Lonely Souls

Witch Avenue #1

by Karice Bolton

It’s two weeks before Triss turns 18, and her world is about to change into the most magical one imaginable as she readies herself to enter The Witch Avenue Order... that is until her mother’s disappearance. Instead of celebrating her transformation, she finds herself spreading rose petals into her mother’s empty grave.

When Logan, her best friend from junior high, moves back to town for college, he vows to help her find the answers she so desperately seeks surrounding her mother’s disappearance. As they begin uncovering clues, it becomes apparent that the life of white magic they both grew up loving is not what the majority practices, and their lives are in danger.

With a haunting feeling that her mother may still be alive, she begins to hear a call to the wilderness. Triss realizes that in order to find the answers she needs, she must learn the ways of her ancestors and become the hunter, not the hunted before it’s too late, and she becomes part of the lonely souls.

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult, Witches, Romance, Ebooks, Magic

305 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 24, 2012

About the author

Karice is the author of over sixty books that span several genres. She loves nothing more than spending time with her family and sneaking away to write in between with a latte in hand.

She received an MFA in Creative Writing from the U of W.

Sign up for Karice's newsletter and new release info at http://www.karicebolton.com/


Titles include:

Cloudberry Inn Series
Imagining You
Remembering You
Leaving You
Loving You

Sunshine Breakfast Club
Dash of Love
Pinch of Love

Beyond Love Series
Beyond Control (Book 1)
Beyond Doubt (Book 2)
Beyond Reason (Book 3)
Beyond Intent (Book 4)
Beyond Chance (Book 5)
Beyond Promise (Book 6)
Beyond the Mistletoe (Book 7)

Island County Series
Finding Love in Forgotten Cove (Book 1)
Love Redone in Hidden Harbor (Book 2)
Tangled Love on Pelican Point (Book 3)
Forever Love on Fireweed Island (Book 4)
Tempting Love on Holly Lane (Book 5)
Chance at Love at Mystic Bay (Book 6)
Irresistible Love at Silver Falls (Book 7)
Lucky in Love on Hound Island(Book 8)
Mistletoe Mischief (Book 9)

Silver Ridge Series
Happy Truth About Love
A Little Secret About Love
A Funny Thing About Love
A Surprising Thing About Love
Christmas at Silver Ridge

V Mafia Series
Blake
Devin
Jaxson

Luke Fletcher Series
Hidden Sins (Book 1)
Buried Sins (Book 2)
Redemption (Book 3)
Mia (Book 4)

Afterworld Serie
RecruitZ
AlibiZ
UprisingZ

The Camp

The Watchers Trilogy
Taken Novella (A Watchers prequel)
Awakening (Book 1)
Legions (Book 2)
Cataclysm(Book 3)

The Witch Avenue Series
Lonely Souls (Book 1)
Altered Souls (Book 2)
Released Souls (Book 3)
Shattered Souls (Book 4)


The Watchers Trilogy: Awakening was a Barnes & Noble January 2012 Staff Pick: Nook Books Under $5

Reviews

[Cat's Review · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am not convinced that I am reading the same book as the readers who gave this novel five or even four stars. I just finished this book and I just cannot connect with any of the characters.

Beatrice “Triss” Spires is the main character and she is often shown as an immature eighteen year-old but then she suddenly starts spouting out big words and eloquent sentences like she’s a thirty year-old woman. And what seventeen or eighteen year-old says, “My word?” That’s something a grandmother or great-grandmother would say (ex: on page 231, Triss says to Logan, “My word, you’re quiet,” I whispered, catching my breath. – a double whammy in this sentence: “my word” and “whispering”. See below for my comments on whispering). By the way, Triss whispering at this moment really did not make sense. She could have “exclaimed”, “gasped” or “said while trying to catch her breath”. How about, “Oh my word!” she squealed when Logan opened up a trunk (p. 254)

Logan, the male “love interest” seemed like a creepy, pushy, game playing, stalker guy that always appeared like he had ulterior motives. The author is not convincing me that these two have sparks between each other. They were childhood friends but then they were separated by someone moving away. They were pen pals for a while but then Triss stopped writing to him, even though he wrote to her. She had absolutely no clue what was going on in his life but Logan would eavesdrop on his mother’s conversations to Triss’s mother and would keep up to date with Triss’s life. And because of this, the author is trying to convince the readers that Logan has this intense love for Triss (who couldn’t even be bothered to write to him or care about what he was up to while he grew up).

Triss and Logan had that insta-love connection that is popular in many books but reads as unbelievable fiction. The author does not convince me through her writing that these two characters are even in love. I believe that they are in LUST but not LOVE. All I hear from Triss is that he is hot and she takes care to describe his body parts every chance she gets. Yes, I get it. He is the walking specimen of a Greek God but that does not equate to love.

Triss is also so wishy-washy with the whole should-I-want-him scenario. Do I want him? Should I not? My mother is so important but Logan is so hot. When he stretches I see that line that goes down to his stomach and now I am distracted. I can’t like him. Ooh, I want him to kiss me. I have to find my mother so I will put up these walls. His breath is sending shivers down my spine…

And what is up with all the whispering? Triss and Logan are having normal conversations and then suddenly, instead of them “saying” the sentence, either Triss or Logan will whisper the sentence. It’s not like they’re telling secrets. No one else is in the room and they’re not hiding from anyone. They’re just whispering their words for no apparent reason. On page 227, both Triss and Logan whisper a sentence while having a normal conversation! It was quite a distraction for me as I was reading. It became such a large distraction that I decided to count how many times “whisper” came up in the book: there are 114 instances, including whispered, whispers, whispering. Just say the damn words out loud! There is no reason for the characters to be whispering unless it is really called for in the story.

Ellsy and Aunt Vieta just seem like friviolous older women who are thrown into the book out of adult necessity. They are often portrayed as grabbing each other, holding each other, fretting and wringing their hands without seeming to make any adult decisions. How are they oblivious to the fact that Logan is constantly trying to make a move on Triss? He does things right in front of them and they are happy to let her go off with him alone – with no parental supervision, even though Triss and Logan just graduated from high school and Triss’s mom is missing. Not believable.

