura that Empusa really would loooooove to eat. Oh, and she feels drawn to him. Why? I don't know. And after having read the book, I still don't know. Because Empusas reason for liking Brennan haven't changed. He's still good-looking. And she's still pretty, and Brennan "just can't seem to help himself".
I guess a kind of growth was implied when Empusa stated that she loved Brennan for his "strength (of mind)" for not backing up to Hades. But it just wasn't believable. I mean, sure it's nice he doesn't let himself be bullied. Great. Only it only happens three times in the book. With Poseidon,
Hades and an old hag.
Personnally, I don't view it as "strength of mind" when you politely ask someone why they hate you so much.
But that's probably debatable.
Anyway, I hate talking badly about this book. Because it had such great potential. I loved the twists and turns
But since the relationsship between Em and Brennan is so unbelievable, I just can't give Soul Kissed any more than 2 stars. For that, the love story just took too much space in the book.
But wait - what about the last aspect? In the last years, Instalove (or the falling in love of two persons entirely unconnected with no apparent reason to like each other) has established itself as the main source of love for YA heroines and heros. Of course there are exceptions, though.
Why is that? I really don't see what's the appeal of two people falling in love with each other without ever talking about anything.
In some books, the use of Instalove is understandable. In "Every Last Kiss" (also by Courtney Cole), for example, the main character meets the love of her life and instantly has a connection with him. But she had a very good reason for it: Charmian and her soulmate knew each other for thousands of years. So it really wasn't necessary to get to know each other again. And I understand that.
But in Soul Kissed, Empusa and Brennan, her love-interest, meet for the first time and, well, he is "all she can think about". Please don't get me wrong, I have no problem with insta-attraction. It happens. But Instalove? The "feeling of loss" whenever your love-interest isn't there? No. Just no.
I loved Empusa. I even loved Brennan, even though I had a very hard time digging past the cheese-layers on his speech. Need an example? Here it is:
""We can withstand anything," he assured me quietly. "Including time itself.""
And that's a very sweet thing to say. Incredibly romantic, too. But Brennan is an 18-year old boy. 18-year old boys don't say things like that. They don't even think like that. And I should know, because I meet them on a daily basis.
My main problem with the instanuous attraction between Empusa and Brennan was that basically, it didn't have any growth. What I mean by that is that in Chapter 1, they meet and are instantly attracted, but Empusa runs away. The reason why they are attracted? Brennan is good-looking. And he has a yummy aura that Empusa really would loooooove to eat. Oh, and she feels drawn to him. Why? I don't know. And after having read the book, I still don't know. Because Empusas reason for liking Brennan haven't changed. He's still good-looking. And she's still pretty, and Brennan "just can't seem to help himself".
I guess a kind of growth was implied when Empusa stated that she loved Brennan for his "strength (of mind)" for not backing up to Hades. But it just wasn't believable. I mean, sure it's nice he doesn't let himself be bullied. Great. Only it only happens three times in the book. With Poseidon,
Hades and an old hag.
Personnally, I don't view it as "strength of mind" when you politely ask someone why they hate you so much.
But that's probably debatable.
Anyway, I hate talking badly about this book. Because it had such great potential. I loved the twists and turns
But since the relationsship between Em and Brennan is so unbelievable, I just can't give Soul Kissed any more than 2 stars. For that, the love story just took too much space in the book.
January 14, 2018
**This is a review of a beta copy of Soul Kissed, so there may be some differences between what I have read and the finished product.**
I am a person who values my sleep. I need it. It is essential for my sanity. So I try to be a good girl when I read my books at night and not stay up all night reading them, no matter how much I might enjoy them. Well, all my hard work in trying to create good sleep patterns fell apart when I began this book yesterday evening. I simply could not put this book down. I would say that I was going to read just one more chapter, and then by the end of the chapter I had to continue reading to see what happened next. It was so good.
I am a fan of the Bloodstone Saga books by Courtney Cole, and this book is the first book in The Moonstone Saga, a spin-off series. In this book the main character is Empusa (Em) who was introduced in the last book of the Bloodstone Saga. She is an immortal who is running from her father who wants to kill her, but she is also hiding a little bit from her mother who wants to help her. That help involves Hades, and Empusa has no desire to work with the god of the underworld. Empusa is cursed so that in order to survive she must feed on the souls of mortals, and in order to keep her youth she must feed on the blood of humans as well. She works hard to only take the souls of those who are already headed toward death, somewhat taking away her guilt over her role in their deaths.
It is in the midst of one of these soul sucking trips that Em meets up with Brennan, mortal nephew to one of the newly deceased men. They touch and find that they have an instant cosmic connection. This totally freaks Em out because she has no desire to suck the life out of this young man, so she bolts. But as fate would have it while Em is roaming the beach after a blood sucking hunt she runs into Brennan, and this time he is not going to let her go. He follows her and will not take no for an answer when he attempts to speak with her.
What follows is two people discovering their other half. Courtney Cole can really write soulmate stories. She did a great job with Harmonia and Cadmus in the last series, and in this book she did a wonderful job creating this wonderful relationship between Em and Brennan. I was able to feel the connection between these two characters through Cole's writing. When you pull back from the story and think about things logically it seems like less than an hour is too little time for two people to decide that they are each other's destiny. But in the midst of this story it makes perfect sense. This is not some ordinary mortal romance. This is something that is beyond the rules of humanity. What is nice about the way this relationship is written is that I don't feel as if every single paragraph is simply another recap of how much the two characters pine for one another. To be sure, there is a lot of description of the magnetism between the two of them, but I never felt as if this was over the top. There was just enough to make the point without slamming me over the head with it.
It would seem that such a romance would be doomed to fail when it is between an immortal girl who has a duty to suck the life out of people and an ordinary mortal boy. But there is more to Brennan than he realizes. I won't ruin it by saying exactly who he is and how he relates to the world of the immortals, but he does have a place. Unfortunately even though Brennan has a role to take in the world, his particular role does not make their relationship any easier. In fact, the problems that they face because of the joining of their two roles seems to be one of the driving conflicts of the series. Em seriously has some problems to overcome while running from her horrible father. She has no idea who to trust in the immortal world since so many of the gods have ulterior motives with everything. But even with all of these problems, I think that Em's biggest problem is probably that the one person who she trusts and wants to stay with forever may be the cause of total annihilation. That would be a bit of a bummer in any relationship.
Harmonia and Cadmus make an appearance in this book, and it is nice to see them in it. They fit perfectly into the plot. Hades again plays a role in this story. For now it seems as if his role is somewhat positive, but he is involved for purely selfish reasons. I do enjoy the way he is written in these stories. We also get introduced to Poseidon, god of the seas, and I'll only say that he really ends up being a total creep, much different than I would have pictured him originally.
Cole does an excellent job of creating somewhat complex relationships between characters. No one truly fits into any sort of solid cookie cutter image. They have some layers to their motivations and interactions with one another that it keeps my interest as a reader. I especially liked her portrayal of the relationship between Empusa and her mother. They obviously love one another, but sometimes they find themselves making decisions that strain the relationship.