I also found that the author made both Triss and Logan unwilling mind readers throughout the story. No, they are not actual mind readers in the witchy sense. However, Triss would hope that Logan would do or say something and his next action or sentence would be the same thing that Triss just requested (example: at 72%, around page 221, Triss said, “I think I want to sleep on the couch so I’m near the fire,” hoping he would as well. “I’ll sleep out here too,” Logan replied, eyeing the chair). <-- sorry, not a great example; I'll have to search for another one later.

Logan was also able to have the uncanny ability to know just what Triss wanted (action or words) or understand what she was not saying or not doing just by looking at her. Triss stared so hard and so often at Logan’s face in that short amount of time that she knew his exact emotion just by glancing at him.

I found this interaction to be odd: at 72%, Triss whispered, “You know me pretty well.” Logan laughed, “We’ve known each other for eighteen years, Triss. It was just the last couple where you got a little distant. I didn’t but you did.” Now, they were apart for all of middle school and all of high school so that would be at least six years – a lot more than a couple. Unless he is a stalker, there is no way that he would learn that much about her in a few days unless she had been completely unchanged since they last saw each other in elementary school.

The writing is clunky and odd at times.

Example 1: In one part, Triss was at the passenger side of a car. She put her purse on the floor of the car and then crawled onto the front seat. Really? Did she get down on her hands and knees and actually crawl like a baby onto the seat? Because that’s exactly how I pictured that moment.

Example 2: “… his lips tugged into that smile once more.” – his lips tugged? They actually pulled each other? The author has Logan’s lips “tugging” in other instances in the novel and every time I read it, I picture a hand coming out of the bottom lip and pulling hard on both lips. This is probably not what the author wanted me to imagine but lips cannot tug themselves (unless he’s using some kind of magic spell, which I highly doubt).

Example 3: Snakes, however, I can’t alibi.” – said by Triss (p. 237).

Example 4: He (Logan) stood back up, holding the squirming reptile, and tweaked his head at me.
– Tweaked his head?? What the heck is that?

Example 5: “His eyes seemed to eat hungrily every movement I made…” (p. 242) – I think a word or two might be missing from this sentence.

Example 6: “My legs buckled with the realization that they were no longer my own.” (p. 278) – now nothing before or after this sentence indicates that her legs were suddenly given to somebody else. Am I to believe that somebody switched her legs with another person?

Example 7: This sentence should be rewritten = “A familiar slither wrapped itself around my ankle and I knew the fight was about to begin.” (p. 280) – Um, what familiar slither? Is Triss referring to the snake she refused to pick up when it was alive? I’m quite positive the author had the snake turned into the bow before Triss even touched it and Logan was the one to take it from her and change it back into the wiggling snake. I don’t see how the slither would be familiar to Triss at all.

Example 8: This entire scene does not create the fright and horror it needs to be effective and should be rewritten. It is too calm and the author does not make me feel as though something truly horrible is happening to Triss = “The sheet was ripped from my body, and my body went flailing off the bed, only stopped by the wall I crashed into as my body slid to the floor.” (p. 269) – This is not meant to be a comedic sentence – something scary is happening to Triss and flailing is not the best word choice. I’m reading the words and getting into the scene. I picture the bed sheet being ripped off her body and then I picture her flapping her arms in the air, like a large, crazy bird, as she falls off the bed. The word flailing makes me laugh and does not provoke a sense of fear. I am totally taken out of the story as I create a humorous moment of Triss flying off the bed. Now, I don’t even care that the dresser is falling on her because I have been taken out of the moment (plus, the dresser falling on top of her is not written in a way that makes me think that it’s something scary or serious that is happening to her). – Oh man, this entire SCENE is just plain ridiculous! After having this horrifying event happen to her, she crawls into bed with Logan and whisper to Logan, “Did you hear anything?” She tells him that there was someone speaking to her and a few sentences later, he then he asks, “Is that where you think the voice came from?” – Triss never said that there was only a voice in the room and that she did not see a person. Triss whispers what she (the voice) said to her and then very calmly told Logan what the voice did. Plus, she said that “it tried ripping the sheet off of me.” Tried? Honey, I think the being actually succeeded. On top of that, Logan was quite calm about the what had happened to her – he looks at her forehead, says that she needs ice, tells Triss he doesn’t think she’s crazy, tells her she’s bleeding and they need to get this taken care of. Now really. If a voice was telling me to leave, rips a sheet off of me, throws me off the bed and knocks a dresser down on top of me, there would be nothing calm about me. I would be absolutely hysterical. This scene is totally unbelievable.

Example 9: I think for the following scene, the author may have chopped out necessary information that may have shed some light onto to this conversation:

Pg. 262
Logan flipped the page (of the old spell book), exposing a drawing with a geographical map behind, and a sketch on top of that that looked like a dream world and reality merging somehow. “There’s a spell for that?” my (Triss) voice hushed. “Why didn’t you tell me that we could do this?”

DO WHAT?!?!

The author never tells us what exactly this spell is and we only find out through Logan that it’s an advanced and very dangerous black magic spell. The author dedicates six pages of the characters discussing this spell (doing it, the repercussions, the horrible draw to black magic, etc) and yet I have no idea what is going on and what this spell will actually accomplish. How will this unnamed and unexplained spell help get her mom back from wherever she is (the characters don’t even KNOW where the mother located). All we are told is that it could be dangerous for the person it’s directed towards especially if the person does not want it done. And it could be dangerous for everyone else because things can be altered. Well, that’s helpful.

There are many times that I do not feel as though I am a part of this story. I don’t care about the characters and the plot seems so chaotic and I’m not sure the author knew where she was going when she wrote this. There are very little explanations for things and “big reveals” were big flops because they were already hinted at or they were poorly “hidden”. I predicted so many things that I couldn’t figure out why Triss acted so surprised or angry when they happened. Also, small mysteries seemed to get solved very easily and in a short amount of time (ex: the jumble of letters and numbers in Valerie Spires planner and Triss happening to spot and old plane ticket; the whole Trevor thing at the sandwich shop, etc.). Triss is very unskilled and doesn’t seem to think or act like a witch. I get the impression that witchcraft comes secondary to her and the storyline. There are many things she does not know about being a witch and her only teacher is Logan. She doesn't even know Latin, which is the apparent language choice of all the spells.

Triss also makes it perfectly clear that she is dead set against anything that has to do with black magic but she wants to perform this unexplained spell and a page later she says that she would never want to practice black magic. Talk about a contradiction. I don’t understand this character at all. She is just all over the place with her words, her feelings and emotions and her actions.

While this was a free book on Amazon, it did not live up to my expectations that I read on the four- and five-star reviews.

I do think that the author needed a final run through with an editor before she published this (spelling errors included).

I am giving this book one star. I did not like it.

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lonely Souls first attracted me by its gorgeous cover, even moreso by its mention of witches. I love witches and all their potential. I love spells, magic, and how books on the subject can be fun, fierce, and original. Even though I wish there would have been more "witchiness", Lonely Souls has an intriguing premise with great characters and a sweet romance.

When her mother disappears, Triss will not accept that she's dead. And if her mother's disappearance wasn't enough stress on her shoulders, she has to deal with evil beings that are appearing, and a less than welcoming coven. Intelligent and caring, Triss is a fun character that doesn't let people walk all over her, nor does she let a crush on a boy take over her smarts. I really enjoyed her and Logan's relationship throughout. They're lifelong friends who are obviously attracted to each other, but the romance is kept slow and sweet. I was pleased by how they don't let lack of communication get in the way. They talk and discuss how they feel. I thought this made it all very mature and, in consequence, a relationship that I could easily root for. Logan himself is definitely swoon-worthy. He knows when to say the right things, he is incredibly sweet and understanding; he's just an all around great guy - though not unrealistically so.

With a fast start, we're thrown into a very intriguing premise of witches, secrets, and magic. I was easily caught up in the plot, excited to find out what it would lead to. Soon, however, it turns into a more romantic paranormal story, concentrating on Triss and Logan's relationship. As I mentioned, the romance is wonderful. Nonetheless, I was hoping for a bit more development in the plot itself. I felt as if it didn't advance very much at all. There are some good battle scenes and a few secrets revealed, but there are also a lot of plot deviations - dinner dates and repeat conversations - which keeps it from progressing. I was also expecting a broader view of the witch lore - their coven, background, abilities, etc. In general, I anticipated a lot more to happen. What we did perceive of the plot is very interesting and this could end up being an overall amazing series. So in no way was I dissatisfied with it, just maybe a tad underwhelmed.

It's romantic and it's sweet; Lonely Souls is perfect for those who love paranormal YA novels with a strong romantic subplot, an original premise, and an easily likeable protagonist.

--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Self-published authors: I get it. You've put months (maybe even years!) into your project, with no pay and nothing to show for it. But you have so much faith in your story and characters that you decide to publish independently, and to hell with agents and publishing companies. You KNOW your book is good enough, and if you could just get it out there for people to read, they'd love it.

Please, for the love of good books, HIRE AN EDITOR. I know it's expensive, and I know you've read over it a thousand times and think it's perfect the way it is. It's not. There hasn't been a book written in the last thousand years that wasn't improved by an impartial editorial review.

It positively kills me when I read a book that has such potential (like this one) and it's ruined by poor editing, awkward sentence structure, and plain old that-word-does-not-mean-what-you-think-it-means moments. This is worse than a blatantly bad book, because there were moments where I'd have a quick glimpse of what it could have been.

Alas, it was not to be. In conclusion, if you (or any of your friends, your friends' friends, or your friends' friends' friends) should mention that they're thinking of self-publishing, please take drastic measures until they concede that they will hire a professional editor.

[Janie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow. I have actually no wotds to describe how much this book sucked. i, for one, am very lenient and very generous on my ratings reviews, but i have nothing nice to say. Well, i can admit the plot had an interesting story behind it. It could have been way more explored though. the starting was good and was very captivating(the first two chapters) then it down graded from there. many things kept being repeated over and over again. half the time i had no idea what the hell was happening. Everything was either to confusing or too straightforward. I got bored. I wasn't even happy/excited when Logan and, whats her name? Um...Triss got together. It was so obvious it would happen, that you wanted to scream at them, lets just get on with the story already! When the ending finally came i was like, well that sucked.
The other thing that really bugged me was that the whole book centered around Logan and Triss having feelings for each other. What about her mother? Wasn't the whole point of the tale to be looking for her mother because she just dissappeared into thin air? Sometimes i forgot that was even the problem. Then every once and a while you would get little things like, oh! Wait i feel guilty for liking you Logan because my mom‘s gone. But i will still stay because these feelings. But not look for her because i am not motivated enough to actually go find her. But i am quite tranquil enough to stay with you alone in the cabin in the woods because, you know, that seems right.
What else bugged me was that nothing was expanded. That poltergiest that destroyed Triss‘s room and threw her into the wall? Yeah that ghost. What was up with that? Why not find what the ghost wants maybe? It did warn you to leave and guess what happened less than 24 hours later? You were attacked. Not even one thought of the ghost was mentioned again after that. Why? Why even add the ghost if it basically did nothing to the plot but intrigued the crap out of people because it started to sound interesting? Oh wait, i know why. Because if you did the book would actually be interesting. What a thought?

*deep breath in. And out*
Okay. Feel so much better. How about you?

[Patricia Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is apparent that Karice is a seasoned writer due to fact that the content remains on topic. I found the mechanics were good with proper editing in place. The storyline kept the reader engaged, and it was entertaining. Karice has a great working knowledge of her subject matter, more specifically the herbs, medicinal properties of plants, and the use of Latin. e.g. utilized in a fire spell.

I had problems with the paraphrased statements made by the protaganist in the story. Although, I do realize that Karice was trying to build conflict with the tension of a possible romance and guilt of a susposed death, it was overkill.

I wasn't sure about the genre, but I am guessing that level of read makes this book a Y.A. due to the language use/word choice--(lexicon), which is more suited for this age group. I would reccommend this book for any young adult, more specifically girls.