I really loved the character of Brennan. He finds himself thrust into a world that he could have never imagined a few days earlier, and yet he approaches the weirdness around him with courage and good humor. He does not back down in the face of the powers that face him in this world, and he obviously has tremendous love for his Emmie that will guide his every decision while moving through the world of immortals. I thought that the portrayal of his love was sweet and touching in many ways. The two of them make a great couple, if only their interaction with one another wasn't going to cause such a huge calamity.
This book differs from the Bloodstone Saga books in some significant ways. When reading the Bloodstone books I felt as if I was unwrapping a mystery with Harmonia as she tried to discover exactly who she was and recover her identity from those who stole it from her. In this series I feel as if Empusa still has to create her future. She and Brennan have eternity to work toward, if only they can unravel the knots of their present. Empusa is a wonderful narrator to this story. She has the right mix of strength and vulnerability to make her a character who I can relate to.
I think that I enjoyed this book even more than the books in the Bloodstone Saga. It had a driving plot that kept me turning pages through the night to see what would happen to Em and Brennan. This is not the end of their story. They still have many obstacles to overcome before they can have the eternal destiny with one another that they desire. I enjoyed their love story. I loved the interaction with characters from ancient mythology, bringing ancient legends to life in a very relatable way. This is a book that I will read again and again. A very enjoyable beginning to a new series!
I am a person who values my sleep. I need it. It is essential for my sanity. So I try to be a good girl when I read my books at night and not stay up all night reading them, no matter how much I might enjoy them. Well, all my hard work in trying to create good sleep patterns fell apart when I began this book yesterday evening. I simply could not put this book down. I would say that I was going to read just one more chapter, and then by the end of the chapter I had to continue reading to see what happened next. It was so good.
I am a fan of the Bloodstone Saga books by Courtney Cole, and this book is the first book in The Moonstone Saga, a spin-off series. In this book the main character is Empusa (Em) who was introduced in the last book of the Bloodstone Saga. She is an immortal who is running from her father who wants to kill her, but she is also hiding a little bit from her mother who wants to help her. That help involves Hades, and Empusa has no desire to work with the god of the underworld. Empusa is cursed so that in order to survive she must feed on the souls of mortals, and in order to keep her youth she must feed on the blood of humans as well. She works hard to only take the souls of those who are already headed toward death, somewhat taking away her guilt over her role in their deaths.
It is in the midst of one of these soul sucking trips that Em meets up with Brennan, mortal nephew to one of the newly deceased men. They touch and find that they have an instant cosmic connection. This totally freaks Em out because she has no desire to suck the life out of this young man, so she bolts. But as fate would have it while Em is roaming the beach after a blood sucking hunt she runs into Brennan, and this time he is not going to let her go. He follows her and will not take no for an answer when he attempts to speak with her.
What follows is two people discovering their other half. Courtney Cole can really write soulmate stories. She did a great job with Harmonia and Cadmus in the last series, and in this book she did a wonderful job creating this wonderful relationship between Em and Brennan. I was able to feel the connection between these two characters through Cole's writing. When you pull back from the story and think about things logically it seems like less than an hour is too little time for two people to decide that they are each other's destiny. But in the midst of this story it makes perfect sense. This is not some ordinary mortal romance. This is something that is beyond the rules of humanity. What is nice about the way this relationship is written is that I don't feel as if every single paragraph is simply another recap of how much the two characters pine for one another. To be sure, there is a lot of description of the magnetism between the two of them, but I never felt as if this was over the top. There was just enough to make the point without slamming me over the head with it.
It would seem that such a romance would be doomed to fail when it is between an immortal girl who has a duty to suck the life out of people and an ordinary mortal boy. But there is more to Brennan than he realizes. I won't ruin it by saying exactly who he is and how he relates to the world of the immortals, but he does have a place. Unfortunately even though Brennan has a role to take in the world, his particular role does not make their relationship any easier. In fact, the problems that they face because of the joining of their two roles seems to be one of the driving conflicts of the series. Em seriously has some problems to overcome while running from her horrible father. She has no idea who to trust in the immortal world since so many of the gods have ulterior motives with everything. But even with all of these problems, I think that Em's biggest problem is probably that the one person who she trusts and wants to stay with forever may be the cause of total annihilation. That would be a bit of a bummer in any relationship.
Harmonia and Cadmus make an appearance in this book, and it is nice to see them in it. They fit perfectly into the plot. Hades again plays a role in this story. For now it seems as if his role is somewhat positive, but he is involved for purely selfish reasons. I do enjoy the way he is written in these stories. We also get introduced to Poseidon, god of the seas, and I'll only say that he really ends up being a total creep, much different than I would have pictured him originally.
Cole does an excellent job of creating somewhat complex relationships between characters. No one truly fits into any sort of solid cookie cutter image. They have some layers to their motivations and interactions with one another that it keeps my interest as a reader. I especially liked her portrayal of the relationship between Empusa and her mother. They obviously love one another, but sometimes they find themselves making decisions that strain the relationship.
I really loved the character of Brennan. He finds himself thrust into a world that he could have never imagined a few days earlier, and yet he approaches the weirdness around him with courage and good humor. He does not back down in the face of the powers that face him in this world, and he obviously has tremendous love for his Emmie that will guide his every decision while moving through the world of immortals. I thought that the portrayal of his love was sweet and touching in many ways. The two of them make a great couple, if only their interaction with one another wasn't going to cause such a huge calamity.
This book differs from the Bloodstone Saga books in some significant ways. When reading the Bloodstone books I felt as if I was unwrapping a mystery with Harmonia as she tried to discover exactly who she was and recover her identity from those who stole it from her. In this series I feel as if Empusa still has to create her future. She and Brennan have eternity to work toward, if only they can unravel the knots of their present. Empusa is a wonderful narrator to this story. She has the right mix of strength and vulnerability to make her a character who I can relate to.
I think that I enjoyed this book even more than the books in the Bloodstone Saga. It had a driving plot that kept me turning pages through the night to see what would happen to Em and Brennan. This is not the end of their story. They still have many obstacles to overcome before they can have the eternal destiny with one another that they desire. I enjoyed their love story. I loved the interaction with characters from ancient mythology, bringing ancient legends to life in a very relatable way. This is a book that I will read again and again. A very enjoyable beginning to a new series!
January 9, 2012
First of all, just look at that cover! How gorgeous is that?! I am in love with this cover!!
Anyway....
Soul Kissed is book one in The Moonstone Saga by one of my favourite authors, Courtney Cole.
The Moonstone Saga is a spin-off series from her Bloodstone Saga, so if you haven't read those books I suggest you do first before picking up Soul Kissed. You can probably read this one without having previously read the Bloodstone Saga books, but it would make things a lot easier if you have read them first.
You'll understand the characters and the terminology used a bit better.
Having being in a severe state of shock and grief over one of my favourite series's from 2011 coming to end, I was excited to hear there was going to be a spin-off series. Only this time around the series focused on Empusa, the daughter of Hecate, goddess of witchcraft.
We only get to see a small glimpse of Empusa and Hecate in the Bloodstone saga and I always wanted to know more about them both and a bit more about their background story.
Soul Kissed did not disappoint on either.
The story centres on Empusa as she is on the run and hiding from her father who wants to kill her (readers of the Bloodstone Saga will know why). Empusa is cursed to drink mortal blood to survive, the only way she feels she can do this is by taking the lives of those who are about to die anyway. A frequent visitor to hospitals, one day there she comes across Brennan who captures her attention immediately.
But Brennan is not what he appears to be, he has a hidden secret, a secret that is unknown even to himself.
Someone new to Courtney's writing may be shocked at the sheer amount of mythology, history and research that goes into her books. It is something I have said time and time again about her Bloodstone Saga, and I can see myself saying again in the future about the Moonstone saga. I am a huge fan of mythology and I love the way Courtney manages to take history and mythology and blend it together, adding her own touch of flavour to it to bring together the perfect plot.
After seeing so much of the Underworld and Spirit Lands in the Bloodstone saga, I honestly did not know what to expect location wise with this book, how much more could there really be to see?
I was completely wrong on this part, Soul Kissed transports readers the underwater realm of Poseidon and the sunken city of Atlantis. It was beautifully described, right down to every last detail, making the reader feel as if they are part of the book themselves.
As with the rest of Courtney's book this one is not without it's own twists and turns, this book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire way through it. I literally could not believe what was happening to poor Empusa half of the time. I just wanted to grab her out of the pages and take her home with me to keep her safe!
As for the romance element, I loved it!
Yes it did seem to be a little two quick and almost love at first sight with Empusa and Brennan, but with the world Courtney has created and the explanation about soul mates given in this book, I can completely understand it and it makes sense to me.
The ending left me gobsmacked and I cannot wait to get my hands on book two!
Anyway....
Soul Kissed is book one in The Moonstone Saga by one of my favourite authors, Courtney Cole.
The Moonstone Saga is a spin-off series from her Bloodstone Saga, so if you haven't read those books I suggest you do first before picking up Soul Kissed. You can probably read this one without having previously read the Bloodstone Saga books, but it would make things a lot easier if you have read them first.
You'll understand the characters and the terminology used a bit better.
Having being in a severe state of shock and grief over one of my favourite series's from 2011 coming to end, I was excited to hear there was going to be a spin-off series. Only this time around the series focused on Empusa, the daughter of Hecate, goddess of witchcraft.
We only get to see a small glimpse of Empusa and Hecate in the Bloodstone saga and I always wanted to know more about them both and a bit more about their background story.
Soul Kissed did not disappoint on either.
The story centres on Empusa as she is on the run and hiding from her father who wants to kill her (readers of the Bloodstone Saga will know why). Empusa is cursed to drink mortal blood to survive, the only way she feels she can do this is by taking the lives of those who are about to die anyway. A frequent visitor to hospitals, one day there she comes across Brennan who captures her attention immediately.
But Brennan is not what he appears to be, he has a hidden secret, a secret that is unknown even to himself.
Someone new to Courtney's writing may be shocked at the sheer amount of mythology, history and research that goes into her books. It is something I have said time and time again about her Bloodstone Saga, and I can see myself saying again in the future about the Moonstone saga. I am a huge fan of mythology and I love the way Courtney manages to take history and mythology and blend it together, adding her own touch of flavour to it to bring together the perfect plot.
After seeing so much of the Underworld and Spirit Lands in the Bloodstone saga, I honestly did not know what to expect location wise with this book, how much more could there really be to see?
I was completely wrong on this part, Soul Kissed transports readers the underwater realm of Poseidon and the sunken city of Atlantis. It was beautifully described, right down to every last detail, making the reader feel as if they are part of the book themselves.
As with the rest of Courtney's book this one is not without it's own twists and turns, this book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire way through it. I literally could not believe what was happening to poor Empusa half of the time. I just wanted to grab her out of the pages and take her home with me to keep her safe!
As for the romance element, I loved it!
Yes it did seem to be a little two quick and almost love at first sight with Empusa and Brennan, but with the world Courtney has created and the explanation about soul mates given in this book, I can completely understand it and it makes sense to me.
The ending left me gobsmacked and I cannot wait to get my hands on book two!
January 25, 2012
In the Bloodstone series we were introduced to Empusa, daughter of the goddess of witchcraft, Hecate. Due to a curse, she is forced to consume human souls and human blood to keep her immortality. To make matters worse, the curse was laid upon her by her father and, if he’s able to find her, he’ll kill her so that the curse can never be returned to him. Talk about family problems! Em is living in hiding and only consuming souls and blood when she can no longer function without them. During one soul sucking interaction, she meets Brennan and that’s when everything changes.
It turns out that Brennan is not what he appears to be…he’s not even who he thinks he is. And their journey to discover how to get the curse removed and save Em from her terrible fate will also help him discover himself. And what a ride it is! First of all…how much do I love Brennan and his confident swagger….a lot, that’s how much! I love that their relationship is dangerous, that she could kill him, that together they could destroy the world!! And I loved the fact that the characters I enjoyed in the Bloodstone Saga make an appearance here as well. The worlds are intertwined and even as we are focused on Em, we learn more about what is happening in those other characters’ lives.
In truth, I was a bit worried at the beginning when it seemed that the story was going to be more about their relationship than anything else. I found this book a bit “mushier” than the Bloodstone Saga but, then again, these two soul mates are just finding each other where Harmonia and Cadmus had already known each other for lifetimes when we met them. As usual, however, I needed not have been concerned because out of left field came her father, the twists and turns, the mysteries and the betrayals! And then I couldn’t put it down.
As always, the mix of mythology and history…with a twist…is absolutely perfect. These are characters we’ve heard about (in this book it’s Poseidon and the lost city of Atlantis) brought to life with vivid imagery and creative care.
And the end….I kept checking how far along I was, hoping it wasn’t ending just yet. But, of course, eventually it did and, what do you know, it’s a really good cliffhanger! What will happen next?!? I can’t wait to find out!
Overall, I think it’s another great book. A new adventure that for readers of the Bloodstone Saga will feel different yet, somehow, feel just like coming home!
It turns out that Brennan is not what he appears to be…he’s not even who he thinks he is. And their journey to discover how to get the curse removed and save Em from her terrible fate will also help him discover himself. And what a ride it is! First of all…how much do I love Brennan and his confident swagger….a lot, that’s how much! I love that their relationship is dangerous, that she could kill him, that together they could destroy the world!! And I loved the fact that the characters I enjoyed in the Bloodstone Saga make an appearance here as well. The worlds are intertwined and even as we are focused on Em, we learn more about what is happening in those other characters’ lives.
In truth, I was a bit worried at the beginning when it seemed that the story was going to be more about their relationship than anything else. I found this book a bit “mushier” than the Bloodstone Saga but, then again, these two soul mates are just finding each other where Harmonia and Cadmus had already known each other for lifetimes when we met them. As usual, however, I needed not have been concerned because out of left field came her father, the twists and turns, the mysteries and the betrayals! And then I couldn’t put it down.
As always, the mix of mythology and history…with a twist…is absolutely perfect. These are characters we’ve heard about (in this book it’s Poseidon and the lost city of Atlantis) brought to life with vivid imagery and creative care.
And the end….I kept checking how far along I was, hoping it wasn’t ending just yet. But, of course, eventually it did and, what do you know, it’s a really good cliffhanger! What will happen next?!? I can’t wait to find out!