Nice Job Karice

[La La · Rating 2 out of 5]

Again, I wish there was a half rating for 2 and a half. It wasn't quite a three. Enjoyed reading it as a 'filler' book, waiting for books from my favorite authors. I am looking forward to the next book. Easy read, vacation for my brain.

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY WITCHES! Where is the I LOVE THIS BOOK BUTTON! I have to say this is the first book I have read by Karice Bolton and will not be the last. Karice has a way of drawing you in and you are unable to stop reading until the end. Once I reached the end I was screaming at the book NOOOOO I need more wait did that just happen? I don't say this often but I will say it now Karice is one of my FAVORITE authors and I just can't get enough of her writing.

In Lonely Souls we get to meet Triss who lives with her mother and has just graduated from high school.She is two weeks away from becoming eighteen and joining her Witch Coven.She is ready to enjoy entrance into a new world and become closer to her mother. That is until she goes to meet her mother at one of their beach spots and her mother is missing. Triss is frantic trying to find her mother and calls the police because she thinks her mother may have gone over the cliff into the waters. But as things start to unfold she finds that there is a more sinister reason for her mother's disappearance.

As Triss is preparing for her mother's memorial service she is struck with this weird feeling that something is just not right. She has good reason to feel that because the coven that her mother belonged to starts acting weird and Triss has to figure out what is going on. Triss has contacted her mother's best friend Elly and when Elly comes with her son Logan who was Triss's best friend things start to look up for Triss. With Logan by her side Triss feels comfort from him and she asks him to help her find her mother because she knows she is not dead.

Triss will soon find out who she can and can't trust and what a revelation it will be. She will have to learn magic quickly with the aide of Logan in order to fight what this thing is that is after her. She will uncover some family secrets and will find out what it means to be a true witch and use her gifts she was born with. In the end Triss will have to trust her heart and not her head because someone or something wants her dead. The Lonely Souls are calling to her will she go to them or will she fight for her life and reject them?

This is a MUST READ Witch series and I can not wait for book two. I am waiting on pins and needles.I want to thank Julie over at AToMR blog tours for hosting this blog and allowing me to be a part of it. Karice I want to thank you for sharing such a WONDERFUL world with us readers and I am patiently waiting for book two. While I wait I will be reading your Watchers Trilogy to hold me over!

[Danielle (Bookwhoreblog) Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review Originally Post HERE


Triss's life is about to begin in a coming of age sort of way; if coming of age involves being a witch and you’re about to enter a cover. Everything is going just as planned with Triss's celebration until, her mother disappears. While everyone else is mourning her mother’s death Triss is devoting her time to finding her mother hopefully alive. Triss is reunited with a childhood friend and the two set out on an adventure loaded with magic and topped with mystery that made putting this book down every week impossible.

Lonely Souls was read with Book Whore Online Book Club and it has been a real treat. I was reeled into this story from the very beginning and taken completely by surprise at the start of this book. I have been reading Karice's novels from the very start of her writing career and this has been her best work yet. Normally her cookie cutter characters have me wishing for more conflict but Triss and Logan were beautifully written and the story had the perfect amount of conflict to keep me turning the pages.

Triss is struggling through a time in her life where a young girl really needs her mother to guide her. Instead Triss is stuck with trying to find her mother alive and being betrayed by those around her. Triss's emotions are real and raw and I loved it. With no one to turn to and no one to trust Triss starts shutting everyone around her out. Logan is recently back in Triss's life and I think the two not tripping all over each other in love was the best way to reunite this couple. On top of well written characters you get black magic, wands, and more.

I really enjoyed the flashback scenes in this story they were the perfect bridge for getting to meet Triss's mother without dragging out the story. I cannot wait for the next book in this series. I do recommend this book to readers but I don't think it is for romance lovers that prefer a hot and heavy love story. The characters are age appropriate so they have immature emotions and reactions to situations. If you are interested in a budding new love and a tale woven with mystery and magic then Lonely Souls is the perfect read for you.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. Em. Gee! I absolutely adore this series! I personally think it is better than The Watchers Trilogy (also by Karice Bolton) - and that's saying something because I really enjoyed that series, too! Kind of a totally different genre though, so I suppose I shouldn't really compare the two.

In Lonely Souls, we have Triss, who is just on the cusp of adulthood; turning 18 in a few weeks, she will become a member of the Witch Avenue Coven. Things take a turn for the worst (as they usually do) when her mother goes missing. Triss doesn't believe that her mother is dead, but her soon-to-be coven pushes for a memorial, and soon she sees that things are not what they seem. Secrets about her ancestry begin to reveal themselves, adding nothing but confusion in her already upturned world.

Unsure of who to trust, she finds solace in her life long friend - with gorgeous blue eyes and dark hair and rock hard body, and swoon... sorry about that - Logan. She finds other things in him too, but to find out about those, you'll have to read the book! ;-)

This is a great series for all ages, though it is written for young adults. I think because we are dealing with 17 years and up, it is easy for anyone to relate. The plot is followed nicely and the editing wasn't bad. With very few mistakes (no more than mass marketed books) there were no distractions while reading; except for the gorgeous Logan. He is enough to distract anyone!

So, if you're a fan of Twilight, don't read this book; it will raise your expectations for the YA genre and completely ruin the relationship between Edward and Bella. Seriously, though, that was such a horrible relationship and set girls up for failure in the romance department. Don't get mad, I'm not hating on it! I'm a fan myself. But the relationship dynamic between Triss and Logan is a much healthier one! This is the "knight in shining armor" that girls need to compare their love interests to. Logan is respectable, generous, loving, and totally swoon-worthy!

Did I mention that this first installment to the Witch Avenue series is FREE?? Go download it!

[Rosalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right after I finished reading The Watchers Trilogy, I bought Lonely Souls. I think Bolton has ‘bewitched’ me and now I am under her spell! Reading about witches and witchcraft is not really my thing. I bought this book simply because I enjoyed Bolton’s previous offerings on The Watchers Trilogy and I just wanted to continue being taken by Bolton to lalaland!