Overall, I think it’s another great book. A new adventure that for readers of the Bloodstone Saga will feel different yet, somehow, feel just like coming home!
January 5, 2012
I am a lucky lucky girl to have recieved this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I didn't think that ANYTHING could be as epic and emotional as Courtney Cole's Bloodstone saga, but believe me if you loved that series than you will fall head over heels for this book, I know I did!
In the last series we are introduced to the character Empusa, daughter of the the goddess of witchcraft, Hecate. Due to a curse laid upon her by her father, she is forced to consume human souls and human blood to keep her immortality. In addition to this, she must also keep hidden from her evil father, who would destroy her utterly if he found her. She holds no realy hope of ever eluding her curse. Until one day she meets Brennan, who is the nephew of a sick man who Em had just recently fed on. As soon as they touch they discover that they have a deep soul connection; they are electrified by each others touch and cannot bear to be apart. As they grow closer, Empusa learns that there is more to Brennan that meets the eye, and that there are even more hidden secrets about her curse...and the moonstone bracelet she wears.
I really really loved this book. Courtney Cole is one of the rare, gifted authors that can write about soul mates and true love without it feeling fake, forced, or corny. Is there anything more romantic than the thought of finding your soul mate? I doubt it! The connection between Empusa and Brennan is nothing short of exhilirating. It was great to watch their love unfold.
I also enjoyed all the mythology that flowed through this book. Part of Empusa's journey involves her traveling to Poseidon's underwater kingdom and it was really awesome to see that described in vivid detail and to learn more about Poseidon's character (even if he turned out to be a bit of a prick ;) ).
Ah,the ending left me craving so much more of these characters and this story! It was just so good! I can't wait to find out what happends next! This is a fantastic first book in a great new series!
In the last series we are introduced to the character Empusa, daughter of the the goddess of witchcraft, Hecate. Due to a curse laid upon her by her father, she is forced to consume human souls and human blood to keep her immortality. In addition to this, she must also keep hidden from her evil father, who would destroy her utterly if he found her. She holds no realy hope of ever eluding her curse. Until one day she meets Brennan, who is the nephew of a sick man who Em had just recently fed on. As soon as they touch they discover that they have a deep soul connection; they are electrified by each others touch and cannot bear to be apart. As they grow closer, Empusa learns that there is more to Brennan that meets the eye, and that there are even more hidden secrets about her curse...and the moonstone bracelet she wears.
I really really loved this book. Courtney Cole is one of the rare, gifted authors that can write about soul mates and true love without it feeling fake, forced, or corny. Is there anything more romantic than the thought of finding your soul mate? I doubt it! The connection between Empusa and Brennan is nothing short of exhilirating. It was great to watch their love unfold.
I also enjoyed all the mythology that flowed through this book. Part of Empusa's journey involves her traveling to Poseidon's underwater kingdom and it was really awesome to see that described in vivid detail and to learn more about Poseidon's character (even if he turned out to be a bit of a prick ;) ).
Ah,the ending left me craving so much more of these characters and this story! It was just so good! I can't wait to find out what happends next! This is a fantastic first book in a great new series!
November 6, 2012
Another fabulous debut, Soul Kissed made is great!
What I loved most about this book is the banging plot. If you love greek mythology and are up for an awesome twist read this story! I loved reading each chapter, getting to know more of the back round story as well as see the characters developed. Being able to step into the characters shoes and feel the emotions, the rush of adrenaline when it comes to searching out clues is awesome.
Power play is a manger part of the book that left me speechless left and right. Whatever happen to doing something for someone without wanting or needing something in return? That's what you get when you mess with the gods.
Of course the love interest is entertaining as well as tiring. As much as I enjoyed them together, I really dislike the back and forth thing. I couldn't help but want to slap both of them and remind them that two is better than one. I mean, if you going down, you might as well go down with a fight right?
Soul Kissed is a great start in an awesome series! It lead me to places that I never been before and kindly whipped my emotions back and forth. A strong plot that directs much action along with secrets is divine. A beautifully driven plot with much to offer, Soul Kissed is great!
What I loved most about this book is the banging plot. If you love greek mythology and are up for an awesome twist read this story! I loved reading each chapter, getting to know more of the back round story as well as see the characters developed. Being able to step into the characters shoes and feel the emotions, the rush of adrenaline when it comes to searching out clues is awesome.
Power play is a manger part of the book that left me speechless left and right. Whatever happen to doing something for someone without wanting or needing something in return? That's what you get when you mess with the gods.
Of course the love interest is entertaining as well as tiring. As much as I enjoyed them together, I really dislike the back and forth thing. I couldn't help but want to slap both of them and remind them that two is better than one. I mean, if you going down, you might as well go down with a fight right?
Soul Kissed is a great start in an awesome series! It lead me to places that I never been before and kindly whipped my emotions back and forth. A strong plot that directs much action along with secrets is divine. A beautifully driven plot with much to offer, Soul Kissed is great!
May 14, 2012
This is by far one of my most favorites so far...out of any of the authors that I have discovered since I received my Kindle this pasr Christmas.
Courtney Cole is amazingly talented which I quickly found out during the Bloodstone Saga.
Her take on Empusa is amazing....her strength shines through in every aspect of her character.
I can't wait to se where her and Brennan end up in Soul Bound!!!
Courtney Cole is amazingly talented which I quickly found out during the Bloodstone Saga.
Her take on Empusa is amazing....her strength shines through in every aspect of her character.
I can't wait to se where her and Brennan end up in Soul Bound!!!
March 13, 2012
I love this book so far amazing i love Ems character and Brennan's humor for that matter.
So when does Soul Bound come out???
I love that mythology was such a big component to this story
And the way Hades was described.... well it made me want to meet him >.<
So when does Soul Bound come out???
I love that mythology was such a big component to this story
And the way Hades was described.... well it made me want to meet him >.<
April 15, 2012
Love the cover!
Brilliant book, couldn't have asked for better. Thoroughly enjoyed it- way better than expected that's for sure.
Don't underestimate this book, it will pull you in. I didn't put it down between when I started it until when I finished it.
Book 2 here I come!
Brilliant book, couldn't have asked for better. Thoroughly enjoyed it- way better than expected that's for sure.
Don't underestimate this book, it will pull you in. I didn't put it down between when I started it until when I finished it.
Book 2 here I come!
March 11, 2012
good book.looking forward to the next one in this series.
April 15, 2012
Reviewed by Meg
I’m a huge fan of the Bloodstone Saga, and well, anything that Courtney Cole writes. I had no doubt that I would enjoy the first book in the Moonstone Saga. In reality, I did more than enjoy it. I loved Soul Kissed.
At the end of Bloodstone Saga, we start to become better acquainted with Empusa (Em, for short) and begin to learn a little of her back story. We don’t really get to KNOW her, but we get to know more of her. Em is the daughter of Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft. She’s an immortal demigod who’s been cursed by her father to wander the earth devouring souls and consuming blood. On top of the curse, Em has to constantly be on the run, hiding herself away from her father, who wants to kill her and from her mother, who wants to deliver her to Hades to hopefully break the curse — I’m with Em on this one, I wouldn’t trust Hades to keep his word either.
In Soul Kissed, the first book in the Moonstone Saga, we get to delve into Em’s head and learn the details of her life. I have to say, first off, it was quite a switch from Harmonia to Em. After spending so much time with Harmonia, I was used to her methods of thinking and had grown accustomed to slowly seeing how the past was unveiled through her eyes. With Em, the past isn’t the mystery like it is for Harmonia. Em knows her past, and it’s a dark past. But Em’s future is one blank slate, she has no idea where she needs to go or how she needs to get there, and unlike Harmonia, Em is in many ways, alone. It’s quite a switch from the Bloodstone Saga, which makes is refreshing and exciting!
Back on track with the plot, we learn very quickly that despite her curse of soul and blood consumption, Em refuses to take nourishment from anyone who is not already knocking on death’s door, which leads her to the rather awkward experience of meeting Brennan, the son of a terminally ill patient who’s soul she consumes. A fleeting touch later, and craziness happens and Em flees, determined to put as much distance between herself and Brennan, but of course, fate has other plans.
Now, I hate to put spoilers in my reviews so I’m not going to go any further in depth with who Brennan is exactly, and how his relationship with Em evolves, just know that it’s worth reading. The story that is woven between Em and Brennan is complex and throughout the course of the book, we’re introduced to tiny hints of how they’re relationship will pan out, and in many ways, it isn’t good. That’s one thing I love about Cole’s writing, she has this gift to be able to write out a romance that seems near impossible and couldn’t have any logical happy ending, but she can pull it off. I mean, she can really pull it off. She proved that time and time again with Harmonia and Cadmus. And she’s proven it with Em and Brennan, and I have no doubt that she will continue to do so throughout the rest of this series.
Along with our main characters, the secondary ones are equally complex. We get to see Harmonia and Cadmus once more, and their appearance in Soul Kissed is like a breath of fresh air. Harmonia is the goddess of peace, and the way that Cole writes her makes that completely tangible. Sometimes, Cole leaves me nervous and fidgety, worried over what’s going to happen to her characters next. And in others, my heart races while a battle plays out on the pages in front of me. And then, Harmonia appears and everything is calm. Cole’s characters are simply evocative, and that is one of the key things that makes her books so amazing.
Plot wise, Soul Kissed is a totally different type of book that the Bloodstone Saga was. With Harmonia’s story, everything was a mystery; we pieced it together bit by bit with the characters. With Em, we’re given much of her back story and we simply have to look forward to the future. Cole creates this twist that makes it inevitable that Em and Brennan will come together, and then she presents them with a challenge, and just from their reactions in this first book of the series, I can’t wait to see how it progresses in the future. Outside of the romance, the family drama between Em, her parents, Hades, the pretty creepy Poseidon, is enough to keep any reader on the edge of their seat. It’s twisted, and in many ways it’s much darker than the first series was. At the same time, however, I find myself reading with just as much hope as I was when reading Harmonia’s story. And I love a great story with a nice balance of darkness and hope.
If you love a great story based on ancient myths, this is so worth picking up. Cole is an amazing writer. She’s proven it time and time again to me, as I’ve yet to read anything by her that I don’t like. Her characters are deep, with multiple facets to their personalities and a host of motivations driving them to do the things they do. The plot is also complex, yet not so much that you can’t follow it easily. It’s just enough to keep you guessing, and wondering what exactly drives each of these characters to do the things they do, and each time a new little piece of the puzzle falls into your lap, you find that you can’t wait to find the next piece. It’s exhilarating. If you enjoyed The Bloodstone Saga, you’ll love this book.
I’m a huge fan of the Bloodstone Saga, and well, anything that Courtney Cole writes. I had no doubt that I would enjoy the first book in the Moonstone Saga. In reality, I did more than enjoy it. I loved Soul Kissed.
At the end of Bloodstone Saga, we start to become better acquainted with Empusa (Em, for short) and begin to learn a little of her back story. We don’t really get to KNOW her, but we get to know more of her. Em is the daughter of Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft. She’s an immortal demigod who’s been cursed by her father to wander the earth devouring souls and consuming blood. On top of the curse, Em has to constantly be on the run, hiding herself away from her father, who wants to kill her and from her mother, who wants to deliver her to Hades to hopefully break the curse — I’m with Em on this one, I wouldn’t trust Hades to keep his word either.
In Soul Kissed, the first book in the Moonstone Saga, we get to delve into Em’s head and learn the details of her life. I have to say, first off, it was quite a switch from Harmonia to Em. After spending so much time with Harmonia, I was used to her methods of thinking and had grown accustomed to slowly seeing how the past was unveiled through her eyes. With Em, the past isn’t the mystery like it is for Harmonia. Em knows her past, and it’s a dark past. But Em’s future is one blank slate, she has no idea where she needs to go or how she needs to get there, and unlike Harmonia, Em is in many ways, alone. It’s quite a switch from the Bloodstone Saga, which makes is refreshing and exciting!
Back on track with the plot, we learn very quickly that despite her curse of soul and blood consumption, Em refuses to take nourishment from anyone who is not already knocking on death’s door, which leads her to the rather awkward experience of meeting Brennan, the son of a terminally ill patient who’s soul she consumes. A fleeting touch later, and craziness happens and Em flees, determined to put as much distance between herself and Brennan, but of course, fate has other plans.
Now, I hate to put spoilers in my reviews so I’m not going to go any further in depth with who Brennan is exactly, and how his relationship with Em evolves, just know that it’s worth reading. The story that is woven between Em and Brennan is complex and throughout the course of the book, we’re introduced to tiny hints of how they’re relationship will pan out, and in many ways, it isn’t good. That’s one thing I love about Cole’s writing, she has this gift to be able to write out a romance that seems near impossible and couldn’t have any logical happy ending, but she can pull it off. I mean, she can really pull it off. She proved that time and time again with Harmonia and Cadmus. And she’s proven it with Em and Brennan, and I have no doubt that she will continue to do so throughout the rest of this series.
Along with our main characters, the secondary ones are equally complex. We get to see Harmonia and Cadmus once more, and their appearance in Soul Kissed is like a breath of fresh air. Harmonia is the goddess of peace, and the way that Cole writes her makes that completely tangible. Sometimes, Cole leaves me nervous and fidgety, worried over what’s going to happen to her characters next. And in others, my heart races while a battle plays out on the pages in front of me. And then, Harmonia appears and everything is calm. Cole’s characters are simply evocative, and that is one of the key things that makes her books so amazing.
Plot wise, Soul Kissed is a totally different type of book that the Bloodstone Saga was. With Harmonia’s story, everything was a mystery; we pieced it together bit by bit with the characters. With Em, we’re given much of her back story and we simply have to look forward to the future. Cole creates this twist that makes it inevitable that Em and Brennan will come together, and then she presents them with a challenge, and just from their reactions in this first book of the series, I can’t wait to see how it progresses in the future. Outside of the romance, the family drama between Em, her parents, Hades, the pretty creepy Poseidon, is enough to keep any reader on the edge of their seat. It’s twisted, and in many ways it’s much darker than the first series was. At the same time, however, I find myself reading with just as much hope as I was when reading Harmonia’s story. And I love a great story with a nice balance of darkness and hope.