I must say that it took me a while to get into the story. But as I got to know Triss, I started to get into it; more so when Logan came into the picture. I thought he has the same qualities as Athen, Bolton’s hero in The Watchers Trilogy – a too good to be true guy who will do anything in his power to protect the one he loves. He is a hero to Triss and my hero too! I was so intrigued about the plight of Triss’ mother who dis-appeared two weeks before her 18th birthday that I wouldn’t want to put the book down until I found out. There is a bit of Katniss in Triss when she cast a spell on a snake and changed it into a bow with magic arrows to defeat their enemies. It brought me back to The Hunger games trilogy. I like the spells Triss and Logan cooked up and the developing romance between them which is rather cute.

However, I was disappointed with the ending! I didn’t realise that this is the beginning of a brand new series. I cannot wait to find out what Bolton has cooked up in the next book, Altered Souls.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4 Stars**

MY OVERVIEW: Lonley Souls was filled with mystery, action, adventure, and of course... romance. The book started out with a tragedy in Triss' life. I love when books jump right in like that.

PROS: I think Triss was written beautifully. You really felt the struggle she went through with trying to decide what she needed to focus on; finding her mom or Logan. I’m glad that she finally came to terms with her feelings on everything. She tried so hard to be emotionless, and I think that is very realistic in the wake of a tragic event.

CONS: The coven and what they did wasn’t really explained. Also, it seems like witches aren’t hiding who they are, but that isn’t clear either. Most books have the witches hiding who they are, but I have no idea if this is the case in this one. Also, I didn’t like the lack of distinction between regular magic and black magic. A lot of the spells seemed like they could go either way depending on your frame of mind.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. I have loved all of the books I have read by Karice Bolton.

[Korin: A Crone Running Amok · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s two weeks before Triss turns 18, and her world is about to change into the most magical one imaginable as she readies herself to enter The Witch Avenue Order... that is until her mother’s disappearance. Instead of celebrating her transformation, she finds herself spreading rose petals into her mother’s empty grave.[br/]When Logan, her best friend from junior high, moves back to town for college, he vows to help her find the answers she so desperately seeks surrounding her mother’s disappearance. As they begin uncovering clues, it becomes apparent that the life of white magic they both grew up loving is not what the majority practices, and their lives are in danger.
Characters are complex and well thought out. The themes of good & evil are not simplified either with "white magic" being used to do evil & "dark magic" used to save.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, the last few chapters were hard to get through. Every paragraph was Triss whining about how gorgeous Logan was and how she shouldn't pay attention, but oooooooh he's beautiful, and then quick makeout session before back to chiding herself. I wish there were more about the witches and the differences between black and white magic. Even that wasn't well explained. It felt like a coin toss every time they came across a spell. And for the record, how many times did Logan use black magic? So much for giving that up... I won't be continuing the series. I would only recommend if you like the dramatic romance. Unfortunately, I don't.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

good start

This book didn't blow me away, but it was a good start to what seems like it will be a good series.
Triss and Logan make you like them both from the start, and the build up to the love story is sweet.
We start the book by Triss's mother going missing and the story keeps going strong from there.
The book is well written and flows very nicely. This is a YA story, but isn't filled with the typical love triangle or teen angst. And I really appreciated the that fact. This was a fun and easy read.
I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Logan. So far I love this series.

[Amy Fournier · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I totally admit that the original reason I wanted to read this book was because of the cover. I mean look at it!! This book is much more than a pretty cover though. The story that unfolds is wonderful and engaging. The relationships among the characters, the mystery as to what is going on, and the tension and anticipation of what is going to happen next had my thoroughly wrapped up in this book.

Triss is a character that was easy for me to like. She is grieving over her mothers disappearance, but she still tries to what she has to when things start happening. You see her vulnerability, but you also see her strength. Logan, a friend from childhood (actually their whole lives) really helps keep her together. She has been kept ignorant of a lot of things having to do with magic. She doesn't even really know basic magic, but Logan helps her to start learning. She knows how to use herbs and flowers to heal and make potions, soaps, and other things, but has been left in the dark about how to do magic. She is terrified of black magic and what it can do. She also knows that someone had summoned black magic to come looking for something, perhaps her, and she needs to get to the bottom of things.

Logan is awesome. He is caring and sweet. He really cares for Triss and is there for her. It becomes very apparent that he cares for her more than just friends and always has. He is not pushy about it, but he keeps it in the front of her mind and he knows that she has those feelings deep down too. There is a lot more to Logan than meets the eye though, and it both scares and intrigues Triss. Logan will help Triss and keep her safe no matter what. He is funny too, even in the darker situations he can find a way to lighten the mood a little an bring a smile to her face.

The romance was sweet. Since Logan and Triss have known each other forever it is very gradual. It was not rushed in anyway. I liked how you could feel how conflicted Triss was about it, and how patient Logan was. It needed to be slow, and it was done wonderfully. There is no insta-love and no love triangle so that is a super bonus to me.

This book was a fantastic start to a series that I think will be great!! I felt that the setting was done really well, the characters were likable, and the plot was great. I loved the story progression. It was paced perfectly. I didn't feel like I would explode with anticipation, but it just simmered there making me need to keep going. I wasn't really too surprised by the ending, but the way it is brought out was really good. There is plenty of good action, sweet romance, and magic in this book

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another amazing book by Karice Bolton. I just loved Lonely Souls. It was a book about more than just witchcraft. Lonely Souls had a good strong plot filled with characters who you can't help but like. I enjoyed reading about Triss and Logan. Yeah total swoonage going on over here. I am not sure how Karice does it really. How she can create such a perfect pair, who support each other and make the other one complete. She writes with such vision and colour that you can't help but be sucked in. I honestly couldn't put it down.