If you love a great story based on ancient myths, this is so worth picking up. Cole is an amazing writer. She’s proven it time and time again to me, as I’ve yet to read anything by her that I don’t like. Her characters are deep, with multiple facets to their personalities and a host of motivations driving them to do the things they do. The plot is also complex, yet not so much that you can’t follow it easily. It’s just enough to keep you guessing, and wondering what exactly drives each of these characters to do the things they do, and each time a new little piece of the puzzle falls into your lap, you find that you can’t wait to find the next piece. It’s exhilarating. If you enjoyed The Bloodstone Saga, you’ll love this book.
December 31, 2017
Awesome
I love the characters and how each one was different. I just couldn't out it down. U long for the two main characters to be together even if something could happen from it. Can't wait to read the second one.
I love the characters and how each one was different. I just couldn't out it down. U long for the two main characters to be together even if something could happen from it. Can't wait to read the second one.
June 19, 2023
Insta love 😩
January 25, 2012
In the Bloodstone series we were introduced to Empusa, daughter of the goddess of witchcraft, Hecate. Due to a curse, she is forced to consume human souls and human blood to keep her immortality. To make matters worse, the curse was laid upon her by her father and, if he’s able to find her, he’ll kill her so that the curse can never be returned to him. Talk about family problems! Em is living in hiding and only consuming souls and blood when she can no longer function without them. During one soul sucking interaction, she meets Brennan and that’s when everything changes.
It turns out that Brennan is not what he appears to be…he’s not even who he thinks he is. And their journey to discover how to get the curse removed and save Em from her terrible fate will also help him discover himself. And what a ride it is! First of all…how much do I love Brennan and his confident swagger….a lot, that’s how much! I love that their relationship is dangerous, that she could kill him, that together they could destroy the world!! And I loved the fact that the characters I enjoyed in the Bloodstone Saga make an appearance here as well. The worlds are intertwined and even as we are focused on Em, we learn more about what is happening in those other characters’ lives.
In truth, I was a bit worried at the beginning when it seemed that the story was going to be more about their relationship than anything else. I found this book a bit “mushier” than the Bloodstone Saga but, then again, these two soul mates are just finding each other where Harmonia and Cadmus had already known each other for lifetimes when we met them. As usual, however, I needed not have been concerned because out of left field came her father, the twists and turns, the mysteries and the betrayals! And then I couldn’t put it down.
As always, the mix of mythology and history…with a twist…is absolutely perfect. These are characters we’ve heard about (in this book it’s Poseidon and the lost city of Atlantis) brought to life with vivid imagery and creative care.
And the end….I kept checking how far along I was, hoping it wasn’t ending just yet. But, of course, eventually it did and, what do you know, it’s a really good cliffhanger! What will happen next?!? I can’t wait to find out!
Overall, I think it’s another great book. A new adventure that for readers of the Bloodstone Saga will feel different yet, somehow, feel just like coming home!
It turns out that Brennan is not what he appears to be…he’s not even who he thinks he is. And their journey to discover how to get the curse removed and save Em from her terrible fate will also help him discover himself. And what a ride it is! First of all…how much do I love Brennan and his confident swagger….a lot, that’s how much! I love that their relationship is dangerous, that she could kill him, that together they could destroy the world!! And I loved the fact that the characters I enjoyed in the Bloodstone Saga make an appearance here as well. The worlds are intertwined and even as we are focused on Em, we learn more about what is happening in those other characters’ lives.
In truth, I was a bit worried at the beginning when it seemed that the story was going to be more about their relationship than anything else. I found this book a bit “mushier” than the Bloodstone Saga but, then again, these two soul mates are just finding each other where Harmonia and Cadmus had already known each other for lifetimes when we met them. As usual, however, I needed not have been concerned because out of left field came her father, the twists and turns, the mysteries and the betrayals! And then I couldn’t put it down.
As always, the mix of mythology and history…with a twist…is absolutely perfect. These are characters we’ve heard about (in this book it’s Poseidon and the lost city of Atlantis) brought to life with vivid imagery and creative care.
And the end….I kept checking how far along I was, hoping it wasn’t ending just yet. But, of course, eventually it did and, what do you know, it’s a really good cliffhanger! What will happen next?!? I can’t wait to find out!
Overall, I think it’s another great book. A new adventure that for readers of the Bloodstone Saga will feel different yet, somehow, feel just like coming home!
May 17, 2012
I was both honoured and fortunate to have received not only an ARC but also a few glimpses into this book during it's early stages in Ms Cole's writing process. After just a few highly teasing chapters I knew I would love what was yet to come. I couldn't wait to dive in when I was forwarded an ARC and it was every bit as fantastic as I'd hoped. Thank you once again Courtney for the honour of being a beta reader for you.
I admit (and as Ms Cole knows), at first I was a bit...leery... not the right word really but leery fits I guess... as to how she would align the story so it was a successfully independent spin off series starring Empusa, whom we meet in My Tattered Bonds, with out streaming Bloodstone Saga storyline too deeply into it. Let me tell you - she thoroughly succeeded. She most successfully gives Bloodstone fans tasty glimpses and happily ever after moments of their most beloved characters... and at the same time creates a huge teasing interest in the series for readers who may not have met Harmonia and Cadmus yet, all the while, forming an independant and unique new story that captures your every interest.
Right from the beginning, literally straight in from the first few paragraphs, Soul Kissed has an AMAZING hook... the scene is laid out so perfectly that you can almost see it and you're suddenly, desperately, and anxiously flipping pages to see what happens next. And from there, you want more. More about this unique character, her deep and mysterious attraction for Brennan and the secrets that perhaps even she doesn't want to learn.
As one enormous fan of the Bloodstone Saga, I encourage you to dive deeply into Soul Kissed. The first chapters have the perfect hook to entrance you...the meat of the story lets you fall in love with the characters and the story...and the final few chapters are so high in intensity they'll leave you wanting to follow along with every adventure that lays ahead.
This is a powerful and seductive first book in what will no doubt be another wonderfully written series by Ms Cole.
I admit (and as Ms Cole knows), at first I was a bit...leery... not the right word really but leery fits I guess... as to how she would align the story so it was a successfully independent spin off series starring Empusa, whom we meet in My Tattered Bonds, with out streaming Bloodstone Saga storyline too deeply into it. Let me tell you - she thoroughly succeeded. She most successfully gives Bloodstone fans tasty glimpses and happily ever after moments of their most beloved characters... and at the same time creates a huge teasing interest in the series for readers who may not have met Harmonia and Cadmus yet, all the while, forming an independant and unique new story that captures your every interest.
Right from the beginning, literally straight in from the first few paragraphs, Soul Kissed has an AMAZING hook... the scene is laid out so perfectly that you can almost see it and you're suddenly, desperately, and anxiously flipping pages to see what happens next. And from there, you want more. More about this unique character, her deep and mysterious attraction for Brennan and the secrets that perhaps even she doesn't want to learn.
As one enormous fan of the Bloodstone Saga, I encourage you to dive deeply into Soul Kissed. The first chapters have the perfect hook to entrance you...the meat of the story lets you fall in love with the characters and the story...and the final few chapters are so high in intensity they'll leave you wanting to follow along with every adventure that lays ahead.
This is a powerful and seductive first book in what will no doubt be another wonderfully written series by Ms Cole.