First off we have Triss, a girl who is struggling with the loss of her mother and the return of her long ago friend Logan. I found Triss kind of complex. She was not one dimensional like so many other characters I read about. I found that she seemed to not know who she is. She is unsure of herself and her feelings. Sure she likes the healing part of the craft but in the other areas she is lacking. Not that that is a bad thing, in no way do I mean that at all. I liked being right with her while Logan was teaching her how to defend herself. I found it added that special something between the two of them. That he was taking care of his girl. She has feelings for Logan, but she is not sure she can give him what he needs. I respect that she didn't lead him on. I like that she wanted to be 100% sure of something before she jumped in, not many MC's do that. Triss is just a sweet girl who has been thrown into a mess that with the help of Logan she just might make it through.

Logan on the other hand, has seen the darker side of magic. I honestly believe that Triss is the light to his darkness. He has lived a rough life after leaving Triss and moving away. The one thing that I love most about Logan is that he waited for Triss to be ready to be with him. He never pushed her or even hinted that he had feelings for her until he saw her again. Logan is totally swoon worthy. He is supportive and wants Triss to be able to take care of herself just in case he can't. I hate to say it, but sometimes it is nice to see a guy want to take care of a girl. He is just so dang sweet! I can't wait to read more about him.

Overall Lonely Souls was a great start to an awesome new series. One I am sure to be cursing time for travelling so slowly. Karice did a beautiful job building a world with love, magic and darkness. The characters and plot are well written and I can't wait for the next installment in the series.

[Michelle novelsontherun · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: 4 LOVELY LOGAN STARS!!

When I first did a cover reveal for this book, I fell in love with the beautiful cover. I loved the scene in the book where the cover came to life for me. I love it when a cover can do that.

Triss has lost her mother, the witch coven have put her to rest, but Triss is not convinced her mother has passed on. She doesn't want to believe her mother is no longer with her. But what happened to her? She just went missing. Something isn’t right. Triss on her 18th birthday is to take part in the ceremony that will bring her into her witch coven. Things don’t go according to plan.


Logan and Triss, aka Beatrice, have a very gentlemanly kind of relationship. Logan speaks to Triss with such respect and I think he is in awe of her.

Logan wants to keep Triss safe until they can work out what to do. Logan is holding some secrets of his own and his skeletons are pretty big in his closet.

I really loved Logan he is written very much a gentleman. He is so patient and into Triss. He just waits for her to be ready for him. They have known each other their whole life, but Logan went away and the letters stopped being written.

I am very interested to know more about Logan as he turned to the dark arts, the black magic for a while and I don’t think we know why?

I really liked the originality of Karice’s , ‘Lonely Souls’ , I would like to understand more, but the whole idea I really liked.

The major villain of this story is still in the wings but I suppose you could say the minions were at work and I enjoyed the wands coming out and some spells being fought.

I liked Logan teaching Triss protection spells and the special gift he gave her. That was a great gift, albeit I would probably personally say no thanks, lol!! But a very handy gift that served a wonderful purpose. That was a very imaginative idea by Karice.

Some little seeds were sown for future instalments that we will have to wait to see grow and a nice twist or two in the plot.

I am looking forward to seeing where Logan and Triss are taken on their journey to........well I can’t tell you that or else it will give a lot of the story away:D

FAVE QUOTE:

“I think I could stay in the rain all day long with you, baby,” he whispered......

[Alex Bennett]

Please check out Electrifying Reviews for more reviews like this, plus giveaways, interviews, and more!

I’ve always loved books about witches, and I basically try to read as many of them as I can because I’m weird like that. So, when I found out that Karice Bolton—an author I’d heard only good things about—was releasing the first in a new series about teen witches, well, I knew I had to give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised by Lonely Souls and will definitely be back for more of the Witch Avenue books.

I’m pretty picky with witchcraft and magic in books, but Lonely Souls did it pretty well, I’d say. It doesn’t appear in the book for a while, but once it did show up, I really liked reading about how Bolton explained magic in this series. The story itself is really neat and complex, dealing with grief, darkness, betrayal, and all sorts of things that intertwine to create a truly imaginative, interesting book.

Karice Bolton is a great writer, and I can see why people have raved about her. However, there were a few things that didn’t sit quite right with me. First of all, these characters are for the most part adults—18 at least. They don’t sound like it at all. The language is so clean and mature that it didn’t seem natural. The dialog between them was also pretty unnatural to me. However, the writing in general was great and I’m definitely going to read more by Bolton when I get the chance.

Triss is a pretty good main character. She’s complex and developed for the most part, but like I said earlier she definitely doesn’t seem eighteen. I feel like maybe Bolton made her that age just because it made a lot of the plot easier to write about with a character just on the cusp of adulthood. Logan was a love interest that I actually really liked. He was supportive and had a mysterious side to him, but was always good to Triss.

If you’re a fan of Sweep, The Secret Circle, or are just looking for a magical book to take you away for a while, I’d definitely recommend Lonely Souls. I definitely enjoyed it and will be back for more Witch Avenue as soon as I get the chance.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Triss is looking forward to her 18th birthday and joining The Witch Avenue Coven when her mom disappears right off the beach. Her mom's best friend and her son, Logan return for her memorial service. Triss hasn't seen Logan in years but they used to be best friends. Logan believes in Triss and will help her try to find her missing mother. Her coven offers no support and everyone wants to assume she is dead.

Logan was a very sweet, and dedicated character. He would do anything for Triss. I got a bit frustrated with the romance because Triss would continue to close herself off from him. I admired Triss for wanting to focus on her finding her mother and not become distracted by a boy but trying to avoid Logan was still a big distraction. Logan did have some dark secrets but he was very swoon worthy. The book was romance heavy and most scenes revolved around the two working out their feelings. Logan also taught Triss magic. She wasn't well developed and Logan works on teaching her to protect herself. A few interesting scenes such as turning a snake into a bow and arrow. So not worth a bow and arrow! I hate snakes yesh!

As Triss searches for her mother she realizes she may be in danger as well. There isn't a ton of action but the few scenes here and there had my attention. Unique world building with interesting spells and villains. I'm still interested in learning a bit more about the lonely souls and world. I really wish I had some of the calming concoctions Triss would mix up. The story wraps up nicely just the way I like it. Things are open but no major questions hanging. I look forward to more of Tris and Logan. This was full of swoon worthy quotes, a sweet romance, a bit of mystery and action, and some witchy goodness.