August 12, 2012
Greek mythology has always been a favorite of mine and Courtney Cole is a wonderful author. That is why it is so difficult fo rme to write this review. "Soul Kissed" was just an okay read for me for numerous reasons.
Empusa is an immortal and a demigod. She is the daughter of Hecate, Greek goddess of magic and Mormo, a soul sucking vampire. At an early age, Empusa is betrayed by her father and sent to live in the Underworld in the kingdom of Hades. She is cursed to fulfil his role, sucking out the souls of mortals. So, she does the only thing she can do and preys on the souls of the terminally ill and the blood of others. After taking the life of a terminally ill man she believes has no remaining family, she meets his nephew, Brennan. They have a strong and immediate link that betrays any common sense.
Soon Empusa discovers that Brennan is also a demigod althouh unbeknownst to him. He is the illegitimate son of Apollo. They discover that that their attraction is due to they myth of soul mates. They complete each other. But the relationship has thre potential to destroy not only each other but the world.
As I stated earlier, I had many problems with this story. First and foremost, who is the audience for this book? Is it YA or is it adult? I found it very hard to tell. Secondly, the story happens so quickly that it is lacking of details that would have made it a better read. A big issue for me was the lack of action in the story. There are no fight scenes or major battles just the characters jumping from one god's domain to another. Finally, I grew to truly disliked the repetitiousness in the use of the cheesy pet names ( young one, Emmie, kitten). Wow, talk about diminishing the power of the herione.
Courtney, I am sorry; but, this read just was not for me. As much as I respect your work, I am going to have to pass on this series.
Empusa is an immortal and a demigod. She is the daughter of Hecate, Greek goddess of magic and Mormo, a soul sucking vampire. At an early age, Empusa is betrayed by her father and sent to live in the Underworld in the kingdom of Hades. She is cursed to fulfil his role, sucking out the souls of mortals. So, she does the only thing she can do and preys on the souls of the terminally ill and the blood of others. After taking the life of a terminally ill man she believes has no remaining family, she meets his nephew, Brennan. They have a strong and immediate link that betrays any common sense.
Soon Empusa discovers that Brennan is also a demigod althouh unbeknownst to him. He is the illegitimate son of Apollo. They discover that that their attraction is due to they myth of soul mates. They complete each other. But the relationship has thre potential to destroy not only each other but the world.
As I stated earlier, I had many problems with this story. First and foremost, who is the audience for this book? Is it YA or is it adult? I found it very hard to tell. Secondly, the story happens so quickly that it is lacking of details that would have made it a better read. A big issue for me was the lack of action in the story. There are no fight scenes or major battles just the characters jumping from one god's domain to another. Finally, I grew to truly disliked the repetitiousness in the use of the cheesy pet names ( young one, Emmie, kitten). Wow, talk about diminishing the power of the herione.
Courtney, I am sorry; but, this read just was not for me. As much as I respect your work, I am going to have to pass on this series.
June 17, 2012
Oh man, oh man what to say? The cover is pretty.?
Well this book has everything from witches to gods, to blood sucking soul taking, to curses and some ghost. The only thing I felt was left out was a werewolf. (but there is a book two)
I feel bad saying I didn't like this book, but I didn't like it. The first part of the book was so fast (in a bad way) then it got good, but then it just fell short. I will tell you what I didn't like and why.
*So the start of this book was really hard for me because there is a girl and a boy and the second they meet they are mad crazy in love. Now, there is reason to why, but I like books that have more of a chase, and they take time getting to know each other. (let me fall for the guy) Even though there is a good reason for it, it makes it hard for me to like the guy.
*In the end I thought the girl was a strong character, but she totally out did the guy, so I felt like Apollos son was a big dork. Not Manley.
*There was way to much going on! Like I said gods, witches, blood sucking, sucking souls out of people, curses. I feel like she should have just picked 1 theme and gone with it. The story is basically a girl has a curse that her father put on her (it was his curse) so now she has to suck people's blood, AND steal their souls (kill them) to live. Her soul mate is apollos son and if they are together it will end the world. Her mom is a witch. (so she is to) there is a lot more to it, but you can probably guess it.
The thing is the Author had some killer ideas in this book! And at times I was really into in (like the middle of the book) it had potential. Unfortunately for me I wont be reading on :-(
Well this book has everything from witches to gods, to blood sucking soul taking, to curses and some ghost. The only thing I felt was left out was a werewolf. (but there is a book two)
I feel bad saying I didn't like this book, but I didn't like it. The first part of the book was so fast (in a bad way) then it got good, but then it just fell short. I will tell you what I didn't like and why.
*So the start of this book was really hard for me because there is a girl and a boy and the second they meet they are mad crazy in love. Now, there is reason to why, but I like books that have more of a chase, and they take time getting to know each other. (let me fall for the guy) Even though there is a good reason for it, it makes it hard for me to like the guy.
*In the end I thought the girl was a strong character, but she totally out did the guy, so I felt like Apollos son was a big dork. Not Manley.
*There was way to much going on! Like I said gods, witches, blood sucking, sucking souls out of people, curses. I feel like she should have just picked 1 theme and gone with it. The story is basically a girl has a curse that her father put on her (it was his curse) so now she has to suck people's blood, AND steal their souls (kill them) to live. Her soul mate is apollos son and if they are together it will end the world. Her mom is a witch. (so she is to) there is a lot more to it, but you can probably guess it.
The thing is the Author had some killer ideas in this book! And at times I was really into in (like the middle of the book) it had potential. Unfortunately for me I wont be reading on :-(
November 20, 2012
I won a copy of this book from the Reading 24x7 blog.
I was really excited to read this book because the premise seemed interesting. I have always enjoyed books about Mythology. This book doesn't disappoint, I really loved it! My only issue was that the opening was somewhat confusing. It took the first chapter to figure out what was going on. It isn't a bad thing, but know that you just jump right into the story, there isn't any set up.
Em is a very strong character and very vulnerable at the same time. It's really because she has never put herself out there. With a terrible curse inflicted upon her by her own father and her lack of trust for the God of the Underworld, she is just trying to survive. After a chance encounter, she finds herself not only wanting things she never thought she could have but risking everything to make it happen. Brennan thinks he a typical 18 year old college guy, until he goes to see his dying uncle and meets someone who he feels drawn to and he can't get out of his mind. Em opens Brennan's eyes to not only a world he never knew existed but she completes him in a way that no one else ever could.
This is the first book in a trilogy and I can't wait to read the rest. I just really want to know if Em and Brennan find a way, if Mormo actually succeeds, and most importantly is the curse reversed!
July 19, 2012
I have to say I'm a big fan of Greek Myths and I mean accurate Greek myths not the ones where gods are caring and fluffy and well confused... or worse virgins( I'm looking at you Hades...or I guess I should say James) so anyway this book was great and actually more or less correct on the Greek mythology part.
So lets start with Empusa. This girl was amazing. She is smart, careful and knows how to behave in difficult situations. She isn't dependent on the male hero and I'm so happy that there is a book where the girl is immortal and the guy is a mortal.I mean not that I don't love the usual YA plot but this was different and I really enjoyed it. So in short the heroine is a bad-ass character.
Brennan- the love interest is totally sweet and i really liked how he supported Empusa. He also took the whole I'm a demi- god vampire speech pretty well so I give the guy props.