"I know we haven't seen each other for years, but I'd never do that to you. I don't care where I'm at in the world or what I'm doing, I'll always be here for you, Triss."

"Triss, I'm in no hurry. I wasn't kidding. You are one of a kind and worth waiting for."

"I don't want to lose you before I even have you."

[Reader's Hollow · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read, had me hooked from the first chapter. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. The fact that the main character Triss’ mother has disappeared from the very beginning had me enthralled with the story, and the idea of the Lonely Souls captivated me from the moment Triss had her first encounter with the unnerving beings.

When the return of Triss’ childhood friend Logan re-enters her life, the internal struggle she has with her mixture of emotions I found to be quite relatable. Her dealing with the potentially romantic encounters and still trying to focus on the important things in life was something I think was well described._

There were situations that weren’t all that surprising in their outcome to me, for instance certain characters that were apparent in their intentions, but others that I didn’t even see coming with how their lives intertwined with Triss’.

The character building itself was quite well done with the main characters, for instance when it came to the description of Logan’s eyes changing at certain times of conversation and situations, but I feel more could have been used to build the personalities of the supporting players, but was good enough for characters with minimal parts.

If there is anything that I would have changed, and this is only slightly, is the seemingly continuous mention of Triss’ distaste and worry of Logan’s sway to Dark Magic. In my opinion it could have been done in a different matter that didn’t feel like that friend that continuously says the same point over and over again trying to get it across and more like a struggle of trust.

The part that Triss’ father comes to play in the plot of the story has me curious as to his true intention towards both Triss and her mother and makes it so that I can't wait to read the rest of the series. If you enjoy authors like Kelley Armstrong or L.J. Smith's Secret Circle series, Karice Bolton is a must have on your "authors-to-read" list.

--Review by Danika Jayde from www.thereadershollow.com

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of four in a series called The Witch Avenue Series. I have had all four books for a while but never got around to reading them. I am glad I finally started the series.

You meet Triss at the most dramatic time of her life. She just lost her mother. Lost literally. She goes to meet her on the beach near the home and her mother' belongings are there but she is not. All Triss's lfe she has been raised as a witch and is about to become part of the Witch Avenue Coven. She has a natural affinity with animals and can make organic remedies for many health problems. She cannot whip up a spell and findnd her mother. In fact, the whole coven and her aunt push Triss into having a memorial service and declaring her mom is gone.
Thankfully, her mom's best friend and her son, Logan, come back to town to help Triss out in her time of need. Problem is Logan is one attractive guy and he seems to be very interested in more than just a friendship with Triss. All Triss cares about is finding her mom and trying to figure out if a member of the coven is the cause of her momma's disappearance. Some one who deals with lonely souls and other dark magic is making Triss's life very difficult--even down right dangerous. To make matters worse, Logan is distracting her from her mission of finding her mom with that super hot body and he wonderful caring way. Triss needs to figure out what is going on with her coven, her mom and all this dark magic being sent towrds her.

This a a romance with a lot of adventure and drama that make this a really good read. I loved that the magic was dark and light and even some gray. While Logan being so perfect was a little hard to take at times, this story moved along quickly. Triss refusing to believe her mother was dead and her determination to find her even when things started to get dangerous made me really enjoy this book. I felt for her when she wondered who to trust and that she tried to keep her feelings for Logan from side-tracking her mission. Will definitely be reading the next book soon.

[Autumn Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that I love this cover. Karice really has an eye for picking great covers. Her other series, The Watchers Trilogy, also has beautiful covers. This cover fits the story well too. Ok, enough about the cover love and on to the goods.

I loved that the story takes off right away with the disappearance of her mother. What should be a day out with her mom to plan her 18th birthday and initiation into the coven, turns into the worst day of Triss' life. Her mom has completely vanished without a trace or even the clothes on her back. Triss is completely beside herself with grief. When members of her family and coven push to have a funeral service, even though her mother's body hasn't been found, Triss feels that something strange is going on. Then childhood friend, Logan, comes back to town and agrees to help Triss search for answers of her mother's disappearance. Of course during their search, he reveals his long time feelings to her. He's been in love with her since childhood and truth be told, she's always felt a bond with him too. I think we'll see more about the purpose of their relationship as the series moves forward.

I really liked Triss. She's just one of those characters you can identify with and like. I will say that I loved Logan at first, but began to feel a bit uneasy about him as the story developed. I trust that he loves Triss, but I think there's something he's not telling her. I just really hope he doesn't end up betraying her.

Overall, I felt like this book was a great start to a series. It left me feeling like I was anxious to get to the next book. I also liked KB's writing style. The writing has a nice flow and I never felt lost in plot. I think this is a great book for a 15+ reader.

[Kimberly Souza · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Lonely Souls” by, Karice Bolton

Triss is about to turn 18 and join her family’s (witch) coven when her mother disappears from the beach. Signs point to an accident of some kind and though the police are still investigating, the coven convinces Triss to hold a funeral ceremony. Trying to hold onto hope, Triss is glad to see her long-time friend Logan who has come into town for the service. Like Triss, Logan believes that there is more going on and they are both determined to get to the bottom of things. With a missing mother, a handsome/charming boy wanting to protect her, and a coven that can’t be trusted, Triss may be in over her head.


I think the basic storyline is a good one. I liked Triss and Logan as characters and felt like the romance between them had some really sweet moments. I also found myself feeling scared for the characters at several points in this book. (Books don’t often scare me, at least not in a good way.)

A little side note: “Lonely Souls” has quite a lovely cover.

Even with all the things I liked about this story, I still found it difficult to read. The writing doesn’t flow very well and phrases are repeated many times over. Triss spends most of her time feeling guilty and the reader gets to hear about it every few pages. The book had a part one and a part two but I don’t understand why. The two parts don’t separate anything significant and could have been left out.

Like I always say, just because I don’t love this book doesn’t mean it’s a bad story. I think that “Lonely Souls” will appeal to most teens, plus it has a great ebook price of (99 cents) depending on where you purchase it. Book two and three are also available for $2.99 each. If you want something light and inexpensive “Lonely Souls” is a great choice.

[nightlyreadingheather · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I don’t know how else to get this through your head. But you’re the only one I’ve ever dreamed of being with. You’ve saved me on many levels, and I’m forever in your debt, and I’m willing to wait for however long it takes.”

Another great start to a series by Karice Bolton! I loved her Watcher’s series and could not wait to start this one!

Triss’s life has taken a major hit! She is about to turn 18 and is suppose to join her coven with a special ceremony. Her whole life, her mother and Triss have talked about how special the ceremony would be. Out of nowhere, her mother goes missing and Triss believes that she could still be alive out there somewhere. She will stop at nothing to find her or figure out what had happened to her.

Enter Logan. Logan had been Triss’s childhood best friend. Their mother’s were best friends so it kind of forced them together. They had been bound at the hip until a move had separated them. You can tell right off the bat that these two had some major chemistry. Triss can definitely feel it, but with her mother missing, she tries to put her feelings aside and focus on finding her mom.

Logan is sweet and endearing. I knew right from the start that he would steal my heart. He is willing to do whatever it takes to help Triss. Triss is a strong character. She may not realize it at times, but, she is.

I felt that the characters were well-developed and the plot was unique and pulled me right in. I have always been fascinated by witches and this book did not disappoint!

I can’t wait to see where the story leads. With a cliffhanger ending, this book had me begging for more and screaming NOOOOOO!

[Nereid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having ventured into the world of the "Watchers" series and loving it I do have mixed feelings regarding this book. Triss is nearly 18 and due to enter the "Witch Avenue Coven" when her mother goes missing without a trace. A sudden memorial service is held without much time passing and no body was ever found. Everyone assume she is dead except Triss her daughter. Strange things start happening and Triss is fearful for her life as Dark magic invades the ceremony of her entrance into the coven. Triss seemed really naive even though she was a practising witch but I found it strange that that she never learned protection spells or defensive magic considering her mother was aware of her heritage. The coven virtually abandoned her at the ceremony and if it was not for Logan she would have been abducted already. Coven members harassed her afterwards and seemed to be in league with a Dark Sorcerer. Logan is her love interest and a former dark arts practitioner who has been in love with her since they were kids. He is her protector and with his knowledge she stands a chance of finding her mother before it is too late. The beginning of the book was a bit slow for me and it was nearly half way through that the pace picked up when Triss and Logan went into hiding. Now it was a question of surviving long enough to find her mother and escape with her to safety. Secrets are revealed about her family and there was no cliff hanger ending for which I am grateful. I felt this story did not capture my interest enough and it lacked the intensity of her other books but it was a pleasant read.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in a day! I can't do that with all books. The book has to catch me, keep me turning pages, never let go! This book was pretty good at doing just that. The story catches you right from the start. Chapter one was definitely an interesting way to start things. It left me thinking one thing, we've got a mystery to solve! Gotta love a book with a good mystery!

Favorite character by far had to be Logan. The second he was introduced, I was sold! I'm a sucker for a good love interest and he definitely made it interesting! This guy had it all, incredibly sweet when he had to be, strong when he had to be, and caring, always. No insta-love here. These characters had to work for it. The romance was definitely my favorite part of the book, and one of the main reasons I read it with such interest.

Don't get me wrong, romance isn't all this book has going for it, although it did play a very big part. It's got a little action fit into it's pages as well. This story has some definite twists! Throw in an interesting take on witches, spells, and more you've got one pretty great read.


This book gets 4 stars from me. The series looks promising.
I'm definitely interested to read more.

[Aeryn Dougan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate leaving negative reviews, but I seriously had a hard time getting through this book. The writing just seemed sloppy to me--there were tense issues, the general sentence structure was repetitive, and characters kept going through the same gestures/emotions over and over again. I also hated that the narrator would often comment on something in her head and then (the same observation) would be readdressed in the speech tag or on the next line down.

I'll admit that the initial issue may have been my own when I started reading this book. I've recently (within the past couple years) lost a parent, yet I could not connect with what Triss was going through. It should have been easy. I've been there. But Bolton's representation of such an event did not feel genuine to me. Again, this was just my initial reaction.

Unfortunately, it did not get better as I pressed myself forward. I simply did not care about the characters; they literally made me fall asleep. The story--or the idea of it--combined with pure determination is what made me finish this book, but I am not committed to reading the rest of the series.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book. It has a good story and who/what Triss is/can become opens many possibilities
for the next books, especially with her dad. I liked the plot how it went from one mystery to the next.
Logan was a very cool character. I love that he dabbled in the dark side.I love that he has cared for Triss for such a long time and even after she cut off all contact with him, he still followed up on her. Triss was kinda of cool. Not as cool as I had hoped for her to be, especially with her even knowing that she was special, which we find out at the end of the novel (sorry for the spoiler) but still i was hoping for some more from her. She does seem to have a nice personality so that’s cool about her.
I’m also curious however why her mother never taught her anything anything offensive or defensive really for that matter? When she already knew what had happened to her father and his side of the family. Anyways the plot was interesting and kept a good pace that kept you reading. The ending was torturous because it made me want to read the next one, but of course I don’t have it so, I guess the Karice Bolton did a good job hooking me into the series.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off I love this cover!! It totally fit into the story and that thrilled me. Witches and a totally hot Logan really pulled me into this story. I love the idea of a budding romance between Triss and Logan, who have been friends since childhood. The fact that they have known each other so long and get each other makes the relationship feel more believeable and real. Knowing that Logan moved away but never lost feelings for Triss made my heart flip flop.

I found Lonely Souls to be very addictive. Once I opened the book, I didn't want to put it down. I have a feeling I am going to have another series to add to my favorites list. I think the storyline is very alluring with a mix of dark and light magic. The thin line that divides the two makes for a fascinating read. As with life there is a grey area and I am curious to see if Logan or Triss step over that line and become drawn into the dark magic.

Lonely Souls is a enchanting book that I can't seen to get enough of. I am thrilled that I own book 2, so I can begin reading it immediately after posting my review. I recommend this book for anyone who loves paranormal/romance.