The plot in this was amazing. It was different and most of the time I had no idea what was going to happen next, I was actually surprised by most of the events in the book.
So if you're into soulmates and Greek myths than don't miss this book. It's definitely a must read.
You can also check out my review for this book on my blog:
http://thebookconfessions.blogspot.com/
So lets start with Empusa. This girl was amazing. She is smart, careful and knows how to behave in difficult situations. She isn't dependent on the male hero and I'm so happy that there is a book where the girl is immortal and the guy is a mortal.I mean not that I don't love the usual YA plot but this was different and I really enjoyed it. So in short the heroine is a bad-ass character.
Brennan- the love interest is totally sweet and i really liked how he supported Empusa. He also took the whole I'm a demi- god vampire speech pretty well so I give the guy props.
The plot in this was amazing. It was different and most of the time I had no idea what was going to happen next, I was actually surprised by most of the events in the book.
So if you're into soulmates and Greek myths than don't miss this book. It's definitely a must read.
You can also check out my review for this book on my blog:
http://thebookconfessions.blogspot.com/
March 28, 2013
I gave it 3 stars only because I found it hard to connect to a romance that developed as fast as Em's and Brennan's. So far I have only read this book of the series so I am only rating the this book and not the entire series. I do intend to read the rest of the books because I fell in love with Courtney Cole's writing while reading The Bloodstone saga and I'm sure she will still deliver. I just have a hard time with a full blown romance that only took a few days before they start saying "I love you" and confessing their undying love for each other. This series is written differently than the Bloodstone saga. In that series you are trying to discover Harmonia's past along with her. But with Soul Kissed, everything is just laid out in front of you and you are just waiting to see how it all pans out. I may just be having a hard time adjusting from the change of style, especially since I loved the style in Bloodstone saga, but either way I know that this series will be just as good as the Bloodstone saga when the series is rated as a whole and I have time to get used to the fast romance.
May 11, 2012
This book has a lot to do with Greek/Roman Gods and Goddesses. When I first started reading it, I was confused by it, as it all starts off with a dying man and a boy. As we get into the story we learn what the heroine is, who her father and mother is. Then we learn more about our hero, who his father really is and what happens when the hero and heroine get together. What potential they have. At the endish of the book, we learn about the apocalypse that could happen if the hero and heroine get together but we all know that sometimes visions are not always true.
It was a great book really, I loved it and I'm going to move onto the second one in a bit. I thought it was sweet having starcrossed lovers in the novel. I mean how can one live with so much angst but not live without it. The hero and heroine are desperately in love but can't be together until they learn to control themselves. It's just amazing to watch each character grow and the emotions within myself grow as I read more about them!
It was a great book really, I loved it and I'm going to move onto the second one in a bit. I thought it was sweet having starcrossed lovers in the novel. I mean how can one live with so much angst but not live without it. The hero and heroine are desperately in love but can't be together until they learn to control themselves. It's just amazing to watch each character grow and the emotions within myself grow as I read more about them!
November 14, 2012
I adored the Bloodstone series... so obviously I went after this one next. I'm slightly disappointed though. I'm not sure what happened. Maybe the book was rushed?? The writing just wasn't that good. You're gonna tell me that a 17 year old boy is going to just accept that he's the son of Apollo and gods are real and she's a witch who eats souls???? He's just okay with that? To easy. Cop out. And the insta-love is annoying.
I'm not entirely sure that I understand how "their combined powers" can kill the world honestly. Moon and Sun, I get that... Moon is a reflection of the Sun though right? So why would powers be so opposing? I guess I just can't wrap my head around that. Or the story, besides Daddy chasing her.
I'm not entirely sure that I understand how "their combined powers" can kill the world honestly. Moon and Sun, I get that... Moon is a reflection of the Sun though right? So why would powers be so opposing? I guess I just can't wrap my head around that. Or the story, besides Daddy chasing her.
October 12, 2014
This was okay. I really enjoyed the Greek mythology aspect, but the insta-love romance just became all consuming. Pages and pages of angst that didn't add to or advance the plot, and it became very frustrating for me. One character would declare they would love the other and never leave them, and then turn around and try to walk away before being convinced that they just can't do it. Wash, rinse, repeat. The main character is super evil, but we're never told why other than "he just is evil." No hint of motivation or explanation for why.
Disappointing (lack of) characterization and plot, especially since Cole's Bloodstone Saga books were very good.
Disappointing (lack of) characterization and plot, especially since Cole's Bloodstone Saga books were very good.
August 26, 2014
I didn't like the ending *pouts* lol
Only because it ended so suddenly.
Various things were happening and so many things unsolved, just to end it like that.
However I enjoyed this fantasy book, it drew me in.
I'm not into mythological history of any sort.
Well, I'm not into history, so I cannot say how I feel about it being as close to "realistic" or how much research was put into this book.
I feel as though Ms. Cole did a GREAT job. And anyone can enjoy it
(Unless they're looking for how much research was put into this then I honestly can't how how much you would)
But I liked it :)
Only because it ended so suddenly.
Various things were happening and so many things unsolved, just to end it like that.
However I enjoyed this fantasy book, it drew me in.
I'm not into mythological history of any sort.
Well, I'm not into history, so I cannot say how I feel about it being as close to "realistic" or how much research was put into this book.
I feel as though Ms. Cole did a GREAT job. And anyone can enjoy it
(Unless they're looking for how much research was put into this then I honestly can't how how much you would)
But I liked it :)
October 16, 2013
Very good book. It's sad what Empusas father did to her making her just like him but a good thing comes out of wandering the earth dodging her father: Brennan. After all she's been through already I'm glad she found her soul mate. But there's trouble in having him around cause her and him together make sparks literally. And the people she thinks are there to help her are really only out for themselves. In the end though she has Brennan and that's all that matters.
June 11, 2012
I was not as impressed with this as I was with Courtney Cole's other works. Don't get me wrong it was still a great beginning to a series and I do intend to continue the series. It just wasn't as captivating the characters didn't appeal to me as much as the bloodstone characters did. But definitely still worth reading.
April 2, 2012
I'd say more of a 4.5 stars! The book was good, the idea pretty original and the mythology dead on! I'm a big fan of Greek mythology (like a real know-it-all myths person) and the myths and characters were the near perfect embodiment of the greek gods.
The story was good overall and the romance sometimes cheesy but still cute!
Good book!
The story was good overall and the romance sometimes cheesy but still cute!
Good book!
January 23, 2013
Love love love love love love. Did I mention I LOVE this book?? I love finding a new favorite series to follow! How had I not ever heard of Courtney Cole??? I am so glad I stumbled upon Soul Kissed as an Amazon freebie and I had already bought book two before I was finished with Soul Kissed. Read this book! You will love the story line, the characters, everything!
June 24, 2012
I loved the combination of Greek mythology and vampires. The main character's relationship with her soul mate made sense to me. The storyline ending in a way that left me wondering what will happen next. I'll have to look for Soul Bound.
Want to read
March 17, 2012I'd like to read this book but it is not available on the nook. I don't buy books or anything from Amazon because I don't agree with their practices so I guess I won't be reading this one. Too bad it looks good.
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